Flowerbud News

Month: October 2023

  • Dangote extends promo, says 20 cars remaining must be won

    Management of Dangote Cement over the weekend officially extend the ongoing sales promo by additional four weeks, stating that customers still have more than 20 cars and other fabulous prizes to be won and they must win all the gifts before the promo will be concluded.

    Dangote Cement’s Group Managing Director, Eng. Joseph Makoju, who revealed this during another car presentation ïn Lokoja, Kogi State said: “We are excited to inform you that we have decided to extend the ongoing National Consumer Promotion tagged “Dangote Bag of Goodies” He said while Promotion will now end on October 15th, customers still have till October 31st, 2019 to redeem their respective prizes.

    “Based on the above dates, packaging of cement in the special promo bags with scratch card insertion will continue till 15thOctober while lucky consumers will be able to continue redeeming their prizes up until 31st October 2019”

    Meanwhile hundreds of pedestrians, motorists, and motorbike operators took turn to catch a glimpse of the presentation of prizes in Lokoja, Kogi state.

    The car winner Mr. Abubakar Musa, 33, a block molder, said he was still in shock despite being presented keys to his new car.

    Narrating how he won the car, he said “…when I removed the winning card from the bag of cement, I ran to my wife who told me that the promo has since ended. But when I brought it to the Dangote office here they confirmed that it was ongoing and that I had won a car.”

    He added: “I still cannot come to terms that I have won a car. I believe it is God doing. Dangote is God’s sent to my family.”

    Makoju who made the presentations said the company was making a point by rewarding its loyal customers. The GMD described the promo as a success, urging Nigerians to key into it, adding that the winning cards were in over 72million promotional bags of Dangote cement.

    He said Dangote was not only leading in the cement sector but it is leading in quality as it is the only cement company in Nigeria that uses automatic robotic engineering to deliver quality to end users.

    Describing Kogi State as the heart of Dangote Cement, he said Obajana Cement Plant, cited in Kogi, is one of the largest cement plant in the world.

    National Sales Director Dangote Cement, Adeyemi Fajobi said over 21 million winners of various items are expected to emerge at the end of the promotion. According to him, millions of naira were also to be won.

    Dangote cement Marketing Director, Mrs. Funmi Sanni urged the people to continue to buy Dangote cement because there are various prizes for a whopping 21 million Dangote cement buyers, a figure she described as about 10 percent of Nigeria’s population.

    The decision to reward end users, she stated was because Dangote Cement views its customers as being at the centre of its operations and the well-being of the customers is also the well-being of the company, therefore, the need to empower them through the promotion.
    Sanni explained that lucky Dangote cement consumers across the country would go home with 43 cars, 24 tricycles, 24 motorcycles, 550 refrigerators, 400 television sets, 300,000 Dangote foods goodies packs and recharge cards for all networks worth N200,000,000.00.

  • FMBN disburses N226.3bn through National Housing Fund

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has disbursed N226. 6 billion as loan through the National Housing Fund (NHF) in an effort to address the housing deficit in the country, the Managing Director, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, says.

    Dangiwa spoke in Abuja  at the ongoing  National HouseFair 3.0 with theme, “New Economy: Amplifying the Impacts and Possibilities of Real Estate Utilising Technology’’.

    He said that the bank had registered 4,927,407 contributors and 23,387 organisations on NHF.

    “Construction of 27,584 housing units financed to date, 20,591 NHF mortgage loans granted to NHF contributors while 27,247 housing micro-loans of N28.9 billion disbursed.

    “More than N31.1 billion was refunded to 273,485 retirees,’’ Dangiwa said.

    He said that the bank was targeting affordable homeownership for Low and Medium Income (LMI) market segment.

    According to him, LMI segment accounts for about 90 per cent of the Nigerian population.

    Dangiwa said that mortgage finance accessibility and affordability formed a major focus of the bank.

    He said that “government-assist fund’’ was critical for improving affordability for the middle income market.

    “The future growth and development of the Nigerian housing sector, especially the mortgage sub-sector, is predicated on expanding housing access and affability for the middle class,’’ Dangiwa said.

    He said that as demonstrated in economies like the U.S., Singapore and others, empowering the middle class through homeownership was the surest avenue for economic development drive by production and construction consumption.

    According to him, empowering the middle class creates a wealthy society.

    Dangiwa said that the adoption of a multi-dimensional approach to housing finance in Nigeria must be encouraged and strengthening government institutions delivering assist- funding and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

    Mrs Becky Damilola-Oke,` Managing Director, Bstan Mortgage and Cooperation and the convener of the fair, said that inadequate housing could affect the security, physical health and privacy of man.

    Damilola-Oke said that housing policy was a tool that was used in town planning for solving housing problems and consequently for the achievement of sustainable housing.

    She said that town planning focuses on spatial arrangement of urban and rural land use for the purpose of creating orderly, economical and functional efficient.

    Damilola-Oke said that policy instrument was one of the ways of tracking housing problems.

    She said that the new economy could be used to embrace housing-technology innovation

  • IGP tasks Petroleum, Illegal Bunkering Taskforce on firmness

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu has called on the Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering to be firm in the discharge of their duties.

    Adamu made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at his maiden meeting with sector, intelligence and unit commanders of the task force.

    He said the meeting was convened to engage the commanders on new approaches to the security of critical assets in the oil sector.

    Adamu said the task force was established with mandate to work with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other security agencies to protect oil pipelines and prevent illegal bunkering.

    “Your core duties in this regard include and not limited to the protection of NNPC pipelines/infrastructure throughout the federation, identify and destroy all illegal refineries and depots.

    “Surveillance and generation of intelligence that could be utilised to prevent any act of sabotage in the oil sector, arrest and prosecution of pipeline vandals and those engaged in illegal bunkering,” he said.

    According to him, in the performance of your duties, you are to be guided by the fact that oil pipelines are not ordinary assets and their security is of strategic importance to the country.

    He called on the commanders to imbibe the virtues of inter-agency collaboration, partnership with the host communities, NNPC and other stakeholders in the discharge of their duties.

    “You must constantly demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and eschew all forms of corruption.

    “You must be firm in your enforcement operations, ensure diligent investigation and speedy prosecution of arrested vandals, oil thieves and those involved in illegal bunkering.

    “You will be held liable for any action or inaction that engenders any security breach within your operational jurisdiction as regards pipeline security,” he added.

    He said plans were ongoing to engage community policing practice, intelligence-led operations and technology driven strategies to support the task force in the discharge of its duties.

    According to him, this will involve the deployment of our newly acquired long-range monitoring, vehicle-mounted CCTV system to support your pipeline surveillance operations.

  • Buhari arrives S/Africa for State Visit, Bi-National Commission meeting

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday arrived Pretoria, South Africa, for a state visit and 9th meeting of the Bi-National Commission.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman, who confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Thursday morning, said the 9th meeting of the commission would for the first time witness participation of the two Heads of State after an elevation.

    The Bi-National Commission meeting was elevated to the level of Presidents’ participation, following the strategic position of the two economies in Africa and the need for stronger relations.

    Shehu disclosed that Buhari and his host, President Cyril Ramophosa, would co-chair the meeting on Thursday.

    The President’s plane arrived in the South African Air force Base, Waterkloof, at 9.10 p. m, and he was received by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor and Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu.

    Before the meeting which would be held at the Union Building, both Presidents would discuss issues of mutual interests relating to the welfare of citizens, and expanding economic and cultural ties.

    Shehu said the visit would enable more harmonious relations between the two largest economies in Africa, and open up more frontiers of opportunities for prosperity by encouraging more exchange and investments, especially for Nigerians.

    The presidential aide said 32 agreements and Memoranda Of Understanding (MoU) had been signed at the Bi-National Commission, which would be mutually beneficial to both nations.

    He added that the meeting would provide an opportunity to review progress.

    “President Buhari is on a state visit to South Africa. While in South Africa, the two leaders will review a number of issues in our Bi-National Commission, including issues that affect citizens,’’ he said.

    Buhari would also hold an interactive meeting with Nigerians in South Africa before returning to Abuja.

  • Liverpool Fined Or Fielding Ineligible Player

    Liverpool were fined 200,000 pounds for fielding an ineligible player in their League Cup third-round victory over MK Dons last week.

    The Reds, however, avoided expulsion from the competition, the Football League (EFL) said on Wednesday.

    Spaniard Pedro Chirivella, who was a second-half substitute in the 2-0 win, did not have international clearance, following the expiry of his loan agreement last season with Spanish club Extremadura, the EFL said.

    Half the fine will be suspended until the end of the 2020/21 season and the club will be liable for the suspended amount if they field an ineligible player in the competition again before the end of the next season.

  • Congo: 20 dead in collapsed gold mine

    At least 20 people were killed Thursday when an unlicensed gold mine collapsed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

    According to local media, the accident occurred in the town of Kampene in Maniema Province.

    Stephane Kamundala, an authority with a non-governmental organization in the region, said the dead included women and children and three people were seriously injured.

    Kamundala said scores of people are trapped under the rubble and search and rescue work is continuing.

    People have been trespassing into abandoned tunnels and working without security measures in gold, copper and cobalt-rich mines in the DRC.

    In June, 36 people were killed in the collapse of a copper mine in the southeastern Kolwezi region.

  • New orders fuel Kenya’s private sector activity in Sept–PMI

    Kenya’s private sector activity grew for the fifth straight month in September, boosted by an increase in new orders for businesses, a survey showed on Thursday.

    The Markit Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for manufacturing and services rose to 54.1 in September from 52.9 in the previous month. Any reading above 50 indicates growth.

    “Private sector activity is showing signs of momentum, although panelists continue to highlight cash flow issues that they face,” Jibran Qureishi, regional economist for East Africa at Stanbic Bank, said.

    “In addition to the current stock of arrears owed to the private sector, the interest-rate-capping law could also hold back firms from flourishing on a multi-month basis.”

    Last week, lawmakers rejected a finance ministry request to scrap commercial lending rate caps that critics say have led to a credit growth squeeze.

    The rate of new business orders was the strongest in 13 months in September, the survey found, although output among firms grew modestly due to the cash flow concerns.

  • Turkish inflation sees steep decline in September

    Turkey’s annualised inflation rate on Thursday fell sharply to 9.26 per cent in September from 15 per cent in August, official data revealed.

    According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), inflation went down to single digits for the first time in two years.

    TurkStat said that month-on-month inflation stood at just below one per cent in September as food prices weakened.

    Turkish inflation topped 25 per cent in Oct. 2018, due to a steep devaluation of the lira currency.

    According to Seyfettin Gursel, Director, Bahcesehir University Centre for Economic and Social Research (BETAM), the recovery will be short-lived.

    Gursel said that a decline in inflation was already expected for September since the effects of 2018 major spike had faded, estimating a year-end inflation rate at 12.5 per cent.

    The Minister of Finance, Berat Albayrak, also noted that government expected the inflation to reduce to 12 per cent by end of 2019.

    “The government’s aim is to bring inflation down to below 9 per cent in 2020.

    He also set a five per cent economic growth target for 2020.

    “Both goals are too ambitious to come true.

    “The Turkish Central Bank will come under increased pressure from President Recep Erdogan to cut interest rates further,“ Gursel said

    Since July, the central bank aggressively cut its benchmark interest rate by 7.5 per cent to 16.50 per cent.

    According to Erdogan, lower rates will bring lower inflation as opposed to traditional beliefs in how the market operates.

    “The main test for the government will be if they can rejuvenate investor confidence in 2020, citing low investments, high unemployment, political and security risks, mainly due to lingering civil war in Syria,“ Gursel said.

  • C-G National Park calls for reversal of ugly trend of climate change

    Abuja, Oct.3, 2019 Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator General, National Park Service (NPK) has called for the reversal of the ugly trend of climate change and climate action to save the nation from impending danger.
    Goni made the call on Wednesday at the Park headquarters while receiving a donation of 112 seedlings from two youth corps members serving with the Department of Agric and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCTA.
    The donors are Abdullahi Suleiman Gbale and Izere Iyamide Martha.
    According to Goni, `the Service appreciates the gesture and the timing of the donation, it is clearly in line with the vision of the present Government on climate change mitigation.
    “Nigeria’s seven National Parks cover about three per cent of the country’s total land area and this to me, is grossly inadequate for a country of over 200 million people.
    “I want to therefore, urge all of us to support the vision of the President to keep and protect the environment for the sustainability of the present and yet unborn generations’’.
    The C-G said that awareness creation of the ugly trend of climate change cannot be overemphasized and that therefore, Nigerians must join the world in the race of mitigating the effects of climate change.
    “The negative impacts of climate change can be seen in the recent flooding across the various States of the Federation. “Even in the upsurge of diseases in plants and animals, degradation of land in and around the Parks, desertification in the north, siltation of Lake Chad, etc.
    “It is my belief that this effort of donation of these seedlings is an attempt in the right direction to reverse the ugly trend of climate change and climate action’’.
    He commended the corpers who have keyed into the vision of biodiversity preservation as part of their contribution towards community development in the service of their fatherland.
    He also assured them that the seedlings will be shared to both primary and secondary schools in Abuja environs as part of the service’s conservation education programme.
    Miss Martha Iyamide Izere, the leader of the team, in her remarks stated that their passion for a healthy environment began during their Industrial Training Attachment in Old Oyo National Park, Oyo in 2017.
    She said that having met her colleague again during their service year, they decided to push their passion a step further by making the environment a better place for all to live in.
    While recounting some of the debilitating effects of climate change, Izere noted that this donation is a service to humanity in an attempt to support the mitigation of effects of climate change and enhance development in our contemporary society.
    She also used the occasion to solicit assistance from the National Park Service to support them in this very noble course.
    The seedlings donated by the corps members include:
    Neem: Azadirachta indica (27)
    Gmelina: Gmelina arborea (27)
    Guava: Psidium guajava (27)
    Teak: Tectona grandis (27)
    Orange: Citrus aurantium (2)
    Mango: Mangifera indica (2)