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       Says NCC will review 2.6GHz spectrum auction The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba...

The federal government has again applied to the federal high court in Abuja for protection of witnesses billed to testify against the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki in the criminal charges of unlawful possession of firearm Harms and money laundering. In a fresh motion on notice brought to the court on wednesday, the government prayed the court for an order to shield the identities of the witnesses and that the record of proceedings not to be made accessible to the public. In the motion filed by federal government lawyer, Mr. Oladipo Opeseyi (SAN), the applicant also applied for an order to permit the witnesses to be addressed with Pseudo names in the cause of the trial of the Ex-NSA. The trial Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola had in February dismissed similar motion on protection of witnesses brought to the court by the Federal Government on the ground that the motion was baseless and unwarranted. The judge said that the same government cannot aske for protection of witnesses having filed the charges and proof of evidence along with the anmes of the witnesses and put the same at the public domain for public consumption.

The former National Security Adviser, Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki has asked an Abuja High Court to consolidate the two criminal charges bordering on alleged corruption and breach of trust brought against him by the Federal Government in the course of his official duties. Dasuki who had been granted bails in three different high courts were criminal charges were slammed on him, had been rearrested and kept in custody since 2015. He told the court that he was not scared of trial on the alleged fund misappropriation but insisted that the right thing in law must be done. The Ex-NSA in a fresh motion on notice filed by his counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN) claimed that the trial in two different courts on the same issues and facts is unconstitutional and prejudicial to his right to fair trial by the court. Dasuki who is standing trial on allegation of alleged misappropriation of $2.1bn along with four others before Justice Baba Yusuf insisted that the charges against him by the complainant on the same issue constituted a gross abuse of court process.

Following the high spate of petitions and complaints from stakeholders in the Banking, Insurance and Financial Institutions, I hereby direct the suspension of the...

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, has told the joint Committees’ of Labour and Power, Steel Development that as...

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chris Ngige has resolved disputes in the Ministry of Health

The National Open University (NOUN) has waived tuition fee for inmates of prisons in Nigeria. The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu said the decision to waive the tuition fees for the prisoners was the university's quest to fulfil its corporate social responsibility as well as a shortage of sponsorship offers for inmates. Professor Adamu spoke at a formal presentation of certificate to Mr Albert Emmanuel Ajogbor, a NOUN student at the Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri, in Lagos, who earned a B.A. (Hons) in Christian Theology. Adamu pointed out that the decision was in line with the university's vision of providing highly accessible and enhanced education anchored by social justice, equity, equality and national cohesion through comprehensive reach that transcends all barriers. NOUN had recently offered 100 percent full scholarship to all prisoners who are undertaking a degree programme in the university.

The Sixteen-Man Technical Committee for the implementation of the palliatives meant to cushion the effects of the increase in the pump of petrol has been constituted. The committee which will be chaired by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige (OON) has the representative of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Prof. Adamu K. Usman as Secretary. Other members of the committee representing the Federal Government include, Hon Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Hon. Minister of Budget and Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma, Hon. Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Chairman of National Salaries and Wages Commission, Chief R.O Egbule and the representative of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. On the other hand, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will be represented by Comrade Peter Adeyemi, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, Comrade Igwe Achese and Comrade Abdullahi Sale.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta has said that the Federal Government is committed in meeting with the national aspiration by providing save water and improved sanitation for all Nigerians in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and African Union after Vision 2025. Mrs. Jimeta stated this on Tuesday 31st May, 2016 when declaring open the 23rd National Technical Committee meeting on Water Resources in Abuja. She said, "If you have noticed, water is very critical to all the SDGs 17 goals, so we are looking at how we can focus our strategy on the sustainability of water in meeting with all the goals" Continuing, she added that a lot of memoranda have been taken from State Government and key stakeholders, so they are going to be discussing extensively on all and adopt a robust strategy in actualizing the set goals. She charged the participants to come up with memoranda that would improve access to water supply and sanitation in their respective states and for the development of the sector in Nigeria.

·      As 35th Annual General Meeting of Shelter Afrique holds in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja ·      Minister notes that over the years, there have...

As the nation marks the one year anniversary of the present Administration, Nigerians have been assured of Government’s determination to revamp the aviation sector to make it contribute more to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the one year anniversary is only a starting point for the Administration, as the period has been used to establish a solid foundation for good governance based on probity, accountability and transparency, elements which were lacking in previous years. The Federal Government, he said, has during the period, taken steps to ensure that the aviation sector no longer thrives on cosmetic developments, but on solid policy thrusts that would engender a safe, secure, profitable and customer-centred industry. Government, in its drive to improve the security of the airports and safety of passengers, had within the period, inaugurated a Ministerial Committee on the Assessment of the Security Situation in Nigeria’s Airports whose report has since been received and being examined for implementation.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita has called on Federal Public Servants in the country to always adopt the right attitude in trying to resolve issues rather than resorting to self help or public protest in the face of prevailing challenges. Mrs. Oyo-Ita made the call today in her office in Abuja in a re-action to the public agitation by workers lead by their union leaders in the Federal Ministry of Health seeking for the redeployment of the Permanent Secretary. She said that the present administration has the workers in mind and that is why her office has constituted a joint committee comprising both the union leaders in the ministry and other government officials to see how best the issue could be resolved. She wondered why the workers and their union leaders could not give the committee the opportunity to complete its assignment.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Chairman of the NBA Summit of Heads of State and Government, President Muhammadu BuhariGCFR has called on the member countries of NBA to fulfill their financial obligations to help address the many challenges of the organization. The President, who was represented by the Hon. Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Muhammed made the call on Monday 30th May, 2016 during the Extraordinary Session of Council of Ministers of NBA meeting in Abuja. Mr. President noted the many challenges facing the Basin and the efforts all the delegates of member countries are doing to provide solutions to them. “I am also pleased and honoured to welcome the distinguished delegates of the member countries of our common organization as well as the Technical and Financial Partners who are contributing with us in the search for sustainable solutions to the many socio-economic development challenges we are facing in the Niger Basin”, he said. Also, he stated that the Basin is experiencing a significant degradation of its resources under the combined effects of climate and human activities. According to him, the effect is heavily compromising the future of the ever increasing population of the Niger Basin.

Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Affairs, Nasir Adhama has said the next three years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration...

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the member countries of Niger Basin Authority (NBA) to promote the solidarity that binds them together in line with the will of NBA’s founding fathers. The Hon. Minister of Water Resources and Chairman of NBA Council of Ministers, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, FNSE stated this at the Expert meeting of the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers on Thursday 26th May, 2016 in Abuja. It could be recalled that the mandate of the NBA is to “promote cooperation between member countries sharing the active water shed of the River Niger in the areas of energy, water, agriculture, livestock development and fish farming. Engr. Suleiman noted that Nigeria being a pioneer member of the organization, has actively promoted the basin’s natural resources in a sustainable manner based on the shared vision to improve the living standard of the people of the basin. Also, the Minister called on all the member countries to live up to their financial responsibilities by paying up their dues regularly to enable the Secretariat exercise its sovereign functions of coordination, monitoring and evaluation of investment actions and capacity building.

The ultimatum by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN to embark on a nationwide strike effective mid-night, Tuesday, May 24, 2016 has been suspended. This is sequel to the intervention of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige (OON ) and the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu. In a conciliatory, pre-strike meeting today in Abuja, the Minister of State for Petroleum exhaustively briefed PENGASSAN and other stakeholders on the vexed issue of Joint Venture Cash Call, (JVCC) the arrears of which have not been paid to the Joint Venture partners, hence, the threat by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to lay off their Nigerian workers while refusing to pay some of their allowances due to an alleged shortage of cash. Dr. Kachikwu explained that his Ministry was restructuring the operational modalities of the Joint Venture Cash Call especially in view of the low oil prices but assured the union, the JVCC partners and other stakeholders of positive and agreeable results when the meeting reconvenes in late June. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Ngige who hosted the meeting promised that the Oil Industry Stakeholders’ committee dealing with the issues of labour malpractices like long contracting of staff, casualization and unilateral declaration of redundancy by the oil contractors and the International Oil Companies on the one hand, as well as the unnecessary and incessant issuing of threats of strike by the unions would resume next month.

The prosecution counsel of the case against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Peter Orubebe, Mr. M. S. Diri, DPP of the Federation, represented by Ejike Augustine Orji (SSC), who hold in brief for the DPP, closed its case against the Accused person. Mr Orji, earlier told the court today in Abuja, that the matter was slated for continuation of trial by calling on the Prosecution Witness II, to testify against the Accused person, noting that ‘‘having review the case, we felt there is no further course to call for any other witness to this matter, to this we humbly apply to close our case for the prosecution’’. The defence Counsel led by Selekowei Larry (SAN), told the Tribunal that they were taken by surprise with the development, he said they did not envisaged this development before now, he prayed that in such circumstance he needed an adjournment to prepare for their defence, subject to the convenience of the tribunal.

The Federal Government has constituted a 10- man Technical Committee to look into the areas of synergizing and harmonizing the mode and procedure for payment of pension benefits in the Public Service as at when due. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita while constituting the committee during a tripartite meeting between her Office, the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), held today in her Office in Abuja said that the setting up of the committee becomes necessary in order to ensure prompt payments of the pensioners entitlements in the Public Service. She said that there is the need for synergy between her Office, PENCOM and PTAD so as to ensure efficiency in handling pension matters. Mrs. Oyo-Ita expressed concern over how Public Servants after serving the country meritoriously for 35 years or after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 yearshave to wait for so long before they could receive their retirement benefits and monthly pensions. A situation she stressed is not ideal for any Public Servant to pass through and must therefore be addressed immediately.

Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed has called on Staff of her Ministry and its parastatals to be champions of the Change Agenda of the present administration. The minister made the call, Monday, May 23, 2016 at the opening of a 5 - day Specialised Training Programme on Reform and Service Improvement organised for the staff of her Ministry and parastatals in Abuja. Mrs Ahmed said that civil servants were the engine room for growth and development as well as engine room for the implementation of government development projects. "The civil servants should drive the implementation projects of the administration. There are lot of things that are not efficiently done in the service" Explaining further on the importance of the Servicom/Reform Coordination Departments in MDAs, she stated that the officers of the department have a responsibility of identifying on a continuous basis, what is not working well and advise on how best to correct these things.

An Abuja High Court has overruled the Federal Government in its decision to confine the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Muhammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) to the premises of the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) to access and brief his lawyer in the on-going trial of criminal charges on corruption brought against him. Dasuki who had been granted bails by three different high courts, met the bail conditions but was re-arrested by the operatives of DSS since December last year but yet to be released. The court ordered that ex-NSA must be allowed to access and brief his lawyers at a neutral place instead of the premises of the DSS headquarters in Abuja so as to enable him prepare adequately for his defence in the trial. Justice Husain Baba Yusuf, who issued the order in Abuja today directed that henceforth the detained ex-NSA should be allowed by the DSS operatives to access his lawyers within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary Headquarters in Maitama Abuja between Monday to Friday this week.