Kaduna Board of Internal Revenue seals off school in Zaria

In continuation of its drive to  improve in it internally generated revenue, the Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue yesterday sealed off the Zaria children’s school for it inability to settled it tax liability from 2009 till date which amounted to N2.3million.

In an operation led by  Ado Usman Garba the  head of  enforcement  unit of the board,  which included other  board officials, the  media and security operatives, the board sealed off the  principal’s office and the administrative block with a distrain order  in accordance with section 104 of the personal income tax liabilities ,after officials of the school failed to give out a clear cut on how they intend to settle their accumulated tax liability after various correspondence with the management.

Speaking to newsmen after the exercise the  executive chairman of the board Alhaji Ahmed  Jibril said the exercise is a continues one  and the board had no option than to sealed off the  school as the management has failed to meet up to its responsibility of settling it tax deficit despite their huge  annual generated income. He said the board intends to go round other parts of the state in it bid to improve the state internally generated revenue which will assist the government in meeting up to its promises to the people and help fast track development in the state in general. He called on those still owing the state to as a matter of urgency settle their outstanding tax liability and avoid an embarrassing situation of having their premises sealed.

T.Y Danjuma Foundation partners ACCIF to train disables

A ray of  hope recently shone on some physical  challenged  people living in Kaduna  state has the  T.Y Danjuma Foundation in collaboration with a popular NGO in  the state  the All  Children Charity Foundation (ACCIF)  has promised and finalized arrangement to train  40 most vulnerable people with disabilities in the state on various skills.

This was made known by the Team Leader of ACCIF, Barrister Mrs. Ranti B. Daudu at a media interactive session with stakeholders held at ACCIF training centre Barnawa Kaduna. In a welcome address at the well attendee session, she reinstates ACCIF commitement to assist the physically challenged people in the society and train them to be productive member of the society as well. She informed the gathering that ACCIF was organized 7 years ago as a non – government organization with the purpose of joining hands with stakeholders to promote and defend the rights of the physically challenged children and young people with disabilities such as hearing, visually impaired, physically challenged, autistic, educationally challenged, emotionally disturbed, cerebral palsy, chronic diseases, mental illness and the less privileged.

While enumerating some of the achievements of the NGO which includes the reconstruction of Kaduna State Special Education School Clinic which has over 900 specially challenged students and also commissioned a computer class room for the same school. She said the current collaboration with the T.Y Danjuma foundation was an initiative to stem the tide of the neglect of people living with disabilities who over the years have been neglected from policy issues and welfares schemes.

According to her “  it is important to note that young people living with disabilities have been relatively neglected  from policy issues and welfare schemes, they are confronted with a situation where they are discriminated in area of jobs even when they qualify, emphasis has been on  abled bodied persons, this has created a state of powerlessness, economic burden, negative societal attitude  and constant reliance on others to be their voice and survival, street begging and the female have been sexually exploited and abused.” She noted.  ACCIF, she said with support from the T.Y Danjuma foundation is to train and empower 40 most vulnerable young people living with disabilities in tailoring, computer and shoe making to enhance their capacity for self reliance.

Speaking at the occasion the representative of the Australian consulate Engr. Hermman Hulfnag, who also is a board member of ACCIF, appreciated the initiative and the qualitative skills of the Nigerian physical challenged. He advocated for a free trade shop for the disables as being practiced in Australian and promised to assist the body in whatever capacity necessary and also ensure that their finished products are adequately patronized by his consul and friends.

 In a thank you address, the state chairman of the Joint National Association of People living with Disability, Mallam  Rilwanu Mohammed Abdullahi thanked the organizers and specifically ACCIF for the humanitarian assistance it has been rendering the association over the years and called for  the setting up of a monitoring team to  monitor the progress of the training during and after the exercise.

Inside NNN

Working as a staff of one of Nigeria’s most famous newspapers, the New Nigerian  Newspapers, NNN, has been quite an experience and educative; an experience that no amount of money can ever buy nor take away from me.

 I came into the legendary  publishing house sometime early last year and I met  some group of  enthusiastic hard working men and women who to me are some of the most resilient and patient workforce I have ever come across in my  working career as a journalist. I actually found it hard to believe that some of them had spent over twenty years working for the newspaper and are still working diligently everyday.

One dominating feature of the NNN is its conspicuous gigantic structure, which to me no other newspaper house has till date, despite the fact that the structure was part of the early days of Nigerian independence. I am still marveled at the one -in -town building that houses this famous Nigerian publication.  To be honest, I am still in admiration of Mr. Charles Sharp, the hard working British man who conceptualized and built this magnificent   newspaper company. I wonder how he would feel if he were to visit the NNN today.  My view is that Mr. Sharp would definitely be a disappointed man at the way things have changed in this hitherto vibrant house.

The NNN to me is a resilient working ground where both the building and its workforce have refused to give way despite all the troubles and setback they have been encountering over the years. The structure, just like its workforce ,is still standing and pushing  not minding that those whose responsibilities it is to see to the efficient running of this northern legacy  has since  closed their eyes and ears to its plight and watch as things go further deep down. Show me anywhere else in Nigeria where staff of a government establishment are owed long months of arrears and yet the workers are still found doing their job diligently. Or which other government owed media organization has the luck to have hundreds of men and women with families and other responsibilities and still come to work every day?

 One baffling aspect of my experience in NNN is the fact that some of its staff daily comes to work from long distant part of the metropolis. We have those from Trikania, Nasarawa, Sabo, Kakuri, Barnawa in the southern part of the state, and their counterparts from Mando, Kawo, Rigachukwu, Badarawa, Malali and Tudun Wada in the northern axis of the once liberal state.  All these places are long distances that cost much transport fare and surprisingly the NNN staff still sacrifices and make it to the place of work on a daily basis. They leave their homes daily, with the hope that things might miraculously change one day.

To be honest, I am still baffled at the present situation of this hitherto vibrant newspaper company, which to me is not only an ordinary newspaper publication organization but an institution with authority in the Nigeria media history. There is no way the history of the Nigeria press will be complete without the golden name of NNN standing out at the topmost part of the list boldly. Then what really happened to NNN the publisher of the famous Gaskiya Tafi Kobo, New Nigerian daily, New Nigerian Weekly and New Nigerian on Sunday? What happened to this great establishment that has produced ministers, commissioners, professors, university chancellors, senior special assistants to presidents, governors and other topnotch government officials and heads of various private organizations across the country and beyond? What happened to this famous trustworthy house of news and its strongest weapon of truth? Are those who have benefitted from this great legacy of the Sarduana, Sir Ahmadu Bello and are still alive really listening and seeing what has happened to this unquantifiable bequest?  I am sure if the Sardauna were to have the chance to take a glimpse at this wonderful gift he left the north and Nigeria as a whole, he would definitely find it a bizarre and a big betrayal by the present leadership in the north, on whose hands rests the baton to change the present fortune of this resilient company and its equally resilient workforce and pensioners, who are still working, praying and waiting patiently for a miracle to happen and put a well deserved smiles on their faces.

Should I

Should I close my eyes to reality and pretend that all is well?

No! I believe that the truth is always naked and only the prudent sees it shape.

Should I sell my conscience for cowries and all the vanities in the world?

No! I think nothing is worth my pride and my inner mind.

Should I run away from my worries and pains?

No! I am a human bolder than both.

THE WORLD UNDER SIEGE

The unexpected seems to be happening these days with the sudden rioting going on simultaneously across the globe; From Tunisia to Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. Now we have one of the unthinkable and unforeseen rioting going on in London, one of the world exclusive and civilized democracies.
Again in Israel the rioting has shown its ugly face and the people are shouting for change. This to me is a sign that the unknown can always happen anywhere even in America the home of civility and human right.
This should be a warning and an eye opener to all the world leaders that there is no way injustice will win over justice and truth. The rate at which falsehood and the quest for materialism has taken over the sense of reasoning of most of the world leaders is actually quite alarming.
We have naked hunger and oppression going on in virtually all corners of the globe, yet senseless wars and modern slavery is being encouraged by some myopic leaders across the world.
The world seems to be under siege right now from all angles and its only when we learn how to respect and appreciate one another irrespective of religious, class and colour, we shall always be witnesses to violent rioting, militancy, terrorism and fight for freedom.

Syrian carnage

Crazy -crazy world. The Syrian crisis to me is a crazy one. I think every right thinking human being should stand up against the senseless bloodshed going on in Syria. Only a despot and devilish inclined human would kill his people greedily for power. I hope the Syrian people will have the gut to chase out the  murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad, and I hope the United Nation is watching and ready to charge him and his conspirators for crime against humanity and the Syrian nation.
The entire globe must come out to unite against those dictators  who are desperate to hold on to power even when the voice of the people  are crying loudly against them. We must unite and chase out those despots in Syria and Libya, including all those sit tight visionless rulers in other part of Africa and  Asian.

HUNGER IN AFRICA

I woke up today feeling as if I am not entitle to live on in this vanity  planet as I see and hear millions of my fellow Africans starving to dead  due to hunger.
I am actually feeling terrible that other rich nations and individuals could watch as hundreds of innocent young African children die for lack of portable water and food to keep their body and soul.
I am still asking myself if the purported world super  power are alive and really seeing what is going on in this part of the world. And why the need to keep fighting senseless wars and forceful invasion of various land when millions are daily suffering for lack of mere food and cloth to shelter their weakened body.
What are the justifiable answers most of those who are fortunate to have the means and power to feed these hungry mouths tell their creator at the end of their short stay on earth? God! I wish I could have the huge means to feed those suffering kids in Somalia, Ethiopia and my dear country Nigeria.
I think we are all going to be answerable to the almighty as regard to how we were able to assist our fellow human beings when they needed us most, this irrespective of our colour, race or class.
Please open your eyes widely and your senses prudently and freely behold the hunger ravaging many homes in Africa.