Thursday, July 16, 2015
Buhari didn’t make anti-Igbo statement –Presidency
President Muhammadu Buhari
The
Presidency, on Wednesday, said there was no truth in a claim by a
pirate radio station that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed anti-Igbo
sentiments in a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.
The Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement,
described the claim as “completely false, malicious and slanderous.”
Shehu said the voice ascribed to Buhari
in the recording, repeatedly played by the pirate radio station, was not
that of the President.
He added that the claim that the station got the recording from a BBC interview was totally untrue.
He said that no one should be deceived by the pirate radio station’s hate propaganda against the President.
The statement read in part, “President
Buhari has not had any interview with the BBC’s Hausa Service since his
assumption of office as alleged by the agents of disunity behind the
pirate radio station’s inflammatory and divisive broadcast.
“The last interview he had with the BBC
Hausa Service, lasting not more than five minutes, was on the day he was
declared winner and given his Certificate of Return as the
President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Thankfully, the BBC Hausa Service
Editor, Mr. Mansor Liman has distanced the BBC from the false interview
clip being ascribed by the pirate radio station to President Buhari.
“President Buhari is the President of
all Nigerians and will continue to treat all citizens on the basis of
fairness, equality and equity.”
EFCC begins probe of Uduaghan administration
Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has commenced an investigation
into the administration of Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Investigations on Wednesday revealed
that a team of operatives attached to the Economic Governance Unit of
the commission was entrusted with the responsibility of looking into the
account books of the Delta State Government under Uduaghan.
A reliable source disclosed to our
correspondent that some officials of the state government would appear
before the commission to answer questions in relation with alleged
economic crimes next week.
It was learnt that some former
commissioners and principal officers of the state’s seventh House of
Assembly would be invited by the commission for interrogation.
The source said that one of the principal officers of the House was at the commission’s headquarters last week.
It was gathered that the team investigating the immediate past Delta State administration had not invited the former governor.
It was gathered that Uduaghan’s invitation would be determined by the outcome of the investigation of the invited officials.
“It is not true that Uduaghan and his
aides were quizzed by the commission. Even his aides have not even been
quizzed. The commission has invited some of the officials who served
under the former governor. Some of them are commissioners and others are
principal officers of the House of Assembly.
“Only one of the principal officers
(name withheld) has appeared and left. The others are expected next
week. The governor was not invited. He can only be invited after the
interrogation of the officials involved. For now, he is out of it.”
When our correspondent contacted the
Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on the
story, he said he had not been briefed about the said investigation.
Uduaghan had in May denied an allegation
by a group which accused him of embezzling over N200bn which was
appropriated to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development
Commission.
The group, under the aegis of the Delta
Youths for Good Governance and Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum had
alleged that the governor had embezzled the money and was speeding up
plans to scrap the commission before leaving office on May 29, 2015.
The leader of the forum, Prince
Kpokpogri, alleged that some members of the state seventh House of
Assembly connived with the governor to secure N40bn bond.
Speaking through his Communications
Manager, Paul Odili, Uduaghan, had, however, said the allegations were
false and mischievous.
Odili said, “People are just heaping all
kinds of allegations against the person of the governor. How can the
governor take such a huge amount of money? It is cheap blackmail because
the governor has the interest of Deltans at heart and he cannot do
that. That allegation is ridiculous and from an ignorant mind.”
Ogun NLC decries 60-month unpaid pension deductions
| credits: Olatunji Obasa
The
Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress has decried the state
government’s failure to pay the contributory pension deductions and
other backlog of arrears of its workers for five years.
The state chairman of the NLC, Akeem
Ambali, said this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday
while briefing journalists at the union’s secretariat.
He said many workers in the state were becoming restless, agitated despondent.
According to him, there were unremitted pension deductions, cooperative deductions, gratuities, dues and others.
He said, “We have a backlog of unpaid contributory pension scheme of 60 months, we also have unpaid dues of seven months.
“We
have unpaid cooperatives dues and other deductions of about eight
months. We are also having an outstanding arrears of gratuities from
November 2012 till date that have not been paid to retirees.”
Ambali, who acknowledged the dwindling
allocation from the Federal Government, said the government must treat
workers’ welfare as a priority.
The union leader, who commended
President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent bailout of N713.7bn approved
by his administration, however, warned state governors not to divert the
fund to settle other debts.
He noted that the bailout would only be a
bonus to Ogun State government as Governor Ibikunle Amosun had promised
to pay all unremitted cooperative deductions by the end of the month.
Ambali said, “Now that we are having a
bailout from the Federal Government, workers are afraid that some
governors might use that money to settle other commitments. We are not
saying Ogun State government would do that but we are being proactive.
“We want to appeal to the Ogun State
government to ensure that that money is judiciously and properly used to
settle these outstanding arrears.
“The NLC also noted that subvention to
higher institutions in Ogun State has not been remitted since January
till date. We are aware that the workers of Tai Solarin College of
Education, Omu Ijebu, are struggling to get their salaries up till now,
these pathetic situations call for concern.”
On the recent proscription of workers’
unions in TASCE, Ambali said the government did that in error, adding
that the executive has no such power.
SHOCKING: Six die in Kwara waiting for salary arrears
The
Chairman of the Non- Academic Staff Union of College of Education,
College of Education, Ilorin, Mr. Najeem Anas, on Wednesday, said that
six members of the union had died between January and June because of
financial difficulties arising from non-payment of their salary arrears.
Also workers of some Kwara State
Government owned tertiary institutions have decried the non-payment of
their salaries for about four months.
The workers who spoke on condition of
anonymity for fear of victimisation told our correspondent in Ilorin,
the Kwara State capital on Wednesday, that they had not received their
salaries since March. They stated that this had subjected them to untold
hardships.
They
stated they could no longer foot the bills of their basic needs
including feeding their families, paying their children’s and
dependant’s school fees as well as their families’ medical bills.
Some of the state owned tertiary
institutions are Kwara State University; Kwara State Polytechnic;
College of Education, Ilorin; College of Education, Oro; Kwara State
College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi; Kwara State College of Arabic
and Islamic Legal Studies, and Kwara State College of Health
Technology, Offa.
The Public Relations Officer, Kwara State
Polytechnic, Ilorin, Mr. Abdulkadir Yunus, said workers of the
institution had been receiving their salaries promptly, adding that they
had been paid even their June salaries.
But our correspondent confirmed from
sources that KWASU and College of Education, Ilorin, are among the state
owned institutions that their workers are being owed.
The Head, Office of the University
Relations, KWASU, Hajia Hamidat Sulyman, when contacted said KWASU
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, would respond to our
correspondent’s enquiry. Our correspondent gathered that Na’Allah was
out of town and so his response was not forthcoming as of the time of
filing the story.
Anas alleged that the state government stopped subventions to the college since March.
He stated that the development had inflicted untold hardships on the workers.
“From January to June this year we have
lost about six of our members due to lack of funds. Some of them are on
medication and because of lack of money to buy drugs some died suddenly.
“We do record at least one death per month, though we have not recorded
any this July. As a result of that we have gone spiritual and we have
counselled one another to take things easy.”
He said the institution’s management was only able to pay them 40 per cent of their salaries for March, April, May and June.
He stated that though the non-payment
of their full salaries was affecting the morale of staff, they were
neither planning to engage in street protest, nor strike, but were still
waiting patiently for the remaining 60 per cent of their salaries for
four months to be paid.
He said NASU believed in dialogue and not
in confrontation. He added that they would continue to engage in
dialogue, hoping that by continuing on that, the state government and
the college management would reason with them and pay them.
He pleaded with the government to pay
them the outstanding salaries since the state government had received a
bailout from the Federal Government.
The Provost of the College of Education,
Ilorin, Dr. Isiaka Opobiyi, said the state government was mindful of the
critical situation the workers were faced with.
He stated that the state government was
working assiduously to address the situation and remove the plight of
the suffering workers.
OFFICIAL VERSION: Wizkid ft. Drake & Skepta – Ojuelegba (Remix) @wizkidayo @Drake @skepta
Here is the official version of Drake and Skepta assisted remix to Wizkid’s crossover tune – Ojuelegba, it was released via Skepta’s soundcloud.
DOWNLOAD
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
OMG!!! Young Man Beheads Elderly Man At His Farm For Money Ritual (See Photo)
The end of times is almost at us. That is what comes to mind after a young man in his 30s, identified as Terfa, beheaded an elderly man at his farm in Utonkon village, Otukpo, Benue State, according to Idoma Voice.
The man who confessed that a native doctor promised to make money rituals for him if he can provide a human head, according to witnesses, cornered the old man at his farm and beheaded him.
It was gathered that the suspect reportedly trailed his victim to his farm today, Monday, July 13, where he cut off his head with a machette.
But luck ran out of him when some youths noticed him and apprehended him. On searching his bag, the severed head was found inside.
The suspected was handed over to the Otukpo Divisional Police headquarters where the police say it has begun investigations into the case.
WARNING:- Viewers Discretion is Adviced!! See photo below…
NFF unveils Oliseh as Super Eagles coach (see photo)
The 40-year-old was the overwhelming favourite to be handed the role after the ‘Big Boss,’ Stephen Keshi, was shown the exit door by the NFF two weeks ago.
On Wednesday, Oliseh finally signed a contract with the NFF which ties him to the Super Eagles until 2020, becoming the fifth player in the 1994 class to handle the senior national team after Austin Eguavoen, Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and Keshi.
“It’s a great honour to be coach of this great national team,” said Oliseh at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja.
“I’m not coming as a messiah. I’m coming as a man who wants to serve his country and give 150%.
“Gone are the days when we had individual players who can win games on their own. But we have potential,” he said.
He also laid down the law to players of Nigerian origin on his requirements before they can feature for his team.
“No player outside of first division in Nigeria or elsewhere will play for the Super Eagles. We will work together with the technical committee because if we fail, they fail,” he concluded.
The ex-Nigeria international will now hope to inspire an immediate improvement in the Eagles’ fortunes, starting with a win against Tanzania in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in September.
Seven killed in anti-drug raids in Philippines
No fewer than seven suspects were killed on Wednesday in a series of anti-drug raids in a southern Philippine city, police said.
According to Benjamin Magalong, head of the police criminal investigation group, 35 suspects were also arrested during the simultaneous raids in Davao City, 960 kilometres south of Manila.
“Police seized 13 firearms, two grenades and nearly 200 grammes of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or ice.
“Those killed and arrested were suspected of being drug dealers, thieves or mercenaries,” Magalong said.
According to Benjamin Magalong, head of the police criminal investigation group, 35 suspects were also arrested during the simultaneous raids in Davao City, 960 kilometres south of Manila.
“Police seized 13 firearms, two grenades and nearly 200 grammes of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or ice.
“Those killed and arrested were suspected of being drug dealers, thieves or mercenaries,” Magalong said.
China begins construction of ‘world’s tallest’ dam
China has begun building a 314-metre (1,030-ft) high dam which will be among the world’s tallest, officials said, as the country massively expands hydropower.
The Shuangjiankou dam on a tributary of China’s mighty Yangtze river will be completed in 2022, the environmental ministry said on its website Tuesday.
The facility, costing 36 billion yuan ($5.8 billion), will be higher than the world’s current tallest dam, the 305-metre Jinping-1, also in China.
China has been expanding its hydropower electricity generating capacity as it seeks to reach a goal of obtaining 20 per cent of its power from non-fossil sources by 2030.
Beijing says reaching the target will help reduce growth in its carbon emissions responsible for climate change, the world’s largest.
China is home to the world’s largest dam, the Three Gorges, as well as some 85,000 other hydropower facilities.
Millions of people have been forced to relocate because of dam building in the country in recent decades, often with little compensation.
Environmentalists say that the dams have caused large declines in fish stocks and other aquatic life.
“The true costs of hydropower in China are consistently being underestimated or ignored, including the environmental and social costs,” the US-based NGO International Rivers said in November.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
MUSIC: ECHO - FEEL ALRIGHT @echo_tlc
@echo_tlc | The young legend of the truthful talkers, producer, singer
and song writer who has worked with many legends in the music industry
in Nigeria, having covered with the precious unbrella of "LahLah"
Smoke Da music as a co-producer.
Bespoke Entertainment finally presents, "Echo" as he signify his
presence in the music industry with the premier new singles "Feel
Alright". Music vibez produced, mixed and mastered by the young
#KingEcho himself.
Download | Listen | Enjoy | Share!!!!
DOWNLOAD
Star Boy!! Wizkid Renews His Contract With Pepsi (Photo)
Wikid and Pepsi have renewed their affiliation for the third consecutive year.
Wizkid is currently getting all the buzz available following Drake remixing his song Ojuelegba.
Starboy Wizkid made his announcement on his twitter and instagram about renewing his contract with Pepsi.
The singer will be the company’s ambassador for the next 2 years.
Tiwa Savage who’s also an ambassador to the company is yet to renew her own contract
Music Duo Bracket To Release 4th Studio Album Titled ‘Alive’, Drops Artwork & Tracklist
The new album is an 18-track compilation, and contains an array of features and collaborations from a number of star artistes…..
The Afro-Pop / highlife group, Bracket, which comprises of Vast and Smash are set to drop a new body of work titled ‘Alive.’
The new album is an 18-track compilation, and contains an array of features and collaborations from a number of star artistes.
Timaya, Phyno, Tekno, Flavour, DJ Arafat, Cynthia Morgan, Diamond and Tiwa Savage are all on the album.
Production for the body of work comes from a posse of producers such as, Jaystunts, Masterkraft, Selebobo, Tekno, Mecca E and Freelance.
They also employed the services of Elense Bakassi on the bass guitar. For mixing and mastering, Jaystuntz and Selebobo.
‘Alive’ is the fourth studio album from the group. It follows their 2011 release titled ‘Cupid Stories’.
Tracklist below:
1. Iyeri
2. Ego
3. My Dear
4. Celebrate ft. Timaya
5. Comfort
6. Bartender ft. Phyno
7. Baby Mu
8. Panya ft. Tekno
9. Egbe Belu ft. Flavour
10. Soko ft. Dj Arafat
11. Far Away ft. Cynthia Morgan
12. Odii
13. Nana
14. Idim N’obi
15. Alive ft. Diamond & Tiwa Savage
16. Oringo
17. Tous Jour
Unbelievable!!! Pastor Forces Members To Eat Live Snakes, March On Them [See Photos]
A pastor who just got a set of new shoes marched on his church members while telling them it is for their own good.
The South African pastor who had earlier forced some of the members to eat a live snake because they have been turned into chocolates professed; we have authority to change everything into anything and it will obey because of our authority.
It will be recalled that in the past, different South African pastors had asked their members to eat grass, drink petrol and even strip naked all in the name of deliverance.
Thank God for Nigeria, we don wise pass this level. See more photos below:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)