Blog

Rivers island communities decry isolation from state capital

NAN-H-32

Communities

By John Amieyeofori

Port Harcourt, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Residents of Central Group Communities, an island near Port Harcourt, have lamented the absence of road/bridge, linking the area to the Rivers capital.

The people expressed their concern over the situation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Monday.

They appealed to the Federal and River Governments to assist in developing the area, pointing out that the communities were oil producing.

NAN reports that the island of six communities – Sangama, Krakrama, Minama, Omekwe-Ama, Omekwe-Tariama and Angulama – is in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, a neighbouring council area to Port Harcourt.

One of the residents, Mr Tobins Igbiks, said the people were not happy because the situation had resulted in total collapse of economic and social lives in the area.

Igbiks said that no business could thrive in the area and the schools and markets could not function properly because of lack of link to Port Harcourt city.

Another resident, Mrs Fine Angala said that thing were difficult in the area as a result of poor infrastructure that ought to boost economic activities.

She stressed that investor were not forthcoming to reside or invest in the Central Group Communities, because there was no direct road from the area to Port Harcourt. (NAN)

JA/EMO/OU

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Edited by Ejike Obeta/Obike Ukoh

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NAN-H-47
Training
By Muhammad Nasirbashir
Dutse, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) says it is modifying its Skill Acquisition Training Schemes, in line with evolving technological advancement and current realities.

Its acting Director-General, Mr Olakunle Obayan, made this known at the opening of a programme on “Enhancing the Employment of Graduate Attachment Programme (GAP)” on Monday in Dutse.

Obayan, who was represented by Malam Muhammad Sambo, the NDE Coordinator in Jigawa, said the GAP training was organised by the Special Public Works Department (SPW) of the Directorate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 45 unemployed graduates selected from across the state would benefit from the training.

According to the director-general, the beneficiaries will be attached to various public, private and corporate organisations to acquire skills that will enable them to be self-employed.

He said “this training is designed to provide skills and personal attributes for the beneficiaries, as part of innovations, not just by the special public works department, but by the entire NDE.

“This is to enable the directorate to be in tune with evolving technological advancement and meeting with the current realities.”

The managing director added that the modification was meant to prepare beneficiaries for proactive and productive performance in carrying out their assignments in their respective places of attachment, which may lead to their retention.

He noted that previous implementation of GAP recorded tremendous success, as regards its set targets and goals.

Obayan said a good number of beneficiaries gained permanent employment in various establishments they were attached to, while others used it to gather experience to gain employment elsewhere.

He pointed out that the training would adequately equip the trainees to face the competition of seeking for employment in the already saturated labour-market.

He said “NDE will continue to evolve new schemes to combat the menace of unemployment in Nigeria despite the economic situation.

“I urge the beneficiaries to take the training very seriously, and grasp all aspects of the packages of the training.

“This is for you to optimise this opportunity made available to you, and justify the investment being made on each of you by the Federal Government.”

The NDE chief said each beneficiary would undergo 12 months of training and would be given N10,000 monthly allowance.

He advised the participants to be good ambassadors and well-behaved, for them to be considered by their host establishments whenever there was vacancy for employment. (NAN)
MNB/FLP/HA
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(Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-F-11

Swearing in

Beirut, Oct. 31, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Lebanon’s newly elected president, former Army General Michel Aoun, on Monday, vowed to protect the country and called for national unity in an oath taken before the parliament.

“National unity is the basis of the stability and security of the country,” Aoun said.

His election ended a presidential vacuum of more than two years. (dpa/NAN)

OYE/IS

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Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-F-8
ICT
By Mike Mbonye
Pretoria(South Africa), Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Olusegun Ojo, a professor in the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, says Nigeria has huge potentials in information technology.

Ojo, the immediate past Executive Dean of the faculty, on Monday told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pretoria, South Africa, that the sector could create wealth and employment if given necessary encouragement.

“ If the Nigerian political leadership creates a conducive and enabling environment, this can be exploited for wealth and employment generation,’’ he said.

Ojo said that government could use the Elumelu Entrepreneurial Development Initiative as well as similar programmes to fund ICT start-up enterprises.

The don said that developed and developing countries had demonstrated the potentials in ICT for socio-economic development.

Ojo said that the global ICT market was estimated to be $3.8 trillion, with America having 25 per cent share.

This, he said, constituted 7.1 per cent of her Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 11.6 per cent of its private sector employment.

He said emerging economies such as Asia had demonstrated similar trends in exploitation of potentials of ICT.

“ Given its rich and vibrant human resources coupled with entrepreneurial skills, Nigeria cannot be an exception.

“ ICT innovations can be turned into start-up SMEs with non-capital intensive outlay.

“ Indigenous software houses are becoming a common feature of the Nigerian economy,” he said.

Ojo said Nigeria has great potentials to explore developments in ICT and contribute to advances in technology, especially software.

“ Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are known for ICT innovations, some of which have attracted local and  global acclaim,” he said. (NAN)
MEMO/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-S-12
Sport
By Vezi Isike
Lagos, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Deji Tinubu, Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, has appealed to all involved in organising the CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations tournament to ensure its success for the benefit of youths.

Tinubu, who made the appeal on Monday in Lagos, said the organisers of the tournament should use it to further ensure that the Lagos became the biggest sports hub in Africa.

He told NAN that the incumbent administration in the state was using sports to bring development to its citizens, especially the youth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament, slated for Dec. 13 to Dec. 18, at the Eko Atlantic Beach is being organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and tournament’s Local Organising Committee (LOC).

Tinubu told NAN that engaging the masses in sports was a great tool in curbing societal ills and providing source of income for the teeming youths.

“We want Nigeria to look good and be successful, so, we will do the best we can by taking advantage of every opportunity to achieve greatness.

“We will work closely with the NFF and the LOC for the tournament to see the best of sports in Lagos.

“We are delighted that this administration is all out to support sports and we won’t restrict support to just a few but all sports.

“Lagos will give 100 per cent cooperation to the success of sports so that we can get the best out of it,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Lagos State Government had pledged its support toward the success of the CAF organised tournament.

The CAF AFCON Beach Soccer competition, now in its second edition, was initially hosted by Beach Soccer Worldwide.

Eight African countries have qualified for the event, tagged “Nigeria 2016’’ which will also serve as qualification competition for the 2017 World Beach Soccer Tournament billed for Bahamas.

The participating countries are host Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire in Group A and Madagascar, Libya, Senegal and Morocco in Group B.

The two best teams in the tournament will qualify to represent Africa at the Bahamas 2017 Beach Soccer World Cup. (NAN)
VOI/ASS/PDE
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(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-35
Stealing
By Ummul Idris
Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) A Wuse Zone 2 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Monday sentenced one Emma Enukura, a bricklayer, to one month imprisonment for stealing a phone and N5,000 in a parked vehicle.
Enukura, a resident of Galadimawa area of Abuja, was convicted after he pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr Nuhu Tukur, however, granted Enukura an option to pay a fine of N10,000 in lieu of the term in jail.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Christian Ononye, had told the court that one Yaya Bashir, of Area 11, Abuja, reported the matter at the Garki Police Station on Oct. 23.
He said that on the fateful day, while the complainant’s car was parked in front of his building site in Guzape, Abuja, the convict broke into the vehicle and stole a Samsung cell phone and N5,000.
Ononye said that the convict was, however, apprehended by passers-by and taken to the police station.
He said that the offence committed contravened Section 287 of the Penal Code.
Enukura, who pleaded for leniency, said that it was the devil that pushed him to commit the crime. (NAN)
UMD/AOS/PAD
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni, controlled by Peter Dada

NAN-HE-4
Funds
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Some financial experts on Monday advised the Federal Government to release more capital projects fund to the employment generating sectors to boost the nation’s economic activities.

They gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the government’s pronouncement that N720 billion had been released for capital projects.

In his comments, Dr Uche Uwaleke, Head of Banking and Finance Department, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that deployment of more capital projects funds to employment generation sectors would increase employment rate.

The expert said that the amount so far released for the capital projects had not impacted on the economy due to recession.

He said that about 50 per cent of the 2016 capital budget which government claimed it has already expended has little or no impact on the stock market.

“This is because the amount so far spent is insufficient to get the economy out of recession.

“Unemployment and inflation rates have not come down and people naturally have to take care of their basic needs before investing in stocks,” Uwaleke said.

He said that the implementation of social intervention schemes should commence in earnest to reduce unemployment rate.

The expert explained that uncertainties in the monetary and fiscal policies contributed to low investment confidence in the nation’s bourse.

“The present economic recession has compounded the liquidity challenge in the stock market.

“So, you find investors selling their shares whenever there is an appreciation in value to make some profit or even cut down on losses,” he added.

Uwaleke said that the market would witness mixed performance this week, noting that profit taking would most likely erode any bullish sentiment on the back of improved companies’ fundamentals.

Also, Mr Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., attributed the development in the market to the general economic situation which made savings difficult.

Omordion said that many foreign and local investors were sitting on the sidelines due to lack of confidence.

He said lack of clear policies that could revamp the economy contributed to the trend in the market.

Omordion said that the investors’ failure to react to some positive earnings reports released in the market to weak fundamentals affected the demand for stocks.

NAN reports that a turnover of 678.71 million shares worth N6.88 billion were exchanged by investors in 11,808 deals last week compared with 674.72 million shares valued at N7.66 billion transacted in 12,290 deals in the preceding week.

The Financial Services Industry led the activity chart in turnover terms, accounting for 529.26 million shares worth N2.77 billion traded in 6,290 deals.

The Consumer Goods sector followed with a total of 58.41 million shares valued at N2.70 billion in 2,223 deals.

The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates industry with a turnover of 50.38 million shares worth N95.11 million achieved in 537 deals.

The All-Share Index during the period under review lost 302.61 points or 1.10 cent to close at 27,294.21 compared with 27,596.82 posted in the corresponding week due to price loses.

NAN reports that the decline further pushed the All-Share Index’s performance year-to-date to 4.71 per cent from the previous week’s position of 3.65 per cent.

Also, the market capitalisation which opened with N9.478 trillion lost N103 billion to close at N9.375 trillion.

Fidson Healthcare recorded the highest loss in percentage terms, shedding 16.45 per cent or 25k to close at N1.27 per share.

Ashaka Cement trailed with a loss of 9.65 per cent or N1.31 to close at N12.26, while Honeywell Flour lost 9.23 per cent or 12k to close at N1.18 per share.

On the other hand, Caverton led the gainers’ table for the week in percentage terms, growing by 27.91 per cent or 24k to close at N1.10 per share.

Lafarge Africa followed with a gain of 16.25 per cent or N6.99 to close at N50, while Total increased by 13.79 per cent or N39.99 to close at N329.99 per share. (NAN)
JNC/AOS/GOK
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Olagoke Olatoye
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NAN-H-34
Ejection
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) The National Industrial Court in Ibadan on Monday stopped the University of Ibadan management from ejecting a sacked lecturer, Dr Adenike Ogunshe, from her official residence, pending the determination of a suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ogunshe, a lecturer in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, is challenging the institution and its council over the unlawful termination of her appointment.

The institution had also directed the claimant to vacate her quarters on the institution’s campus.

Counsel to the claimant, Mr Femi Aborisade, in a motion exparte, urged the court to stop the University of Ibadan from carrying out the directive.

Justice Firstina Kola-Olalere granted the motion and instructed the University of Ibadan not to eject the claimant from her official residence.

The judge, however, adjourned the case till Jan. 19, for hearing of the suit.

NAN reports that the claimant’s appointment was terminated over alleged misconduct.

Aborisade had earlier told the court that the appointment of his client was wrongly terminated, adding that due process was not followed.

He further said that the termination of the appointment of his client was unconstitutional, unlawful and a violation her constitutionally guaranteed right to life, natural justice and fair hearing.

The counsel urged the court to set aside the purported termination of the appointment and reinstall the claimant to her position, without any loss of earnings, salaries and allowances.

He also urged the court to order the respondents to pay N8 million as general damages, for failure to give the equitable three months notice before termination of the claimant’s appointment. (NAN)
SYS/JPE/PIO
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Edited by Joseph Edeh/Idonije Obakhedo
 

Nasarawa Fire Service saves N2.1b property in 2016–Official

NAN-H-27

Fire

By Mohammed Bababusu

Lafia, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Nasarawa State Fire Service has saved property worth N2.1 billion in various fire incidents recorded between January and October 2016, the state Chief Fire Officer,  Alhaji Dogara Dalhatu, has said.

Dalhatu made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Monday.

He said property worth N57.5 million were, however, destroyed during the period under review.

Dalhatu added that the service saved five persons during different fire incidents in the state.

“We received 99 distress calls from members of the public and 89 of the calls were for fire outbreaks, nine for rescue, one was a false call and one for special services,’’ he said.

He advised residents to be extra careful in handling fire especially during the dry season, saying any recklessness could result in fire outbreak.

The fireman said there was a reduction in the cases of inferno recorded when compared to 2015.

He said that members of the public must continue to adhere strictly to fire safety regulations, to avert fire accidents.

Dalhatu commended the state government for providing the command with modern fire fighting equipment and logistics, for the smooth operation of the service.

The state chief fire officer listed some challenges confronting the service to include under staffing, lack of water hydrants, office accommodation and inadequate equipment.

He urged the state government to establish fire sub-stations in all the local government areas of the state. (NAN)
BAB/KOO/MZA
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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-F-7
Tourism
By Mike Mbonye
Johannesburg, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Mr Fidelis Igbokwe, a South Africa-based Nigerian ICT expert, on Monday called on the Federal Government to use foreign missions to promote travel, tourism and culture.

Igbokwe, the founder of Trppns Application, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg, South Africa, that the missions should use such events to invite Nigerian artistes and personalities to perform.

“ Through such events, notable Nigerian musicians and cultural groups should be invited to perform while  tourism sites in the country will be prominently featured to attract foreigners,” he said.

Igbokwe, who developed a travel and tourism application with safety and security features, recalled that he had travelled with a South African trade mission to the Republic of Ireland two years ago

According to him, the South African foreign mission used the opportunity to promote travel and tourism which is yielding dividends.

The expert said figures from the South African statistics office showed that 3.5 million travellers came through the borders of that country in August.

He said one third of the travellers were tourists who came with their money into the country.
“ Nigerian missions abroad can organise travel, tourism and cultural events.

“ Our artistes should be invited to such events to promote our music, culture and other things that can attract tourists.

“ In the same way, tourist sites in the country should be properly harnessed such that visitors can easily locate them, book for accommodation and transport as well as make necessary arrangements online,” he said.
Igbokwe said figures had shown that travel and tourism created 1.8 million jobs locally for South Africans, adding that Nigeria has potentials to create five million jobs if properly harnessed.

“ If the Federal Government can tap into the opportunities created by travel and tourism, millions of jobs will be created while more revenue would be earned.

“Also, some tourists may be influenced in what they see. If they arrive and see that the site has big potentials, they can decide to invest there.

“ We need to look at the bigger picture and take advantage of the huge diversity and natural resources of our culture and tourism,” he said. (NAN)
MEMO/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)