Jos Stay Online

The Head, West African Examinations Council International, Mr. Adelowo Maliki, has advised the Federal Government to open more schools to accommodate millions of school-aged children roaming the streets.

Maliki said on Wednesday in Lagos that building more schools and equipping them with latest facilities and professional teachers would help in improving the state of education in the country.
He explained that WAEC, as an examination body, did not feel that it was enough just to set tests for students and end it there.
He said, “Our main task, aside conducting examination, is also to research into education-related issues and seek ways of coming up with solutions.

“We have realised that some of the key challenges are inadequate schools, ill-equipped schools, and lack of professional teachers.
“The development is a major challenge in our effort to move forward as a nation.
“One of the ways we try to give back to the society, as our corporate social responsibility, is by noting these challenges and organising seminars that will benefit the teachers and students.

“This is mainly handled by the research unit of the council.
“We organise monthly seminars for these people as we want them to have feedback on what we are doing for them.”.

Maliki said that the seminars were mostly targeted at the teachers at the secondary school level.
He said that the seminar was supposed to be taken round the country, but due to paucity of funds, was concentrated more in Lagos.
In addition to the need for the more public schools across the country, Maliki said government should recruit more teachers and improve their welfare.

He said, “Building more schools entails recruiting more qualified teachers and putting in place improved welfare package for them.
“I say this because another challenge facing the sector currently is the huge distraction facing the teachers.

“Just like the students, there are so many things competing for their attention, especially in the face of the current economic recession.
“These teachers are human and attend the same markets like every other person.

“So, if what they get is not enough to cater for their basic needs, then what is available becomes the next option for them.”

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has appealed to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction all private depots in Apapa area of Lagos selling above the regulated petrol price of N133.28k.

The Chairman, IPMAN, Western Zone, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, made the call during a chat with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Ahmed said many depot owners at Apapa sold petrol between N140 and N145, against the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) price template of N133.28kobo.

He said 90 per cent of petrol products imported into the country were distributed through the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).
“It is extremely difficult for marketers outside Lagos to buy petrol at N145 from the depots and sell at same price to consumers,” Ahmed told NAN.
“The marketers in Ilorin, Ore, Ondo, Akure, Ibadan and Osogbo, are running at a loss.

“There is need for government to review the activities of DPR official domicile at Apapa private depots who connive with depot owners to sell products above regulated price.”
He urged the Federal Government to wade into the matter and wield the big stick on dishonest depot owners taking advantage of the shutdown of government- owned depots to make life difficult for his members.

“We marketers within the South-West – Lagos, Ibadan, Ore, Ilorin and Ekiti – find it extremely difficult to load at Apapa depot due to bottleneck at the depot,’’ the IPMAN chairman said.

A new Indian (bollywood) blockbuster has been banned in Pakistan for allegedly misrepresenting Muslims.
Bollywood megastar, Shah Rukh Khan, himself a Muslim, has millions of fans all around the world.
But his new film “Raees,” about a bootlegger turned politician, has hit a roadblock with Pakistan’s censors.

The movie, scheduled for release last Sunday has been banned because of its “inappropriate depiction of Muslims,” according to Pakistan’s Central Censor Board.
The board also said the movie “did not show the real face of Islam” and focused on a “sect of Muslims as bad.”

The decision to ban the movie, which is based on a true story set in Gujarat in the 1980s and 1990s, has caught cinema-goers as well as the cast and crew by surprise.
Speaking to CNN, film trade analyst and television host, Komal Nahta, blamed the ban on oversensitivity.

“Pakistan is known for being sensitive and blowing things out of proportion. This is based on a true story so you can’t change the facts to suit a particular nation,” said Nahta. “They get maximum mileage out of Bollywood. Politics is about making noise.”
The censor board’s ban is likely to hit cinema revenues in Pakistan, where estimates suggest Indian movies account for between 60 and 70% of earnings.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, a multinational professional services firm, estimates the industry generated up to $1.64 billion in revenue in 2015.

Senator Ahmed Makarfi

The national caretaker committee of the People’s Democratic Party said in Abuja on Wednesday that it was not praying for the death of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Rather, it said it was its prayer that the President should return to Nigeria in peace from the United Kingdom where he is currently holidaying and attending to his health.
Chairman of PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, stated this while addressing members of the party in Abuja.

He spoke during the submission of the report of the PDP Strategic Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee, which was headed by Professor Jerry Gana.
Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State, said it was in the interest of the PDP for the President to return in peace and continue to preside over the affairs of the nation.

He said the health of the President was important for the country and Nigerians, adding that the PDP would like to return to power in a conducive environment in 2019.
He said, “We are not praying for the death of the President. Instead, we are praying for the President to regain his health, return to the country and also continue ruling us.

“His health is important to the country and Nigerians. It is through we want to capture power in 2019, but we want to take over in an orderly manner.

“He must come back and continue his work. That’s our prayer. So, we want two people to, before this event is over, pray for the good health of the President.”
Before then, a former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu had prayed for the President’s quick recovery.

Singer Run-town was recently at the airport to board a flight to the UK. He stormed the airport in a Rolls Royce and police officers at the airport surrounded him like ants on Sugar. Some of them were seen bowing their heads as a sign of respect. Lol

News available to Jtownexclusive Nigeria indicates that the Governor of Plateau State Hon. Simon Lalong inspected the facilities in the Jos prison’s schools.

The Governor inspected the school library, class rooms, inmates view center, metal workshop, tailoring workshop and others. He commended the Prison authority for the effort on ground towards developing the capacity of inmates through education and reiterated the commitment of the Plateau State government to collaborate with the service to ensure the effective rehabilitation of the inmates.
The Governor was represented by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Education Hon. Wanga Hosea Lemoro, toured the entire school facilities in the Prison, noting areas of possible interventions by the State Government.
The Controller of Prisons Plateau State Command, Mr. Noel Ailewon appreciated the Plateau State government for its support towards improving the welfare of the inmates. Furthermore, he assure the government for his cooperation towards actualizing the task.

The arewa finest artist classiq comes with another massive Sound which he features reminisce on it, they call it "Ana Haka" which was produced by one and only finest jos Producer GEEK BEAT LABAR.

DOWNLOAD HERE (Coming soon)

Minister of Budget and National Planning,  Senator Udoma Udo Udoma The Ministry of Budget and National Planning said on Tuesday that Nigeria is targeting economic growth of at least 7 per cent a year by 2020, a far cry from its current recession, the first in 25 years, Reuters has reported.
Nigeria’s economy is heavily dependent on exports of crude oil and has been hobbled by low global oil prices that have slashed government revenues and the availability of foreign currency.

In the third quarter of 2016, gross domestic product contracted 2.24 per cent from a year earlier.
With inflation also at an 11-year high, frustration is rising, with protesters taking to the streets of Lagos on Monday to call for a change in government.
The 7 per cent target for gross domestic product growth is part of a medium-term economic recovery plan that seeks to address some of Nigeria’s issues, the budget ministry said in a statement.

“Our goal is to have an economy with low inflation, stable exchange rates, and a diversified and inclusive growth,” Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma said at an economic forum on Monday, where he addressed private enterprise, according to the statement.

The plan’s priorities are agriculture and food security, energy, small businesses and industrialisation and stabilising the macroeconomic environment, the minister said.

“Nigerian growth faces various supply constraints including fuel, power, foreign exchange, and even business unfriendly regulation,” the statement said, adding that the recovery plan would seek to address these

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi

The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against former Governor Kayode Fayemi over alleged corruption.

The assembly had on Thursday summoned Fayemi to appear before it on Tuesday (yesterday) to defend himself, threatening to issue a warrant of arrest.
But the Minister of Mines and Steel Development failed to honour the invitation, making the assembly to make good its threat.
The assembly, pursuant to Section 129(1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution, ordered the Inspector General of Police, Ibahim Idris, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, and other security agencies, including international Police to immediately arrest the serving Minister.
The decision was taken at the plenary through a resolution by the lawmakers.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, Speaker Kola Oluwawole; the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Dr. Samuel Omotoso and the Leader, Tunji Akinyele, said the summon was to enable the minister to defend the allegations.
Omotoso recalled that the assembly had earlier summoned the former governor on March 10 and August 27, 2016 with a reminder on January 30, 2017, which were declined by Fayemi.

“During Governor Kayode Fayemi’s government, he awarded a N304m contract for planting of flowers for urban renewal project in Ado Ekiti. Over 50% of the contract sum had been paid but there is no single flower anywhere.
“The former governor also purchased 133 vehicles for royal fathers. The vehicles were given out in August 2013 and the contract papers were done in November. This was a clear case of misappropriation.

“He also paid N24m for the construction of Awedele Market. The money was paid to a phoney company and no construction was seen. The most disturbing was that, eight days to the expiration of his tenure, Fayemi withdrew a sum of N852m from University Basic Education Commission account which he was not a signatory to and diverted to other areas we could not trace.

“The former governor also paid a sum of N115m for the construction of a new Governor’s office. But no structure was put in place as we speak. The same was witnessed in the construction of the State Pavilion, the governor’s lodge and the 5km road projects, where billions were diverted. He even took N4bn loan four days before he left office.
“All these needed explanations.
The summon was not meant to harass him. This is just an opportunity for him to clear his name. But should The security agencies failed to bring him here, then we will go the legal way, because we have the constitutional powers to summon any former or serving chief executive.”

CAN President Samson Supo Ayokunle

The Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday described as disparaging comments credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in which he said there were no plans to Islamise the country.
The organisation also condemned the accusation by the Minister during a Town Hall meeting in Ilorin where he was accusing religious leaders of making alleged provocative statements that could lead to religious war.

“If those murderous Fulani herdsmen are faceless, how come the Sultan of Sokoto is claiming that they are not Nigerians and in another instance, the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said they had been paid for the “wrong done to them”? Why is it that whenever these murderers are perpetrating their atrocities, the security agencies look elsewhere until their victims decided to fight back? Is it because the security agencies are Muslim dominated? CAN says No to disparaging remarks in the name of politics. Enough of these lies by Lai Mohammed”, CAN stated.

The Minister had described as fallacies the planned Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, while labelling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world could serve as a recipe for a religious war.
“Those who are making these allegations know that they are not true, but they have found in religion another tool to demonize the government of the day, divert attention from the government’s anti-corruption stance and create undue tension in the polity”, Mohammed had said.

But the President of CAN, Dr Samson Supo Ayokunle, in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Adebayo Oladeji, said certain actions by the Federal Government, had fuelled insinuations that there were plans to islamise Nigeria.

He said, “We are disappointed but not surprised with the disparaging, lies and abusive statements credited to the Minister of Information (Alhaji Lai Mohammed) in Ilorin during the Town hall meeting where he was accusing religious leaders of making alleged provocative statements that can lead to religious war.

“Mohammed in his characteristic manner left out the issues but went after the so-called religious leaders, which we all know, are the Christian leaders because we know that the Minister dare not speak against the Moslem leaders who had said worse things. That would be an open invitation of Fatwah.”

Former member of House of Representatives, Nze Chidi Duru

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Nze Chidi Duru, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, on charges of forgery of company’s board resolution and alleged diversion of N16.2m shares proceeds.
Duru, who was then in June 2010 the Vice-Chairman of First Gurantee Pension Ltd, allegedly diverted the sum of N16.2m said to be proceeds of part payments for the company’s shares sold to another firm, Novare Holdings Proprietary Limited.

The defendant was said to have been “entrusted with dominion over” the sums of N15m and N1,23,646.58 (totaling N16.2m), being part payments of 30 per cent equity shares of FGP Limited sold to Novare NHP Limited.
The prosecution accused him of diverting the money in July 2010 “to pay for land allocations from Lagos State Government in favour of Grand Towers Plc and MVJJDA Africa Limited, companies of which you have interest”.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant committed criminal breach of trust, an offence punishable under section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
He was also said to have in June 2008 “knowingly and fraudulently” made “false document, “an ordinary resolution of First Guarantee Pension Limited dated June 2, 2008, purporting same to have been signed by all the subscribers/shareholders” of the company.

The prosecution alleged in the fourth count that the defendant “knowingly and fraudulently” used the allegedly forged document and “forwarded same to Folashade Ogundare and Hon Isegha Teamgu with the intention of causing it to be believed that the said document was genuine”.
The two forgery-related offences were said to be punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
He pleaded not guilty to all the four counts read to him before Justice Peter Affen on Tuesday.
After his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court to remand the defendant in prison.

The defence counsel, Mr. Abdul Mohammed, in response, informed the judge of his intention to move his client’s application for bail.
He urged the court to grant the bail on reasonable terms in line with the spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which according to him, provides that defendants are entitled to bail.
He also urged the court to take judicial notice to the fact that the defendant is a legal practitioner and would not jump bail.
In response, the EFCC’s lawyer opposed the bail application, arguing that the defendant did not place any material before the court to justify bail being granted him.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Tuesday said it had seized over 100 properties from corrupt officials.

The Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, who disclosed this at the Akwa Ibom State Anti-Corruption summit, expressed delights that the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war was gradually yielding fruits.
The summit tagged: “Transparency and Accountability; a panacea to good governance and sustainable development,” took place at the Ibom L’meridien and Golf Resort, Uyo, the state capital.
According to the ICPC chief, some of the affected properties include 62 houses seized from a female law enforcement officer.

Nta said investigation on the matter was ongoing, adding that some of the seized properties would be forfeited to the Federal Government when sufficient evidence has been adduced that the suspect acquired them fraudulently.

The Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), Ekpo Nta, has disclosed that the commission in course of their operations has seized 62 houses from one female public officer.

Nta said this while answering question during interaction at the Akwa Ibom Anti-Corruption Summit in Uyo on Tuesday with the theme “Transparency and Accountability: a panacea to good governance and sustainable development.”

He expressed confidence that the anti corruption war was gradually yielding positive result in the country, adding that the commission had interim power to seize property of any public officer whose property was above the accruable income and could not be explained.

According to him, the property will be forfeited to the Federal Government after all litigations have been concluded.

The ICPC boss warned public officeholders not live above their income as the commission had the mandate of interim seizure of any public officer property that live above his or her income.

“There are many facets of corruption in Nigeria the commission will stop at nothing to bring anyone found to have contravened the anti-corruption crusade to book,” Nta said.
He added that the commission had successfully retrieved 40 vehicles that were stolen by retired directors of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and warned against trivialising the anti-graft war of the current administration.
Nta further said that the commission was prosecuting over 400 corruption cases in different courts in the country, adding that those found guilty at the end of the investigation would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He said the commission had taken a step further by launching the campaigns in institutions of higher learning and the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

He explained that the anti-corruption module had since been introduced into the curriculum of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), adding such measures would go a long way toward entrenching moral values in students.

Nta said the commission had launched anti-corruption clubs in orientation camps, disclosing that such measures had assisted the commission to detect and arrested about 42 fake corps members at orientation camps in the recent times.
Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom said that corruption had eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian system.

Emmanuel urged all and sundry to be in the vanguard of curbing the menace of corruption if the country must move forward. “We must change our mindsets about the way we do things in the country,” Emmanuel said.
The governor decried what he described as illicit cash running into over $157 billion leaving the shores of Nigeria abroad through fraudulent practices.

He identified corruption as the greatest enemy of development, adding that it was regrettable the wholesale repatriation of illicit funds across the borders to develop other nations.

According to him, if such cash are used within the shore of the country, the socio-economic life on Nigeria and Nigerians will have been positively impacted.

The governor enjoined all well meaning Nigerians to join the ongoing crusade to rid the system of corruption and other economic crimes plaguing the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Lalong on Media Mr. Mark Longyen was today honoured in Jos during a courtesy call by Mr. Gideon Barde, former Plateau State Commissioner for Information under the State’s first Civilian Governor Solomon Lar, and Tunde Oladapo Chairman of the League of Veteran Journalists for his sterling perfomance in journalism and the execution of his assignment as a government official. Recieving the delegation, Mr. Longyen said it was an honour to receive them and tap from their potentials. The courtesy call was also meant to encourage the senior Media Assistant to continue to stand by the true virtues and tenets of journalism as he always known for. The meeting lasted for some minutes and afterwards, group photographs were taken. Before his appointment as the Senior special Assistant Media, to Governor Lalong, Mr. Mark Longyen was a senior journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria, he was the founder and publisher of Periscope International. He obtained different degrees in Journalism and International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University and the International Institute of journalism Abuja.

News reaching
Jtownexclusive Nigeria indicates that the Plateau State Ministry of Justice is to spend
over N35 million to conduct training on
arbitration for government officials in the state
this year.
The Commissioner in charge of the ministry,
Mr Jonathan Mawayai, spoke on Monday while
defending the ministry’s 2017 budget before
the state’s House of Assembly Committee on
Judiciary in Jos.
Mawayai said the amount would cover training
fees for 100 persons at N350, 000 each.
He explained that the training became
necessary owing to the proposed bills on the
establishment of Multi-Door Court House in
the state.
“Training on arbitration for lawyers in the
ministry and other staff from the Executive
and Legislative arm of government is needed.
“With the coming on board of the PPP law and
the Multi-Door Court House we need to give
training a priority.
“We want to train 100 personnel cutting across
the three arms of government and this will
cost us N35 million at N350, 000 for each
person,” he said.
The Chairman of the assembly committee,
Joshua Madaki, stressed the need for training
of workers, assuring support for the
committee.
Madaki, however, advised that the number of
people to benefit from the training should be
reduced owing to the harsh economic situation
in the state.
“Because of the present economic crunch, I
will advise that the number proposed for the
training should be reduced, then, later others
can also have the training,” he said.

I’m writing this piece as a concern Plateau youth and I sincerely hope it sends the right message. In all my articles, I’ve tried to be non-partisan and apolitical considering my respect for people’s will and opinion. As an emerging journalist, taking sides may be tantamount to setting a dangerous precedent for my future, thus, when a writer wants to write on political issues, such a person must be careful not to raise dust and make an existing crisis degenerate. My love for Plateau state is beyond description. I’m proud to be born and raised in the Home of Peace and Tourism. When it comes to determining the future of Plateau state, I think I’ve contributed my quota and will still do so without compromise. My greatest dream is to work relentlessly and make Plateau state a better place. This I hope to do with courage, faith and an unbending will to stave off what may plunge my state in danger.
LET THERE BE PEACE
Personally, I don’t need anybody to tell me that there is a cold war currently brewing between my leaders Senator Jonah David Jang and Gov. Simon Bako Lalong. This crisis has everything to do with politics. It started immediately after the 2015 general elections and may keep festering because of hot and different interests for 2019 elections. We do know, there is a problem but we can’t afford to blame Mr. A or B. What do we do instead? Our cardinal concern and goal is to broker peace in the little way we can in Plateau’s best interest. It is true that if a little leadership problem is not identified and checked, it may spiral out of control and have a corresponding consequence on the followers. The cold war between the two Plateau leaders is obviously a bad omen. It retards the growth of peace and development. It makes the followers of both leaders rise up against themselves. It causes us all to be a laughing stock before our friends from other zones. I think after the 2015 governorship elections, the first thing that should have happened was to accept the outcome by both parties in good faith and in the spirit of sportsmanship. That wasn’t the case. Instead, there were a lot of altercations, litigations and other clandestine stuffs for power sake. When Mr. Lalong settled down and started stirring the affairs of state, the crisis would not end still. The bitter rivalry continued in a truly vicious cycle. It came to a point that I wanted to know the true position of things and the revelation was obvious. According to a close aide of Sen. Jang who craved anonymity, he said The Lalong administration knows nothing but crass witch-hunting. The judicial commission of enquiry set to investigate us is a scam. It is on record that Jang’s achievements will far outweigh those of Lalong.’’ I went further to hear from Gov. Lalong’s side and his aide said, ‘’It’s noteworthy that Jang has never attended any function organized by Lalong’s administration. It’s on record that he’s the only former governor of the state and perhaps the only state stakeholder and elder statesman who has yet to honour official engagements like the governor’s regular consultative stakeholders meeting and town halls.’’
WE CAN’T BE BOUND BY THE PAST
This article is written to make a passionate appeal and clarion call. I know that crisis is inevitable as far as politics is concerned, but when a crisis of interest erupts, there can always be a way out and restitution. Rising above mundane considerations is the solution . All eyes are on both leaders to take Plateau state to the next level while the followers follow suit, but it can’t happen in an atmosphere of crisis and confusion. Plateau state is struggling to recover from its bitter past when religious and political crisis held its future at the jugular. We are not interested in any form of crisis that may take us back to the dark days of old. We are rather interested in peace, development, progress, patriotism and an abiding faith in the Plateau project. In 2019, elections may be dicey. PDP, APC and other parties will flex muscles. Politics is a game of numbers. Whoever gets the right numbers and does the right calculations has the day. Everything is about strategies and wisdom. We must crave for transparent and peaceful elections not acrimony and divisions. We are one in Plateau state and we must love and respect each other.
‘’Though tongues and tribes may differ’’, though political interests may differ but we must not allow our differences to cut short our hopes and aspirations for a better Plateau. Now is the time to make a difference. A stitch in time saves nine.