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Kaduna Train Abductees Must Not Die, Reps Lawmaker Tells Buhari

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*Protests Incapability of President to Secure Citizens

By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

House of Representatives lawmaker, Hon Bamidele Salam, yesterday, told President Muhammadu Buhari, to go extra miles to secure the freedom of all the Kaduna train kidnap victims, saying they must not be allowed to die avoidably.

The Member Representing Ede North/Ede South/ Egbedore /Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, embarked on a one-man protest from the Unity Fountain to National Assembly, where he briefed the House of Representatives correspondents on his protest, lamenting the incapability of the President to secure Nigerian people.

Salam who is of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), regretted that President Buhari has allowed kidnapping to become a very lucrative crime under his watch.

“As an individual I am worried by the turn of events in our dear nation. Our nation is becoming a jungle of sorts where criminals carve out turfs and operate freely without let or hindrance.

“One of the key dimensions of this criminality is the unholy practice of kidnapping for ransom, which according reports has spawned a billion naira industry in the last seven years or so.

“It is to our embarrassment as a nation that our wives, mothers, fathers, husbands get routinely kidnapped at will by bandits with many of them losing their lives even after the payment of ransom by their families or communities.

“Statistics of kidnapping in the country chill the bones. A report by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) shows that from 2018 there has been a steady increase in the number of kidnap victims. 

“The figure rose from 987 victims in 2018 to 1,395 in 2019. In 2021 the figure rose to 2,865 in 2020 and 5,287 in 2021. Of the 2021 figure, more than 2000 were children and young people according to a UN study.

“This year alone, several hundred Nigerians have been kidnapped the most harrowing being the attack on a train along the Abuja-Kaduna rail line in Kaduna State on March 28, this year where 168 people were reported kidnapped and eight persons killed including a young doctor due to travel out of the country the very week of the incident. The kidnapped victims of that attack remain in captivity till this moment.

“It is not clear how long they will be in captivity. Whether they will remain there like the remnant of the Chibok girls kidnapped in 2014, Leah Sharibu who has been in captivity since February 19, 2018, the Bthel Baptist High School Students held for 10 months and 23 days, the pupils of the Islamiyya School in Katsina in captivity for nine months and 28 days, and the of the FGC Birni Yauri in Kebbi State who spent 11 months and nine days with terrorists, remains to be seen. 

“What is clear is that kidnapping is a clear and present danger to our nation with needless loss of lives with its attendant effect on the national psyche.


“A report by Dataphyte reveals that in January this year 915 of the 1486 victims of kidnapping or insecurity, 915 lost their lives.

“We clearly cannot continue along this route. The kidnappings and deaths resulting therefrom are a stain on our national conscience. The Kaduna train kidnap incident itself is a blight not only the efficiency of our security system but a slap on the face of government whose responsibility it is to secure life and property. That such an attack could happen in broad daylight without our security operatives being capable of fending off the bandits, speaks to a defect in our security system.

“This defect reflects badly on government. No government can aspire to legitimacy and relevance if it fails the basic test of ensuring the safety and well-being of the people who elected it into office.

“We are at that point today when the Federal under the leader of President Muhammadu Buhari must rise to it full height and exercise leadership. It is trite to remark that the unfettered activities of bandits, terrorists and other criminals has created the impression in the minds of many Nigerians and even foreigners that the Nigerian state is tottering on the brink of collapse. 

“This impression is re-enforced by the ease with which these criminal elements even take on security operatives. We recall that in August 2021, bandits attacked Nigeria’s elite military institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) killing two officers and abducting another senior officer.

“That attack and many others elsewhere have belittled our security agencies and have caused Nigerians to lose faith in the ability of their government to protect their inalienable rights to life and property.

“President Buhari must rekindle that confidence and a good place to start would be to work assiduously to secure the release of the kidnapped Kaduna train victims. Reports and video footages emanating from their abductors are not encouraging. 

“The lives of the hostages hang in the balance as the Federal Government seemingly at its wits end, prevaricates on such sensitive matter of national importance.

“I know that Mr. President is a very good Muslim and the Prophet Muhammed, Peace be Upon Him said leaders are shepherds and that the Almighty Allah will ask about each of the sheep in our care.

“Our Vice President is a good Christian and so he has a lot to learn from how David handled a similar situation in 1st Samuel Chapter 30.

“What needs to be done to secure the release of the Kaduna train victims must be done. Too many precious Nigerian lives have been lost to kidnappers and other malevolent individuals to permit these hapless victims of the train hijack to become the latest statistics of a nefarious enterprise that has sullied the national image.

“I call on my colleagues in the National Assembly and Nigerians at large to join me in urging President Buhari to do all that is within his power as the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces to free these victims and many others languishing in captivity”, the lawmaker appealed.

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Fury Fails in Revenge Mission Against Usyk

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Tyson Fury’s mission to avenge his only professional defeat ended in crushing disappointment Saturday evening as he lost on a unanimous points decision to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.Another classic encounter between the well-matched rivals ended in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Usyk retaining his world championship belts by finishing 116-112 ahead on all three judges’ scorecards.

The Ukrainian thus continues on as holder of the titles belonging to the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO).
The result was a fair reflection of the Ukrainian’s control of the rematch given he set the pace for most of the 12 rounds.He was the harder worker, landing more frequently and with greater impact.
Fury described his grim-faced demeanour this week as “beast mode” and while his greater focus was evident on a night when there was no showboating.Simply, he was unable to make a dent on the extraordinary Usyk.Usyk’s performance confirmed his status as an all-time great and the 37-year-old will now look to become undisputed champion for the second time.This will be by toppling International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Daniel Dubois.Fury entered the fight at a fully-clothed 20stones 1lbs, almost four stones heavier than Usyk.Right from the start he took to the centre of the ring, showing more intent to carry the fight to his opponent.Towering over the champion, the Briton spat out his jab but he was also taking shots to the body.By the second round he was being stalked around the ring by Usyk -– a theme of the first fight.The pace was being set by Usyk but both fighters were landing in a lively start to the clash with Fury’s jab causing problems.Usyk connected with two big left hands in a fourth round that ebbed and flowed and as the fight approached the halfway stage it was desperately close.Fury staggered the Ukrainian with a short left uppercut and, having taken a flurry of blows to his body, he hit back with intent.Unlike their first meeting which saw the Briton suffer the first loss of his career, there was no grandstanding from the challenger.The fifth was the Gypsy King’s best round yet as he imposed his size and power, all while working behind his pinpoint jab.But he was caught several times in the sixth.Fury’s output began to drop and he was being driven backwards with Usyk’s left hand giving him plenty of problems.It was relentless pressure from Usyk, who put together a lovely sequence of shots in the eighth and finished the three minutes by backing Fury up against the ropes.The ninth round was the turning point in May when 36-year-old Fury was saved by the bell.While those dramatics were missing this time, Usyk was showing similar purpose as he continued to build momentum.He swarmed over the bigger man in the 10th, but also took shots himself.As the last two rounds arrived, it was Fury who needed to do something special to catch the judges’ eyes.A storming final round saw the rivals exchange blows with each having their moments in a high quality finish full of courage and skill.Once again the judges were called upon to separate the two and there could be no complaints.Usyk emerged a conclusive winner on each card to continue his reign as the division’s dominant force.(dpa/NAN)

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PenCom Issues Over 38,000 Pension Clearance Certificates – D-G

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The National Pension Commission (PenCom) on Thursday said it had issued over 38,000 Pension Clearance Certificates (PCC) so far to organisations, in 2024.

The Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, said this at a workshop organised by PenCom for journalists covering the pension industry in Lagos.

The theme of the workshop was,  “Tech-Driven Transformation: Shaping the Pension Landscape”.

Report says that in 2023, PenCom issued 30,293 PCCs to firms.

PCC is an evidence of compliance with the Pension Act.

it serves as a prerequisite for all suppliers, contractors, or consultants soliciting contract or business from Ministries, Departmentss, and Agencies  (MDAs)  of the  Federal  Government.

PenCom commenced the issuance of PCC to organisations in 2012 in line with the Pension Reform Act,  (PRA), which mandates all organisations with at least three employees to participate in the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

However, the certificate  is valid up to Dec. 31 of the year it was obtained, irrespective of the date it was issued within the year.

Organisations are, thus,  required to apply for new PCC’s each year.

Oloworaran said that the commission also achieved a major milestone with the launch of the e-Application Portal for the PPC in October.

She said that the initiative replaced the previous manual process, enabling companies to seamlessly apply for and receive PCCs online, significantly enhancing ease of doing business and ensuring compliance.

The director-general said that the Pension Industry Shared Service Initiative is in an  advanced stage of implementation.

She said that the initiative would digitise pension contributions and remittances, ensuring seamless processing of contributions and resolving discrepancies caused by incomplete remittance details.

“To further enhance contributors’ experiences, we have introduced a revised programme withdrawal template, simplifying access to voluntary contributions and revising the threshold for en-bloc payments in line with the new minimum wage.

“These measures are designed to make retirement processes more efficient and user-centric.

“But beyond policies and systems, what really excites me is the potential to transform lives,”she said.

According to her, technology has become the backbone of transformation across all sectors, and the pension industry is no exception, hence PenCom has embraced the transformation wholeheartedly.

Oloworaran said that there are over 10.5 million contributors, while pension assets are in excess of N21.9 trillion as at October.

She said that this progress demonstrated the strength of the CPS,  though not without challenges.

“Inflation, for instance, continues to erode the purchasing power of pensioners, and we are actively seeking innovative solutions to address this issue.

“We also continue to face the persistent issue of delays in the payment of accrued rights.

“Recently, N44 billion was approved under the 2024 budget appropriation to settle accrued pension rights for retirees from March to September 2023.

“Moving forward, we are working with the Federal Government to put in place a sustainable solution that ensures that retirees receive their benefits promptly and without undue stress,” she said.

She said that since assuming office, she  and her team had been focused on strengthening compliance, enhancing service delivery, diversifying pension assets to optimising returns.

She said that they had also been improving benefits and expanding coverage to include more Nigerians, especially those in the informal sector.

Oloworaran expressed passion over the micro-pension initiative, in particular, noting that it is the commission’s way of fostering financial inclusion, no matter how small an earning might be.

She said that the commission intended to use technology to scale the micro-pension plan.

“Technology plays a vital role in driving this inclusion from mobile enrollment to real-time account management,” she said.

She said that PenCom planned to rebrand the micro-pension scheme, and also target onboarding not less than 20 million Nigerians in the informal sector.

Oloworaran acknowledged the role of the media as stakeholders in the success of the pension system.

“As we integrate technology across every aspect of the pension industry, we are paving the way for a future where the CPS becomes more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.

“However, this transformation cannot succeed without your unwavering support as media practitioners.

“Your role in amplifying our initiatives and educating stakeholders across Nigeria is essential to achieving this vision,” she  said.

She  described the ability of  the  media  to inform, educate, and hold institutions  accountable as invaluable.

“Together, we can ensure that every Nigerian, including the most vulnerable, has access to a secure and dignified retirement,” she  said.(NAN)

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Price of Local Rice Drops in Enugu Markets

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The price of de-stoned local rice has dropped marginally by between six and 10 per cent in Enugu markets, causing many residents to shift patronage to the brand.

Report says that dealers in the commodity attributed the positive development to the harvest season for local rice.

A trader at the popular Ogbete Main Market, Mrs Rose Nwakwo, said that a 50-kg bag now goes for N78,000 as against N84,000 in November.

Another dealer at Garki Market, Enugu, Mr Chidi Orji, said that a five liter paint container goes for N6,500 as against N7,500.

Orji urged the residents to buy as much as they could before the price would shoot up again.

Daily Asset also observed that most rice retailers and hawkers, who sell in cups and bushels, are currently stockpiling the commodity.

Mrs Eunice Madu, a grain seller in Mayor Market, said that she was only stocking bags of the brand for the Yuletide.

“I must confess we are selling out almost all our available bags of de-stoned local rice, popularly known as ‘Abakaliki rice’, ahead of the Yuletide.

“Most people are turning to it due to its price drop and improved processing and de-stoning qualities,” she said.

Meanwhile, a buyer, Mr Edwin Okoh, expressed joy over the price drop, saying that his salary could get him more than a 50-kg of the brand for his family.

“It is a thing of joy that the price has gone down to some extent, at least I can get more than a bag for me and my extended family during this Yuletide,” he said. (NAN)

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