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The Federal Government said N- Power beneficiaries were demanding a cumulative grant of N300 bn.

It, however , made it clear to the beneficiaries of the scheme that government cannot afford to make such amount available as grant.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs , Disaster Management and Social Development said it observed that there was a rally at the National Assembly on Thursday by some N -Power beneficiaries.

It said the rally later proceeded to the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja , as the protesters claimed to be representatives of the Federal Government’ s N- Power beneficiaries who were about to be exited .

The ministry ’ s Deputy Director, Press, Rhoda Iliya, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the protesters requested the Federal Government to employ all the 500 , 000 N – Power beneficiaries as well as pay them a grant of N600 , 000 each .

She said , “ The ministry wishes to state that this demand was not part of the agreement of engagement they signed with the Federal Government, which clearly stipulated that they will be exited after two years .

“ Furthermore, the government cannot afford the N 300 bn they were asking for as grant . ”

The ministry said it was noteworthy to state that the Federal Government had expended hundreds of billions on N -Power beneficiaries during the last four years .

It stated that the ministry was currently liaising with the Office of the Accountant – General of the Federation , the agency responsible for the payment of N- Power beneficiaries’ stipends , to ensure that any outstanding legitimate claim was settled .

It insisted that the Federal Government could not afford to continue to pay the exited N – Power beneficiaries stipends indefinitely , more so that the process of engagement of new beneficiaries had already commenced .

The ministry argued that even though it was not a lending agency , it was contacting other ministries, departments and agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria to see if the exited beneficiaries could key into their empowerment programmes .

Punch

The Federal Government has asked civil servants based in Abuja to go for COVID- 19 testing .

The directive was contained in a circular by the Permanent Secretary , Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation , Dr Evelyn Ngige .

Ngige signed the circular titled, “ Conduct of COVID- 19 testing for civil servants ” on behalf of the HOSF , Dr Folasade Yemi – Esan . The circular dated July 17 , 2020 , was addressed to all federal permanent secretaries .

It read , “ I am directed to inform you that the Federal Government has provided facilities for the conduct of COVID- 19 tests for civil servants at the ThisDay Dome , Mohammed Kur Avenue, by Nanet Suites, Central Business District , Abuja (from 10 am to 4 pm daily ) as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the disease .

“ Accordingly , you are required to notify all staff of the testing facility to enable members of staff who experience COVID – 19 related symptoms and those wishing to get tested in your MDAs to take advantage of this opportunity .

“ Ngige also called the attention of civil servants to the updated guidelines on the control of the virus in offices which she said could be accessed on the website of the Office in the Office of the Head of Service or the Federation .

It also asked the MDAs to “ discourage workers from sharing work tools , equipment , and items like computers , phones etc .

” It further recommended frequent cleaning and disinfection of work surfaces , asking that close attention should be paid to high – contact objects like door handles , handrails , elevator buttons, keyboards , tools , toilets , and sinks among others.

According to the document , those feeling sick or have sick family members ( respiratory – related ) should not come to work . Such workers were advised to contact their supervisors with a view to obtaining necessary approvals in line with the Public Service Rule as well as contact the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control .

The Federal Government have said pupils in Nigeria might be forced to sit for the General Certificate Examination in November , if the country failed to meet up with this year ’ s timetable for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination .

The government explained that that might become necessary since the West African Examination Council could not shift its WASSCE scheduled to commence on August 4 .

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, stated these while answering questions from journalists during the press conference of the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 .

He , however , said that should Nigeria be able to meet up with WAEC timetable , there was already a negotiated timeline to move local language subjects such as Igbo , Yoruba and Hausa as offered in Nigeria , behind as first written subjects , to allow all participating countries the needed time to write the general subjects at the same time .

Nwajiuba said , “ If you look at what the chairman of the PTF presented in June , he said he was not giving a date for schools resumption. He proposed that in view of WAEC’ s timetable , it would be advisable for those , who could , to try and make arrangements to make use of the available facilities and that is what is stated in the guidelines.

“ In the guidelines, there is a checklist of the requirements to be put in place and we have given a cut – off date , so we can know who needs help. We need to know if the teachers at your own location cannot be provided with masks; if the school is unable to do that we need to know ahead because states that have given date for resumption of schools are setting a timetable along the lines we have already explained and they are free to do this .

“ Many states have come to say they are unable to meet up with that date . That is why the minister ( of Education, Adamu Adamu ) requested that WAEC give us and the schools some time to meet up .

“ WAEC unfortunately, is unable to wholesomely move the exams , but we have also worked out a negotiated timeline with WAEC on what we call peculiar Nigerian subjects which in the language of WAEC are subjects that are only held in Nigeria such as Igbo , Hausa , Yoruba. The Ghanaians will take examinations peculiar to them

“ But they are all in the first part of the time table , so we will work out a domestication module that will take our peculiar subjects behind after we have done generals .

“ Nigeria is not moving away from it. The option would have been to go to November to take the GCE external exam; Nigeria is carefully studying that if in the event everything fails , we will may go to that . ”

Punch

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has declared Friday the 31st of July as day to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir for Muslims.

The day, which is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijja will be held next week Friday.

The spiritual head warned district heads and Imams to conduct Eid prayers in Juma’at mosques instead of prayer grounds.

In a statement, Abubakar called on Muslim faithful to pray for peace, progress and development in the country.

“His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Friday, 31th July, 2020 as the 10th day of Zulhijja 1441 AH and the day of Eid – El – Kabir for the year.

“Furthermore, in view of the current situation caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Sultan hereby advises all the District Heads and Imams in Sokoto State, to observe Eid prayers at their Jumu’at Mosques in their respective towns and villages and not at Eid Grounds,” the statement read in part.

Dailypost/Punch

Over 90,000 applicants have so far been captured by the Teaching Service Commission in Oyo State in the ongoing process to check rising unemployment.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Commission, Akin Alamu in Ibadan during a private radio programme.

Those captured, he said, would soon be invited for a Computer Based Test in August.

Speaking further, he told newsmen that out of the 90,000 applicants, only 7,000 would be employed for the Oyo teaching jobs while another 2,000 would be employed as non-teaching staff.

Though, he didn’t say non-indigenes would be shut out, he stressed that more preference would be given to indigenes of the state.

Newsmen gathered that teachers would be employed in batches to fill vacancies in public schools in the state.

The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Ibrahim Magu , along with his lawyer , Wahab Shittu , has presented a 34 – page letter with 100 annexure to the Presidential panel investigating him .

It was learnt that Magu appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami- led panel around 1 pm and was still there as of 6 pm .

Magu is currently explaining to the panel how recovered assets were disposed of and how monies seized from looters were kept .

A top source at the EFCC said , “ Magu arrived at the Presidential Villa along with his lawyer and some aides . However , only Magu and his lawyer were allowed inside the main hall . They have been there for the last five hours .

“ Magu presented a 34 – page letter which was spiral bound with 100 annexure including pictures . We are hopeful that he will be able to convince the panel that all the allegations levelled against him are trumped up . ”

The PUNCH had quoted a part of the letter wherein Magu stated that some of the recovered vehicles were auctioned to the Presidential Villa , the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs , Disaster Management and Social Development , the Federal Inland Revenue Service and others.

The suspended EFCC boss stated in the letter that the agencies had not paid the funds but the Federal Government had agreed to deduct the money from their financial allocations .

Magu was first arrested on July 6 , 2020 and detained for almost 10 days at the Force Criminal Investigation Department , Abuja.

While in custody, he was suspended along with about 11 top officials of the commission .

Amid several allegations , Magu is being accused of being unable to explain the whereabouts of interest accrued to N550 bn recovered funds .

He is also alleged to have bought a house in Dubai at the cost of about N570 m .

Punch

The Senate has adjourned plenary till September 15 to enable members proceed on annual summer vacation.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan made this known after an extended sitting of the Upper Chamber, in Abuja.

Lawan however said the break notwithstanding, the various committees of the Senate would be working and available “to attend to urgent matters that require their attention”.

He directed the Senate Committee on Finance to engage with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planing, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, to prepare the 2021 appropriation Bill.

He said the Senate hopes the Executive will, apart from the presentation of the 2021 budget estimates, forward to it the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for consideration and passage.

TheNation

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs , Senator Godswill Akpabio , has replied to the National Assembly denying he said that the lawmakers got 60 per cent of the contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission .

The Speaker , Femi Gbajabiamila , who announced the receipt of Akpabio ’ s response , said the minister claimed to have referred to old contracts awarded by the NDDC which had not been paid for and some of which are part of the constituency projects of the lawmakers .

Gbajabiamila said Akpabio ’ s response would be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to look at the merits of the minister ’ s arguments .

The minister ’ s response came after Gbajabiamila said the lawmakers would sue Akpabio for failing to prove that NDDC awarded contracts to them.

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of 38 non – career and one career ambassadors – designate that would represent the country on foreign missions .

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , had requested the approval of the Senate for the confirmation of 42 nominees .

However , the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs , Adamu Bulkachuwa , while presenting his report , said there were irreconcilable issues with two nominees from Niger and Yobe States .

The only career ambassador – designate on the list is from the Federal Capital Territory.

Among the non – career ones are , two journalists , Messrs Debo Adesina ( Oyo ) and Oma Djebah ( Delta )

The list also included Dare Awoniyi ( Kogi) , who is the son of the late Sunday Awoniyi, former Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum .

A careful observation of the list indicated that three states , ( Kwara, Kano, Oyo ) have three nominees each while three others, ( Borno , Benue , Adamawa ) , got two slots each .

Twenty states had one slot each while four states had no nominee .

The full list of the non – career ambassadors – designate confirmed are , Umar Suleiman (Adamawa ); Kelvin Peter ( Adamawa ); Chief Elejah Onyeagba ( Anambra ); Prof . Monique Ekpong (Cross River ); Ominyi N. Eze ( Ebonyi); Yamah Mohammed Musa ( Edo); Maj. Gen. C. O . Ugwu ( Enugu ); Dr . Hajara I . Salim ( Gombe ); Amb . Yahaya Lawal (Katsina ); Ademola Seriki ( Lagos ); Chief Sarafa Tunji Ishola ( Ogun); Adejare Bello ( Osun ); John Usanga ( Akwa Ibom ); Hamisu Umar Takalmawa ( Kano); Philip Ikurusi ( Bayelsa ); Hon. Tarzcor Terhemen ( Benue ); Al – Bishir Ibrahim Al – Hussain ( Borno ); Obiezu Ijeoma Chinyerem ( Imo ); Ali M. Magashi ( Jigawa ); Prof . M . A. Makarfi ( Kaduna ) .

Others are : Henry John Omaku ( Nasarawa ); Sadiya Ahmad Nuhu ( Kano); Adeshina Alege (Oyo ); Shehu Abdullahi Yibaikwai (Plateau ); Maureen Tamuno (Rivers) , Faruk Yabo ( Sokoto ); Abubakar Moriki ( Zamfara ); Adamu M . Hassan ( Taraba ); Abubakar D. Ibrahim Siyi ( Bauchi); Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue ); Jazuli Imam Galadanci ( Kano); Dare Sunday Awoniyi ( Kogi); Ibrahim Kayode Laaro (Kwara ), Abioye Bello ( Kwara); Zara Maazu Umar ( Kwara); Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe ( Ondo); Debo Adesina ( Oyo ); Ms . Folakemi Akinyele ( Oyo ); and Oma Djebah ( Delta ) .

Mr Suleiman Sani (FCT) career ambassador .

Punch

Ekiti State Governor , Kayode Fayemi , says he has tested positive for Covid – 19 .

Fayemi said this in a tweet , adding that he would be handing over to his deputy , Adebisi Egbeyemi .

“ I took my third Covid – 19 test yesterday and it came back positive. I ’ m generally ok and I ’ m already self -isolating at home and receiving the best of care from my medical team. I ’ m delegating critical tasks to my deputy but will continue routine duty from home, ” the governor tweeted.

Fayemi , who is the Chairman , Nigeria Governors Forum , is the eighth governor to test positive for Covid – 19 .

Others who have tested positive in the last four months include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State , Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Kaduna State counterpart , Nasir el – Rufai .

Ebonyi State Governor , Dave Umahi; Abia State Governor , Okezie Ikpeazu ; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Ondo State Governor , Rotimi Akeredolu had also contracted the virus .

Punch