PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014
PAGE 5
News
Editors to raise N850m for secretariat complex By Ocheiga Enoch Oloche & Agiya Yakubu Yaki
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he Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) plans to raise N850 million for its secretariat complex during a fundraising dinner set for the April 10, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The eight-floor Plaza will house offices and training facilities that will be open to all journalists. Already, many governors and captains of the industry have shown their willingness to be present at the fund raising ceremony. Invited guests include the Distinguished Guest of Honour, President Goodluck Jonathan , and all state Governors as Special Guests, with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour at the event. The event will be chaired by former Petroleum Min-
ister, Senator Prof. Jibril Aminu. Former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba will deliver the Keynote Address while the Chief Host will be Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, with many governors and captains of industry already indicating their willingness to be physically present at the epochal fund raising ceremony. Restating the need for eminent Nigerians and corporate organisations to support the project, President of the Guild, Femi Adesina, said the proposed Editors Plaza will greatly improve the practice of journalism in the country as up-to-date facilities will be at the disposal of top professionals in the field to make them compete globally. “With the planned ICT centre and training and retraining packages planned, we can only compete with the best,” Adesina stressed.
‘Straight Talk with Kadaria’ debuts on multiple platforms today
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n exciting news and current affairs show “Straight Talk with Kadaria” is to launch at 7.15pm today on Channels TV (channel 254 on DSTV cable Network) According to Reinvent Media Ltd, producers of the programme, the show is a 45-minute news and current affairs programme, set to air on Channels Television weekly and will also be aired on radio and be available on-line to a global audience. The host for the programme is respected Nigerian journalist, Kadaria Ahmed. According to Mr. Elue of Reinvent Media, “Based on the feedback we received for the pilot of the show, we know the programme will become one of the leading current affairs programmes in the country and will attract a large and varied audience, ‘’ adding, ‘’ the show is also very timely, launching at a time when the country is fac-
ing many challenges and Nigerians are looking for answers to a myriad of serious questions’’. The host of the programme, Kadaria Ahmed will be having frank conversations about pressing national issues including, but not limited to, corruption, insecurity, politics and governance with leading national figures. Her guests include politicians, policy makers, public officers, technocrats and business leaders. Mr. Elue thanked Promasidor Nigeria Limited and Mr. John Momoh , Chairman of Channels Television for their support and said he hoped more Nigerians and Nigerian companies will come forward to support programmes like ‘Straight Talk with Kadaria’ which enhance information dissemination and encourage frank dialogue among Nigerians, ultimately leading to the promotion of democracy and democratic values.
Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (middle), Chairman, 60th Anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Public Service Commission and Presidential Public Service Lecture, Chief Emeka Anyaoku (3rd left), Abia state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji (left), Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission , Mrs. Joan Ayo (3rd right), and others dignitaries, in a group photograph during 60th Anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Public Service Commission and Presidential Public Service Lecture, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye
Confab is a necessary evil for Nigeria, says Kalu From Suleiman Idris, Lagos
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ormer Abia state governor Uzor Kalu yesterday describe the ongoing National Dialogue as a necessary evil that has afford Nigerians a platform to discuss its myriad of problem instead of keeping it in our minds. Kalu said “it is good for us to discuss our problems, the greatest challenge that we have today
is for people to discuss their problems, know what their problems are, and many people are saying it is not right to call for national confab but it is right to call for national confab.” Speaking at the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed airport in Lagos on his arrival from United Kingdom, he said contrary to opinions, Nigeria will not break and advise delegate to
discuss everything including the vexed issue of the unity of Nigeria. According to Kalu, , “I want to tell members of the national confab that they should discuss everything including the unity of Nigeria, Nigeria will not break, we are not breaking to anywhere, we Igbo have decided that we are not breaking to anywhere because it will be a disadvantage to Nigeria for Nigeria to break.”
transactions between July and December 2006; a copy of the federation account, copies of statements of accounts through CBN for the period under review. He said, “If there was any mandate on the said missing N59.6bn it will show at a glance. We are tired of all the excuses of all the agencies involved claiming ignorance at one stage or the other. “ During the interactive session, the NNPC GM Accounts, Mr. Sambo Aliyu, had tendered a letter written by the Budget Office, in response to NNPC’s request to know the whereabouts of the missing fund. According to Aliyu, the Budget Office replied that the money had been released to NNPC. But when queried further, Aliyu said “the cash was not
released, we did not see any money.” His response further infuriated members of PAC who unanimously agreed that all the relevant agencies should be summoned once again. Also, when the representative of CBN, Mr Dipo Fatokun, was asked to explain what he knew about the missing fund, he simply replied “we will need to get the mandates from the AGF”. This also incurred the flak of members who declared that Fatokun should come along with his superiors today as his responses so far has not been encouraging. Equally queried on the missing fund, Mrs. Tayo Toluwase a director in the Budget Office simply said she did not have all the relevant details on the issue.
Missing N59.6bn service-wide vote: Reps summon CBN, NNPC, AGF By Lawrence Olaoye
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he House of Representatives yesterday summoned the Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sarah Alade, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Jonah Otunla and the Executive Director, Finance of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to appear before it today to explain their various roles in the alleged missing N59.6 billion service wide vote in 2006, Chairman, House committee on Public Accounts, ordered that the agencies should appear before him with all documents bring involved the disbursement of the fund. According to him, such documents include all bank
‘My abductors demanded for N200m or…’- freed PTD boss From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna
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idnapped Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) association’s National Treasurer, Comrade Abdullahi Haruna 63, who was recently released by his abductors in Kaduna, said they demanded for N200 million from him or he dies. According to him, he categorically told them that he has never
seen such amount in his life. Comrade 63 was abducted in front of his house on Friday night by unidentified gunmen along Matazu road, Tudun Wada, Kaduna and taken to an undisclosed destination. He regained his freedom on Sunday night when the abductors brought him back and abandoned him closed to his house. Speaking to Peoples Daily few hours after reuniting with
his family and friends, Comrade 63 refused to disclose the amount paid to regain his freedom. “When they abducted me they took me to a very dark house and the room I was kept was also dark. So they asked of my identity I told them, they also asked if I am the parson vying for our union chairmanship position I said yes. They asked why I decided to vie against my former boss. I told
them because my people wanted me to. “So they asked me to rescue my life with 200 million naira cash or else I’ll die. I told them I have never come across such an amount since my mother gave birth to me. Later they decided to set me free,” he said. Asked if he had paid ransom for his freedom, he replied, “I will not say anything on this yet”. Comrade Abdullahi 63 said he
was not going to accuse anybody on the ordeal he went through in the hand of his abductors, saying God knows those behind the abduction. “I will not accuse anybody for what happened to me because God knows them. I thank God I was not tortured,” he said. He further added that there would be no going back on his ambition to contest the chairmanship position of the union.