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'Jonathanll Assent to Health Bill'
Following complaints ren!red on a1Jcsred weak P':'licy implementation mechanism in the healtfi sedor, ~1inister of Stale for Health, Dr, Muhammed Pate, yesterday in Ab uja said the federal government would step up diit.iG!.l
governance within the sector. ~aking during an interactive session Witll journalists, he also assured tftat the president. Dr, Good.1Uck. Jonath.ln, wouJd <lSSCIlt to the ~tll bill p.1SSCd by the last ~atiOll.'\I Assem,hly, ~ mlll~ter
said, "The rurrent team In the health nurnstry IS forusmg on clinical governance and will contin ue to push the movement Of ~ deliwry to the frontline." He main-mined that the federal govemmmt WilS studving the health bill, assuring that tfie presidenl will surely assent to it. Also ~ Pmnanmt ~ in tile minis~~ Linus Awule. olRrved that d ue the broader scope of the
health sector, the ministry was seeking to partner with stakeholders for optimal
re:suJts.
Benue Election Tribunal
US Chopper Felled by Taliban
The Benue State Olapter of the Peoples DemOCI<ltic Party and the Gabriel Susw<l.m·\ed s tategovenunent a l tln' weekend alI~ plans by tI,e opp05ition elements in the stale to derail tile work of the election tribunal set up over the last goVeIT\OMP election, The party and thestafc go\"
emmenl ~calIy acrused the Action Congress of Nigeria of working hard 10 instigate violence ",ncrprevent the tnbuna1 from successfuUy Sitting over the GlSe. In a s ta tement by the Benue Slale Commissioner for
-ing seven Afghan soldiers was fellftl overnigh t by Ule
oWn of Afghan PR.'Siden l Hamid Karza,isaid the em... were returnmg. from an operation agau15t the Thlib.,n in w~ eil'.ht insurgents are beliC\'ooto have been,killed TIUstalli~ with 11 Tllhb.m report that Sind the helicopte r was brought ~own w ith a ~ket after an u't5urgen l meeting was SCUI'
;:-.;;;;.~;.~.~V.nJ.k
Sylva -Set to Contest 2012 Elections
The Federal lvlinistry of Agriculture and Ru ral Development has <1ppmved Ule appointment of M~,
lbe go\'emor: w ho a lso embarked on ~ in<:rA"tinn
Omotayo Adewwni as Ule acting national pro;oct coo,roln.l tor fOr the third national Fadama development prqcct.
y~ on-gomg~'ii,jii:;k'd
ed as the ;;proal Minister of State for Agriculture ,100
~ not bothered \\ilh blolck. mail being ~pl ..... 't'd by hi:!; liti I ..... This is F:o op~ assesshis
Rurnl d€'\'elOpmenl Prior to hIs ar.eoilltment. Adewumi was the nationa l p~accountan , Fadama l ~l. He~1ds a Bsc in Banking and FmancE' and an Msc In BUSIne5S Ad m inistration. H e is also a d",rtered pm;ect management consultant, a certified financial consultant and il dl;l rlered business administrator, ..
el blow was dealt 10 the lJS.-led special fortes after il lOst 31 of its men in a heliropier crash in fghanist.m yesterday. Ao.."Orrling to ilgeng reports, the Chinook hellcopter which was alsocany-
M .sou~
us
say most, of
the Arnenoms
\~'ho d1(~d
were from team SVc-~ Navy Se<ll U~t killed ~1 Bin laden 11\ l\!a\, ~ut tI~s has clashed w ltIl mtelligence reports that says the exact number of the elite Seals u/Ut IS unknown As a l velerda\' the US Il.ld flOt con· firmed tile number ('If dead, which would be the [;'Irgcst :o;nf. US 1~ of lifc in Ihe Af illl Ctlnnlct. "t<llemenl from Ihe
B:zet-~~~e ~= "" I) thai he wm be conlest· ins: th! 2012 SO''t'ITIOI'".
~~ ~::~o~~
lied on Frida}'. Karzaisai.d has already expresst'd NsSympathy and
decp condolences to US President ~JOIck Oba~"l and the famIly of the \ 'Ie!iJns.whileObama, hasa.Jso ISSued a statement P.lymg tribute 10 the Americans ana Afghans who, dit;! in tJ.1e crash, He said 'We Will
From 5cgull James in l e.mgon
year, 1hl' goo.'CffiOr was speak-
d r i n g shortly aftl"r escorting romingoll lya few aysa ler PrCsidentGocdluck Jonatll.ln tile INEC (ilrTl(' out with a who was in the state 011 a lin'lClable for the elections in two-day privllte visi l to his the fivc slatt's where elc.>ctioI't5 C'OlU1try htUlC, Exuding rondid not take plilCe last April fideln, 5\'1\'3 said he woukl mel SC\'en months to the go\'emerge \-Ktonous in thc 2m2 emorship election hoIdmg in ckctioll with the support of Ondo SL,le in rwruary next o.Wdslll5.
FG Develops New Bluepri nt on Economic Transformation 1E"
T!
1«.1<'1<'1 gD\'emment
,,~ ~ic\'cloped
a new
blucrrirlt lhat would incn"ase Foreign
th~
country's Direct lnl'(~tOl('flt ,lnJ cnhaul'l? ect'llOlllic d~"e!op1l1en l. {l.lini!ler u f Trade and In\'csl'rn<'llt, Or. OIus.eglffi Agang.'1, .lisdCK'd thi~ 011 Thu~<lV in At.ui;t dwin): die
OI'elung' CCRllkJIW of.., Iftree.. l~1\' rrtP.'al for I,fin.'dCG and dllef
~ecu tl\'eS
l.f p..lrnstatals Ire IIlil1ism' in AblJ!o.l, .lI' Ille nt"," blll"pnnl, he -t.,:ed, Jle 11!'>"'$l1 go\'Cffinlt'll! \\'uuld rol5 lIn U'K! ~'clnrlncnt of !;I"\'('n kev~· 1(.'1'" C"I Ihc ('(t."IlOIlly (,1I'fn15 10 tlrir I..... n.'lti.ll~ :t~ till' [n..,~..... drhcl'S of :?<X.I11(lm1C g;rowth and dt.'\-cl(ll'n...~L TI'l!.!!<'CI(lr5 ilre "~TlCltlturt', wat~
1Irv;Wr
<\s
r-~rt
re!'<lUr=,!'<liid nHrrr.Ji:o, m..111· l1f.1rn\ril~ oil and ~, ~ at ...1 (lmmM!rU", ~u1ture, and lOUrl!:rI\.
Af1.<'lIlW' .w;Jb,<d that the fed-
eral f\""ernml.'l'll. Uuough the MinIStry of Trade and [m CShl1l!T\t, woulJ partner Ule rri\'ate R'Ctor towards unlockIng cariti'l! for in"e!llment dllU\'!:jh l{l(ll.t and foreign din."ct UlVestmcrtt. "Accoltling to I'n!sidmt GooriIuck's transfonnation a~, sorne ministJ"ie!!; howe Oem identified as till! main growth drl\'m during tI.. tramfonnation period r~~ 2011-2015,~ the rrunNHOI\~1!r,
yowlh in thee
5ed0fS has ~
by
!Ie\ li'fi'Il
wnstrainro
chaUengeri, indud-
Frolll 'lewi Akirlsuyi in A tmj(l
U1!$ Joo.y pruducthi,ty; low level pnvi'lie sector m\'e:o!tm enl; non-competi\'cne5S, imide(Illate funding; shortage of ~k1l1ed Iil.,npower, luw investment in ~arch and deo.'eIopmenl and roor de\'clopmeflt ,f <'aluc chair\. '11.. MinL-<tr. ufTradt.o and [n\~1 "ih be \,'Orkmlo\ '\'Idl n\oll1ufi'd.urcrs to rmlO\'e t~ b.'11"i(>rs 1o econornk: wuwth b\ enh.mred ~ tltlll of "'llional and ~'Cial w£\lldl tluuugh ~lter export ;tOO Import ~um;btutJOn. Aoo, we intend <l(hie<-e enhancftl a1racity fur \'alue additkm
le.'1ding to industrialisation and employment O(1POf1unities by pmrnotiI1g f'Il'<I\e scctor in\'eunent through the creation of iIJ1 enabling ewironment 11",1t allows fOr sub5tl.l1tial improvemenl in emciefM:.,', ~roducti\'ily and pro/'. ilability. 'Agang<l Solid his minism"" maritalt' is not onIv to ..,Urnct fOlt'ign din."ct in"i::st· mentinlotheruuntr\'bulal:o;o 10 help wllock its huge unt.,r-red I"n/""tials.
113
Di'
r --:..
" pi!rt 01 the r~w l,lueL'nnl mrihe mn~," he Solid,
l'wewIlSi~nmcant1liJ""'TC~
manufi1dunng.. local CClllent
aHd Iinkas!es with other !('Cttm' of tlle ('C()numy, and ensure ~ rompe6\'rnes5 for m1U1ufoctllll..oJ );000$
draw inspiration hu m their lives, and ~n linu(> the work of sccur:mS our COlIntry and standing up for.~ values thai they embodied. WenlsoOloumtheAIghans who ~ied al0!1sside O U f troops III pum.lIt of 11 more peaCeful and hopeful futu re ror Ulei~ coun try," tile statemenl saki,
'~~
of
b h~=tion,.said he
%e
'fs.
~~Pb ~h't'5 F"S~i~,ua""" ~ inspected B' I ' Dim" Model S!:O~1U'V ~ and the
Stoll A"'~ulS1tion Complex prqects.-'!\'here he said he wouldnol influenrethe PDP primaries in the slale, but Insisted thaI he would be "ictorioU'!l al the roll. He idcnlifK-d edUC<1tion as the grea test challenge f<lCed bX Il\e yOUtllS of Ule state and added Ihat most Bayels,ms are wlemplO)'able 111 Ihe labour market beOIuse Ihey lack qualitative eduCiltion. He reilcr.l led his admini5. tration's polin ' trusl Qf -J tI f 'mlpo'fl'ering lhe ~Oll 15. Ihe!t.,It' through skill iICqUL<\!tion for hum.", Cilpital deI."t'Iopmcnt and Qld 111.1t the
c:
'ut.'d
SO"'('fTlment \WIS comml to et15uring that the youths are acqU;linred with the neees.".lrv skills th., t would put them in a belter position 10 l't!CUring ernployrnenl
DanlcigaIi Promises to Pay Minimum Wage overnor S,udu Dakingari of Kebbl State ~romi5ed 10 ra"the 18,OXIminUllu m wage to the state m'il Set'''iIIlts if other stales in the country ab'1l!ed to pay. D.lking.'ri \"'hil ~ sreaking during tllC sIYci1 ring in ceremony of new ly-appoin too commissioners III the st.lle slid the st.,te had no much money as beillg spt'CU1ated.. but his govemmcnt can still afford to pay
G
U1eworkers..
He ho"~'t't' stlted thai the paynlent of tile minimu ni waSC will be easier if the st;l te
gO\-emmentsgetmoreTllCll"l('f
from tile rroerntion acrounl.
From 5nkn 111m/dm ill IJim;II
Kebl1i ami
OkollBassey;lIuyu AcrordinS to him, lle had ix'cn miu"'glllg the stlte albcations from 1I1e fuderation accounl prudently and elimi· "" ting U0nea:'S501ry spending since he look 0\'('1" the lE',ldershi p of the stall>, ~ is even as the Ahva Jbom Stalecounrilsof N igt!ri.1 Labour Congtl5S and Tradc Unim~ha''l!issucda SC\-m-day i.t.I tim.'1tum 10 the stale gO\'t'I'TlIfI("rll to implemenl the new nation"l mini· mum and wilge inrn.>ases
ilCf05I5
t-oard b..'15Cd
on the
roIlectit'Cb.'rgailliogp~ The positicn of the labour n'lO\ 'e mcnt was against the backgrou.nd of the recent
state gQ\~mmt's reaction
to implement the fll'\Y minimum 1Vilg(! of N IB, OXI f'Of only junior worilerson sa1arr gmde le"el 01 lo~ The unions howe at a press conference in Uyo urged w0rker5in thestate to remain calm as the state governor,
Chief Godswill Akpbio, was notsinceeon till! impiemenbtion of minimwn waK<' in U~ stale. lhe State NlC caJJed on \\'Ol'kers toslilrt full strike actions on Fridil}; August 12.
Wonnation,. Conrad \\1egb..1, the gO\-emmeot alleged that a meeting of ACN chieftainS was field on Friday; Au~t 5, in the AOlI~' home of one of the party's leaders, woo is a K.,dWl., .biiscd ho tflier, at which pillns were perfected 10 c:'IU5e a state of ma,ssj\'e violence in Benue 5tafc to h alt the work of tile election tribW13l.
Fadama Project Adewumi ~laces Alh.,ji Bukar lijanj
woo was appoint-
Apapa/Oshodi Expressway The ContmllE"r of 'Yorks in tile Federal l'-llnistrv of Works. tIo-lr. Eilike Mgbemen.l, hilS decrie,.l a s ituation whe!'t'
b.1nks petro smti0n5, and o ther ilIesal stmctures are bwlt on ~S'! channe1s, the~ ~tructing the fret' (1.0\\' t?f rnin wa ter on Ule Apapa-Osh<'xh ~ way. Hesal{~ tlus witS Ule reason the rOad was "the shanle o( the nahon." Mgbemena also expressed shock al U,e T<l le of d~age t!'e 1'Oo1d h.'lCi suffered. durinK i'ln assessmenl of ongomg n.op.llr5 Inst week. He noted U",ftlle federnl go\'cm ment \\ill soon complete the 400 and 600 capacitics truck park.s oP?JSile TinGtll Port to case th~ menace caused by trucks arid lorries plying the 1'Oo1U,
Court Quashes 14-year-old Marriage An Abeok.uta Grade One Customar" Court "ltting at l<tf('l1ll-a h."tSqll;'l~hed theml1magebeh\'t'f!Il thei\tr, ~ I ultll Taiwo and Mrs, Sakir,,1 r<liwo (defendant), Delh"enn~ i~dgemE'1l1 00 Ihe matter bmug!ll by the pl~intiff, T.1iwo, Presldcul of thcCuurt, r..1r. T,o. Oluwole, .15SlSted b,' utller
members of Ule court, nill~lcl>.', ~·Ir,. N,o. Tt'riola ~nd Chief Ali'lfli Ade Itlowu t]Pt, Salc!. H~\'lIlg c<'lrefuJly hstenE'l.llo both the rliuntiff .md defend;mt s aiflnne.,! Ul court~ tI~lr 14-\'e<1r-old \'alid a.tStomary marriage is diss<-h'ed fre.. from anY JuWl)' refund. Btlth p..lrtU.'S "f'! ~ m.-e 10 retll<lrTV am' Person o f Uleirchoicc.ln <'lew of Ihe rl.1intiff'5- ;'Imrmen! in ..'OUrt for proper care of the three Childnm. court views his pledge and grants !um the cus!udy of ~ three children Mtd to arr.mp.- tht'm Ul til(' boardUlg'hou.ce mImedi<ltely wiUlOllt allY delay as promised,H
Kaduna NBA Election Crisis 111e KadUn.1 d1llpterofthe Nigerian BolT As..."<xiation has elected new officiillS to nUl ils aJf:lirs for tilE' next h\'o years. 11lCeJcction, which was scheduled to hold last weekend a t
the Command Guest Inn, Kadun." wilSa/most scu tUed by a law suit ch.lllenging tile vot{'I'S' list. How€,\'er, the clectornl committee, headed by Bd1 ~, declared all !hose whose p;Eitions were ~posErl as duly elected. tn a sta temen t signed by it pubootv secretary, Mr, lfeanyi Egbuna, tllC committee said e1ectlons for Ule positions or tre chairm.m iIIld the a....sstant Sl'C't'Iary were d eferred, pending the dettmtination o f the suit chaUcnging Ull' ....oters' list ftogarding the electiuns.