Blog

NAN-H-51
Market
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria-Malaysia Business Council has called on the Federal Government to develop the country’s
internal market to enhance economic growth and reduce the dependence on imported goods.

The President of the Council, Mr Michael Aderohunmu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a reception to celebrate the 59^th anniversary of Malaysia National Day on Sunday in Abuja.

Aderohunmu said there was the need for Nigeria to take advantage of its strength and “break the cycle of import orientation.

“What Nigeria has is what everybody is looking for, our population; every individual is a consumer and we are more or less an industry if we are able to develop our internal market.

“What I think Nigeria should put emphasis on is the development of its internal market; no country can develop without having a close circuit economy locally; this means we cannot continue to import.

“If this is done, we will have enough buyers, so the money will remain within and the dollar will not become a commodity.

“If we produce locally, with less need of the dollar, the dollar will remain as a foreign reserve.

“What we need now is to be dynamic, enough of negative thinking; we have to wake up and look inward.”

He added that basic functional infrastructure and enhanced coordination among institutions was needed to enhance private sector development and also promote economic development.

He further said that the Nigeria-Malaysia Business Council was aimed at fostering business relations between Nigeria and Malaysia and promoting the private sector and smal-scale businesses to enhance the economies of both countries.

He noted that both countries had developed business relations in areas such as agriculture and sought to promote value addition in the sector.

He added that “there must be enhanced private sector development so that we can work together; agriculture is a major area we are looking at.

“We are also promoting small business partnerships because we believe that is the engine of growth and we are not just promoting it in terms of talking, we are looking at packaging.

“We think that working together with Malaysia in terms of packaging our products will help the local Small and Medium-scale Enterprises and one of the ways we can promote what we have is by quality packaging.

“We are looking at that as one of our major areas.”

Aderohunmu also said that Nigeria could apply Malaysia’s experience in palm oil production to cassava production in the country.

He explained that sharing such experiences would facilitate the diversification plan of the current administration.

He said “Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world followed by Indonesia; what Nigeria produces is about 50 million tonnes in a year, while the second largest producer is about 14 million tonnes.

“Then the largest exporter of cassava products is Thailand and produce only 13 million tonnes per year.

“I think we can borrow the same approach Malaysia applied to palm oil on cassava since we have the competitive advantage; they have the technology and are leaders in palm oil production, Nigeria can learn from that,” he said.

Malaysia is the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia and currently accounts for 39 per cent of world palm oil production and 44 per cent of world exports. (NAN)
TOP/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-50
Waste
By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja, Sept.18, 2016 (NAN) The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has given a seven-day ultimatum for massive waste evacuation in the area councils and satellite towns of the territory.

Mrs Victoria Imande, the Acting Director, Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.

She stated that the STDD had concluded arrangements to commence evacuation on Monday, Sept. 19, in compliance with the directive.

According to her, the FCT Administration is poised to clean every nook and cranny of the satellite towns and rid them of environmental nuisances.

She, therefore, solicited for the cooperation and understanding of residents by keying into the exercise to make it a great success.

The director also urged residents to take personal interest in the exercise by owning the initiative and making personal hygiene part of their daily personal chores. (NAN)
KM/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-49
Monarch
Benin, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Monarch of Eyaen, Osazuwa Iduriase, has predicted victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC)
governorship candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki in the Sept. 28 governorship election in Edo.

The monarch made the prediction when Obaseki and his campaign team, led by the Director of Campaign, Mr Osarodion Ogie, paid a visit to
the palace to seek for his blessings.

Iduriase, who dismissed the rumour being peddled around that he (the monarch) had chased away Obaseki from his palace during an earlier campaign tour of the area, appealed that electioneering campaign should be based on issues and not falsehood.

He said that he was not even in the country when Obaseki earlier visited the area.

He also condemned the use of social media to spread falsehood, especially as it concerns the Edo governorship poll.

He added that “we have a problem with social media because so many lies are being peddled there.  I got a call that I chased away Obaseki from my palace.

“I said what, me that was in America, how can someone outside the country be at his Palace at the same time. That was why I said when I come to town, I will see you personally.”

He commended Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo for his achievements in the state and assured Obaseki that he would get the support of the people.

He said “if you look at the history of my people here,  you will know the kind of people we are. As you have come here, we will tell our people about your ambition.

“Gov. Adams Oshiomhole has tried by developing the state and that has earned him respect.

“I will have to thank you also for the way you conducted yourself in this campaign and I know that in the election, you are going to emerge
victorious.

“I pray our ancestors protect you before and after the election.”

Obaseki thanked the monarch for the prayers and blessings and promised not to disappoint the people of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo governorship election will hold on Sept. 28. (NAN)
ESI/HA
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(edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-45

Sanitation

By Aisha Ahmed

Kano, Sept., 18, 2016 (NAN) The Kano State Government has charged residents to be sanitation conscious in order to eradicate polio from the state.

The Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, made the call when he monitored the exercise in Gaya Local Government Area on Sunday.

Abubakar, who is also the Chairman Task Force on polio, said that proper sanitation was key to ensuring maintenance of good health.

He said that the September round of the immunisation was reinvigorated and rededicated toward avoiding the recurrence of polio which was absent from Kano for the past 17 months.

“Having received the report of the emergence of polio virus in Borno, Kano has taken measures to make sure that people doesn’t contact the virus from daily interaction with visitors who come from this part of the country.”

He further advised mothers to breastfeed their babies because research revealed that breast milk was the initial preventive measure against infectious diseases to children.

“It is obligatory upon every parent to ensure that their children are immunised against polio virus, to enable them enjoy life to the fullest” he said

The deputy governor said the state government would continue to work with development partners and other agencies to curtail the spread of polio virus across the state.

The polio immunisation, which started in all the 44 local government areas of Kano on Saturday and would end on Sept. 21. (NAN)

AAA/KM/OFN
(Edited by Kabir Muhammad//Felix Nwadioha)
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NAN-H-44
Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the central states with slim chances of isolated thunderstorms over Jalingo, Mambilla, Markurdi and environs on Monday morning.

The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Sunday in Abuja.

It stated that localised thunderstorms were expected over the high grounds of Abuja, Lokoja, Kaduna, Jos and Nasarawa in the afternoon and evening, with maximum temperatures of 25 to 31 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted that some states would experience cloudy situation in the morning, with probability of localised rains over Calabar axis.

It also predicted that localised rains/showers were expected over the inland and coastal cities in the afternoon and evening hours with maximum temperatures of 29 to 30 degree Celsius.

NiMet predicted partly cloudy morning over the northern states, with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Sokoto, Katsina, Gusau, Kano and Yelwa later in the day and maximum temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius.

According to the prediction, relatively stable weather condition is anticipated in the morning over the country with chances of localised thunderstorms and rains later in the day.  (NAN)
OYS/KM/HA
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(Edited by Kabir Muhammad/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

Suicide car bomber kills commander, six soldiers in Somali capital

NAN-F-5
Bomb
Mogadishu, Sept. 18, 2016 (dpa/NAN) A senior Somali commander and six other soldiers died Sunday after a suicide car bomber rammed his car into their military convoy as it travelled through the capital, Mogadishu, a military source said.

“It was a highly organised terrorist attack,” said the source, who did not want to be identified.

The commander was identified as Maj.- Gen. Mohamed Jimale Rooble Goobale. The suicide bomber was also killed.

Witnesses reported a powerful explosion while Islamist group al-Shabaab has taken responsibility for the attack on pro-insurgent radio Andalus.

Several soldiers were also injured, security official Mohamed Hassan said. (dpa/NAN)

(Edited by Isaac Aregbesola/ Julius Enehikhuere)

NAN-H-29(E)
Scheme
By Emmanuel Afonne
Abuja, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) No fewer than 41, 161 graduates have benefitted from the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the Federal Government and supervised by the Ministry of Finance.

The scheme’s Facilitator in Ogun, Abubakar Orumah, said made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reviewing the success of the programme in the state.

NAN reports that GIS commenced in October 2012 as a social safety net component of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

It is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Finance with a mandate to provide short term employment for graduates.

Orumah said that 60 participants graduated from the programme in Ogun on Sept. 3 after 12 months of internship and were presented with certificate by the Ministry of Finance.

He said the certificate was in recognition of the participants’ skills during the programme.

According to him, the scheme is initiated by government to assist young graduates to become employers rather than seeking for job.

“So far, 41,161 graduates have benefitted from the scheme with 68 per cent males, 31 per cent females and 1 per cent vulnerable.

“Over 35,000 have exited the scheme, with thousands of them having secured jobs; many have secured credit facilities and grants to expand businesses they set up using GIS stipends.

“Many have set up cooperative associations, some of which have transformed into SMEs.

“The programme presents an opportunity for graduate interns to gain employment in organisations where they worked and in other establishments or self-employment,’’ Orumah said.

He noted that the scheme had demonstrated high prospects for job creation and social protection of the youth since its inception.

He also said that Nigerian youth had proven that no amount of pressure, threats and inducement could derail their resolve for change when they were focused.

Orumah, who is the Director of Abusanigo Global Concept, a consulting firm based in Abuja, said that the changes currently being witnessed in Nigeria was a product of the resilience of Nigerian youths.

He urged the participants to use the opportunity of the internship period to face the challenges and attendant curiosities in life.

“It has also brought you to a crossroad where you are now able to ask yourself the question of who you have become through the process of the GIS.

“And how that has prepared you for where you want to be in future,’’ he added.

He commended the public, private and non-governmental organisations that had over the years demonstrated their commitment to Nigerian youths by agreeing to partner with the scheme and host graduates for 12 months.

Orumah urged the graduates to join hands with the government to achieve its task of national development.

He assured that government was working hard to ensure that unemployed graduates acquired skills which would make them employers of labour.

Orumah added: “As long as thousands of graduates still remain unemployed, I assure you that government will continue to improve the capacity of the scheme to absorb more applicants.

“My hope is that the GIS will be yet, another example that Nigeria will sell to the world as a way out of graduate unemployment.

“It is also my hope that some years down the line, the GIS interns will galvanise different sectors, especially the non-oil sectors, which are the new focus of the Nigerian economy’’. (NAN)
EMAF/IAA/PDE
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(Edited by Isaac Aregbesola and Controlled by Peter Ejiofor)

Race tightens in projected U.S. Electoral College vote – a survey

NAN-F-4
Race
New York, Sept. 18, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) An election analysis conducted in the Reuters States of the Nation project, shows that the race has tightened considerably over the past few weeks.

It shows that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump projected to win Florida, an essential battleground state, if the election were held today.

The project, which is based on a weekly tracking poll of more than 15,000 Americans, shows that the 2016 presidential race could end in a photo finish on Nov. 8, with the major-party candidates running nearly even in the Electoral College, the body that ultimately selects the president.

The States of the Nation project shows that the race has tightened in several traditional battlegrounds. Pennsylvania has been moved from a likely win for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to a tossup; Ohio has been moved from a tossup to a likely win for Clinton.

It also shows that Florida is now considered a likely win for the Republican nominee, with 50 per cent support for Trump to 46 per cent support for Clinton.

If the election were held today, the project estimates that Clinton has a 60 per cent chance of winning by 18 electoral votes.

Last week, the project estimated that Clinton had a 83 per cent chance of winning the election.

In a separate national Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll, Clinton continues to lead Trump by 4 percentage points, and her recent bout with pneumonia doesn’t appear to have scared away her supporters.

The national Sept. 9 to 15 tracking poll showed that 42 per cent of likely voters supported Clinton while 38 per cent backed Trump.

Clinton, who has mostly led Trump in the poll since the Democratic and Republican national conventions ended in July, regained the advantage this week after her lead briefly faded in late August.

She also has an advantage among minorities, women, people who make more than $75,000 a year, and those with moderate political leanings.

Trump has an advantage with white men, avid churchgoers, and people who are nearing retirement age.

Overall, Americans appear to be relatively uninspired by their choices for president with less than eight weeks to go before the election.

One out of every five likely voters said they do not support Clinton or Trump for president.

In comparison, about one out of every 10 likely voters wouldn’t support Obama or Republican challenger Mitt Romney at a similar point in the 2012 presidential campaign.

Respondents took the survey after video surfaced of Clinton nearly collapsing at a Sept. 11 memorial in New York on Sunday.

Her campaign later said she had a non-contagious, bacterial form of pneumonia.

The video however sparked a renewed discussion about the health of both candidates. Trump, 70, would be the oldest president to take office, while Clinton, 68, would be the second oldest.

Clinton and Trump candidates have since released details of their personal health.

Clinton’s doctors said her physical exam was normal, apart from the pneumonia, and that she was in excellent mental condition.

Trump also released a note from his doctor saying that he was in “excellent physical health.”

Americans do not appear to be overly concerned with the health of either candidate.

According to a separate question in the poll conducted this week, most American adults said the issue would make “no difference” to how they voted.

A negligible percentage of Clinton supporters said concerns about her health made them “less likely” to vote for her.

Clinton led all candidates in a four-way poll of likely voters that included Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein of the Green Party.

Seven per cent of respondents supported Johnson, and 2 per cent backed Stein.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll is conducted online in English in all 50 states.

The latest horserace poll surveyed 1,579 likely voters over the past week.

The question on the candidates’ health surveyed 1,179 American adults from Sept. 12-16. Both polls had a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 3 percentage points.

National polls have produced varying measurements of support during the 2016 campaign for Clinton and Trump.

The differences are partly due to the fact that some polls, like Reuters/Ipsos, try to include only likely voters, while others include all registered voters.

The Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll gathers responses every day and reports results twice a week, so it often detects trends in sentiment before most other polls.

Polling aggregators, which calculate averages of major polls, have shown that Clinton’s lead over Trump has been shrinking this month. (Reuters/NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)

NAN-H-26

Partnership

Keffi(Nasarawa State) Sept.18,2016 (NAN) The National Directorate of Employment(NDE) wants an effective partnership with Non-Government Organizations (NGO) and other stakeholders to tackle unemployment in the country.

The Nasarawa State Coordinator of NDE,  Mr  Idris Wase, made the call on Sunday in Keffi while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said such partnership would address the problems of youth unemployment and other social ills hampering the development of the country.

According to him, such partnership will provide the needed training  in skills acquisition programs for the youths.

NAN recalls that NDE was inaugurated in 1986 and saddled with the responsibilities of training people, especially the youth and women, in different skills in the country for self reliance.

The coordinator said the Directorate was doing its best in curbing youth restiveness and unemployment in the state.

” We’ve trained and empowered many unemployed youths and women in the state in various skills.

“For example, within the last few months, we have engaged 385 unemployed persons to acquire different skills.

“The different skills are in Tailoring/Fashion Design, Hair dressing, Plumbing and Pipe fittings, Interior Decoration, Computer Maintenance/Operation and other vocations.

“It is in view of this that I am calling for synergy with NGOs and other stakeholders in order to address the nation’s monster of unemployment,” he said.

According to him the partnership  will help in curbing the high rate of unemployment that has been responsible for all sorts of social vices in the country.

He advised youth not to depend on white collar jobs but instead, embrace vocational skills to improve their lot.(NAN)

AKW/PD/ASH

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 NAN-H-40
Tourism
By Akeem Abas
Iseyin (Oyo State), Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Oyo State Government has reiterated its determination to explore the state’s cultural-tourism potential to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Mr Toye Arulogun, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said this on Sunday in Iseyin during a facility tour of the old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp ground.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the state would on Sept. 27 at the old NYSC camp ground in Iseyin, celebrate the World Tourism Day tagged “Aso Ofi Day.”

Arulogun, who was conducted round the venue by the Caretaker Chairman of Iseyin Local Government, Mr Saheed Alaran, assured the people of a hitch-free celebration.

He said that the state government had made adequate preparations toward the celebration of the state’s rich cultural heritage in Iseyin, the base of the locally-woven textile called “Aso Ofi.”

The commissioner stressed the need for government and the people of the state to promote cultural heritage of the state.

He noted that the new cotton farm initiative by some local governments in the state was a pointer to better days ahead.

He added that the state government planned to host a tourism summit, celebrate Amala Fiesta, promote Yoruba traditional wedding ceremonies and resuscitate its tourist sites and monuments.

“We need to promote, support and uphold our cultural heritage. By doing this, our economy will improve, and things will turn around for us in this state.

“Also, the onus is on every citizen of this state, both at home and in the Diaspora to support the promotion of our local fabric, the Aso Ofi, for the growth of our fashion.

“This will definitely improve our IGR and uplift the economy of this state.”

Arulogun decried the low patronage of the locally woven textile, stressing that it would boost the economy and increase
the IGR if properly harnessed and promoted.

Earlier, Alaran had expressed the local government’s readiness to support the state government in hosting the event.

He disclosed the council’s efforts at promoting Aso Ofi through the construction of Ajumose Weaving Sheds in each ward of the local government.

He added that the sheds would be ready for inauguration and handover to weavers during the event. (NAN)
TAA/ESAN/HA
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(Edited by Abiodun Esan/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)