Religious leaders under the aegis of Interfaith Initiative for Peace (IIP) on Friday in Abuja appealed to the abductors of Leah Sharibu to release the girl and abandon their threat of executing her.
The leaders made the appeal on the sideline of a Peace conference organised by IIP towards the 2019 general elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports IIP is jointly founded by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Saad Abubakar and the Catholic Arch Bishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the group, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern Nigeria, Rev. Yakubu Pam said the abductors should abandon their threat in order the save Sharibu’sfamily from the agony of losing a child in such a violent circumstance.
“We heard that they said next week is their deadline and that is why in this meeting, as we are discussing about the peace of this country, we felt that it is very important and very paramount to talk about this matter.
“The mother is in agony, the family is in agony and we are appealing to their conscience. Whatever it is, let them be lenient and also allow God to speak to their heart,” he said
The cleric added: “We are here as religious leaders and traditional rulers to appeal to the conscience of the abductors of these innocent girl.
“I know too that the mother has also cried, the family members have cried to the abductors of this innocent girl as well as well meaning citizens of Nigeria have also cried.
“We want to appeal to them, to please, for the sake of God, release this innocent girl and by doing this, Nigeria will appreciate”.
Pam called on the government to do whatever it can within its powers to ensure the girl is safely released and reunited with her family.
He noted that the the leaders of the two major religions in Nigeria, Christianity and Islam, as well as traditional rulers were attending the conference to discuss peace ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters’ Mosque in Abuja, Sheikh Mohmamed Khalid appealed to the abductors to have a rethink and revisit their minds on the abducted girl.
He noted that the abductors of Sharibu were on their own and they did not represent Islam.
“We are here to speak on behalf of the bodies of the two main religions, Islam and Christianity.
“We want the world to understand that these people that are holding our children and other people in captivity are not representing anything, they are on their own.
“Islam is not asking them to abduct anybody and we the Muslims are going to join hands with anybody to do anything possible to secure Nigerians from their agony”.
He stressed that the abductors of Sharibu had no basis to hold her captive since her colleagues whom they were abducted together were released.
NAN recalled that the mother of Sharibu, the only one of the kidnapped Dapchi girls who remained in captivity, had appealed to her abductors to be compassionate and release her daughter unharmed.
She made the appeal on Thursday in an interview monitored on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
Boko Haram abducted Leah Sharibu and 109 other girls from their school in Dapchi on February 19, 2018.
While most of the girls have been released, Leah has remained in captivity, and her abductors have threatened to kill her.
Similarly, the family of two of the three female aid workers who were abducted in March 2018 had pleaded for the release of the women.
Alice Loksha was working with ICRC in Rann, Kalabalge, when she was abducted, while Amina Liman was working with UNICEF also in Rann when she was kidnapped by Boko Haram.
Also in an interview monitored on NTA on Thursday, Gideon Loksha the younger brother of Alice, pleaded for the release of his sister.
In a separate interview, Yiakachi Liman, the mother of Amina, made a passionate plea for her release
The third abducted lady, Saifura Hussaini Ahmed, was killed by her abductors last month.
Tag: Deadline
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Leah Sharibu: Religious leaders beg Buhari, Boko Haram as deadline approaches
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2019: October 7 deadline for conduct of primaries, resolution of disputes sacrosanct – INEC tells political parties
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reminded political parties that October 7 remains the deadline for conduct of primaries for all elective positions for the 2019 general elections and resolution of disputes emanating from the primaries.
The reminder is in a statement by Solomon Soyebi, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja on Thursday.
Soyebi stated that “the resolution was made at the end of the commission’s weekly meeting held on Thursday in Abuja’’.
He noted that the commission, among other things, considered the status of political party primaries to elect candidates into various positions for the 2019 general elections.
He said 89 of the 91 registered political parties that gave notice of their intentions to conduct primaries as required by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) had commenced and were at various stages of the process.
He added that “INEC wishes to restate that the conduct of primaries and resolution of all disputes arising therefrom must be concluded on or before October 7 as earlier published in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 general elections.
“The last day for submission of lists of sponsored candidates (Form CFOO2) and personal particulars (Form CF001) remains October 18 for Presidential and National Assembly and November 2 for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly.”
Soyebi restated that the commission would only accept list of candidates submitted by the National Chairman and the National Secretary.
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Workers lament as FG recants on September deadline for new minimum wage
The Federal Government on Tuesday said the September deadline earlier stated for the implementation of the new minimum wage was no longer feasible as the date was fixed for conclusion of negotiations and not actual implementation as widely speculated.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told newsmen at his residence in Abuja that the committee on the new National Minimum wage is expecting to conclude its work by the end of September and present its report to the government for deliberation and approval before an executive bill is sent to the National Assembly on the issue.
He said however that the issue of capacity to pay is also paramount in the deliberations on the minimum wage, pointing out that it was to get the input of all those concerned including state governments and the organised private sector that the committee embarked on zonal public hearing across the country.
The Minister said further that in the course of the zonal public hearings, many state governments made different submissions ranging from N22,000 monthly to N58,000,adding that the governors were also of the believe that foe the new minimum wage to become effective, the current revenue allocation formula will have to be reviewed in favour of the states and local government.
He said further that some other states are also of the view that the minimum wage should be maintained at the current N18,000 in view of the inability of some states to pay the current wages.
Senator Ngige said when the minimum wage committee concludes its report, it will be submitted to the National Council of State and the Federal Executive Council for approval before a bill is sent to the National Assembly to legalize the work of the committee.
He said even though it was not an easy task, the committee was making progress in its assigned responsibility, pointing out that it was in other to carry everybody, including the states and private sector along that six governors were elected to be members of the committee as well as representatives of the organized private sector.
On the threat non-teaching staff of universities to resume their suspended strike as a result of government failure to honour the terms of their agreement, the Minister said government was sourcing the N6 billion needed to pay them their earned allowances as contained in the agreement.
He said his experience as Minister of Labour said him that majority of about 95 percent of agreement currently being paraded by trade unions in the country were signed before the Buhari government came into office in 2015, adding that most of such agreements had no timeline for implementation.
He also said many of the agreement signed by the last government were not implementable because of the amount involved, adding that the principles of the International, Labour Organisation allowed employers to renegotiate agreements which they feel they cannot implement.
He said further that what is important in all collective bargaining agreement is the ability to pay what is being demanded and what is agreed upon.
He appealed to striking health workers to return to work while negotiations continue on their demands, pointing out that the delay in the implementation of their signed agreement was as a result of failure of the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission to defend the two different figure presented to a government high powered committee.
He said the committee has directed the commission and the Federal Ministry of Health to go back and recompile the figures for onward submission to the committee for deliberation.
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Ekiti guber: INEC announces May 15 deadline for submission of candidates’ names
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given all the political parties for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State May 15 deadline to submit the names of their candidates and their running mates.
The National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.), stated this while handing over the nomination form to the party’s governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the candidate must also give the same form to his running mate, warning that both candidates must submit their forms to the national secretariat of the party latest by Monday.
He said, “The Independent National Electoral Commission has given us May 15 deadline within which all the political parties must submit the names of their governorship candidates.
“Therefore, you (Olusola) must submit your form and that of your running mate to us latest by Monday.
“If you don’t have a running mate, I’m available, please. But let the forms get to us on time as stated.”
Speaking at the event, Olusola noted that he was ready and prepared for the election.
He also said heaven had sanctioned that the PDP would continue to rule in Ekiti State after the expiration of the tenure of Governor Ayodele Fayose.
He said, “I am ready and prepared to take up this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti State on the platform of the PDP.”
The PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Mr. Yemi Akinwonmi, while presenting the certificate to the party’s governorship candidate on behalf of the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, described the primary that produced Olusola as credible, transparent and unchallenged.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress has reaffirmed Friday as the date for the party primary to elect its candidate for the Ekiti State governorship election.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the party no longer had the luxury of time.
He said, “We (the party) have up till next week to submit the name of our candidate. We have fixed Friday for the primary and that has not changed.”
Abdullahi said this while reacting to a question on whether the party was considering a request for a shift in date for the exercise.
The party leadership met for over three hours with the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of the party at the party’s national secretariat, in Abuja.
After the meeting, one of the aspirants, Ajayi Olowo told reporters that he and his colleagues appealed to the NWC to shift the date of the primary to Sunday because they needed time to get back to their constituencies.
Olowo further explained that the leadership of the party had assured them that some members of the panel would be replaced because they voiced their lack of confidence in the current panel.
In a response to a question as to whether aspirants were working towards having a consensus candidate, he said, “There is no consensus. We are all going for election.”
Most of the 33 aspirants contesting the primary were present at the meeting.
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2018 budget: Saraki gives deadline to 20 Senate committees
Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Thursday, warned chairpersons of Senate committees who were yet to submit their reports on the 2018 budget.
The Senate President also listed 20 committees which are yet to make submissions to the committee on appropriation, stating that Friday 13th April remains the last date of submission.
“My meeting with the chairman appropriation as of yesterday still shows a number of committees have not submitted reports. You know, we try as much as possible not to list but I have other no alternative than to list these committees so that the chairmen can know that they are holding all of us.
“The following sub committees have not submitted and they must submit unfailingly tomorrow,” Saraki said.
He listed the committees to include: Defence, Army, Airforce, Navy, Industry, FCT, State and Local Government, Sport and Tourism, Petroleum Downstream and Upstream.
Others are, Niger Delta, SDG, Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, Health, Capital Market, Tertiary institutions and TETFUND, FEMA, Works, Power, Corporation and Integration.
Saraki after reading the list reiterated the need to stick to the deadline.
“These 20 subcommittees must ensure that their reports are submitted on Friday. We have a deadline to which we have committed which and you cannot hold us up any further.”
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VAIDS: Buhari approves extension of deadline to June 30
…Insists there won’t be further extension
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the extension of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) to June 30, 2018.
The short extension after the original March 31 date is based on the appeals of professional bodies and individual taxpayers.However, no further extension of time will be approved after June 30.
The President added that a new date was also given, based on the conviction of the Ministry of Finance that the overall objective to increase compliance will be attained, and additional revenue will accrue.A fresh Executive Order will be made to give legal backing to the new timeline.
According to President Buhari, “For a nation of people who are competitive and driven, it is not a pride that we are the lowest performer in tax to GDP, not just in Africa, but in the world.“Nigeria’s growth needs are such that every Nigerian must do his duty to his nation, to his neighbour, and to himself.
“Hiding monies overseas, evading taxes by manipulation, and other unwholesome practices, have never developed a country, and for Nigeria to attain her true potential, these must stop.”
The President urged Nigerian companies and individuals to join government in the rebuilding mission, “and do the right thing by taking this window of extension to regularize.”He added that the right thing may not be convenient or comfortable, “but in the long run, we will all have a nation we can be proud of.”
President Buhari further urged tax authorities to use the extension window to perfect plans to prosecute those who fail to regularize their tax status.VAIDS is one of the key policies being used by the Federal Government to reposition the Nigerian economy and correct inherited underdevelopment.
The country has one of the lowest tax collection rates in the world at just 6% of GDP. This was partially a function of the reliance on oil that saw us abandon the historical revenue collection systems and switch to a culture of sharing resources, rather than generating them.
President Buhari had last year launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), and the VAIDS tax amnesty is first in the series of reforms that will transform our tax system and provide sustainable predictable funding for all tiers of government.
Tax revenues will ensure that public infrastructure is provided, and public services are funded to improve the lives of the people.
Taxes redistribute wealth from those who have more to those who have less, and VAIDS is one of the windows to achieve such. -
VAIDS: FG reviews states, private sector’s pleas for extension of deadline
…Insists Tax Evaders Risk Prosecution, Seizure of Properties
The Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Saturday confirmed that the Federal Government was currently reviewing the requests by the States and Private Sector for an extension of the tax amnesty programme, the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).
The tax amnesty programme, which expired on Saturday, offered a nine-month window of opportunity for tax payers to regularise their tax liabilities.
Adeosun, who responded to media enquiries in Abuja, said some States of the Federation and the private sector had asked for an extension of the deadline in order to allow them more time to comply.
She said, “The Federal Government is reviewing the numerous extension requests by the States and the private sector, which have cited some logistic challenges such as non-availability of the declaration forms in some states and the declaration of public holidays to commemorate Easter.”
The Minister stated that the tax evaders risk forfeiting their assets and prosecution as she noted that the Government’s data mining Unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Project Lighthouse, had compiled data of tax payers from land registries from 36 States and Federal Capital Territory as well as their bank accounts.
“We have also received tremendous support from foreign countries which provided data under the exchange of information protocols. The data include bank records and financial filings for tax purposes,” Adeosun said.
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VAIDS: Governors, others mount pressure on Buhari to extend deadline as amnesty ends today
As the tax amnesty under the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) ends on Saturday (today), some private sector players are said to be lobbying President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the amnesty period.
An official at the Presidency, who craved for anonymity confided in newsmen on Friday that governors and company owners had called the President and Vice President to push for the extension of the programme.
“We are expecting Mr President to make an announcement on the tax amnesty deadline by this weekend.
“To be frank and honest, nobody knows whether the President will decide to extend it or not, but there has been calls by state governors and key private sector players calling for the extension.
“However, it still remains unclear if the President will take the recommendation to extend it by another three months, since he had been advised otherwise by the Minister of Finance and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) chairman,’’ the source said.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Mahmoud Yunusa said that many of the states were in support of extending the tax amnesty past the March 31 deadline.
“It should be extended because people are just beginning to buy into the programme. We see people coming up willingly to declare their assets and it shouldn’t end soon.
“Nigerians deserve more time and I believe that some of them are still collating their assets to know their worth before doing so.
“Also, some haven’t declared because they operate businesses without any formal documentation, so it will take time before they get their books in order.
“So it’s my opinion that extending it for another six months would ensure better success,’’ he said.
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Hajj 2018: NAHCON extends deadline for registration
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON) has extended the deadline for registration of intending pilgrims for Hajj 2018.
Recall that the commission had earlier fixed March 31 as the deadline for registration.
A statement signed by Fatima Mustapha on Saturday said following the town hall meetings held to sensitise intending pilgrims as well as series of appeals for extension of the registration, NAHCON has now approved the extension of registration period to the end of April, 2018.
The commission said it would use the grace to conclude further process for the announcement of 2018 Hajj fare.
The statement also said there would be no uniform Hajj fare for 2018 pilgrims.
“The package shall be in accordance with the services to be provided to the pilgrims by each state,” NAHCON said.
The Hajj regulator advised intending pilgrims to take advantage of the grace period to register and pay the package of last year before the announcement of 2018 Hajj package.
Nigerian pilgrims paid a little over N1.5 million for Hajj 2017.
The commission appreciated the efforts of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies and Commissions for mobilising the prospective intending pilgrims to register which, it said, has recorded great response by the intending pilgrims.
“Pilgrims are to note that the 2018 Hajj fare for each state would be jointly determined by the commission and the state concerned,” NAHCON said.
The commission also said no further extension would be granted by the after the April deadline.
It said a delegation from the commission and states are already in Saudi Arabia to conclude arrangements on the final component of 2018 Hajj fare for announcement to the public.
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SEC extends e-dividend registration deadline to March 31
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has extended its free e-dividend registration deadline to March 31.
A senior management staff in the commission, who pleaded anonymity made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
The official said that the deadline was extended in principle for the third time for the operators to clear their e-dividend backlogs.
The e-dividend refers to online payment of dividends to investors rather than through post.
The advantage of e-dividend is that it allows all accrued dividends to be credited to an investor’s bank account directly.
The aim is to stem the rising problem of unclaimed dividends in the capital market.
The source said that the main reason for the extension was to clear the backlogs and to work out details of how the parties involved in the exercise would get their share.
The source said the parties involved in exercise were the registrars and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, adding the appointed banks were currently working out the sharing formula for the registration fee.
He said that the commission would not come publicly to announce another extension, noting that no investor would be charged for delay in the registration until April 1.
The source said that low investors’ response to the exercise contributed to the commission’s decision to give room for enrolment of more investors.
SEC in June, 2017 extended the underwriting cost of investors’ e-dividend registration to Dec. 31, 2017 against the earlier deadline of June 30, 2017.
It also on Jan. 18 extended the deadline to Feb. 28, 2018, to encourage more shareholders’ participation in the scheme.