NEWS IN BRIEF TODAY

Saturday, 16 April 2016

News In Brief Today 16/04/16

Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:

1. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Friday informed a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, that it had enough evidence to further show that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Rickey Tarfa had not declared his assets. It also said that a video recording of Tarfa’s alleged incriminating conduct at the EFCC office was in their custody.

2. The South-East chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Friday, advised the federal government to prosecute a former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for squandering the nation’s economy under former President, Goodluck Jonathan.
This was contained in a statement by the party issued by its spokesperson Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

3. President Muhammadu Buhari expressed satisfaction over his his working visit to China, stating that the outcome has yielded additional investments to Nigeria exceeding six billion dollars. This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President.

4. Report says a former Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Habib Jega, was Friday, killed in an auto crash.
The report claimed that the accident occurred along Birnin Kebbi-Kangiwa road at about 5:21 p.m.

5. The United States government says it will be partnering with the military forces from Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon in a bid to crush Boko Haram insurgency.
Disclosing this, the US Department of State said its Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, is expected to visit the three countries between April 16 and 23 with the aim of highlighting the growing threat of the terrorist group in the Lake Chad Basin.

6. A United States’ report on Nigeria, the has accused the government at all levels of injustice, brutality and inflicting pain on a some Nigerians, alleging that the Department of State Services, DSS, the police and the military are perpetrating gross abuse of power including brutality against citizens, arbitrary detention, extortion, among other scandals. The report,released by the US Department of State, claimed that 69 per cent of persons in prisons across the country are awaiting trial, stating that the situation was due to lack of judicial capacity and corruption.

7. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has revealed that it has now commenced the arrest of civil servants who live beyond their means, adding that it seized 61 houses from a female public servant. The commission also revealed that it would soon begin publishing list of most corrupt Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the country.

8. While 2019 is still far away, report has claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has already zoned president’s position to the north. Also zoned to the north according to the report is the position of the Senate President. Meanwhile the party has said that it would adopt the option A4 method to pick candidates for the Presidential, governorship and other elections.

9. Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday struck out the application by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, where he sought for the nullification of his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The Judge held that the trial must continue.

10. Report has claimed that the Presidency and the National Assembly Friday, moved towards resolving the controversies surrounding the 2016 budget following exchange of ideas between Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara after they met to discuss the matter. The report further claimed that the budget’s grey areas were highlighted by the Vice President.

 

Presidency lists Nigeria’s benefits from Buhari’s China visit

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his working visit to China, which has yielded additional investments in Nigeria exceeding $6 billion.

 

 

 

 

 

President Buhari believes that the several agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit will have a huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.

In the power sector, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiriro, Niger State.

In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55 million for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria.

A total of $1 billion is to be invested in the development of a greenfield expressway for Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos under an agreement reached by the Infrastructure Bank and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.

For the housing sector, both companies also sealed a $250 million deal to develop an ultra modern 27-storey high rise complex and a $2.5 billion agreement for the development of the Lagos Metro Rail Transit Red Line project.

Other agreements announced and signed during the visit include a $1 billion for the establishment of a Hi-tech industrial park in Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State.

Furthermore, the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and CNG (Nigeria) Investment Limited also signed an agreement valued at $200 million for the construction of two 500MT/day float gas facilities.

An agreement valued at $363 million for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state was also announced at the Nigeria-China business forum.

Other agreements undergoing negotiations include a $500 million project for the provision of television broadcast equipment and a $25 million facility for production of pre-paid smart meters between Mojec International Limited and Microstar Company Limited.

About 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms participated in the Nigeria-China business forum which took place a day after President Buhari began his visit to China.

premium times reportage

*Good explanation but abeg let this be the first and the last borrowing.Nigeria has enough resources...

Now let me ask what the monies being collected back from looters will be used for?This is an innocent question.

And one last question,who is that man behind the president in the photo?I only see him when presido is on international trips.