Sit-at-home order: Gov Mbah seals 106 shops, 2 banks in Enugu – Newstrends
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Sit-at-home order: Gov Mbah seals 106 shops, 2 banks in Enugu

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Governor Peter Mbah

The Enugu State Government on Monday sealed 106 shops and two banks for allegedly observing Monday’s sit-at-home order by a faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the exercise was carried out by officials of the State Government and Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA).

NAN recalls that Gov. Peter Mbah had last Monday threatened to sanction shop owners and banks that refused to open for business in complience with the illegal sit-at-home order.

Mbah issued the threat, while monitoring the situation in major markets in Enugu, the capital city.

According to him, traders who continued to obey the order up until July 24, stood to lose their shops to serious-minded businessmen.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who led the exercise, said the action was in line with the governor’s warning.

Onyia said the governor’s intention was not to punish businesses but encourage and inculcate the spirit of ‘no sit-at-home’ in traders.

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“It is not a punitive but ownership culture, where all of us come together to fight the menace of illegal sit-at-home in the state.

“We are taking it up not because Mbah is in the business of stopping economic growth but to fight those that think they can intimidate us,” he said.

Onyia further said that the task force created by the State Government would be in the markets next Monday to continue to monitor the situation.

“We have been to ShopRite, Celebrity – a shopping mall – SPAR and others, we saw shops that were not opened and we sealed them.

“That is why ECTDA is here and the owners should go through a process to get them reopened,” he said.

He said that 85 per cent of traders showed up in the markets visited.

The SSG said that the governor had made a commitment by providing security and buses at specific places to convey workers to the state Secretariat.

He said the measure became necessary because the state was tired of losing significant revenue by working for only four days a week.

On why he unsealed Easter Shop earlier, Onyia said the management of the mall gave an assurance to open every Monday.

Speaking with newsmen at the end of the exercise, the Head of ECTDA, Mr Gideon Onyia, said that the affected shops were both corporate and privately owned.

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He said that 78 shops were sealed at the Ogbete Market, plus two new generation banks, five shops at SPAR and 24 shops at the Old Artisan Market.

“So if you failed to obey our rules and directives, we can revoke them or withdraw your approvals and give them to people who are eager to do business in the state.

“Those whose shops are sealed, we will tell them the penalty but the governor was magnanimous for saying that the exercise was not punitive,” Onyia said.

Meanwhile, some of the traders, who spoke to NAN, said they open for business on Mondays but record low sales due to the absence of customers.

A trader, who identified himself simply as Nnamdi, said he usually wasted his transport fares to and fro his shop on Mondays without making any sales.

Also, Mrs Ngozi Oji, attributed the traders absence from the markets to fear of being attacked by gunmen.

Oji, therefore, urged the government to provide adequate security in and around the market to allay the traders’ fear. (NAN)

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution 

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2 hours ago

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December 22, 2024

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution 

 

The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.

He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.

Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.

“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”

The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.

“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.

“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.

He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.

Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.

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Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

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2 hours ago

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December 22, 2024

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Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

 

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.

The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.

 

Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.

 

He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”

The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.

 

He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”

 

He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.

 

“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.

Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.

 

“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.

 

On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.

 

 

“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.

 

The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A

llah is the lord of Jesus.”

 

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

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CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

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6 hours ago

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December 22, 2024

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CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.

“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.

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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.

“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.

Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.

“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

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