Nigeria: Bill to Compel Public Officers Wards to Attend Public Schools

The National Assembly will soon come up with a bill which seeks to compel governors, ministers, permanent secretaries, lawmakers, commissioners and other public office holders to send their children to public schools in the country.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Rep Abdulmumin Jibrin (PDP, Kano) disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, saying the lawmakers were concerned by the way public schools in the country are allowed to decay due to lack of attention from the authorities.

Jibrin who spoke as the guest speaker at a lecture organized by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), stated that most public office holders in the country, including lawmakers, do not send their children to government schools which is why such schools are now in a sorry state.

FIFA asks for clarity on Russian gay law

Football’s world governing body FIFA on Wednesday said it had asked 2018 World Cup hosts Russia to explain in more detail its controversial new law banning “homosexual propaganda” after criticism from athletes and activists.

“In the context of the adoption of the federal law ‘on prohibition of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations’ in Russia, FIFA has asked the Russian authorities for clarification and more details on this new law,” the federation said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified the new law in June as part of a wider political crackdown but it has cast a shadow over preparations for the World Athletics Championships, currently being held in Moscow, and next year’s Winter Olympics.

Calls have mounted for a boycott of the Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi and even US President Barack Obama has weighed in, commenting that he opposed intimidation against gays, lesbians and transgendered people.

FIFA, whose request follows that of the International Olympic Committee last week, said its statutes and code of conduct “foresee zero tolerance against discrimination based, among other things, on sexual orientation”.

It added: “FIFA expects that all guests in a FIFA World Cup host country whether they are fans, players, officials or media, experience a great FIFA World Cup irrespective of their sexual orientation.

“FIFA is firmly convinced that the staging of the FIFA World Cup can contribute to uniting people and having a positive social impact.

“Russia has committed to provide all visitors and fans with a warm welcome and ensure their safety. FIFA trusts that the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosts will deliver on this promise.” AFP

300 Nigerian girls languish in Libyan prisons – YAMIDR

THE Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Re-integration, IYAMIDR, yesterday, raised alarm that over 300 Nigerian girls are languishing in different prisons in Libya.

It called on the Federal Government to exploit the bilateral pact with the Libyan Government to secure their release.

President of IYAMIDR, Solomon Okoduwa, who briefed newsmen in Benin City, Edo State on the hardship faced by Nigerians in Libya since the war in that country, thanked the Founder of All Nation for Christ Synagogue, Pastor T.B Joshua for assisting hundreds of returnees with cash as rehabilitation packages, noting the need for the Federal Government to intervene.

Okoduwa, who fled Libya during the 2011 uprising, said that the Nigerian girls in Libyan prisons were being asked to pay between $400 and $600 through agents believed to be working for the Libyan authorities before they can secure their release.

He urged the Federal Government to review her foreign policy with a view to ensuring adequate protection of Nigerian Citizens in the Diaspora.

According to him, “government should as a matter of urgency expedite action by coming to the aide of her citizen, who are willing to return to the country. Apart from the girls, who are being raped every day, we have 700 other Nigerians held by the Libyan maximum prison in the City of Tripoli while others are in Sabha, and Gharian prison situated about 50kilometers from the City of Tripoli.”

He noted that in order to discourage Nigerian youths from traveling illegally to foreign countries, Okoduwa said the group had acquired 17.666 hectares of Oil Palm land located in Ugbogui community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State and appealed to government to assist in ensuring that the youths were equipped with the needed agricultural tools.

FG, ASUU meeting deadlocked, rescheduled for Aug. 19

 A closed-door meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday in Abuja ended in a deadlock.

However, Gov. Gabriel Suswam of  Benue, who also serves as Chairman of the Universities Needs 

Assessment Committee, told newsmen that both parties had rescheduled their negotiations for Aug. 19.

Suswan, who is the negotiator for the Federal Government, said that tremendous progress had been made in the negotiations.

He said that this was mainly on the NEEDs Assessment and Earned Allowance issues raised by ASUU.

The governor expressed his optimism that the issues would soon be resolved going by the progress made so far.

“Well the meeting continues next week Monday. We made some progress; we had very fruitful discussion with ASUU.

“We have agreed we are to meet again on Monday at about three o’clock. When we meet again we will be able to arrive at some decisions.’’

He gave assurance that Federal Government was making effort to resolve the crises in the education sector.

Suswam said that government had introduced some new faces in the negotiating team, including the minister of finance and the director-general of the Budget Office.

“Now that finance minister is coming, we are getting close to resolving it because the strike is about settling some debts and also intervening in the universities and so she is here and she also contributed.

“I have spent so much time as governor being part of this which shows the seriousness which the president attaches to what is happening in the education sector.

“As I leave here, we are going to the second meeting which is on Needs Assessment. We want to make sure that we solve this problem so we are holding meetings round the clock.”

He said that government believed that the next meeting with ASUU would open a new phase in the negotiations.

The ASUU  President, Nasir Fagge, refused to speak with reporters.

2 Unilorin students construct aircraft prototype

Two 500 level students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ilorin, Ali David and Patrick Effiong, have constructed an aircraft prototype.

The duo  told newsmen in Ilorin that they had nurtured the passion to construct the aircraft when they were in 100 level, adding that it was now their final year project.

David noted that many of his colleagues were  sceptical when they first broached the subject, adding that they were not deterred by the challenges they faced.

“What we are actually working on is a machine that will lift up itself through the law of aerodynamics and having an engine, a propeller and the fuselage,” he added.

Effiong, on his part,  said: “With some of our lecturers backing us, we were motivated; we decided that we can carry out the construction.

“Ali brought the idea to me that he had the dream of constructing an aircraft, but I didn’t really buy the idea then and I thought he had forgotten about it.

“ So when we got to 400 level,  he raised  the idea  again.’’

Also speaking with newsmen,  the project supervisor, Dr Tajudeen Ajiboye, said  the students had demonstrated a high level of intellectualism inspite of the challenges they faced.

Ajiboye, who said the students  were faced with the problems of materials and manpower at the initial stage, commended  them for their tenacity to accomplish the project

vanguard: ‘Lagos made no error on deportation of Igbos’

IT is not yet uhuru for Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late Head of State, General Sani  Abacha, over his acquittal by the appellate court as the  Lagos State Government yesterday  disclosed it has filed an appeal to challenge the court’s decision that aquitted the former CSO and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

And that the state made no error on deportation of Igbos

LASG’s action is contained in a statement by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, while briefing journalists during his ministry’s monthly media chat on law and order in the state.

The Attorney General, who refused to disclose the grounds on which the state was challenging the judgment of the Court of Appeal, said the state took the decision after one month of thorough evaluation of the judgment and found out that “there are enough and very good grounds for appeal.”

Ipaye said: ”Having carefully reviewed the decisions of the respected justices of the Court of Appeal, it is our humble view that there are strong bases for appeal which the Supreme Court of Nigeria should have an opportunity to consider.

File: Al-Mustapha at the Lagos High court Igbosere Lagos

“This step will also ensure that all issues are fully articulated and the victim’s family, the defendants and the society are not deprived of the last window of opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolution of the case.”

Though, according to him, the notice of appeal filed by the state was yet to be served on the defendants, the processes have been filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Deportation of Igbos

Earlier, Ipaye, who had also spoken on the controversies that trailed the relocation of some Igbo indigenes from Lagos,  dismissed the argument that the state acted against the law. He said the decision to transport the affected persons to their home state was based on their request after due consultation with their state of origin.

He said: “A lot has been said about this, and has fueled a lot of speculations and is drawing bad blood. But this is a simple routine matter which has been happening to people all over the country, be it Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa, who have no social support living in the state. So, they requested that the government should assist them in going back home  where they can find their families and get people to reunite with.

“We have said it that we wrote to the government in question that it should come to the assistance of the people. Since we couldn’t get their response, we worked with these individuals to get them back home. It was really a primary matter of assisting the people involved.  It was not a punitive measure or that anyone has no right to come to Lagos State.”

Patience Jonathan’s mother to be buried on Oct. 31

The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has disclosed that the burial of her late foster mother, Mrs Charity Oba, would take place on Oct. 31.

Jonathan made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja when former first ladies visited her to condole with her on the death of Oba, fondly called `Mama Sisi.’

She said: “Words cannot express how happy I am when you all came in this evening.

“It is only when you love someone you can share in their happy or sad moment. The burial will be on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1,” she said.

The president’s wife expressed sadness over the loss of her mother.

“My regret is that I couldn’t reward her enough before her death because I was just two years when my mum gave me to her.

“She was my friend and confidant. She moved with me to my husband’s house, took care of my children because I had no nanny. She was more than a mother to me.’’

The first lady informed her visitors that she received a condolence message from Hajiya Maryam Abacha who was away on lesser hajj.

Mrs Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi who spoke on behalf of the visitors, urged Jonathan to take heart as death was painful.

“Death is painful; we always ask why when it comes but we cannot question God.

“We know you are strong enough to bear the pain and pray to God to give you the fortitude to bear the loss and continue the good work you are doing for women,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Uche Azikiwe presented a condolence card to the first lady on behalf of the former first ladies