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“It is totally unacceptable that citizens of South Africa have chosen to deliberately attack, loot and kill Nigerians who are either residing or visiting South Africa. As Africans, we had expected that the South African xenophobic attack on any African should have long been repudiated by the government and people of South Africa.”

“However, it is now crystal clear that the South African government is incapable of accommodating other Africans especially Nigerians in their home country. It is obvious also, that the people of South Africa sees Nigerians as competitors not as brothers and sisters.
We can no longer accept excuses for what is incurably a provocation against the sovereign will of Nigerians in a country we defended and helped during the apartheid era that tore South Africa apart.”

Arising from an emergency executive meeting, the leadership of NANS have resolved that thee only way to stop further killings of Nigerians in South Africa is to picket all business entities owned by South Africans in Nigeria. We call on all Nigerians to consciously withdraw from further patronage of the following South African businesses i.e, MTN, DSTV, GOtv, Shoprite and SPAR pending when justice is seen to have be done on the killing of Mrs Elizabeth Ndubuisi.

Alternative network providers, such as Glo, Airtel should be used. While open markets can replace the Shoprite.

Again, we use this medium to ask all South African business interests in Nigeria to relocate their businesses back to South Africa.
Nigeria has been brotherly enough to accommodate the thriving of South African businesses in our economy. No South African citizen or their businesses is under any threat or attack whatsoever in our nation.

Therefore, any threat, injury or death to any Nigerian on south African soil is nothing but an affront on the sovereignty of our nation. It is now time to put a permanent stop to these provocations.

To this end, we announce our decision to embark on massive picketing and protest against all South African businesses in Nigeria.

All students structures in Nigeria are hereby directed to liase with the National Secretariat of NANS for guidelines and action plan on this MOTHER OF ALL STRUGGLES.
Injury to any Nigerian anywhere is an injury to all Nigerians everywhere.
The South African madness must stop. Africa cannot be at war against Africans.

AMANGLA AWETU!!!

Signed.
Comr. Danielson Akpan
President

The Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) election that produced Comrade Olawale Ajilo a.k.a. ‘Omo Baba’ as Chairman has been condemned by the former state treasurer, Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya a.k.a. MC Oluomo.

Ajilo, believed to be a loyalist of the immediate past chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, we gathered, was declared the winner of the election which was keenly contested by MC Oluomo, a member of the faction alleged controlled by Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa who emerged recently as the national president of the union.

Baruwa and Agbede reportedly lead the two factions in the Lagos NURTW. Both of them later contested for the national chairmanship office. While Baruwa was declared the national chairman in an open-secret ballot replacing Alhaji Najim Yasin, Agbede was elected the national vice president.

Meanwhile, while Oluomo reportedly lost out in the race, a top member of the union said to be loyal to the Agbede faction, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Adekunle Lawal a.k.a. ‘Kunle Poly’, was elected as the new treasurer of the state chapter, taking over Oluomo’s former position.

Sources regaled that the MC Oluomo faction has denounced the state election that produced Ajilo as chairman and Kunle Poly as treasurer, describing it as “a sham and an exercise that can never stand.”

It is recalled that, MC Oluomo, who lead the Oshodi branch of the Lagos NURTW and Kunle Poly who headed a Lagos Island branch had constantly been at loggerheads over positions in the state union.

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students on Thursday threatened to shut down the South African Embassy in Nigeria.

The student body also threatened to close down DSTV, MTN among other business operated by South Africans in Nigeria.

This threat is premised on rising cases of xenophobic killings of Nigerians in South Africa.

In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, NANS President, Danielson Akpan, condemned the recent killing of Mrs. Elizabeth Ndubuisi in her hotel room in South Africa while attending a seminar.

Ndubuisi, who was said to be the Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), was found dead in her room at Emperor’s Palace Casino, Hotel and Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Akpan threatened to mobilise the over 40 million Nigerian students to shut down South African businesses in Nigeria to protest the incessant killings of Nigerians in the country.

He said: “The rascality of South Africans has gotten to an alarming state. As at today, official record of Nigerians killed in South Africa has risen to 127.

“These are human beings, these are Nigerians. Unfortunately, this figure is just the confirmed and official figure, not to talk about the ones swept under the carpets.

“Just on the 23rd June, 2019, Mrs Elizabeth Ndubuisi was strangulated in her hotel room (Emperor’s Palace Hotel & Convention Centre) Johannesburg, South Africa. She’s the Deputy Director General, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.

“Consequently, we shall be shutting down all South African reflections in Nigeria-Embassy, DSTV, SHOPRITE, MTN and many more.

“Since South Africans do not want us in their country, they should leave our land.”

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had assured that everything would be done to unravel the death of the late Ndubuisi, a Nigerian national who was alleged to have been strangled in in the country.

Dabiri-Erewa had in a tweet on July 7th said no cover up would be allowed by Nigeria.

She had tweeted: “Everything will be done to unravel the death of such a great woman. Our mission in Joburg will ensure that we will not relent I’m demanding this.

“No cover up will be allowed. I have faith in our mission in Jo burg. Investigations will be thorough. It’s a painful period. We must ensure matter unraveled,” she said.

The Ondo State Executive Council has approved the takeover, in principle, of Bethel College of Education by Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko. Briefing pressmen after the Council meeting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr. Wunmi Egbayelo, explained that the takeover would close up the infrastructural gap in Adekunle Ajasin University, as the new facility can be used for pre – degree programs.


The State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi also announced council approved the nomination of Prince Segun Akinyemi as the Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom, Ilaje Local Government, having scored the highest number of votes cast by kingmakers. 

Similarly, the Council has approved the construction of 7.35 Kilometers Orita Obele -Ire Akari  – Oke Odu – Ipinsa Roads in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.  The council also approved the rehabilitation of Maronu, Ondo Road and Atibiti roads, all in Akure, the state capital.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Donald Ojogo, who addressed reporters on the outcome of the state’s executive meeting, said the approval for the road constructions were in continuation of the determination of the Akeredolu administration to make life comfortable for the people of the state.

Less than a month after his inauguration as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Ondo South Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, Senator Nicholas Tofowomo has kicked off the maiden Tofowomo Football Challenge Cup in Ondo State. The tournament, sponsored by Engr. Raphael Ademulegun, kicked off in Ajue, Odigbo Local Government on Tuesday 9th of July, 2019.

Speaking before the kick-off of the opening match, at Lasia Football pitch in Ajue, Senator Tofowomo, represented by Ademulegun, a former council boss and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said the tournament is designed to promote togetherness, unity and sportsmanship among the good people of Ondo South. “This event is for the betterment of the participants and the local government at large. I encourage all the footballers to see this as a medium to propel their football careers to greater heights. Sport has been used in much more civilized society to keep the youth busy and away from crime. We will not hesitate to do whatever we can to ensure we keep our promises to empower the youths in whatever form as we believe they have the capacity to keep our society sane and safe for development.”  Tofowomo said.

Ademulegun, thereafter, kicked off the tournament with Ajue Rising Star Football Team and Future Star Football Team facing off at exactly 4Pm on behalf the Senator.

The Cup will continue tomorrow with F.M Stars Asewele Football Club and Super Ultimate Football Club Lasia. Six football clubs are participating in the maiden edition.

The Land Use Charge (LUC) in Ondo State has registered a huge support from the people of the state thus shoring up its Internally Generated Revenue to N1.7billion in June this year as against N1.5 billion last reported.

The Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Tolu Adegbie who gave the figures said if the trend continues, the State IGR may hit N4.5billion monthly in few years time.

He said that schools, corporate organisations, individual property owners have now bought into the scheme by signifying interest to pay the LUC and PAYE.

“Every day, we get letters from companies, schools, organisations voluntarily coming to pay LUC and their PAYE and to be part of the process on their own volition. The response has been very encouraging, only few people are not paying.

“Most of our efforts are yielding results and people are propelled because they can see transparency and that what the Governor is using the money for is right.

Allocation from Federation Account to the state keeps going down yet projects have not stopped and the Governor has not borrowed money from anywhere,” he affirmed.

 He noted that sustainability of the trend is very important so that in a few years, the state could conveniently pay her workers’ salary and execute projects without waiting for allocation from the federation account.

According to him, any state that want to have economic development must focus on sustainability of its income. “Sustainability is, the key,” he posited.

Adegbie said there is a masterplan for the economic growth of the state which requires continuity in governance, citing the example of Lagos State which he said has recorded sustainable level of economic growth and development.

Realizing the fact that for an organization to succeed, its management must look at people who are doing well in that sector and how they are doing it. Adegbie said he and his team understudied Lagos and Kwara States taxation system and thereafter designed a model for Ondo State.

He disclosed that the agency made some recoveries between June and December last year from some organizations operating in the state totaling N5.7billion while assuring that the tempo will be sustained.

His words: “As we speak, we are supposed to generate N29billion, this is the set target for this year.  By the grace of God, we will keep moving on. Any state that wants to have socio-economic development must focus on sustainability of its income.

“Look at the growth in IGR in Lagos State, it has been sustainable for over a long period, so, that is our model. The recoveries are there, but at the same time, we are growing our capacity for the regular tax.

“For instance, an organization that has terminal oil well in Ondo State and has not paid tax to the state government in the past 10years. Another one has not paid tax to the state government in  the past 20years. So we went after all of them and the one that has not paid tax for the past ten years started paying and from them alone, we got over a billion naira . They are still owing us backlog of arrears of tax which they promised to pay soon”.

Adegbie who averred that citizens have the right to demand for projects from government in their respective areas only when they have fulfilled their civic responsibility of tax payment noted that tax evasion is inimical to development.

“If you do what is right, you can ask questions, and honestly in Ondo State, we have been blessed with a governor that is result oriented. It is not because I am working for him, it is what we can all see, that actually, this money is being spent on what is right.

“Federal allocation is going down, yet projects are going on. So, how is it being done, it is the ingenuity of the state government, it is the taxes of people who have continued to cooperate with the government.

“So if we have a governor that is doing the work as it should be done, we should provide that sustainability to help the state develop and equally enhance strong foundation.

“Taxation should be  marathon as government’s developmental plan is a marathon. If you travel abroad, you will see that they keep developing, development does not stop, it is the ripple effect of citizens’ compliance with taxation policy”.

  Adegbie noted that the law on Land Use Charge was passed in 2014 and that the tax is to be charged on all land users across the federation while states like Lagos had long commenced the implementation of the policy.

On efforts of the agency at checkmating corruption among revenue collectors in the state, Adegbie affirmed that it uncovered about 25 cases of diversion of collected revenues in year 2018 while stressing that perpetrators of the offence were made to pay back the diverted funds.

He added that the concerted efforts of the agency also resulted in the discovery of a cartel of revenue fraudsters who were subsequently apprehended and handed over to the police for prosecution.

“People came to us, a lot of schools complaining that they paid Land Use Charge to some people who came and said they are staff of OSIRS and they wrote down their names and telephone numbers and they paid Land Use Charge to them.

“When the new Land Use Charge started in August and we got to them, they said they had paid, and there was no receipt to that effect, then  the tax payers produced their (Officials’) telephone numbers  and how much each person collected, we confirmed from them and each of them said they would bring the money, claiming that they were just keeping it for the payers and they quickly returned the money, even with the money they collected in 2017.”

He averred that such corruption cases have drastically reduced as feedbacks he gets daily from the fields indicate that revenue collectors now embrace transparency in all their activities.

Adegbie however solicited the continued cooperation and support of Ondo State residents in tax payment in order for the agency to achieve a sustainable tax level.

Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi have received the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu into the state.

Tinubu and other South West APC leaders are in the state for a stakeholder’s meeting with APC leaders led by the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and the Chairman of the party in the state, Engr. Ade Adetimehin.

The meeting is to further reposition the party in the state for a more successful outing in future elections .

Other leaders who were received alongside Asiwaju Tinubu include, former Osun State governor, Bisi Akande, Former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba and the National Deputy Chairman (South) of the APC,  Adeniyi Adebayo.

They were received at the Akure Airport, Akure, the State capital.

📷 Olawale Abolade

THE Federal Government says it has started the process of animal census, traceability and identification and explained that the exercise will help in tackling issues of cattle rustling as well as help get accurate data on livestock.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, who disclosed this at the end of the Fourth Global Dairy Congress Africa at the weekend in Abuja, assured participants of government’s willingness to implement useful suggestions from the summit.

Represented by the Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Bright Wategire, he said: “We will continue to intervene in those areas that are important to us. And, we will try as much as possible to improve on artificial intelligence and sustain the issue of pasture production all year round. It is a critical area because, without pasture, animals will not grow. We have started something in animal identification and traceability system. We are aware of the  advanced stages that are available.

“Aside helping us reduce issues of cattle rustling, It will help us to get reliable data of animals that we have in this country. It helps improve trade relationship with other countries.

“The advantages are enormous; we are at the tail end of concluding our national dairy and breeding policy.”

Regardless, Chairman of the congress, Dr. Ayok Celestine, and the participants, unanimously urged government, to establish effective price stability support mechanism to attract and protect investment in dairy farming they and also, called for robust intervention in addressing infrastructure deficits militating against the sub sector.

Dr. Celestine suggested an upgrade of genetic potential of indigenous dairy breeds through crossbreeding and selection in order to enhance productivity and profitability of emerging dairy ventures in Africa.

He insisted that livestock extension services and innovation platforms should be  mainstreamed to enhance farmers’ capacity and competence in dairy production processing.

“The simulate functional systems in other climes should be studied to speed up value chain progress and profitability, while allied institutions to boost availability and quality of support services and input should be strengthened.”