Unveiling the Presidential Diary

   While the government of President Muhammadu Buhari believes so much has been done in achieving the change mantra the administration promised Nigerians, the Presidential Diary hopes to tell the story through its publications. Martins Ifijeh writes

It is no longer news that for every administration to gain the confidence of those they govern, they must be able to carry them along in their activities and projects through information linkages that can tell their stories generously.

This is often what those in power, especially in Nigeria, say is missing with the circular journalism, as they believed only a handful of their achievements are projected to the public, an approach they presume leads to a disconnect between them and the citizens whom they govern.

But in order to avoid this in President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, a group of seasoned journalists led by the image-maker and Director of Special Duties at the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, has championed the Presidential Diary Magazine, a publication dedicated to telling the stories of Buhari’s change mantra, it’s activities, projects and intentions.

10 major events while Buhari was away

   BUKOLA BAKARE writes about the 10 most significant things that took place in the country while President Muhammadu Buhari went on a medical trip to the United Kingdom on May 7 and returned August 19

ASUU Strike

While the President was away, the Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on an indefinite strike on August 13 to protest the non-payment of their outstanding salaries and other issues emanating from the 2009 agreement it had with the Federal Government. The university teachers complained that the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013 has not been fully implemented.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had in January inaugurated a 16-man committee to look into the agreement. The committee, headed by Mr. Wale Babalakin, was given the mandate to dialogue with ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and other relevant bodies, to engender sustainable peace and industrial harmony in tertiary institutions.

ASUU’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, had noted that the Babalakin-led committee set up by the  government lacked the capacity to resolve the contending issues in the agreement.

Ogunyemi stated that the government had ignored the system, claiming that the political class send their children to private universities abroad, because public universities are in poor condition.

Oyo commits 60% Paris Club refund to salary

   The Oyo State Government has said that 60 per cent of the N7.9bn Paris Club refund which the state recently got from the Federal Government would be used to pay workers’ salaries, other wages and pension of retirees.

The state’s Commissioner for Finance and Budget, Abimbola Adekanmbi, who made this known while featuring on a radio programme monitored in Ibadan by our correspondent, explained that about 80 per cent of the state’s debt profile of N115bn was made up of salaries, gratuities, pensions and wages owed workers and pensioners.

He said the amount also included gratuities and pensions owed by the state before the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

“It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari told state governments to use at least 50 per cent of the refund for workers’ salaries and allowances. We are doing more than the 50 per cent in Oyo State. When we collected the first tranche of N7.2bn, we used 60 per cent of it to pay workers’ salaries.

“We have paid two months’ salaries three times consecutively and the governor has not relented in his efforts to clear all the outstanding wages. It amazes me when people throw figures in the air without proper explanation or understanding. It is very disappointing when people who claim to be knowledgeable bandy figures about in a bid to cause mischief,” the commissioner said.

Lagos LG polls: Climax of long-running drama

  The run-up to the chairmanship and councillorship elections in Lagos State today (Saturday) has been full of drama and violence.

Unlike presidential and governorship elections, chairmanship and councillorship polls are relatively without drama. Even the public attention attracted by such elections is nothing compared to the awareness other elections generate among the people. But it appears that is about to change in the chairmanship and councillorship elections holding today (Saturday) across 377 wards, 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of Lagos State.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission had announced that 12 parties would participate in the elections, listing them as: Accord Party, Action Alliance, Alliance for Democracy, All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, United Democratic Party, United Progressive Party, KOWA Party, National Action Council and Peoples Democratic Movement.

LG election: LASG announces restiction of movement

  The Lagos State Government has announced the restriction of vehicular movement during the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas elections holding across the state on Saturday, July 22, 2017.

The State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, in a statement on Sunday, said the restriction of movement across the state will be enforced between 8 am and 2 pm on Saturday, July 22, to allow for a smooth conduct of the polls and unhindered participation.

He explained that the restriction will allow the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission and the security agencies to distribute electoral materials in good time and ensure the sanctity of free and fair electoral process.

Trump, Japan, China seek to counter N Korean 'menace'

  HAMBURG, Germany
Wrapping up his second European tour, U.S. President Donald Trump and Asian allies searched for consensus Saturday on how to counter what the president called the "menace" of North Korea after its test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

"Something has to be done about it," Trump said as he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a separate meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said the two were tackling "the problem and menace of North Korea."

The White House said after the meeting with Abe that the U.S. was "prepared to use the full range of capabilities" in defense of Japan. Trump and Abe committed, the White House said, "to redoubling their efforts to bring all nations together to show North Korea that there are consequences for its threatening and unlawful actions."

Venezuelans storm National Assembly on Independence Day, beat up Lawmakers

  Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stormed the National Assembly on their Independence Day on Wednesday with sticks, stones and pipes to attack lawmakers.

The attackers, some with bandannas etched with the Venezuelan flag tied to their noses, first besieged the building, trapping the lawmakers inside, threatening to cut water and power supply.

According to CNN, later in the day, they eventually pushed down the large wooden doors of the parliament, beating bloody the opposition lawmakers inside.

At least five lawmakers were injured, one of them beaten unconscious, but declared fine at the hospital.