95 percent attendance or no salary, Jigawa governor tells workers

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Jigawa State governor, Muhammed Badaru, on Wednesday said only civil servants with 95 per cent attendance at work in a month would receive salary.

Badaru stated this while swearing in eight new permanent secretaries and Local Government Auditor- General in Dutse.

He said “absenteeism has become the order of the day in civil service in the state” and warned that such would not be condoned anymore by his government.

According to him, we have provided bio-metric data capturing machines for ministries, agencies, departments and parastatals of government to check erring staff.

The governor said that in spite of steps taken by his administration to address absenteeism, no head of agency or ministry had reported or queried any staff member of the vice. He urged the permanent secretaries to be prudent and accountable to the people.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mFbvQS

Katsina, Daura Emirate Councils, pray for Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari. PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO.

Katsina State Government in collaboration with Katsina and Daura Emirate Councils, on Sunday, offered special prayer for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The prayer was conducted at the frontage of Emir of Katsina’s palace with thousands of people from different parts of the state in attendance.

The Chief Imam of Katsina Central Mosque, Sheikh Lawal Imam, and other Islamic scholars from Izalah and Tariqah Islamic sects offered the special prayer.

Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, Secretary to Katsina State Government, who was also the Chairman of organising Committee of the prayer session, said that the state government directed prominent Islamic Scholars to invite clerics from all parts of the state to attend the session.

Inuwa also said that the clerics were directed to pray for the quick recovery of the President and the nation.

Speaking at the occasion, a former Grand Khadi of the state, Alhaji Isah Dodo, said that offering prayer for leaders was important in any society to enable them offer good leadership and governance to the people.

He said that abusing leaders would not auger well for the society, adding that such behaviour could it make them heartless and ruthless.

Contributing, one of the Islamic scholars in the area, Sheikh Yakubu Musa, called on the citizens to always support their leaders with prayers, day and night.

He said that such effort would enable the leaders to concentrate on the task of offering quality services for the people.

Musa also urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President, other leaders and the nation in general.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Governor of the state, Alhaji Aminu Masari, has directed all citizens to offer prayer for the quick recovery of the President after five daily prayers.

Highlight at the occasion was the recitation of Quran by the scholars to secure Allah’s pleasure to accept the prayer session.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mrvlw5

Trump calls China ‘grand champions’ of currency manipulation

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 An employee counting 100-yuan (15 USD) banknotes at a bank in Lianyungang in eastern China's Jiangsu province. China said on December 29, 2016 it would almost double the number of foreign currencies it uses to determine the official value of the yuan, thereby diluting the role of the dollar. STR / AFP

President Donald Trump declared China the “grand champions” of currency manipulation, just hours after his new Treasury secretary pledged a more methodical approach to analyzing Beijing’s foreign exchange practices.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Trump said he has not “held back” in his assessment that China manipulates its yuan currency, inspite of not acting on a campaign promise to declare it a currency manipulator on his first day in office.

“Well they, I think they’re grand champions at manipulation of currency. So I haven’t held back,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens.”

During his presidential campaign Trump frequently accused China of keeping its currency artificially low against the dollar to make Chinese exports cheaper, “stealing” American manufacturing jobs.

But Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday he was not ready to pass judgment on China’s currency practices.

Asked if the U.S. Treasury was planning to name China a currency manipulator any time soon, Mnuchin said he would follow its normal process of analyzing the currency practices of major U.S. trading partners.

The Treasury is required to publish a report on these practices on April 15 and Oct. 15 each year.

“We have a process within Treasury where we go through and look at currency manipulation across the board. We’ll go through that process.

“We’ll do that as we have in the past,” Mnuchin said in his first televised interview since formally taking over the department last week.

“We’re not making any judgments until we go continue that process.”

A formal declaration that China or any other country manipulates its currency requires the U.S. Treasury to seek negotiations to resolve the situation, a process that could end in punitive tariffs on the offender’s goods.

The U.S. Treasury designated Taiwan and South Korea as currency manipulators in 1988, the year that Congress enacted the currency review law.

China was the last country to get the designation, in 1994.

The current situation is complicated because China’s central bank has spent billions of dollars in foreign exchange reserves in the past year to prop up the yuan to counter capital outflows.

The International Monetary Fund in 2016 said that the yuan’s value was broadly in line with its economic fundamentals.

The U.S. Treasury also said in its last currency report in October that its view of China’s external imbalances had improved somewhat.

Trump’s pronouncements about the yuan could also complicate matters for Mnuchin as he prepares for his first meeting next month with his Group of 20 finance minister counterparts in Baden Baden, Germany.

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Fresh application stalls commencement of Dasuki’s trial

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Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd)

A fresh application filed by retired Col.Sambo Dasuki on Friday stalled commencement of his trial at an FCT High Court, Maitama.

His counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that he was not ready for the commencement of trial because he has an application for consolidation, pending before the court.

“It will amount to a waste of time if the issue of the application is not resolved because it has a connection with the sister case“ he said.

Responding, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the prosecuting counsel, decried delay in commencing trial, adding that after arraignment in 2015, trial was yet to commence.

“Your lordship gave a sufficient time since the last sitting on Jan. 24 in which the 2nd defendant (Dasuki) could have filed any motion, but he filed it only yesterday, and the sister case has commenced already.

“He just wanted to try his luck, this should not be a legal gambling“ he said. Other defendants in the suit are: Amb. BashirYuguda, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, Dalhatu Investment Ltd, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.

They were arraigned on a 22- count charge bordering on diversion, conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and criminal breach of trust of about N19.4 billion. In the sister case Dasuki was arraigned on a 19-count charge bordering on diversion of funds.

Other defendant are: Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, Aminu Baba-Kusa ,a former NNPC Executive Director, among others. All the cases are now pending before Justice Husseni Baba-Yusuf

Justice Baba-Yusuf after listening to the submissions from parties adjourned the case till March 2 for hearing of Dasuki’s motion

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Fresh application stalls commencement of Dasuki’s trial (Read full details)

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Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd)

A fresh application filed by retired Col.Sambo Dasuki on Friday stalled commencement of his trial at an FCT High Court, Maitama.

His counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that he was not ready for the commencement of trial because he has an application for consolidation, pending before the court.

“It will amount to a waste of time if the issue of the application is not resolved because it has a connection with the sister case“ he said.

Responding, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the prosecuting counsel, decried delay in commencing trial, adding that after arraignment in 2015, trial was yet to commence.

“Your lordship gave a sufficient time since the last sitting on Jan. 24 in which the 2nd defendant (Dasuki) could have filed any motion, but he filed it only yesterday, and the sister case has commenced already.

“He just wanted to try his luck, this should not be a legal gambling“ he said. Other defendants in the suit are: Amb. BashirYuguda, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, Dalhatu Investment Ltd, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.

They were arraigned on a 22- count charge bordering on diversion, conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and criminal breach of trust of about N19.4 billion. In the sister case Dasuki was arraigned on a 19-count charge bordering on diversion of funds.

Other defendant are: Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, Aminu Baba-Kusa ,a former NNPC Executive Director, among others. All the cases are now pending before Justice Husseni Baba-Yusuf

Justice Baba-Yusuf after listening to the submissions from parties adjourned the case till March 2 for hearing of Dasuki’s motion

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Don’t abandon Buhari, CAN tells Christians (Read full details)

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President Buhari of Nigeria at the UN General Assembly/ AFP PHOTO/DON EMMERT

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has once again asked Christians to continue praying for President Muhammadu Buhari until he returns to the country hale and hearty. This is contained in a statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant Media and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday in Abuja said the results of President’s medical tests suggested further rest The CAN President, Rev Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, urged Nigerians especially Christians not to cease praying for the President, the acting President and the country until he returns in good health and sound mind. Ayokunle, reminded Christians that it is their responsibility to pray for the country and her leaders in season and out of season.

“I call on all well meaning Nigerians, especially Christians not to cease praying for President Muhammadu Buhari as he takes further rest as advised by his doctors. “It is needless reminding you that as Christians, our responsibilities include but not limited to making supplications, prayers, and intercessions, for all that are in the position of authority. `That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour…’” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)>

He also allayed fears being expressed in some quarters that the prolonged absence of Buhari has created a vacuum in the Presidency cited the transfer of power to the Vice President.

“We don’t see the need for any hue and cry being made by some people that his unprecedented absence could create a vacuum in the Presidency.

“President Buhari has done what is needful by transferring power to the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is up to the task.

“The Church should also continue praying for him for divine wisdom, knowledge and understanding as he discharges his constitutional responsibilities.”

Ayokunle called on the security agencies to rise up to the security challenges in the Southern Kaduna by flushing out the hoodlums who are still killing innocent people.

“We call on the security agencies in the country to stop the killings in Kafanchan despite the presence of policemen and soldiers in the area.

“We heard of recent attacks in Atakar and Kaninkon villages of Kaura and Jema’a Local Government Areas in the state.

“All hands should be on deck to flush out those criminals from their hideouts in order to restore a permanent peace to the Southern Kaduna communities once and for all,’’ Ayokunle said.

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Lagos drags Lekki Garden boss to court

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Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during an inspection of the site of the collapsed buildingat Lekki Gardens PHOTO: LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

The Lagos State Government Monday said it had filed a suit against the managing director of Lekki Gardens Estate, Richard Nyong and others over the death of ‘no fewer than 35 persons’ in a collapsed five-storey building under construction on Kushenla Road in Ikate Elegushi area of the State.

“Apart from Lekki Gardens Estate Ltd, GT Rich Ltd, HC Insight Solutions Ltd, others charged alongside Nyong are Taiwo Odofin, Omolabake Mortune, Maruis Agwu, Sola Olumofe and Omotilewa Joseph,” said Kayode Oyekanmi, an assitant director in the State’s Ministry of Justice.

The defendants are facing six-count charge of failure to obtain building approval for the collapsed building and unlawful manslaughter contrary to Section 75 of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of L

The criminal charge, which was filed on February 17, 2017, is yet to assigned a date for arraignment of the defendants.

The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, after the collapse of the building, had visited the scene where he expressed a strong commitment to the protection of lives and property of all citizens in the State.

Ambode vowed to ensure justice for the victims of the collapsed building, while also assuring residents of the State that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that cases of criminal negligence and other forms of criminal activities are prosecuted.

 

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2ldEDNx