Debts: FG set to refund N720bn to states – Dogara

Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara

John Ameh, Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has disclosed plans by the Federal Government to refund debts owed the 36 states by paying them N20billion apiece, a total of N720bn.

Dogara said the money would be used for the provision of infrastructure by the states.

Many states had in the past undertaken to rehabilitate failing federal government infrastructure in their domain, especially road projects with the understanding that they would be repaid by the latter.

 Statement on Sunday by the Speaker’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Iliya Habila, quoted Dogara as making the disclosure during a visit to the Igwe of Ogwuekpele, His Royal Highness, Valentine Onyema-Ogidiga.

Dogara visited the monarch in his Ogwuekpele palace in Anambra State.

It read in part, “Regards to debts being owed to states, I can announce that very that very soon, a chunk of money will be given to states.

“It is being processed and I know that no state will get less than N20bn from the money that is coming.

“That will be something substantial in the hands of the governors. Those that are spirited, I believe they will be able to translate that money into development so that they support the diversification (agenda) of the Federal Government.”

The statement explained that Dogara was responding to complaints made by the monarch that social infrastructure in the state were decaying and needed urgent funds for resuscitation.

It added, “Without capital, you cannot invest; so these are the two things that this government is devoted in.

“By doing so, Nigerians can have enough capital; they will have the needed infrastructure for the establishment of functional industries for the evacuation of either solid minerals or agricultural products.

“And we know that agriculture has the potentials of providing employment for the majority of our people.

“And I can assure you that when we talk about diversification,  it is not just on paper.”

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BREAKING: Why we resumed bombings – Niger Delta Avengers

Ovie Okpare, Warri

The Niger Delta Avengers on Sunday said its strike team resumed attacks on oil facilities in the region because the federal government has refused to honour the ceasefire it entered into with the militant group to allow for a dialogue.

A statement issued by the group’s spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, accused the government of using military to undermine the process by ‘unnecessarily’ harassing communities and arrest innocent people in the region.

Details later.

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Taraba farmers relocate to farms over crop theft

Maize farm

Increasing cases of theft of farm produce has forced many farmers in Taraba State to relocate to their farms to safeguard their crops.
Investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria  in Jalingo, Gassol, Lau, Ardo-Kola, Gashaka, Karim-Lamido and Bali Local Government Areas revealed that farmers now keep 24-hour watch over both harvested crops and those yet to be harvested.
The Chairman of Taraba Rice Farmers’ Association, Alhaji Hassan Abubakar, told NAN on Saturday in Jalingo that some farmers had lost tonnes of grains – mainly rice, cowpea and maize – to thieves who normally invaded the fields at night.
He said rising demand for farm produce and attendant attractive prices in markets could be responsible for the rampant cases of crop theft.
Alhaji Muntari Ajuji, a large scale farmer in Sabon-Gida, Gassol Local Government Area, said he had to hire five security guards to watch over each of his three farms.
Similarly, Alhaji Ali Maihula, a farmer from Bali Local Government Area, told NAN that he had been practically living in one of his farms, while his children and other family members took care of his other farms during the day, and hired guards at night.
The farmer added that he had adopted early evacuation of crops from fields to his home to ensure their safety.
A farmer at Bembal Village in Gassol Local Government Area, Malam Buba Musa, told NAN that his family had been keeping vigil in his farms after some thieves harvested his maize at night.
He said the maize was mature and about to be harvested but was stolen few days to the planned harvest day.
“Thieves sneaked in overnight and made away with more than half of crops from the three-hectre farm,’’ he said.
Mr Dauda Wada, a leader of a local community security group, popularly referred to as ‘Yan banga’ in Northern Nigeria, told NAN in Mutum-Biyu that cases of theft of farm produce had become rampant.
He said many of such theft had been reported to the group but only few arrests had been made because the thieves operated mostly at midnight.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Taraba, ASP David Misal, said although no produce theft had been reported to the command, he could not rule out the possibility

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Explosion kills 25 worshippers in Pakistan

Explosion

An explosion at a Muslim shrine in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens of others, local officials said.

Hashim Ghalzai, a local district commissioner, said that the toll was based on initial reports, and could rise further.

The blast occurred at the Shah Noorani shrine, located in Baluchistan province, about 100km north of the port city of Karachi.

It took place while hundreds of people were inside, said Ghalzai.

Dozens of wounded people were being moved to the nearby town of Hub and to Karachi, rescue official Hakeem Nasi told Geo TV.

The government dispatched 25 ambulances from Hub to the shrine, said Akbar Harifal, provincial home secretary for Baluchistan.

“Every day, around sunset, there is a dhamaal (ritual dance) here, and there are large numbers of people who come for this,” said Nawaz Ali, the shrine’s custodian.

Baluchistan has seen some of the worst militant attacks this year in Pakistan, one of which was claimed by an Islamist movement that is allied to the Islamic State group.

The province is also key to a 46 billion-dollar transport and trade corridor between Pakistan and China, which hinges on a deep-water port in the southwestern city of Gwadar.

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