Minister Of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, NCS Boss Dragged To Court By Soldiers

66 Nigerian soldiers who are currently serving their jail sentences in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) facility, Kirikiri, Lagos have dragged the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola to court over their continued incarceration.

The soldiers filed the suits at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

In three separate suits filed through Falana & Falana Chambers on August 18, the soldiers listed the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Ja’afaru Ahmed, as first and second respondents respectively.

According to the soldiers, the defendants have refused to include them among beneficiaries of the amnesty granted by President Muhammadu Buhari in April when he ordered the decongestion of prisons to curb the spread of COVID-19, despite the fact that they had served 75% of their jail term.

Announcing the criteria for the pardon, Mr Aregbesola disclosed that those considered were inmates who were 60 years old and above, and those battling terminal illnesses.

Other criteria include convicts serving three years and lower who have less than six months to serve, those with mental health issues, and inmates with options of fines not exceeding N50,000 and who have no pending case.

According to Mr Aregbesola, the amnesty did not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, rape, human trafficking, and culpable homicide.

The 66 convicted soldiers sought an order for the respondents to release them in compliance with the “Presidential Amnesty granted on April 9, 2020, by President Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pursuant to Prerogative of Mercy under Section 175 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).”

Also, they prayed the court to direct the duo to pay them N20 million each as compensation for the violation of their fundamental rights to personal liberty.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had earlier written to Mr Aregbesola, requesting the release of the soldiers, who he said have remained in prison custody despite qualifying for the amnesty.

In three separate letters to Mr Aregbesola, Mr Falana said the soldiers, who were convicted and had served more than 75 per cent of their time, had remained in custody

According to the application of August 18, 35 of the convicted soldiers were tried before a General Court-Martial on a six-count charge, including mutiny and attempted murder.

At the end of the trial, they were convicted and sentenced to death in a judgment delivered in December 2014.

It was stated that upon a review of the case, the confirming authority upheld their conviction but commuted the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment.

“Since the convicted soldiers are entitled to remission of the 10-year jail term they are required to spend a total of 80 months in prison custody. From August 2014 to May 2020 the Applicants have spent over 64 months in custody. Thus, the Applicants have spent over 75% of their prison term.

Mr Falana noted that one of the 35, Stephen Clement, a corporal, was released from prison custody on April 28 on the ground that he had spent more than 75 per cent of his 10-year prison term in line with the terms of the Presidential Amnesty of April 9, 2020.

Also qualified for the amnesty, according to the lawyer, is another set of 19 soldiers who were tried before a General Court-Martial on a six-count charge and sentenced to death in a judgment delivered in December 2014.

Similar to the 35, upon a review of the case, the confirming authority upheld the conviction but commuted the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment.

Since the convicted soldiers are entitled to remission of the 10-year jail term, Mr Falana said they are required to spend a total of 80 months in prison custody.

“From August 2014 to May 2020 the Applicants have spent over 64 months in custody. Thus, the Applicants have spent over 75% of their prison term,” the lawyer argued for the convicts.

Unlike the other two categories, 12 soldiers, including Yusuf Shuaibu, Friday Onuh, Igomu Emmanuel and Stephen Clement, all lance corporals; were sentenced to death between August and September 2014.

Nigeria Job Controversies: Minister, lawmakers clash over planned 774,000 new jobs

What started like a peaceful committee meeting between the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Employment and Labour on Tuesday ended in chaos as both parties began exchanging words.

The meeting was aimed at discussing the progress of the planned employment of 774,000 Nigerians by the federal government.

The National Assembly had in the 2020 budget appropriated N52 billion for the Special Public Works Programme aimed at employing 774,000 citizens, a thousand from each of the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.

The controversy

The argument started when members of the committee, headed by Godiya Akwashiki, asked the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nasiru Ladan, to explain the composition of a 20-member committee inaugurated on Monday by the ministry for the implementation of the programme.

In his response, Mr Ladan noted that he was aware of only eight members of the committee and asked the lawmakers to seek further clarification from Mr Keyamo.

Unsatisfied with Mr Ladan’s response, members of the panel implied that he was not in control of the programmme.

When Mr Keyamo was asked for further clarification, he snapped, furiously hitting the table. He wondered if he was being accused of hijacking the programme from the NDE and whether the lawmakers were alleging the committee composition was lopsided.

The chaos intensified and lawmakers asked that journalists leave for an executive session with the minister.

But Mr Keyamo firmly rejected the demand, insisting that having been openly accused and disgraced, the cameras should remain in the room.

“How can you expose corruption without the cameras? How can, how can you expose it? I must respond to what he said. You cannot say something and I won’t respond. It is wrong,” he said.

The minister’s outburst angered the lawmakers who asked that he apologise for his behaviour.

Mr Keyamo refused to apologise and insisted that he had done nothing wrong. He said he had been denied the opportunity to respond to their allegations and threatened to walk out of the meeting.

The lawmakers responded in anger, shouting back at the minister to leave if he wanted.

“Go go, get out. Where is the sergeant-at-arms to walk him,” members of the panel yelled.

The lawmakers thereafter reached a resolution asking Mr Keyamo to leave – which he obliged.

Speaking with Journalists, Mr Keyamo accused the lawmakers of trying to take control of the recruitment exercise under his ministry.

He said while he was not aversed to them investigating the programme, they cannot direct him on what to do. He said doing so “will mean sharing in the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

He also admitted that lawmakers were given slots by the ministry.

He said despite granting the lawmakers 15 per cent of the job placement, “they still want to hijack the entire the programme, taking over the power of the president in the process.”

 Source: Premium Times

How Nigeria Poise To Lift 100 Million Nigerians Out Of Poverty In Ten Years -Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday at the United Nations outlined the Federal Government’s plans to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years.

The president spoke in a video message to a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on poverty eradication.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the virtual meeting featured the launch of the Alliance for Poverty Eradication (APE).

At least, 94 million Nigerians live below the poverty line, according to Oxfam.

APE is designed to serve as a forum to galvanise UN member states, the international community and other stakeholders to support actions geared toward poverty eradication.

Mr Buhari welcomed the launch of the initiative and expressed Nigeria’s endorsement of all multilateral actions aimed at actualising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said: “Nigeria attaches great importance to poverty eradication.

“It is for this reason that in May, 2019, on my inauguration for a second term in office, our government committed itself to starting a new programme of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a 10-year period.

“It is my conviction that devoting our efforts towards human capital development, efficient management of our resources, greater financial inclusion, and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure food security are crucial to poverty eradication.

“In this regard, Nigeria continues to strengthen its existing social safety net initiative by increasing access to enrollees who fit the various programmes in the scheme.

“Nigeria will also continue to provide easier and increased access to financial services for micro and small-scale businesses through the government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme.”

The president expressed his administration’s determination to do more, including massive investment in education, especially of the girl-child.

“Nigeria holds the view that education is a critical driver of sustainable development and has immense capacity to eradicate poverty.

“Educating our children, especially the girl child, contributes significantly to the fight against poverty, environmental sustainability and improved health as well as building peace and resilient societies,” he said.

Mr Buhari said the Federal Government had also integrated the economic, social and environmental dimensions of the SDGs into its economic plans.

He decried the adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which he said was threatening to reverse decades of progress made in poverty eradication.

The president said that in Nigeria, as was the case in many other countries, the “domestic supply chains and trading corridors had come under enormous strain.”

According to him, the situation is dire for Sub-Saharan countries with large informal economies and a significant number of daily wage earners.

Mr Buhari noted that the potential economic devastation of the pandemic had made it a national development priority.

In response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, he said the government recently developed an economic sustainability plan.

The plan, he said, would stimulate the economy and extend protection to the very poor and other vulnerable groups through pro-poor spending.

The president lauded the over 30 UN member states anchoring the Alliance for Poverty Eradication.

“In these difficult times, it takes considerable boldness and courage to consider that which is in the interest of the greater good.

“The anchor members have done just that,” he said.

(NAN)

BUHARI EXTENDS PHASE TWO OF EASED LOCKDOWN BY FOUR WEEKS: FG OPENS SELECTED CLASSES FOR SCHOOLS, INTER-STATE MOVEMENT OUTSIDE CURFEWS

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended phase two of eased lockdown by another four weeks with effect from tomorrow Tuesday, June 30 through midnight of Monday, July 27, 2020.

Chairman of Presidential Task Force  and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha in his statement received by KBJOJO.com announced  on Monday resumption of inter-state movement, reopening of schools for students in graduating classes.
Details are as follows:
“You will recall that the PTF had in previous briefing stated that the aim of Phase Two was to sustain the gains from earlier steps taken for pandemic control and to enable additional sectors of the economy restart activities. Given the challenges and the visible danger ahead occasioned by skepticism, poor public perception both leading to lack of compliance, it has come to the inevitable conclusion that the extension of phase two of the eased lockdown will be needed to:
consolidate the gains in the areas of the economy that have restarted,
ensure better compliance with the health-based response;
support the states in enforcing guidelines and protocols as well as strengthening the LGAs build community level structures for ownership and effective risk communication; and
help to better achieve the balance between saving lives and ensuring that wellbeing and livelihood of citizens are protected.
“I am pleased to inform you that Mr. President has carefully considered the 5th Interim Report of the PTF and has accordingly approved that, with the exception of some modifications to be expatiated upon later,
–the Phase Two of the eased lockdown be extended by another four weeks with effect from Tuesday, June 30, 2020 through Midnight of Monday, 27 July, 2020.
-“Specifically, however, the following measures shall either remain in place or come into effect:
Maintaining the current phase of the national response, for another four weeks in line with modifications to be expatiated by the National Coordinator;
– Permission of movement across State borders only outside curfew hours with effect from 1st July, 2020;
-Enforcement of laws around non-pharmaceutical interventions by States, in particular,
– the use of face masks in public places;
-Safe re-opening of schools to allow students in graduating classes resume in-person in preparation for examinations;
-Safe reopening of domestic aviation services as soon as practicable;
-Publication of revised guidelines around the three thematic areas of general movement, industry and labour; and community activities;
-Provision of technical support for states to mobilise additional resources for the response;
-Strengthening partnerships with States, Local Governments, traditional rulers, community/religious leaders and civil society to ensure increased public awareness and compliance with preventive guidelines;
-Encouraging State governments to empower Local Government Authorities to intensify contact tracing efforts and ensure stronger grassroots mobilisation to support the response;
-Encourage States and Hospital authorities to ensure continuity of other health services to prevent fatalities from other life-threatening conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic;
and
-Deepening of collaboration with other mandate groups at States/Federal levels to harmonise the country’s COVID-19 response in the short, medium and long terms.
“The National Coordinator will in due course announce and publish the details of the revised guidelines while relevant MDAs including Education, Transportation and Aviation will respectively consult further with stakeholders and issue guidelines for their sectors.”
Within the Month under review, the PTF continued to monitor developments and consistently admonished Nigerians to change their behavior in view of the fact that the spread of the virus had entered the community phase. It is the considered opinion of the PTF that Nigerians, though aware of the existence of the virus, have generally misunderstood the objectives behind the reasoning of government in gradually relaxing the restrictions.
“As we are all aware, the PTF in conjunction with sub-national entities, the organized private sector, put in places a number of measures. The PTF also escalated its activities around risk communication to Nigerians but we have observed with growing concern the non-compliances with these measures designed to prevent transmission and protect vulnerable segments of the population. We hold the strong view that if such actions do not abate, experiences of resurgence of the virus from other jurisdictions including China, the United States of America, Brazil and across Europe may emerge in igeria and we run the risk of erasing the gains made in the last three months.
“By way of a reminder, there is presently no known vaccine for the virus and that all over the world non-pharmaceutical measures still remain the most effective fighting opportunity we have for overcoming this pandemic.
“To further strengthen our National Response, the PTF in the intervening period vigorously built partnerships locally and internationally. Similarly, we fully have decentralised the National Response with State Governments and communities taking ownership and more responsibility. These efforts have greatly improved our ability to maximally detect, trace, isolate and treat nationwide successfully.

“The PTF has also continued to pursue the strategic thrust of “telling (communicate), tracing (identify) and treating (manage)” cases, with a stronger focus on precision interventions in high burdened LGAs within identified states of the Federation. This precision intervention will be signposted by:
Aggressive scaling up of efforts to ensure effective community protection and sensitisation; and
Increased provision of support and guidance to states in their response to the outbreak.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the focus on the important roles to be played by the States is underscored by the following considerations:
The spread has entered the community phase which only States and LGAs should drive;
The inaction of a particular State could endanger its neighbours and compromise the entirety of the response;
States will be encouraged to make considerable efforts to ensure a push for compliance within the guidelines issued by the PTF;
States must also take greater care in leading on public health measures in the LGAs under their jurisdiction, by working on surveillance, case finding, testing, isolation, tracing and quarantining contacts; and
FG will predicate its resource deployment to States on the level of compliance and the extent of collaboration received on this public health emergency.
“Notwithstanding the challenges faced in the last one month and the fact that Nigeria’s statistics have been on the rise, substantial progress has been made in the following areas:
Harnessing of data, which shows that 60% of the confirmed cases are in a handful of local governments in the country (18 out of 774 LGAs nationwide), and putting in place targeted interventions;
Increased capacity to detect, test and trace those infected with the virus,
through the activation of 38 molecular testing laboratories, resulting in raising the test count nationwide in excess of 130,000;
A shift in focus to a targeted community-based approach, enhanced risk communication;
Increased collaboration with the legislature, State Governments and the organised private sector;
Activation of a new, cost-effective policy on the evacuation of returning Nigerians;
Increased awareness of COVID-19 among the population;
Cushioning the socio-economic impact of the restrictions through the provision of palliatives to vulnerable members of various communities nationwide; and
Successful re-opening sectors of the economy despite initial challenges in areas such as the banking sector, industry and agriculture.
“Today, the PTF submitted its 5th Interim Report to Mr. President for his consideration. In the Report the PTF specifically reviewed the issues around the general level of compliance with prescribed measures, while taking note of the following:
Implications of the lack of general compliance with measures;
the global and domestic developments especially in the area of rising statistics; and
the continued restrictions in the education and transportation sectors as well as for activities that attract mass gatherings such as operations of markets, worship centres and entertainment.
“In doing the foregoing, the PTF considered the need for the continuation of the policy of striking the delicate balance between lives and livelihood as well as inputs received from different stakeholder groups.
“The PTF similarly identified the underlisted areas of concern that would require attention under the on-going restrictions:
International travel;
Entertainment activities;
Educational services/sector; and
Public and Private Sector offices.

The World Will Not Be Destroyed By 5G Or Virus - My Weep For Journaliism In Nigeria | By Owei Lakemfa

READ AND WEEP FOR JOURNALISM IN NIGERIA!!!

The World Will Not Be Destroyed By Fire Or Virus.

By Owei Lakemfa

A veteran journalist called me on April 4 to confirm if indeed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a statement advising government against approving the Fifth Generation Mobile Technology (5G)    claiming  it is dangerous and linked to the outbreak of Covid-19. The NUJ  also  reportedly rejected the invitation of Chinese doctors in order to avoid: “… a situation where Nigerians will be used as a Guinea pig for any experiment” I told him it was an incredible and absurd  story but that I will make enquiries.

I immediately called the NUJ National  Secretary,  Mr. Leman Shuaib Usman who confirmed the union issued the statement. I asked whether the NUJ had investigated its  claims about 5G being dangerous to human beings, or made enquiries from the National Communication Commission (NCC) about it. The answer was negative.

 I then asked the basis on which the NUJ is officially  rejecting the 5G which will have tremendous effects on journalism practice. There was none based on knowledge, investigation or research. Next, I asked the basis on which the NUJ made a link between the alleged installation of  5G masts in  China and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; was it based on investigation, published research or verifiable information? It was none of these. 

Then I enquired why the NUJ was rejecting the invitation of Chinese doctors to help us fight Covid-19. Mr. Leman told me it was based on the observation that while Wuhan was the epicenter of Covid-19, it did not devastate Chinese cities like Shangai and Beijing, which confirmed the hypothesis that it was a controlled Chinese virus. 

I told him that the logic of the NUJ leadership is that the Chinese should be condemned for being able to contain the virus, stopping it devastating  more Chinese cities and decimating  its population. I appealed that he reviewed the entire issue and if the NUJ had erred, it should have the courage to recall the statement. 

The co-signatory was the NUJ National President, Mr. Christopher Isiguzo who I called next. I  made my observations and   told him that he and Mr. Leman owe Nigerian journalists the duty of withdrawing the embarrassing statement which from my discussions with them is based on rumours, conspiracy theories and false news.  He listened and promised to call me the next day.

 He did not, but sent me a statement by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors as if that in itself justifies the NUJ leadership’s violation of the ethics of journalism. 

Every rookie journalist is taught that while comments or opinions are free, facts are sacred; that a journalist must report only facts and if in doubt, spike the report or the portion he cannot confirm.

The NUJ President followed this up on Wednesday by sending me a video of   the   self-serving rantings of a transactional pastor whose commercialization of God’s words according to Forbes statistics, has earned him a hefty $30-$50 million  profit. The pastor who could not even define what theory is, could be heard in his usual sophistry, claiming that Covid-19 is a scam; the figment of human imagination and that what is killing people is the 5G technology not any virus. It is tragic the depths people can go in order to deceive and  profit off peoples’ lives.

The NMA appears ill-informed about the Chinese doctors whom it assumes are being employed by the Nigerian government. Based on this misinformation, it argues there are unemployed Nigerian doctors, and implied that the money government is going to pay the Chinese doctors can be better utilized providing  necessary medical equipment and facilities . 

However, the verifiable information is that these doctors are being  brought  in   by the  China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC)   as part of its corporate social responsibility. They are to spend one month in the country, and to share experiences with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and not to practice medicine in Nigeria. 

The fact is,  given the titanic battle China  waged against Covid-19,  Chinese doctors are some of the most experienced in fighting  the virus, and a drowning man   is not interested whether his rescuer is  Nigerian, Chinese, Yemeni or Dutch. 

The NMA went  low  when it wrote that: “The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance.” This cynical and unsubstantiated claim gives  the impression that  Chinese doctors are going around the world spreading the virus and deliberately infecting non-Chinese. In this, the NMA without any empirical evidence or facts, is accusing its Chinese counterparts of betraying the physicians global ethical code (The Hippocratic Oath) which is basically, to respect and  save human lives.

The rejection of 5G or the false claim that it is the source of the Coronavirus is like people rejecting telephone on the basis that it is the cause of small pox.

The 5G network is basically an improvement on the high-speed mobile internet (4G) which was an improvement on the voice and mobile data (3) itself an advancement on the Digital Voice (2G) and the Analogue Voice (1G) In rolling out 5G which some countries like South Korea, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Finland and Germany have done, the   approving authorities put into consideration basic issues like health, security, labour, commercial and social implications. 

The 5G will not be decided by rancorous debates, rumours or fake news. It is the logic of science, the pull of technology, demands of knowledge and commerce and the inevitability of an idea whose time has come. It should be clear to all that 5G is global and not a Chinese invention.

Bodies like the NUJ and NMA need to start thinking and discussing the likely  implications of 5G on their members. Otherwise, it would be like the introduction of the internet when  the media was dragged by the ears  into the new world. Many media organisations which could not adapt, died while all parts including reportorial, sub-editing, photography and production underwent fundamental transformation.

Many of the purveyors of fake news on Covid-19 and 5G are pathetic victims of imperialist propaganda; mere repeater stations of foreign half-truths and falsehood. Africans and the underdeveloped world should focus on what benefits their people and how they can also contribute to human development and not be cheerleaders at the turf battles   for global leadership. They should not become disciples of Donald Trump, the archangel of vicious agitation, propaganda and fake news.

I am convinced that this is  a world without end, but if  creation were to be destroyed as in Biblical times, it will not be  by water, fire or virus; it will be fake news the next time.

MY WORDS:

I have repeatedly made the point that one of the abberations of the time we live in is that we have so-called organisations, unions, etc. issuing statements which the Nigerian media just enjoys playing up, for whatever reason.

The fact is that most of these statements are personal views of a few individuals, tainted by their ignorance and biases.  In some instances,  those organisations either do not legally exist or only function as pseudonyms for these individuals.

It is a shame seeing the quality of leadership at the helm of affairs of the NUJ, brimming with so much ignorance. What is there to expect anyway?  Is the man listed as President not the same one who used to publicly front for a political persuasion? 

Shame, everything now  is politics.

FG LAUNCHES NEW VISA POLICY: Creates New Visa Categories For Ease Of Doing Business, Dual Citizens In Diaspora To Use Foreign Passport To Enter Nigeria

The Nigeria Federal Government has officially launched the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP)2020.
The Visa Policy which is coming on the heels of the signing of the African Continental Free trade agreement a treaty seeking to establish a continent-wide market place with increased trade and freer movement among its major Economic powers, has as its objective in strengthening Nigeria’s Position as a key economy in Africa by attracting more foreign direct investment into the country’s economy which will, in turn, provide jobs
.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the launch at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja, Interior Minister Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said operation of the new Visa Policy is cardinal to the ease of doing business in Nigeria and will further enhance The Nations security architecture and open Nigeria to more foreign business.

He added that the new visa policy which is also part of the economic recovery and growth plan (2017-2020) will boost Tourism, Aviation, entertainment, commerce and other areas where Nigeria has comparative Advantage over other African Countries.

According to the interior minister, the New Visa Policy will also present Nigeria with the opportunity to apply the principle of reciprocity with her visa policy in the Nation’s Bilateral and Multilateral Relations.

The policy also makes it possible for Nigerians in Diaspora with dual citizenship to be able to make use of the Passport of their adopted countries to visit Nigeria without the need for short stay Visa.
Aregbesola assured Nigerians that the new visa Policy will not compromise National security in anyway as adequate control measures have been provided before and after entry into the country.

The statement reads in full :

PRESS RELEASE

FG LAUNCHES NEW VISA POLICY:
Creates new visa categories for Ease of Doing Business
The Federal Government has officially launched the Nigerian Visa Policy (NVP) 2020. This enhanced visa policy by Nigeria, one of Africa’s key economies and demography, comes on the back of the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a treaty seeking to establish a continent-wide marketplace with increased trade and freer movement among its major economic powers. The objective of the reforms that have birthed NVP 2020 is to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a key economy in Africa by attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country’s economy which would in turn provide jobs for the people and lift Nigeria’s teeming population out of poverty in line with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to take 100million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

NVP 2020 is also designed to support the attainment of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017 -2020) and is a pathway to achieving the Security, Economy and Transparency (SET) Agenda of the present Administration.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola while speaking at the launch of the NVP 2020 at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday 4th February 2020, stated that its operation is cardinal to the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. The new visa regime is expected to boost economic activities in the areas of tourism, aviation, entertainment, commerce and other areas where Nigeria has comparative advantage over other African countries. It also presents Nigeria with the opportunity to apply the principle of reciprocity with her visa policy in the nation’s bilateral and multilateral relations.
“The NVP 2020 introduces special visas for Nigerians in diaspora who either by birth, marriage or nationalization have assumed dual citizenship. Such category of Nigerians will now be able to make use of the passports of their adopted countries to visit Nigeria without the need for short stay visa”, he said. The Minister expressed the commitment of his Ministry to the implementation of the NPV 2020 in view of its supervisory role on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola assured that the NIS would adhere to the published conditions of issuance of visas in a professional, timely and transparent manner. He assured that NIS would invest heavily in the training of the officers and men that will be charged with the responsibility of processing visas in all our visa issuing centers and passport control at our points of entry. The Minister emphasized that NIS would also work with all stakeholders within and outside Nigeria to ensure that the policy is not abused and the security of Nigeria and indeed other countries is not compromised.

“The implementation of the NVP 2020 will not compromise national security as adequate control measures have been provided both before and after entry into Nigeria”, the Minister stressed. While encouraging Nigerians in Diaspora to respect the provisions of the immigration laws of their new countries as well as those of Nigeria, the Minister congratulated the Nigeria Immigration Service for the landmark policy and also invited all prospective visitors, investors and residents to a new and refreshing experience in Nigeria and with Nigeria Immigration Service.
“The implementation of the NPV2020 will require collaboration with several MDAs involved in diplomacy, trade, investment, education, tourism, manufacturing, monetary policies, security, intelligence and many more”, the Minister reiterated.

Some of the features of NVP 2020 include, Visa On Arrival for African Union nationals, increase in the classes of visas from 6 to 75, creation of visa codes for all classes of visa and introduction of e-visas.

The benefits of the new NVP 2020 are many. It presents a good opportunity for Nigeria to be a major consideration for investment in Africa and hosting of international events particularly the ones scheduled to hold in Africa. It also serves as a major boost for Nigeria’s aviation, entertainment and tourism industries.

The new visa policy is expected to take Nigeria some steps up in the Africa Visa Openness Report published annually by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which would be a further boost on the global Ease Of Doing Business league table.
Mrs. Grace Njoku
Chief Information Officer
For: Director, Press and Public Relations






Additional reports from www.bentelevision.com
 Image source: BEN TV

World Cup qualification summary of Africa: Nigerians on the brink, big guns out in the cold!

World Cup qualification summary of Africa: Nigerians on the brink, big guns out in the cold!

THE MATCHDAY REPLAYED – Only Nigeria were mathematically able to qualify during the fourth instalment of the third round of African qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, but the Super Eagles will have to wait another month before attempting to obtain the points they require to advance. Their draw with Cameroon did have one direct impact: Les Lions ildomptables are no longer in the running for a qualifying spot.

Algeria, who competed at Brazil 2014, are also out, and Ghana are now in great danger of suffering the same fate, despite their resounding victory over Congo. Egypt, meanwhile, made up for their previous slip-up in Uganda by picking up three points against the same opponents in Alexandria, and Tunisia and Burkina Faso both came back to earn hard-fought draws late on.

FIFA.com puts the African Zone qualifiers under the microscope.

Results Group A: Congo DR 2-2 Tunisia, Libya 1-0 Guinea 

Group B: Cameroon 1-1 Nigeria, Algeria 0-1 Zambia 

Group C: Mali 0-0 Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire 1-2 Gabon

Group D: Burkina Faso 2-2 Senegal, South Africa 1-2 Cape Verde 

Group E: Egypt 1-0 Uganda, Congo 1-5 Ghana

Match of the day Congo DR 2-2 Tunisia 

Defeated 2-1 in Tunisia three days ago, Congo DR hoped to cancel out that result when they welcomed the Carthage Eagles to the raucous Stade des Martyrs. And everything seemed to be going to plan as the home side built up a solid two-goal advantage, Chancel Mbemba heading home the opener after nine minutes and Paul Jose Mpoku doubling the lead in the early stages of the second half.

However, things can change in a blink of an eye in football, and when Congolese midfielder Wilfred Moke deflected a Mohamed Amine Ben Amor shot into his own net with a good 12 minutes remaining on the clock, the match was suddenly up for grabs. In the end, the Tunisians took just two minutes to conjure up an equaliser through Anice Badri’s improvised volley, but there was to be no further scoring. The North Africans hold a three-point lead at the top of Group A.

Group A: While the top two were locking horns in Kinshasa, the bottom pair clashed in Monastir. Libya gained revenge for their 3-2 reverse in Guinea last week by eking out a 1-0 home win, but both teams have been knocked out of the qualifying race.

Group B: Despite Vincent Aboubakar’s equalising penalty, which negated Moses Simon’s opener for Nigeria, Cameroon were forced to bid farewell to their World Cup dream, having now failed to win any of their four group games so far. The draw gave hope to Zambia, who needed to acquire all three points in Algeria to have any chance of catching the Nigerians. And they did just that, notching a 66th minute winner to stay in the hunt and knock Les Fennecs out of contention in the process.

Group C: Still smarting from their stinging 6-0 defeat in Morocco on Friday, Mali made amends somewhat in front of their own supporters by holding the same team to a scoreless draw. The Atlas Lions, for whom Hakim Ziyech missed a penalty, may regret not finding the winning goal that would have taken them top of the section, following Côte d’Ivoire’s shock 2-1 loss in Gabon. Les Elephants now have a one-point lead over Morocco.

Group D: Burkina Faso, who had worked hard for a share of the spoils in Senegal on Saturday, knew that they would retain leadership of Group D should they manage a similar result against the same opponents in Ouagadougou. With Sadio Mane having handed Senegal a 2-1 lead in the 75th minute and Les Etalons being reduced to ten men, the home fans began to feel a sense of despondency set in. However, an own goal by the unfortunate Pape Seydou N’Diaye not only kept the Burkinabe at the top of the pool, but it also pushed Senegal down into third place, due to Cape Verde’s surprising 2-1 triumph in South Africa.

Group E: After losing 1-0 to Uganda on Thursday, Egypt, who have not appeared on the World Cup stage since 1990, were forced to relinquish top spot in the group. On Tuesday, the Pharaohs returned to the summit of the section, Mohamed Salah’s all-important goal seeing off the Cranes. Ghana kept their faint hopes alive with a 5-1 demolition of Congo.

The number 4 – Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who was first capped in June 2016, had not scored an international goal prior to his country’s double-header with Congo. There was nothing unusual about this situation, as he usually plays as a defensive midfielder. But in the space of three days, the Atletico Madrid player proved that he did actually have a nose for goal, especially in high-pressure circumstances: he registered the Black Stars’ equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Congo in Kumasi, and in the second match in Brazzaville, he proceeded to notch a memorable hat-trick.

Good news for Nigeria: Oil prices seen rising as oversupply diminishes, $41 per barrel -World Bank Raises 2016 Oil Price Forecast, Revises Down Agriculture Price Projections

Special Report

 Oil prices seen rising as oversupply diminishes

 Good news for Nigeria: Oil prices seen rising as oversupply diminishes, $41 per barrel
-World Bank Raises 2016 Oil Price Forecast, Revises Down Agriculture Price Projections

 Lashley Oladigbolu a WorldBank OMBC Correspondent reports.

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2016 

Amid improving market sentiment and a weakening dollar, the World Bank is raising its 2016 forecast for crude oil prices to $41 per barrel from $37 per barrel in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook, as an oversupply in markets is expected to recede.

In the quarterly report from World Bank's Commodity Market Outlook released on 26th April, 2016 it was revealed that the crude oil market rebounded from a low of $25 per barrel in mid-January to $40 per barrel in April following production disruptions in Iraq and Nigeria and a decline in non-Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries production, mainly U.S. shale. A proposed production freeze by major producers failed to materialize at a meeting in mid-April.