NEWS MIRROR

By Favour Ajibade The Lagos state government will start and complete the $2.5 billion Fourt Mainland Bridge within four years,  the Special Adviser on Works to the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Aramide Adeboye, has said.  He said the project will start In the first quarter of 2023 and end in 2027. Adeyeoye,who spoke at a joint press briefing organised by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the Office of the Public-Private Partnership (OPPP) to announce the preferred bidder for the project,said that CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium won the bid for the project while MOTA-ENGIL emerged as the reserved bidder. According to her, a total of 52 bidders initially indicated interest in the project out of which 32 were responsive. Fifteen of the 32 bidders, he said, indicated further interest out of which six met the criteria and were later rediuced to three before the winner was eventually picked. Aramide said that 800 structures would be affected by the construction ...

ASP Vandi By Favour Ajibade A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Yaba,Lagos, yesterday remanded Drambi Vandi,an Assistant Supretendent of Police, in Ikoyi facility of the  Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).  According to the Court, Vandi will be in detention till January 30th, 2023, when the Office of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), would have issue an advice on the case. Vandi is a happy triggered police officer, who shot a property lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, dead  December 25th, this year.  The court made the order following an application by the Lagos State Police Command. The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Benjamin Hundeyin made the disclosure in a tweet on his official Twitter handle  Hundeyin, a Superintendent, said: “Drambi Vandi was, this morning, arraigned in court and has been remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre till January 30, 2023 to give room for DPP advice.”

The victim before she was lynched By Akinola Ajibade The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested four men for allegedly lynching a woman, Martha Mamman, over claims that she was a witch in the Michika area of Adamawa State on December 4 this year.  The four persons include James Dogara, 34; Emma Pious, 22; Irmiya Joshua, 22; and Sini James, 22. They allegedly teamed up and burnt the victim to death, claiming that she confessed to killing six persons in Mughule village. In an interview with the journalists, one of the suspects, Dogara James, said that the deceased had confessed to killing 3 people at the residence of the ward head when she was summoned by the royal father.  According to him, they stormed her residence and started beating her as a result of which she confessed to causing the death of another 3 people.  Continuing further, some young men later came to the scene with petrol which was used in burning the late Martha. Confirming the incident, the ...

Pele By Akinola Ajibade Brazil football icon, Edson Aranates do Nascimento, is died at 82.  He died, yesterday, following a long battle with cancer, a development, which has rendered him incapacitated in the last one year. Widely known for his great exploits in football, a sport through  which he has won three World Cup for Brazil among other laurels, Pele as fondly called by fans across the world, no doubt, has etched his name in the minds of both old and young lovers of the round leather game. Nicknamed Pele of Brazil, Nachimento was remembered for his wide-ranging  achievements both in the football field and off. According to Pele's representatives, his death who announced his demise on the sport social media: inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away yesterday"   

House of Representatives  By Akinola Ajibade Nigeia will finance its 2023 appropriation bill  with N21.82 trillion, if the decision by the House of Representatives to increase it from N20.51 trillion to N21.82 is anything to go by. By this, the lower chamber of the Senate has increased it by N1.31trillion in order to meet the Federal Government's expenditure for 2023. Out of this, N967.48 billion is for statutory transfers, N6.55 trillion is for debt service, N8.32 trillion is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure while the sum of N5.97 trillion is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending on the 31st day of December 2023. Meanwhile, the lawmakers have adjourned for the new year break and are expected to resume plenary  to January 14, 2023. Also, the Senate, yesterday (Wednesday) approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request of N819.54bn domestic loan meant to fix the infrastructure destroyed by floods across the count...

Abiru  By Favour Ajibade The National Assembly has passed the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Bill recently, with a view to complete the Sagamu-Ikorodu Road. The Senate passed the bill last week, in order to help facilitate the funds needed to complete the 30 kilometres road, which economically links Lagos Senatorial District to the rest of the country among other projects captured in the supplemtary budget. Hitherto, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North) has  presented the bill to the Senate for consideration, while the Senate on the hand has  approved the bill, as well as transmitting it to   President Buhari for assent.  Recall that the Minister of Works and Housing,  Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, early this December,  gave assurances about making necessary  provisions for the inclusion of the required funds for the completion of the road in the supplementary budget of the Ministry w...

By Akinola Ajibade Nigerians are in throes of death due to rise in prices of food and decreasing value of naira, against dollars and other international currencies, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, has said in a report. The report stated that other developed countries are having their own shares of the problem, adding that the issue is having a telling effects on individuals in Nigeria, as the they are struggling to live a normal life. Citing the increase in the drop out of students from school, the report ssid the problem is killing to people and the governments in particular. UN, in a report titled: 'A Double Burden 'released this December, added  that the effects of food price increases and currency depreciations on food import bills are highly pronounced in Nigeria. It said, “The price of food has increased everywhere, reaching historic levels in 2022, as stated by the Global Crisis Response Group. “This is a challenge for food security gl...

Late Bolanle ( Mrs,) Families and relations of Barrister Omobolanle Raheem, who was shot dead by trigger- happy policeman at Ajah, Lagos state, have expressing shocks over the incident, just as they promised to be more closer to the mother of the deceased lawyer more than before. They vowed to offer her more pychological attentions in order to ensure that she overcome her predicaments. Bolanle was killed inside her car on Monday, December 26th, by one Assistant Supretendent of Police Drambi Vandi, during an outing with members of her family. Incidentally, she sat besides her husband in front when the  bullet hits her. Expectedly, the incident has thrown her family, colleagues and friends into mourning, with many advising Federal Government to make psychiatric tests compulsory for any Nigerians, who intend to join the police force or any other.military institutions.  While speaking on the incident to News Mirror, the deceased cousin, Francis by name, the family woul...

Favour Ajibade  Shell says its going to pay $15.9 million to communities  that were affected by multiple oil pipeline leaks in the Niger Delta, the oil company made the statement last Friday.  The firm that communities such  Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo are going to be compensated because due to the fact that they are  impacted by four oil spills that occurred between 2004 and 2007. “The settlement is on a no admission of liability basis, and settles all claims and ends all pending litigation related to the spills,” Shell said. An independent expert had confirmed that SPDC has installed a leak detection system on the KCTL Pipeline in compliance with the appeal court’s orders, the company added. The case was brought in 2008 by four farmers and environmental group Friends of the Earth, seeking reparations for lost income from contaminated land and waterways in the region, the heart of Nigeria’s oil industry. After the appeals court’s final ruling last y...

By Favour Ajibade No fewer than six peeple have lost their lives to the electrical accident, which occurred in Zaria, Kaduna state, last week.  The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) in a statement signed by its Head, Corporate Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi and made available to the media, said the firm  has in the cause of investigating the incident, has visited Gwargwaje community to condole with the affected persons. Continuing further, Abdullahi said the company' s officials have met the families of the affected persons on three occasions since the incident to mourn with them and have in the process gathered  relevant information on the incident. According to the statement, from the direct interaction with victims and community leaders, the fatalities recorded involved only six persons. It said all the deceased persons lived on Kagoro Close, Gwargwaje except ASP Lumba who resided in the Police Barracks. It said it had not received any inf...

Dangote  By Akinola Ajibade Dangote Industries Limited and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR),have organized workshop on investigative reporting media practioners in  the country recently. The two-day event, which took place in Enugu, a  South East state, provided journalists with tools required to investigate issues in  different  sectors of the economy. Areas such as techniques needed to conduct investigations  in Human Rights and the Environment, International Financial Flows/ Money Laundering, Interpreting Financial and Economic Data, Forensic journalism and Data Reporting were adequately covered during the programme.  Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Branding and Communications, Dangote Industries, Mr. Okey Nwankwo, was organised to improve the capacity of journalists on business reporting in Nigeria. He further said that the company has over the years, seamlessly maintained a cordial relationship wi...

By Favour Ajibade Row over visa between France and Algeria has ended, days after Paris and Rabat sorted out their differences on similar issue. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, on a visit to the capital Algiers, announced a return “to a normal consular relationship” with Algeria, according to a statement posted on Twitter. In September 2021, Paris reduced visa quotas to its former colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, in a bid to encourage the countries to cooperate against irregular migration. Paris slashed rates by 30 percent for Tunisia, and 50 percent for Algeria and Morocco, in the hopes the countries would repatriate their citizens living in France as irregular migrants. The move sparked widespread public anger. France restored visa rates with Tunisia to pre-Covid levels in August, and on Friday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Paris had returned to “full consular cooperation” with Morocco. Consular ties with both Algeria and Morocco were e...

By Akinola Ajibade Local manufacturers, as at September 2022  owed Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc a total of N901billion.  The companies include Flour Mills of Nigeria ( N117.74billion); Beverage and Tobacco( N85 26billion; Cement Manufacturing N247.66 billion; N101.15billion; and other manufacturing N466.90billlion.. The money, owed at different times,  by the  manufacturing concerns, was used in meeting up their operational challenges in the country. This happens as  sector players bemoan high lending rates that undermine productivity, MoneyCentral report has revealed. Data gathered by MoneyCentral shows this is a 9.55 percent increase from  2021’s N822.50 billion. It should be noted that credit to manufacturers make up 25.12 percent of  Zenith Bank’s total gross loans  of N4.06 trillion. Additionally, the sector comprises 28 percent of total dollar loans , according to data from the bank’s financial statement. Diversified loan portfolio...

Newly Opened Second Niger Bridge By Akinola Ajibade Travellers, especially committers on the Second Niger Bridge are going to be tolled, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has ssid. He said that the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) will be in charge of the tolls, adding the idea would enable the Federal Government, to properly maintain the bridge. The bridge, he said, the bridge would specifically serve  East-West and West-East bounds travellers, adding that it will remain open till January 1 for inward travelers, and for those on outward journey from January 2 to 15. Speaking an interview on Channels Television, yesterday, (Wednesday),  Fashola said:  “Infrastructure is one of the instruments for economic growth and tackling multidimensional poverty. “The purpose of the second Niger Bridge is to bring relief to Nigerians who traverse from east to west or west to east. “Especially during the end of the year, we know that it...

(A) Nigeria's naval ship  Favour Ajibade Nigeria's Navy would made any of its officials found engaging in oil bunkering and thefts to face the law of the country, the Chief of Naval Staff  (CNS), Vice Admiral,  Awwal Gambo has said.  He said that the war against crude oil theft and its allied activities would have succeeded, if not because of the criminal elements in the force, who connived with thieves in the nation's oil industry. According to him,  navy would not hesitate to deal with members involving in what he describes as criminal offences against the state. (B) Oil thieves in action While decorating the newly promoted Vice Admirals in Abuja recently, Gambo urged his colleagues to intensify efforts in order to nip the bad practices in the bud and further saved Nigeria huge amounts of money, which would go a long way in helping the country to move forward. Continuing further, he said the oil thieves and their collaborators in the na...

Savannah  joins Extractive Industries for growth      By Akinola Ajibade Savannah Energy Plc has joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) with a view to help promote management of resources in the energy sector.  EITI is  EITI a global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and mineral resourcesand the aim is to address the key governance issues in the extractive sectors. The firm's Chief Executive officer, Andrew Knott, in a statement ma de available to News Mirror, recently, said the organisation is delighted to join the Extractive industries Transparency Initiative, as well as welcoming   engagement with EITI in order to offer  additional support to us to its operations and further improve its activities greatly. He  noted that the company has since 2015 aligned  with the  EITI principles in Nigeria, stressing that  Savannah is  partnerng  with governments and regulator...

CBN head office, Abuja By Favour Ajibade The Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) has increased the maximum  weekly withdrawal for individuals and companies to N500,000 and N5million  respectively. Before now, the weekly maximum withdrawal for individuals was  N100,000, a development, which was frowned at many Nigerians, especially the business oriented ones.  The apex banking body, in a letter dated Thursday, November 12,2022 and signed by its Director, Banking Supervision, Haruna Mustapha said it has become necessary to upwardly review the issue in order not to cause disquiet in the country. The letter reads: "Following our circular BSD/DIR/PUB/LAB/015/06dated December 6, 2022, on the above subject and based on feedback received from stakeholders, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) hereby makes the following reviews: " In compelling circumstances where cash withdrawal above the limits in (1) above is required for legitimate purposes, such requests shall be sub...

 A display of Benin Bronze at London's Museum  By Akinola Ajibade The Minister of State for Culture, the Federal Republic of Germany, Claudia Roth says her country has committed gross injustice by taking Nigeia's artefacts away several years ago.. She said  that Germany has closed her eyes on the issue for too long, by refusing to release bronze and other historical works to Nigeria, adding that her country is making history today by returning them. She stated that every nation has the the right to experience her heritage from generation to generation, a development, which according to her made Germany to return traditional and historical works to Nigeria. She spoke in Abuja during the official handover of 22 repatriated Benin Bronzes by Germany to Nigeria recently. According to her, the issue of returning the artefacts to Nigeria marks this first phase of projects, stressing other phases would follow soon as the German authorities still have the rights to dis...

Redesigned naira notes By Favour Ajibade The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released security features in the redesigned naira notes, in order to prevent users( Nigerians) from falling victims of using fake currency for transactions. This happens, as the news of new fake naira notes is rife in the country, with traders rejecting N200 and N500 units on allegations they have been counterfeited.  The apex bank, it was gathered, has marked out security features and peculiarities that distinctively differentiate the new naira notes and make them inviolable to counterfeiting. The security features, New Mirror gathered, included, at least, 23 features on the N1,000 note, 15 features on the N500 note and 10 features on the N200 note. Explaining the features to Nigerians,  CBN's Governor, Godwin Emiefiele, advised Nigerians to look out for intaglio raised print, portrait watermark, officially variable ink that changes from blue to green with change in angle of view, kine...

Pix depicting Nigeria's energy sector Favour Ajibade The Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG),has said that Nigeria will experience positive changes across its  oil and gas value chain in  2023. Its Chairman, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, gave this predictions during the Group’s 2022 Annual Dinner in Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.  He said that the tangible effects of the Petroleum Industry Act  implementation, conclusion of this International Oil Companies IOC's divestment phase and the emerging dominance of the indigenous players across onshore and shallow water space; implementation of the decade of gas policy; and the expected deregulation of the downstream sector, will all jointly set the tone and direction for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry in the years to come. According to him, the group has an important role to play going forward and as such are best placed to ensure the optimal development of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources as its members have demon...

Emefiele  The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has no intention to arrest Mr Godwin Emiefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). DSS, in a statement to the media and signed yesterday (Monday),  by its public relations officer, Peter Afunaya said that that there is no iota of truth in the planned arrest of  the CBN Governor,  adding that it would not hesitate to arrest anybody, found disseminating such information in the country. According to him, DSS  will continue to remain focused and disseminate actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities devoid of any sentiment. The statement reads: “The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to clarify that one of its roles is the investigation of matters of national security dimension. It has always discharged this responsibility in the overall interest of Nigerian citizens. As such, the Service will continue to disseminate actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities dev...

(L) Mayardit singing national anthem (R) Observing drops of urine beneath his legs  Journalists were on the run in order to save themselves from death, following the decision of the South Sudan's President, Salva Kirr Mayardit  to wet his pants in public recently. Mayardit on Tuesday, wetted his pants in public, while commissioning a road project in his country. Mayardit, 71, was seen in a viral video peeing to the shame of dignatries, including military chiefs and other top government officials. The event, which according to the country's men and women was a disgrace, has resulted in the death of some journalists, who covered the event, while others have been declared missing.

By Favour Ajibade The Federal Government should  incorporate policy on sub standard cooking gas cylinders into its LPG development plan in order to provide socio-economic growth, the Liquidfied Petroleum Gas Retailers (LPGAR) has said.  The body, which is a branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), said  such policy would ensure that only standard cylinders were in circulation in the country, as well as preventing disasters ssociated with the use of substandard cylinders. Chika Umudu, the Branch National Chairman of LPGAR, made the remarks in a statement in Lagos yesterday ( Sunday) against the backdrop of rampant cases of substandard gas cylinders in circulation, which led to several mishaps. Umudu said the policy should encourage massive importation and production of standard cylinders. He said, “what importers do nowadays is to import what in my estimation are substandard cylinders which are affordable by average end-users. “The is...

  Seplat'Chief Executive Officer, Roger Brown  Seplat Energy Plc, in partnership with Conversations for Change (C4C) has empowered  22 new entrepreneurs from the duo’s Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.  Hitherto, the leading energy firm with listing into exchanges, has in line with its commitments to help  develop economy has invested on businesses in the country. Seplat is listed in both London and Nigerian Stock Exchanges. The event had the entrepreneurs unveil their business plans following the 2022 C4C Global Entrepreneurship Fellowship Programme, and was held at the Lux Terra Leadership and Training Centre, Abuja. The entrepreneurs and their area of businesses are: Oluyemi Oyinleye (Café business); Pauline Musa     (Catering); Maryam Musa (Spices); Mary Oteikwu (Fish drying); Justin Agbo (Fashion); Joseph Agu (Fashion); Chizoba Okolo (Fashion/fabric sales); Adebola Olamide Greatness (Fashion); Regina Etuka (Fashion)...

Officials intercept drugs  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested three people in connection with one million seven hundred and Sixty thousand four hundred and sixty (1,760,460) pills of tramadol and other opioids hidden in indomie noodles packs and others intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos as well as in Gombe state. Those arrested are  Olaleye Adeola, female freight forwarder, Akunne Chibuzor(Male) a trader at Balogun market, Lagos and Abosede Ronke( female).  While Adeola was arrested in connection with the noodles consignment, Abosede was set to convey the drugs abroad.  NFLEA's Media Director Femi Babafemi made the clarification to reporters in Abuja.  According to him, over 600,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg which came from Karachi, Pakistan in two separate shipments on Ethiopian Airlines flights were intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA at the ...

Pre-Paid Meters By Akinola Ajibade Nigeria's metering sub sector may collapse on account of skills deficiency, the Chief Executive officer, Momas Electrical Meters Manufacturing Company Limited (MEMMCOL), Mr Kola Balogun, has said.  He said the country may find it difficult to sustain the sub-sector, if it fails to urgently addressed the problem. Speaking during the graduation ceremony of North East Development Commission (NEDC) beneficiaries from MOMAS Metering school recently, he said that the need for Nigeria to boost local capacity in metering segment of the industry is key to its growth. News Mirror reports that no fewer than 150 youths in the North-Eastern part of the country were empowered in the partnership deal with the metering company. Balogun said:”This is why programme such as this is inevitable for virtually all the agencies.We must set aside investment for skills acquisition. If we do not train our youths, our future is not sustained.We identified thel op...

THE BRAND: PLANTAIN FLOUR:  VISION:  (1) TO CREATES AND PROMOTES AN  AWARENESS PROGRAMME FOR  PLANTAIN FLOUR- A CARBOHYDRATE, WHICH  IS GRADUALLY BEING CONSUMED IN MANY PARTS OF NIGERIA, ESPECIALLY SOUTH WESTERN REGION OF THE COUNTRY.  2) TO CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT PLANTATION FLOUR IS RICH IN DIETARY FIBRE, AIDS DIGESTION, PREVENT ANAEMIA, HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES, WHEN PROPERLY EATEN. 3) TO CREATE AWARENESS THAT PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THOSE AILEMENTS, CAN AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, PUT IT IN THEIR ROSTER FOR THEIR GROWTH AND FAMILIES. 3) TO CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING ThAT CAN BUY THE FOOD ITEM RELATIVE TO THEIR NEEDS, SIZES & PRICES.  NiGERIA'S PRODUCTION CAPACITY FOR PLANTAIN FLOUR The country's production capacity is put at 25,000 metric tonnes( MT) per annum, while demand is 125,000( MT metric tonnes) leaving a gap of  99,800 MT, according to a recent plantain report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation States.  From the a...