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FG Mulls Triple Ground Rent Charges For Unoccupied Property

The Federal Government says it will start charging owners of completed unoccupied houses triple ground rents instead of the single rate normally charged from three months after completion.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa said this in an interview with journalists during the continuation of site visits of housing projects constructed by the government and its agencies in Abuja.

The projects are the Suleja (Dikko) Prototype, Public Private Partnerships Cooperative, Gwagwalada National Housing Programme and Guzape Federal Housing Authority (FHA) also under PPP arrangement.

Dangiwa affirmed that the issue of completed unoccupied properties was prevalent in the FCT and some states of the federation while many citizens were in dire need of accommodation.

“What is important now is that we want to take stock of all those houses then we will interface with the owners and find out what they want.

“If they want to keep the houses unoccupied, the government will start charging them triple ground rent instead of a single ground rent that we charge,” he said.

On the supervision of projects across the country, the minister said all state controllers would be empowered and given the proper tools and equipment to carry out their functions effectively.

“The second thing is the issue of supervision, we have state controllers in every state of the federation. We want to empower them by giving them the tools they need in supervising any project within their vicinity,” Dangiwa said.

The minister expressed satisfaction with what he has seen adding that each of the locations had their own peculiarities and issues.

Commenting on the issue of BUA cement that announced a reduction in the price of its product but survey showed that the cost had not been brought down.

The minister lauded BUA Company for taking the initiative to reduce the burden on citizens.

“They have reduced the prices of their cement but most of the people who sell at higher prices are claiming that they bought it at higher prices,” he further said.

11/11/2023
We’re Investigating Pre-Filled Result Sheets In Kogi Voting Centres -INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a response to the allegations of pre-filled result sheets in Kogi State during the ongoing governorship election.

Leading election observer group, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) had raised alarm over prefilled result sheets in some polling units.

The forged sheets showed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) were winning the gubernatorial election.

Reacting to the development, INEC vowed to review and investigate the incident.

The statement reads,

“Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State.

“The Commission views this situation seriously. Our senior officials deployed to the State are currently investigating the incident(s).

“The Commission will communicate its decision earnestly.”

Meanwhile, Usman Ododo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kogi governorship, has expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and orderly nature of the ongoing election in the state.

Ododo, after casting his ballot at his polling unit, lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their management of the electoral process.

“I commend INEC management for how far it’s going, and as you can see, the election is peaceful and orderly,” he stated on Saturday.

11/11/2023
Host Communities Threaten To Shutdown Oil Production Over 3% PIA Fund

Oil communities in Bayelsa State at the weekend warned that oil production across the state may be halted if Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) fails to refrain from actions that could potentially reduce or create bottlenecks for the three percent host community fund under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The warning was contained in a statement jointly signed by a foremost youth leader, Mr Christopher Tuduo, His Royal Highness, Theophilus Moses, chairman Dodo River Rural Development Authority, Francis Amamogiran, Hon. Target Segibo of Oporoma Rural Development Authority and former Chairman of Koluama Clan Oil and Gas Committee, Engr Ebimielayefa Dick- Ogbeyan.

The communities, in the statement declared their readiness to take decisive action and escalate their efforts to address the concerns of the oil and gas communities if the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) fails to treat the matter as an emergency.

Emphasizing their proactive engagement in pacifying the youths across various communities since the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the communities stated that the stability of oil operations could be compromised if NUPRC allows the situation to deteriorate further.

The communities asked NUPRC to recognize the urgency of the matter and take immediate, substantive steps to resolve the concerns at hand.

They warned that improper handling of host community issues could have negative repercussions on Nigeria’s oil production and economy.

The communities stated that the NUPRC must reverse any action and regulations adversely affecting the host community to avoid a severe backlash. He noted that host communities are often excluded from the decision-making process, which results in the use of public resources to defend decisions in newspapers.

They criticized NUPRC’s intention, outlined in a letter dated 9th October, 2023, and signed by Capt. John R. Tonlagha for the Commission Chief Executive, which proposed participation in various activities related to the host community fund, such as BOT nominations, selection and inauguration, Management Committee Advisory Committee nomination and selection, and facilitation of NEEDs assessment. He argued that this would be too much for the three per cent to fund.

The group maintained that while NUPRC’s oversight function is essential, over-involvement in the activities of the HCDTs is counterproductive and financially burdensome.

“They are getting into the operations arena, and this will not augur well for the industry because each participation by the NUPRC will be funded from the HCDT trust.”

The also criticized the mandate for HCDTs to hire lawyers and accountants with a minimum of 10 years’ experience, stating that it would be impossible to pay such professionals from the five per cent administrative fund, which comes from the three per cent.

They argued, “In reality, no NGO organizations, including those like Accord or the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, which is one of the most successful NGOs in Nigeria, employ full-time lawyers, let alone one with 10 years experience. The HCDTs are styled as NGO organizations and should be expected to act according to the best practices and standards of that sector,”

The statement stressed further that by insisting that NUPRC must stop overstepping its boundaries, avoid acting as operators, and cease deducting expenses from the three per cent in cunning ways.

The group supports transparency and accountability, but the HostComply portal being developed by NUPRC to manage the administration of the fund should not be funded from the three per cent, as per Sele-Epri.

He stated that the regulator should bear the financial burden for the application, which enables it to monitor activities of different players more effectively.

Additionally, the group accused the regulator of insensitivity to the host communities’ concerns, particularly the allocation in the PIA and the criminalization of oil and gas asset destruction against communities lacking surveillance contracts.

They questioned the timing of NUPRC’s review of host community regulations, suggesting that the focus should be on setting up HCDTs and prioritizing benefits to the community.

11/11/2023
Bayelsa Guber: Off Season Elections Must Stop In Nigeria -Jonathan

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has voiced concerns over off-season elections, urging the National Assembly to take action and harmonise the calendar for polls in the country.

Speaking after casting his voter in the ongoing off-season elections in Bayelsa, Jonathan emphasized that such elections do not align with global best practices.

“I’m worried about this issue of off-season elections because it does not conform with global best practices,” Jonathan stated.

Meanwhile Governor Douye Diri, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Bayelsa State, has accused his major opponent, former governor Timipre Sylva, of being troublesome and blamed him for the reported threats to PDP members in Nembe.

He made the allegation shortly after casting his vote at Ward 6 Unit 4 Kalaowei Owei Sampou town in Kolokuma-Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State around 8.40 am.

Diri said PDP members were being chased out of the area notorious for electoral violence.

The 64-year-old governor called on security agencies to intervene in Nembe and ensure a peaceful electoral process.

11/11/2023
Guber Elections Underway In Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi As INEC Conducts Off-Cycle Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday initiated the first off-cycle elections since the 2023 general elections, with residents of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states casting their votes to determine their governors for the next four years.

A total of 46,084 regular and ad-hoc staff have been deployed across the three states, and 126 national and international organizations, along with 11,000 observers, are accredited for the elections. Additionally, 80 media organizations have applied to deploy 1,203 personnel, including journalists and technical/support staff.

Security measures are robust, with 92,565 police personnel mobilized, including helicopters and gunboats. The Federal Road Safety Corps has also deployed 1,500 operatives and 105 vehicles.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, revealed that the elections will be held in 10,470 polling units across 649 electoral wards in 56 local government areas.

Voting commenced around 08:30 am in observed polling units, following the arrival of INEC officials with sensitive and non-sensitive materials.

Over five million voters are expected to participate in the elections, with the outcome potentially influenced by the significant representation of youths and middle-aged individuals, comprising over 60% of the total PVCs collected in the three states.

In Imo State, registered voters are 2,419,922, with 2,318,919 PVCs collected. In Kogi, there are 1,932,654 registered voters, and 1,833,160 PVCs collected, while Bayelsa has 1,056,862 registered voters and 1,017,613 PVCs collected.

Sixteen political parties are sponsoring candidates in Bayelsa, and 18 in both Imo and Kogi, with elections taking place in 10,470 polling units across the 56 local government areas in the three states.

INEC has deployed nine Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and two national commissioners to each state, with 46,000 staff overseeing the elections.

The Result Viewing Portal (IReV) is assured to work smoothly despite previous glitches experienced in the technology during the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.

11/11/2023
Just In: Court Stops NLC, TUC From Embarking On Nationwide Strike

The National Industrial Court, on Friday, restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, as well as their affiliates from embarking on any form of strike or industrial action.

The two labour unions were ordered to stop their planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on November 14.

President of the Court, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip issued the restraining order following an ex-parte application to that effect brought before the Court by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice.

Justice Kanyip invoked sections 17 and 19 of the National Industrial Court Act to issue the restraining order against the organised labour.

The Federal Government and the AGF through their lawyer, Tijani Gazali had in the ex-parte application prayed the court to stop the planned strike.

They said this was to avert untold hardships that would be inflicted on innocent law abiding citizens and their businesses.

Gazali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Director of Civil Appeals in the Federal Ministry of Justice, while arguing the ex-parte application, drew the attention of Justice Kanyip to series of hardships suffered by Nigerians on Thursday alone when the labour unions blocked entrances to the main Airports in the country.

He pleaded that unless the planned strike is stopped, there may be a likelihood of breach of peace in the country.

The Judge, who was persuaded by the government’s arguments, said that it is within the power of the court to intervene by way of a restraining order to ensure peace and tranquility.

He proceeded to grant all the requests of the federal government as contained on the motion paper.

Besides, Justice Kanyip directed that the restraining order be pasted on the wall of the building at the last known address of the two defendants to draw their attention to the Court’s position.

The Judge also directed that the order along with the originating and other processes be served by publication in two major national dailies.

Meanwhile, the case file has been transferred to Justice Olufunke Anuwe who is said to be handling similar labour dispute related matters.

11/10/2023
Gov Makinde Pays Welfare Packages To Civil Servants, Pensioners

Civil servants and pensioners in Oyo State have commenced celebrations as the disbursement of the long-awaited welfare package pledged by Governor Seyi Makinde is now underway.

The announcement was made via the official Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) handle on Friday, November 10.

Governor Makinde’s commitment to the welfare of the state’s workforce was underscored with the approval of N15,000 for each pensioner and N25,000 for every civil servant on the state’s payroll.

The payments, slated to continue for six months starting in October 2023, aim to alleviate the economic challenges faced by residents.

Assuring labour union leaders, Governor Makinde expressed his dedication to finding sustainable solutions for workers within the stipulated six-month period.

The governor emphasized that his administration remains steadfast in prioritizing the welfare of employees while addressing the broader needs of the people of Oyo State.

The positive response to the initiation of payments echoes the optimism of a brighter future for the state’s workforce.

11/10/2023
EU Commits €500m To SGBV Fight In 5 Years

The European Union says it has committed the sum of 500 million Euros over a five-year period to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence globally.

In his goodwill message EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, who said this at the Strategy and Knowledge Sharing Workshop on SGBV for First-Time First Ladies in Nigeria, added the money is part of the body’s commitment towards addressing SGBV.

She said, “Our two flagship SGBV programmes; the Spotlight Initiative and the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) Programme, have been quite instrumental in advancing this agenda. With a global envelope of 500 million Euros, the Spotlight Initiative is a clear demonstration of the EU’s commitment towards addressing SGBV. As the Spotlight Initiative comes to an end next month, a new SGBV programme is now in the pipeline, and we hope implementation can begin in 2024.

While appreciating the intentional effort being put into the SGVB fight in Nigeria, Isopi urged the First ladies to continue to drive the fight of reducing SGVB to its barest minimum.

Emphasising the importance of timely, coordinated response to the SVGB scourge, the Ambassador said it would require fundamental actions that guarantee the safety and security of vulnerable women and children not only in Nigeria but across the world.

“We urge the government to take ownership by allocating more funding and ensuring that the SGBV designated institutions have all they require to address the needs of the people. Sexual Assault Referral Centres and specialised SGBV courts are best practices, and as the new administration both and federal level begin to settle in their various roles, we need to set the SGBV agenda so that they begin to give this the much-needed focus that it deserves.

“We hope that this meeting serves to further prioritise SGBV intervention as well as raise public awareness on what we consider to be one of the most heinous crimes in our society. We also hope that this meeting will explore ways to continue raising a call to action that asks everyone to take concrete steps to question, call out, and speak up against acts of gender-based violence (GBV).

In her keynote remarks, UN Women Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Beatrice Eyong noted that increasing cases of violence against women has become a huge concern.

According to her, 1 in 3 women have experienced violence.

“Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence – 26% of women aged 15 and older have been subjected to intimate partner violence,” Eyong said.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, seeks to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment through addressing violence and all forms of discrimination against women and girls.

She said there was a need to change the approach to addressing SGVB in order to achieve results.

“It is critical for us to adopt a perpetrators-centred approach in holding people accountable for SGBV and survivor-centred approaches in reaching out to survivors of SGBV. I acknowledge that the NGWF has been especially instrumental in championing essential services. Excellencies, we call on your support to ensure that these services which are a lifeline for survivors and their communities remain invested in.

“These violations also impede on the dignity, sanctity of life and fairness that are at the core of the international and national legal frameworks to which Nigeria subscribes. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and harmful practices, in all their forms, violate the core principles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, the Maputo Protocol, adopted by the African Union in 2003, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law signed into 2015 and already domesticated in your various states Excellencies with strong hope for Kano to join soon,” she added.

She urged the First Ladies to sustain advocacy on the Gender Equal and Opportunities Bill that not only addresses economic violence but also advocates for affirmative action and inclusion of women.

11/10/2023
Tinubu Pays Tribute To Nigeria’s First Female Army General Who Dies @84

President Bola Tinubu has expressed heartfelt condolences to the Kale family, the Nigerian Army, and the medical community in Nigeria following the demise of Major-General Aderonke Kale (rtd), MNI, at the age of 84.

Major-General Kale, renowned as the first female Major-General in the Nigerian Army and the inaugural female Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, retired in 1997 after a distinguished career.

In a statement released by his media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu lauded Major-General Kale as a trailblazer, describing her passing as a poignant loss for the nation.

“Major-General Aderonke Kale was a pioneer in her field. She embodied the courage, professionalism, capacity, and resilience of the Nigerian woman. She thrived and conquered where many feared to tread.

She was a towering figure; an inimitable role model,” remarked the President.

President Tinubu offered prayers for the repose of Major-General Kale’s soul and urged her grieving family to find solace in the indelible legacy she leaves behind.

11/10/2023
2m Voters Registered Voters Set For Kogi Guber Election –INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said two million registered voters are expected to vote in the Saturday off-cycle governorship election in Kogi.

The election will hold in 3,508 poling units, spread across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The LGAs included Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela/Odolu, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopamuro, Ofu, Ogori-Magongo, Okene, Okehi, Olamaboro, Omala, Yagba-East, and Yagba-West.

Speaking on preparations for the election, Dr Gabriel Longpet, the state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said that the commission was 100 per cent ready.

Longpet said that the commission had recruited over 15,000 ad hoc staff to help it in the smooth conduct of the poll.

“We have 3,508 polling units and each of these units will be manned by four ad hoc staff aside the security personnel that will be around to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.

“We shall deploy more staff and BVAS in densely populated polling units to complement those we are going to use.

“To be precise, we are going to use more than 900 back-up BVAS.

“This is because some polling units have more than 1,000 to 2,000 registered voters, and we have to split the number by creating more voting points for easy voting.

“This becomes imperative as we don’t want to give room for anything that will delay the process.

“As soon as there is a report of any BVAS failure or challenge, we shall provide another one and configure it to that polling unit for smooth continuation of voting,” he said.

Longpet said that the BVAS had been deployed to the 21 local government areas of the state in readiness for the election.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said over 40,000 policemen would be deployed across the state to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.

Onuoha said that the planned deployment of large number of personnel was due the past experiences in the state, where violence was recorded during elections.

“As it is, we have marked out some security flash points for more vigilance even though recent happenings signaled to us that the whole Kogi is a flashpoints.

“From the number of security personnel we are deploying for this election, it’s an enough testimony to tell you that the state needs more security checks.

“With the presence of adequate security personnel in Kogi, we are calling on every body to come out and exercise his or her civic right in the Saturday governorship election.

“We are going to swam the state with enough security personnel and by the special grace of God, with our actions and sanctions, we are going to confound our detractors,” he said.

Onuoha added: “God is telling me that this election is going to be better than all the elections ever held here in Kogi.

“We have directed our personnel to be fair to everybody because we come here to serve the people and not any particular individual.”

The CP urged politicians to play according to the rules of the game, saying that election would come and go, while the people would remain.

“We expect that they should adopt politics without bitterness. Your brother is your brother, no matter where he belongs politically, ” he said.

Onuoha warned trouble makers especially political thugs, not to try any thing funny as regard the election as security operatives are battle ready to deal with them.

“In election, you don’t use matches and guns to force people to give you votes. Such people will meet the wrath of the law.

“What we want in Kogi is a peaceful and successful election. Therefore, politicians must play according to the rules of the game or be dealt with.

“The traditional rulers should help us talk to their subjects to maintain peace throughout the election period because it will come and go and we will all remain as residents,” said the police chief.

Eighteen political parties featuring in the election on Wednesday signed a peace accord, ahead of the poll.
Some of the parties were the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Labour Party (LP) and the Action Alliance (AA).

Others are the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the National Rescue Movement and the Action Democratic Party (ADP).

11/10/2023