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The mind is a very important part to have control over, if you want to move the needle on any aspect of your life.

Try focusing it for five minutes on one thing you want to accomplish, at least once a day and see how much progress you muster in 30 days.

It’s difficult when you start doing it but if you keep at it, you’ll be able to master the unimaginable in a short time.

The National Assembly announced that it would hold an emergency session on Monday next week to consider and pass the 2021 Appropriation Bill before proceeding on its Christmas /New Year break on the same day .

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan , who announced the development at plenary , said the delay was to accommodate fresh demands from the executive arm of government regarding the fiscal document .

Lawan told his colleagues that the Parliament resolved to take certain legislative decisions in order to ensure the January to December budget cycle.

He said , “ There was a late request for some more expenditure from the executive arm of government and we want to ensure our committee produce a very clean document so they can ’ t present this report today .

“ However , they ( the committee) said the report will be ready by weekend.

“ Consequently , the Senate will hold a special session on Monday 21 st of December , just to consider and pass the budget 2021 .

“ This is in keeping with our legislative agenda of ensuring that annual budget has January to December cycle. ”

Punch

A mob has set ablaze a police station in Igboukwu in the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State .

An eye witness who gave his name as Goddy said the police station was put on fire .

He said trouble began when some policemen on duty in the area killed a commercial motorcyclist on Tuesday night over extortion.

He said , “ As I ’ m talking to you the place is in flames . The mob , made up of commercial motorcycle operators , are moving to Ekwulobia police station now to also set the station there ablaze. ”

The state Police Public Relations Officer , Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident .

He said the Commissioner of Police in the state , John Abang , had ordered the arrest of the officer who killed the commercial motorcyclist while appealing for calm .

He said , ” On Tuesday about 10 . 30 pm , there was an altercation between police operatives and motorcycle riders over some impounded motorcycles as a result of the recent restriction on movement of motorcycles beyond 9 pm in the State.

“ The situation degenerated into chaos which led to an accidental discharge that hit one motorcycle rider and burning of the Igboukwu police station by irate youth.

“ The Commissioner of Police , John Abang , is deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident and has ordered the detention of the policemen involved and full – scale investigation into the matter .

“ The CP further appealed for calm and assures the public that justice would be done in the case and the outcome of police investigation shall be made public in due course . ”

Punch

The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to extend the deadline for the provision of National Identification Number by telecommunication service subscribers to 10 weeks .

The House, at the plenary , described the two weeks given to SIM card users by the Nigerian Communications Commission to provide their NIN to service providers as grossly inadequate .

The Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu , had moved a motion of urgent public importance to demand more time.

Adopting the motion, the House resolved that the exercise should end on January 28 , 2021 , as against December 30 , 2020 .

The NCC had threatened that SIM cards not linked to NIN issued by the National Identity Management Commission would be blocked .

Punch

The Kaduna State Government has announced the closure of schools across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state .

This followed an upsurge of the COVID- 19 in the state , according to the State Commissioner for Education, Dr . Shehu Makarfi .

The statement directed all schools in the state to close as from Wednesday , December 16 , 2020 .

Makarfi said the measure was taken to curb the spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic following its second wave in the state .

The Commissioner in a statement issued said the ministry decided to shut down the schools due to the rising cases of COVID- 19 infections in the state .

According to him , the rising cases of COVID- 19 showed a replicate of figures recorded in the first wave of the pandemic in April, May and June 2020 , indicating that a new wave of the infection is rapidly spreading across the state.

He noted that the State ’ s Ministry of Health has further confirmed that , while the infections cut across age groups , the new wave especially , affects those between 10 and 35 years ( which form a majority of the populace in the education sector ) .

He added that in its effort to contain the spread of the pandemic and save the lives of people in the state , the state “ is directing all public and private schools to conclude all necessary arrangements and close on Wednesday , 16 th December , 2020 as opposed to the initial closings . ”

All examinations, the commissioner said , must be concluded on or before Tuesday(Today) , 15 th December , 2020 in all institutions of learning across the state .

Punch

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad , has tested positive for COVID- 19 .

A Justice of the Supreme Court , Justice Ibrahim Saulawa , disclosed this at the unveiling of the national headquarters of the Muslim Lawyers ’ Association of Nigeria in Abuja .

He said the CJN was receiving treatment in Dubai , the United Arab Emirates.

The CJN was conspicuously absent from Monday ’ s new legal year ceremony of the Supreme Court during which 72 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria were sworn in .

In his absence , the event was presided by the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court , Justice Olabode Rhodes – Vivour.

Punch

The House of Representatives has called for the immediate suspension of the controversial Special Works Scheme of the Federal Government.

The National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Labour , Employment and Productivity had clashed over the recruitment of 774 , 000 workers for the scheme.

At the plenary , the House asked the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget , and National Planning not to fund the scheme, which is billed to take off in January 2021 .

The National Assembly had appropriated N 52 bn for the exercise in the 2020 Appropriation Act . It was to begin in November .

The House also faulted the removal of the Director- General of the National Directorate of Employment, Dr Nasiru Argungu , who had backed the parliament in the controversy.

The House urged the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , to reverse himself on Argungu ’ s sacking.

The Minister of State , Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo , had since appointed Argungu ’ s replacement in the order of the President .

Punch

The World Bank has approved Nigeria’s request for a $1.5 billion loan.

The bank said the facility was prepared jointly with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

“This country partnership framework will guide our engagement for the next five years in supporting the government of Nigeria’s strategic priorities by taking a phased and adaptive approach,” Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank country director for Nigeria said.

“To realize its long-term potential, the country has to make tangible progress on key challenges and pursue some bold reforms. Our engagement will focus on supporting Nigeria’s efforts to reduce poverty and promote sustained private sector-led growth.”

In a statement, the Bretton Wood institution said the facility is a five-year country partnership framework (CPF) that will last from 2021 to 2024.

The loan will focus on four areas of engagement namely Investing in human capital, promoting jobs and economic transformation and diversification, enhancing resilience, and strengthening the foundations of the public sector.

Vanguard

The Senate has summoned the Minister of Defence , the service chiefs , and heads of the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Service over the unending insecurity situation in the country .

The resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Bello Mandiya from Katsina State on the abduction of about 330 students of a secondary school in the state recently by unknown bandits .

The red chamber also urged the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , to implement the report of the Senate Committee on Security challenges without further delay .

Members of the upper chamber in their various contributions to the motion , specifically , passed a vote of no confidence in the various heads of security agencies in the country over their inability to prevent the abduction of the innocent children .

They also expressed deep frustration that Buhari had consistently ignore all resolutions passed by the Senate on the issue of insecurity in the country.

They insisted that the nation’ s chief security officer should sack the service chiefs without further delay .

Punch

New intakes into the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, will pay the sum of N67, 048.50k as fees in the coming academic year.

This is against the N25,000 paid by stale students and the increase is about 168.2 per cent.

However, it was gathered that students who would be in level 200 and above when the new session starts next year, would still pay the old rate of N25,000.

Students in that category would pay the N25,000 tuition until they graduate.

The Coordinator, Centre for Information Press and Public Relations, Mr Ademola Adekoya, confirmed that the new rate would apply to only new intakes.

The university was recently ranked the second-best in the country by the Time Higher Education, THE.

Vanguard