Buhari wants Nigerian media, youths to generate sound economic ideas

President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined the Nigerian media and the youth to help improve the Nigerian economy by partaking in national discourse aimed at formulating sound economic ideas.

The president made the call on Monday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book titled; "The Famous Call’’, written by a Senior Editor with the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Edwin Akwueh, on Monday in Abuja.

A reports shown that the book focused on the new direction of Nigeria after the March 28, 2015 presidential elections.

Represented by Sen. Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Senate, Buhari said that the Nigerian media and youths had immense contributions to make towards bringing the nation’s economy out of the woods.

"Let me appreciate and charge the media and the youths to join the discourse of addressing the Nigerian economy from currency evaluation, shift of emphasis from petro-dollar economy to an economy that is defined and sustained by agricultural products, exports of agricultural products, when we have produced enough for domestic consumption and the products of other goods of Nigeria and Nigerians.

"We charged authors to write to encourage value addition to our crude oil, to increase our local refining capacity, refining what we consume and refining in excess to export to earn dollar and save our foreign exchange from import of petroleum products.

"We should write and create confidence in all our domestic markets and local products and in our educational institutions.

"We should also write and encourage what Nigerian youths and other unemployed should do to have gainful employment and earn a living.’’

The president also said that he was pleased with the author of the book and treasured every Nigerian who stood out in their various callings.

In his remarks, Edwin Akwueh, the author of the book, said that what gave him the inspiration to write the book was the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat. following the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

According to him, the acceptance of the election results by an incumbent president, as demonstrated by the phone conversation between Jonathan and Buhari, was a milestone in Nigerian democracy.

"Just like the name implies 'the famous call', it is famous because the book itself focused mainly on the telephone conversation between the former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and the current President Muhammudu Buhari on March 31 2015.

"The inspiration came at the international conference centre when the results were being collated.

"We had gist that President Jonathan had called Buhari at around 5:15 p.m. to concede defeat.

"It dropped in my heart that it should not end like this, there should be something to remember. So what do I do?

"Beyond the news writing of what transpired, there should be a comprehensive work on what happened all through the 2015 election experience.

"The famous call is a call to end impunity, to end corruption and to end every anti-democratic element in Nigeria and Africa.

"At the moment, it is a book but it is an advocacy beyond a book because there is a website being launched this week www.famouscall.com.ng

"Our mission is to galvanise African youths, emerging leaders to see that we end all these issues that are against democracy and promote tenets of democracy and the hallmarks of democracy that the famous call promoted on March 31. ‘’

Akwueh said that other African countries should take a cue from Nigeria on how true democracy should be practised.

"Africans should understand that in any game you play, any venture you enter, it is either you win or lose.

"So, we should exercise patience and be tolerant and not get into acts that will jeopardise ourselves and others because of our selfish ambition.’’

Reviewing the book, the book reviewer, Dr Uche Nwankwo, said that the book was a call for courage, vision, political maturity, statesmanship and morality, adding that politics must be played with statesmanship to end impunity.

Nwankwo, a lecturer in the Political Science Department, University of Ibadan, commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for exhibiting high level of maturity which helped to save the country from anarchy.

"The famous call is an appeal to our leaders to make sacrifices that will save lives, enhance our democracy, and make our people the champions of democracy that will harvest the dividends of democracy,‘’ he stressed. 

(NAN)

Efforts to modernise Nigeria’s rail transport system on course -Transport Minister

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, reiterates Federal Government’s efforts and commitment at transforming the country’s rail transport system.

He made the declaration at the inspection of newly-acquired executive coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge line at the Apapa Ports Terminal in Lagos.

Amaechi, represented by Mr Mohammed Babakobi, Director, Rails, Federal Ministry of Transportation, said government remained resolute in improving the rail transport system in the country.

He said that the new coaches are made with particular focus of the comfort of passengers; “they are very safe and have a designed speed of about 150km/h.” he added.

He said they will soon be moved to Abuja and installed on the rail tracks, where they are supposed to be servicing.
He also assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s sustained efforts at acquiring more standard gauge coaches to meet demand.

Mr Fidet Okhiria, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), who said that the coaches were designed to run at 150km/h, added that the corporation was on track to upgrade its operations.

He said one is for executive, three standard coaches and one baggage van that will carry loads belonging to passengers.
He added that all coaches are air-conditioned, fitted with vacuum toilets, CCTV cameras and TVs. “The legroom is quite accommodating and it is going to be comfortable to ride in them.” he said.

The Ag.MD said that the NRC had commenced the upgrade of its website, to ensure that passengers could purchase tickets online.

On maintenance, Okhiria noted that the coaches were accompanied with spares, saying “the manufacturer is going to be here in Nigeria for at least one year, to maintain them.
“By that time, our technicians and engineers will grab the nitty-gritty of the maintenance of the coaches.” He said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the maiden operation of the standard gauge coaches is expected to commence in May between Abuja and Kaduna.

The corporation’s narrow gauge coaches currently operate weekly from Lagos to Kano, Offa to Kano, Lagos to Ilorin, Port Harcourt to Kano, as well as the Lagos Mass Transit shuttle.

A cleaner donates her retirement benefit to support President Buhari's war against corruption

A pensioner, Mrs Rose Julius, on Monday, donated her monthly pension of N10,000 to support the Buhari administration's war against corruption.

Julius announced the donation while presenting the N10,000 to Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President in Abuja.

The retired cleaner, who worked with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, also promised a monthly contribution of N1,000 toward the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

She said that the donation was because she was convinced that President Muhammadu Buhari was a tested man of integrity who could be trusted to restore the lost glory of Nigeria and drastically curb corruption in the country.

The pensioner also commended the President's efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitate IDPs.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the President, Adesina thanked Julius for her faith in the Buhari administration.

He said "we have a pact with Nigerians to change things for the better and we are on the right track.

"President Buhari and his team are working tirelessly to revamp the economy, combat terrorism and curb corruption.'' 

(NAN)

The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service set a record of 1.07bn revenue

The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service on Monday said it generated N 1.07 billion revenue in February.

Controller for the command, Victor Dimka, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Seme.

Dimka said that the revenue for the period was N 172.6 million higher than N 899.8 million generated in the corresponding period in 2015.

"When I came to this command in January, one of the promises I made was that I would collect maximum revenue and suppress smuggling to its barest minimum.

"I am glad we have started achieving that; the command generated N 1,072,484,462.82 as revenue in the month of February.

"This is the first of its kind in the month of February since the creation of the command.

"We were able to achieve this in spite of the prevailing high exchange rate, the strike by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Customs in the Republic of Benin and protest on implementation of unifying ex-factory price,’’ he said.

Dimka added that the command made 55 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DVP) of N15.6 million and arrested six suspects during the period.

He attributed the achievement of the command to the commitment of the management team, stakeholders and the members of the community.

"It is easy to attain success, but not easy to maintain success, therefore all hands must be on deck to maintain and exceed the current record,’’ he said.

Dimka urged Nigerians to desist from smuggling and embrace legitimate trade, saying that there was no room for smuggling in the area.

"We are determined to eliminate all loopholes and block all revenue leakages which would translate to more revenue generation for us,’’ he stated. 

Siasia Drops Oduduwa, Dimgba and Mohammed From Eagles’ Camp

Coach Samson Siasia has dropped defender Segun Oduduwa and midfielders Stanley Dimgba and Usman Mohammed from showing up at the Bolton White Apartments camp of the Super Eagles.

This is coming after the players reported late to the camp of the U-23 team without an earlier permission from the Coach.

“We cannot have those three in camp anymore. This is very serious business, and only serious-minded persons can be involved. They reported late to the camp of the Under-23 team, so they cannot be tolerated in the camp of the senior team.

“I have said it over the past few days that the right mentality would count big among the traits we are looking for in the players to feature against Egypt,” he said.

Oduduwa and Mohammed were in the Under-23 squad that won the Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal in December 2015, while Dimgba has trained with the team and the Eagles B previously.

The Super Eagles’ new boss, who is known to be a disciplinarian, threw out star midfielder Kingsley Sokari, and talented forward Daniel Etor from his squad to the Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations, after the duo opted to play for their club, Enyimba FC, in a final NPFL season game in Lagos in November 2015, against his instructions.

The exclusion of the trio means only 40 players are now in contention for shirts in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations double date against Egypt, with 19 home boys to train for two weeks before the arrival of 21 overseas-based players on the week of the first game in Kaduna.