Blog

NAN-AE-10
Farm
Kafanchan (Kaduna), Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Kaduna State Government on Friday performed the ground breaking for its $120 million Vicampro Potato Farm and Processing facility in Manchok, Kaura.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farm is expected to cover 10,000 hectares of land and generate 30,000 job opportunities.

Performing the ceremony, Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State said the processing facility would earn foreign exchange and reduce over-dependence on oil.

El-Rufa’i said the State government was determined to promote agricultural practices to fast track development, diversify the economy and boost Internally Generated Revenue.

“Today’s event is a product of the Kaduna Economic Summit in April this year, where it showcased the numerous investment potentials in the State,” he said.

El-Rufa’i also appealed to the host community to support and cooperate with Vicampro to pave way for the attainment of its mission.

Also speaking, Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lamented the drop in oil prices, which he said had drastically affected the Country’s economy.

” There is therefore need for diversification as the only alternative.”

Emefiele said there was need for synergy among all stakeholders to actualise the initiative.

He commended the Kaduna State government for supporting the CBN to guarantee stable micro economy.

The CBN Governor assured the people that the bank would collaborate with the State government to translate the idea to reality for the benefit of all.

In a remark, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar, described the development as a giant stride towards moving the economy forward.

Earlier in his address, the Managing Director of Vicampro company, Michael Agbogbo said the company would produce French fries, Irish flakes and biscuits for local and international consumption.

The Chief of Moro’a, Malam Tagwai Sambo, commended the State government for establishing the facility in Manchok and pledged the cooperation of the community. (NAN)
MGK/DOE/AFA
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Felix Ajide
============================

Electric metering coy to employ 150 persons in Akwa Ibom begins operation

NAN-H-80
Employment
Uyo, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom said on Friday that electric metering company with the capacity to employ 150 persons has begun operations in the state.

The governor said this in a broadcast to the people of the state on the occasion to mark the 29th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom.

The state was created on Sept. 23, 1987 by the erstwhile military administration of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida along side with Katsina State.

Emmanuel said that the metering company sited in Onna local government area was a major step taken by his administration towards attaining industrialisation of the state.

“We shall look back and beat our chest and proclaim that we came, we dreamed and we industrialised our state, creating opportunities and expanding the coast of our dreams.

“We have also commenced revolutionary agricultural initiatives in coconut plantation and refinery, cocoa plantations as well as rice production.

“Our intention is to ensure that we feed our populace within in the next few years,” Emmanuel assured.

The governor appealed to all indigenes of the state to be emotionally involved in the Akwa Ibom project and strive to leave a better state for the next generation.

“To those who still wallow in the valley of ethnicity, divisiveness, hatred or those who still appeal to the worst impulses in our people, I urge them to forsake those tendencies.

“They should remember that our founding fathers laid the foundation of this state on the stone of unity, brotherhood, love, courage and selflessness.

“It would be a disservice to the heritage and history of our state if we chose to fight over this state, instead of fighting for it,” Emmanuel said.

Emmanuel paid tributes to the founding fathers and the past governors, and said that his administration would ensure that the ladder of growth becomes steady and firm for others to climb.

The governor said that his administration had embarked on many projects to make the state better, stressing that education remains free and compulsory at the basic level.

“What this government is committed to do is to ensure that our students receive the best education  that they possibly can get,”  Emmanuel said.

He noted that Akwa Ibom government had been paying salaries to civil servant salaries promptly through creative application and management of resources.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 29th anniversary held at Uyo township stadium witnessed march past by uniformed organisations and groups with some former governors in attendance.

The PDP factional national chairman , Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), Col. Yakubu Bako (rtd) and Group Capt. John Ebiye (rtd) were present at the celebration. (NAN)
BB/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
===============

NAN-F-20
Victims
Amsterdam, Sept. 23, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Relatives of the victims of flight MH17 which crashed in Ukraine in 2014 have on Friday called on the European Commission to do more to investigate the downing of the aircraft.

The relatives in a letter addressed to the EU Foreign Policy Chief, Frederica Mogherini, stated that the EU should pressurise Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. to hand over radar and satellite images to investigators.

They said “298 people were brutally killed and the investigations were clearly hindered.”

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a missile in the airspace over the Donetsk region on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

The aircraft had 15 crew members.

The plane was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/HA
=======
(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-78
Cooperative
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) The FCT Chief Registrar of Cooperative, Mr Gimba Magaji, on Friday advised  civil servants to cultivate the habit of savings for the future in spite of poor remuneration.

Magaji gave the advice at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society’s Annual General Meeting in Abuja
.

He said savings was beneficial as it would help In future, saying civil servants should not wait until they are paid large sums of money before they save.

“in spite of the poor remuneration for civil servants, they should set aside some amount for savings.
.

“Some of you don’t know the importance of cooperative society until when you are retired, ” he said.

Speaking on the election of new executive members, Magaji advised staff to elect officials that are credible and committed to moving the cooperative forward.

According to him, the greatest mistake any cooperative society can make is to elect incompetent executives.

“if you want your friends, relations or colleagues as executive members ensure that you know them very well,” he said.

Earlier, the acting President of NAN staff multipurpose cooperative society, Mr Ugochukwu Livinus said the main purpose of the meeting was to review the operation of the society in the past two years and elect new executive members.

He informed members on the plans to diversify the society’s resources in order to make more money for members.

Livinus, also the vice president, however, said more investment opportunities would be created, saying that the executive members would take the bull by the horns to make more money for members.

NAN reports that the acting President was confirmed as president, while Rev. Felix Ajide was elected as the new Vice President; other executive members retained their positions.

Also, a committee was set up to look into the land acquired few years ago as members, who had paid for the land, were yet to be given their plots of land. (NAN)
OEO/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
===============

NAN-H-81
Games
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) Ademola Are, the Director, Grassroots Sports Development, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, is confident that more young talents would be uncovered at the 2016 National Youth Games in ilorin.

Are said this on Friday in Ilorin while speaking with the newsmen.

He expressed delight at the prospects of staging the second edition of the age-grade event in Ilorin, the Kwara capital.

He stressed the sports ministry’s resolve to provide platforms to unearth hidden talents at the grassroots.

He added that “we are looking out for the best, strictly under 17 and we will abide by the rules and regulations.

“It is a mini Olympic games and we want to ensure they go by the rules so that Nigeria can get it right for once.

“It is a delight to have the children get the opportunity to showcase their God given talent.

“It is stressful and challenging but the country will boast of good athletes.”

He urged various sports federations to key into the ministry’s grassroots programmes by taking over the discovered athletes and ensure the country achieved more podium successes at upcoming international sports meets.

Earlier,  the Secretary of the Main Organising Committee,  Emmanuel Okere, had assured that they were set for the successful kickoff of the sporting event on Saturday with 23 of 33 participating states already on ground.

Okere disclosed that the opening ceremony would commence at 2 p.m. on Saturday after accreditation of participating states which would begin
by 8 a.m.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that states already in Ilorin are hosts Kwara, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Yobe, Imo, Rivers, FCT, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Gombe, Jigawa, Plateau and Ebonyi.

Others are Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba, Sokoto, Delta, Kaduna, Ogun, Borno and Ekiti states.

NAN recalls that Cross River emerged the overall winner of the maiden National Youth Games held in Abuja in 2013. (NAN)
OOH/HA
=======
(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

162 bodies retrieved in Egyptian migrant boat tragedy

NAN-F-19

Tragedy

Cairo, Sept. 23, 2016 (dpa/NAN) One hundred and sixty-two bodies have been found after a boat carrying hundreds of migrants capsized off an Egyptian coastal town this week, a provincial official said on Friday.

“18 more bodies were retrieved as at this afternoon, bringing the number of victims to 162.

“A total of 164 people have been rescued since the boat sank on Wednesday off Beheira’s town of Rosetta,’’ the governor of the Delta Beheira province, Mohamed Sultan, said.

He did not provide a breakdown of the survivors’ nationalities.

The report said that those rescued were 121 Egyptians, including four crew members, and 43 foreign migrants.

“There were many children and women among the victims.

“Search operations were ongoing on Friday but no further survivors were reported found that day.

“On Thursday, Egyptian authorities jailed the four crew members pending an inquiry into the accident, which is the deadliest of its kind in recent years,’’ it said.

Reports gave conflicting figures for the exact number of people who were on board the boat when it sank early on Wednesday.

As at Friday afternoon, an estimate of 400 was given, while some private media said the vessel was carrying at least 300 people.

One survivor Ahmed Darwish said that there were more than 500 people on board the boat when it sank.

He said that the boat flipped over and sank shortly after the start of the journey.

“The 25-year-old Egyptian said he was rescued after swimming for around nine hours.

“Hard circumstances of life and my failure to get a job prompted me to go on the journey,” Darwish said.

Among those on board were people from Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, al-Shorouk reported.

Initial investigations found that the boat had been filled beyond capacity, Egyptian media reported.

In recent years, Egypt has witnessed an increase in migrants trying to travel across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

Regional turmoil and high unemployment rates are believed to be the main driving factors behind the risky journeys. (dpa/NAN)
Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Felix Ajide
============================

Hydrogeologists to partner Kwara Govt. to boost water supply
NAN-AE-9
Partnership
By Usman Aliyu
Ilorin, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Association of Hydrogeologists, Kwara Chapter, has expressed its willingness to partner Kwara Government towards increasing access to safe drinking water across the state.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Lateef Kolawole stated this on Friday while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin.

According to him, the association will continue to work with the government towards expanding opportunities and investments in water-related services.

“Members of the association are ready to partner the state government in increasing access to safe drinking water across the state,” he said.

Kolawole expressed the support of the union for the aggressive revenue generation drive of the state government.

“Members of this association shall continue to pay their taxes as it is their civic responsibility”, he said.

He, however, appealed to the state government to assist the association in ensuring that only competent and registered professionals were allowed to operate in the state.

The chairman alleged that quacks have taken over the profession in the state. (NAN)

AUO/FAT/AFA

Edited by Fatima Sule/Felix Ajide

========================

NAN-F-18
Ban
New York, Sept. 23, 2016 (dpa/NAN) The UN Security Council on Friday called for the enactment of a treaty to ban nuclear weapons testing, specifically calling on eight states with nuclear capabilities to join without further delay.

The resolution passed at the Security Council marked the 20th anniversary of the treaty, known as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

It is yet to enter into force despite having been signed by 188 states and ratified by 166.

The agreement can come into effect only if all 44 countries that possessed nuclear power or research reactors when the CTBT was negotiated also join the treaty.

Eight such countries have failed to do so, however, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the U.S. signed the agreement but have not ratified it.

North Korea, India and Pakistan have not yet signed.

The council’s resolution called on countries to “refrain from conducting any nuclear-weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion and to maintain their moratoria in this regard.”

The U.S. and China, both permanent Security Council members are the last of five countries known to possess nuclear weapons that have not joined the treaty yet.

Britain, France and Russia have ratified the agreement.

All five countries have refrained from conducting nuclear weapons tests since 1996.

U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, said the resolution signalled a global commitment to the CTBT.

He also warned that North Korea’s recent nuclear test, “a reckless act of provocation,” showed the “absolute necessity” to bring the treaty into force.

He said that “today, this is an affirmation of our willingness to take a step that says we will not lose our commitment.

“We will remain committed to moving in the direction of ending the threat of nuclear war.”

Russia, which joined the treaty in 2000, said it regrets that the U.S. has been unable to get the treaty through its national legislature yet due to reluctance from lawmakers.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said “we cherish the hope that the next president of the United States will be more strident in his desire to ratify it.”

Friday’s resolution passed with 14 votes in favour and one abstention from Egypt, which said the issue was not one for the Security Council. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/HA
=======
(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-HE-16
Shares
Lagos, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday ended on a positive note with market indicators rebounding by 0.29 per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the All-Share Index recorded marginal gain, appreciating by 80.65 points or 0.29 per cent to close at 28,247.07 compared with 28,166.42 recorded on Thursday.

Similarly, market capitalisation rose by N28 billion or 0.29 per cent to close at N9.703 trillion against N9.675 trillion achieved on Thursday.

Total Oil sustained its leading position on the gainers’ table, growing by N11.5 to close at N295 per share, while 7UP came second with gain of N10.85 to close at N150 and Dangote Cement appreciated by N2.03 to close at N182.03 per share.

OkomuOil increased by N2 to close at N38, while FlourMill rose by 95k to close at N20.04 per share.

On the other hand, Betaglas topped the losers’ chart, dropping by N3.76 to close at N34.9 per share, while GTBank trailed with a loss of 74k
to close at N25.09 and NNFM shed 33k to close at N6.32 per share.

Zenith Bank dipped by 19k to close at N15.6 and Dangote Flour dropped 13k to close at N3.73 per share.

In all, the volume of traded shares decreased as an exchange of 265.07 million shares valued at N1.56 billion were transacted in 3,136 deals.

NAN reports that this is in contrast with 410.10 million shares worth N3.62 billion traded in 4,179 deals on Thursday.

FCMB drove the turnover volume, having accounted for 98.79 million shares valued at N99.27 million.

It was followed by Fidelity Bank with a total of 233.51 million shares worth N20.59 million and Zenith Bank sold 19.49 million shares valued at N304.81 million. (NAN)
LUC/FAT/HA
===========
(Edited by Fatima Sule/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-76
Examination
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Director, Lagos State Examinations Board, Mr Olufemi Hassan, says resit examination for candidates who failed either English or Mathematics or both in 2016 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will hold on Oct. 15.

The director made this known in Lagos on Friday and directed candidates to register for the resit on or before Oct. 7.

He said that the examination, which was earlier fixed for Sept. 29, was rescheduled to enable affected candidates to register and pass their failed papers.

According to him, the examination will now hold on Oct. 15 at 39 designated centres across the six education districts between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., with each paper taking two hours.

He added that “a total of 18,455 candidates are expected to sit for English or Mathematics or both papers as it affects them.

“Students are urged to study hard for better performance in the examination and remember that the result will be used for their onward transition into Senior Secondary Schools.

“Parents/Guardians are enjoined to prepare their children/wards for the examination and also their resumption for the 2016/2017 academic session.’’ (NAN)
OOG/HA
========
(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)