20 Nigerian pilgrims die in Makkah

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) yesterday confirmed the death of 20 Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
The commission Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, who spoke at a pre-Arafat stakeholders’ meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said 14 pilgrims died following cardiac arrest and other ailments, and six lost their lives in the September 11 crane crash.
He said three Nigerians were injured in the crash, as against six earlier reported by the media.
The chairman said the pilgrims, who submitted valid documents to the commission for visa, were transported to Saudi Arabia.

'Clock' boy withdraws from school that suspended him over clock, Engineer says boy didnt invent the clock

The family of the 14-year-old Muslim student who got in trouble over a homemade clock mistaken for a possible bomb withdrew the boy Monday from his suburban Dallas high school.
Ahmed Mohamed's father, Mohamed El-Hassan Mohamed, said he has pulled all of his children from their schools. Mohamed said the family is still deciding where to send the children to school.
Ahmed has said he brought the clock he made to MacArthur High School in Irving last week to show a teacher. Officials say he was arrested after another teacher saw it and became concerned. Ahmed wasn't charged, but he was suspended from school for three days.

Presidency exempts NNPC, PHCN, BoI, 10 others from TSA

•President Buhari

The Federal Government has exempted 13 government agencies from the  current Treasury Single Account (TSA) arrangement related to electronic or e-collection  and mop up exercise of government funds from commercial banks.
A circular exempting the  agencies was communicated to Central Bank of  Nigeria (CBN) from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation  (OAGF).
The exempted agencies of government are “profit oriented government business entities that pay dividends to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Tariff hike: NLC, CNPP, consumers plot against NERC, operators

The plans to review electricity tariff  has provoked customers of the distribution companies. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and others are angry. The consumers warn against a price hike in the face of a metering deficit, low investments in infrastructure and lingering insufficient supply.  JOHN OFIKHENUA, reports.
Should the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Presidency approve the new tariffs being proposed by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) and Generation Companies (GENCOS), two options will be opened to customers – to pay and depend on the firms for the utility or, find alternative power source.
If the plans are anything to go by, customers of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) will record 25 per increase, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) will have to contend with 21 per cent hike,  Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC) have a marginal  1.76 per cent increase to cope with. The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) have 19.25per cent rise to bear.  The commission’s Principal Manager, Market Competition and Rates, Aisha Mahmud, dropped the hint at a presentation to stakeholders in the sector, including the generating and distribution companies, of the Consumer Forum and others last Tuesday at Abuja. There was no information yet on what customers of  Port Harcourt, Ikeja, Eko and other companies will paying at the frozen point to allow a comparative analysis of their new tariffs.

No more concessional posting for corps members - NYSC

Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi has said that there would no longer be concessional posting for all corps members. Brig. Olawunmi said this while speaking with journalists during the opening ceremony of the training organised by the NYSC and the Housing Developers Cooperative Society for Corps Members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja yesterday September 21st.