No plans to increase fuel price – FG

The Federal Government said, yesterday, that it had no plans to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol from the prevailing pump price of N97 per litre, describing the growing fear of imminent price hike as unfounded.
Equally, what appeared to be a major change in policy, the Federal Government, yesterday, said it has no plans to sell any of the country’s refineries.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, who spoke on the issue, also said that if selling the refineries was the basis for the plan by the junior oil workers to embark on strike, then the action would be fruitless.

Jonathan to inaugurate solar power programme Saturday

The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja commenced its Operation Light Up Rural Nigeria project.

The inauguration of the project, which was initially planned to be performed by President Goodluck Jonathan in Durumi, a suburb in Mpape area of Abuja on Thursday, was, however, postponed to Saturday.

Hundreds of residents, who thronged the venue, were left disappointed when it was announced that the President could not make it to the community for undisclosed reasons.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, in an interview with our correspondent, stated that the solar power project would provide improved and less expensive lighting for rural dwellers.

He said the project would incorporate the installation of non-grid decentralised mini solar wind power generation plants that would be able to serve the electricity needs of the community.

Strike: Jonathan agrees to meet doctors’ demands

President Goodluck Jonathan has agreed to meet the demands of the Nigeria Medical Association in order to avert an industrial action scheduled to commence on January 6.

One of the major demands of the NMA that Jonathan has agreed to meet is the appointment of a Surgeon-General of the Federation.

He has also agreed that the call duty allowance of the doctors running into billions of naira could be sorted out.

These were parts of the decisions reached at the end of the fourth meeting called by the President on Thursday to avert the strike.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, told journalists at the end of the meeting held inside the Presidential Villa in Abuja, that government had decided to yield to the NMA by appointing a Surgeon-General of the Federation who would be a medical doctor.

Rivers assembly Majority Leader, Lloyd, arrested for alleged murder

THE Rivers State Police Command said it had arrested the Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, for the alleged murder of his kinsman, Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo and a police sergeant, Urang Obediah.

A statement made available to The PUNCH on Thursday night indicated that Lloyd was purportedly arrested on his way to join the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in his private jet in order to escape justice.

The statement sent via e-mail by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, specified that Lloyd knocked down Obediah while pursuing Ejeuo, identified to be his political opponent.

Lloyd, who was still standing trial for his involvement in the fracas that took place in the State House on July 9, 2013, was said to have rammed into Ejeuo’s Passat car with a bulletproof vehicle and killed him (Ejeo).

The police command pointed out that it had initially thought it was an auto accident until Lloyd relocated to another hospital, “conscious of what he did.”

Three killed, 16 wounded in Plateau church attack

The peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the Christmas celebration in Plateau State was shattered on Wednesday when  two persons were reportedly killed while 16 others were wounded when a group of gunmen invaded the Church of Christ in Nations on the eve of the New Year at  Maiakworigold Maikatako village in Bokkos Local Government Council of Plateau State.

One other person was said to have been killed in Manguna area of Bokkos Local Government of the state in the early hours of Wednesday.

The gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, were said to have stormed the COCIN Church Maiakworigold Maikatako  and started shooting sporadically. The two people were killed on the spot while the 16 people sustained various degrees of injuries in the ensuing stampede.

The third victim in Manguna area of the same local council area was said to have been killed by the retreating gunmen.

One of the eyewitnesses, Mr. Augustine Bim, told newsmen that during the service to usher in the New Year, some gunmen stormed the church and started  to shoot at different directions

Awo was greater than Mandela – Ofeimun

Writer and poet, Odia Ofeimun, has rated the late Premier of the old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, above late former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

The social critic, in an interview granted to Sahara TV which was uploaded to YouTube and seen by our correspondent, said although “Mandela was good for the liberation” of his people, Awolowo made far-reaching impacts on the lives of many Nigerians.

Ofeimun, while comparing the two leaders, said the processes leading to independence in South Africa and Nigeria “followed exactly the same pattern” noting that the liberation struggle championed by Mandela did “not create the end of apartheid.”

He said Awolowo negotiated Nigeria’s independence just as Mandela did, adding that it would amount to a “hype” to think that there were differences in what the two leaders essentially fought for in their respective countries to end colonisation.

Osun acquires farmland to build church

Osun State Government has paid N51m compensation to farmers on a large expanse of land where the state is building an interdenominational worship centre known as “Open Heaven Worship Centre”.

Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Muyiwa Ige, presented the cheques to the owners of the land in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Ige also said the state government had paid a total of N11m as compensation to 243 farmers who had their farms destroyed due to the ongoing construction of the MKO Abiola International Airport in Ido Osun in Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.

He said the administration took the decision to compensate the farmers on humanitarian grounds.

The commissioner, who expressed gratitude to those whose property was used for the projects, said the government’s decision to develop the state was in fulfilment of his electioneering promises and the governor’s desire to develop the economy of the state.

Ige assured that the state government would not hesitate to compensate those with genuine documents on any property taken over in the course of developing the state.