Milton Daniels Bishop: October 2016

Sunday 30 October 2016

Ivory Coast Votes On New Constitution As Opposition Boycotts

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Voters in Ivory Coast cast their ballots in a referendum on Sunday to decide whether to approve a new constitution that President Alassane Ouattara argues will guarantee peace in the wake of years of political turmoil.

Under Ouattara, Ivory Coast has made an impressive recovery since a 2011 civil war capped a decade-long crisis. The International Monetary Fund projects it will be Africa’s fastest growing economy this year.

Despite five years of peace, however, Ivorians remain deeply divided along political and ethnic fault lines. And both they and the investors who are now flooding in, crave the stability that will allow the world’s top cocoa grower to cement its status as the continent’s rising star.

“It’s an opportunity but also a duty,” Ouattara said after voting in the commercial capital Abidjan. “Turning the page on the crisis born of the constitution of 2000 is essential for the future of our nation.”

Opposition parties have called for a boycott of the vote, arguing that the new text was designed to further entrench Ouattara’s political coalition. So, while the “yes” vote is heavily favored, voter participation will be key to determining whether the text has the widespread backing.

By midday, turnout in Abidjan was visibly lower than during last year’s presidential election when 54.6 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.

Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko said incidents of suspected opposition supporters using violence to impede the vote had been recorded in around 100 polling stations in Abidjan and western Ivory Coast. But he said they would not affect the results.

The current constitution, drafted under military rule after a 1999 coup, was at the heart of Ivory Coast’s prolonged unrest.

In its most controversial clause, it says presidential candidates’ parents must both be natural-born Ivorians – a deliberate swipe at northerners, many of whom, like Ouattara, have family ties that straddle the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali.

The new constitution scraps that rule, which was used to disqualify Ouattara from a poll in 2000, and now only one parent must be Ivorian. It also creates a post of vice president and a senate. The president says all these new measures will guarantee more political stability.

However, the new text also allows future changes to the constitution to go ahead without a referendum and with just a two thirds majority in parliament – a body now heavily dominated by Ouattara’s allies – a fact that has raised concern among some rights groups.

Some civil society groups and diplomats, meanwhile, have criticized the process of drafting the text and submitting it to a plebiscite as rushed and lacking transparency. Voters have had just two and a half weeks to review the 184-article charter.

Uyo Residents Embrace State’s Environmental Sanitation Directive

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Residents of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital came out in large numbers on Saturday morning to clean their environments.

This was in response to the state government’s directive that the last Saturday of every month is observed as environmental sanitation day across the state.

Men of the state ministry of environment were seen removing waste from the roads

Residents who spoke to Channels Television in Uyo said they were happy to take part in the exercise.

An official of Environmental Health Initiative of Nigeria, a non-governmental organization also commended the resident for their large turnout.

An aid to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Mr Emmanuel Nicholas described the exercise as a success and encouraged resident to remain consistent as cleanliness would help to keep the state free of diseases.

Governor Udom Emmanuel resurrected the environmental sanitation exercise in February, 2016.

Jegede Supporters Take Protest To Akure Monarch’s Palace

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The supporters of Mr Eyitayo Jegede stormed the palace of the paramount ruler of Akure on Saturday to protest INEC’s replacement of the name of their man with that of Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate in Ondo governorship election.

Thousands of protesters, including members of the State House of Assembly, party officials and supporters blocked the major highways, singing solidarity songs in support of Jegede with placards ‎sending across their message.

At the palace of the Deji of Akure, the Chairman of the Makarfi faction of the PDP in the state, Mr Clement Faboyede, spoke on behalf ‎of the protesters.

Faboyede appealed to the royal father to appeal to INEC to declare Jegede as the PDP candidate in the governorship election as he was the one duly elected.

He insisted that no court has the right to determine the candidate of a party in an election.

Mr Faboyede had on Friday made a similar call during a press conference, where he argued that it is not the duty of any court to impose or dictate candidates for a political party.

“It is a pre-election matter and the Supreme Court which is the highest order of judiciary in this land, severally, has said it that pre-election matters are not matters of the court,” he stated.

supporters blocked the major highways, singing solidarity songs in support of Jegede — Supporters blocked the major highways, singing solidarity songs in support of Jegede

He added that Mr Jimoh Ibrahim is not a member of the PDP in Ondo state.

Responding, the Deji of Akure, HRM Ogunlade Aladelusi, appealed to the‎ judiciary to ensure that everybody gets justice, without which there will be unrest.

However, a member of the House of Representatives for Ondo East/West Constituency, Joseph Akinlaja said that another court judgement would come that will ‎restore the name of Jegede as the PDP candidate in the governorship election and INEC must abide by it.

‘Ungodly Black Market Order’

Similarly, members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have also made their position in the ongoing controversy known.

Addressing a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalist Press Centre in Akure, the state capital, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Jumoke Akindele, ‎refered to the court order that the name of Jegede be replaced with that of Ibrahim as an ungodly black market order.

She stated that the members of the House, as representatives of the people, condemn the act, saying it is an advanced political fraud ‎and a coup against the will of the people.

The Speaker insisted that the PDP primary election that produced Jegede was the authentic one, referring to the Ibrahim ‎faction as a group of unprincipled elements.

Gov. Bello Urges Royal Fathers To Be Watchdogs

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Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has charged the traditional institution to remain the watchdogs of their domain for further maintenance of peace and to curtail any act capable of breaking law and order.

He made the appeal on Saturday, while presenting staff of office to the 17th Emir of Borgu, Barrister Muhammed Sani Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government area of the state.

The Governor stressed the need for caution and vigilance on the part of the royal fathers so as to help fish out questionable characters in the society.

“I call on all traditional rulers to be more interested in what happens in their communities. You remain security watchdogs in your domain and by extension the state. You must avoid any criminal connivance, as this is capable of ruining any leader,” the Governor advised royal fathers.

He commended the support he has been receiving from state council of traditional rulers and called on the new Emir to extend same.

The Governor also urged him to bring his wealth of experience to bear in positioning his Emirate for greatness.

The newly installed Emir of Borgu, Barrister Muhammed Sani Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV promised to be fair to all his subjects and called on them to come up with meaningful ideas on how to move the Emirate forward.

The royal father, whose late father was a former Senator during the botched 3rd republic, called on political leaders in the country to bury their differences for the development, progress and unity of the country.

The royal father, who was apparently referring to the crisis within the ruling party said, “Let all leaders of change bury their differences, work for the unity and for the progress of the country in the memory of my late father”.

President Muhammadu Buhari, a turbaned chief of the emirate was represented by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello and Hon. Abu Bawa Bwari, Minister of State, Ministry of Solid Minerals.

Other attendees include, the Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim and former military governor of the state, Colonel Lawan Gwadabe and Ambassador designate, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto

The ceremony was witnessed by many royal fathers from across the six geo-political zones with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi and Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahay Abubakar leading the pack.

800 Herdsmen Now In Custody Over Violent Attacks – Osinbajo

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Security agencies in Nigeria have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Prof. Osinbajo made this disclosure in Houston, Texas in the US on Friday at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the internet,

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson Mr. Laolu Akande in Houston, the Vice President fielded about 30 questions at the well-attended townhall event moderated by Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Prof. Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.

Asked about the issue of Fulani herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country and what the Federal Government was doing to curb the problem, the Vice President said: “The President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.”

He added that “there are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.”

The Vice President however decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system which is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects.

Prof. Osinbajo reminded the audience however that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial issue especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on people’s crops on the farmlands. He clarified that the matter just did not crop up when President Buhari assumed office.

Vice President Osinbajo then advised the audience against the tendency of interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious issue, stressing that it is important for all Nigerians to refuse such divisive narratives and tendencies.

He reminded his audience that there has always been conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because President Buhari, a Fulani is currently at the helm of affairs in the country.

Community Policing

Answering question on the need for community policing, the Vice President indicated that community policing via State Police is indeed a cardinal programme of the ruling APC. However the party agenda cannot be introduced until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.

He gave a scenario where a policeman from Bayelsa State for instance is working in Borno State where he cannot even speak the language or understand the culture of the people he is policing, noting that such is counterproductive.

The current situation where Police activities is controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations, he conceded, adding that the “the federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution”.

Judges’ Arrest

Commenting on the recent arrest of judges in the country, Prof. Osinbajo told his Nigerian audience in Texas that impunity could be very dangerous in any sector and that the federal government is only exercising its executive function in attempting to check excesses.

He pointed out that the important thing is that due process is being followed as the judges were released about 24 hours after their arrest and once they had given their statements.

The Vice President also responded to a question on the state of the nation’s economy and attributed the current recession to the loss of about 60% of government revenue due to pipeline vandalism and endemic corruption in the system.

He, however, stated that getting back oil production is a sure way to get out of the recession and the federal government is working to sort it out.

Anti-Corruption

Answering question from the internet on when former President Goodluck Jonathan would be arrested, Osinbajo pointed out that the Buhari administration is not in the business of arresting just anyone anyhow.

He said all the Buhari administration does is to empower the security agencies and the anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.

He also added that the fight against corruption in the country is not fought on ethnic, hasty or premediated grounds.

According to him, “corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone, the culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest.”

He frowned at a situation where for instance as much as $15 billion has disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, pointing out that no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.

Commenting on the declining fortunes of Nigeria in international sporting competitions occasioned by poor funding by the government, the Vice President said that a long-term solution to inadequate funding of sports is private sector involvement.

According to him, looking around countries that have excelled in international sporting competitions, the private sector in those countries are directly involved and that is exactly what should happen in Nigeria.

By the time companies and organizations take up sports sponsorship, he believes that the tide would change for good.

Nigerians from all walks of life in Houston, Texas and from other parts of the US attended the town hall meeting which was preceded by a Nigeria Infrastructure summit which showcased opportunities for foreign investors in Nigeria.

SERAP Seeks Dismissal Of Patience Jonathan’s Suit

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has responded to the alleged ‘campaign of calumny against Patience Jonathan, wife of the former President, Goodluck Jonathan’ by asking the Federal High Court to “dismiss her suit with substantial cost”.

Mrs Jonathan and a group Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance had accused SERAP in a suit for “using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15 million and ought to be prosecuted”.

A statement by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, read: “Patience Jonathan’s claims cannot be maintained because they are brought on her behalf by a group that is unknown to law. This very point, SERAP calls into question the legal capacity to file this suit and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain it.

“Since the process of court has not been used properly, it is unnecessary to consider whether or not there is a genuine case on the merits. An abuse of court process is not the specie of sins called an irregularity. It is a much more fundamental vice which is deserving of the punishment of dismissal.”

“The suit as constituted discloses no reasonable cause of action against SERAP and is as such unmaintainable. Mrs Jonathan and her group cannot and has not articulated what legal wrong SERAP has done or what legal dispute they have with SERAP. They have not shown that the matter is justifiable and that a dispute exists between them and SERAP. Mrs Jonathan’s case against SERAP is therefore a flagrant abuse of court process and as such must be dismissed.

“The commencement of this suit through Originating Summons by Mrs. Jonathan and her group is also wrong and faulty. Originating Summons is absolutely inappropriate to commence an action where the facts are in dispute. It is evident from the processes filed by Mrs Jonathan and her group that this suit will definitely be disputed by SERAP.

“No stamp and/or seal of the solicitors to Mrs Jonathan and her group is fixed to the Originating Summons and as such is incompetent and not recognizable by the court. A document filed shall be deemed not properly signed or filed if it has no fixing of the seal and stamp, and the court cannot consider such document”.

One Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Jonathan had sued SERAP on October 6 at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Mrs Jonathan and her group had asked the court for “an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in vilification, condemnation and conviction of her, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicised pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the Plaintiff/Applicant for owning legitimate private property, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons”.

The suit is also seeking “an order directing SERAP to stay all action and to desist forthwith from proceeding against Mrs Jonathan, with any process whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons”.

Mrs Jonathan and her group have also claimed that, “the campaign by SERAP is in breach of her right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended)”.

Gifts From Friends

Their suit document further read that “the action by SERAP seeks to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to embark on a breach of the same right when the Attorney General, is in a better position than SERAP and the court to know whether or not there is any evidence of wrongdoing by Mrs. Jonathan”.

“SERAP’s action is blatant misuse of the processes of this Court. SERAP therefore no longer deserves to continue as an incorporated entity and ought to be dissolved. It is just and equitable to dissolve SERAP in the circumstances of this case. Damages will not be adequate compensation for the irreparable damage Mrs Jonathan will suffer if the application is not granted. The Plaintiff undertakes as to damages in favour of SERAP in the event, the instant application ought not to have been granted.

“There has been a running battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Mrs Jonathan, with respect to the release of her legitimately earned funds which were deposited in accounts opened in the names of certain companies by one of her husband’s aides without her authorisation.

“The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband’s service as a public officer in Nigeria.

“In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.”

“When the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010, she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States. She therefore summoned one of her husband’s domestic aids, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited.”

“Unknown to her, the said Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question.

“When in 2016 Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realized that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a shock to her when she discovered that ‘a no transaction order’ had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa.”

“She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalized and led to the plaintiff’s vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter.”

“SERAP is playing to the public gallery in order to gain the notoriety it has achieved over the past years. SERAP has done this mostly by intervening in high profile issues without regard to the rights of persons it claims to protect. SERAP jumped into the fray of ignorant accusations being made against Mrs Jonathan in the public media and has begun a campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole the funds in question and ought to be prosecuted.

“SERAP has maintained this position, notwithstanding the fact that there is no evidence whatsoever by which Mrs Jonathan could be prosecuted for obtaining the funds through unlawful means. In furtherance of this campaign, SERAP, being in breach of its own objects for which it was incorporated, has continued to proclaim the guilt of Mrs Jonathan in the media and recently was widely reported in the news media to have commenced a self-serving action to attempt to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute her”.

Murder Of Miyeti Allah’s Chairman In Kogi State Is Unfortunate, Group Says

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The murder of the Kogi State Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mr Ibrahim Jalido, has thrown fear into the hearts of the residents of Lokoja.

In an interview with Channels Television, the State Secretary of Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mr Suleiman Abubakar described the situation as ‘unfortunate’.

He said the late chairman was an advocate of war against crime among the Fulani youths in Kogi State.

Also, the wife of the late chairman, Mariam Jalido gave a breakdown of what happened.

She said some gun men stormed the house, and demanded for her husband, after which he was killed.

This is happening weeks after the Kogi State government inaugurated a team of Joint Task Force, with members from the Army, Police, Navy, Civil Defense and other state security services.

Since the murder of Mr Jalido, Fulanis in Kogi State have held series of meetings, looking for the way forward and how such incidence could be curbed in the near future.

While the police said investigations are ongoing, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Fashola Explains Input Gurara Hydropower Will Make To Nigeria’s Electricity

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Nigeria’s electricity will receive a boost at the completion of the Gurara Hydropower Plant in Kaduna early next year, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

While inspecting the plant that will add 30 megawatts of electricity to the over 5,000 megawatts that the nation of over 160 million people ration, Mr Fashola said that the addition was in continuation of the drive by the Federal Government to boost power generation.

Addressing reporters at the plant he explained that the additional power from the Gurara Hydropower Plant would boost efforts to stabilise power supply.

Mr Fashola pointed out that the plant would also serve as a source of transporting energy through to Kaduna and Mando substations to connect the Kaduna Power Plant.

He also hailed the Federal Government efforts to increase power generation, saying with wind power being developed in Katsina and the Gurara, Shiroro and Kashimbila hydropower projects, the nation’s energy mix was slowly coming together.

The Minister was at the plant with his team of experts to inspect the level of work done.

They also inspected the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam project in Taraba State.

The dam when completed would provide electricity and support agricultural ventures in the surrounding communities.

The minister appealed for peace and cooperation from the host community to ensure that the project, which he pointed out would first serve the community, was completed in record time.

Recently, electricity experts advised the Nigerian government to shift focus away from generating power with gas which has seen a setback amidst increasing attacks on oil installations in the southern region by militants.

Several pipelines have been blown up with a militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers claiming responsibility for most of the attacks.

Prior to the exploration of gas for power supply, the nation had depended largely on dams. Poor maintenance and shift of focus away from the dams have also been identified as reasons the nation’s power supply has stopped improving over the years.

Air Chief Positive About Ending Niger Delta Militancy

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Nigerian Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, says that the Niger Delta needs a comprehensive solution to end militancy.

These were his words during his visit for the commissioning of personnel blocks at the premises of the special operations group, of the Nigerian Air Force in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The Chief of Air Staff decried the loss of professionalism associated with personnel, living in non-military environment.

On the sidelines, Mr Abubakar told journalists that Air Force operations have become more clinical in the fight against Boko Haram, through the use of more intelligence surveillance air crafts.

This was in response to the plea of one of the 21 rescued Chibok girls who asked the force to be mindful of their of operations in order not to wipe out the other girls still in the clutches of the Boko Haram group.

Furthermore, he said “there is no military operation in the world that can guarantee zero casualty when engaging a legitimate military target.

“That incident the rescued girl is talking about happened sometime in 2015 when we just had two intelligence surveillance aircraft, now we have six and we will do everything humanly possible to avoid casualties in our fight against Boko Haram,” he asserted.

New Earthquake Rocks Italy, Buildings Collapse

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A powerful earthquake struck Italy on Sunday in the same central regions that have been rocked by repeated tremors over the past two months, with more homes and churches brought down but no deaths reported.

The quake, which measured 6.6 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, was bigger than one on Aug. 24 that killed almost 300 people. Many people have fled the area since then, helping to avoid a new devastating death toll.

The latest quake was felt across much of Italy, striking at 7.40 a.m. (0640 GMT), its epicenter close to the historic Umbrian walled town of Norcia, some 100 km (60 miles) from the university city of Perugia.

Panicked Norcia residents rushed into the streets and the town’s ancient Basilica of St. Benedict collapsed, leaving just the facade standing. Nuns, monks and locals sank to their knees in the main square in silent prayer before the shattered church.

“This is a tragedy. It is a coup de grace. The basilica is devastated,” Bishop Renato Boccardo of Norcia told Reuters.

“Everyone has been suspended in a never-ending state of fear and stress. They are at their wits end,” said Boccardo, referring to the thousands of tremors that have rattled the area since August, including two serious quakes on Wednesday.

Italy’s Civil Protection unit, which coordinates disaster relief, said numerous houses were destroyed on Sunday in the regions of Umbria and Marche, but either they were deserted at the time or most of the residents managed to escape beforehand.

“No deaths have been reported, but there are a number of people injured,” said Civil Protection chief Fabrizio Curcio, adding that just one person was in a serious condition.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Italy was living through extremely difficult times, but promised a massive reconstruction effort in the years ahead regardless of any possible objections from the European Union over the eventual costs.

“We will rebuild everything, the houses, the churches and the businesses,” Renzi told reporters. “Everything that needs to be done to rebuild these areas will be done.”

Benue Govt. Flags Off International Cargo Airport

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The Benue State government and its joint venture partners under the Public Private Partnership, has flagged off the 38 Billion Naira Benue international cargo airport on a 6,000-hectre land along the Makurdi-Lafia road.

Governor Samuel Ortom while speaking on the economic viability of the project conceived by former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, said, the 38 billion Naira investment by the Nigerian/Chinese consortium on the airport project and other service, would change the economy significantly.

On its part, the consortium financing the project, which is now under the supervision of the Ministry of Aviation, is seeking security for men and infrastructure, as the governor perform the ground-breaking ceremony.

This 6,000 hectres of land along Makurdi-Lafia road, will host the Benue international cargo airport that will operate from the existing Makurdi Airport.

However, the project was stalled in 2014 when the management of the Nigerian Air Force Tactical Air Command refused to share the airport facilities with the proposed cargo airport project expansion.

The project, which is on a ‘build, operate and transfer agreement’ for a period of 25 years, is being flag off to accommodate cargos from Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states.

While explaining the delay in the take-off of the project, Governor Ortom gave credit to his former colleague and Aviation Minister, Oduah, outlining the benefits of the project.

Already, the contractors handling the Benue International Cargo Airport project have mobilised to the 6,000 hectres site, with a promise to deliver the project for commissioning in five years.

What You Should Know About Hypotension

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Hypotension, which is low blood pressure, can have similar complications as high blood pressure if its symptoms become severe.It is not as common as hypertension which affects about 22 per cent of adults aged 18 and above globally.

Hypotension may be a signal to an underlying medical condition but it can be identified with a measuring apparatus for checking the pressure of the blood in the human circulatory system.

Most of the time, attention is on high blood pressure but there is equally a silent low blood pressure or hypotension to watch out for.

Symptoms

Explaining the difference between Hypertension and Hypotension, a cardiologist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olusegun Joseph, said that “the normal blood pressure is between 90-120 over 60-80. Anything lower than 90 over 60, is termed hypotension, he said.

“They are not uncommon. Usually it is secondary to some diseases. There are people that are naturally, their blood pressure is 80/60, 80/55 and they are doing well. Such people, if they are not symptomatic there is nothing to really worry about. The problem comes when there are symptoms”.

Hypotension would seem to be a blood pressure reading to strive for but for some people, it can cause mild symptoms and in severe cases low blood pressure can be life-threatening.

As much as this life-threatening condition exists, very few people know about it, as indicated by a survey of opinions carried out by Channels Television’s health correspondent, Yomi Otaigbe.

But Dr. Joseph says “you need to know your numbers especially as you are growing. Alright, what are the numbers? Your blood pressure. The other thing is to know if your blood sugar is ok.

“This is because diabetes can cause, you know, hmm, hypotension. It can also predispose to hypertension anyway”.

For another cardiologist with the teaching hospital, Dr. Casmir Amadi, “when somebody has low blood pressure that has clinical relevance, the ability of the organs to receive blood becomes impaired. The commonest organ that will suffer will be the brain, the brain will not receive enough blood supply. So, usually they feel very dizzy and may have blurry vision”.

Explaining symptoms of the condition further he said: “If they lie down on the bed and trying to get out of bed, they will feel dizzy and if the low blood pressure is so bad, it may affect the perfusion of the heart muscle as well”.

Whether it is hypertension or low blood pressure, it is important to get regular blood pressure checks so as to pick up any abnormality early enough and get prompt treatment where necessary.

I Upheld Freedom Before And After Speech For All Nigerians – Jonathan

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Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated his support for freedom of speech for Nigerians, as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.

Addressing a gathering of lawyers at a dinner he attended in the United States on Saturday, the former Nigerian leader told the gathering that he was proud to say that his administration never placed ethno-religious interest above the individual values of Nigerians.

“I am proud to say that while we were conscious of the Federal Character, as our constitutional guiding principle, we never placed ethno-religious interest over our individual values.

“Accordingly, we made efforts to ensure that interest groups in the society feel safe and secured in their day to day activities.

“That is why no matter what any individual or group said about me, I ensured that there was both freedom of speech and freedom after the speech,” Dr. Jonathan stressed.

His speech comes at a time that most of his allies are facing corruption charges in different courts, with some of them in detention.

Expressing his support for what he called ‘freedom after speech’ he said: “Under my watch not a single Nigerian was sent to prison because of anything he or she wrote or said about me or the administration that I headed.

“Nigeria had neither political prisoners nor prisoners of conscience because we ourselves ensured that we acted accordingly in all we did.

“You in the diaspora can attest to the fact that there was no Nigerian on exile,” he stressed.

Before he lost his re-run election in 2015 to President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, he was at a time described as the most abused leader, but he told the lawyers that he took a stand to uphold the freedom of speech for all Nigerians.

“Not only did I take a stand to allow people express their opinions without fear, we also enacted the Freedom of Information Act and by that we tore the veil of secrecy covering governance.

“Nigerians deserve to know how their government functions and I ensured that all institutions including the Nigeria bar association were completed devoid of any governmental influence”.

This speech is coming days after the former president dismissed allegations against a former National Security Adviser that served under him, insisting that Colonel Sambo Dasuki could not have stolen $2.2 billion under his watch as the president.

“I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion. We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying $2.2 billion? So, where did we get the money to buy all those things?” he questioned while giving a lecture on Youth Entrepreneurship at the famous Oxford Union in the United Kingdom.

After that comment, the Nigerian government responded to his claims, saying that only a competent court can decide if Colonel Dasuki stole over two billion dollars meant for purchase or arms for the country or not.

FG, CBN Restates Commitment To Boost Rice Production To End Importation

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The Federal Government is set to support the Niger state government with irrigation equipment, to enabled its rice farmers in the production of one million metric tons of rice by the end of this year’s dry season farming.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogheh made this known at Sachi village, Lavun Local Government of Niger state in an inspection tour of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Program of States. He added that so far about 2 billion Naira has been spent through the scheme in the state.

He said that over 2,000 farmers from 57 cooperatives had so far benefited from the program in Niger State, hence 1,700 are preparing for this dry season farming and 907 cotton farmers are to benefit from the CBN programme.

The Minister informed that soon Nigeria will be able to feed the nation with rice produce and export, just as the provision of irrigation facilities to increase output includes: solar power water pumping machines, small rice milling facilities, thrashers and combine harvesters to ease the processing of rice produce to boost their economy.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele in his remarks applauded the Niger State Government and the cooperatives for their zeal for the 30,000 hectres of land for the programme.

He noted that 2 billion Naira had been disbursed for 14,000 farmers in the state so far under the program.

He assured of speedy process of the scheme by considering the comparative advantage of Niger State in rice production, adding that the state is in competition with Kebbi state.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State at the event expressed the determination of the state government in assisting farmers to improved production while awaiting the promised rice mills so as to take off immediately.

Governor Bello stressed the need for a template on the technical specifications from the committee, assured of 90,000 square kilometers awaiting for cultivation hence other senatorial zones of the state to be taken in to consideration.

He expressed satisfaction over the support from CBN and Federal government as this has created jobs for the youths in the area, while calling for the support in the area of irrigation system to ease dry season farming in the state.

Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Badugu appreciated the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring sustainable dry season farming in the country and actualizing the feeding of Nigerians.

The leader of the Anchor Scheme Cooperatives, Ahmed Muhammadu expressed happiness over the CBN program but said that they were challenged with lack of irrigation equipment which if not provided, would hinder the actualization of the dry season farming in the area.