FG bans sale of cigarettes to anyone below 18, list places where smoking is prohibited

 The Federal government has announced the ban on the sale of cigarettes to persons below the age of 18. Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja as part of activities to mark the World No Tobacco Day, yesterday May 31st.

“Having carefully analysed the NTC Act 2015, I wish to announce with high sense of responsibility that government will begin implementing the following provisions:

prohibition of sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below 18; ban of sale of cigarettes in single sticks. Cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20 sticks only; and smokeless tobacco shall be sold in a minimum of a pack of 30 grams.

Ban of sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet or other online device; prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues; and Prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child care facility; educational facility; and health care facility.

“Other prohibited places for smoking include playgrounds; amusement parks; plazas; public parks; stadium, public transports, restaurants, bars, or other public gathering spaces.” Adwole also called for the prosecution of owners or managers of any of the places listed above, who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the above listed places.

Adewole in his statement also announced the prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind; and compliance with specified standard for content as set out by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).


Feel Free To Comments Here...

JNI condemns NYSC for opening orientation camps during Ramadan

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has “condemned in strongest terms” the decision of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to continue with its orientation camps for fresh graduates across the country despite the Ramadan fast. The body, led by Abubakar Sa’ad, the Sultan of Sokoto, also called on the Nigerian Army to immediately postpone its planned recruitment exercise until Muslims have concluded their fasting period. The decision was part of resolutions, which included fervent prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari, reached by JNI at its recently-concluded annual central council meeting in Kaduna, which held on May 21 and 22. The organisation said NYSC admitting new entrants into orientation camps and the Nigerian Army conducting recruitment exercise during Ramadan would put Muslim faithful, especially those observing fasting and prayers, at a disadvantage. It said: “This is because the prospective corps members would be at disadvantage to their faith and other camp activities. “The council also calls on the authority of the Nigerian Army to postpone the intended recruitment exercise until after Ramadan to avoid putting prospective candidates at a disadvantage.” The JNI called on the NYSC to honour a previous agreement entered by the two parties for camp activities to be placed on hold during Ramadan. At press time yesterday, the spokespersons for the Nigerian Army and NYSC had neither returned calls nor replied text messages to their respective lines.

 



Feel Free To Comments Here...

Buhari’s emergence saved Nigeria – Masari

Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, on Wednesday said Nigeria would have been plagued into serious socio-political and economic crisis if President Muhammadu Buhari had not been elected in the 2015 presidential election.
Katsina is the home state of President Buhari.

Speaking on the achievements of the Nigerian leader in two years, Masari said: “I am very proud of him and proud of what he has done in the past two years.
“When we came in 2015, 27 states were not paying salaries, and President Buhari came up with different bailouts,”
“States were given money to be able to pay salaries; those who owed pensions and gratuities were given money to pay, and my state benefited from that gesture. Each state was also given N10 billion from the excess crude account for infrastructure development.

“When the oil price went down and many states could not pay salaries, Buhari introduced what he called budget support.”
“For the first four months, each state was given N1.4 billion and there were many other interventions from the federal government in order to help stabilise the states”, he told Thisday.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives wondered what would have happened if there were no interventions from the Buhari-led federal government to help stabilise the system.




Feel Free To Comments Here...

Benue Disburses N100m Interest Free Loan Youths, Women

 Benue state governor Samuel Ortom has approved the released of N100 million loan for disbursement to over 20,000 youths and women that recently acquired training in various agro and allied industrial skills.
Governor Ortom who made this known yesterday in makurdi, while addressing the trainees said,  the  loan facility which is interest free is put together  in conjunction with the Centre for Youth and Women Skill Acquisition, CYWSA..
He explained that the loan would be  drawn from a Central Bank CBN, facility and announced the constitution of a committee to ensure that the money gets to the right beneficiaries for proper use.
Governor Ortom said the Commissioner for Finance, Mr David Olofu, would head the committee and maintained that he approved the loan in order to encourage the NGO that organized the training,  government appointees that coordinated the training and the women and youths that participated in the exercise.
He promised to continue to fund activities that could create wealth for the people, especially the unemployed, noting that women, youths and the disabled occupy priority positions in his development agenda for the people.
According to him, the trainees would become change agents in Benue as the nation struggles to get out of the recession.
While promising to strengthen training programmes for the unemployed so that many more would benefit, the governor said such programmes would discouraged idleness.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths and Sports  Development, Professor Jonathan Uever, had explained that the governor approved timely release of funds for the training while the President of the NGO that organized the training in collaboration with the Benue state government, Mr.Francis Udense, applauded state government’s efforts in sponsoring over 20,000 citizens  for the training.




Feel Free To Comments Here...

Kano State Slam Abduction Of Federal Lawmaker

Kano  State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje  yesterday on behalf of the people of the state   express disapproval over the alleged abduction  of a member of the House of Representative representing Takai/Sumaila Federal Constituency, Hon. Garba Umar Durbunde.
The statement  issued by the governor denouncing the alleged kidnap of the lawmaker  frown at the incident, describing it as “unfortunate”.
The statement signed by the commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammad Garba said “Ganduje was shocked by the news of the sad and unfortunate event, particularly  at this holy month of Ramadan, condemn it in the strongest term as an act of wickedness perpetrated by evil and cold-hearted element,”.
Ganduje task security operatives to step rescue operations to effect the release of the law makers from the captivity  of  his abductors.
The governor cautioned members of the public to be security conscious, and that they should provide available information to relevant quarters appropriately.
It would be recalled that Hon. Durbunde was kidnapped by unknown men  around Jere  town along Abuja Road at about 5pm, while traveling to FCT,  Abuja.







Feel Free To Comments Here...

Senate amends Customs law, insists on insider as CG

Two months after a face-off between Senate and Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS),      Hameed Ali, the upper legislative chamber, has passed a new law which compels the president to appoint an insider as the CG.
Also, with the new law, the CG’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
Senate has also scrapped the NCS Governing Board and replaced it with a Commission, which will oversee the administration of the NCS.
The commission, when set up, will be headed by a chairman, who will be a retired career Comptroller-General or Deputy Comptroller-General.
He or she will be appointed by the president, for a period of four years.
The appointment of the chairman of the commission will also be subject to confirmation by the Senate and the tenure is only renewable once.
The Senate bill, tagged “A Bill for an Act to repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act, to establish the Nigeria Customs Service, reform the administration and management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria”, was passed, following adoption of a report by the Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.
On the appointment of the CG, section 13 of the Bill makes it very clear that only a serving officer would be qualified to be so appointed.
“The president shall appoint from the Customs Service, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, a Comptroller General who shall be responsible for the over all management of the Customs Service.” The bill also said that the Customs CG shall execute policies and decisions of the commission.
Senate explained that the office of the CG is sufficiently sensitive to warrant scrutiny by the Senate and, therefore, ensure that best possible candidate occupies that position.
The commission would be responsible for managing policies of the NCS, or matters pertaining to administration, assessment, collection and accounting for revenues, as may be directed by the Minister of Finance from time to time.
It would also be responsible for managing all issues relating to employment, training, welfare, and discipline of officers of the NCS, with the approval of the appropriate authority of the Federal Government.  The bill consolidates into a single reference document, the NCS legal authority which is scattered in multiple enactment, and to bring the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 1958, in line with modern day reality and international best practices.
Committee Chairman Senator Hope Uzodinma, explained that the Service would also be financed from a seven percent cost of collection of import duty, excise and fees, special levies, revenues derived from assessment and collection of cost based user fees, and from budgetary provisions.
He said: “The new bill will substantially enhance revenue generation and facilitate trade through full implementation of modern customs procedures that will evolve consistent, transparent and predictable environment for international trade in line with internally accepted norms and practices.
Uzodinma added that the bill would also ensure pre-shipment and post shipment inspection at point of origin, and destination, to reduce the incidence of import of dangerous items.
“It strengthens the full implementation of pre-shipment laws of the country through the provisions for screening as a prerequisite for clearing goods into the country not only adds to the expedited clearing system, but empirically improves the security of the nation by minimising the unfettered access into the country of illicit goods, prohibited narcotics, proliferation of small arms and toxic cargoes,” he added.



Feel Free To Comments Here...

Schools to teach Maths, Science in indigenous languages – Minister

The Federal Government has said primary and secondary schools in the country will soon start teaching Mathematics and Science subjects in indigenous languages.
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said this at the inauguration of inter-ministerial committee in teaching of Mathematics and Science subjects in Local languages in Abuja on Wednesday.
The inter-ministerial committee involved Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Education.
He said the inter-ministerial committee would help to develop the capacity of the local languages to serve as effective tools for teaching mathematics and science subjects.
According to him, the project will help Nigerian students to understand mathematics and science subjects better. He said the project would also promote the application of science and technology for national development. The minister expressed concern of the government over the low interest in mathematics and the science subjects by students.
Onu said various countries like India, China adopted a related strategy by teaching mathematics and the science subjects in their indigenous languages at the primary school level.
He added that those countries were making advancement in science and technology.
“For us to build the country of our dreams, for us to make Nigeria a truly great nation, a nation that is able to feed and house its citizens, a nation with a stable currency, we must embrace science and technology.
“ Nigeria will remain dependent nation if the citizens did not embrace science and technology, because no nation can become great without science and technology.
“If Nigeria is to be great then, Nigerians must embrace science and technology.
“The socio-economic challenges we are facing in the country is as a result of inadequate application of science and technology,“ he said.
Onu said that graduates were no longer able to get jobs after their studies because the nation imports everything it needed.
Earlier, Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said using mother tongue to teach Science and mathematics would certainly help and ensure better understanding of the of the subjects.
Adamu, who was represented by Dr Useni Adamu, Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that the project would facilitate a major breakthrough in the area of Science and Technology.






Feel Free To Comments Here...