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U-21 Africa Nations Cup: Rwanda High Commissioner tasks team on performance

Cup

By Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, Sept. 14, 2018 (NAN) The Rwanda High Commissioner, Amb. Stanislas Kamanzi, has advised Rwanda Volleyball team to concentrate and ensure maximum performance at the ongoing 2018 Under-21 Boys Africa Volleyball Nations Cup in Abuja.

Kamanzi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the Rwanda team has so far proved that they could perform and get to the top.

According to him, in spite of losing their first match on Wednesday to Tunisia, the team came back stronger today to defeat Nigeria.

”I am very happy, the boys did very well. Preparing for the match against Nigeria, we encouraged them to move forward and get the points that will move them to the top, knowing that Nigeria was a strong team.

”I am glad they did.  We advised the team to concentrate and perform to the maximum.

“What they did yesterday was very impressive, if they can consolidate on it in our match today, we will get to the finals.

“Our first match on Wednesday did not go well with us but with the match on Thursday, the boys proved they can do it and be at the top level.

“So I wish them well and I want them to perform well as much as they can,’’ he said.

Kamanzi said that the win against Nigeria would go a long way to boost the morale of the boys.

NAN reports that Tunisia defeated Rwanda 3-0 on Wednesday in their opening game while Nigeria lost 0-3 to Rwanda.

NAN reports that the championship which started on Wednesday would end on Tuesday.(NAN)

DE/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

Chelsea

London, Sept. 14, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has opened the door for former captain John Terry to return to the club as part of his coaching staff.

Terry left Chelsea in 2017 after nearly 20 years at the club, where he won five Premier League titles.

He played for second tier Championship side Aston Villa last season and this week he turned down the chance to sign for Spartak Moscow.

The 37-year-old is reported to want to continue playing but Sarri said he would welcome Terry back at Stamford Bridge if he decided to pursue a coaching career.

“I don’t know, the last time I spoke to him he told me that he wants to play for another season,” Sarri told reporters at his news conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Cardiff City.

“Of course (I’m open to having him). For sure he would be a point of reference for me and everyone here I think.

“I don’t know (the chances) he told me other things, he told me he wants to play but I don’t know, I have to speak to him again.

“Here is John Terry’s home, he would be very important for everyone here. It’s up to him, I am very open with him because of his history with the club.”

Sarri has enjoyed a superb start to his Chelsea reign with the London club winning all four of their league games to sit joint top of the table with Liverpool and Watford.

They will be expected to make it five from five at Stamford Bridge on Saturday when Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas could be on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

“In a few days, one week, he will be ready to play. At the moment he is able to be on the bench. Maybe it’s better for him to have two days of training,” Sarri said.

While promoted Cardiff are yet to win this season, Sarri said they will provide a tough test.

“Mentally the match after the (international) break it is very difficult; materially because we will play against a very physical team,” he said.

“If we want to take the points, we will need a very good performance tomorrow. It will be a very difficult game for everybody who plays Cardiff.”

Asked whether his side can challenge for the title, Sarri said champions Manchester City and Liverpool were favourites and that Chelsea needed to improve defensively.

“We need another step to be at the same level. I think this season is too soon, but I hope not,” he said.

“My feeling is that now we are not a very solid team in the defensive phase.” (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Felix Ajide

Harry Kane

London, Sept. 14, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has dismissed claims that it is the perfect time to face Tottenham Hotspur because of injuries to key players and concern over striker Harry Kane’s form and freshness.

Kane, who won the Golden Boot at this year’s World Cup with six goals, has started 61 matches in all competitions for club and country since the start of last season.

The England captain has been far from his best at the start of the new campaign.

And Klopp reckons the national team’s run to the World Cup semi-finals meant plenty of players were not afforded adequate recovery time.

“We all knew after the World Cup, especially when England went so far in the tournament they had no rest,” Klopp told Sky Sports ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Spurs on Saturday.

“We all need rest. He (Kane) cannot get the rest match-wise but he will find his form, maybe at the weekend, he has already delivered, it’s not that he’s not in good shape.”

Tottenham will be without attacking midfielder Dele Alli and captain Hugo Lloris through injury.

A surprise defeat by Watford before the international break means Tottenham’s preparation for a game against Liverpool side boasting a 100 per cent record so far has not been ideal.

But Klopp believes his team will be tested by Spurs, whose squad depth allows them to replace any player in the starting lineup.

“You go through the lineup of Tottenham and realise they can replace even Dele Alli, Lloris,” he added.

“They will be a really strong side and no I don’t think it’s the perfect time to play Tottenham.”

Brazilian midfielder Fabinho is yet to make his league debut for Liverpool after making a close-season move from AS Monaco.

Klopp said the 24-year-old will need more time to get up to speed but has no concerns over the player’s long-term ability to be a success at Anfield.

“I don’t like the situation, because I don’t like to say to Fabinho, who is full of energy and desire to play, to tell him he is not involved,” Klopp told a news conference.

“He came from another league playing in a completely different system to us and that takes time. The plan was – and still is – that he will make us better.” (Reuters/NAN)

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La Liga

Madrid, Sept. 14, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui criticised on Friday La Liga’s plans to hold a match in the United States, saying it undermined the equality of the competition.

The league asked on Tuesday for permission from Spain’s football federation to hold Girona’s fixture against champions Barcelona in Miami on Jan. 26.

“I am not in favour of it happening,” Lopetegui told a news conference.

“It does not benefit the equality of the competition. All the teams should play in the same stadiums.”

Madrid, who are joint league leaders with Barcelona, continue their campaign at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, looking for a fourth consecutive win to maintain their 100 percent record. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Felix Ajide

How Buhari is building corrupt-free society – Onanuga

Corruption
By Akeem Abas
Oyo (Oyo State), Sept. 14, 2018 (NAN) Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), says the anti-corruption crusade being championed by President Muhammadu Buhari is real and yielding results.

He made the observation during the 6th Parliamentary Lecture of National Association of Oyo Students (NAOS) on Friday at Atiba University in Oyo, Oyo State.

Onanuga said the feat was achieved through some measures evolved, among which was the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

“Corrupt practices have become a difficult thing under the present administration with the introduction of TSA. TSA has gone a long way in blocking wastage and treasury looting.

“Today, money goes into a single account and you have to write to demand money with verifiable facts to support that such was necessarily needed,” he said.

The NAN boss said the anti-corruption crusade was not selective as speculated, saying officials alleged of corrupt practices were being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Onanuga faulted the claim that government had stopped corruption cases against some politicians who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

According to him, “the anti-corruption must be collectively fought and won. The whistle blowing policy has also helped a lot in tracking corrupt practices.

“The nation would be better for it, if the crusade is supported by all. Most of those attacking the president have been in office without such effort.”

He charged the youth to support the crusade and embrace honesty as well as hardwork as a virtue, saying such orientation would engender the nation of their dream.

Onanuga admonished them to take nation-building as a collective project, urging them not to relent in their effort to make the nation great.

He said that the administration was committed to the course of taking Nigeria to the next level, adding such was evident in the giant strides recorded so far.

The NAN boss commended the youth for organising the programme to keep themselves abreast of happenings at the national scene.

He urged them to always engage their representatives meaningfully on development issues, while ensuring the society got the best from them.(NAN)

TAA/IA

Sen. Marafa berates Gov. Yari over comments on security

Security

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Abuja, Sept. 14, 2018(NAN) Sen. Kabiru Marafa, (APC-Zamfara Central) has faulted Gov. Abudulaziz Yari of Zamfara over his recent comments concerning the security situation in the state.

Marafa, who spoke with State House correspondents on Friday, said he was in the Presidential Villa to offer useful clues to President Muhammadu Buhari on way out the lingering security problem in the State.

He said he also intimated the president on the latest development with regards to the crisis that emanated from the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s congress in the state.

Marafa said that Yari should have resigned his appointment as the governor of the state since he could no longer oversee the security of the state.

Yari had recently said he had dropped his responsibility as Chief Security Officer of the state as he had no control over security machinery in the state.

Speaking to newsmen in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara, Yari said that his decision was premised on the helplessness of the state government and the people over recurring killings in the state.

He had condemned the reoccurring killings, regretting that as the chief security officer of the state, he could not take decisions on strategies for protecting the state and its people.

Marafa, however, said that the governor ought to have given up his seat alongside that of the chief security officer of the state, adding that Yari deserved impeachment.

He said that the number one culprit was the state House of Assembly because as it ought to have initiated impeachment proceedings on the governor over the comment.

“The media ought to be blamed also; when problems happen in other states, it tends to be over blown, but when it happens in some other states, nobody cares.

“Nigeria is suppose to be seen as our country; for a chief executive to come out publicly to say that he has resigned as the chief security officer of that state, he or she is suppose to accomplish that statement with his resignation.

“You cannot be spending state funds and security funds but lives and property, you are responsible to protect are in danger.

“The number one essence of government is protection of lives and property; any person that cannot protect the lives and property of the people he superintends, he or she is not supposed to be on that seat even if he is your chairman.

“I do not have to call on him to resign; this is something every Nigerian is supposed to say.

“If he has conscience and he knows what leadership is all about; and he takes the teachings of Islam very seriously; he would have resigned instead as governor instead of saying he resigned as chief security officer,’’ he said.

He said it was wrong for Yari to be Zamfara State Governor only in resources but when it came to protection of lives and property, he shirked responsibility and passed the buck to President Buhari.

Marafa said that Yari had unfettered access to the president and wondered why he had not been telling the president the truth.

On the crisis confronting APC in Zamfara, Marafa said he is not planning to quit the party, hence his decision to seek redress from the court.

“Today the court gave an order restraining all the parties from parading themselves as leaders of APC in Zamfara State pending the determination of the case,’’ he said.(NAN)

CJ/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

Aspirant

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Sept.14, 2018 (NAN) An All ProgressivesCongress  (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday said he did not believe national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would ask him to back down on his ambition.

Sanwo-Olu made the statement during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos.

A journalist had asked him whether he would step down his ambition or not if Tinubu asked him do so.

NAN reports that Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner for Training and Establishment, was reported to have been adopted by party chieftains loyal to Tinubu and the 57 council chairmen to puncture the second-term bid of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Ambode had declared his second-term bid on Monday, while Dr Obafemi Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, had also obtained and submitted his nomination form for the race.

The state party chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun had told newsmen on Wednesday that the governorship ticket was open to all aspirants.

Sanwo-Olu told newsmen that he did not think Tinubu would ask him to step down for Ambode or any other aspirant, as the party leader is a firm believer in internal democracy.

“Your question is if my national leader (Tinubu) asks me to back down at the end of the day, what will I do?

“You see, I really don’t know which side of the divide you want us to stay.

“Sometimes, people will say this man (Tinubu) is imposing and he is not allowing aspirants to contest for positions.

“They say there is no internal democracy. But this man is a democrat who will allow democracy to rule and thrive.

“My aspiration has nothing to do with an individual; my national leader is my national leader and he is the leader of everybody.

“Therefore, his passion is about Nigeria and not Lagos alone. The movement we have started is participatory democracy, and so there is no basis for him (Tinubu) urging me to drop my ambition.

“Asiwaju is a democrat, and I trust he will allow the process to go on without any rancour.

“On September 25, by the grace of God, the entire APC members will vote for me as the candidate to represent them in the 2019 elections,” he said.

The aspirant said he was motivated to seek the number one seat in the state out of the need to deliver innovative and an inclusive government.

He said he would bring about a state which everybody would be proud of, if elected as governor.

The aspirant said he would be a listening leader and would do so many things differently to actualise the Lagos of everybody’s dream.

Sanwo-Olu decried what he called the filthy state of Lagos environment and said that he would restore the cleanliness of the state if elected.

He said his mission to reposition the state was on course and he would formally declare his bid on Sunday.

NAN reports that party chieftains,  including the immediate past Vice Chairman of the party in the state, Chief James Odumbaku and former commissioner, Mr Tola Kasali, were with Sanwo-Olu at the session.

Some federal and state lawmakers, including Mr Rotimi Agunsoye, were also at the session.

Council chairmen, councillors, members of his campaign team and other party members were in attendance as well. (NAN)
BHB/GOM/SOA
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Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Oluwole Sogunle

Davis Cup

Lille (France), Sept. 14, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Benoit Paire made a remarkable Davis Cup debut for France, outplaying Pablo Carreno-Busta 7-5 6-1 6-0 in the opening rubber of the World Group semi-final tie against Spain on Friday.

Paire had never been selected for his country in the ‘World Cup of tennis’ before, admitting himself that his explosive, erratic performances on court meant he could previously never properly be trusted.

Yet he has grown into a much more reliable and consistent performer in 2018.

It prompted the champions’ captain Yannick Noah to select him for his first tie at the unlikely age of 29 and he was rewarded with a virtuoso performance against a doughty opponent.

Playing with real flair, not holding back and looking as if he was made for Davis Cup theatrics, Paire also showed real heart when struggling in the first set.

He had to battle back from a set point down three times at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Paire, the world number 54, started with predictable unpredictability, delivering nine double faults in the opening set.

However, after saving the set points with steel, the bearded shotmaker was freed to play his most attractive tennis.

From 3-5 down, he rallied to win the next nine games and, in total, 16 of the last 17 as his all-court attacking approach made Carreno Busta seem flat-footed.

Lucas Pouille, who annexed the winning point in last year’s final in the same stadium, was next on court, hoping to give the champions a 2-0 lead against Roberto Bautista Agut. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
ABUJA, Sept. 14, 2019 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted that thunderstorms and rainfalls would prevail over most parts of the country on Saturday.

NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Friday, predicted prospects of thunderstorm and moderate rains over the central states in the morning hours.

It also predicted scattered thunderstorm over Abuja, Lafia, Jos, Minna, Bida, Ilorin and Lokoja during afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 25 to 30 and 16 to 24 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted thunderstorms over the northern cities with cloudy morning over Maiduguri, Dutse, Nguru, Potiskum and Adamawa axis.

It further predicted that northwestern cities would be cloudy while thunderstorm was envisaged over the northeastern part with day and night temperatures of 27 to 32 and 20 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, thunderstorms and moderate rains over the southern region in the morning with light rains over southwest inland.

“Thunderstorms are envisaged over southeast inland and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the afternoon and evening hours with day and Night temperatures of 27 to 31 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively,” NiMet predicted. (NAN)
OYS/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

NGO tasks media on nutrition coverage
By Tukur Muntari
Nutrition
Kano, Sept. 14, 2018 (NAN) The Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), an NGO, has called on journalists to give more attention to nutrition issues in the country to address cases of malnutrition.
The CS-SUNN Executive Secretary, Mrs Beatrice Eluaka, made the call in Kano on Friday at an interactive session with representatives of various media organisations.
She said the task was necessary to attract policy makers and concerned stakeholders on the alarming burden of malnutrition which had continued to be a key contributor to infant and maternal mortality and morbidity.
According to her, malnutrition is also a contributor to poor cognitive development and increased severity of diseases adversely affecting under-five children in the state.
She tasked the media to step up the reportage of nutrition issues to attract policy makers and concerned stakeholders to take the right steps toward curbing malnutrition in Nigeria.
She said it was worrisome to note that the latest Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey (MICS 2017), showed an alarming increase in stunting and underweight rates of children in the state.
According to her, data from the MICS 2017 puts the stunting rate at 58.0 per cent, underweight at 40. 3 per cent with a reduced weight rate of 10.8 per cent, which is still above the WHO acceptable level.
She also called for an emergency action in Kano state.
The executive secretary, however, commended the state government for releasing N294 million in 2017, as counterpart fund for the purchase of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food for the management and treatment of severely malnourished children.
She also commended the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, who persistently demonstrated rare commitment towards addressing the burden of malnutrition in the communities.
She however called on the state government to improve on preventive measures like exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate infant and young child feeding practices and dietary diversification.
“This is to prevent more children becoming malnourished and to ensure that cured malnourished children do not relapse upon discharge from the treatment centres, as is currently the case in many communities,’’ she said.
According to her, CS-SUNN is a coalition of organisations with shared vision on the need to address deficiencies in food and nutrition.
NAN reports that the meeting is aimed at highlighting the nutrition situation in Kano state and government’s effort in addressing malnutrition menace for improved nutrition policy implementation and funding. (NAN)
MTM/JIE/MST
Edited by Julius Enehi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola