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CBN Sells N66.9bn Forex At WDAS

The Central Bank of Nigeria (NAN) sold foreign exchange worth 43.2 million dollars (N66.96 billion) at its bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) on Wednesday. This information was contained in the apex bank’s Website on Wednesday after the auction.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WDAS sale on Wednesday was smaller than the one conducted on Monday at which 150 million dollars was sold.

A dealer, who preferred anonymity, said that the action of the apex bank was to control foreign exchange in the system. "The small amount of forex sold this time around is because it is the second auction in the year.

``Again, most Nigerians abroad came in with foreign currencies during the Yuletide and that means that there is still much foreign currencies around,`` he said. The official exchange rate remained at N155.79 to the dollar at Wednesday's auction.

The dollar has remained at N155.79 to the dollar since the Dec. 19, 2012. A total of three banks participated at Wednesday’s auction against 15 banks that participated at Monday’s auction. (NAN)

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Gov. Yero Seeks Support Of Opposition Parties

Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Wednesday appealed to opposition parties to cooperate and support his administration in developing the state. Yero made the appeal when members of the Coalition of Political Parties paid him a visit to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the demise of late Gov. Patrick Yakowa.

`` What I expect from the opposition parties is cooperation and support, and also to try to be fair in whatever they are doing to the ruling party. `` Because without having proper cooperation and understanding, we will find it very difficult to do what is right.’’

He reiterated the commitment of the administration to partner with other political parties in order to secure, unite and develop the state. Yero assured members of the opposition parties that the government would redeem its pledges to the people.

He said the government would welcome advises and constructive criticisms that would be beneficial to the state and enable it to perform better.

`` It is always good to criticize and make comments that are positive and will make the government to adjust and also do the right thing.'' Earlier, the Chairman of the coalition, Alhaji Inuwa Ahmed commiserated with the government and people of the state over the demise of the late governor.

Ahmed, said the death of Gov. Yakowa was ordained by God, and prayed for the repose of his soul. He congratulated Gov. Yero over his elevation, advising him to shun negative acts and concentrate on developing the state. The chairman advised the governor to redeem all the pledges made to the people by his predecessor. (NAN)

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UPDATE: 5 Dead, Scores Injured In Lagos Oil Barge Explosion

At least five people were feared dead and many injured in the late hours of the morning Wednesday, as an oil barge offloading products at the MRS Jetty located at the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Lagos exploded into flames.

The high degree explosion, which happened at about 11.30 am shattered glass doors and windows of buildings as far as 500 metres away from the jetty, including the administrative building of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ports and Cargo complex and a branch of First Bank situated over 500 metres away from the scene.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred after a barge, a small ship bringing in fuel from the mother ship and offloading into the MRS tank farm was improperly handled. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) confirmed the barge was bearing petroleum motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as fuel.

When LEADERSHIP visited the MRS complex at 12.30pm, business activities at the port have come to a halt, with people settling in small groups and discussing the incident, which was said to have caused stampede at the port.

Officials of MRS were not available for comment and the place was filled with security operatives who barred newsmen from entering the facility. Our correspondent however sighted officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), fire-fighting vehicles belonging to neighbouring Integrated Oil Services and the Lagos State Fire Service, which came in at 1.26pm.

An eyewitness said he saw at least five lifeless bodies wrapped in white cloths and taken away to an unknown morgue before he was asked to leave the premises.

Willem Auret, who witnessed the blast from a ship on its way to Snake Island in Apapa, said he saw a tanker barge catch fire at about 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT). "The fire started slowly and then expanded into chaos, exploding more than once," he told the BBC.
"After the initial explosion, which I caught on camera, there was a secondary explosion," he said.

It took about an hour and a half for the port authorities to arrive on the scene, he said.

"First one tugboat arrived... then several others joined it in an attempt to extinguish the fire. They seem to have the fire under control now."

Nema's Akande Iyiola told the BBC that the oil depot at Tin Can Island port where the explosion occurred was owned by the petroleum company MRS Oil.

"I felt the explosion from where we are," Charles Osagie, who works at an import-and-export office in the district, told AFP.

Additional report from BBC

Continue ReadingUPDATE: 5 Dead, Scores Injured In Lagos Oil Barge Explosion

Police Arraign Teenager Over Alleged Murder

A teenager, Ganiu Nurudeen, who allegedly stabbed a man to death with a broken bottle, was on Wednesday docked at a Yaba Magistrates' Court, Lagos.

The 18-year-old artisan, who lives at No. 2, Akeem St., Ogombo, Lagos, is standing trial on a charge of murder. According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Adenike Abdul, the accused stabbed one Ganiyu Okoya with a broken bottle and he was later confirmed dead. ``The deceased requested the accused to allow him to sleep in his shop, which he rejected.

``The deceased hit the accused with a plank when he refused to grant his request. ``A fight, however, broke out between them and the accused, while trying to defend himself, stabbed the deceased with a broken bottle,’’ she told the court.

Abdul said the offence, which was committed on Dec. 2, 2012, contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused’s plea was taken, and he pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate, Mr M.O. Tanimole, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

``Based on the defendant's plea and the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased, I hereby grant him bail in the sum of N200, 000," he ruled. The case has been adjourned to Jan. 29 for mention. (NAN)

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508 Christian Pilgrims Return In Plateau – Official

Mr Ibrahim Kafi, Executive Secretary of the Plateau Christians Pilgrims Welfare Board, said on Wednesday that the 508 pilgrims who performed pilgrimage in Israel had returned home.

Kafi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the pilgrims, who left the state for Israel in December 2012, returned on Jan. 3 without any case of defection. He said the board made travel arrangements for 508 out of the 1,100 pilgrims sponsored by both the state and local governments.

Kafi attributed the low number to logistic problems occasioned by prolonged strike by local government workers in Plateau. He said the state and 17 councils sponsored the 1,100 applicants, adding that the 600 others would make the trip this year. “What we are waiting for now is for the team from Abuja to come and screen them,'' Kafi said. (NAN)

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Kebbi Hajj Committee Seeks Ban On Aged Pilgrims

Leader of Kebbi Pilgrims during the 2012 Hajj, Alhaji Garba Dandiga has called for strict restrictions on aged persons travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. Dandiga made the suggestion while presenting the report of the exercise to Gov. Saidu Dakingari on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi.

He advised that such intending pilgrims must also be made to undergo fitness test, and those who passed be accompanied by relatives who would shoulder their burden. Dandiga also advised the state government against recruiting untrained people as guides, saying some of them were caught stealing the Basic Travelling Allowances of pilgrims.

``We recommend that henceforth elderly people without guides be screened to determine their fitness, while local government guides be also screened and trained by the Pilgrims Welfare Agency to avoid encountering problems."

He appreciated the conduct of the pilgrims, which he said had earned the state a commendation letter by the Saudi Arabian Government. Responding, Gov. Dakingari commended the committee for the report, which he said was timely, and pledged to implement the recommendations.

``My administration would ensure that problems encountered bythe pilgrims were resolved, and I call on this year's intending pilgrims to sustain the exemplary conduct exhibited by the 2012 pilgrims.'' (NAN)

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1,000 People Living With HIV And AIDS Access Services In Gwagwalada, FCT – Coordinator

More than 1,000 people living with the HIV and AIDS now access services at the Gwgwalada Town Clinic, Mr Mohammed Labaran, the Coordinator of the centre said on Wednesday. Labaran told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that such services includ...

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PDP Dissociates Itself From Ongoing Adamawa State Congress

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the ongoing Adamawa State congress.

 Chief Sam Sam Jaja, Deputy National Chairman of the party, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the NWC at its emergency meeting also rescinded the dissolution of Adamawa State Executive of the party.

He said the NWC had earlier dissolved the Adamawa State Executive under article 29 (2b) on behalf of the party`s National Executive Committee (NEC) based on Article 31 (2c).

``it is instructive to know that the Ward and local government executive in the state were never dissolved.''

He said the NWC had at its 314th meeting on Aug. 29, 2012, upheld the March 2012 Ward and local government executive except for one local government, which was later ratified.

He said that it was surprising and embarrassing to read in the media of a purported ongoing ward, local government and state congress in the state.

``For the records, the NWC hereby disassociate the party leadership from the purported congresses, which were neither authorised nor monitored or supervised by the National Secretariat,’’ Jaja said.

 He further said that it was only the party`s National Secretariat that had the authority to conducts state congresses.

``Based on the above, the NWC hereby declare the purported congresses null, void and of know significance whatsoever.

``Consequently, we hereby declare that the only state executive committee constitutionally recognised by this party is the Kangama executive lawfully elected in March 2012 and endorsed by the national convention,’’ Jaja further said.

The News Agency of the Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the PDP NWC had in October 2012 dissolved the Adamawa State executive committee of the party.

A nine-member caretaker committee was sworn-in in its place.

 The committee was to run the affairs of the chapter for three months, pending further directives from the party`s national leadership.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, the dissolved exco had "flagrantly disregarded and shown serial disobedience to the decisions of the NWC".

 Metuh said the decision was in accordance with Article 31, section 2(e) and 29, 2(b) of the 2012 amended constitution of the PDP.

He further said that the action of the dissolved exco was contrary to the provisions of Section 50(1) of the party`s constitution.

Meanwhile, The emergency meeting was attended by 10 of the 12 NWC members.

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the party`s National Chairman and Dr Onwe Soloman, Deputy National Secretary of the party, were however, not at the meeting.

 Tukur was said to be at the Villa coordinating the Board of Trustee (BOT) election.

 

 

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UN Chief Tasks FG On Economy

Prof. Banji Oyelaran - Oyeyinka, the Director, Monitoring and Research Division, United Nations – Habitat,  has urged the Federal Government to pursue a development agenda that is manufacturing - based rather than an oil – dependent.

Oyelaran - Oyeyinka made the call on Tuesday in Ibadan  at a seminar organised by the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).

He said  the actions and behaviour of Nigeria's political elites over the last 50 years had been opposed to economic development.

"More direct, the state in Nigeria has been a major force behind Nigeria's arrested development because the political elites have acted in a manner to oppose all efforts at industrialisation.

 "This is the main reason why Nigeria is at the bottom of rung in the development table of most latecomer countries to industrialisation," he said.

Oyelaran - Oyeyinka said further that the new development agenda should ultimately result in the establishment of new set of institutions and the reduction of poverty level to 20 per cent by 2020.

He advocated  narrowing the persistent high levels of inequality in the Nigerian society, saying this was the source of persistent crime and conflict.

The don  noted that the state, working with critical non - state actors,  had a central role to play in leading  development.

Oyelaran - Oyeyinka said that rather than aim to rank among the top 20 richest countries, Nigeria  should aim for a transformational agenda by facing squarely the development agenda deficit in different indices.

He also  said there was an urgent need to  boost  power supply in order to stimulate and achieve greater industrial dynamism.

Oyelaran - Oyeyinka said the country should improve on security in order to create an enabling environment for inclusive private sector development that could generate jobs and boost the economy.

He advised government to reduce cost of  governance  and focus more on effective delivery of public services.

His paper was entitled  "The Praxis and Perils of the Nigerian Oil Economy.’’

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