Flowerbud News

Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

  • Kano govt. to get sponsors for ‘Dambe’ traditional boxing

    By Muhammad Nur Tijani

    Kano State Government on Sunday said it would reach out to private organisations ready to invest in promoting Dambe traditional boxing.

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje said this during the opening of Gawuna Dambe championship organised by Mazaje Trado, at Bayero Square, Sabon Gari, Kano.

    Ganduje, represented by his Deputy, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, said it was time the Hausa traditional boxing get the due recognition it deserves.

    “It is widely known that professional boxers are today counted among the wealthiest people in the world, so, we need to assist our players too to aspire to that level by giving them all the necessary support.

    “We are going to sit down with organisers in mapping out new strategies to boost the game and encourage our boxers.

    “We want them to be used as model of advertisements by both local and international companies because of their talent in boxing,” he said.

    The governor stressed that “it is important to engage the youth in sports and other forms of disciplines that will stop them from social vices and crimes and become self reliant.”

    He announced that he will personally declare the next edition of Ganduje Dambe Championship.

     

  • Presidency dismisses reports on Daura flood victims, pledges more assistance

    The Presidency on Sunday described as false and untrue that President Muhammadu Buhari turned his back on Daura community in Katsina State, which was hit by massive floods on Aug.29.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said contrary to the allegations a pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

    He said that, in addition to the initial relief materials provided to the victims, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had concluded arrangements to provide more assistance to the victims.

    He said: Contrary to the allegations that President Muhammadu Buhari had turned his back on the people of Daura, we can confirm that pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

    ”Ten trailer loads of building materials including zinc, planks and cement, as well as tons of grains, cereals and other edibles have so far been delivered.

    ”The flood victims also received blankets and mattresses.

    ”Materials were delivered to and signed for by stakeholders while the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar welcomed the prompt emergency response from NEMA officials”.

    According to him, NEMA has equally promised that in line with establishment practices all over the country, as soon as the assessment of the damage to the flood-ravaged communities is reported upon, more food items and building materials would be dispatched.

     

  • Serena on extent of ankle injury: ‘We’ll see tomorrow’

    Serena Williams charged into the U.S. Open quarter-finals on Sunday but it may have come at a price as the six-times champion suffered a right ankle injury.

    Williams, who twisted her left ankle during a quarter-final loss at the Australian Open, said she did not think the latest injury serious but added it was too soon to tell.

    “I usually know if it’s horrible early on. I mean, I had a really bad ankle sprain in January. I was like, instantly, ‘No, this can’t happen. I’m finally healthy,’” Williams said after her 6-3 6-4 win over Petra Martic.

    “But I’ll see tomorrow. So far I’m good. I have been managing it. We’ll see tomorrow.”

    Williams rolled her ankle in the fifth game of the second set, having raced to the net and landed hard on her right foot after a backhand volley that sailed long.

    Seeded eighth, Williams took about 15 seconds to get to her feet but won the next two points to earn a crucial break for a 3-2 lead and then took a medical timeout so a trainer could look at her already-wrapped ankle.

    Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, later told reporters that Williams was not in too much discomfort.

    “It doesn’t seem — there is the video, but what is more important is how she feels and how the ankle looks. The ankle looks okay,” said Mouratoglou.

    “She doesn’t feel much pain. She feels, but it’s acceptable. And we will know tomorrow when it’s going to be cold.”

    Williams, who is seeking a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title and her first since the 2017 Australian Open, will face China’s Wang Qiang in the quarter-finals.

  • Botswana, Chinese firms to build $2bn coal-to-liquids plant

    Botswana’s Shumba Energy says it has formed a joint venture with two Chinese companies to build a coal-to-liquids plant that will cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion

    The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mashale Phumaphi, told Reuters in Gaborone that the coal-to-liquids plant was expected to produce 20,000 barrels of diesel and 5,000 barrels of gasoline per day when completed.

    Botswana has abundant coal reserves of around 212 billion tonnes but currently imports all its fuel needs of 1.2 billion litres per annum.

    Shumba has over the last few years progressed from being an exploration company to an energy development company.

    It sits on over 4.5 billion tonnes of thermal coal reserves in Botswana’s eastern coal fields.

    Shumba will hold an 80 per cent stake in the joint venture, CoPet, with partners PowerChina International Group, part of state-owned Chinese firm PowerChina, and Wison Group.

    “Our primary objective is import substitution, and to this end we have already had fruitful discussions with the largest fuel retailers in Botswana for off-take,” Phumaphi said.

    He said up to 75 per cent of the capital expenditure for the plant could be financed by debt, with Shumba hoping to use its relationship with PowerChina International and the Wison Group to borrow from Chinese lenders.

    The coal-to-liquids plant will require 3.2 million tonnes of coal per annum, which will be supplied by Shumba’s Mabesekwa coal mine, currently under development.

    Shumba aims to reach financial close on the project in the next two years, with construction taking a further four years.

  • 2019 presidential election results in tandem with our vote estimates- YIAGA Africa

    YIAGA-Africa, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) observed the 2019 presidential election said that the result as announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was consistent with its parallel vote tabulation results estimates.

    The Chairman of the Board of YIAGA-Africa, Dr Hussaini Abdu made this known while presenting the organisation’s report on the election on Friday in Abuja.

    “For the 2019 presidential elections, the official results announced by INEC were consistent with YIAGA AFRICA’s Parallel Vote Tabulation results estimates.

    “In other words, the results reflect the votes cast at the polling units.

    “Similarly, the INEC official turnout rate and rejected ballots figure were consistent with YIAGA AFRICA estimated turn out rate and rejected ballots based on reports from 1,491 98.4 per cent of sampled polling units,” he said.

    Abdu, however, said that YIAGA AFRICA’s findings revealed certain lapses and reports of malfeasance which impacted on the quality of the process in some polling units and states.

    He said that the report also revealed possible incidents of vote suppression as reflected in the percentage of cancelled ballots in some states such as Rivers, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Plateau, Kogi, Benue and Kaduna State.

    He said that Nigeria’s 20 years democracy was tested with the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    Abdu said that the elections presented an opportunity for Nigeria to consolidate on the gains of the 2015 elections and deepen its democratic transition.

    According to him, although INEC introduces reforms to deepen electoral integrity and citizen’s participation, the elections are characterised by many of the same shortcomings that have marred previous national elections in Nigeria.

    The chairman said that as in past elections, INEC’s logistical challenges and misconduct by political parties undermined the integrity of the elections.

    He also said that the inability of some citizens to vote undermined public confidence in the electoral process.

    Abdu said that INEC overestimated its own capabilities and underrated the challenges with the management of logistics.

    “This was worsened by undue interference with the electoral commission functions by state and non-state actors as well as the release of election funds six weeks to the presidential elections.

    “This is in spite of its secured funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

    “The assault on basic rights and freedoms by state institutions especially security agencies coupled with failure to conclude amendments to the electoral legal framework indicated a lack of commitment to electoral reform and electoral integrity,” he said.

    Abdu said that the report contained evidence which made it clear that a lot was less than desired and that the overall outcome was not necessarily vindication of the process.

    He observed that Nigeria missed an opportunity to improve the quality of its elections as compared to the 2015 national elections.

    “The 2019 elections were not the elections Nigerians wanted, they were not the elections Nigerians expected and most importantly, they were not the elections Nigerians deserved.

    “Nigeria needs a national conversation on a new electoral design or framework that responds to prevailing socio-political and economic realities.

    “INEC must improve its capacity to deliver credible elections and political parties must play according to the rules as failure to do so could imperil Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.(NAN)

  • Greece moves hundreds of asylum-seekers from crowded island camp

    Greece began moving hundreds of asylum-seekers on Monday from a camp on the island of Lesbos that holds around four times the number of people it was built for.

    More than 11,000 refugees and migrants, most of whom have fled war or poverty in the Middle East, Asia or Africa, are holed up at Moria in Europe’s biggest migrant camp.

    Some 635 people, mostly families, boarded a passenger ship on Monday for facilities in northern Greece and more were due to leave later in the day.

    Moving asylum-seekers from island camps to the mainland is part of government measures announced on Aug. 31 to deal with the rising numbers.

    All of Greece’s five formal island camps are over capacity.

    Moria, which is a disused military base, has been criticised by humanitarian organisations for its squalid living conditions.

    It currently holds the highest number of people in three years and violence is not uncommon.

    An Afghan boy was killed in a fight there last month and women have told aid groups they often feel unsafe.

    Greece is Europe’s main gateway for Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi asylum-seekers, and accounts for more than half of the 56,000 migrants, who have landed on the Mediterranean’s northern shore this year.

    The numbers are small compared to the nearly one million people, who fled to northern Europe through Greece in 2015, as a deal between the EU and Ankara in March 2016 all but cut off the flow.

    But they have still piled pressure on Greek facilities.

    About 7,000 people landed on Greece’s shores in August, the highest number since the deal was signed.

    Last Thursday alone, more than a dozen boats arrived with around 600 migrants, prompting the government’s Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence to hold an emergency session.

    To curb the influx, Greece also plans to tighten its border controls and speed up deportations of rejected asylum-seekers.

  • Landlord’ son allegedly breaks into tenant’s apartment, steals phones, money

    A 34-year-old man, Yusuf Oladimeji,  on Tuesday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly breaking into his father’s tenant’s apartment and stealing two phones and N150, 000.

    The defendant, who resides at Dopemu area of Agege, Lagos, is standing trial on  a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    He, however, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate O.A. Aderibigbe.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Mojirade Edeme, told the court that the defendant committed the offences with others still at large, on Aug. 20 at his residence.

    Edeme said that the  two phones worth N33,000, adding that the phones and the money belonged to  the complainant, Mr Peter Agbo.

    “The defendant  and his accomplices entered the complainant’s apartment with dangerous weapons at night and commanded him to surrender his phones and money or risk harm.

    “They forcefully collected his valuables and took to their heels.
    Some days later, the complainant saw his phone with his landlord’s son.

    “He reported the case to the police, and the defendant was arrested,” the prosecutor said.

    Edeme said that offences violated Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates three years’ imprisonment for stealing, while Section 411 prescribes two years’ jail term for conspiracy.

    Aderibigbe admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The magistrate adjourned the case until Sept. 9 for mention.

  • Nigeria’s GDP grows by 1.94% in Q2 2019 —NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grows by 1.94 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter of 2019.

    The NBS said this in its “Nigeria GDP Report for Second Quarter 2019’’ released on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to the NBS, the figure indicates an increase of 0.44 per cent compared to a growth rate of 1.50 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2018.

    It, however, said the figure, when compared to 2.10 per cent (revised from 2.01 per cent due to oil output revisions) recorded in the first quarter of 2019, showed a decline of –0.16 per cent points.

    According to the bureau, the aggregate GDP stood at N34.79 million in nominal terms, an increase of 13.83 per cent over the performance in the second quarter of 2018 and 9.8 per cent over the preceding quarter.

    The bureau said the figure was higher than N28.43 million recorded in the first quarter of 2018, representing a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 11.80 per cent.

    “The performance observed in quarter two, 2019 follows an equally strong first quarter performance, and was likely aided by stability in oil output as well as the successful political transition,” it stated.

    It said that overall, a total of 15 activities grew faster in the second quarter 2019 relative to 2018, while 13 activities had higher growth rates relative to the preceding quarter.

    “On a half year basis, real growth in the first half of 2019 stood at 2.02 per cent, higher than in 2018 which was 1.69 per cent.

    “Quarter-on-quarter, real GDP increased by 2.85 per cent compared to a decline of –13.69 per cent in the preceding period,” it stated.

    The bureau said that for better clarity, the Nigerian economy had been classified broadly into the oil and non-oil sectors.

    For the oil sector, the NBS said the nation posted a real growth rate of 5.15 per cent (year-on-year) in the period under review, representing a 9.10 per cent increase relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2018.

    This, it said, also indicated an increase of 6.61 per cent when compared to the first quarter of 2019, adding that quarter-on-quarter, the oil sector recorded a growth rate of –1.55 per cent in the second quarter.

    According to the report, the sector contributed 8.82 per cent to total real GDP in the second quarter of 2019, up from levels recorded in the corresponding period of 2018 but down compared to the preceding quarter.

    “In quarter two, 2019, Nigeria recorded average daily oil production of 1.98 million barrels per day (mbpd), or 7.6 per cent higher than the daily average production of 1.84 mbpd recorded in the same quarter of 2018.

    “This, however, is slightly less than output recorded in quarter one, 2019 (1.99 mbpd-revised from 1.96 mbpd),” it stated.

    The NBS said that the non-oil sector grew by 1.64 per cent in real terms during the reference quarter.

    It added that the growth was –0.40 per cent points lower than recorded in the same quarter of 2018, and -0.83 per cent points lower than the first quarter of 2019.

    According to the bureau, during the quarter, the sector was driven mainly by Information and Communication, Mining and Quarrying, Agriculture, Transportation and Storage and other Services.

    “In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 91.18 per cent to the nation’s GDP, lower than the share recorded in the second quarter of 2018 (91.45 per cent).

    “This however is higher than the first quarter of 2019 (90.78 per cent),” he said.

    The bureau said that Quarterly National Accounts (QNA) were an integrated system of macroeconomic accounts designed to describe the entire system of production in a nation on a quarterly basis.

    They provide a picture of the current economic status of an economy on a more frequent basis than Annual National Accounts.

    In providing a reasonable level of detailed information of the economy, QNA allows the government to regularly access analyse and monitor economic developments.

     

  • VSO trains, donates equipment to AFAN members in Niger

    By Obinna Unaeze
    All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Niger on Monday said that the Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) has trained its members on agri-business toward tackling poverty.

    Alhaji Shehu Galadima, AFAN Chairman in the state, who disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, said over 300 farmers belonging to 16 cooperative societies across the state benefited from the gesture.

    “We are partnering with VSO to train our members in agri-business.

    “After the training, milling and threshing machines for rice and various grains were given to them in form of grants,” he said.

    Galadima explained that each cooperative made up of between 16 and 20 farmers, got both milling and threshing machines.

    “The milling and threshing machines worth millions of Naira were fabricated locally to meet the needs of the farmers,” he said.

    The chairman said that the farmers were trained for five days and successful groups selected to benefit.

    He said that AFAN has about 1.6 million members in the state.

    Hajiya Fati Mohammed, a member of one of the groups, told NAN that the intervention would alleviate poverty among the farmers and their families.

    The VSO, based in London, is a non-profit international development organisation, with a vision for a “world without poverty” and a mission to “bring people together to fight poverty and marginalisation.”