Blog

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Optimism
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin,  Nov.  14, 2016 (NAN)  Head Coach of the under-20 Women’s National Team, Peter Dedevbo, on Monday, expressed optimism that the team would bounce back in the second match at the ongoing U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

This is contained in a statement from the Acting Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),  Ademola Olajire.

Olajire quoted Dedevbo as saying the walloping 6-0 by Japan in Nigeria’s first match at the ongoing World Cup on Sunday was nothing to worry about.

Dedevbo, who acknowledged the superiority of the Japanese side, insisted that Sunday’s result would  not mark the end of the road for Nigeria in the tournament.

He expressed optimism that the girls would bounce back to pick maximum points from the remaining two matches in the group stage, and charged the players to put behind them the horror of the first game and focus on the Canada and Spain challenge.

“We are down but not out, and this is the time for us to fight till the end of the competition. It would be fool–hardy for us to start feeling sorry for ourselves because it will affect our focus for the remaining games in the tournament.

“I must acknowledge the fact that the Japanese side was good, even though I didn’t envisage the goal margin.

“The outcome means that we will return to the trenches and re-strategize,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Japan powered to victory through strikes from Mami Ueno and Yuka Momiki, who netted a hat -trick and brace respectively.

The duo’s attacking force resulted in an own goal by Nigerian defender Mary Ologbosere.

Nigeria will face Canada in second Group B match on Wednesday at the Bava Park Stadium in Port Moresby.

Both countries are at the bottom of the table with no point. (NAN)
BAY/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

NERC decries incessant electrical accidents  at EEDC

NAN-HE-19

Accident

By Kingsley Okoye

Abuja, Nov 14, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has decried the worrisome electricity accidents  resulting in 14 deaths and 5 injuries in 2016 alone in the Enugu Electricity Distribution Network (EEDC).

The Acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah, expressed the worry in a statement by Dr. Usman Arabi, Head, Public Affairs Department of  NERC in Abuja on Monday.

Akah frowned at EEDC’s violation of NERC’s standards on performance.

He expressed dismay over alleged disregard of  the commission’s directives on mass disconnection of communities and  high incidences of high estimated billing resulting from inadequate electricity metering of its customers.

He said among the various violation of  EEDC was its  failure to submit inventory data for 2016 to the commission; hence it was slammed  a fine of N13 million.

Akah said  it was on  record that from January to September, EEDC recorded over 2,466 unresolved electricity complaints from customers who were dissatisfied with services rendered.

He said NERC would open  its 17^th forum office to  ensure  speedy resolution of  complaints by electricity customers within EEDC’s network .

He said the members of the forum were appointed among representatives of all  classes of customers, including industrial, commercial and residential.

Akah said the forum was devoid of class, adding that electricity customers across the country must desist from taking electricity complaints to court.

He urged customers with  electricity issues to approach the forum when dissatisfied.

According to him,  growth and development of the electricity sector remains a joint responsibility of both operators and electricity customers .(NAN)

KC/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

14 deaths and 5 injuries in 2016 alone.

email: uabbaarabi@nercng.org

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Deal
Seoul, Nov. 14, 2016 (dpa/NAN) South Korea and Japan on Monday at Seoul, gave initial approval to an intelligence-sharing programme with hopes that South Korea will reverse itself and sign it after domestic concerns torpedoed the pact four years ago.

The South Korean Defence Ministry said that the signing of the deal would allow the two countries to share classified data about North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

It said the deal is known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

Any deal with Japan is controversial in South Korea, where memories still linger about Japan’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 and mistreatment of Koreans during that time.

At the last attempt to sign GSOMIA, South Korea eventually backed off because of domestic concerns.

The news prompted similar outrage, with opposition parties threatening to oust Defence Minister Han Koo if the deal goes through.

They accuse the government of trying to push through the deal without consulting the opposition.

Japanese news agency Kyodo says both countries want to ink the deal before the end of the month. (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza mohammed-Aliyu

NAN-H-89

Fees

Ikot Ekpene (Akwa Ibom) Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Students of Akwa Ibom Polytechnic on Monday protested against the 100 per cent increment of fees by the school’s authority.

The Students Union Government’s (SUG), President, Kingsley Eyo, told newsmen at Ikot Osurua in Ikot Ekpene on Monday that the students were not consulted before the increment.

He added that the students were not comfortable with the Rector, Dr Israel Afia’s style of administration, demanding his removal by the State Government.

Eyo said students wondered why the school’s management would chose to bring new fees regime in this period of economic recession.

“The Pre-ND students that were paying N37, 000 are now to pay N69, 200 and ND-1 that were paying 45, 000 are now to pay N76, 200.

“ND-2 students are now to pay N65, 500 as against N38, 000; HND-1 will have to pay N85, 700 as against N47, 500.

“HND-2 students are now to pay N82, 700 as against N40, 700 that they were paying before”, Eyo said.

The students also complained that management had not been publishing their semester results regularly.

He alleged that the first semester results of ND had always been delayed to final semester of ND-2.

The student union government president also accused the registrar of being insensitive to the students’ plight.

Eyo said when the union approached him for dialogue; he retorted that education was not for the poor.

Eyo threatened that the students would go on violent riot if the school authority refused to reduce the school fees. .

Eyo said the management had also hijacked the running of Mami Market from SUG control.

“Mami Market used to be controlled by the students, the management hijacked it. The levies from the market were usually paid to the student union government.

“We had a meeting with them that since they are collecting the money from the Mami traders, they should give us some percentage.

“We needed the money to repair the bus and some other things.

“Even the park, there are some buses that are operating within the school campus, they hijacked the running of the park from us”, he said.

Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Israel Afia said in a text message that he was in a meeting and would not speak to the press today.

He said, “Not today please. I am in a meeting somewhere. Let’s talk later.” (NAN)

IE/BB/IEA
Edited by Idahosa Asowata

Bauchi Govt to distribute 1m doses of anti-malarial drugs

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Malaria
Bauchi, Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Bauchi State Government says it will distribute more than 1 million doses of anti-malaria drugs to residents to control the disease.

The Executive Secretary of the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACTAMA), Dr Mansur Dada, said this while briefing newsmen on Monday in Bauchi.

Dada said the agency would between November and December distribute 1,519,680 doses anti-malarial drugs across 20 local government areas of the state.

He said that the agency had also concluded talks with healthcare givers on carrying out tests on clients with feverish conditions.

The scribe said that the exercise was being conducted by the state government in collaboration with the UK Department for International Development and Presidential Malaria Initiative.

“Henceforth, the agency has resolved with healthcare providers in the state that any suspected fever condition should undergo malaria test, as such 1,304,900 rapid diagnostic kits would be distributed across same facilities,’’ he said.

Dada said that the intervention was part of the state government’s commitments on the fight against malaria and also to reduce maternal and infant mortality as a result of malaria.

He said that the drugs would be distributed to 345 health facilities within 10 days.

Similarly, he said that the agency has inaugurated a 25-member committee to reassess the activities of the BACTAMA.

Dada said that the committee would be meeting every three months to review activities that would guide patients to access healthcare services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee would be headed by the wife of the State Governor, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed, with Dr Mansur Dada as Secretary.

Other members were drawn from donor partners, NGOs, community and religious leaders, among other stakeholders. (NAN)
AE/DO/MST

Edited by David Onilede/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

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Courses
Oye (Ekiti), Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved additional 15 new courses for the Federal University, Oye, in Ekiti State.

The Information Officer of FUOYE, Mr Godfrey Bakji, made the disclosure in Oye-Ekiti on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Bakji said that the approval was contained in a letter from NUC dated Nov 14, 2016 and addressed to FUOYE Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Soremilekun.

He listed the newly-approved degree programmes to include Public Administration, Business Administration, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Library and Information Science, Hospitality and Tourism Management and Mass Communication.

Others are: Banking and Finance, Criminology and Security Studies, Political Science, History and International Studies, Agricultural Science Education, Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Mathematics Education and English Education.

“This development brings to 46, the total numbers of academic programmes with seven faculties in the university established in 2011,’’ he said.

He said the programmes would run in the campus of the university with effect from 2016/2017 session. (NAN)
DAK/MNA/AMY

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu and Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-S-

Team

By Victor Okoye

Abuja, Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, on Monday said that positive attitude, discipline, dedication, good team spirit and mental strength were responsible for the team’s recent fascinating run.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that a relaxed and jovial Rohr was at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Secretariat to meet with NFF President, Amaju Pinnick.

Others at the meeting were 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko; Executive Committee member, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh; General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi and Members of Management of NFF.

Acting Director of Competitions, Bola Oyeyode and Acting Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, were also in attendance.

“A positive attitude has helped us thus far and I also want to commend the players for their discipline, dedication and very good spirit in camp; they have been excellent.

“The mental strength is also there, because if you have to survive in such a difficult group, you need very good mental strength and focus.

“We have shown in the first two matches that we have the personnel and the good spirit to go all the way”, Rohr said.

NAN also reports that Rohr was in company of Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf and Special Assistant Tunde Adelakun at the Glass House.

The Franco-German is the darling of the NFF and Nigerian football fans after winning all his first three matches, two of which were in the so-called Group of Death in Africa’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

“We must prepare very hard for Cameroon even though that is still nine months away. The Lions are a good team and we must be at our best”, Rohr said. (NAN)
VO/HAS/IEA
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Oyo NSCDC trains 75 peace desk officers

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Training

By Suleiman Shehu

Ibadan, Nov.14, 2016 (NAN) The Oyo State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had trained 75 Peace Desk Officers as Peace Ambassadors across the 33 local government areas of the state.

This is contained in a statement signed on Monday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Oluwole Olusegun, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

Olusegun said that the officers were trained during a 5-day workshop organised by the Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit of the command.

The statement said that the State Commandant of NSCDC, John Adewoye ,during the closing ceremony, advised the peace ambassadors to be more proactive by being incorruptible mediators, good listeners and disciplined officers.

“To be at peace is to learn to forgive and forget, hence don’t be tempted with money,” the commandant said.

Adewoye called on the general public to visit NSCDC office nearest to them to harness the opportunities involved in conflict resolutions by Oyo NSCDC.

He also enjoined them to have positive attitude in doing things right by volunteering good and timely information to NSCDC on any strange things or persons in their neighbourhood in order to curb crime.

Adewoye called on the media to support the Command by creating more awareness on such security challenges as kidnapping, illegal mining, vandalism of critical assets and cult activities.  (NAN)
SYS/AMY/AMY

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Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-H-85

AD

By Muftau Ogunyemi

Akure, Nov.14, 2016 (NAN) The National Legal Adviser of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr Kehinde Aworele, on Monday said that there was no crack in the party’s ranks.

Aworele stated this during the official presentation of flag to the governorship candidate of the party in the Nov. 26 election, Chief Olusola Oke, in Akure.

He said that the initial rift in the party was a mere misunderstanding on issues of Oke’s candidacy, which according to him, has been resolved amicably.

He added that the court case involving the party with its candidate had been withdrawn.

“The virtue of being here with this mammoth crowd shows that there is no crack in AD,” Aworele said.

Also speaking, Sen. Mojisoluwa Akinfehinwa, national leader of the party, said that the party would rescue the state from ”13 years of wilderness” on Nov. 26.

Akinfehinwa said that Oke was a man of integrity, who would take the state to the promise land, and urged the electorate in the state to come en masse to vote for the candidate.

He asked the people not to hobnob with political parties enmeshed in crises, saying that AD was only party without crisis in the state.

Similarly, the National Chairman of the party, Chief Joseph Avazi, noted that the party was poised for real change, saying that pure democracy was being revealed by the party.

Avazi said that AD would serve the state and the country better if voted into power.

Appreciating his supporters, Oke said that AD was returning for complete transformation, adding that he would be in a hurry to deliver good governance if elected.

Oke promised that he would take the state to era of plenty, assuring that he would not destroy but build on good legacy of the state.

He said that he would revive moribund companies to create employment, adding that people’s wellbeing would be his priority.

The governorship candidate urged his supporter to shun campaign of calumny and hatred. (NAN)

OMA/JEO/OPI

Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka and Olisa Ifeajika

Police intensifying efforts to rescue kidnapped Reverend alive – PPRO

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Kidnap
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Nov.14, 2016 (NAN) DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said in Ibadan on Monday, that the command was working hard to rescue kidnapped Rev. Biodun Ogunbeku alive from his abductors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ogunbekun, a reverend of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Akobo-Ojurin, Diocese of Agodi, Ibadan, was kidnapped on Thursday by five gunmen.

He was kidnapped at his farm at Kufi area, along Olounda-Aba Road in Ibadan at about 7 p.m.

Ajisebutu, who declined to state whether ransom was demanded by the abductors, however, said the police were on top of the situation.

The PPRO said that the command was doing what it could to locate the hideout of the suspects.

He said that investigations were ongoing and that the Commissioner of Police would brief newsmen as soon as investigations were completed.

Rt. Rev. Amos Ajiboye, the Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Agodi, Ibadan, had said that the kidnappers were yet to contact the Church or the family of the victim. (NAN)
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Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf