Vigilante Group To Get Anti-terrorism Training – Commandant General

The Commandant General, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Alhaji Usman Mohammed Jahun has disclosed that about one thousand members of Vigilante Group of Nigeria are to benefit from anti terrorism training this year.

Jahun who made this known in Abuja while addressing members of the organisation on VGN’s plan of action across the country for this year, said the training has became necessary in order to compliment the efforts of the present administration in tackling insecurity and all forms of insurgency in the country.

He stated that VGN had also mapped out other strategies to enhance the performance of its members nationwide and commended the support of the National Assembly to VGN.

While soliciting for the assistance of both the federal and state governments on the activities of the Organisation, Jahun explained that the organisation had lost about one thousand of its members to insurgency from 2010 to 2016.

He further explained that VGN had put in place welfare scheme to cater for the families of its late members across the country, while reiterating the determination of the organisation to continue to compliment the efforts of other security agencies towards protecting lives and property in the rural areas.

Organisation, according to him, is also embarking on adult education programme for its members to reduce the level of illiteracy among its members across the country.

The Commandant General stated that in order to avoid impersonation and other forms of criminality among its members, a  data base had also been created.

While advising members of VGN to always discharge their duties with sense of responsibility, Jahun expressed the hope that VGN Bill currently before the National Assembly, when passed into law, would boost the performance of the organisation nationwide.

LGAs autonomy: NULGE plans nationwide protest

The President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees  (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khalee, has said  that local governments workers across the federation will soon embark on a nationwide protest to support the efforts by the National Assembly, to grant both administrative and financial autonomy to local governments in the country.

 he said  that the union, with support from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has concluded plans for the nationwide protest.

The President of NULGE, who spoke on the outcome of the Union’s National Executive Council (NEC), meeting held in Abuja and NULGE`s visit to the National Assembly, said the protest would be used to sensitize the members of the state assemblies on the desirability of local government autonomy.

 According to him, the protest is one of the advocacy activities mapped out to ensure that the local government areas are financially and administratively autonomous in line with the global standard practice.

 The NULGE President said: "One of the demands at the United Nations meeting was that the LGAs across the world be made to be autonomous in line with the democratic principles."

 He said the members of the unions have sanctioned advocacy protests across the six geopolitical zones of the country at the designated centres.

 Khaleel mentioned the centres to include Calabar, Cross River State in the South-South;  Enugu, Enugu State in the South East; Oshogbo, Osun state in South West;  Ilorin, Kwara State in North Central;  Jalingo, Taraba State in North East and North West zone.

 He said the union at the state and local government levels will also conduct similar protest.

NOW THAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS TRIUMPHANTLY ‘TRUMPED’

By Joseph Adudu

Yesterday, Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th American president. And I am positive that people like Professor Wole Soyinka have already devised means of living with their trauma in the next four years or more. Not only him but many other Nigerians and Americans, especially the democrats whom I believe come have come to terms with the fact that now; Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America. A lot of people from Africa and Arab regions had prayed earnestly that the boisterous Republican candidate did not win the November 8, 2016 election. Against all odds and permutation however, Trump made history by defeating the highly favoured Democratic Party candidate, Hilary Clinton in spite of opinion polls favouring her. From the beginning of the presidential campaign that political observers and opponents derided as a huge joke, Donald Trump made up his mind that his greatest asset was his complete lack of a quality all his opponents had to a greater or less extend – disrespect which knew no boundaries.

He was tagged as shameless, disrespectful, and lacking in decency and propriety that are normally the defining characteristics of mainstream politicians in the US. However, the same negative trends seemed to have propelled Trump to the threshold of the Republican Nomination.

A refusal to respect ‘sacred cows’ has enabled the all-conquering property mogul to leave a succession of once-mighty high profile casualties in his wake.

They include: Senator John McCain, former Republican presidential candidate and war hero, ridiculed for being shot down by North Vietnam and becoming a prisoner of war; Megan Kelly, Fox News host, on the receiving end of relentless personal and misogynistic attacks after confronting the candidate about his attitude to women; Jeb Bush, scion of one of America’s most successful political dynasties and once thought the likely nominee, mocked as “low energy”; Mitt Romney, the failed 2012 Republican nominee, vilified after attacking Trump’s credentials; Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, swatted away contemptuously as “little Marco”; and last but not least, Ted Cruz, the Right-wing Texas senator who became the party establishments last hope of stopping the Trump juggernaut only to be flattened by a fusillade of abuse that included attacks on his wife’s looks, fanciful smears of his father’s role in the assassination of JFK and himself denigrated as “lying’ Ted”.

Even Pope Francis was not spared when Trump fired back after the Pope suggested “he is not a Christian”. The Pope was asked by a reporter travelling with him back to the Vatican at a conclusion of a trip to Cuba and Mexico if a Catholic could vote for Trump to which Pope Francis said “A person who thinks only about building walls wherever they may be and not building bridges is not a Christian. This is not the gospel”. In response, Trump said “no leader, especially a religious leader should have the right to question another man’s religion or faith. For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful. They are using the Pope as a pawn and they should be ashamed of themselves for doing so especially when so many lives are involved and when illegal immigration is so rampant. The Pope is not seeing the crime, the drug trafficking and the negative economic impact the current economic policies have on the United States. He doesn’t see how Mexican leadership is outsmarting President Obama. The Mexican government and its leadership has made many disparaging remarks about me to the Pope because they want to continue to rip off the United States both on trade and at the boarder and they understand I am totally wiser to them.

“I am proud to be a Christian and as President, I will not allow Christianity to be consistently attacked and weakened unlike what is happening now with our current President”

You would agree with me that in all these, Trump has not behaved like a traditional politician – however, the results of his behaviour have been an almost unbroken run of success that has confounded Republican Party grandees who have despaired of stopping him. It all seems too fantastical to comprehend. Yet hindsight shows that Trump deployed his absence of shame to offer simplistic populist solutions on issues that have shaped a fearful and resentful public mood and therefore reaped electoral dividends in key areas like Immigration, Terrorism and Trade among others.

For instance; immigration, a serious concern to conservative working-class voters, Trump played to base instincts. Mexico was sending drug dealers and rapists to America, he said in language that drew widespread condemnation but clearly resonated. In response, he would build a “beautiful” wall on the border and force Mexico to pay for it. Some 11 million illegal immigrants would be rounded up and forcibly deported.

On terrorism, Trump first repeated the discredited trope that “thousands” of American Muslims celebrated the 9/11 attacks after the November’s deadly Jihadist assaults on Paris. When that brought the inevitable denunciations, he went further than any other candidate would ever have dared – by proposing a blanket ban on all Muslims entering the United States, a blatantly discriminatory policy that nonetheless played on the fears of a significant segment of Republican voters.
On trade, Trump has depicted the loss of American jobs as a result of flawed trade deals with China, Mexico and others and vowed to stop what he presented as the sell-out of the country by a clueless, weak leadership. “Trade agreements would be torn up”, he said. This has chimed with a portion of the electorate left bewildered by the pace of change wrought by the digital economy – and un-persuaded by arguments that similarly disruptive processes are wreaking just as much havoc elsewhere.
In all these, two reasons stand above all: Trump won his party’s nomination and the general election itself because he, alone among other contestants, dared to defy the media and spoke directly to the American people. Second; he worked harder than Hilary Clinton, campaigning even in blue states experts said he had no hope of winning.

It may also be interesting to note that Trump did not ignored the Media as witnessed in the volume of interviews he granted and the number of Journalists he carted around on a dedicated press plane for months. On the contrary, the press ignored him on the assumption (in my personal opinion) that he was going to lose. To many in the media industry, it was all a pointless ordeal, leavened only by the apparently gratifying task of catching Trump in a perceived gaffe or noting audience misbehavior.

Many Journalists apparently believed it was their civic duty to protect the public from Trump more so as a lot of them lacked curiosity about what Trump was saying to voters and whether he was reaching them. As a matter of fact, Journalists and Editors were busy talking and forgot to listen. As I pointed out immediately after the November 8, 2016 Presidential election, most media outfits concentrated in broadcasting and publishing hit piece after hit piece in an all-out attempt to destroy Trump. During the campaign period, a check on any websites of the mainstream media on any particular day was inevitable that you would find an anti Trump story usually accompanied by a pro- Clinton story nearby. I have also said that the elite were desperate to keep Trump out of the white House and if that means shedding all notions of media objectivity and siccing their attack dogs on Trump day after day, then it must be accomplished. What we saw during the campaign season was absolutely unprecedented.

In a nutshell, not many expected Trump to win the American Presidential election because he was an outlier having run against both parties and also appealed to voters’ basest instincts and did so in an arrogant manner. It is also obvious that a lot of people had wished for a different outcome. While some have called the out come of the election a historical disaster, others see God’s hand in it. Still, others see it as a terrible case against democracy while others say its beauty was also at play. Whichever way, Americans have spoken but Trump should be careful not to misread the mandate given to him. I personally think it would be a great mistake for him to regard his mandate a license to abolish all the policies of the immediate past administration. Trump is now the president of the United States of America but the consequences go beyond that and this is where the real work starts. Indeed, the campaigns have been crude and offensive creating bad blood as demonstrated by protesters immediately he was declared winner and yesterday during the inauguration. And I believe it is for this reason that Trump repeatedly said that he is a president for all. In his speech after the inauguration, Trump spoke of new era of economic prosperity and job creation for Americans. But I was highly elated when he also pledged to unite the ‘civilized world’ against ‘radical Islamic terrorism’. I can’t agree less with President Trump on this. Terrorism to me is that monster that has taken the world by storm and if not properly tackled, may likely bring it to its knees. Nigeria is an indispensable ally not only in regional but continental security. President Trump therefore, should seek for serious demonstrations on the part of President Buhari to partner with Nigeria in confronting our security challenges-mostly, to bring an end to the Boko Haram menace- as well as other regional security problems.

It’s apparent that since the end of the cold war that saw the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the world has constantly relied on the United States leadership to maintain world peace. Though some pundits have observed that the US has not always lived up to expectations, but I believe the US is undoubtedly, an indispensable world power which despite its imperfections, has helped to stabilize the world and prevented it from tearing apart.

On his intention to build walls to tinker with some of the country’s policies concerning immigration, I think Nigeria leaders and the elite are the saddest. And I am not surprised. I stand to be corrected but it is doubtful if there are other countries whose elite are as crazy for America as the Nigerian elite and leaders. They jet out to America to treat malaria, catarrh, cold and sore throat instead of putting in place qualitative health institutions in our country to the standard that is obtain in the US. Most of our leaders both past and present sent their children to school in the US thereby helping to grow the US economy and killing ours but urging the rest of us to be patriotic by making do with what is already in shambles here. So, most Nigerians would be eternally grateful if President Trump would keep to his campaign promise of erecting the wall and encourage leaders of other developed nations to do same to shut out Nigerian elite and leaders so they can stay back at home and begin to perfect ways of giving proper attention to our decayed institutions with the aim of developing them to meet up with global standard.
Finally, let me state that President Trump faces daunting challenges but I hope every decision and action he takes would be in agreement with his conscience and the Almighty God will surely see him through.

CONGRATULATIONS, DONALD AKPASU (WARRIOR) TRUMP.

President Muhammadu Buhari decision to Travels to U.K. for Medical Check-up, drawn criticism from Nigerian

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has left the West African country for a vacation in the U.K., where he will undergo medical checks, a decision which has angered some of his countrymen.

A statement from Buhari’s spokesman Femi Adesina on Thursday said Buhari, 74, would travel to Britain as “part of his annual vacation.” The president would undergo “routine medical check-ups” during the vacation before returning to work on February 6.

It is the second time in a year that Buhari has sought medical treatment outside Nigeria ; he also traveled to London in June 2016 and saw an ear, nose and throat specialist after contracting an ear infection.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in London Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari leaves after addressing delegates at the start of a conference to tackle corruption at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London on May 11, 2016. Buhari is traveling to the U.K. for a medical checkup, the second time in a year that he has sought treatment in Britain.

Buhari, who was elected in March 2015 in Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power, has previously promised to clamp down on so-called “health tourism”, where government officials travel abroad for treatment rather than patronizing Nigerian doctors.

In a speech in April 2016 to the Nigerian Medical Association, Buhari said the country lost around $1 billion to health tourism each year. The president added that he would discourage government officials from going elsewhere for treatment “especially when there is evidence of expertise in Nigeria.”

Buhari’s own decision to travel abroad for medical treatment has irked some Nigerians, particularly in light of the generous allocation given to the state house clinic, which treats government officials, including the president, in the country’s 2016 budget.

Buhari’s health came under scrutiny during the 2015 election campaign when his opponents claimed he was suffering from terminal prostate cancer. The former military general dismissed the allegations.

I.D.GYANG flags off three-day free medical outreach

Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday hosted a huge crowd that gathered for a three-day free medical outreach organised by the member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, Hon. Istifanus D. Gyang.

Gyang said the free medical outreach was organised in fulfilment of promises made to the people of Barkin Ladi and Riyom during his campaign.
He promised that the mandate accorded to him would be utilised maximally for the people of the area to benefit.

He said: “The medical outreach to me is a promise kept.
“And the mandate given to me is speaking and is producing unchallenged results and I am bold to tell you that last year we organised something like this, over 7,000 benefited from it.

“Three hundred people have also benefited from our economic empowerment and we have also initiated the construction of 11.3km road in this constituency.”
The Chairman of the occasion and former Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Prof. Shedrack Best, commended the lawmaker for keeping faith with his campaign promises, especially ensuring the welling of the people.
Best described Gyang as a worthy ambassador and son of Riyom and Barkin Laid, who, within the first one year as a legislator, has touched every sector of life in Plateau State, especially in science and technology, agriculture, health and commerce.

He said the outreach will go a long way in changing the health status of the people and encouraged the beneficiaries to rally round the lawmaker and support him to achieve the best he could.

In his goodwill message, the member representing Riyom in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Daniel Dem, commended Gyang for the efforts he has been making to better the lots of the people.

Dem encouraged him to keep up with the good work.

Goodwill messages also came from the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kuden Kamshak, state and federal lawmakers as well as traditional rulers and PDP leaders who showered accolades on the lawmaker.

Obasanjo showered praises on Goodluck Jonathan for his exemplary leadership

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday showered praises on former President Goodluck Jonathan for his exemplary leadership at his Ibogun country home in Ifo area of Ogun State, after a closed-door meeting that lasted almost two hours.

Jonathan arrived at Obasanjo hometown at 11.58 a.m., in company of his former minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, and other close aides.

The visit was private, as the duo went into a closed-door meeting, which lasted almost two hours.

The visit may not be unconnected to unconfirmed reports of a reconciliation move between the two former Nigerian leaders, particularly ahead of the 2019 general elections.

It was a sharp contrast from his constant criticism of the former president in the last couple of years.

Though, details of the meeting was not disclosed, Obasanjo, who spoke to the press after the meeting, tasked leaders across the world to learn from the exemplary leadership style of himself and that of Jonathan, saying that Jonathan went into the office of the President with “little or no experience” but has now amassed more wisdom and experience on leadership after leaving office.

Obasanjo said: “I believe that not only Nigeria, West Africa and Africa and indeed the world will continue to tap into our experiences, our wisdom and I hope and pray that when the call is made to you, you will be more than ready to put your experience, the lessons you have learnt into the service of this country, for African and indeed for humanity in general.

Obasanjo insisted that Nigeria was not created by error, neither by chance, and urged all Nigerians, especially the leaders, to continue to work together for the success of the country, saying: “Nigeria is a good country and we must never be tired of lifting the country up to the height that God has created it to be.”

He added: “God has created Nigeria to be great and God did not make a mistake when he put all of us together and if He doesn’t want us to be together, no power in the world would have made us come together,” he added.

Obasanjo also admonished Jonathan to contribute his own quota to the development of the country and African continent at large, noting: “I believe that not only Nigeria, but also West Africa and Africa and indeed the world will continue to tap into our experiences, our wisdom.

“I hope and pray that when the call is made to you (Jonathan), you will be more than ready to put your experience and the lessons you have learnt into the service of this country, for African and indeed for humanity in general.

“I have said to you (Jonathan) before and I will say again that there are plenty of opportunities out there, within the country, within West Africa, within African and indeed in the larger world, where people will want you to make contributions.”

“I believe that you (Jonathan) are resting now and when you have fully rested, you will be hearing from me, because I have this opportunity to be around the world and I mention your name in dispatch.”

He continued: “Since you (Jonathan) left office, you hardly have time to sit down and relax, like you have been able to do today, and I hope, I sincerely hope and pray for more such relaxed situations, where we can reminiscence situations of the past that we have been through in this country and we can also look at what the future portends.

DONALD TRUMP INAUGURATION SPEECH

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: thank you.
We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people. Together we will determine the course of America and the world for many, many years to come. We will face challenges. We will confront hardships, but we will get the job done.
Every four years we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent. Thank you.
Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.
For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.
Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs, and while they celebrated in our nation’s capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.
That all changes starting right here and right now, because this moment is your moment. It belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day, this is your celebration, and this, the United States of America, is your country.
What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. Jan. 20, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.
The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of millions to become part of an historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before. At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction that a nation exists to serve its citizens.
Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public, but for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists.
Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation. An education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge. And the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.
This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
We are one nation, and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams, and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny. The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.
For many decades we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry, subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military.
We’ve defended other nations’ borders while refusing to defend our own and spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon.
One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores with not even a thought about the millions and millions of American workers that were left behind. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world. But that is the past and now we are looking only to the future.
We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first. America first.
Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.
I will fight for you with every breath in my body, and I will never, ever let you down. America will start winning again. Winning like never before. We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.
We will build new roads and highways and bridges and airports and tunnels and railways all across our wonderful nation. We will get our people off of welfare and back to work rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.
We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American. We will seek friendship and good will with the nations of the world, but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.
We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example. We will shine for everyone to follow. We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the earth.
At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.
We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When America is united, America is totally unstoppable. There should be no fear. We are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and most importantly, we will be protected by God.
Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.
We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action constantly complaining but never doing anything about it. The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action. Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.
We stand at the birth of a new millennium ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the earth from the miseries of disease and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow. A new national pride will stir ourselves, lift our sights and heal our divisions. It’s time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget, that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.
We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American flag. And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the wind-swept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky. They fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty creator.
So to all Americans in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, from ocean to ocean, hear these words. You will never be ignored again. Your voice, your hopes and your dreams will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.
Together we will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And, yes, together, we will make America great again. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America! Thank you. God bless America.

Gov. Lalong is committed to transforming the state into ICT Hobnob’-Hon Dalyop Dung

Daniel Dung Dalyop

The Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Plateau on ICT Hon. Daniel Dung Dalyop, commended the effort of the Plateau State Governor on transforming the state into an ICT Hobnob.

Speaking to Journalists at the main campus of Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi on Tuesday, during a one day symposium on ICT developing mobile solution to tertiary institutions across the state. Daniel Dung Dalyop encourages private and public sector investors in the state to key into the effort of Governor Lalong towards encouraging the development of ICT in the state.

He said the e-government platform encouraged by the state governor refers to the use of internet technology as a platform for exchange of information, providing e-services and e-transaction with citizen, business and other arms of government.

Dalyop reiterated further that Governor Lalong led administration has took a bolt step to partner with mobiles development solution to boost the innovation and earnings of youths in the state.
According to him, the workshop is aimed at exposing the knowledge and potential in developing applications which can connect communities for easy business transaction.
He added that,” our expert team of technology and business consultants are working round the clock to bring the variety of ICT knowledge and skills in addition to our industry in Nigeria and from around the world.
Dalyop explained that, Lalong government is poised to provide a conducive atmosphere for the private sector to grow regardless of the recession in the state and the country atlarge.
The chairman Plateau state Chapter of Nigeria Computer Society Silas Vem has advised youth group to enroll for further information technology in other to brace up with ICT in wealth creation.
He called on citizens of the country to take advantage of the technological development to create opportunities to address challenges that the current recession has created.
He said the major focus of Governor Lalong led administration is to mobilize the mandate of advanced development in ICT on the Plateau which is practice everywhere in the world today.
He said that this is an amazing opportunity most young ones are looking forward to seeing themselves Organize to stimulate the interest and exposing them.
Evem said, the one day symposium on ICT developing mobile solution to tertiary institutions across the state is to brainstorm on opportunities offered by ICT.
The keynote address by Prof. Tanko Ishaya said that the youth should take advantage of the technology advancement to improve their livelihood.

 

The Ngolong Ngas of Pankshin and Kanke Joint Traditional Council Passes on

News reaching Grassroots News  Nigeria indicates that the Pankshin and Kanke Joint Traditional Council have announced the death of its Acting President, the Ngolong Ngas, Chief Cyril Adams.

Speaking, the Management Committee Chairman of Pankshin LGA, Mr Stephen Jings, said: “We lost our paramount ruler on Jan. 1 at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) after a protracted illness.

“It is indeed a great loss to the people of Ngas but we give God the glory for the life he lived and the role he played in sustaining peace among the people,” he said.

News reaching Grassroots News Nigeria Suggests that the burial arrangements are being made by the Ngas people within Kanke and Pankshin Local Governments Areas according to local rights.

Chief Alexander Mwolwus, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to former governor, Jonah Jang, also confirmed the death of the traditional ruler.

“The death of the paramount ruler has created a great vacuum not only in Ngas land, but in Plateau as a whole,” Mwolwus said.

Adams was enthroned as the Da Weila of Fier District in 1970.

He was selected as the Acting President of Pankshin and Kanke Joint Traditional Council on Sept. 21, 2015 after the demise of Late Ngolong Ngas, Chief Joshua Dimlong, in 2015.

PDP Elders boycott Hon Timothy Golu stakeholders meeting and medical outreach

The Political rumble in Pankshin Kanam and Kanke Federal constituency of Plateau central went berserk today, as stakeholders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted meeting scheduled by member representing the Area, Hon. Timothy Golu.

The familiarization meeting organized for stakeholders of the PDP turned out that Elders and party supporters shunned event. because of his highhandedness in handling post congress election disputes, and also engaging in open confrontation with some key members of the party in his local government.

Hon. Golu had wanted to takeover total control of Kanke PDP party leadership ahead of 2019 general election, a situation that pitched him against other politicians who are also yearning to aspire for political offices.

An elder who spoke in anonymity said, why would Hon. Golu organized such a big and important event without firsts putting his house in order, he is either insensitive to political issues in his local government or the medical outreach is a smokescreen desperately carried out to divert attention from the main issues.

Information available to this medium revealed that, Hon Golu constituents members refused to avail themselves for the free medical outreach organized by his coordinators in   Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam (pkk) on Saturday.

The flag-off is slated was slated today at the General hospital Pankshin was slated to last for three days, but it eventually witnessed low turnout of persons.

It was  gathered that the recent decamping of top politicians  from the PKK especially former Governor Joshua Dariye and Deputy Speaker ,Rt Hon Yusuf Babayo Gagdi  have threatened the reelection of Hon Timothy Golu in 2019.

De-grassroots news source disclosed that Hon Yusuf Gagdi decamping was penciled by APC leadership to gun for the House of Representative seat while Senator Joshua Dariye will eye the senatorial seat come 2019.

Stakeholders in PKK Local Government Areas are of the strong views that Hon. Golu performances don’t warrant him to be reelected for the second time.

The group lamented that since Hon Golu was elected on the platform of PDP about 20 months now the people of his constituents are yet to feel the impact of democracy dividends.

They explained further that, the member has gone into limbo that nobody heard him on media or on the floor of the house which is a clear incident of abandoning the people of PKK.

POLITICAL JITTERY, AS CHIEF NANYAH DAMAN, CHAIRS NEW MEGA PARTY IN PLATEAU STATE

Chief Andrew Nanyah Daman has emerged as the Interim Chairman of the new Action Democratic Party (ADP) an off shoot of the long anticipated Mega Party in Plateau State.

Chief Nanyah, who confirmed this development to REALTY in a telephone conversation today, said the decision to make him Interim Chairman, was taken in a meeting held by the party’s stakeholders on December 26^th 2016. 

REALITY also just gathered that most political parties and politicians in the state are already jittery, knowing the political clout of the Chief.

You would recall that, Chief Nanyah Daman, as a journalist and Newspaper Publisher in the state, has been a strong voice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) immediately after the party lost the governorship seat to the ruling All Progressive Congress APC In the state. 

It is of note that the ADP has as its ideology, to bring power back to the youths and the masses in the country. 

More on the names of those that made the EXCO of the party in the state and why Chief Nanyah was selected to head the party in an interim capacity, coming soon!

Jonathan Ishaku, a victim of the inpunity

Former General Manager, Plateau Publishing Corporation (PPC), Publishers of The Nigeria Standard and Sunday Standard newspapers, Mr. Jonathan Ishaku, became a victim of the immediate past administration because of his insistence for contract's due process to be followed.

This came to light at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the immediate past administration activities sitting at Azi Nyako Youth Centre Dadin-Kowa in Jos, when he was invited to appear before the commission to explain his role in the purchase of City Line Express Machine to PPC.

While narrating his inexplicable suspension as GM on the 1st of May, 2014, Ishaku said, on assumption of office in 2009, there was a proposal by one Turac Investment for the purchase of one Machine called DGM Press at the cost of N396,000,000 that time, but on market survey, they found out that the Machine was already defunct and the company has been sold off.

According to him, in purchasing a press, cares ought to be taken interms of durability and availability of spare parts for the maintenance skills, hence what informed their market survey which they discovered that, the machine was not in existence in the publishing industry in Nigeria and has been faced out.

He said, "so, I wrote a Memo to the then Governor suggesting the most current machine in the market called City Line Express. The City Line Express, at that time was only One hundred and Fifty Million Naira, but there was no further discussion on it until 2011 when I was asked to forward again a request which I did.

"We requested the Manufacturer Representative in Lagos to forward the current price which was 1.5 million dollar (N228,000,000) and we attached it to Ministry of Information and the Commissioner now wrote to the Governor, dated 15th August, 2011 and was approved by Governor Jonah Jang on 3rd February, 2012 but petitioned by the first contractor.

" When I was asked to explain why we did not consider his proposal, I explained why that machine was not suitable; 1. The Manufacturers have been faced out. 2. The City Line Express is the most popular Machine in Nigeria now-many spare parts are available both locally and internationally and many newspapers have it and are maintaining it. I explained that to the Ministry, the Suspended GM explained.

However, while the process of MoU was being drown up with all the taxes and contractual obligations by the Indian representative were carried, the then Commissioner for Information and Commissioner, Pastor Yiljap Abraham, later announced to him that, the Governor have cancelled it because they understood that it was a small machine.

Ishaku, revealed to the Commission that similar machine and other items were advertised again and same machine was eventually, purchased at the cost of N378,500,000 against Turac Investment's initial cost of  N227,000,000 using the same specification.

To explain why the newspapers are Still not on circulation, the former GM said, " I left the office on May 1st, 2014 when I was forced out of office because I insisted that the contractor should follow our terms of contract. Even, certain aspects of the contract were bridged among which, was the resistance I mounted on the award of Pre-Press (Computer Plate Machine)."

Meanwhile, the Commission has ordered the Contractor, former Commissioner, former DFS, former Cashier and those said to be trained to appear before its sitting at the Azi Nyako Youth Centre Dadin-kowa Jos, to explain their various roles.

Hon Saleh seeks for synergy from the people of his constituency

Member representing Dengi constituency in Plateau state House of Assembly, Hon Saleh Shehu Yipmong has called for synergy and collaboration amongst members of constituency, for good development .
Hon.Yipmong made this called on Thursday on a courtesy call to his office by members of the Old students of  Government Secondary school Langtang .
He express hope that they will continue to support him so that together they can be able to succeed in delivery quality representation to the people of his constituents.
According him, his election into the House of Assembly was a great privilege which can come to anyone of them as the will of God .
Yipmong urged the old boys and all members of his constituency to support all the policies of the present administration of Governor Simon Lalong for the good development of Dengi and Plateau state in general.
The Langtang Old Boys Association in Plateau state has drummed support to the Member representing Dengi constituency, Hon Saleh Shehu Yipmong for landslides victory in the 2015 general polls.
The spokesman, Alh Ibrahim Usman Kuka encouraged the member to remain resolute and focus more on providing dividends of democracy to the people of his constituents.
The Government Secondary School Old Boys Association urged the Hon Saleh Yipmong to be good ambassador of the college and remain focus
He promised the member of their unalloyed support to ensure that he grow in his political career and remain unbiased while dealing with the general public.
Kuka expressed happiness that this courtesy calls would herald their confidence and rekindle the old relationship when they were still in form one.

Ignatius Longjan, Joshua Dariye, Arc. Pam Dung Gyang and others dump PDP for APC

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, at a ceremony in Jos on Wednesday, formally received former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye; a former deputy governor of the state, Ignatius Longjan; and a reported crowd of 343,190 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state into the APC.

While Mr. Dariye, who was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007, had announced his defection into the APC since September, the decision of the others to change camp was made public only recently.

Mr. Dariye was last year elected to the Senate on the platform of the PDP.

Other prominent politicians among the defectors were a former Deputy Governor, Jethro Akun; 2015 governorship aspirant, Jimmy Cheto; serving deputy speaker of the state assembly, Yusuf Garga; 2011 governorship aspirant, Pam Dung Gyang; former state PDP chairman, Maichibi Vwarji; and former Jos North local government council chairman, Daladi Atu.

Receiving the defectors, Mr. Oyegun assured them of full membership status as party faithful.

“The rescue mission of Governor Simon Lalong has just begun rescuing Plateau people into the APC”, Mr. Oyegun said at the ceremony.

Speaking on the economic recession, the APC national chairman appealed to Nigerians to endure the situation, stating that economic hardship will be history by the end of 2017.

“By this time next year, you will start having cause to smile and thank President Buhari for the good works he is doing. President Buhari does not talk much, but he is an action man.”

In his remarks at the ceremony, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, described the move of the former PDP stalwarts into APC as a homecoming.

“For me, these personalities who just joined us in the APC only returned home, and we will embrace them in warm reception,” Mr. Dogara said.

He also pleaded with Nigerians to bear the current economic hardship, stressing that the President Buhari-led APC administration has the capacity to resolve the economic crisis.

Mr. Dogara said the 2017 Budget at the national level will end the hardship of Nigerians.

In his address, Governor Lalong said with the arrival of the PDP stalwarts in his party, political opposition had ended in Plateau State.

The ceremony was attended by the north-central zonal chairman of the APC, Zakari Idde; Plateau State Deputy Governor, Sonni Tyoden; and state APC chairman, Letep Dabang.

PLATEAU ADP CHAIRMAN CONDEMNS VICTIMIZATION OF LGC DPMS,DFS AND CASHIERS

The Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Plateau State, Chief Ambassador Nanyah Andrew Daman, has condemned in strong terms the purported suspension and victimization of Local Government Council Directors of Personnel Management (DPM) and Directors of Finance and Cashiers (DFS) of the 17 Local Government Councils of Plateau State .

The ADP Chairman made the statemet in the party secretariat in Jos recently over the news going round that the Lalong Administration through the office of the Permanent Secretary Local Government Service commission in collaboration with the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy affairs has suspended the Local Government Staff for working for the PDP in the 2015 general elections and for quarries that have to do with payment to political leaders of the Living Administration who visited the 17 Local Government in the last 1 and the half years.

The ADP condemns the injustice done to the DPMs, DFS and Cashiers where they are paying for the sins of the APC leadership who collected various sums of welfare packages on tour in the 17 LGCs tour and payments to House of Assembly, Chiefs, Local Government Chairmen, Government House Officials and National Officials on special assignments or duties.

Why should the Lalong Government quarry the LGC staff for obeying directives and approvals given by constituted authority?. How does the Living administration expect the local government staffers to ignore their statutory responsibilities? Is it fair that the TIC Chairman of Mikang LGC to threaten and sack his Cashier for obeying financial regulation? How wise is it for the Lalong administration who claims to be brought in by civil servants to turn around to victimize the same workers, particularly widows?

The ADP on the Plateau calls on Governor Lalong not to increase the over 5 million unemployed Nigerians by sacking the Local Government Staff to avoid litigation and unnecessary waste tax payers money.

Plateau State Chapter Of SWAN Elect New Exco, As Yilmen Emerges Chairman

Mr Thadeous Yilmen of the Plateau Radio Television Cooperation (PRTVC ) has emerged the chairman of Plateau state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria  on oppose.

He was elected in 2013 after defeating Mr Ibrahim Lot of the Nigerian Standard to claim the victory and has contributed to growth of SWAN in the state.

These  new exco are to pilot the affairs of the association  for the next three years they’re  include; Agabus Pwanagba of the authority newspaper ,Docas Gonne of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Andre Dennis Bisyit of the Nigerian Standard Newspaper .

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Thadeous Yilmen said, “we want to think, we want to say is a continue fight without stopping until we fuel ourselves to achieve this great task of struggle.

He pledged his commitment to the state exco as was sworn-in,” we shall give accountability and transparency to the tenure of another three years”.

Yilmen urged the members of SWAN to observe 5 minutes silent to the soul of father of Jerry Udoh who dead came last night yet he witnessed the colourful swearing in ceremony of the exco .

He solicited the understanding of members and the exco to enable the SWAN achieve meaningful development within the shortest period of time.

The zonal Vice Chairman of zone D,Dan-Musa Mohammed revealed that today mark a turning point of fruitful experience to all come together to celebrate the victory of our own in the sports industry.

He advised the new exco to see everyone and members of one family and to ensure that they move the activities of SWAN in Plateau state to an enviable high by inviting more members to join them.

Mohammed congratulated the performance of the lack exco for making the state proud of building mutual trust amongst its members.

He reminded the new exco of no more crises in the state, but promised to revisit the state constantly renew understanding for peace to strife.

Profile Of New Edo Governor, Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki

Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki was born in Edo State to the family of Obaseki and Gbinigie of Owina Street, Ogbelaka Quarters. He is the third child of Late Pa Roland Obaseki and Madam Stella Gbinigie MON.

His early education was in St. Matthews Anglican Primary School Benin City. He attended Eghosa Anglican Grammar School, Benin City and proceeded to the University of Ibadan where he bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics. ……..

Thereafter he proceeded to the prestigious Ivy League Columbia University and Pace University in New York and bagged an MBA in Finance and International Business respectively.

Mr. Obaseki is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Nigeria and an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Program. He was nominated as a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum in 2001.

Over the last 30 years, Mr. Obaseki excelled in his career gaining expertise in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Securities Trading both locally and internationally. Amongst the companies he worked for are Capital Trust Brokers Limited Lagos, International Merchant Bank (an affiliate of First Chicago Bank), AVC Funds Limited, Lagos and in New York as a principal of Equitorial Finance Company, a Financial Advisory firm with focus on Africa.

Mr. Obaseki led the core team that set up two of the new generation banks which eventually reshaped the face of the banking industry in Nigeria. He then proceeded to establish Afrinvest West Africa Limited (then SecTrust) in 1995. His expertise led to the numerous achievements of Afrinvest being appointed correspondent stockbroker for Nigeria by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 1995.

Mr. Obaseki, a solutions provider imbued with ideas, established the first derivative product, the Nigerian International Debt Fund (NIDF) on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which allowed Nigerians to invest local savings in US Dollar instrument (1996). He advised on the first global offering by a Nigerian bank through the issuance of Global Depositary Shares (GDS) to raise UD$50 million from the international Capital market.

Afrinvest under his leadership advised on some of the largest and most significant transactions in the Nigerian capital market since 2005 ranking as a major Investment Research firm. As a mark of the heights of respect he commands in the corporate space, Mr. Obaseki sits on the board of several blue chip companies in Nigeria.

Passionate about development, Mr Obaseki served as the Chairman of the Edo State Government’s Economic and Strategy Team (EST), on a pro bono basis, a position he held since March 17, 2009 until he declared his intention to run for the highest office in the state.

Part of his enviable achievements as Chairman of the Economic and Strategy team include:

– The formulation of the Edo State Economic Development framework 2010 – 2020 which introduced the culture of strategy dialogues and retreats in planning.

– Securing the N25 Billion Infrastructure Development Bond from the Nigerian Capital Market in 2010

– Obtaining the $225 Million Concessionary Rates Development Loan from the World Bank which has been a major funding for the current infrastructure development initiatives for the State.

– Successfully hosting Sector based Economic Summits and Policy Dialogue Series including the Power Round Table in 2010, Education Round Table IN 2011 and 2012 Agribusiness Round Table.

This sociable and likeable professional prefers a very low profile disposition to life and abhors ostentation. Mr. Obaseki is a sports and fitness enthusiast who is passionate about golf, loves to travel and enjoys good food.

Obaseki, a simple man, not desperate for many things is happily married to Betsy Obaseki nee Amachree.

PVPC , rally supports for Lalong caution against sabotage

The Plateau Vanguard for Progressive Change,(PVPC) has said, they were rallying support for Governor Simon Lalong because he has represented the people of Shendam constituency in the last eight years and therefore as a governor deserved commendation and sincere support of all sundry .

Spokesman of the group, Philip Eplong said, the governor has exhibited good leadership, stewardship and accountability and therefore deserved another chance come 2019.

Lalong's has brought smiles to the faces of many, he performed credibly so much so and become a household name and a symbol of hope irrespective of tribe, race, creed or religion, the people of Plateau state especially the youth are with him .

"we see Governor lalong's as a detribalized personality that believes in a united Plateau state of our dream by championed very important issue of promoting peaceful coexistence amongst the people of the state .

The Plateau Vanguard for progressive Change, secretary  Mr. Philip Eplong has promised to partner with the state government in the area of dissemination of information.

However, he said, the governor also organized Jos 2016 trade fair, host Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ) NEC meeting and pharmaceutical international conference to boost the local and international acceptance of the state to eliminating of all forms of discrimination against the people of Plateau.

The PVPC maintained that Lalong's served humanity and contribute to the return of peace, qualitative development of the state, he added.

According to the statement, this explained the rational behind his efforts to use every opportunity and means at his disposal to make a difference within his one year.
He has carried out several developmental projects in Plateau state especially in the of education, infrastructural and poverty reducing.

In his response, Special Adviser, Mr Dan Manjang applauded the initiative and promise to partner with the group in the area of dissemination of information.

He stressed that youth should be given opportunity to develop themselves so that they can contribute positively to the development of their communities.

Manjang expressed government readiness to give all the necessary support to the PVPC so that the association will be accommodated because they're on the course leadership management.

He also added that mass exodus of politicians leaving the PDP was due the quality opposition the APC provide when its come to politics.

The Special Adviser took the opportunity to welcome Sen Joshua Dariye, Deputy Speaker, Hon Yusuf Babayo Gagdi and other prominent citizens who in no distance time would defect to APC family.

He warned to be careful how to manage overwhelming victory of the party before the exercise will turn soar due to high number expectant who indicated interest to abandon PDP to APC .

Manjang pointed out the caliber of personality like the former deputy governor, Ignatius Longjang, Arc,Pam Dung Gyang, Dame Pauline Tallen and Edward Pwajok are people with integrity.

He lamented that the former governor, Sen Jonah Jang his eight years in office over 10,000 people were said to be killed according to GNS Pwajok statistics reported, were people are murder daily.

Special Adviser to Governor Simon Lalong has assured of governor Lalong readiness to partner non governmental association on the Plateau to promote government activities.

He disclosed that over 10,000 people have been killed in the regime of the former governor Jonah David Jang reign in office.