Blog

NAN-H-43
Brand
By Idris Olukoya
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Mr Ini Akpabio, the Group Managing Director, NANET Hotel and Suites, Abuja, on Monday, called for a unique tourism brand to reposition the nation’s tourism industry.

Akpabio told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on telephone that Nigeria lacked the brand that could attract the desired volume of tourism clientele.

“Tourism practitioners prefer to promote and market their own state tourism potential.

“There is the need to identify a particular tourism potential in the nation to showcase to the world,” he said.

He cited Kenya for instance, that promotes its wild-life potential to the world, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirate that promotes Architectural tourism.

Akpabio also cited France, South Africa, the UK, the U.S., Japan, China and Italy, as examples of countries that used their unique selling points to showcase their tourism potential.

“There is the need for the country to have a particular tourism point that could be promoted to attract foreign tourists.

“There are lots of tourism potential in Nigeria but we cannot promote everything together, we need to have a particular one that the country will be known for,” he said.

Akpabio noted that there was the need for Nigerians to think of tourism as a new frontier through which the nation’s economy could be repositioned.

He advised the relevant authorities to organise activities that would boost the influx of tourists into the country to boost the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

“Efforts must be made to appoint core professionals to drive the sector,” he added. (NAN)
SIO/AAO/ERO/YEMI
Edited by Emmanuel Okara

Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-H-41
Projects
By Emma Acha
Orba (Enugu), Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu has said that N3.4 billion will be spent to upgrade rural infrastructure in the 17 local government areas in 2017.

Ugwuanyi said this when he hosted the people of Ezeagu Local Government Area who were on a thank you visit to   him in his country home in Orba on Monday.

The governor said that the 2017 financial year would be action packed in the respective councils, adding that each had been mandated to forward their projects to the state government.

He said that the rural areas needed to be made catalysts for development, adding that his administration would not renege in its avowed commitment to raise the living standard of the people.

“Our administration has resolved to implement projects worth between N200 million to N300 million in each of the 17 local government areas which will be captured in next year’s budget.

“We have appealed to each council area to agree and furnish us with what their most pressing needs are,” he said.

Ugwuanyi expressed satisfaction with his guests, adding that the inauguration of an economic team by the council was a giant leap that needed to be replicated by all council chairmen in the state.

The governor praised the doggedness of his deputy, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, an indigene of the area who he said had been consistent in her support.

The governor said that the several road projects by his administration would be completed at the required times.

Earlier, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Mr Chukwudi Ezinwa, said that they were delighted that the governor appointed their people in positions of authority.

Ezinwa said that their people would continue to support the governor to achieve his dream for the state. (NAN)
EOA/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-40

Students

By Kate Obande

Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Proprietors of some private schools have described as impressive the return of students for the 2016/2017 academic year, in spite of the economic recession bedevilling the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many parents have had to change schools for their children and wards due to the jack up of fees by some schools to where they considered affordable in view of the current economic situation in the country

Mrs Ngozi Anwuchekwa, the Administrator of Vantage Academy, Gwarinpa, told NAN on Monday in Abuja that the return of students after the long vacation was impressive.

She said that the school did not increase tuition fee due to the  economic hardship in the country.

Anwuchekwa explained that many of the parents returned their wards because of the high academic and moral standard of the school.

 In a separate interview, Mrs Stella Ejiofor, Head Teacher, Redeemer TEAP International school, Garki, said that the school received a good number of new intakes for the session.

She, however, said that not all of them had paid their school fees which were increased a little to be able to provide instructional materials.

According to her, 450 of the over 500 students, have resumed so far.

 “For us, the turnout was impressive though not all of them have paid their fees which were increased by about five per cent.

 “We increased the fees because of the increase in cost of learning materials; we have a standard and we want to maintain it.

 “All my teachers are back to work and we are coping well.’’

 Ejiofor advised the government to increase workers’ salary in view of the current economic downturn which had inflicted hardship on the people.

 Similarly, Mrs Ada Ogah, the Proprietress Leadway Academy, New Nyanya, said that her school had received many students withdrawn from other schools.

She attributed the development to the stable school fees in her school.

“We didn’t increase our fees because it is really tough for some parents right now.

“We are even employing new teachers because we need more hands to enable us to cope with the increasing number of students,’’ she said. (NAN)

KTE/MO/NKO

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 (Edited by Morayo Omolade/Nkechi Okoronkwo)

NAN-H-22
Arrest
Kano, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Kano State Police Command has arrested five suspected notorious armed robbers who have been terrorising truckers on the highways.

The command confirmed the arrest in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Magaji Majiya, and made available to newsmen in Kano on Monday.

Majiya stated that the police also intercepted a truck loaded with 900 bags of sugar valued at N14 million.

He said that the suspects were arrested by  operatives of the State Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) while on a surveillance patrol on the Emir’s Palace Road.

Majiya said that the truck, belonging to Dangote Group of Companies, was coming from Lagos to Kaduna when the suspects attacked it, kidnapped the driver and his conductor and drove to Kano to dispose of the commodity.

According to him, the hoodlums were eventually tracked and arrested in Kano while the truck and the goods were recovered intact.

He said that investigation was still ongoing while efforts were being made to arrest other members of the gang. (NAN)
MTM/NNO/IGO
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(Controlled by Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-HE-5
Refinery
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Dangote Industries Limited 17 billion-dollar refinery project will create over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs by the first quarter of 2019, the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Olakunle Alake, has said.

Alake made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, adding that the refinery, petrochemicals and fertiliser plants were in one location.

He said the project would be the single largest stream in the world.

“The refinery and fertiliser projects will create job opportunities for the communities and Nigerians when it becomes operational.

“The refinery will have a refining capacity of about 650,000 barrels of crude a day,’’ he said.

Alake said the project would force down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in the country and save money spent on importation.

He said that projects such as these would optimise government revenue and wean Nigeria from relying solely on oil.

According to him, the best way to diversify Nigeria’s economy is through agriculture and the fertiliser plant is in line with that goal.

The chief operating officer said that the 98 per cent  of basic engineering on the fertiliser plant had been executed,  while the construction had progressed by 30 per cent.

“ By the time we finish our gas pipeline it will be able to generate about 12,000mw which can be exported to other African countries.

“We will have the capacity to store four billion litres of products and load 2,680 trucks per day.

“The project will aid the country with about 7.5 billion dollars forex savings on importation.

“It will also generate five billion dollars forex earnings from savings and another 5.5 billion dollars export earnings,’’ he said.

Alake gave assurance that there would be markets for the refined products, saying that only three countries in Africa had effective and functional refineries, while others imported.

Alake said the projects would help the country save five billion dollars on oil importation when it became operational in 2019.

“By the time we complete this project, there will be opportunity to take on agriculture and say bye to poverty because there will be jobs; no sector has more job potential than agriculture.

“Though the project is an ambitious one but when completed it will give Nigeria a new economic direction in its quest for economic diversification.’’

He said excess products would be exported to give Nigeria the much needed foreign exchange.

“That is when diversification starts,’’ he said.

Alake said, however, that access to foreign exchange posed serious challenges to the projects.

“We aim to complete the projects within the time frame to assist in easing the forex problem.

“We appeal to the Federal Government to support these private initiatives by providing funding for the projects.

“However, government through the Bank of Industry  schemes has given us a credit facility of N50 billion to develop the fertiliser plant.

“We have also gotten another N75 billion approval for the refinery, which we have not yet accessed,’’ Alake said. (NAN)
YO/COF/JCE

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(Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Chukwudi Ekezie)

Security guard blames hunger for stealing, bags 8 months imprisonment

NAN-H-39
Leniency
By Nana Musa
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) A 22-year-old security guard, Promise Edet, on Monday told a Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, that it was hunger that made him to steal.

Edet, who resides at Works and Housing Quarters, Gwarimpa, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of theft and begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

In his judgment, the Area court judge, Alhaji Mohammed Ado, sentenced Edet to eights imprisonment or an option to pay N4,000 as fine.

Ado warned him to desist from the life of crimes, adding that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders.

The Prosecutor, Judith Obatomi, had told the court that Ogunseye Samuel of same address with the convict reported the matter at the Gwarimpa Police Station on Sept. 19.

Obatomi said that the complainant said between August and September the security guard stole one Samsung fridge, one scanfrist gas banner and 1.5 samsung airconditioner all valued N200, 000.

She said the items where kept in his custody by Golda Obi of same address with the convict.

The prosecutor said during the police investigation Edet made confessional statement, adding that the offence contravened Section 289 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
NHM/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-S-6
Table Tennis
By Bushrat Yusuf
Ilorin, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The quarter-finalists in the Boys and Girls Doubles in the Table Tennis event of the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin have emerged.

In the Round of 16 matches played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the University of Ilorin Stadium, eight matches were played in both categories to get the 16 quarter-finalists from both categories.

In the girl’s category, Akintonde Esther and Lawal Remilekun from Ogun, Anyanwu Chidinma and Morah Bawa from Plateau were seeded in the quarter-finals.

Also seeded are Jaja Philomina and Olawale Habitat from Delta, Ejike Favour and Ntino Nelly from Akwa Ibom as wells as Falana Iyanu and Aiyelabegan Sukurat from Kwara.

Edison Patience and Raymond Faith from Adamawa beat Ndukwu Victory and Ohaka Chizoba 3-0 from Imo, while Mohammed Falilat and Abdulhamid Aminat from Rivers beat Yunus Zainab and Abdulmumeen Rofiat from Yobe 3-1.

In the last match, Anna Timothy and Ishaya Asabe from Taraba beat Magaji Mary and Nashun Jennifer from Gombe 3-0.

In the boy’s category, Odukoya Sodiq and Ayomide Edunjobi from Ogun beat Ibrahim Paul and partner from Sokoto 3-0, while Udo AbleGod and Usoro Precious from Akwa Ibom beat Tobi Ladipo and Abdulkudus Abdul from Kaduna 3-0.

Azeez Yaya and Oyekola Bolaji from Rivers walked over Sambo Emmanuel and Jonah Julius from Adamawa, while Onuh Chiemerie and Emenike Chigozie beat Masala Eli. (NAN)
BAY/PDE
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Budget minister seeks NASS support for economic recovery drive

NAN-HE- 14

Recovery

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, has solicited the support of National Assembly for budget initiatives to bring the economy out of recession.

Udoma made the call when he delivered a keynote address at the Gallery Colloquium on“ Budget as a Critical Tool for Effective Executive-Legislative Relations,’’ on Monday in Abuja.

Udoma was represented by Mr Kayode Obasa, Director, Economic Growth Department, in the ministry.

He said that the executive had a plan to get the economy out of recession and put it back on the path of sustainable growth.

“This plan involves injecting a fiscal stimulus to provide funding for the 2016 Budget which, as we all know, had been carefully designed to reflate the economy.

“The budget was designed to reflate the economy but has, unfortunately, been affected by the revenue shortfalls.

“Thereafter, it is important to stay the course in implementing the major structural changes which had been outlined by the government in our Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP).

“The spending priorities in the 2017 Budget will be guided by the objectives we set out in the SIP,’’ he said.

The minister said that the executive needed the support of the National Assembly to drive through the initiatives which were mainly budget-related.

He said that the situation would provide a unique opportunity for the executive and the National Assembly to work together, seamlessly, in strong collaboration.

“It will provide opportunity to work in strong collaboration to demonstrate that we can succeed in getting alignment on the budget so that we succeed in turning the Nigerian economy around.

“And in this way, we will be setting a precedent for succeeding governments, as to how national interest can be placed ahead of institutional contests.’’

Udoma emphasised the need for the executive and the National Assembly to work together in the national interest to ensure that Nigerians got the best possible budget.

“ The executive and the National Assembly will benefit politically from a budget that successfully turns the Nigerian economy around and brings prosperity to our people.

“We must all remember that, if we fail, no side, whether the Executive or the National Assembly, can completely escape the blame.’’

He said that the collaboration was important to prepare a 2017 budget that would provide the needed impetus to take the economy out of recession.

“Success in producing a good 2017 budget will require strong collaboration between the Executive and the National Assembly.

“ In order to achieve this, there must be mutual understanding and ownership of national objectives and priorities.

“For instance, we should all agree that at this time of recession we need to ensure prudent allocation of resources to key capital projects.

“Also, all the key stakeholders must understand and appreciate the overall budgetary constraints as well as implications of some fiscal trade-offs,’’ he said.

In addition, he said that the Executive and the Legislature had different roles in the budget production process and these roles should complement one another.

“The National Assembly must not see itself as in competition with the Executive,’’ Udoma said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gallery is an annual colloquium convened by ORDERPAPER.NG to mark its anniversary in September every year.

It is conceived as a signature programme of the multi-media company and a platform that brings various stakeholders of democratic project together to brainstorm and proffer solutions on legislative and democratic issues (NAN)

CIA/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

NAN-DS-3
Shettima
Bama (Borno State), Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Monday said he was going ahead with the planned rebuilding of damaged buildings in spite of recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the state.

Shettima stated this while interacting with newsmen in Bama, headquarters of Bama Local Government Area of the state.

He was reacting to the recent attacks by insurgents at the border villages of Logumani and Dara/Jamal, where an army officer and two soldiers
were killed.

The governor, who relocated his office to Bama since last Wednesday to launch the reconstructions and renovation of over 2,500 destroyed
houses, shops and public buildings in Bama in 2014, said “the Boko Haram insurgents are merchants of fear.

“They are also vendors of fear. They want to instill fear in us.

“I think we should be stubbornly enough to follow our convictions against the wanton destruction of lives and property not
only in this state, but the entire affected sub-region of the country.

“We have the courage to realise our dreams of an enduring peace in the state and the North East.

“The Borno State Government and its entire citizens must put hands together to rebuild Borno brick by brick, as the rebuilding and rehabilitation
processes of Bama has commenced last Wednesday.

“Any life that does not involve taking risk is not a life worth living. At the end of the day what story are you going to tell your
grandchildren,” he asked.

Shettima added that the relocation of the Borno governor’s office to Bama since last Wednesday was an indication
that the Boko Haram insurgents have already been defeated physically and psychologically.

“So, let us maintain the tempo of visiting some of the affected towns and communities; lets visit those places and ensure that they are safe
before the displaced persons return to their ancestral homes,” the governor added. (NAN)
ABI/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-17
Ambode
By Sandra Umeh and Chinyere Omeire
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The thrust of the policy of the Lagos State Government is to enthrone
the rule of law and also protect the underprivileged, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode said on Monday.

He spoke at a church service held at the Cathedral Church, Anglican Communion, Marina, as  part of
activities marking the commencement of the 2016/2017 legal year for Lagos Judiciary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bishop Johnson Akinpelu, gave the charge at the
service attended by judges and magistrates as well as senior advocates
of Nigeria among others.

Ambode called on the Bench to discharge its duties with the  fear of God, saying “the  judiciary
remains the last hope of the citizens.”

“We are gathered here again the same way we came last year to seek the protection of God in this
legal year.

“Jointly with all of you and even those of us in the executive arm, we have a tough task of delivering
justice to the citizenry.

“I know that the judicial arm represented by the Lagos State judiciary remains the last hope of the
citizens here in Lagos.

“Our administration is determined to enthrone the rule of law and protect the less privileged and
that is why we lay so much emphasis on judicial sector reforms which I believe should be
replicated everywhere.”

Pointing out the second to the last stanza of the national anthem, Ambode said peace and justice
must reign in the country.

H added:“We must all be able to say that Lagos remains that Centre of Excellence; we have come a
long way and I am like a son to you and I thank you for receiving me all the time.” (NAN)
UNS/OCC/AAB/DA
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(Edited By Adeboye Ajayi & controlled by Dele Akinsola)