NLNG pays $1.6bn dividend to Buhari government

Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG), a joint venture between the government and foreign oil majors, has paid a handsome $1.6billion dividend to the new Muhammadu Buhari government. the company’s Chief executive, Babs Omotowa disclosed weekend.
Omotowa said since 1999, NLNG had generated some 85 billion dollars from exports since its inception 15 years ago.
He said the company, which was set up to harness Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources and produce liquefied natural gas for export, has also paid billions of dollars to the state in tax.
“Just a few days ago, we paid 1.6 billion dollars to the government as tax and this will go a long way to assist the new government in solving some of its problems,” he said.
The new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who became the first Nigerian to oust a sitting president in democratic elections in March, is facing a severe economic crunch.
About 20 of the country’s 36 states are unable to pay workers salaries.

One Fear Dead To Stray Bullet In Nanka

RESIDENTS of Nanka Orumba North Local government Area of Anambra State were recently,
dismayed as attempts by men of the National Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to uncover the mystery behind the death of a man from Enugu-Nanka who was recently found beheaded in his house resulted to another death.
  it was gathered that the NDLEA officials had same day, apprehended one Mr Sunday and other youths at a place in the village for questioning, over the death of the beheaded man.
  According to our source, some youths of the area staged a fight against the law enforcement agents who were said to have started shooting sporadically in the air in order to scare the youths away.
  In the process, Mr Sunday was hit in the abdomen by a stray bullet and he died on the way to a nearby hospital.

BUHARI CONSIDERS FASHOLA, ORONSAYE, OTHERS FOR VILLA POSITIONS

As the jostling for cabinet posts in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration intensifies, there are indications that the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Babatude Fashola; former Head of Service, Mr. Steve Oronsaye; a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Abdulrahman Dambazzau; a former Managing Director of New Nigerian Newspapers, Adamu Adamu, and a former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Col. Hammed Ali, may have been shortlisted for positions in the administration.

Specifically, Dambazzau is being considered for the post of National Security Adviser (NSA) while Fashola, Oronsaye and Ali are being considered for the position of Chief of Staff to the president.

Adamu, on the other hand, may be made the Principal Secretary to the president. Adamu is also being considered for the post of Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but has expressed reservations about heading the anti-corruption agency.

A frontline contender for the post of Chief of Staff is Fashola, whom Buhari personally likes and has a lot of confidence in. The president has already shown his confidence in Fashola by asking him to chair a committee he empanelled to review the 800-page report submitted by the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee.

Why FG Lifted Ban On Importation on Textile, Furniture Products

THE Federal Government has lifted the embargo on the importation of textile materials into the country. Confirming this in Lagos yesterday, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko said that Nigerians can now import textile materials subject to payment of right duty.
Speaking at the official launching of the implementation of Economic Community of West Africa States, (ECOWAS), Common External Tariff, (CET), Dikko said that the items were removed from the prohibition list in line with the laws guiding the CET regime. “Textile, furniture and others have become dutiable as both commodities have been removed from the Import Prohibition Lists and it is going to be implemented” said Abdullahi Dikko.
The Customs boss, who was represented by Victor Gbemudu, Assistant Comptroller General, Zone ‘A’, said that importers of these goods are now expected to pay 35 percent duty as agreed by ECOWAS member countries as well as the levy as contained in the Import Adjustment Tax (IAT).
“CET also comes with some adjustments for member countries. There are 97 chapters with the 5,899 tariff headings but every member country is entitled to 3 percent adjustment. “This 3 percent adjustment translates into 177 tariff headings to enable member countries to protect their local industries.”

APC GOVS ACCUSE ODIGIE-OYEGUN OF TAKING ‘BRIBE’

The chairman has been accused of playing double standards in the National Assembly leadership crisis. For example, he is accused of collecting “gifts” from Senator Bukola Saraki before the election, while pretending to be doing the bidding of party leaders who wanted the seat ceded to Ahmed Lawan.
Eight of the 23 Governors, including that of his home state (Adams Oshiomhole of Edo), were at the party’s secretariat yesterday to deliver the message to the embattled Chairman.
Other members of the Governors entourage, who met the Chairman behind closed door were: Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa).
To further prove Odigie-Oyegun’s complicity in the NASS leadership debacle, those who want him sacked recall that all the candidates sponsored for positions in both chambers of the National Assembly lost to their opponents who contested, against the directive of the party.
Also, while other party leaders were still engaging the camps of the Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the party Chairman openly endorsed their elections.
Meanwhile, Oyegun, in an attempt at settling the rift on Monday, met with the Saraki and Ahmed Lawan, as well as Dogara, his deputy, Lasun Yusuf, separately in his residence at Asokoro in Abuja.
Odigie-Oyegun, who was presiding over the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at the time, excused himself and met with the Governors in his office.

Nigeria May Return To Second Republic Days – EZEKWESILI

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has compared Nigeria’s recent economic situation to that of 1982 during the regime of former President, Shehu Shagari.
Ezekwesiili explained that the situation surrounding the economic, social and political sector is precarious and that managing such situations with uncertainty is most difficult.
The ex-minister made the statement while presenting a public lecture at the annual Public Service Celebration which took place at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Ikeja, lagos.
She stated that the economy had taken a nose dive and wondered how possible it was for Nigeria to find itself in the current situation.
She recalled that back in 1981 to 1982, Nigeria witnessed the same economic relapse as it is witnessing now, and that she had hoped that Nigeria would not suffer such situations ever again.
She said: “We have found ourselves in a situation where every sector is in a precarious situation. We are operating on uncertainty and it is most difficult.
“Our economy has taken a nose dive, and I ask how it is possible for Nigeria to find itself in this embarrassing situation.

Why I am Tired OF Remaining A Regent Of Akungba--Akoko -----Princess Toyin Omosowon

One week after she was released from kidnappers’ captivity, the Regent of Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Princess Toyin Omosowon, has said she is tired of occupying the throne.

The princess, who had been expressing worries about her continued stay on the throne, has therefore asked the kingmakers in the town to commence the process of selecting a new traditional ruler for the town, saying she was prepared to vacate the throne.

The Regent in an interview with journalists on Tuesday said she was tired of the throne considering the sad developments she has been experiencing since her installation in 2013.

She declared that she was not responsible for why the has not been traditional ruler, stressing that “as a princess I know the implication of the situation we find ourselves in Akungba-Akoko.”

The Regent stressed that she had on several occasions called for the installation of new traditional ruler in the town, saying that she was not an impediment to the installation of a new monarch in the town.

Popular Rhythm FM O-.A.P, Late IPhie Aggrey-Fynn Goes Home Today At Her Country Home Aba

The remains of late former On Air Personality of Silverbird Rhythm 93.7 Fm Port-Harcourt IFEOMA VIVIENNE AGGREY-FYNN popularly called IPHIE is about now lying in state at her father's compound in Udu Street Aba, Abia State.

IPHIE died at age 29 on the 1st of June 2015 from gunshots injuries she sustained during a kidnap incident in Aba.

She was the first child of a family of four children with a Ghanian father Mr DAVID AGGREY-FYNN and a Nigeria mother.

EX-MINISTER FAULTS BUHARI ON EMPTY TREASURY, SAYS JONATHAN LEFT ABOUT $30BN

THE immediate past Minister/Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, Tuesday faulted claims by President Muhammadu Buhari that his administration met an empty treasury.
Suleiman said the former administration as at May 29 left behind the sum of US$2billion, adding that the sum would have been higher if not the governors insistence on sharing the fund.
He warned that the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan must not be criminalized and painted a plunderer and looter of the nation’s treasury before the generality of Nigerians.
The clarification was in response to the President’s statement during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, where he was quoted to have said that his government met “virtually an empty treasury.”
President Buhari reportedly said that it was adding a disgrace that Nigeria cannot pay salaries of its workforce.
Expressing his dismay over the President’s statement, Sulaiman in a statement in Abuja described the report as “unscientific and unfair”, stressing that the immediate past administration “left behind close to US$30billion.”

How 52-Year-Old Proprietor Raped 5 Year-Old Pupil In Classroom

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned a 52-year-old school teacher, Isaac Ikiabeke, for allegedly raping a 5-year-old pupil in the Ikorodu area.

Ikiabeke, who is the proprietor of the school, Brighter Glory School, located on Etunrere Street, raped his victim after school hours.
The victim, five-year-old Pat (not her real name), said Ikiabeke had allegedly raped her 10 times.
She said,
“He has been doing it for some time. He has done it more than 10 times. I am not the only one. He does it with some of us after school hours. I could not tell anybody because he said if I did he would beat me.”
The victim’s grandfather explained that his attention was drawn to the sexual assault by some of Pat’s classmates.
He said he was shocked, as well as disappointed in Ikiabeke, whom he regarded as a respectable man.