The Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , said the present regime has recovered looted funds in excess of N800 bn.
He said the regime also recorded over 1 , 400 convictions .
Mohammed said this at a press conference in Abuja.
He said , “ This administration ’ s fight against corruption is as strong as ever , and we have the records to back up this claim .
“ This administration has recorded over 1 , 400 convictions , including high profile ones , and recovered funds in excess of N800 bn, not to talk of forfeiture of ill – gotten properties .
The Federal Government has declared Thursday , July 30 and Friday, July 31 , 2020 as public holidays to mark this year ’ s Eid – el – Kabir celebrations .
This was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary , Federal Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah .
The statement was titled, ‘ Federal Government Declares 30 and 31 July, 2020 Public Holidays To Mark Eid – el -Kabir Celebration’ .
According to the statement , the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola , while making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion .
“ He called on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love , peace , kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( Peace be upon Him ) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country especially as the world is witnessing global health challenges caused by Covid – 19 pandemic , ” the statement added.
The minister , who assured Nigerians that the regime of the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , is “ committed to battling the scourge with the cooperation of all Nigerians , emphasised that the government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march towards actualizing the full potentials of the country” .
Aregbesola , while wishing Muslim faithful happy celebrations, advised all Nigerians to take responsibility against the spread of the virus by observing social distancing , personal and respiratory hygiene , as well as other regulations issued by relevant authorities
The Chairman of the Committee of Vice- Chancellors and Registrars of Private Universities , Prof . Timothy Olagbemiro , has said private universities are ready to resume .
Olagbemiro , in an interview with news correspondent , said the private universities had big campuses with small population which would give room for social distancing .
He maintained that resumption would be done in phases , adding that university laboratories also needed to be opened for researches to take place.
“ Once we are given the green light , we will put everything needed in place. We have big campuses with small population . We don ’ t want to resume fully , we want to do it in phases whereby the year one and graduating students can resume to take their final exams after which the year two and three will follow suit .
“ We need the universities to open their laboratories so we can do researches in them . You can ’ t close universities and say you want to do research . ”
He said it was necessary to take cognizance of COVID- 19 while he noted that everyone needed to learn to live with it.
“ It is important that we are careful because of COVID- 19 ; of course , it will stay with us for a long time but we have to provide screening, face mask , sanitisers , temperature checker and the likes for our staff and students , ” Olagbemiro said .
He also appealed to NUC to consider their request to reopen schools .
“ We have written to NUC , they should look in to our request and see if it is visible for us to open our universities . We are also job providers and we need to pay salaries , ” Olagbemiro said .
An independent panel of experts, headed by former Irish president Mary Robinson, has cleared the beleaguered leader of the African Bank of Development (AfDB) of corruption, according to a report obtained by AFP.
Akinwumi Adesina, 60, a charismatic speaker known for his elegant suits and bow ties, became the first Nigerian to helm the AfDB in 2015 — but a 15-page report earlier this year claimed that under his watch the bank had been tarred by poor governance, impunity, personal enrichment and favouritism.
The panel of three experts, led by Robinson alongside Gambia’s Chief Justice Hassan Jallow and the World Bank’s integrity vice president Leonard McCarthy, cleared Adesina of all charges alleged by whistleblowers.
“The Panel concurs with the Committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the Committee,” report concluded.
The African banking institution and Adesina — who is the sole candidate for the bank’s August’s presidential elections — has been battered by the rollercoaster of allegations after the whistleblowers’ complaints were leaked to the media in April.
The former Nigerian finance minister had always stated he was “innocent” of the charges.
Robinson — who led Ireland from 1990 to 1997 before serving as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights until 2002 — dismissed the 16 whistleblower allegations against Adesina.
The panel did not investigate the charges themselves, as that was not within their mandate.
The AfDB plays an important if largely behind-the-scenes role in African economies, financing projects in agriculture, health, energy, education, transport and other development sectors.
The Federal Government has said Secondary schools in the country will reopen on August 4, 2020 for pupils in exit classes to sit for their examination.
The government said students will have two weeks to prepare for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination organised by the West Africa Examination Council.
WAEC exams, the government said will commence on 17th of August, 2020.
The government announced the decision at the end of a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools, and Chief Executives of examination bodies.
In a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, FMoE, Ben Goong, said “stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break, from the 4th of August, 2020 to enable them prepare for the WAEC examinations scheduled to commence from the 17th of August, 2020.
“The meeting also resolved that a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and public spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them fast track the preparations of safe reopening, as agreed.
“Another meeting is to be convened tomorrow between the Federal Ministry of Education and Chief Executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS to harmonise their examination dates, which will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education.”
The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government three weeks to address its demands or its members would resume their suspended strike on Monday , August 17 , 2020 .
While demanding the payment of COVID- 19 hazard allowance to members which , it said , was long overdue , NARD called on government and the National Assembly to probe the non – enrolment of healthcare workers for the Group Life Insurance and non – payment of death – in – service benefit to the next – of – kin of its fallen heroes , despite claims of payment to insurance companies.
The President of NARD , Dr Aliyu Sokomba , made this known in Abuja while reading to journalists a communique issued after its virtual National Executive Council meeting and scientific conference held at the Gombe International Hotel between July 20 and 25 2020 .
He said , “NEC resolved to extend the suspension of our strike action by three weeks to give the government time to address our demands , failure of which will leave us with no choice other than to resume the suspended strike on Monday , August 17 2020 . ”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that NARD had embarked on an industrial action on June 15 2020 following its Emergency General Meeting to protest against the lack of payment for COVID- 19 inducement allowance for frontline healthcare workers .
But on June 21 , NARD announced the suspension of its strike after its NEC meeting attended by over 300 members but , however , said its national officers would continue negotiations with stakeholders while progress made would be reviewed in four weeks during its next NEC meeting in July 2020 .
While suspending the action , NARD said COVID- 19 inducement allowance “ has only been paid to eleven federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers . ”
Other reasons for the strike were the lack of personal protective equipment to some hospitals; non – provision of medical residency training funding; salary shortfall for 2014 – 2016 ; disengagement of resident doctors at the Jos University Teaching Hospital and challenges of its members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital , Ogbomosho.
The Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed , has asked the National Broadcasting Commission to halt the transmission of the TV reality show.
The minister said the need to stop the reality show, which entered its fifth season on July 20 , became imperative due to the coronavirus pandemic .
On Wednesday , Acting Director -General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba , told senior management members at a meeting that he had been directed by the minister to shut down the show, according to
TheCable.
Mohammed reportedly wanted the letter shutting down the show to come from the NBC because of the general opinion that he is bent on sending MultiChoice Ltd , producers of the show, out of Nigeria .
A director had told the meeting that the NBC had on July 1 sought explanation from Multichoice on a possible violation of COVID- 19 protocol with the airing of the show.
MultiChoice had replied with measures taken in collaboration to forestall such, adding that the Lagos State Safety Commission gave approval for the show.
The organisers also said housemates went through mandatory two – week isolation before the show and that the BBN House had been disinfected and rearranged to ensure physical distancing , in addition to the elimination of live audience .
Idachaba , was , however , yet to convey the minister ’ s directive to the organisers of the show.
When asked whether the commission would issue a statement to counter the report by TheCable, the official , who preferred not to be mentioned , said the commission was not thinking of doing that .
The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) says nobody is above the law in the service, no matter the positions and ranks.
Ali said this while decorating newly promoted officers in Abuja .
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NCS on Wednesday announced the dismissal of an Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) for serious misconduct and another ACG got compulsory retirement for the act of negligence.
Ali, while referring to those officers said that they were disciplined for various misconducts as there was no untouchable in the service.
He said those who were untouchable were the people who behave themselves and work in conformity with the rules of the service.
“Recently, we took disciplinary measures on members of management. This was done to ensure discipline is maintained in the service.
“As much as we reform ourselves, you won’t have a problem with the management under my leadership.
“In spite of our effort to do away with the bad ones, there are still some elements not conforming with the situation, it is incumbent on us to show them the way out.
“This is necessary because the action of those few still make the public to disapprove of what we do.
“We must collectively isolate and discipline them in the interest of the service,” he explained.
The customs boss said he was pleased that those who were promoted deserved the elevation.
He said the era of promoting officers for connection or influence was over in the service, adding that the personnel did not need to know him or any member of management before such got promoted.
He urged officers that wanted to be promoted to work hard and ensure he or she was of good character as well as passing the examination.
Ali also enjoined officers to live within their earnings, adding that any officer caught in any sharp practices would be severely dealt with.
BENUE State Security Council has approved the recruitment of 2,300 personnel for the immediate commencement of community policing in the state.
The council also approved the recruitment of another set of 460 youths into the state’s Community Volunteer Guards, also known as Vigilante Group, to complement services of the conventional security agencies in the area of intelligence gathering.
These were part of the decisions reached at the end of the council meeting held , in Makurdi, which also directed the immediate suspension the District Head of Mbatser/Mbamusa in Konsisha Local Government Area, LGA, Zaki Mbanongun Gbakera, from office for alleged complicity in the crisis in his area.
Governor Samuel Ortom, who presided over the council meeting while reading out the resolutions, said the decision to embrace community policing was in line with the decision reached at the North Central Security meeting held in Lafia, Nasarawa State in January, which was at the instance of the Inspector General of Police.
He explained that 100 community policing personnel and 20 Community Volunteer Guards members would be recruited from each of the 23 LGAs of the state.
The governor said: “As stipulated in the law, activities of Community Volunteer Guards would be supervised by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Internal Affairs and coordinated at the state level, while council chairmen and district heads would coordinate same at the local and council ward levels respectively.”
In accordance with the decision of state governors in the South-West geopolitical zone to reopen schools, primary and secondary schools in Lagos State are set to reopen on August 3, this year.
However, only learners in primary six, junior secondary school 3, and senior secondary school 3 are to resume.
This, it was gathered, followed a meeting held in Ikeja with some stakeholders in the sector by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Education.
During the meeting, the Department of Quality Assurance in the ministry mandated all schools, whether public or private to fill an online assessment form, stating their preparedness to meet conditions stipulated for school reopening by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Each school will later be issued clearance for it to reopen.
Speaking on the development, the Lagos State President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Chief Olawale Amusa, said his association had also set up a Quality Assurance Committee to go round schools and assess the readiness of members.
He expressed optimism that most of his members would meet the requirements for reopening schools.
Also, despite the discordant tunes that have greeted the conduct of this year’s WASSCE by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, South-West states are working on the possibility of partaking in the exam come September.
The decision by the states to partake in the exam is hinged on the need to allow final year secondary school students to be apart of this year’s admission into tertiary Institutions.
Recall that only on Thursday, the Minister of State, Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said if the Federal Government could not meet up with WAEC’s timeline of conducting WASSCE in September, Nigerian candidates could take the exam in November/ December this year.
LatestNewsUpdates 