Blog

NAN-S-1
Sponsorship
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) Nigerian athletes’ abysmal performance at international competitions are due to lack of exposure, Gideon Akinshola, a board member of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) said on Friday.

Akinshola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that adequate funding was needed to expose athletes to high grade tournaments to increase their chances of doing well at global meets.

He, however, solicited for the assistance of individuals and corporate organisations for the sponsorship of athletes.

According to him, sufficient funds will ensure adequate support to efforts at exposing athletes and enhancing their performance.

He said that the body had concluded arrangement to approach individuals and companies with its proposal ahead of some tournaments coming up later in the year and 2017.

“We are making this request early because we will begin to approach individuals and companies for sponsorship soon.

“Our athletes need to participate in local and international competitions for exposure and this can only be possible with the availability of funds.

“This is an effort to have a plan B rather than solely relying on when funds are made available by the authorities which has previously affected athletes’ participation in championships,’’ he said.

Akinshola noted that athletes got excited when they had sponsorship to take part in international tournaments as it was an opportunity for them to improve their standard.

According to him, athletes who participate and performed credibly in championships are usually upgraded in the Africa.

He urged coaches and athletes to show more dedication to make remarkable impact to encourage sponsors.

Akinshola also promised that the body would adequately utilise every sponsorship funds for the purpose for which it was meant.

“We will be ready to give a good account of all expenses made,’’ he added. (NAN)
MIL/ENN/PDE
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)

Police vow to arrest killers of 2 cops in Kaduna

NAN-DS-2

Ambush

By Mohammad Tijjani

Kaduna, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Kaduna State Police Command on Friday said it operatives were on the trail of the bandits who killed two police sergeants on Thursday in the state.

The Command’s spokesman, ASP Aliyu Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] that the policemen were ambushed by the bandits at Tsonje village on Kagoro-Gidan Waya road in Kaura Local Government.

Usman said no arrest had been made, but the the police was making everything possible to arrest the suspects.

“We view this killing with serious concern, we will make sure all the suspects are arrested and made to face the wrath of law,” he said.

NAN learnt that the five mobile policemen from MOPOL 47, Zaria were on routine patrol in the area when they were attacked in an ambush at about 9am in the village.

Two of the policemen escaped unhurt while one was injured.

The police spokesman assured that the command would deal decisively with those breaking the law, and pleaded with the public to provide useful information to trackdown the perpetrators.

Earlier, Mr Alex Iya, the Interim Chairman of the local council, told NAN that “the survivors recounted that the attackers were masked as such, identifying them was difficult.”

He also appealed to the general public to remain vigilant and support the police and other security agents to curtail criminal activities in the area.(NAN)

TJ/MGK/MZA

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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-H-34
Cases
By Bosed Olufunmi
Kano, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Kano State Hisbah Board says it received 72 cases, including 15 rape case, in the past one week.

The Officer in charge operation of the board, Malam Bilyamin Ibrahim, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Friday.

Ibrahim said that 30 were matrimonial cases, 10 on dispute between neighbours, nine cases on debt, eight on theft, among others.

He said the board was committed to fighting all sorts of immorality in the state.

According to him, the board will not relent in its efforts toward ridding Kano of criminals and criminal activities.

He advised parents, especially mothers, to stop sending their little wards on errands to reduce incidence of rape of minor in the state. (NAN)
BO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-HE-11
Power

By Yunus Yusuf
Lagos, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Friday wheeled out about 4,362 megawatts of generated electricity to the 11 distribution companies as the country’s power supply stabilises.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the power generation data was obtained from daily forecast on the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO) website.

The website shows that the country’s power generation also recorded lowest peak at 3,605 megawatts.

According to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) operational report for Oct. 14, the power sector hit a peak generation of 4,362 megawatts as against 3,536. 4 megawatts recorded in Oct. 5.

NESI said the sector recorded highest system frequency of 51.60Hz; lowest system frequency of 48.48 Hz; highest voltage recorded was 372KV, while lowest voltage recorded on the same day was 300KV.

It will be recalled that the TCN had on Sept. 8 sent 3, 810 megawatts to the distribution companies.

The lowest energy generation on that day was 2,520 megawatts while highest generation was 3,502 megawatts.

NAN reports that the nation’s electricity generation has been relatively stable in the last two months, while generation has increased above 3,000 megawatts.

Meanwhile, the management of Ikeja Electric Distribution Company has apologised to customers over power outage currently experienced within its network operation.

Mr Felix Ofolue, Head, Communications of the company, made the appeal in a statement made available to NAN in Lagos.

”The company regrets the prolonged outage witnessed by our customers in and around Ejigbo, Oke Afa, Ikotun Egbe, Egan, Igando, Arepo, Warewa and Channels Television axis.”

He said that the outage was due to a faulty 100 MVA transformer at Ejigbo Transmission Station and other multiple faults along the network in that area.

He said that the transmission company had commenced repairs on the faulty transformer.

Ofolue, however, said that in the interim, customers would be temporarily back fed through alternative sources to mitigate the current blackout pending the completion of the repair.

According to him, the recent damage of the 33 KV Electric Towers on Abeokuta Expressway by a truck has resulted in power outage in Millennium Estate, LSDPC Estate Ojokoro, Agbado, Aboru, Jankara and parts of Abeokuta environs.

The spokesman said that the technical teams had commenced effecting repairs, adding that work would be completed in five days. (NAN)
YO/IS/IA
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz/Idris Abdulrahman

Caught with her hands in the till, banker faces N49.3m theft charge

NAN-H-1
Banker
Lagos, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) For allegedly putting her fingers in the till and carting away N49.3 million, a 37-year-old Skye Bank staff, Grace Chinedum, is facing trial at a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Chinedum, standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, manipulation of customer’s account and stealing, has entered a plea of `not guilty’.

But the prosecution said the accused committed the offences between June 2015 and July 20 at Skye Bank, Adeola Odeku Branch on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The accused, a bank clerk, conspired with others still at large to steal 236,500 dollars and 20, 800 pounds (N49.3 million) from a customer’s account, according to the prosecutor, Insp. Roman Unuigbe.

Unuigbe told the court how the accused stole from the customer’s account and later sent a mail to her reporting how much she had transferred from the account.

“She also voluntarily handed herself over to the police.’’

Chinedum’s offences contravened Sections 285, 363 (1) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2011.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, granted her bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

He directed that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner in Lagos and adjourned the case to Nov. 28 for trial.(NAN)

IOI/DA
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Edited by DeleAkinsola

NAN-H-2
Trafficking
By Azubuike Okeh
Port Harcourt, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Deputy Governor of Rivers, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, has urged the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to be more proactive in tackling menace of human trafficking.

Banigo made the call on Friday while receiving the NAPTIP officials from Uyo Zonal Headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The deputy governor urged NAPTIP to undertake diligent prosecution of the culprits no matter their status to tackle the menace of trafficking in persons.

“People, especially the under-aged girls, are being taking across the borders daily for reasons that are not good for the image of this country.

“Apart from the international disposition on issue that goes with human trafficking, the jeopardy that such act puts on the lives of victims is worrisome,” she said.

Banigo said that NAPTIP would do the nation a good service, if those arrested for human trafficking were made to face the full weight of the law.

According to her, such step will serve as deterrent to others who see the illegal act as means of earning a living.

Banigo decried the prevalence of “baby factories’’, urging NAPTIP and other relevant agencies to work in synergy to clampdown on the perpetrators.

“It is important for us as people to speak out against the societal ills and act in the place of the vulnerable in the society,” she said.

Earlier, Mr Nwachukwu Innocent, the NAPTIP Commander in Uyo Zone, said that the agency has the mandate of tackling the issues of human trafficking.

Innocent said that the agency has the powers to arrest, investigate and prosecute anybody found culpable of trafficking offences, no matter their status. (NAN)
AZU/KOLE/GOK
(Edited by Remi Koleoso/Olagoke Olatoye)
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Polio: Jigawa LG targets 65,245 children for Immunization

NAN-HG-1

Immunisation

Dutse, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Sule Tankarkar Local Government Council of Jigawa on Friday said it would vaccinate no fewer than 65, 245 children against polio in the forthcoming immunisation programme.

The council’s Information Officer, Alhaji Daudu Sulaiman, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

Sulaiman the council expects 70,000 doses of Oral Polio Vaccines (OPVs) to conduct the exercise.

He explained that the children would be immunised against polio and other child-killer diseases during the five-day programme.

The council spokesman said that 449 trained ad-hoc staff, including vaccinators would conduct the exercise.

According to him, the council had carried out several pre-implementation activities in order to ensure effective coverage.

Sulaiman said that the activities carried include advocacy visits to traditional and religious leaders in the area and holding a polio task force meeting.

He added that the council’s health personnel had also participated in a one-day Nigeria/Niger Republic border workshop organized by World Health Organization (WHO).

The information officer explained that the forum shared experiences and idea among the participants “and reached a consensus for effective joint coverage during the exercise along the border villages and towns’’.

According to him, the participants were drawn from Sule-Tankarkar and Maigatari Local Government Areas in Jigawa and Baure and Zango Local Government Areas in Katsina state.

From Niger Republic, he said, participants were drawn from Magarya and Matamaye communities.

NAN reports that the next round of polio immunisation would be flagged off in all the 27 local government areas of the state on Oct. 15. (NAN)

MNB/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-HE-2
Numbers
Dutse, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa Board of Internal Revenue has called on civil servants in the state to stop using official number plates on their personal vehicles.
Alhaji Salisu Sani, the Coordinator of Road Taxes of the board, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday.
Sani advised civil servants to properly register their personal vehicles to avoid embarrassment.
He said that the board would not tolerate non-registration of personal vehicles by any government official or any person because of its negative impact on revenue generation to the state.
“These civil servants using official number plates on their personal vehicles are like trying to avoid paying tax which the board frowns at.
“This is because their action will be affecting our revenue generation for the state,” he said.
The coordinator said that official number plates were only meant for government vehicles, not personal ones.
Sani also told NAN that proper registration of vehicles would help to protect lives and properties of motorists and other road users as well as ease transportation.
“You see, proper registration of all vehicles will help us and other safety agencies to easily identify vehicles and their owners in case of accident.’’
Sani said that the effort would also curb crimes and help in other emergency situations across the state. (NAN)
MNB/DUA/TA
Edited by Dada Ahmed/Tajudeen Atitebi
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FORTIS MFB to boost economy through capacity building
NAN-HE-
Capacity
By Lucy Nwachukwu
Abuja, Oct. 14 (NAN) Fortis MicroFinance Bank Plc has assured that it will partner AFOS, a German foundation, to empower the economically active but financially less-privileged citizens in the country through its capacity building project.

This is contained in a document by the Managing Director of Fortis Mfb, Mr. Tiko Okoye, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

It stated that as part of the project, a Microfinance Institutions Training Centre (MITC), founded on value-orientation of the individual citizen, would also be used to improve the development of the industry in general.

“The Project is founded on the convergence of value-orientation, whereby the individual person is at the center of everything.

“The thrust of the project is to contribute towards improving the lives of the economically active, but financially less privileged citizens in full respect of their person and dignity.

“The partnership will commit to supporting the ambit of the German Partner’s interventions towards promoting the development of the industry.

“This will be done by focusing, without limitation, on interventions in furtherance of the Nigerian Microfinance platform, particularly its working groups and operational structures.

According to the report, Fortis would actively participate and deliberately form part of the drivers of the core structures and interventions of the Nigerian Microfinance Platform (NMP) at all levels.

It stated that the project was demand-driven and would thereby give the primary responsibility for needs identification to the Bank.

“ AFOS will support, advise and assist the process, relying partly on the core competences of its two Long Term Experts and other programme specialists.

“It will rely on the knowledge and experience transfer from its previous engagements and expertise of relevant local and international short-term experts as its role in the project,’’ it stated.

NAN reported that the overall aim of the project was to allow through customised and affordable financial services a sustainable improvement in income for poor families.

This project is aimed at improving the performance of MSME businesses in the informal and semi-formal sector with focus on rural areas and on women and youth.

According to the report, both partners will commit themselves to cooperate on a partnership basis to accompany and support the anticipated growth and expansion of Fortis Mfb.

This followed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) National Microfinance Bank licence.(NAN)

LCN/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Liquidity, major challenge facing nation’s power sector – NERC

NAN-HE-11
Liquidity
By Kingsley Okoye
Abuja, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), says the challenge bedeviling the nation’s power sector is lack of access to liquidity to promote investment in the sector.

The Acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

“There is no doubt that every country has challenges and the power sector in Nigeria has its own challenges, and one of the challenges that we have is the issue of funding.”

He said that investment in the power sector required huge amount of fund, noting that the non-availability of adequate fund constituted a hurdle to speedy development of the sector.

He said that in a bid to enforce standard in the industry, NERC was ensuring that all players stick to the specified rules and regulation governing the sector in Nigeria.

“We need to make sure that we rightly price tariff and also make sure that there is market discipline, that the companies play according to the rules.

“We need to make sure that we increase monitoring mechanism to ensure that all the players adhere, or we have them sanctioned.”

He said that NERC was guiding against the abuse of market power by stakeholders in the value chain.

Akah said that the commission as the sector regulator was also ensuring that consumers get the right value for the tariff paid on electricity.

He said the commission was also developing the best regulatory framework to attract investors to the sector.

“What we are doing is to make sure that we give the investors that are coming, a fair return on their investment.

“We want to make sure the tariff we guarantee is right, so that at the end of the value chain, the distribution companies would be able to remit the money.”

The NERC acting chairman also identified inefficiency in revenue collection by the distribution companies as a major challenge facing the sector.

“The challenge of inefficiency in revenue collection is too high, the regulator has a lot of ample power to deal with this issues, but we are also facing a challenge.

“Right now some distribution companies have gone to court and got restraining order on NERC on enforcing the market rules.

“The market rules says that if you are not able to remit the money covering the power that was sent to you as a distribution company, your license will be withdrawn.”

Akah explained that full collection and remittance of the needed percentage of the fund by the distribution companies to other players in the electricity value chain would improve liquidity.

The acting chairman said NERC and the FG were making plans to pay up the debt owed distribution companies by MDAs, adding that the payment would also ensure liquidity to the sector.

He said the commission was developing a mechanism to smoothen electricty payment by consumers.

“We are also to ensure that all the consumers pay for the electricity they consume.

“Some of the consumers had said they were not going to pay, saying that they were not getting the service for their payment, but now they are paying,” he said. (NAN)
KC/KOLE/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

 
Edited by Remi Koleoso and Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed