KICNEWS

Category: News

  • Housing: FG begins construction of 250 housing units in Ibadan

    Housing: FG begins construction of 250 housing units in Ibadan

    The Federal Government on Tuesday performed the ground-breaking of the construction of 250 housing units, tagged: Renewed Hope Estate, in Ibadan.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the estate was situated at the defunct Inland Container Dry Port, Erunmu, Ibadan.

    Speaking at the occasion, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Armed Dangiwa, warned contractors handling the projects against shoddy and substandard job.

    Dangiwa also urged the contractors to do the construction of the houses according to specifications, saying the government would explore all necessary legal means to ensure that they delivered by the terms of the contract.

     

    He equally called on them to adhere to the three-month completion timeline so that the process of arranging for the purchase of the houses by residents of the state could begin.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the estate comprises 50 one-bedroom semi-detached

    bungalows, 150 two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, and 50 three-bedroom semi-detached bungalows.

    The minister stated that the housing units were designed in a way that would make them affordable for people to acquire by using organic designs to allow for future expansion as the income of beneficiaries increased.

    “This means that a one-bedroom unit can be expanded to two bedrooms and a two-bedroom unit can also be expanded to three bedrooms as the owner’s financial situation improves or their family grows,” he said.

     

    On the affordability of the housing units when completed, the minister said that the government had created different options to enable everyone with a source of income and livelihood to own the homes.

     

    “These include single-digit mortgage loans that beneficiaries can repay over 30 years, rent-to-own schemes provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and outright purchase options for those who can afford to pay upfront,” he said.

     

  • Lagos Flood: Diverted water destroys our houses, Lagos community alleges

    Lagos Flood: Diverted water destroys our houses, Lagos community alleges

     

    Residents of the White Sand community in the Isheri-osun region of Lagos are urgently calling on the Lagos State Government to help them address the severe flooding problems they experience every year.

     

    After the recent heavy rains that lasted for about 10 hours, PUNCH Metro reported that the area was severely flooded, submerging homes, cars, and businesses, and forcing schools to close.

     

    The White Sand area in Alimosho Local Government was one of the hardest hit by the floods. The community, which faces flooding almost every year, saw unprecedented water levels this year, causing significant damage and disruption.

    The White Sand area in Alimosho Local Government was one of the hardest hit by the floods. The community, which faces flooding almost every year, saw unprecedented water levels this year, causing significant damage and disruption.

     

    Some of the residents of the area who spoke with our correspondent, on Tuesday, highlighted the major source of the constant flooding as lack of proper drainage and they are calling on the government to come to their aid.

    The Community Development chairman of Whitesand Estate, Banji Akingbade, while speaking with our correspondent, pointed out that the flood started because of the construction of the Ijegun-Jakande Road, which diverted water from that area down into the estate.

     

    “The flood started because water from the construction of the Ijegun-Jakande Road was diverted into our community. There is no channel to divert it out. Our drainage systems are either blocked or too narrow, and they are mostly built by individuals or the community, not the government.”

     

    He added, “We need the government to come to our aid. This is a government project that has been abandoned by the contractor for years, and it’s causing a lot of problems. We need the Ministry of Environment to help clear the blocked drainage and channel the water out of the community. The chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Mr Ayuba, has assessed the area, but no work has been done yet.”

     

    Residents pointed out that inadequate drainage was the main cause of their flooded estate, noting that their efforts alone were not enough and that they needed significant help from the government to prevent future floods.

     

  • Buy locally-assembled CNG vehicles, FG advises Nigerians 9th July 2024

    Buy locally-assembled CNG vehicles, FG advises Nigerians 9th July 2024

    The Federal Government has appealed to Nigerians to take advantage of the CNG initiative to reduce by buying locally-assembled CNG vehicles.

     

    This is expected to reduce pressure on the use of Premium Motor Spirit and diesel in the country.

     

    After the removal of fuel subsidy, the Federal Government had provided N100bn for the purchase of 5,500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, alongside spurring the development of CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations.

     

    President Bola Tinubu has also encouraged Nigerians to venture into the CNG initiative.

     

    Reechoing the admonishment of the government, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Oluwemimo Osanipin, described the CNG as best for Nigerians from all fronts considering its affordable cost.

     

    The NADDC DG said this during an assessment tour of Lanre Shittu assembling plant in Lagos on Monday.

     

    While appealing to Nigerians to buy CNG buses, the DG added that the government was ready to do anything within its power to ensure that the assemblers of CNG flourish in their business.

     

    He said, “My appeal to Nigerians is for all of us to start adopting this initiative and start buying Nigeria-assembled CNG vehicles. It will save us from more expenses. Just like we just heard from one of the engineers now, a 60k of CNG will cover more than 300 kilometres, if you compare that to a petrol or diesel-powered vehicle, you will know that CNG is good for Nigerians.

  • Emefiele’s Wife Ordered Funds Transfer From Nigerian Central Bank To Family-Linked Companies, Witness Reveals

    Emefiele’s Wife Ordered Funds Transfer From Nigerian Central Bank To Family-Linked Companies, Witness Reveals

    Emefiele’s Wife Ordered Funds Transfer From Nigerian Central Bank To Family-Linked Companies, Witness Reveals

    Emefiele is currently on trial for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds totalling $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion during his tenure as CBN governor

     

    Mrs. Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, Business Relationship Manager at Zenith Bank plc, testified in the Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, revealing how Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), utilised his companies to secure various contracts from the apex bank.

     

    Emefiele is currently on trial for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds totalling $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion during his tenure as CBN governor.

     

    Emefiele is facing a 26-count charge alongside his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omoile, in a trial presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi.

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the charges against them.

     

    Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, the fifth prosecution witness, testified in court that she had no direct dealings with Emefiele but received instructions from his wife, Margaret Emefiele, to transfer funds from the CBN into their private companies’ Zenith Bank account, revealing a potential conflict of interest and abuse of power.

     

    Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, the witness, testified that she received instructions not only from Mrs. Margaret Emefiele but also from two other individuals, John Ogah and the late Opeyemi Oludimu, who was an aide to Emefiele.

     

    Under questioning by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Ogbonnaya revealed that she received these instructions through various channels, including her official email, phone calls, and WhatsApp messages, detailing how she carried out transactions based on these instructions.

     

    Ogbonnaya testified before Justice Oshodi that the companies that received funds from the CBN were Limelight Multidimensional Ltd, Come Support Services Ltd, Ambswin Resources Ltd, and Magofarm. She revealed that Emmanuel initially opened the accounts for Emefiele’s companies, but new signatories took over in 2021, specifically Stephen and Patrici¤a.

  • BREAKING: Tinubu Government Removes Tariffs On Rice Importation, Set To Import 500,000 Metric Tonnes Of Maize, Wheat To Tackle Food Inflation

    BREAKING: Tinubu Government Removes Tariffs On Rice Importation, Set To Import 500,000 Metric Tonnes Of Maize, Wheat To Tackle Food Inflation

    BREAKING: Tinubu Government Removes Tariffs On Rice Importation, Set To Import 500,000 Metric Tonnes Of Maize, Wheat To Tackle Food Inflation

     

    The commodities the government is prioritising to benefit from this include: Maize, Husked Brown Rice, Wheat and Cowpeas.

    The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has announced measures to tackle the skyrocketing food prices nationwide.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the measures would be implemented over the next 180 days.

     

    A 150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for food commodities which includes; suspension of duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities through land and sea borders.”

     

    The commodities the government is prioritising to benefit from this include: Maize, Husked Brown Rice, Wheat and Cowpeas.

     

    The statement from the minister further noted that “Under this arrangement, imported food commodities will be subjected to a Recommended Retail Price (RRP).”

     

    The government further promised to ensure importation of only quality produce.

     

    “In addition to the importation by private sector, Federal Government will import 250,000MT of Wheat and 250,000MT of Maize.”

     

    “The imported food commodities in their semi processed state will target supplies to the small-scale processors and millers across the country.”

     

    According to the government, “it would engage relevant stakeholders to set a Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) and mop up surplus assorted food commodities to restock the National Strategic Food Reserve.”

     

    The Tinubu-led administration also noted that it plans to scale up support for Homs Green Initiative by the office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

     

     

     

    “The success of the measures aforementioned is contingent on cooperation and collaboration of all relevant MDAs and stakeholders.” the government noted in its press statement .

     

    Nigerians have continued to suffer from issues of rise in prices of food, with food inflation reaching highest in many years.

  • Student Loan: New Hope For NOUN Students

    Student Loan: New Hope For NOUN Students

    Student Loan: New Hope For NOUN Students

    The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has addressed the intricacies surrounding the student loans for its students.

     

    Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. Olufemi Peters expressed concerns over some misleading statements and comments indicating that students of NOUN are not eligible to participate in student loan scheme.

     

    It will be recalled that the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had earlier said NOUN students are ineligible to apply for the newly launched student loan.

    However, Peters said that the information is not correct, and should be disregarded.

     

    According to him, the initial challenges that, perhaps, led to the misinformation, was because of misrepresentation from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which has been corrected

     

     

    “There was a misrepresentation by JAMB on that matter, but they have since corrected it. Director of Admissions or even JAMB Registrar can attest to that.

     

    “We always register our students with JAMB every semester, and they all possess JAMB registration number. In addition to that, we strictly follow the same admission processes with other conventional institutions.

     

     

  • Police Arrest Man Who Attempted Suicide Over Insecurity, Others In Abuja

    Police Arrest Man Who Attempted Suicide Over Insecurity, Others In Abuja

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested Shuaibu Alhaji Yushau for attempted suicide after climbing the Aso Radio broadcast mast in Abuja, threatening to kill himself if certain demands were not met by the federal government.

     

    Earlier on Monday morning, Yushau had claimed the very high mast with a placard, captioned “It Is Long Enough”.

     

    His placard also stated that “it is long enough for citizens to continue suffering in hunger”, “Long enough for government to standby while Boko Haram and bandits continue to kill people on a daily basis.”

     

    FCT police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, while confirming the arrest, said: “following a distress call from concerned citizens about a young man who climbed a very high mast with a placard at ASO Radio in Katampe at about 09:10am, the operatives of the FCT Police Command swiftly mobilized to the location.

     

    With much professional persuasions from the police operatives, the man later identified as Shuaibu Alhaji Yushau was prevented from taking his own life.

     

    “He claimed to have been observing the mast for about a week before deciding to climb it. Suspect is presently in police custody and in a stable condition.

     

  • EFCC Appeals Ruling Acquitting Fayose’s Associate

    EFCC Appeals Ruling Acquitting Fayose’s Associate

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a notice of appeal against the ruling of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which acquitted Abiodun Agbele, an associate of the former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, and three others in the ₦1.2bn money laundering charge brought against them by the commission.

     

    Agbele and three (3) companies linked to him together with the former governor, namely Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, De Privateer Limited, and Spotless Investment Limited were listed as the first to fourth respondents in the appeal

     

    The ₦1.2bn is said to be part of the sum of ₦4.7 billion belonging to the Federal Government and allegedly transferred from an account associated with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

     

    Justice Dimgba had on the 21 June, 2024, upheld the no-case submission of Agbele and ruled that he had no case to answer.

    In the notice of appeal, the EFCC, through its prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, listed 17 grounds of appeal and sought two reliefs from the Court of Appeal.

  • Federal Gov’t Gives Contractors 3-month Deadline To Complete Projects

    Federal Gov’t Gives Contractors 3-month Deadline To Complete Projects

    The Federal Government has issued contractors handling the 260 emergency projects three months deadline to deliver or face termination.

     

    Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi issued the deadline during a meeting with contractors on Monday in Abuja.

     

    Umahi explained that the emergency road projects were appropriated in the 2023 Supplementary Budget with the intention to bring immediate intervention on the completely failed parts of critical federal roads nationwide.

     

    The minister, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Barr Orji Uchenna Orji, listed about 37 contractors who have achieved little or no milestone in the project delivery since the contracts were awarded and warned them to mobilise effectively to the sites latest on Wednesday July 10 or face contract termination.

     

    He said, “If after the deadline for mobilisation to the site, any contractor fails to comply, the job shall be terminated by effluxion of time as the contract is for a time limit of three months.

     

    “Any contractor whose job has stayed for more than three months without completion after the issuance of award letter, must seek and obtain approval for extension of time from the Federal Ministry of Works”.

     

    The statement said most of the defaulting contractors, were handling emergency road projects in Yobe, Jigawa, Zamfara, Benue, Kogi, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and River States.

     

     

     

    He warned that the projects awarded to them must be delivered in three months’ time as no excuse of security challenges or lack of mobilisation funds would justify the sufferings they are subjecting road users or shield them from being blacklisted as constituting a clog in the wheel of progress in the efforts of the ‘Renewed Hope’ administration in revolutionising road infrastructure for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

  • Ogun bad roads forced table water companies to shut down in six months: Producers

     

    Mr Lawal identified bad roads, poor power supply and government policies as challenges that impeded the effective distribution of their product in Ogun.

     

    Babatunde Lawal, the state chairman of ATWAP, told journalists on Monday in Ota, Ogun, that the affected members were unable to continue production due to a lack of critical infrastructure, which militated against their business.

     

    Mr Lawal identified bad roads, poor power supply and government policies as challenges that impeded the effective distribution of their product.

     

    He said some challenges, such as increased fuel prices and general hikes in raw materials, also resulted in increased vehicle repair and production costs in the long run.

     

    Mr Lawal emphasised the need for the provision of critical infrastructure because any firm or business that shuts down would automatically downsize all its employees, thus leading to an increased unemployment rate.