FG rolls-out 10,000 low cost houses

The Federal Government on Thursday officially began the roll-out of the first phase of its 10,000 housing units under the affordable home ownership scheme.

The project, to be spearheaded by the newly established Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company will enable Nigerians to own their houses at affordable rate.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala while speaking at the event in Abuja said with the flag-off, low income earners would begin to have the opportunity to own their houses under a flexible payment package.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN DEPLORES TERRORIST ATTACKS AT KANO COLLEGE AND POTISKUM

PRESIDENT JONATHAN DEPLORES TERRORIST ATTACKS AT KANO COLLEGE AND POTISKUM

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan deplores the continuing terrorist assault on Kano and the heinous bombing of the Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies today.

He similarly deplores the attacks on two mosques in Potiskum, Yobe State yesterday.

President Jonathan condemns the repeated targeting of worshippers, and innocent students who are the nation's future by depraved terrorists.

He believes that the callous attacks on soft targets fully affirm that the terrorists are nothing but bloodthirsty adherents of a warped and retrogressive ideology.

No amount of intimidation and violence would stampede the government into abandoning its goal of giving education a new lease of life and opening up access to all young Nigerians who wish to improve themselves.

President Jonathan has therefore directed the Armed Forces, Police and other national security agencies to further enhance security around educational facilities in states prone to terrorist attacks.
 
REUBEN ABATI
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 30, 2014

FG COMMITTED TO HELPING VICTIMS OF TERRORISM REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
FG COMMITTED TO HELPING VICTIMS OF TERRORISM REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES – PRESIDENT JONATHAN
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Wednesday in Abuja that he expected members of Nigerian's vibrant private sector and friends of the country in the international community to donate very generously to the Victims' Support which will be formally launched tomorrow to provide more relief and succour for all those who have been adversely affected by terrorism and insurgency in the country.
Speaking at separate audiences with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, President Jonathan said that he hoped that over a 12-month period, about $500 Million would have been raised through the fund to further alleviate the sufferings and deprivations imposed on Nigerians living in states worst affected by terrorist attacks.

Jonathan launches new e-passport

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday launched Nigeria’s new 64-page e-passport with a call on Nigerians to protect the image of the country by shunning uncomplimentary statements and actions.

Jonathan launched the traveling document shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He and Vice President Namadi Sambo later took turns to be captured in order to be issued with the new traveling document.

The President said the pages of the traveling document had to be increased from 32 to 64 to cater for frequent travelers who change their passport almost every other month because of limited pages for visa.

He tasked officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service to protect the integrity of the passport by ensuring that it cannot be easily faked.

He also asked officials who man the nation’s airports to ensure that they conduct themselves in a manner that will portray the country well before visitors.

The new passport which takes effect from August 1 attracts a fee of N20,000.

Source: The Punch

Cameroon sacks 2 army chiefs after Boko Haram raids

Cameroon's President Paul Biya on Tuesday dismissed two senior army officers in the country's far north following Boko Haram attacks in which at least seven people were killed and the wife of vice prime minister, Amadou Ali was kidnapped.

Militants of the Nigerian Islamist group seized the wife of Amadou Ali and killed at least three persons on Sunday in an attack in the northern town of Kolofata involving more than 200 assailants. At least four soldiers were killed in two separate raids late last week.

Nigerian gold medallist fails drugs test

Nigerian gold medallist fails drugs test

The African sixteen-year-old fails the test after winning the women's 53kg competition at the Commonwealth Games.

Nigeria teenager Chika Amalaha, at 16 the youngest female weightlifter to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, has failed a doping test, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said.

She failed an in-competition test after winning the women's 53kg competition on Friday, testing positive for banned diuretics and masking agents.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN COMMISERATES WITH MALLAM EL-RUFAI ON THE LOSS OF HIS SON

PRESIDENT JONATHAN COMMISERATES WITH MALLAM EL-RUFAI ON THE LOSS OF HIS SON

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has received with a deep sense of grief and shock, news of the sudden and untimely death of Hamza El-Rufai, son of the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

On behalf of himself, his family and the Federal Government, President Jonathan extends his heartfelt commiserations to Mallam el-Rufai and all members of the el-Rufai family.

The President says although no amount of words can fill the deep gap created by the loss of Hamza, he hopes that the outpouring of support at this moment by friends and associates will comfort Mallam El-Rufai.

President Jonathan prays for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed and also for God's blessing, comfort and protection for Mallam El-Rufai and the rest of his family.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 29, 2014

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONDEMNS TERROR ATTACKS IN KANO, ADAMAWA AND CAMEROON

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONDEMNS TERROR ATTACKS IN KANO, ADAMAWA AND CAMEROON

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wholeheartedly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Kano and Adamawa States as well as the kidnap of the Lamido of Kolofata in Northern Cameroon, Lamido Seini Lamine and the wife of the Vice Prime Minister of Cameroon.

The President describes as shocking, callous and reprehensible the multiple bomb blasts that occurred in Kano within 24 hours, and the unrelenting attacks by the Boko Haram at a time the Muslim faithful are observing the holy festival of Eid el Fitri.  

He commiserates with the families of all those who lost their loved ones in the Kano and Adamawa attacks and wishes the injured speedy recovery.

President Jonathan further notes that the deployment of young women as suicide bombers represents a new low in the inhuman campaign by these terrorists and an expression of utter disregard for the dignity of the female gender as well as a wicked exploitation of the girl-child.

The President states that the abduction of the Lamido of Kolofata and the wife of the Vice premier of Cameroon clearly underscores the regional security threat that Boko Haram has become.

He welcomes the recent resolve by the Defence Ministers of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Benin and Niger to further strengthen existing partnerships in order to forestall the desperate attempt by misguided elements to turn the sub-region into a battleground for terrorism and radical extremism.

President Jonathan urges the security forces to remain resolute, and not be discouraged by the desperation of the agents of evil.  He believes that with the continued cooperation between Nigeria's security forces and their counterparts in neighbouring countries, the war against terror will surely be won.

REUBEN ABATI
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 28, 2014.

REMAIN STRONG AND RESOLUTE IN DEFENCE OF NATIONAL UNITY, PRESIDENT JONATHAN TELLS NIGERIANS AT EID-EL-FITRI

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN'S MESSAGE TO THE NATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2014 EID-EL-FITRI CELEBRATIONS

Dear compatriots,

I felicitate with all Nigerians, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters on the auspicious occasion of this year's Eid-el-Fitri celebrations.

I congratulate all of our countrymen and women who have successfully undertaken the purifying Ramadan fast.

 As we celebrate Eid-el-Fitri, it is my hope and prayer that Ramadan's spiritual lessons and the Holy Prophet's  teachings of piety, love, justice, fairness, equity, peaceful co-existence with others, tolerance, honesty and dedication to duty  will remain with us all for the benefit and greater glory of our dear nation.

Algeria airliner missing on Sahara route from Burkina Faso

The BBC's Alex Duval-Smith in Mali says there was "very bad weather" in the area, as well as "armed groups"
Algeria's national airline, Air Algerie, says it has lost contact with one of its planes flying from Burkina Faso to Algiers across the Sahara.
Contact was lost about 50 minutes after take-off from Ouagadougou, the airline said.
The passenger airliner was last seen at 0155 GMT, it added. It should have landed at 0510.
Flight AH 5017 had 110 passengers and six crew on board, Spanish airline Swiftair, which owns the plane, said.
"In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan," Air Algerie officials, quoted by APS news agency (in French), said.