No plan to remove INEC Chairman, says Femi Adesina
Femi Adesina, the special adviser, media and publicity to the president, has dismissed claims widely circulated on the social media of a plan by the president to remove the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and stop the use of Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) in 2023 general elections.
Adesina made the clarification at a programme organised to mark the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI), held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The policy dialogue, themed “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria”, was organised by the Ministry of Justice, Kano State Government and the Managing Conflict in Nigeria Programme.
According to NAN, Adesina advised journalists not to give attention to people with hidden intentions to disrupt the 2023 general elections by spreading rumour.
The spokesman said: “Recently, there was one group that said the chairman of INEC was going to be removed because may be they didn’t want BVAS.
“How many times has the President spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?
“He has spoken about it locally, internationally that three times he contested three times he ended at the Supreme Court because the government of the day will just write results.
“Then he said until technology came and there was a permanent voter cards and so it was difficult to write results.
“So, how and why can the same person has issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television, alleging that there was plan to remove the INEC Chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.
“Such things should be treated with contradictions because they don’t make sense, at least not under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
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Lagos threatens legal action against adamant developers
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that it would take legal action against stubborn developers who, despite its plea, have decided to consistently break government seals and refuse to obey physical planning laws.
Kehinde Osinaike, the general manager, Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), said this during an enforcement exercise of the agency on Kusenla Way, Ikate Elegushi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
Osinaike, who led the enforcement team, lamented the state of impunity of developers to follow the building guidelines as stipulated by the state’s physical planning laws.
He reminded all that breaking government seals attracts sanctions. He also spent time re-educating everyone about the benefits of compliance and insisted that developers should abide strictly by the code of conduct for buildings and property development in the state.
The general manager said erring developers and property owners who broke the seals of earlier notices served on them were being issued follow-up notices.
He said that the government would adopt legal options after exhausting all peaceful options. This is according to the NAN.
Dangote group pledges to deepen economic activities
Dangote Industries Ltd., has promised to deepen its partnership with stakeholders on commercial, industrial, and economic activities so as to assist in strengthening the nation’s economy.
Anthony Chiejina, the group chief branding and communication officer, Dangote Industries Ltd., made this known on Tuesday in Lagos.
Seeing how most companies are struggling to survive the difficult economic terrain in the country, Chiejina said that part of the efforts of the conglomerate to revitalise the economy was its sponsorship of the 2022 Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF), scheduled for Nov. 4 to 13 at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos.
The trade fair, themed “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value,” will be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chiejina added that this year’s Lagos trade fair would be the follow up of the Abuja International trade fair where the group promised to drive economic growth in the country.
According to NAN, he said that five companies from the group’s conglomerate, namely Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar, NASCON Allied Industries, Dangote-Sinotruk and Dangote Fertilisers would participate at the fair.
UK orders poultry farms lockdown over country’s largest ever bird flu outbreak’
Due to fears of the possibility of a bird flu pandemic, all captive birds and poultry will be placed on lockdown across England, the British government said.
This measure, according to the UK’s chief veterinary officer, is to prevent a pandemic, he said on Tuesday.
According to the Metro UK, owners have one week to prepare for the new measures, with the new rules coming into force at one minute past midnight on Monday, November 7.
Since late October 2021, there have been more than 200 cases of avian influenza confirmed across the UK.
The national risk of bird flu in wild birds was raised to ‘very high’ two weeks ago and the whole of Great Britain was made a bird flu prevention zone.
Christine Middlemiss, the chief veterinary officer, said: “We are now facing this year’s largest ever outbreak of bird flu and are seeing a rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England.
“The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice.
“Scrupulous biosecurity and separating flocks in all ways, from wild birds remain the best form of defence.
“Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from Monday, November 7 onwards you must keep yours indoors.
“This decision has not been taken lightly, but is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease,” he said.
Wheat prices soar after Russia ditches Black Sea grain deal
There are fears that the price of wheat, a major ingredient in the production of most stable food, may go up following warnings by Russia that shipments will become “much riskier” without its participation, even as ships loaded with grain begin to leave Ukraine.
The United Nations and Turkey worked to salvage the grain export agreement to keep seaborne exports flowing.
According to the Daily Maverick, Russia suspended the agreement after drone strikes against its naval fleet, claiming without evidence that one of the drones launched on Saturday might have come from a grain ship that was part of the Black Sea initiative. The Kremlin also said underwater drones were launched from the Odesa region against it.
