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NBS to spend $3.5m on poverty statistics survey – Cordinator

Survey
By Lucy Nwachukwu
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2018(NAN) Mr Tunde Adebisi, National Coordinator, Nigeria Living Standard Survey (NLSS), says the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will spend 3.5million dollars in carrying out the living standard survey.

Adebisi told newsmen on Thursday in Keffi, that the grant by the World Bank would be disbursed to the NBS through the National social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).

According to him, the first trench of the disbursement has already been done and the field work for the project would commence on Sept. 27.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NLSS aims to measure the level of poverty and welfare of citizens at the national and sub-national levels of government.

NAN also reports that the survey when completed would inform government inbaddressing the impact of its policies and programmes.

According to Adebisi, about 320 staff comprised of the World Bank, the NBS, Monitors and trainees would be used in carrying out the project.

Earlier, the Statistician General of the Federation, Mr Yemi Kale, said the survey was supposed to be done every five years but was not done in 2014 due to funding and logistics challenges.

Kale said the project would take 12 months to be completed but some indicators of the survey would be published quarterly.

He said the bureau had taken critical quality assurance measures to ensure it got accurate statistics from respondents in the country.

On the proposed census of agriculture products, Kale said:” we are going to every farmland, weather crop or livestock and capturing it on a map.

“And by the time we finish this survey, we will know where every single farmland is; the name of the farm, what it is growing, the size of the land will be on a map.

“This data is important to the country, it is not the usual one size fits all.

“You have to understand what each farm is growing , what their particular challenge is and from that information agencies like the Ministry of Agriculture can now take targeted policy and dicision rather than general policies.

“We have finalised the process and it should start next year,” he said.

On the census for industry and businesses, he said all streets and local governments would be combed to record every business being operated from micro to small, medium and large scale busineses.

“As long as you have a physical location where you do your business, you will be captured,” he added.

Also on the rebassing of the country, the statistician general said most of the statistics needed for the rebassing were being worked on.

He said:” To be able to rebase, you need to get information on household consumption and expenditure.

“It has not be done since 2009 and we need updated information, so until we get the new data on businesses we cannot do anything regarding that.

“We will also start the process next year, and we expect that after a year or a year and half we should be done. “(NAN)
LCN/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

NFF Elective Congress: Pinnick pledges to reconcile with losers
BY Zubairu Idris
Reconciliation
Katsina, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) The President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick, has pledged to reconcile with those who lost at the 2018 NFF Elective Congress held in Katsina on Thursday.
Pinnick was speaking after the announcement of election results by the Chairman, NFF Electoral Committee, Mr Mohammed Sani-Katu.
He said that there was no winner, no vanquish during the election, hence the need for all to come and join hands to fulfill their promises and make a progress.
The NFF president thanked all those who contributed to the success of the exercise in one way or the other.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Pinnick scored 34 votes to beat other contestants.
Aminu Maigari polled eight votes to emerge second, Taiwo Ogunjobi got two votes, while Chinedu Okoye had no vote during the election.
Seyi Akinwumi was elected First Vice President and Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Chairman FA Chairmen.
Others elected included Yusuf Ahmed and Suleiman Kwande as board members from North Central; Babagana Kali and Musa Duhu for North East.
Sharif Rabiu was elected unopposed as board member for North West; Emmanuel Eda, South-South; Felix Agu, South East, and Ganiyu Majekodumi, South West.
NAN also reports that 44 delegates cast votes during the peaceful congress. (NAN)
ZI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Handball

By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) Adeola Opeifa, the immediate past chairperson of the Lagos State Handball Association (LSHA), has described the state teams’ outing at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) as an inspiring delight.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the LSHA junior boys and girls won gold medals at the 4th NYG held in Ilorin from Sept. 7 to Sept. 17.

Opeifa told NAN on Thursday in Lagos that she was impressed with the performance of the young players which proved that Lagos was indeed a force to reckon with in the game of handball in the country.

“What an exceptional performance by our young players, its a thing of pride to have our boys and girls successfully scale through the preliminaries and won gold medals for Lagos.

“We have a slogan that we are pacesetters and our teams victory at the Games being our first outing has confirmed it, kudos to the players and dedicated coaching crew,” she said.

She urged the players and coaching crew to sustain the spirit of dedicated training and passion, which went a long way to enhance their skill in the sport.

According to her, the body has instilled a passionate training zeal in the young players, making them to train in and out of competition at the Courts in Row Park, Yaba.

“The benefit of constant training and dedication in trainings has come to bear in the foundation of the players and its is a good spirit for their career,” Opeifa added.

In the same vein, Chukwuemeka Duru, technical director of LSHA, told NAN that he was not surprised at the teams’ victory as they were thoroughly mentored on the rudiments of the sport.

Duru added that in spite of the fact that it was their first outing since the inception of the Games, the players were composed and exhibited good skills in their wings which portrayed them as well organised.

“We have never relented in training and that has helped us to build formidable teams in all categories, so I expected this victory, and we thank God for everything,” he said. (NAN)
MIL/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)

NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Friday
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Weather
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted chances of scattered thunderstorms and rainfall over most parts of the country on Friday.
NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Thursday, predicted thunderstorms and rains over Yola, Jalingo and Mambilla Plateau during the morning with partly cloudy to cloudy morning.
It added that there were prospects of scattered day thunderstorms across the region with day and night temperatures of 26 to 34 and 16 to 25 Degrees Celsius, respectively.
The agency predicted partly cloudy to cloudy conditions over the northern region with chances of thunderstorm over southern Borno during the morning hours.
It also predicted prospects of scattered thunderstorm over most parts of the region during the afternoon hours.
Day and Night temperature values are expected to be in the ranges of 32-34oC and 21-26oC, respectively.
According to NiMet, southern states will experience moderate rains over Umuahia, Ikom, Enugu, Obudu and southeast coast with cloudy condition over the southwest inland and coast in the morning.
“Scattered thunderstorms and moderate rains are likely over the entire region in the afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 29 to 34 and 21 to 25 Degrees Celsius, respectively,” it stated. (NAN)
OYS/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

OPS pledges support for Oyo govt. on tax compliance

Collaboration

By Ibukun Emiola

Ibadan, Sept. 20, 2018, (NAN) The Organised Private Sector (OPS) in Oyo State on Thursday pledged its readiness to collaborate with the state government on prompt payment of taxes and compliance with government laws.

Chief Kola Akosile, Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), stated this on behalf of the OPS in an interactive meeting in Ibadan with Mr Bicci Alli, Chairman, Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the OPS comprises the Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti state branches of MAN and the Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Akosile said the meeting was geared towards facilitating the businesses of their members in line with government regulations.

“We believe that with this, we will have a high level of compliance on tax matters and also develop a cordial relationship with the government.

“By so doing, we shall be creating a conducive environment to do our businesses.

“This forum will be a continuous one; it is just the beginning of a viable collaboration with the government.

“We will still have the private sector legislative forum, where we will engage government before some of the issues on business are put out,” he said.

In his remarks, Alli commended the OPS for the interactive session, which he said was geared towards clarifying the regulations on doing business and explaining the activities of the board.

He said the government was committed to promoting a cordial relationship with the private sector.

“This is because we strongly believe that the sector contributes tremendously to the state economy.

“However, we need you as you need us; for we will not embark on enforcement unless when it is absolutely necessary,” he said. (NAN)

IBK/MAS/SA

Edited by Moses Solanke/Salif Atojoko

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Skills

By Adekunle Williams
Lagos, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) The gubernatorial candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State, Mr Owolabi Salis, has said that over 46,000 students were trained in various skills in the state under his empowerment programme.

Salis made the disclosure at the Graduation of the Lagos Youth Skill Acquisition Training and Employment Programmme on Thursday in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.

Salis said that the programme had 29 skills acquisition centres in almost all the local government areas of the state.

He noted that the centres had so far trained and graduated youths in the last five years from different skills acquisitions such as bag and shoe making, fashion designing, make-up, video production and soap making among others.

“We have 29 centres in the state and it has not been easy financing all these centres.

“However, my joy as a parent is to see these youths graduating to acquire skills in order to be financially independent.

“Apart from bag making, shoe making and fashion designing, we have a training on building and road construction but it is a pity that many youth are shying away from the skill.

“At the moment, we have trained 25 students, while four of them have already secured contracts at the Lekki-Epe area,” he said.

Salis noted that the programme was not politically motivated because the students that had been trained so far were not selected based on party affiliation but was initiated to give back to the society, especially the youth.

He said the programme had nothing to do with politics because he had been into the youth empowerment before he joined politics some years back.

“I initially started in Shomolu in Lagos which I believe I can sustain with 3,000 dollars in a month but before I know it, we recorded success stories from the students that were trained.

“Shomolu is now graduating its third batch, Ajeromi Ifelodun is also graduating its third batch, Amuwo Odofin is doing its second batch at the moment,” Salis said.

He noted that the Ikotun centre would be graduating 700 students, while 500 students would be graduating at Imota in Ikorodu on Saturday.

Salis therefore, advised Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria goods because it would promote excellence and improve on our economy.

On his part, the Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Abiola Afolabi, said the centre had trained and would be graduating 320 students from different skills acquisitions at the Surulere centre.

She said the centre trained them on catering, adire making, makeup, hairdressing, shoe making and soap making, just to mention a few.

Afolabi, while presenting certificates to the 320 graduands, said the programme would develop the beneficiaries to become entrepreneurs and financially independent on their own.

“Most of the graduating students have now become trainers and we have now trained people that will become entrepreneurs in Surulere and with God on our side, this programme will be a continuous one in Surulere.

“We have a low turnout of students from Surulere because the area is elitist, hence, it as very difficult for us to get them trained.

“It was not an easy thing to convince parent for their children to partake from the three months training programme,” he said.

Afolabi noted that there were some centres where it empowered 800 youths from areas such as Alimosho, Mushin, Badagry and Epe.

The coordinator urged the beneficiaries to make use of the skills they had acquired to make money for themselves.

Afolabi said some of the beneficiaries had started making money from the skills they had learnt, adding that they could also start small for those that do not have enough capital to start big.

She thanked Salis for financing the tutors, offering other logistics support and ensuring the success of the empowerment programmes.

The cordinator said the gubernatorial candidate believed that once he empowered people, then he had already empowered the nation. (NAN)
WAC/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Investment
By Yunus Yusuf
Lagos, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) Mr Yann Cottart, the Chief Executive Officer, NigerStar 7,  on Thursday said the company was ready to invests $20 million (N7.2billion) in its acquired oil floating assets.

Cottart said this at the official inauguration of its newly acquired $10 million vessel named “NigerStar 7 Adaba’’ in Lagos.

He said that the proposed direct and indirect investments in the oil and gas services companies would further boost local content development in the country.

According to him, the 20 million dollars investment future plan to acquire oil floating facilities, vessel and oil servicing equipments will  create more offshore and onshore jobs.

“We invested about 10 million dollars on the newly NigerStar 7 Adaba vessel that we are re-launching today to boost capacity and promote local content initiative in Nigeria.

“Today is a remarkable day for the company as we welcome our newly acquired vessel that would serve Nigeria’s offshore and onshore oil and gas industry.

“We are executing the largest and complex Equipment, Procurement and Construction (EPC) deepwater projects and with this new addition vessel, we become the only Nigerian Tier 1 EPC contractor with 100 per cent owned and positioned in-country,’’ he said.

He said the company had benefitted from its alliance with Jagal and Nigerdock companies, one of the largest fabrication yards in West Africa, capable of executing fabrication for most shallow and deep water projects.

Mr Simbi Wabote, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), lauded Niger Star 7 for developing local content in Nigeria and assured it of  the board’s support.

Wabote said that the board remained committed to encouraging Nigerian firms in the oil and gas sector to play key roles in the critical sector.

He said that the board was determined to provide support and serve as a catalyst for the realisation of developing local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

“we have commenced the disbursement of the 200 million dollars Nigerian Content Intervention Fund which is fully managed by the Bank of Industry.

“Three companies have accessed the fund while we have received about 100 applications.

“I must commend NigerStar 7 for this renewed commitment to local content practice and the noticeable re-positioning you have undertaken to project the value proposition you offer as an oil and gas service provider of repute.

“I am aware of some of the crucial projects you have undertaken to secure the country’s production at very critical moments.

” You have acquired so much credentials and I believe there are still a lot more you,’’ he said.

Wabote called for more collaboration among oil and gas operators to boost local content development in Nigeria, saying the board had consciously adopted a working synergy mantra approach.

NigerStar 7 is a 100 per cent Nigerian joint venture company that brings together engineering, installation and project management expertise in Subsea. (NAN)
YO/AOM/TÁ
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Tajudeen Atitebi

Aviation
By Sumaila Ogbaje/Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, says it is ready to partner with some state governments to encourage and sponsor indigent students, who are willing to take up profession in aviation.

Mr Abdulsalam Muhammed, Rector of NCAT, disclosed this while speaking at the Second Annual Seminar of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondent Association (ATACA), on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the seminar is “Financing and Developing Transport Infrastructure in Nigeria: Opportunities and Threats”.

Abdulsalam said the college had started discussion with some state governors to see how such students could be identified.

He said that aviation training was the most costly among professions, adding that NCAT courses were being subsidised by the government because of its costly nature.

According to him, aviation training in Nigeria is the cheapest compared to any where in the world.

The rector disclosed that NCAT had acquired a Boeing 737 simulator to be installed in 2019, adding that the simulator would enhance the capability of its flying school.

According to him, Nigerian pilots have been spending millions of dollars to get the B737 type rating abroad.

Abdulsalam said the suspension of the national carrier project was not the end of the project, adding that the decisively was to ensure proper planning and effective implementation.

Also, Mr Akin Olateru, Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), said the bureau had done a lot in recent time to release accident reports.

Olateru, represented by AIB’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, said the bureau’s accident laboratory had been revived and now functional.

He said that AIB had raised the capacity of its investigators through manpower development.

He also commended the Federal Government for giving adequate support to the bureau to be able to fulfill its mandate.

Mr Chidi Iwarah, Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), said that good transport infrastructure system was needed to provide access to employment, health, education and other services.

Iwarah added that that adequate transport infrastructure would also help to alleviate regional inequality and fosters national integration.

According to him, it also increases access to markets and links local, regional, national and international markets; and promote economic development by increasing access to labour and physical resources thus facilitating the realisation of our country’s, comparative and competitive advantages.

“The different Transport modes (road, rail, maritime, air and waterways) have specific features and advantages.

“The overall efficiency and effectiveness of the transport system depends on the development of these modes and their interfacing and integration,” he said. (NAN)
OYS/TY/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide