Govt won’t force public servants to comply with new policy– Okorocha

The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has directed that no force should be used on public servants to comply with government’s new policy on agriculture.
The governor said since the policy was popular and also in the overall interest of the public servants and the state, there was no point forcing them to comply.
He, however, commended most of the public servants who had begun to comply with the new directive and added that the “Back to land for agriculture” programme which gave birth to the three-day for office work and two days for farming was aimed at promoting agriculture and boosting the economy of the state and the economy of the individual families of the public servants.
The governor also disclosed that agric loan would to be provided by the state government for the workers and identity cards would be issued to those who engage in active farming in line with the new policy.
He reassured that the whole arrangement would not affect the salaries of workers, rather, at the end of the payment of the June and July salaries which is already in progress, the salaries of Imo workers would begin to be paid between the 20th and 26th of every month.
The governor also said the government was negotiating for fund that would clear all the pension arrears in the state.
In view of the new policy on work-days, the permanent secretaries would as a matter of compulsion have departmental briefings between 7.30am and 8am each day, while the list of all the civil servants in the state would be published, with about 3,000 civil servants also to be recruited to replace those who had retired over the years.
The governor noted that he had expected the labour leadership in the state to support the agric programme and encourage public servants to make adequate use of the opportunity offered by the new policy to improve greatly on their welfare, instead  of sounding as if there was something to quarrel about over  the policy.
The governor expressed the hope that public servants who sincerely engage in farming in line with the new policy of the government would not regret doing so.

I’ve no link with Avengers –Akpabio

Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio has denied being the sponsor of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) or any other militant group.
An online publication had reported that a splinter group, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) had claimed Senator Akpabio and other eminent Nigerians were their sponsors.
However, the former Akwa Ibom State governor described the publication as “baseless, reckless and senseless.
“It is a fabrication from the pit of hell from those who are profiteering from the crisis in the Niger Delta and would wish no end to it,” he said.
The senator in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Anietie Ekong said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that Senator Akpabio has no link with the NDA or any other militant group for that matter.
“Contrarily, the position of Senator Akpabio as a foremost advocate of dialogue in resolving the Niger Delta crisis is well known. He is of the strong belief that blowing up pipelines and causing further environmental pollution to the Niger Delta is not in the interest of the region as it would take over 100 years to remediate the effects of such environmental degradation.
“Neither does he believe that economic sabotage at a time of economic recession the nation is currently passing through can be an answer to the Niger Delta problem.”
Ekong wondered why anybody in right frame of mind would contemplate associating Akpabio’s name with militancy and degradation of a region that he had laboured to build while serving as governor of Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015.
He cautioned that politicising the Niger Delta crisis through propaganda would amount to an ill wind that would blow nobody any good.

Kidnappers demand N70m to release Bayelsa lawmaker’s fathert

Kidnappers of Chief Watson Iti, the father of the member representing Brass Constituency 2 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Alfred Belimote Watson have demanded N70 million ransom for his freedom.
Alfred, who confirmed the ransom deman, stated in a text message: “Kidnappers of my dad called exactly at 11.30pm with his phone number requesting for a ransom of N70 million between now and Wednesday.”
The incident, which occurred at about 9.00am on Sunday, has thrown the constituent of the lawmaker into confusion with the state leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are apprehensive over the safety of the abducted septuagenarian
Investigations revealed  that Chief Iti was whisked away while on his way to Egweama community from Okpoama community in Brass Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Butswat Asimin,also confirmed the development.

it's all about selfie! Check out this hot pic of C Ronaldo

Sofia Vergara slips into some sexy lingerie, Cristiano Ronaldo shows off his shredded stomach and Paris Hilton charters her own helicopter to head out of St. Tropez! 

ZIKA VIRUS: As the virus spreads to Florida, this is what you need to know about the risks for travellers - and the options for people who decide to cancel their trips

As the virus spreads to Florida, this is what you need to know about the risks for travellers - and the options for people who decide to cancel their trips 

WHAT IS ZIKA, AND WHAT DANGERS CAN IT POSE?

Zika is a mosquito-borne infection caused by Zika virus. It is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is present in hot, humid locations. The infection was first identified in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947. Sporadic outbreaks have occured since then. Since 2015 a large outbreak has been occurring in the Caribbean, Latin America, the Pacific, some parts of Asia and now the US state of Florida.

Only about one in five people who are infected with Zika virus develop symptoms, which include a fever, a rash and aching joints. Crucially, though,when the virus is caught by pregnant women, it may cause microcephaly: a condition where a baby is born with an unusually small head. It is a disability that causes life-long problems. That is why the World Health Organization deems Zika a “public health emergency of international concern”.

For people who are not pregnant and not likely to become pregnant, there’s no significant risk - just take precautions to minimise the chance of being not to be bitten. The mosquito bites during the day, and indoors. To avoid mosquito bites, wear long sleeves and long trousers tucked into socks, and use Deet-based insect repellant on exposed skin. Women should avoid becoming pregnant while travelling in, and for eight weeks after leaving an area with active Zika virus transmission.
Q How significant is the Florida outbreak?

Until now the only cases in Florida have involved people who caught the virus elsewhere and brought it back. But now there is local transmission - i.e. someone with Zika has been bitten by a mosquito which has then bitten someone else and passed on the virus.

Nearly two million visitors from the UK go to Florida each year. I estimate that upwards of 10,000 people a day will be flying to the state in August.

Public Health England has added the US state of Florida to the list of locations where there is a risk of contracting Zika virus by being bitten by a mosquito.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/zika-virus-country-specific-risk#atoz

The organisation has rated the risk as “moderate” (compared with “high” in Mexico, Brazil and most Caribbean islands), and says “Pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel” to the state. The key word there is "consider"; for high-risk countries, the advice is that pregnant women should definitely postpone travel.

ABTA, the travel association, says: "We understand that all cases of locally acquired Zika virus are associated in an area of about 1 square mile in Miami-Dade County. This is hundreds of miles away from the main family resort of Orlando."

Q What should pregnant women do immediately?

Talk to their GP. He or she should be able to advise based on the plans for the trip and the very latest information from the NHS. For example, someone planning to fly into Orlando or Tampa and then embark on a fly-drive trip to the north of Florida or the rest of the US may be considered to be at negligible risk. But someone booked to spend a fortnight in Miami could well be advised to postpone or cancel their trip.

If the GP says “don’t go”, get a letter explaining his or her recommendation, which you can then show to your travel company and/or travel insurer. 

Q What are the travel companies saying?

I asked the two leading tour operators, who sell package holidays, and the two leading scheduled airlines, for their policies for customers who are pregnant and booked to travel to Florida.

Thomson says: “Customers who would like to amend to an alternative holiday offered by Thomson and First Choice, and have a doctor’s note confirming they have been advised not to travel to the affected areas due to medical reasons, can do so without incurring an amendment fee.” This also applies to its subsidiary First Choice.

Thomas Cook has updated its advice for pregnant women and their travelling companions planning to travel to Florida between now and the end of the year. It says: “We are happy to offer free amendments to alternative destinations.” Thomas Cook’s customer service team is contacting customers due to travel to Florida to advise them of the situation. For women who are planning on getting pregnant and are concerned about a future holiday booking, the firm says they should call “so that we can support them appropriately”.

Virgin Atlantic is the only company I have talked to that is offering cancellation as an option. It says: “Any concerned customers who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant and booked to travel to Florida should call our customer service team for help and advice.” I understand the firm will allow customers who are pregnant to cancel with a full refund, or postpone or change destination free of charge. Customers who are trying for a baby can postpone or change destination (but can't cancel).

British Airways is offering customers “the flexibility to rebook to a non-Zika affected destination of their choice

Anyone who has booked car rental or accommodation separately - i.e. not as part of a package holiday - may not be able to get a refund for these elements, and should contact their travel insurer. The Association of British Insurers says if a doctor tells someone not to travel to a particular destination, then “most travel insurance policies will cover cancellation costs that cannot be reclaimed elsewhere.” Of course, this is provided that the trip and insurance were bought before the advice changed.
Q What about other parts of the US?

There is no perceived threat of Zika spreading. The Aedes aegypti mosquito prevails only in the extreme south-east of the US.

‘We received N15.1m ransom to release Oba of Iba’

The Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni who was recently kidnapped by unknown gunmen has been freed.

According to Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni who confirmed the Oba’s release on Saturday night, the leader of the kidnappers had been arrested.

Recall that the kidnappers had demanded the sum of N500 million ransom which the victim’s family members said they could not afford.

It was however gathered that N15.1m ransom was paid the kidnappers for the release of the Oniba.

We will beat Eaglets 3-0 in Niamey, Niger Republic coach boasts

Coach Ismaila Tiemogo of Niger Republic on Saturday in Abuja expressed confidence in the ability of his team to defeat the Golden Eaglets in Niamey in a fortnight’s time. Tiemogo told newsmen, after his team’s 0-1 loss to the Eaglets at the Abuja National Stadium, that his team has all it takes to eliminate Nigeria. He said he was optimistic of a resounding victory over the Eaglets after seeing the way his boys held their own away from home. The Junior Menas of Niger Republic will host the Eaglets in the return leg match of the 2017 U-17 AFCON qualifier. “It’s a two-legged game and having come to Nigeria and lost by just a lone goal, the advantage is now on our side and I believe we can score a lot of goals in Niamey. “We will beat the Golden Eaglets 3-0 on our home soil. “We have seen all the weak points of our opponents and I can assure you that we will definitely capitalise on them when they come calling in a fortnight from now. “With the performance of my boys in the first leg, I can confidently tell you that they will put up a better show in the second leg in front of their home crowd,’’ Tiemogo said. The coach also noted that his boys were unfortunate not to have scored an away goal after losing several goal scoring opportunities. “It could have been worse for the Eaglets because we had some glorious opportunities of our own which my boys failed to convert. “However, it will be a different ball game in the second leg. We will beat them by three goals to nothing,’’ Tiemogo boasted.

Donald Trump says he's not sure of Hillary Clinton's mental state: "I don't think she's all there"

Donald Trump as usual launched into an all-out assault on Hillary Clinton at a campaign event in New Hampshire last night, this time alleging that she is mentally unfit to be president. 

"She short circuited, she used the term 'short-circuited.' She took a little short circuit in the brain," Trump said. "And she's got problems, I mean, if we had real people, this would be a real problem for her, but I think that the people of this country don't want somebody that's going to short circuit up here."

The billionaire business mogul continued to assert that perhaps his Democratic rival was losing her mind. 

"Honestly I don't think she’s all there," he said, adding that she was "totally unhinged," using a word that former Republican rival Jeb Bush, once used about him.

The Republican delivered his remarks in a hot high school gym. One young woman was escorted out, but Trump was undeterred. 

"It’s hot in here folks. But that's OK. I consider this like a sweat suit," he said. "Everybody tonight, we’ll lose on average 6.2 pounds, OK? Six-- I don’t mind. You know, it's so hot in here, this room was not designed for this many people. It's so hot in here that I consider this to be like a workout, right"

Gleaned: ABC News

Photos from actress Oge Okoye's daughter's birthday party

Actress, Oge Okoye threw a birthday party for her daughter, Crystal, who turned 6 years old recently. Oge is currently in the UK with her two children on Holiday....more photos after the cut...

Ekiti: Kumuyi brings good news to the people

World-renowned cleric and General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Folorunso Kumuyi at the weekend stormed Ekiti State for a day crusade geared towards bringing a refreshing time to God’s people.

Kumuyi who paid a visit first to Governor Ayodele Fayose at his Osuntokun hall residence of the government House, assured that a time of divine refreshment and victory from all challenges facing the state had come.

“We thank God for the progress that has come to the state since you assumed office. And we pray that this would be a time for peace, security,u protection and prosperity for the state. We know that in every government where things are active and dynamic, there would be some challenges here and there. We know that God is control and He would give victory to his people in Jesus name. We have come to the state for the whole people not only for the branch of our church and it is going to be a refreshing time for all who partake.

“The governor himself has been so nice to us. Once the blessings start from the number one citizen in the state, it flows to the rest of the people of the state. And it is a great blessing we have brought to Ado-Ekiti here.

Extolling the cleric’s godly virtues, Fayose, who had to cancel an earlier scheduled trip to receive Kumiyi, said: “We are very happy to have you in the state at this time. We know what does through you and the church. We know that now that you’re here the yoke on our people would be broken and when the state is at peace, the governor too will be at peace.

” We know what you stand for with God. Many times that I stand on God’s words, it is the church that taught me. I gain all that from the undiluted preaching of the word of God from the church.

Permit me to say that Pastor Kumuyi’s coming brings much attraction, the attraction comes because of what God has deposited in him and the church. Even coming to visit us as the leader of the state is a rare privilege. It is a indeed a rare privilege for the state as well. And for any government, either Christian or Moslem, if a Pastor of his stature is coming, if they cannot cancel their appointment, they should send a high-powered delegation to receive him. Pastor Kumuyi carries God’s blessings and he is here to bless the state. I know what his church represents. For him to be here in Ekiti it is a rare privilege for people like me and for the state. So, we are happy that the Pastor is here,” he said.

Padding scandal: Withdraw 2016 budget, Junaid tasks FG

Second Republic parliamentarian, Dr. Junaid Mohammad has tasked the executive arm of government to immediately withdraw the 2016 budget in the light of the corruption scandal trailing the 2016 Appropriation Act.
Junaidu, who bared his mind during a chat with Sunday Sun in Kano held that, “If there is any honour left within the executive branch and within the National Assembly, the budget should be withdrawn immediately.”
He argued that he did not see how the 2016 budget could be implemented in the light of the flaws, and acknowledged irregularities that have been associated with the budget.
He advocated that in its place, the executive should initiate a new budget for the balance of the year while the time is being spent on a straight new budget to come into effect in 2017.
He added that his objection against 2016 budget was not only because of the controversy that has come to light or its very lousy background, but also because the budget could also not pass for a national budget. He noted that, “there is also the question of economic viability of the country itself. A budget which dedicates 37 per cent of its entire spending in only one ministry, most of which is in only one state, cannot be a national budget.”
“Thirty seven percent of the budget goes to the Ministry that is headed by Fashola. Secondly, 65 percent itself of the same budget goes to the South West. Are we being told that the rest of the country does not matter?” he questioned.
He said the 2016 budget was not driven by the philosophy of economic development, justice nor a sense of togetherness of the country but was put together to serve certain interests.
“It seems Buhari does not know anything about budget. He allowed them to get away with it, and most of the key ministers are from that area. So who is fooling who?” he asked. The NEPU politician also commented on the lopsidedness of the present administration, noting, “What has become crystal clear is that the Buhari administration has no credibility. Whether it is his own problem or his own style of administration, or whether it has to do with the party, but I will be quick to deny that the APC is at fault. No! It is essentially his style of administration and the characters that he has around him.   “As far as I am concerned, it is the responsibility of the President and leader to ensure that he gives credible leadership so that everybody will have a sense of belonging. At the moment, Buhari’s leadership does not endow parts of Nigeria with a sense of belonging.”

Cleric sends Saraki to Buhari, says Nigerians are hungry

The Vicar and Archdeacon of Ikoyi Diocese, Venerable Julius Oyetunde, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to move fast and address the threats of hunger and suffering the ordinary people of Nigeria are contending with.
He expressed this concern while delivering a sermon at the funeral service for the late Dr. Ebenezer Aboyowa Ikomi inside the Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, at the weekend. He said the economic situation was making Nigerians feel that their lives have only changed for the worse and that government was not doing enough to address the situation.
Citing mass unemployment, inflation and hunger as part of the socio-economic challenges plaguing the country, Oyetunde said “Nigerians now really feed from the dust bin”, adding that such deprivation was not part of God’s plan for the nation.
The Archdeacon urged the Senate led by Saraki to work with Buhari to ensure quick recovery from the current socio-economic problems plaguing the country.
On the anti-corruption fight, Oyetunde commended the government, but suggested plea bargaining option as a way to recover some of the stolen funds which could be channeled to infrastructural development and social services.
Though Saraki could not be reached to comment on the sermon by the clergy, one of the aides in his entourage told journalists that his boss was disturbed by the statements of the cleric who was obviously speaking the minds of the ordinary citizens. The aide, however, expressed regrets that while Oyetunde addressed the Senate President as the number three citizen with the responsibility to find solutions to the problems, the executive and legislature seemed to be working at cross purposes.
He said: “The Senate President realises that  leaders cannot take the people for granted and he is ready to work with others within and outside government to quickly address the problems. Our economy is in recession and Dr. Saraki believes this should bring our most creative side to the fore. He is always saying that we should all think out of the box and get on working to solve these problems.”