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Category: General News

  • Ortom meets Oshiomhole, denies leaving APC

    By Emmanuel Mogbede

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state denied dumping All Progressives Congress (APC) confirming APC Chairman Adams Oshiomhole’s claims that the governor was going nowhere.

    Ortom on Thursday in Abuja told newsmen after a closed door meeting Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ortom on Monday announced that the Benue chapter of the APC had given him  a red card.

    He likened himself to a footballer who was out of the football pitch waiting to be picked by another club.

    The governor and Sen. George Akume, also a former governor of the state had been having a running battle over who controls the state party structure.

    “It was the Benue APC that gave me a red card not the national APC and that was enough to make myself available out of the pitch.

    “But the leadership of the party told me that its decision is superior to that of any individual or group of people and I think that is good enough.

    “They have spoken to him, and have spoken to me and the state stakeholders are going to be spoken to and that’s where I belong.

    “We have not concluded the matter, it’s an ongoing process, I have always stood for peace, and I always want peace to prevail, that’s what I call for.

    “I am here in APC, I am a member of APC, I am still flying the flag of APC, I only said I was given red card but I have been corrected by the national secretariat,” he said.

    The Benue Governor appreciated the party’s leadership for intervening in the matter and expressed hope that it would be able to resolve the differences.

    Oshiomhole, while reacting to the development, said the APC does not have red cards in its cupboard and could not give what it doesn’t have.

    He noted that there could however, be legitimate legal issues and disagreements in some of the party’s state’s chapters.

    This, he said, was evidence of the fact that the APC was a free democratic party, adding that it was the responsibility of the its leadership to help aggrieved members to find a common ground.

    Oshiomhole added that the issues in the Benue chapter of the party were not too fundamental that it could not be resolved.

    He expressed confidence that the issues between Sen. Akume and Gov. Ortom would be resolved by the party’s national leadership.

    He maintained that Sen. Akume, was a very respected leader, of the party and would recognise the need for peace, adding that the APC leadership had what it would take to make peace.

    “In Benue, we are going for a win-win solution. Gov. Ortom is not going anywhere, he is a very prominent member of our party, and we appreciate his leadership in Benue.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that is hovering around must know that it is only people without honour that will vomit in the morning and convert it to lunch in the afternoon.

    “People like Ortom can’t leave PDP three and half years ago with his eyes open and two three years later, because of some tension, he is thinking of returning.

    “He is a man of honour and he knows that once  you move one step forward, you will want to take the second step to consolidate the first step, that’s the way to go.

    “Be assured that the PDP can go and do whatever they want to do, but it won’t change the situation in the minds of those who are convinced in building the future,”Oshiomhole said

    This, he said, would not be without contestation, but would be based on the understanding the party had the qualities required to resolve issues on a win-win manner even when contestations comes up.

    He assured that such tools would be deployed in Benue to make both Gov. Ortom, Sen. Akume and the people of the state, not just APC members, happy.

    He further assured that the APC leadership would do everything possible to help those who had issues to have those issues resolved.

    Oshiomhole stressed that the APC leadership would do everything possible to address crisis within its states chapters and ensure that its committed members remain in its fold. (NAN)

  • It’s not survival of the fittest; actresses can co-exist: Janhvi Kapoor

    PHOTO: VOGUE INDIAPHOTO: INDIA TODAY

    2018 seems to be the year of debutantes and amongst them are the late Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor’s half-brother Ishaan Khattar, who are gearing up for the release of Dhadak today.

    Kapoor says she is excited about being new talent but finds it very disappointing to see how everyone makes it a competition and pit actors against each other, reported Deccan Chronicle.

    PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ JANHVI KAPOOR

    PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ JANHVI KAPOOR

    The 21-year-old Kapoor stated that she has high hopes for fellow debutante Sara Ali Khan, daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh.”I’m really excited to see so many new faces, so much new talent. I’ve had the pleasure to know Sara; I think she’s stunning, full of so much life and energy. I’m so excited to see what she’ll bring,” said Kapoor.

    PHOTO: INDIA TODAY

    PHOTO: INDIA TODAY

    The budding starlet also revealed that she had often been asked about her ‘competition’ with Sara while her co-star Khattar managed to escape such questions. “Over the course of this past month, I’ve been asked about competition a lot. I find it odd because Ishaan hasn’t been asked about it and I think that’s because I’m a girl.”

    ‘Dhadak’ to clash with ‘Teefa in Trouble’ in Pakistan this weekend

    She continued, “It’s sad that sometimes we make it about how only one of the girls can be successful because we are very capable of being happy for each other. I think it’s not a nice thing to put on the young girls in our society. I don’t think it’s survival of the fittest. Coexisting is natural and it should be encouraged amongst young girls…”

    PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

    PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

    Khattar made his debut with Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds. Dhadakis the Hindi adaptation of critically-acclaimed 2016 Marathi film Sairat.
    Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

    PHOTO: VOGUE INDIA

    Culled from The Express Tribune

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    Culled from The Express Tribune

  • Experts canvas utilisation of pension funds to boost private sector

    Financial Experts on Friday deliberated on how pension funds could be utilised to add more values to contributors and boost private sector

    The discourse was at a roundtable conference organised by Sigma Pensions in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sigma Pensions Business RoundTable is the first series of leadership initiative to bring to fore key issues in investment places for pension funds .

    Mr Olabode Augusto, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Augusto and Company, said there was need to increase the penetration of pension funds in private equity.

    He posited that there were micro risks the economy is facing as the country prepare for the 2019 general elections despite the increase in oil prices.

    “One of the micro risks included non availability of private fund the private sector could utilise to contribute its own quota to economic development,” he said.

    He noted that the private sector was starved of funds, because the banks are not lending any more.

    “The option available to private sector is pension and insurance funds,” he said.

    He posited that the penetration of pension funds into private sector through private equity would boost performances of private sector and automatically boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    He, however, said there were challenges that limited the penetration of pension funds into private sector.

    “First, it is due to the regulations of National Pension Commission (PenCom), the only way  pension funds could be penetrated is through ‘private equity funds.

    ” This means the players in the private sector needed to get listed on the Stock Exchange.

    “Secondly, there is need for the private sector players to open their financial report for assessment, which they avoid always.

    “This is needed to engage financial analysts, pension practitioners,  pensioners and private sector players  to stem up deliberations on challenges of private equity funding to enable pension penetration,” Augusto said.

    Doyin Salami, an associate Professor at the Lagos Business School (LBS), urged the Federal Government to mordenise basic infrastructures for prosperity to take place.

    He said: “There is a demand for PenCom to come out with policies that will create jobs, mordernise infrastructures, lower interest rate to enable prosperity to take place.

    “No prosperity and values can be added to pensioners’ life and the economy as a whole outside the modernisation of basic infrastructures.”

    The Managing Director of Pension Sigma Pensions, Mr Dave Adamu, said that over 700 Nigerians have their Retire Savings Accounts (RSA) with Sigma Pensions.

    He said that as at June, the pension outfit RSA fund has hit N283 billion the Retirees Fund has hit N44 billion while other Defined Benefit Schemes (o-DBS) has hit N358 billion

    He commended PenCom on the new Multi-Fund structures devised to guide the administration of Pension Funds.

    Mr Mark Collier, the Chairman of Sigma Pensions, said the country offers a new market for pension investments.

    He, however, said that there was need for pension and investment savings to be understood by hard working Nigerians.

    “What I observed was that pension practitioners needed to embark on pension awareness campaign and engage pension savers in dialogue.

    “In the future, these workers would hang up their boots, there is need for them to know the value pension would add to them.

    “We can only be good at this if they believe in us,” he said
    (NAN)

  • Melaye halts constituency projects inauguration, thanksgiving service over security situation

    Melaye halts constituency projects inauguration, thanksgiving service over security situation

    Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), on Friday put on hold his constituency projects inauguration and thanksgiving service over alleged attacks and tensed security situation in Kogi West Senatorial District.

    Melaye disclosed this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Gideon Ayodele, and made available to newsmen in Lokoja.

    He said the tour of his constituency and inauguration of projects which commenced on July 18, was marred by violence.

    He said: “You would recall that several weeks ago I announced plan to tour my Kogi West senatorial district and as well use the opportunity to commission numerous projects I facilitated for my constituents in different locations.

    “The inauguration of projects started on Wednesday, July 18, despite the unwarranted arsonism on two schools in Lokoja Local Government area, which can only be the handiwork of my political enemies.

    “It has become necessary to put out this statement in the face of  Thursday’s unprovoked Police assault on my entourage while returning from Yagba Federal Constituency where I went to commission my constiuency projects,” he said.

    Melaye added that all the programmes were expected to culminate in a Grand Finale/Thanksgiving Service on Saturday in his hometown, Aiyetoro-Gbede.

    The senator, however, said that all the programmes would have to be put on hold in view of concerns arising from the security situation.

    He apologised to his constituents and invited guests for the inconveniences the development might cause them.

    “This is however a painstaking decision for me in order to safeguard precious lives and property of peace-loving people of Kogi West,” he said. (NAN)

  • 2019: Otti returns for Abia governorship race

    Dr. Alex Otti, a former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) in the 2015 general elections in Abia on Friday declared his interest to run again in 2019.

    Otti, a former banker and renowned financial expert, told a mammoth crowd of his supporters at  the Ngwa High School, Aba, venue of the formal declaration, that he would seek election as governor in order to restore Abia to the path of growth and socio-economic development.

    “I have decided to contest again for the governor of the state because the Pharoahs of Abia must be forced to let Abians go free.”

    Otti debunked the rumour that APGA had two factions, saying that it was sponsored by the enemies of Abia and APGA.

    He gave a detailed narration of how the mandate given to him in 2015, was allegedly stolen but warned that such daylight robbery would never happen again.

    He appealed to the electorate, especially the youths, to rise to the challenge and defend their vote in 2019.

    “You all should rise to defend your vote. This is a collective responsibility. When you do your beat and we do our own best, it will be impossible for anyone to rig the election.”

    Otti said that the outcome of the election in Ekiti last Saturday showed that it had become difficult for anybody to rig elections in Nigeria again.

    According to him, “the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has improved on the electoral process and has made it difficult for anybody to rig elections again.”

    He decried the inability of the Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration to address the infrastructure deficit in the state and ensure regular payment of pensions and salaries.

    In his speech, the former National Chairman of APGA, Sen. Victor Umeh, said that it was obvious that Abia people gave their mandate to Otti and APGA in 2015.

    Umeh alleged that the mandate was stolen but assured the electorate that the 2015 experience  would not happen again.

    He said that APGA was strategic for Ndigbo because it was the only party that would bring enduring development to the area.

    “Igbo land must be made better through the placement of respected and upright men and women in positions of political leadership in the zone.”

    He urged the Abia electorate to be vigilant in 2019 “so that you do not allow the electoral robbery of 2015 to repeat itself.”

    The Deputy Governor of Anambra state, Dr. Nkem Okezie, who represented Gov. Willie Obiano at the rally, thanked the Abia people for their relentless support to Otti and APGA.

    Okeke promised that the people and government of Anambra would rally support for the party in Abia in order to ensure its victory at the polls in 2019.

    The state Chairman of the party, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, said that the party would leave no stone unturned in 2019 “to reclaim its stolen mandate.”

    He said that the party would put an end to godfatherism in Abia as it did in Anambra.

    “This is to ensure that the state moved forward like its sister-states in the South East.(NAN)

  • “Radical cure” best treatment for common malaria: study

    Researchers on Friday said that “radical cure” is the best treatment for a type of malaria affecting 13 million people.

    A team of international malaria experts, led by the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, published a study analysing the treatment of plasmodium vivax malaria.

    Plasmodium vivax is the most common cause of recurring malaria, affecting more than 13 million people every
    year with 40 per cent of the world’s population at risk of infection.

    Researchers uncovered evidence of vivax malaria becoming resistant to standard treatment with chloroquine,
    a problem exacerbated by the plasmodium vivax parasite’s tendency to lie dormant in the liver for
    long periods before causing recurrent infections.

    “This analysis of more than 5,000 patients from 37 studies… is the largest individual patient data
    meta-analysis of plasmodium vivax clinical trials to date,” Rob Commons, a member of the team from
    the Menzies School of Health Research, said in a media release on Friday.

    “Our results show chloroquine is currently given in lower doses than recommended, with as many as
    35 per cent of patients in trials given less than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended
    25 mg per kg.

    “We also know from our analysis that these patients are more likely to fail treatment.”

    If left untreated, plasmodium vivax malaria leads to severe disease and death.

    “The study highlights the need for clinicians in affected areas to provide radical cure to kill
    the blood and liver stage of the vivax parasite and ensure patients can recover quickly.

    “We also want to prevent transmission of the parasite to other people and reduce the global burden
    of this disease,” Commons said. (Xinhua/NAN

  • NAN MD unveils frontiers to boost revenue, replies unions

    Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has unveiled some of the frontiers the agency is exploring to boost its internal revenue to complement dwindling government’s funding.

    Addressing members of staff on Friday in Abuja on the threat by three unions to embark on a warning strike next week, Onanuga said that NAN had the potentialities to be self-sufficient and it was working towards achieving that.

    He explained that the Agency was planning to expand its SMS service and introduce photo portal to serve both national and international clients.

    Aside the free-to-read nan.ng, PRwire and General news service, the Agency was also commercialising its landed properties across the country.

    These measures, he explained, were necessary to make-up for the shortfalls from government’s overhead as well as generate enough revenue to meet the needs and welfare of members of staff.

    He explained that management had invited the three unions to a truce meeting but they refused to turn up with the excuse that NAN refused to invite some union leaders in Lagos.

    The Managing Director, who interacted with members of staff on the face-off, explained that the Agency had since September 2017 forwarded the revised condition of service to the Ministry of Information and Culture for further action.

    Onanuga said the issue of conditions of service was, therefore, no longer the responsibility of NAN as the ministry was expected to make its input and forward the document to the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation for consideration.

    NAN reports that the revised condition of service was an improvement on that of 2002.

    Analysing the financial woes of the Agency, he said, though overhead to the agency had dropped drastically in spite of increase in number of staff and responsibility, the money was not regularly remitted to the Agency.

    “For example, NAN got just six allocations out of the 12 months of last year. This is the seventh month of the year, NAN has only received overhead three times.’’

    He explained that the situation is the same all over as the federal government was no longer buoyant.

    He said that all officers invited for promotion interview were paid transport allowance, which is the practice he met when he assumed office in 2016.

    He explained that he had contacted the ministry of information and discovered also that in spite of dearth of funds, the ministry does not pay Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) to officers attending promotion examination. The situation, he said, was the same in most MDAs.

    Onanuga also explained that he decided to restrict the examination to Abuja and Lagos centres to save cost.

    On payment of promotion arrears and shortfall, he explained that all documents concerning the issues have been forwarded to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for payment and that the management would continue to monitor the situation.

    He explained that the payment of salaries, including arrears, was the responsibility of IPPIS in Accountant General’s office.

    He explained had, within the limit of its resources, the Agency have been sending staff to various training as well as looking out for organisations to provide specialised training for the staff to boost their competence.

    He also explained that the management was not owing any overtime arrearsas he was he had cleared all the backlog of claims on that when he assumed office.

    He also debunked union’s claim that some staff who returned from duty tour abroad were yet to be paid their repatriation allowance,

    He said in the last two years he had been able to clear almost all the entitlements of such officers and the was making sure it would be cleared within the next few months.

    He appealed to members of staff to cooperate and contribute their quota to the development of the agency which he said was already enjoying goodwill of clients and stakeholders.

    The Managing Director would also hold an interaction with members of staff in Lagos on Monday.

    The chapels of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Radio, Television and theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTWU) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service and Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE) had on Monday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management to embark on a three-day warning strike on July 26.

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  • Abia govt. signs MoU with 2 firms for construction of Enyimba Economic City

    The Abia Economic Enhancement Team says the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two firms for the development of an industrial cluster tagged “Enyimba Economic City’’.

    Mr Chinenye Nwaogu, a member of the economic team, said this on Wednesday in Umuahia, while briefing newsmen on the project, supported by the state Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi.

    Nwaogu, also the Special Adviser to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu on Social Investment and Empowerment, said the firms included a Nigerian property developer, known as Crown Realities, and Chinese-based RUYI Group.

    He said that Crown Realities had already completed the design for the project at a cost of 1.3 million dollars, while RUYI Group had also committed 2.5 billion dollars to the project.

    Nwaogu said that the 2.5 billion dollars was invested on power generation, adding that the firm was also talking with Geometric Power Plant in Aba on the need to provide uninterrupted power supply to the city.

    According to him, the project sited on 9,800 hectares of land, spread through Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo Local Government Areas of the state.

    He described the area as most suitable for the project because of its proximity to Onne and Port Harcourt seaports, the Port Harcourt and Imo Airports as well as the huge gas deposit in Ukwa West.

    Nwaogu said that government’s interest was to have the project completely driven by the private sector, hence it had not committed state funds to it.

    He said that the companies had commenced claims survey to confirm the proportion of land belonging to each of the landowners.

    The special adviser said that the survey would help in determining the appropriate compensation to be paid by the companies.

    Nwaogu and Okiyi expressed joy that the Federal Government had also shown tremendous interest in the project and had set aside N10 billion to be invested in it.

    Both officials also said that the state was waiting for Federal Government’s approval to the proposal to make the city a Free Trade Zone.

    They said that the state House of Assembly had passed legislation on the project, known as “Enyimba Economic Development Law’’ in order to ensure its realisation, even after the present administration.

    They said that the project would become the biggest economic hub in the South East when completed, adding that the first phase would commence in the last quarter of the year.

    They said that RUYI Group, which was a conglomerate, would set up the city with more than 22 of its subsidiaries.

    “The project will help to redefine the economic landscape of Abia with abundant job creation,’’ Okiyi said.  (NAN)

  • Twitter gushes over 86 year-old Grace Oyelude’s beauty , first Miss Nigeria

    First Miss Nigeria Grace Oyelude in 1957 and now

    Nigeria’s Twitterati gushed on Wednesday over the enduring beauty of 86 year-old Grace Oyelude, first Miss Nigeria in 1957.

    Sixty one years after winning the first beauty pageant by the Daily Times, the grey haired woman from Isanlu in Kogi state is still as delectable as ever.

    And Twitterati noticed and kept retweeting her photographs. On Wednesday, the woman was the most discussed topic in Nigeria’s Twittersphere, second only to the unveiling of the logo for Nigeria Air, by aviation minister, Hadi Sirika.

    Grace Oyelude: still charming at 86

    U.S. based Professor Pius Adesanmi, her nephew,  was credited with the photographs of the woman, who will be 87 on 16 November.

    She was born in Kano in 1937 to James Adeleye Olude and Marthan Dantu.

    She entered for Miss Nigeria photo contest, while she was working for the UAC in Kano. She made the final at the event staged at the Lagos Island Club.

    After winning the contest, she travelled to England to study Nursing.

    Pius Adesanmi with Grace Oyelude

    According to her: “I was living in Kano then. My brother saw the advertisement in the newspapers and advised me to go to Lagos for an interview to be selected as a Miss Nigeria contestant.

    “He applied, and the result was that I was supposed to be in Lagos for the Miss Nigeria contest. I was working in the UAC then, and they also were also involved in the pageant. The following day, they got me on a plane to Lagos and that was it.”