KICNEWS

Category: News

  • Atiku: Borno Attack: Don’t turn North-East to theater of terrorism — Atiku tells FG

    Atiku: Borno Attack: Don’t turn North-East to theater of terrorism — Atiku tells FG

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has condemned the bomb attack in Borno State, warning the Federal Government not to turn the North East to the theater of terrorism.

    Atiku issued this warning in a post on his verified Facebook page on Sunday.

    The former vice-Presidentasked the present administration to live up to expectation, accusing the government of lacklustre posture in holding firmly to the frontline in the gains made by security operatives.

     

    According to him, it is a sad development that the “ugly incidents of terrorism are resurfacing and, indeed, metastasising in the North-East.”

     

    He said, “The reported attack by suicide bombers at a wedding reception, funeral procession, and a hospital on Saturday stands condemned.

     

    “It is unfortunate that much of the pushback that had been achieved against the Boko Haram terror sect are being cancelled, owing mainly to the government’s lacklustre posture to hold firmly on the frontline.

    “It is thus important to call on the federal authorities to wake up to their responsibility and to make sure that the North-East does not slide back into a theatre of terrorism and extreme violence.”

    Atiku also expressed condolences to the families of victims of these attacks, saying, “it is my prayer that God grants a peaceful repose to the souls of the departed.”

  • Don’t repeat Buhari’s mistake on appointments — Shehu Sani warns Tinubu

    Don’t repeat Buhari’s mistake on appointments — Shehu Sani warns Tinubu

    A former Kaduna lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has warned the President Bola Tinubu not to make the mistake of his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari on appointments.

    Sani issued this warning while speaking in interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

    The former lawmaker asked President Tinubu to prioritise competence in his appointments if he is interested in results.

     

    Sani said during Buhari’s eight-year administration between May 2015 and May 2023, nepotism was at its peak yet results were not produced in all areas of governance, majorly security, economy, education and healthcare.

     

    He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I believe he is experienced to understand this.

    “Under Presdient Buhari, you have ministers that were appointed into office for the whole of eight years; they were with him for the first tenure and the second tenure, and there was no cabinet reshuffle, no removal.

    “Even if there was a removal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was the way the country was governed.

    “Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.

     

    Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.

     

    “Service chiefs were retained in office despite their failures, and by retaining them, you destroyed the careers of those behind them. For many years, many officers were retired to appoint one person

     

    .”If this country has to move forward, we must treat the issue of competency as the qualification for appointment,” he said.

  • Security: ICYMI: Nigerian Army promotes first female officer trained in UK military academy to Lieutenant

    Security: ICYMI: Nigerian Army promotes first female officer trained in UK military academy to Lieutenant

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has ordered the promotion of Second Lieutenant Oluchukwu Owowoh to the substantive rank of Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.

     

    The Nigerian Defence Academy disclosed this in a statement on X.com on Wednesday.

    The statement by the NDA on Wednesday partly read, “Speaking during the decoration ceremony that took place today, June 26, 2024, at the Nigerian Defence Academy Officer’s Mess and Golf Club, the NDA Commandant, Major General JO Ochai, extolled the track record of excellence of Lt. Owowoh as a cadet, which accorded her the rare privilege of becoming the first female Nigerian to be trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as well as her promotion to the new rank.

    The event was attended by senior military officers, academic and non-academic staff, and family members, among others.”

  • CAC attending to over 15,000 applications daily for its fintech regularisation program

    CAC attending to over 15,000 applications daily for its fintech regularisation program

     

    The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has stated that it is treating no less than 15,000 applications daily, including on weekends, for its fintech regularisation program.

    The commission stated in a public notice on ease of doing business while disregarding misleading claims made in the media about its services with respect to name search availability. It noted that the reports were false and aimed at discrediting the image of the organisation.

    On its effort to regularise the fintech and agent banking industry, the commission stated that its approving officers are treating each application based on its merit.  

    It stated, “The General Public may recall that in line with the provisions of Section 863(1) of the Companies and Allied Matters, CAMA 2020, and the CBN guidelines for Agent Banking, 2013, the Commission commenced the regularisation of all Fintechs in the country.” 

    “In view of the set deadline for the regularisation of the Fintechs, the Commission is unprecedentedly treating no less than 15,000 applications per day (weekends inclusive), and its hardworking approving officers are working assiduously to treat applications based on their merits.” 

     

  • Moniepoint, Opay, Palmpay, Others Set to Block PoS Operators’ Accounts as CAC Deadline Nears

    Moniepoint, Opay, Palmpay, Others Set to Block PoS Operators’ Accounts as CAC Deadline Nears

    Palmpay sends message to customers With a few days left to the deadline,

    Palmpay, one of the fintech companies, has instructed POS operators in its network to comply with the directives. According to Umuteme Enakeno, head of marketing and communication at PalmPay, failure to comply will result in accounts being frozen after the deadline. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/business-economy/1599409-palmpay-fintech-set-block-pos-operators-accounts

    CAC’s POS registration directive Legit.ng earlier reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria, in a memo issued on April 30, 2024, directed all non-individuals on the agent banking authorisation to immediately take steps to register their businesses with the CAC in line with Section 863 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.

     

    The directive made it mandatory for PoS terminals, whether agents, merchants, or individuals, to register with CAC before the commencement of business. Following up on the CBN announcement, CAC released a statement titled ‘‘Enforcement of Compliance with CBN Directive on Registration Before Onboarding” demanding that banks ensure registration on or before July 7, 2024. Part of the statement reads: “The Registrar-General therefore enjoined the banks to ensure maximum compliance with the requirements of the law to ensure economic growth

  • Just In: Olu Jacob’s Family Debunks The Actor’s Death Rumour, Says His Hale And Hearty

    Just In: Olu Jacob’s Family Debunks The Actor’s Death Rumour, Says His Hale And Hearty

    The family of Nollywood Veteran, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs has debunked the rumour of the actor’s death.

    Olu Jacobs’ family said the actor is alive, hale, and hearty against the rumour speculating on social media. They pleaded with the general public to disregard any misinformation about their father’s well-being.

    In reaction to the news, Stanley Nwoko confirmed that the Nollywood veteran is still alive and acknowledged that he was misinformed about the actor’s state of well-being.

  • FG, Ogun offer grants to over 17,000 MSMEs

    FG, Ogun offer grants to over 17,000 MSMEs

    FG, Ogun offer grants to over 17,000 MSMEs

    The Federal Government and the Ogun State Government have given grants to more than 17,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and traders in the state.

     

    According to a statement from the Ogun State Government on Sunday, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced this during the second Expanded National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Business Clinic, which was held in the state recently.

     

    The Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Ogun State Government organised the MSMEs clinic in Abeokuta.

     

    The Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Ogun State Government organised the MSMEs clinic in Abeokuta.

    Speaking at the event, Shettima said that 200 entrepreneurs at the Modern Adire Shared Facility would each get a grant of N100,000 each and an exemption from paying rent for one year.

    He also added that each exhibitor at the Expanded National MSMEs Business Clinics would get N150,000 grant to further boost their businesses.

    The consolidated efforts serve as a facilitator which would lead to a robust environment for our MSMEs to grow. Ogun State has been impressive with its roles in improving the lots of MSMEs,” he said.

    In his address, The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, disclosed that the state government, given the present economic condition, would support small businesses with a N2bn conditional grant, through which 10,000 MSMEs would be empowered with N100,000 in grants each.

    He added that 2,000 SMEs would each get a N500,000 grant to aid their businesses.

    Abiodun added that as part of his administration’s first phase of intervention, the informal sector would also benefit as 5,000 market women, who would each get N50,000 to boost their trading activities and students would also benefit from the government cash grant.

    He revealed that the state in its drive to harness the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, would through its SME Industrial Land Administration Scheme establish a 1,000-hectare SME industrial park.

    The governor said that the park would be available to small business owners at lower market rates, with benefits such as Certificates of Occupancy and other incentives, including rebates on taxes and land use charges.

    In his response, the President of Organised Private Sector Network and  Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Dr Femi Egbesola, lauded the Federal and Ogun State Governments for the grants, describing it as timely help, which would ultimately enhance businesses and result in improved revenue generation for the government in the long run.

  • FG Not Planning To Run Four Budgets’ – Presidency Fires Peter ObiPublished

    FG Not Planning To Run Four Budgets’ – Presidency Fires Peter ObiPublished

     

    The Presidency has dismissed the claims of a non-profit organisation, BudgiT, that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, plans to run four budgets within a fiscal year.

    Naija News recalls that the Senate resumed plenary on Thursday to extend the capital section of the 2023 supplementary budget.

    In a statement on Friday, BudgIT’s Country Director, Gabriel Okeowo, said it was worrisome that the Federal Government could be drafting a 2024 supplementary budget to be implemented alongside the 2023 yearly budget, 2023 supplementary budget, and 2024 annual budget.

    Okeowo condemned the development, stating it would amount to severe budget credibility issues.

    In a statement via X on Saturday, Peter Obi described the move as a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability.

    According to the former Governor of Anambra state, the action of Tinubu’s government will lead to frivolous items in the approved budgets competing with essential projects for limited resources, further exacerbating the suffering of the Nigerian people.

    Reacting to the development, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a statement via X, said the Federal Government is not planning to run four budgets within a fiscal year, as alleged.

  • Lite Abuja building incident, a controlled demolition – FCT agency

    Lite Abuja building incident, a controlled demolition – FCT agency

    The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department has clarified that the incident initially reported as a building collapse in an Abuja estate was actually a controlled demolition due to structural defects, and no lives were lost.

     

    It was earlier reported that an unconfirmed number of workers were feared dead after a building at Nicholas Ukachukwu’s Praco Limited Estate in Guzape, Abuja, collapsed on Friday.

     

    It was also reported that a rescue operation was going on but had been hindered by heavy rainfall.

     

     

  • Just In: Zamfara Govt Rejects Tinubu’s Permanent Secretary Appointment

    Just In: Zamfara Govt Rejects Tinubu’s Permanent Secretary Appointment

    The Dauda Lawal-led Zamfara State Government has rejected the federal permanent secretary appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday night.

    Naija News reports that Tinubu had on June 28 approved the appointment of Maryam Ismaila Keshinro and seven others as permanent secretaries to fill existing and impending vacancies of some states and geo-political zones in the top administrative cadre of the Civil Service of the Federation.

    Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media, Ajuri Ngelale, disclose that the appointees were selected after a diligent selection process by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

    But the Zamfara State government rejected the appointment of Ismaila, claiming that she is not an indigene of the state and is also not qualified to hold the position.

    According to Premium Times, Zamfara’s Head of Service, Ahmad Liman, in an earlier letter in the selection process dated 24 May and addressed to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, claimed that Mrs Ismaila is not an indigene of the state and cannot legally represent the people of the state, hence, must be dropped.

    The letter stated: “Consequent upon the commencement of the appointment process of the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, issues arose that stirred the collective attention of the good people of Zamfara State as the par representative capacity of candidates deployed in the process, most especially the potential candidate pencilled for the appointment on the post of a permanent secretary purported from Zamfara State.

     

    The moves not only failed to meet the requirements provided under the eligibility criteria enshrined in the Public Service Rules (as revised) but also the requisite for the said post offends the content of a recent Federal Government Circular No. MH.7205/T/31 dated 7th September 2023, on Tenure policy respecting clinical Officers/Personnel since the potential candidate that wrongly claimed representation of the good people of Zamfara State is clinical personnel.

     

     

    “It’s worthy of note to clarify from the onset, that the candidate infracted the key provision of Eligibility Criteria of the PSR, especially Rules 020811 (e) (f) which linked the requirements to indigeneship

     

    For all purposes and intendment, the candidate is never an indigene of Zamfara State and would not legally claim or enjoy representation for the sake of the good people of Zamfara State. Furthermore, no purported documentation in that respect will legally qualify her to be a bonafide indigene of Zamfara State.”

     

    “It’s against, this background, that I am therefore, directed to appeal to the collective conscience of the offices of the Head of the Federation and indeed all critical stakeholders to drop the candidacy of MARYAM IBRAHIM ALIYU or by whatever name called (Keshinro Maryam Ismaila) for the post of a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service in representation for the good people of Zamfara State to allow bonafide indigene of Zamfara extraction in the Federal Civil Service to legally and positively compete for the post.