Milton Daniels Bishop

Wednesday, 18 September 2019

Iran President Rouhani May Skip UNGA Over US Visa Delay

CHANNELS TV

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and his delegation could be forced into skipping next week’s UN General Assembly because the United States has yet to issue them visas, state media said Wednesday.

Rouhani and his delegation had been scheduled to travel to New York for the annual UN gathering on Monday, but that was now looking unlikely given the lack of visas, state news agency IRNA said.

“If the visas aren’t issued in a few hours, this trip will probably be cancelled,” IRNA reported.

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani gives a speech in the city of Tabriz in the northwestern East-Azerbaijan province. ATTA KENARE / AFP

The delegation includes Iran’s top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif, who the United States imposed sanctions against on July 31.

The foreign minister had been due to travel to New York on Friday morning, according to IRNA.

The absence of Rouhani would ruin France’s bid to arrange a meeting between him and US President Donald Trump as part of European efforts to de-escalate tensions between the arch-foes.

“Iran’s absence will show that in contrast with its commitments to the United Nations and international organisations within the framework of agreements, diplomacy has no value for the United States,” IRNA said.

“Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has not left the scene and it continues its active diplomacy, the US government must answer for its behaviour,” it added.

The UN General Assembly debate is due to begin on Tuesday.

As the host government, the United States generally is obliged to issue visas to diplomats who serve at UN headquarters.

But Iran and the United States have been at loggerheads since May last year when Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear deal and began reimposing sanctions in its campaign of “maximum pressure”.

Iran responded by scaling back its commitments under the landmark accord, which gave it the promise of sanctions relief in return for limiting the scope of its nuclear programme.

AFP

CBN Commences Charges On Cash Deposits

CHANNELS TV

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced the commencement of charges on deposits in addition to already existing charges on withdrawals.

According to a statement from the CBN, the charges, which takes effect today, September the 18th, will attract 3 percent processing fees for withdrawals and 2 percent processing fees for lodgments of amounts above 500,000 naira for individual accounts.

The statement, however, explains that the charge on deposits shall apply in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Abia, Anambra, and Rivers states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, while the implementation of the cash-less policy will take effect from March the 31st, 2020.

Awosika Blames Nigeria’s Security Challenges On Rural-Urban Migration

CHANNELS TV

The Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika has blamed the nation’s security challenges on the rising cases of rural-urban migration with limited opportunities.

Awosika who delivered a lecture at the induction of Course 28 participants of the National Defence College in Abuja, emphasised on the need for the Federal Government to ensure inclusive and widespread development of the country.

“Most of the challenges you can have with security emanates from young people. 65 percent of our population is under 35.

“That is a national asset because it is abled-bodied working-class people, but it is also a national problem if we don’t engage them,” she said.

She noted that for the country to effectively tackle the menace of insecurity, the Federal Government should work hard in educating many youths and also engaging them upon graduation.

The Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika has blamed the nation’s security challenges on the rising cases of rural-urban migration with limited opportunities.

Noting that Nigeria has “an effective national education plan that ensures that every single child that is born in this country has access to education,” the First Bank chief stated the importance of education, stressing that “an educated, enlightened mind is an asset in nation-building.”

While praising the Armed Forces for their role to national development, the First Bank boss stated that securing Nigeria or any country is “beyond the guns and the battles.”

Explaining further, she said: “It is more strategic, it is clearly proactive. And in being proactive in handling the issues that can lead to war, you need to have taken care of many factors from the onset.”

Awosika who believes that the nation’s economy has a great impact on the state of security stressed that people will avoid conflict and war when they are well fed.

On the issue of inclusiveness in the military, the seasoned businessman called for more enrolment of women in the nation’s Armed Forces.

Mohammed Bande Brings ‘Valuable Insights’ Into UN General Assembly – Guterres

CHANNELS TV

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday said the new President of the 74th session of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande is bringing with him valuable insights coupled with his years of “United Nations experience.”

This as Mohammad-Bande received the leadership baton and banged the gavel to open his year in office.

According to UN News, Guterres also commended Bande on prioritising peace and security, poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and inclusion, all of which the UN chief called “central to the sustainable development agenda”.

“He also brings valuable insights into some of the pressing peace and security, human rights and sustainable development challenges facing this body, from the spread of violent extremism to the threat of the global climate crisis”, Guterres said.

“I also applaud your emphasis on human rights and gender parity,” he said.

Pointing to the “five critical summits” on climate action, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), financing for development, universal health care and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Guterres underscored that “multi-stakeholder engagement will be essential.”

Guterres noted that in today’s rapidly changing world, “challenges are global and increasingly interlinked.”

He added that because people have “profound” expectations of the UN there is need to express concern over the “trust deficit between nations,” maintaining that there is a pressing need to convince people that it is “relevant to all and that multilateralism offers real solutions to global challenges”.

“Transparency, dialogue, and greater understanding are essential to alleviating mistrust”, he spelled out, calling the Assembly “a unique and indispensable forum” for the world to come together and discuss “sensitive and important issues”.

He also stressed the importance of “strong and effective multilateral institutions and architecture”, and international relations that are based on international law.

I Never Expected Commendation Or Award, Onyema Tells Reps

CHANNELS TV

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Peace airline, Allen Onyema on Wednesday told the House of Representatives that he never expected to receive a recommendation for a national award.

Onyema was invited to the green chambers and recommended for a national award, after he used his airline to freely evacuate Nigerians from South Africa, following the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in the country.

In his remarks, the Air Peace boss thanked the lawmakers for the honour, adding that his actions were spontaneous and he would do anything to evacuate even a single Nigerian.

“I did not do it spontaneously, nor did I do it for publicity, I had to mortgage my landing right in South Africa because I just got the landing right before the crisis.

“I did not give a damn, I never did, because I know that I will not go to heaven with any dime.

“I have never been so honoured in my life. You have brought tears to my eyes. I would not have been able to do this if the federal government did not allow me or assemble those people for me to evacuate,” he said.

Onyema had earlier told Channels Television in an interview that he is using his airline to freely evacuate Nigerians from South Africa because he wants the world to see Nigeria respected as a nation

Speaking further in the interview, he noted that evacuation of foreigners from another country isn’t a good sign for the affected nation involved.

On Wednesday last week, the Air Peace airline evacuated no fewer than 185 Nigerians who indicate interest to return home as a result of the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.

Another set of about 319 people are expected to return to the country today but the trip earlier suffered a setback as a result of landing permit.

Having resolved the issue and secured the permit for the plane to land in Johannesburg, Onyema said the South African authorities gave the airline an arrival time.

He insisted that it was not the first time he was making a contribution to the nation’s development and highlighted his role in restoring peace to the Niger Delta in the heat of militancy in the region.

Stop Obaseki, lose Edo, South-South – Oshiomhole ex-aide

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Charles Idahosa, on Tuesday warned that any attempt by the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to circumvent the 2020 re-election bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki may spell doom for the APC in Edo State and the South-South region.

Idahosa who was a former political adviser to Oshiomhole, stated this while addressing journalists ahead of activities marking his 66th birthday. He said, “Nobody can push him (Obaseki) out of this party except they want to finish the APC in the South-South and South-East. As we speak now, only Edo State is being governed by an APC government.

“If by any act of omission or commission, they push him out of the party, that is the end of it,”

Idahosa said the reason behind the crisis between Obaseki and Oshiomhole was purely based on envy and jealousy. He said, “I have said it before that Oshiomhole brought the Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, chairman and secretary of the party in the state. All these are not hearsay.

However, in a swift reaction, a former commissioner and member-elect of the state House of Assembly, Washington Osa-Osifo, faulted Idahosa’s assertions about Oshiomhole. He said, “Governor Obaseki is a victim of wicked advisers with very inordinate ambition which will not benefit him and his government.

BREAKING: Women protest in Rivers over killing of young women

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Hundreds of women on Wednesday morning marched to the Government House in Port Harcourt, protesting the killing of young women in hotels in Rivers State.

The women, who were clad in black attire, called for an end to the ugly trend. They also stated that everybody, including prostitutes, deserve the right to life and should not be killed in such a gruesome manner. At least, eight young women have been murdered in different hotels within the last two months.

Details later…