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Against this backdrop, the recurring buzzword within government circles is “ghosts workers”, which they have been battling for decades. And the wonder! How can ghosts be workers or workers ghosts? Sadly, the notorious fact is because the battle is half-hearted and the leaders lack political will to get to the root of the malady; the payroll fraud, which includes ghost contractors, ghost projects and so on, continues to thrive in monstrous dimensions, becoming, in effect the drain pipe that empties billions of naira of state and federal government finances in Nigeria. There is nothing that reduced this country to its present wobbly and pitiable condition other than simple word: greed - nothing but self aggrandisement. Granted people read about ghosts in story books, it is wonderful we have them in real life in Nigeria earning salaries without being caught. A land of stranger-than-fiction where corruption is reputed to strike back when confronted and funny enough without mass vocife...

The General Secretary of National Union of Textile and Garment Workers and Chairman Industriall Global Union Sub-Saharan Africa, Comrade Issa Aremu, has disclosed that Nigeria spends whopping $4bn to import textiles yearly. According to him, this development came to the fore as a result of urgent and required attention that the nations’ textile industry deserves in the hands of the federal government. Aremu made this observation during the study visit of Group one, Senior Executive Course (SEC) 38 Participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru to Textile Labour House, National Secretariat of the Union in Kaduna yesterday. He decried the influx of smuggled goods in major textile markets in Kantin Kwari, Kano, Balogun and Oshodi, Lagos. This, he noted undermines the local industry, steal our jobs, deprives government of revenue and drains the country’s foreign exchange reserves. However, he called on the federal government to emulate other devel...

National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, has reaffirmed that it is committed to carrying out its statutory responsibility to Nigeria and Nigerians. Also, the commission appealed to all Nigerians to visit the NIMC enrolment offices across the country to collect their identity cards, saying that millions of unissued cards were lying in the NIMC state offices as the owners were yet to collect them. The Director-General/CEO of the Commission, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, who gave this assurance over the weekend in Abuja said that a very good national identity management system was not negotiable. He maintained that in line with the NIMC Act 2007 which establishes the Commission and clearly defines its role and responsibility to Nigerians, so far, the commission had enrolled over N11 million unique data into the National Identity Database (NIDB). According to him, “we have printed about one million national e-ID cards, and have issued over 400,000 of these cards to their owners. Most of the unis...

Lest we are misconstrued! We must say from the start that we are not addressing the community of responsible Nigerian lawyers here. It is all about those ‘learned men’ that have chosen to be errant, indeed depraved,who found their way into the legal profession not for the reason of ennobling it for the benefit of society, but for the purpose of exploiting it in the crudest of ways in the name of performing their constitutional duties, in disregard of anything ethics or morals, to ruin the society and enrich self. Indeed, ‘if unpleasant things are said about someone or something, there is probably a good reason for it’, so says one fellow in search of explanations to the wise saying: “there’s no smoke without fire”. It is of common knowledge that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is locked in a running battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), particularly since Mr. Ibrahim Magu was appointed the Acting Chairman of the antigraft outfit under the government of Pre...

Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Tuesday blamed the rampaging activities of herdsmen across the country on the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari. A statement by PFN chairman in Enugu State, Rev. (Dr.) Goddy Madu, described the herdsmen as “Boko Haram in disguise and agents of Islamisation.” He declared that “the recent attack on Attakwu community of Enugu State is what we can no longer condone in any way. It was a deadly and unprovoked attack on a peace loving community and this happened while we are yet to recover from the massacre at Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Council Area. “We are not happy over the silence of President Buhari over these attacks. Buhari He should make a strong statement to stop these useless and wicked attacks by the herdsmen. “He is busy sending soldiers after Boko Haram, Niger Delta Avengers and the rest, with the exception of the herdsmen who now terrorise good citizens of Nigeria without recourse.” Madu, however, called on the various South East commu...

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton started the race to November 8 on essentially even ground, with Trump edging Clinton by a scant two points among likely voters, and the contest sparking sharp divisions along demographic lines in a new CNN/ORC Poll.  Trump topped Clinton 45 per cent to 43 per cent in the new survey, with Libertarian Gary Johnson standing at 7 per cent among likely voters in this poll and the Green Party’s Jill Stein at just 2 per cent. The topsy-turvy campaign for the presidency has seen both Clinton and Trump holding a significant lead at some point in the last two months, though Clinton has topped Trump more often than not.

The Federal Government has unveiled 28 Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) centres with a view to creating the enabling environment for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) with the attendant benefits. Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Dambazzau Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazzau, who spoke at the commissioning of 28 New CERPAC production centre and 28 operational vehicles yesterday in Abuja, said the initiative would enhance the capacity of the NIS to discharge its statutory duty of internal monitoring and control of foreigners in Nigeria. According to him, with he current 36 centres across the country, the NIS will deliver improved services to deserving expatriates. “It is heartwarming that all the states of the federation, except Yobe and Borno, now have CERPAC production centre each,” the minister said. He recalled that upon the commencement of the CERPAC project in 2002, which was aimed at automating the NIS operations fo...

The head of the 73-strong EU electoral monitoring team in Gabon, Bulgarian MEP Mariya Gabriel, said yesterday that the country’s presidential election held at the weekend lacked transparency. The remarks came after a bitterly disputed election in which both sides accused the other of electoral fraud. Gabriel, who spoke to reporters in the capital Libreville, insisted that the poll did not follow the best standard practice. Ali Bongo “The mission condemns the lack of transparency in the electoral bodies which failed to make essential information available to the campaigns, like the electoral roll or a list of polling stations,” the monitoring team head said. The EU observers said that a week before the election that only half of voters had received their ballot cards. Official results will not be published until today, and there are fears that the tensions may erupt into a repeat of the violence seen after the disputed 2009 election. Opposition candidate Jean Ping, who has claimed ...

By Tunde Eso   Indeed, youths are the bedrock of democracy. The brain behind any successful democratic settings. Youths all over the world are the backbone of any meaningful development and the bulwark of societal strata. Obviously, they are about 65 percent of the world's population. This shows the fundamental reasons why youths should be reckoned with. The sayings "Youths of today are leaders of tomorrow " , "the young shall grow" and more, are apparently true. But the question is: are the leaders of today ready to prepare them for the arduous task ahead. It is a pity that the future of Nigerian youth is gloomy, pitiable, uncertain and miserable yet our leaders are still persistent in jeopardizing and mortgaging our future. Comprehensively, of the world's youths , Nigeria's is the worst. Every sphere of our lives are being battered daily. From Education, Economy, Politics, Agriculture, Religion to leadership, nothing ...

Tunde Eso is an author and politician. In this interview with YEMI ADEBISI, he spoke on the situation in Osun state and his plans to give the people visionary leadership if elected as governor. Tunde Eso Excerpts:  What do you think can be done to solve insecurity problems in Africa especially Nigeria? Security is key to ensuring growth in any society. You can imagine that the actions of Boko Haram  that commenced in the North is now treading the Western part of Nigeria and imagine they have extended their activities to neighbouring countries in the effort to  capture the whole of Africa. They have been able to move thus far because governments in Africa have been careless about the solutions.   For some years now, I proposed e-policing, the involvement of community leaders, youth coordinators, and youth empowerment by situating youth centres all over the continent where they can lodge complaints and get skills acquisition that wi...

Taking place every August on the streets of London W11, Notting Hill Carnival parades amazing array of colours, sounds, sights and social solidarity and as such, the carnival presents a rare opportunity for Lagos State, one of the most populous cities in Africa, to showcase its love, peace and oneness, branded as “One Lagos”. Across the United Kingdom, friends and lovers of the state converged on the Nigerian Corner, Adelaja Street to celebrate Lagos brand during the 50th edition of the carnival and market what the state has been able to achieve under the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode. Beyond the glitz that attracted huge enthusiasts to Adelaja Street, the popular Nigerian Corner at Notting Hill Carnival was transformed to Lagos Corner as part of the Lagos branding campaign tagged LoveLagosWeekend, starting on August 27 and ended on August 29. At Lagos Corner, a cross section of audiences and artistes from Nigeria performed to the amazement of fun-seekers during the thr...

15-year-old Jane is an adolescents living with HIV in Lagos Nigeria. She was told that she contracted the virus from her mother when she was born. Because of her condition, she was refused admission into the secondary school of her choice. She is no alone. 10-year-old Paul also suffered discrimination and rejection after his status was made known. When his uncle found out he was positive, he threw him out of the house, making him homeless. These were some of the experiences narrated by adolescents with HIV during an advocacy meeting with policy makers last Friday at De Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja Lagos. About 50 of them, aged 10-19, from Kaduna, Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Anambra and Lagos State, narrated their ordeal and challenges, at the end of a two-week national mentorship and leadership training held at Ronik Comprehensive Secondary School Ejigbo, Lagos, and sponsored by UNICEF. With teary eyes, they requested for a policy against pre-admission HIV testing and other forms of discri...

FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC has made a product donation to about 250 vulnerable children living in Kuchingoro Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, Abuja. This was made known in a press released signed by the Company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Ore Famurewa. It said the gesture is aimed at increasing the nutritional status of about 250 vulnerable children living in the camp. Roelof Joosten “The donation was made by CEO, Roelof Joosten, during a two-day official trip to Nigeria. Roelof was accompanied by Jacobs Ajekigbe, Chairman Board of Directors, Rahul Colaco, Managing Director and Ore Famurewa, Corporate Affairs Director. Following this donation, each child will receive a daily provision of Peak Evaporated milk in 30g sachet as part of the Recommended Dietary Allowance. The supply is planned for a period of 10 weeks, from August 10 to October 26, 2016. FrieslandCampina WAMCO made this donation to the camp through the Nigerian Red Cross Society which will be fully ...

Nigeria is capable of producing pharmaceutical products that meet international standard, World Health Organization, WHO, has said. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti Regional Director, WHO for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti stated this recently at 66th Session of WHO African Regional Committee Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia recently. According to a release made available to National Mirror by Director, Media and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Boade Akinola, the WHO chief said the organization was working with some manufacturing companies in the country to provide guidance on meeting the requirements of WHO prequalification for pharmaceutical companies in the country. According to Dr. Moeti, “WHO has established a monitoring system at the global level to assist member WHOstates in this regard in line with the concern of WHO that citizens should have access to quality and affordable medical products. Moeti submission was in response to request by the Nigerian governme...

Five cases of Lassa fever were reported from four states of the country within 24th August to 2nd September this year, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said. the country within 24th August to 2nd September this year, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said. Lassa fever rats Two cases of the disease were reported from Plateau State, one from Rivers, and one each from Bauchi and Gombe, a release signed by management of the organization and made available to reporters recently said. According to the NCDC, the cases reported from Gombe died on 22nd August 2016, while all other cases are alive. The organization noted that public health response commenced immediately in all the affected states under leadership of the respective state’s Ministry of Health. “Resources were immediately mobilised from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its partner, the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP), to support the investi...

Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, Upstream, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, yesterday, said that the legislature may pass a law that will mandate respective oil producing companies in the country to contribute a certain percentage of their budget to the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PTDF, for capacity building in the industry. Sen. Tayo Alasoadura Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, Upstream, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, yesterday, said that the legislature may pass a law that will mandate respective oil producing companies in the country to contribute a certain percentage of their budget to the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PTDF, for capacity building in the industry. Senator Alasoadura disclosed this at the first PTDF Oil Exploration and Production Companies Summit in Abuja. He explained that most of the funds allocated to PTDF were not released to them which had led to the accumulation of extensive liabilities for the establishment in the cours...

Niklas Sule’s agent has said that the Hoffenheim defender turned down the opportunity to join Chelsea. Niklas Sule The Germany international, fresh from winning silver at the Rio Games, is under contract with the Bundesliga side until 2019. His impressive performances have attracted interest, but a reported €30 million bid from Antonio Conte’s Premier League outfit led nowhere. “Yes, there was interest,” Sule’s agent Karlheinz Forster told Bild. “The English have made it clear they’ll still be interested next year.” Sule, 21, explained his own reasons for wanting to remain with Hoffenheim, adding: “I’ve got my familiar environment here. That was and is very important for my development and the base to put in constant performances at a high level.” Chelsea bought David Luiz back from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day, as well as signing left-back Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina. SOME prominent lawyers were, yesterday, divided over the call by the President of the Nigerian Bar A...

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by the Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi on Tuesday arrived Edo State in preparation for the September 10, governorship election in the state. Pastor Ize-Iyamu Also in the state are Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa; Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), amongst others. Wike, who spoke at a meeting of PDP leaders, said the party’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, will win Saturday’s election but cautioned that “the battle will not be an easy one.” The governor urged PDP members to be united and committed in order to win the election. He said Saturday’s election is a battle to liberate Edo and urged party supporters to be wise in their relationship with security operatives and endeavor to do the right thing at every polling unit so that the true results...

Godwin Obaseki The PDP has asked a Benin High Court to disqualify the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki from participation in this weekend governorship election for allegedly providing false claims and information on oath about his educational qualification to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The APC in a sharp riposte vowed not to dignify the PDP on the issue saying it would meet the PDP in court. The party, in particular, is asking the court for a declaration that Obaseki’s statement that he graduated from the University of Ibadan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies in 1976, made under oath in INEC form CF001 at Part B, paragraph C dated 11 July 2016, is false. The PDP is also asking for a declaration disqualifying Obaseki from contesting Saturday’s Edo State governorship election on the grounds that he submitted false information on oath to the INEC in Form CF001. Edo State PDP chairman, Chief D...

RESIDENT Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Mr. Sam Olumekun, has disclosed that the Commission would use Incident Form in Saturday’s governorship election in cases where the Smart Card Reader fails to authenticate voters. Olumekun, who spoke with journalists shortly after receiving the Director General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Sule Zakari Kazuare, in his office in Benin yesterday, however, said that INEC anticipates that the use of the incident form would be limited. “We don’t expect that there will be too many of such cases, but if condition warrants it, off course we will use it,” the REC said. He also disclosed that distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) would continue at the local government INEC offices until Thursday, adding that some people, who tried to hijack the 2014 PVCs in the state, were arrested by security agents and the PVCs collected from them. Meanwhile, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Sule Za...

Pentecostal Bishops Forum yesterday told President Muhammadu that there was hunger in the land. The clerics made their known after a closed door meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential Villa, Abuja. Bishop John The Bishops however appealed to the president to hire experts to help him fix the economy, saying that Nigeria needed not to lose its greatness in the comity of nations. Speaking to the State House Correspondents through their Chairman Archbishop ‎John Praise Daniel after the meeting, the Bishops said that it was imperative that Nigeria was brought back from the path of poverty and hunger. Daniel said they were in the Villa to tell the president about the effects of some social vices which included the killings by fulani herdsmen Pentecostal Bishops Forum yesterday told President Muhammadu that there was hunger in the land. The clerics made their known after a closed door meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential Villa, Abu...