Blog

NAN-H-38

Child

Jalingo, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The reigning Miss Tourism Nigeria Culture,  Miss Fitami David, on Sunday said she had embarked on an enlightenment campaign against child labour in the country.

David told Journalists in Jalingo that the massive campaign was her pet project for the year.

According to her, the project involves educating women groups at the grassroots and liaising with the relevant authorities to ensure compliance.

“My heart bleeds each time I see children of school age, some less than ten years, hawking in the streets during school hours.

“When people subject these kids to hawking and other forms of manual labour, they are exposing them to danger, either now or later in life.

“My objective is to reduce child labour and ensure that girls of school age are taken off the streets and returned to the classrooms,” she said.

David, a graduate of Sociology from Taraba University, said “education gives women the chance to compete favorably with their male counterpart.”

The Beauty Queen said she was currently sponsoring 15 females at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education.

“If I have the means, I will do more because the condition of these children is worrisome and, you know, I am from this state,” David said.

She said the commencement of the campaign in the Northeast was informed by the prevalence of child labour in the zone.

David said the project would soon be expanded to other parts of the country. (NAN)

NB/ESAN/BOS

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(Edited by Abiodun Esan, controlled by Dele Bodunde)

NAN-H-39
Hope
By Awayi Kuje
Nasarawa (Nasarawa State), Sept.18, 2016 (NAN) Mr Murtala Sodangi, a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has appealed to Nigerians for patience with President Muhammadu Buhari as he strives to address the nation’s economic woes.

Sodangi, who represents Nasarawa Central constituency (APC), made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
on Sunday in Nasarawa, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

The lawmaker also appealed to Nigerians not to lose faith in the party as it worked with the president to end the recession.

He said that what was currently needed was ceaseless prayers for the country’s economy to improve and not apportioning blame.

He added that “as a lawmaker and the people’s representative, I want to appeal to my electorate and other Nigerians for more patience.

“We must not lose hope in President Buhari’s administration because of the present hardship the country is going through.

“As a lawmaker, I am telling Nigerians that it is not time to apportion blame to anybody over the present economic challenges.

“Rather, it is time for Nigerians to intensify prayers for God’s intervention in order to overcome both the economic challenges and security challenges facing some parts of the country.”

According to him, the Federal Government has many good policies on ground to address the challenges, and a little more patience and support is what the government needs to succeed.

Sodangi assured his constituents of continued commitment to initiate people-oriented programmes in order to better their standard of living and solicited their support to enable him succeed.

He advised the youths and other Nigerians to be law abiding, respect constituted authority and to shun negative tendencies in the interest of peace and the socio-economic development of the country.

The lawmaker urged the people of the state and other Nigerians to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political affiliation. (NAN)
AKW/WS/HA
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(Edited by Wandoo Sombo/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

U.S.-led forces strike Syrian troops, prompting emergency UN meeting

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Meeting
New York, Sept. 18, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) U.S.-led coalition air strikes reportedly killed dozens of Syrian soldiers on Saturday, endangering a U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire and prompting an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting as tensions between Moscow and Washington escalated.

The U.S. military said the coalition stopped the attacks against what it had believed to be IS positions in northeast Syria after Russia informed it that Syrian military personnel and vehicles may have been hit.

The U.S. relayed its “regret” through the Russian government for what it described as the unintentional loss of life of Syrian forces in the strike, a senior Obama administration official said in a statement.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement that Russian officials did not voice concerns earlier on Saturday when informed that coalition aircraft would be operating in the strike area.

The 15-member Security Council met on Saturday night after Russia demanded an emergency session to discuss the incident and accused the U.S. of jeopardising the Syria deal.

The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, chastised Russia for the move.

“Russia really needs to stop the cheap point scoring and the grandstanding and the stunts and focus on what matters, which is implementation of something we negotiated in good faith with them,” Power told reporters.

She said the U.S. was investigating the air strikes and “if we determine that we did indeed strike Syrian military personnel, that was not our intention and we of course regret the loss of life.”

When asked if the incident spelled the end of the Syria deal between Moscow and Washington, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said: “This is a very big question mark.”

“I would be very interested to see how Washington is going to react. If what Ambassador Power has done today is any indication of their possible reaction then we are in serious trouble,” Churkin told reporters.

Moscow cited the strikes, which allowed Islamic State fighters to briefly overrun a Syrian army position near Deir al-Zor airport, as evidence that the U.S. was helping the jihadist militants.

“We are reaching a really terrifying conclusion for the whole world: That the White House is defending Islamic State. Now there can be no doubts about that,” the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

Power said Zakharova should be embarrassed by that claim. Churkin said Russia had no “specific evidence” of the U.S. colluding with IS militants. (Reuters/ NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)

NAN-S-7
Partnership
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) Thrilled by Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi’s performances in the current English Premiership, football fans in Ebonyi have called for their inclusion in the team to prosecute the World Cup qualifiers.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abakaliki that the duo had been splendid in their various clubs outings and deserved to lead the Super Eagles attacking force in its qualifier against Zambia on Oct. 9.

“They should be drafted as attackers by the Super Eagles handlers in the Oct. 9 World Cup qualifier against Zambia,’’ they said.

NAN reports that Iheanacho had maintained his goal scoring form by scoring for Manchester City in its 4-0 win over Bournemouth, while Iwobi provided the needed assistance in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Hull City.

Mr Alli Okechukwu, a fan and Ebonyi House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Youths and Sports, called on the national team’s handlers to consider fielding the nation’s best to earn the group’s sole qualification ticket.

“The duo of Iwobi and Iheanacho are in great form and has announced their presence at the world stage.

“Iheanacho’s form gives Nigeria a psychological advantage over its
opponents in the group because he has been scoring regularly for his English club.

“His scoring from is not a fluke,’’ he said.

Philip Ijeaku, former Flying Eagles invitee called on Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, to utilise the attacking endowments of both players in the crucial tie with Zambia in Ndola.

He admonished against the overreliance on more established players like Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye who misfired against Tanzania and in previous matches, contributing to the nations AFCON 2017 qualification ouster.

“The Eagles missed a barrage of scoring chances against Tanzania and a replica of such performance will put our World Cup qualification hopes in jeopardy,’’ he said.

Justin Ndah, an Abakaliki Soccer Viewing Center Operator, urged the Eagles handlers to build a new team around young players who want to make names for themselves.

“Iheanacho and Iwobi should lead the attack against Zambia to make regulars such as Ighalo, Moses among others realise they are not indispensable.

“We should take a cue from the current performance of the nation’s athletes at the Rio Paralympics to give opportunities to individuals who want to sacrifice in spite of all odds,’’ he said.

Mr Johnson Ajah, a petroleum products marketer, called on the Eagles coaches to emulate the nation’s U-23 team and the Paralympic athletes and “spill blood’’ if necessary, to earn a World Cup ticket.

“The players showed selflessness and confronted the qualification challenges in spite of the ineptitude of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and that of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

“Young players like Iheanacho, Iwobi, Ogenekaro Etebo, Moses Simon and Troost Ekong should spearhead this onslaught and be ably backed by experienced players like Mikel Obi and Victor Moses, among others,’’ he said.

Mrs Ifeoma Ogbuinya, a business woman and soccer buff, urged the NFF to give Rohr a long period to effectively harness the potential of the current young Eagles team.

“The World Cup should not be used to judge the capabilities of the Eagles technical crew, especially with the challenge of the short period available to prepare the team for engagements,’’ she said. (NAN)
RCO/ECN/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye and Controlled by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-37
Designer
By Veronica Dariya
Abuja, Sept.18, 2016 (NAN) Mr Wale Bolarin, an interior designer, on Sunday, urged youths in the country to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant instead of waiting for white-collar jobs.

Bolarin, who is the Executive Officer of an interior design outfit in Abuja, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said most unemployed youths had lots of potential but needed the push and creativity to tap such ability to better their lives and contribute positively to the society.

According to him, the present economic recession is enough reason for youths to have a rethink on how to move forward and that of the community at large forward.

He advised that “youths must not continue to wait for government to employ them. Learning a skill or two makes you a boss of yourself.

“You should be able to pay your bills while having fun in the process.”

On interior decoration, Bolarin said the skill was a growing industry with huge potential.

He noted that “if you spend so much in constructing and designing a building, you should also spend time and effort on the inside because that is the part you actually inhabit.

“Definitely, we are really trying to grow the industry and encourage local talents, thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

“People must learn to be self-reliant with the present economic recession.”

The interior designer further advised youths to practice whatever skill they had developed with indepth passion in order for it to grow and for them to derive maximum benefit from it.

He called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to encourage unique Nigerians who went out of their ways to showcase their potential for the development of the country.

This, he said, would go a long way to encourage them to do more and also make others build up their talents. (NAN)
DVK/DUA/HA
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(Edited by Dada Ahmed/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

Why banks don’t give long term loans- Fidelity Bank MD

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Credits
By Olawunmi Ashafa
Lagos, Sept.18, 2016 (NAN) The inability of commercial banks to give long-term credit facilities is due to the non-availability of long-term-deposits by Nigerians, a financial expert, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo has said.

Okonkwo, also the Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, made the remark at a conference organised by the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Lagos.

The theme of the conference was: ‘’Nigeria beyond Oil, Financing Options for Non-Oil Exports’’.

He said that most depositors who had huge amounts to save, did it on short-term basis because of uncertainties of the economic policies.

Okonkwo wondered why banks were always condemned at every occasion for not lending long-term facilities to businessmen and farmers, whereas they traded mainly with short-term deposits.

The managing director insisted “that commercial banks do not have the kind of huge amount of money to lend out to those in businesses for long-term period’’.

The financial expert also listed lack of the right framework as being responsible for local banks not lending long-term to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

He said lack of infrastructure, such as power, among others had made the bank to generate private electricity for its operations.

According to him, banks paid full interest on all deposits, while 25 per cent was taken as Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), leaving banks with only 75 per cent of the amount to trade with.

He said, “If as a bank, I know a secret place where I can get long-term funds to trade with, I will be the number one bank in Nigeria today because I can lend  long-term.

“Bring me a depositor that will place N100 million today with me at 10 per cent.

“I will then give a loan at 15 per cent and pay the depositor’s interest on N100  million but I have to trade with N75 million because the Cash Reserve Ratio is deducted from the N100 million.

“For me to get access to five per cent of the money, I have to lend to a cocoa farmer. You have to lend for industrial production,’’ Okonkwo said.

The managing director said that banks paid three per cent as premium to Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) from all deposits.

“Not only that, the bank will also pay three per cent NDIC premium on the same N100 million deposit.

“Remember, I run my own power. In fact if you put together the voltage we produce in 248 branches of Fidelity Bank, it can power the whole of Lagos State,’’ Okonkwo said.

He said that it was difficult to get a Nigerian who will deposit money in the bank for one year, yet, people kept blaming the banks for not lending money for long-term projects.

Okonkwo said that a lot of banks collapsed in the past because of assets mismatch. That is people who matched long-term assets with short-term funds.

“When there is a run in the system, the owners of the short-term funds will come for their money and you have to pay them.

“If you pay them, the people you gave long-term loans cannot pay up. Then you begin to have distress in the system, ‘’ he said.

The financial expert, however, said that the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) and Fidelity Bank Plc were taking measures to enhance non-oil exports and create wealth for Nigerians.

The managing director said the lender was always at the forefront of financial services solutions and lending, adding that supporting SMEs should go beyond funding.

“This is what informed the Fidelity SME Radio Forum, a programme designed and sponsored by Fidelity Bank to educate, inform, advise and inspire budding entrepreneurs, that is aired on Inspiration FM Lagos,” he said.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank Ltd., Mr Ifie Sekibo, said Nigeria had export potential in some agricultural commodities like cocoa, cashew, groundnut and fish.

Others are: sesame seed, ginger, cassava, snails, tobacco, coffee, cotton lint, rubber, among others.

He said Nigeria could export bitter leaf, plantain flour, melon, crayfish and maize.

Sekibo was represented by Mr Olugbenga Awe, Group Head, Agriculture Finance, Project and Development Finance Department of Heritage Bank.

He said that the country could also export manufactured goods such as: cocoa cakes, butter, powder and liquor.

The managing director said that others include: detergents, malt drinks, palm kernel cakes and oil, baby clothes and confectioneries.

In the category of handicraft, Sekibo said that Nigeria could export talking drums, calabash, wood carvings, raffia products, among others.

He said that the nation’s entertainment industry contents from the Nollywood artists could be exported to neighbouring countries.

Sekibo expressed regret that exporters from Nigeria were not competing enough, adding that some Nigerian exporters went to Cameroun to bring in products and  blend them for exports.

He said that as a country, Nigeria could not afford to continue going backward in terms of non-oil exports.

Sekibo advised that exporters should take the right steps to source funds for export.

According to him, the first step is to know the difference between funds required for financing the business between the commencement of the manufacturing or procuring process and the dispatch of the goods.

He urged exporters to also know that banks looked for certain criteria for financing.

According to him, banks also look at the season of the products, product destination, transaction cycle and the buyer’s payment history.

He said that banks looked at these because they faced challenges of inadequate resources for export finance.

Sekibo said that banks also faced challenges of inadequate infrastructure to control products quality; lack of dependable source of local product prices and supplier information.

He also noted that there were too many players in the products supply chain and the challenge of fraudsters in the product supply chain.

The managing director said that cocoa was usually ranked number one in the discussion about non-oil exports in Nigeria.

“Yet the country lags behind some other West African countries in terms of volume and quality of products,’’ Sekibo said. (NAN)
AWA/AOM/AJA
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(Edited by Mohammed Abdullahi and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

Anchor Borrower: Adamawa farmers lament late implementation of program

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Farmers

Yola, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) Some farmers in Adamawa have expressed concern over the late implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) supported  Anchor Borrower rice production programme in the state.

The farmers, who spoke to the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola said that the delayed implementation of the programme in the state would affect the ability of beneficiaries to settle the soft loan from proceeds of 2016 harvest as expected.

“We are yet to get the cash, while distribution of fertilizer for the programme was flagged-off just last Thursday, unlike farmers in Kebbi, Benue and Kano states who got their fertilizer and other inputs in April,” a farmer, Hamman-Tukur Ahmed said.

Ahmed noted that farmers in Kebbi, Benue and Kano states, who got their inputs in good time, had commenced harvest and bagging,  putting them in a better position to re-pay their loan.

Ahmed urged government to extend the repayment time for Adamawa farmers  as many of them had no option than to rely on dry season farming.

“As I talk to you now, beneficiaries of this programme in Adamawa are yet to sit with off takers and inputs providers,” he said.

Ladan Musa, Moses Peter, Ibrahim Abubakar and Hauwa Hassan, also lamented  the late implementation of the programme in the state and urged government to  address the problem in next cropping season.

“This late arrival of fertilizer and other inputs had seriously affected our expected yield for this cropping season; we are suppose to get fertilizer in May.

“There are reports that some of our colleagues that  have no plan for dry season farming, have started selling off their fertilizer”, Musa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of the over 100, 000 farmers registered  for the Anchor Borrowers Scheme in Adamawa, the CBN has so far approved the participation of only 28, 000.

According to the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Waziri Ahmadu, the application of other farmers were rejected by CBN due to inappropriate registration, such as lack of Bank Verification Number (BVN). (NAN)
YMU/ASH/ASH

NAN-H-34
Renovation
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Lions’ Club District 404 B2 planned to renovate the borstal at Ganmo, Ilorin,  in order for inmates
to have better living conditions during their stay there.

The Regional Chairman of the Club, Dr Remi Aworemi, told  the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ilorin that the rehabilitation would enable the inmates to return to the larger society with good mindsets toward contributing their quota to national  development.

He explained that the borstal, being an institution for young offenders that combined features of prison and school, needed to have all the basic things that a young man or woman should have for a positive future life.

He said “we want to attend to the needs of inmates and make living in the borstal more comfortable for them; they need to have positive minds and be rehabilitated in order for them to have a rethink of the vices they do.

“They need to know that it could be better for them if they change their ways.”

He explained that similar rehabilitation would take place at the leprosy and blind centres in Kwara and Oyo states as part of the club’s programmes
in 2016.

Aworemi further said that the club’s regional programme would include surgical operation on people with partially impaired  sight. (NAN)
OOH/OSA/HA
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(Edited by Shittu Obassa/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

Police investigate death of artisan in Enugu

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Investigation

By Maureen Ojinak-Nwanosike

Enugu, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Police Command in Enugu State has commenced investigations into the alleged death of a welder in Emene, near Enugu.

The artisan identified as Ndubuisi allegedly fell off a tank under construction and later died.

The command’s spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday that the deceased died while being rushed to a nearby hospital.

Amaraizu said the deceased was contracted by his co-welder,Okolo Chijioke, to join in the construction of a tank at a workshop along Enugu-Abakiliki Expressway by PRODA junction, Emene, Enugu on Sept 17.

He that in the course of the construction, the deceased allegedly fell and hit his head on another tank at the workshop and that left him unconscious.

He said that the corpse of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary pending investigation and possible autopsy to clear controversies surround the death. (NAN)

OJI/KSN/OFN

(Edited by Felix Nwadioha)

NAN-H- 24
Support
Yola, Sept. 18, 2016 ( NAN) Japanese Government and the UN Development Programme ( UNDP ) have begun distribution of agricultural imputs to 1,400 vulnerable farmers affected by insurgency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Mr Sadeeq Shehu, UNDP Programme Analyst, made this known in Yola on Sunday while distributing agricultural inputs to 350 farmers affected by insurgency in Adamawa.

“Today, we are starting the distribution of agricultural inputs to 350 vulnerable farmers in the state who are among thousands affected by insurgency.

“The gesture is being funded by Japanese government but implemented by UNDP and is targeting over 1,400 farmers in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

“The implementation of the program is through partnership with the beneficiary state governments and Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning.” Shehu said.

He said that the programme was initially designed to capture 7000 farmers in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, but the number of beneficiaries was later reduced.

He explained that under the present arrangement, 700 farmers from Borno and 350 farmers each from Adamawa and Yobe, were to benefit from the assistance.

He stated that the impact of the current exercise would determine the continuation of the programme to cover additional beneficiaries.

In his remark, Mr Martins Babale, Deputy Governor of Adamawa, represented by the Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency  (ADSEMA), Mr Haruna Furo, thanked the donors for the assistance.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Maryam Sajo, a farmer from Ganye L.G.A thanked the donors for the gesture.

NAN reports that each beneficiary was given one bag of Urea fertilizer, 10 kg of rice, maize and Cowpea improved seedlings, one sprayer facility and three litres of herbicide and pesticide. (NAN)

Edited by Ella Anokam
AMA/ELLA/ASH
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