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Category: General News

  • APC Chairmanship: Oshiomhole brags of governors support

    Igbaugba Ehigimetor

    Former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said his national chairmanship of All Progressives Congress (APC) chances had been boosted by support of leaders of the party and governors.

    Oshiomhole stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin on Friday.

    The National Convention of APC will hold on June 23, with no fewer than 6,800 delegates expected to participate.

    Oshiomhole said, “I am enjoying the support of APC governors and other party leaders across the nation ahead the June 23 National Convention of the party.

    “The reason for this is because they understand my person and because, by the Special Grace of God, if I will emerge through a consensus leadership, my loyalty will be to the party and no more.”

    He said if elected, he would deploy his persuasive powers and negotiation skills in resolving the crisis in the party.

    “If I have prominent people from the North, prominent people from the South, East, West and the center, no one will say `if not for my support you would not have been there.’

    “If you are a product of one section, then you might remain detained by that section.

    “But, when you have the privilege of a broad support from many leaders, then no one leader will say I put you there and you must listen to me.

    “Let me also say that what is also qualitatively different about this support is that there is no question about what is influencing it.

    “This is so, because in our political environment, we hear that those who have the deepest pockets tend to buy the support.

    “But, this support is being offered from people who cannot be procured, which tells you that it is flowing from the knowledge of my person, because I have been fortunate to work with all the governors, including past governors.

    “Those I did not meet in office, I met them when I was President of the NLC. We had engaged on one-on-one; they know what I stand for.

    “So, they offered this support based on their understanding of my person, and not inducement and that makes a difference,” he stated.

    Oshiomhole said that he was never a dictator as being alleged in some quarters.

    He said certain things he learnt in the labour union were negotiations and never dictatorial.

    According to him, even though I was the president of NLC, I cannot even control my deputy because he was voted the same manner I was elected.

    “In the NLC, you must listen to everybody, unlike in government where as an executive, you can dictate decisions.

    “So, what my background prepared me for is to be able to listen, and that is why I kept saying contestation and disputes are not dysfunctional, if you have the skills that I have to manage divergences.

    “I have never exercised dictatorial powers. I have always exercised persuasive powers and negotiating skills, and those are my skills.

    “And, when I negotiate with you and persuade and you accept, you will feel obliged to do what you have to do.

    “But, if I dictate to you, when I am not watching, you will do your heart. So, I am not capable of being a dictator by the very nature of my background,” the former governor said.

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  •  Nigerians connect to internet daily,  say foundation, Google

    15m
    Nigerians connect to internet daily,  say foundation, Google

    Connectivity

    Mimshach Obioha, Programme  Director, Ventures Capital

    Foundation (VPF) says an average of 15 million people use
    social media in Nigeria but laments that many don’t go beyond
    sending messaging and making calls.

    Obioha said this on Sunday during an interview with the News
    Agency of Nigeria(NAN) Abuja.

    NAN reports that VPF in collaboration with Google West
    Africa and OC&C Consult recently launehed a report
    titled    ‘Tech Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Research
    –Nigeria’ to help develop technological sector of the
    economy.

    ‘ “In the process of gathering data on challenges and
    prospects of Nigerian technology sector, it was discovered
    that about 15 million Nigerians go on internet daily.

    “We also discovered that most online users in the country
    use the basic messenger and phone eall services, while there
    are other benefits of internet like banking, learning
    shopping, trading,  healthy living, etc.

    “The next gold after oil is human minds which means that
    countries with large population has large  resources .

    “It also means that every person has potential of becoming
    a complete refinery all by oneself.

    With computer programming and literacy, one person can
    actually build an empire,” he said.

    Obioha said Examples the nation had potential of producing
    many “Bill Gates, Mark Zukerberg “ if there was adequate
    focus  to harness human resources in such area.

    “It is really important that our country, as a matter of
    policy figures out ways to improve and encourage this
    development,” he said.

    On the significance of the report, Obioha mentioned key
    critical components that it provided adequate data on their
    prospects and challenges with recommendations on development
    to global height.

    “That can be done through incentifying investment in
    startups; creating regulatory frameworks that make it easier
    to build companies in the country,” he said.

    “ There is need to improve Digital skills components in
    order to catalyse the market, it helps to create more people
    that can be creators of technology.

    “There is a market activation component. This is important
    for a nation of over 180million people but not all of them
    are ready markets for digital products.

    “There is also need to ensure that more people have access
    to internet through affordable means and provision of
    infrastructures especially, power,” he said.

    Similarly,  Mrs. Titi Akinsanmi,Head,Public Policy and
    Government Relations,Google (West Africa, said the nation
    was a potential technology giant if it could fill identified
    gaps.

    “Nigeria has capacity to become giant in technology
    development because of its huge human capacity, all that is
    required is to fill existing gaps in its technology
    development components”

    NAN reports that the report was launched in Abuja on
    Wednesday with the representatives of Federal Ministries of
    Science and Technology; Trade and Investment in
    attendant.(NAN)

  • Blood donation lowers calories, boosts fitness

    Regular blood donation blood helps save millions of lives every year, lowers calories and improves body fitness, the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has said.

    Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, the Blood Safety Programme Manager of the Institute, made explanation at a blood donation drive in Abuja to mark World Blood Donor Day.

    The expert explained that donating one pint of blood (450 ml) removes 650 calories from the donor’s body.

    Abubakar, who spoke on“Blood Donation as an action of Solidarity” for the celebration of the day, tagged ”Be there for someone else” as the slogan for the donation drive.

    IHVN Field Officer

    He said that transfusion of blood helps in saving millions of lives every year and put a natural smile on the face of blood receiver.

    According to him, blood donation can help patients suffering from life-threatening health conditions to live longer with higher quality of life.

    He also said that blood donation had an essential life-saving role in maternal and child care and during emergency response to man-made and natural disasters.

    Abubakar said that blood donation enhances the production of new blood cells, adding: “When blood is withdrawn, the donor’s body immediately begins to replenish the lost blood within 24 hours of donation.

    “All of the red blood cells the donor loses during donation are completely replaced within one month to two months.”

    He added that the best way to ensure adequate safe blood supply for an effective health system was through regular donations by voluntary and unpaid blood donors.

    Mr. Fawehinmi Akindele, Safety and Security Officer, IHVN, said that there was no pain in donating blood rather there was more gain.

    “I have been donating blood for 22 years now and I don’t regret it, I donate every three months and am glad my blood has been saving lives.

    “I used to suffer high blood pressure but I realised that each time I donate blood, my blood pressure reduces to normal, so donating blood reduces my blood pressure tremendously,” he said.

    Akindele called on Nigerians to use this opportunity to donate blood as no one knew whose life the blood would save.

    A donor, Mr. Ezeibe Ikechukwu, said that he had peace each time he donated blood.

    Ikechukwu said that blood was sacred and using it to safe life was priceless.

    “I will do this over and over again because the purpose is to help someone who is dying,” he said.

    Ms Jane Akubuiro, Donor Care Manager, National Blood Transfusion Service, urged Nigerians with no health challenge to come out and donate blood to save lives. (NAN)

     

  • Storytelling inspires young innovators on entrepreneurship says foundation

    Storytelling inspires young innovators on entrepreneurship says foundation

    Inspiration

    By Abolade Ogundimu

    Abuja, June 13,2018(NAN) Mr Mimshach Obioha, the Programme Director, Ventures Platform Foundation(VPF) says the foundation is inspiring entrepreneurs and undergraduate innovators to apply for 100,000 dollars ( N361,000,000) Anzisha Prize for young innovators to be self-employed through storytelling sessions.

    Obioha said this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja.

    According to him, the storytelling sessions will be held at campuses to give students first-hand account of opportunities such as Anzisha Prize and work toward being entrepreneurs upon graduating.

    “The Anzisha Prize gives very young African Entrepreneurs seed funding as well as comprehensive business and individual support to help them grow their businesses.

    “The programme will ensure that 15 finalists from across Africa win a spot in a lifelong fellowship that will help to accelerate their path to entrepreneurship success.

    “The first step in this journey is all-expenses paid trip to a 10-day long entrepreneurship workshop and conference at the African Leadership Academy campus in the outskirt of Johannesburg, South Africa.

    “The grand prize winners, selected from these finalists, will share prizes worth 100,000 dollars (approximately N36 million),” he said.

    According to the director, the lead storyteller is Bakang Tonje, an Anzisha fellow and one of the mentors in the organisation.

    “He is reaching out to say he is the brand ambassador for the Anzisha Prize which gives equity-free funding to really young entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 22.

    “ We invited him to come to Nigeria, to universities and interact with the young people who believe at building the future,” he said.

    In a separate interview, Tonje urged students and young innovators to be passionate to solve problems affecting their immediate communities with globally acceptable solutions.

    “The Anzisha Prize gives very young African Entrepreneurs seed funding as well as comprehensive business and individual support to help them grow their businesses.

    “The students need to emphasise on building businesses of their own, create job for others and ultimately, solve problems peculiar to their immediate communities in order to qualify for Anzisha Prize.

    “I am a living witness and I am here to let them know they too can do it if I could do it then,” he said.

    However, Tonje, the Chief Executive Officer of Afrostream Company said innovators within labour market could negotiate with their employer on how to commercialise their ideas and hold equity in the business.

    Also another storyteller, Chris Kwekowe, 2015 Anzisha Prize winner of 25,000 dollars (N9. 1 million) and Co Founder, Slatecube, a digital talent accelerator, urged students to prioritise entrepreneurship.

    “Entrepreneurs need scalable team that will actually help them move from point zero to point one.

    “For them to achieve that, they may have to work with other entrepreneurs with knowledge on how to actually run a business.

    “There is need to develop talents that can help industries build their businesses, entrepreneurs should dig deep and remain steadfast with their ideas to fill such gap,” he said.

    NAN reports that millions of graduates are produced yearly from tertiary institutions across the African continent but with huge shortage of job opportunities.

    The foundation started storytelling session at Bingham University, Karu on Monday, while another session was held at the University of Lagos on June 12, while others will soon be held.

    Some undergraduates who attended the session in Karu commended the idea.

    Patrick Obi, a 400 level student at BHU, Karu said, “the programme is really interesting. I believe that entrepreneurship is the gateway for Africa to move forward.

    “I believe working for people or organisation after graduation doesn’t give enough progress to the society,” he concluded.

    Fikayo Odugbemi, another 400 level student of BHU, Karu, said “the session reignited my belief that entrepreneurship helps a nation develop.

    “It looks scary but it worth going into. I look forward to becoming an entrepreneur in the educational sector,” she said. (NAN)

  • Gov Wike pledges peaceful LG poll in Rivers

    Gov Wike pledges peaceful LG poll in Rivers

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says he has  received assurances from heads of security agencies in the state that adequate measures are in place to ensure a peaceful local council poll.

    A media aide to the governor,  Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, in a statement on Thursday quoted Wike as saying that government  would “hold the security agencies professionally accountable should insecurity be experienced in the state in the course of the election.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there are 23 local government areas, 319 electoral wards and 4,442 polling units in Rivers.

    The governor also urged community leaders and members of the public to be alert  and report suspicious characters and movements in their neighbourhoods  to law enforcement agencies.

    “Also, the security agencies have definite instructions to strictly enforce the restrictions on human and vehicular movement on election day and arrest any person or group of persons that violate this order.

    “All those who have no official business with conducting the election should therefore stay away from the polling units after casting their votes or risk arrest and prosecution,’’ he said.

    According to the governor,  there is no legal instrument stopping the conduct of  Saturday’s election in the state.

    “As things stand now, we have no other choice but to conduct the local government election and allow democracy to settle and thrive once again at the grassroots and drive the development of our communities.

    “I can confirm to you that the election will take place as scheduled in all the 4,442 units, 319 wards and 23 local government areas of the state as there is no legal obstacle significant enough to warrant otherwise.

    “Let me therefore appeal to all registered voters to turn out in their numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice.

    “This is a civic responsibility you must exercise in order to rekindle the touch of democracy, good governance and accountability in the local government system.

    “I am very pleased with the information that 67 out of the 68 registered political parties have fielded candidates for the election  and are therefore participating,’’ Wike said.

    He expressed happiness with the assurances by  the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RVSIEC) that it would conduct free, fair and credible election on Saturday.

    “For us, this is an irreducible minimum and we demand nothing less as government will hold the commission strictly accountable for any act  or omission  that compromise the integrity of both the process and the election,’’ Wike said.

    In a broadcast to the people of  the state,  the governor  had given  reasons for the delay in the conduct of the election.

    “After three years of legal vacillation,  it is now clear that the subject matter or fundamental interest of the claimants in that case has practically been wasted by effluxion of  time.

    “ And whatever remedies derivable by the parties, if any, can only be nominal.

    “While the legal challenge continues, the people of Rivers State are denied their rights to freely elect officers to run the councils democratically.

    “However, as things stand now, we have no other choice but to conduct the local government election and allow democracy to settle and thrive once again at the grassroots and drive the development of our communities,’’ he said. (NAN)

     

  • INEC suspends CVR in Bassa and Dekina communities in Kogi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has  suspended the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in some communities in Bassa and Dekina Local Government Areas of Kogi.

    The state’s  Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam,  who announced this during a press conference in Lokoja on Wednesday,  blamed the development on persistent violent clashes within  the affected communities.

    Apam also disclosed that the commission has had cause to suspend the exercise in Omala Local Government sometimes  this year for similar reason

    He said that the communities where the exercise was  being put on hold were unsafe for  INEC staff to work there.

    “ We believe that the security agencies and traditional rulers are aware of these security breaches and are taking steps to bring them to an end,” Apam said.

    According to him, a quick return of normalcy to the communities will enable INEC officials to go and capture the particulars of eligible voters and replace lost voter cards.

    The commissioner,  however, said that 245,195 new voters have been registered in the state since the commencement of  CVR in April last year.

    Apam said that the new registrants were made up of 123,877 males and 121,318 female while the commission had also treated 9,774 applications for transfer and  12,123 cases of damaged or defaced permanent voter cards.

    The REC further explained that 59, 078 voter cards had been issued to those who registered before the 2015 general elections, adding  that 200,429 cards were still lying uncollected.

    He said that the office had also  taken delivery of newly printed 112 , 333 permanent voter cards as well as cards  for those who had newly registered  and those who applied for inter-state transfer of their cards from April to December 2017.

    Apam regretted that only 7,943 of the newly printed 112,333 voter cards had been collected as at Tuesday,  appealing to traditional  rulers, press and registered political parties to assist in mobilising Nigerians to collect their cards.

    He also said that the INEC was making arrangements to take  issuance of  PVCs  closer to the people.

  • Mourinho confident England will impress in Russia

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed England to shine at the World Cup due to the depth of experience in the squad.

    “They have a good group of young but experienced players,’’ Mourinho told British media.

    “All of them play in the most competitive competition in the world, the English Premier League.

    “All of them also playing for the best teams with experience of playing in the Champions League, which is a high level of football, obviously.’’

    Mourinho said favourites Brazil and Germany had the most balanced squads and he did not expect the World Cup to see a shock winner in Russia.

    “They have good squads but good squads don’t always make good teams… (but) I don’t think the underdogs will make a big surprise,’’ he added.

    “In the end, the top teams in South America and Europe are the ones that will be fighting for the title.’’ (Reuters/NAN)

  • Commission approves 3,665 police officers promotion

    Commission approves 3,665 police officers promotion

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 3,665 senior police officers.

    The commission’s Head, Press and Public Relations, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that approval for the promotion was one of the high points of the commission’s 28th Plenary Meeting which was held in Abuja on June 8.

    He said that two commissioners of police, Igbodo David, who is in charge of Legal department at the Force Headquarters and Olalekan Abdulfatai, were promoted to substantive Assistant Inspectors-General of Police.

    Ani said 16 Deputy Commissioners of Police were also promoted to commissioners of police.

    He said that the commission also approved the promotion of 13 Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners, 60 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners and 631 Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents.

    The spokesman said that 820 Deputy Superintendents of Police were promoted to substantive Superintendents, while 1,922 Assistant Superintendents of Police, ASPs, promoted to Deputy Superintendents.

    Others promoted include 201 Inspectors who were promoted to Assistant Superintendents of police.

    “The commission also approved confirmation of appointments of 42 officers of different ranks, approved acting appointment for another 73 and converted 1,060 Specialists to General Duty,” he said.

    He said that the approvals have been forwarded by the commission to the I-G for implementation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was the last official function of the chairman of the commission, Mr Mike Okiro whose tenure came to an end on Monday, June 11.

  • President Buhari to sign 2018 budget next week

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2018 budget next week.

    Adesina said this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The President’s Media Aide briefed the correspondents alongside the Ministers of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole and that of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah.

    “The position on the 2018 budget is that it will be signed next week.

    “You will be told the specific date, but one thing we are sure of is that the budget will be signed next week,’’ Adesina said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Presidency had on May 25 confirmed the receipt of the 2018 Appropriation Bill from the National Assembly.

    This came more than six months after it was presented before the joint session of the legislative house.

    The senate had increased the 2018 budget from N8.612 trillion as proposed by President Buhari to N9.12 trillion.

    The senate also increased the crude oil benchmark price pegged for the budget from 45 dollars per barrel to 50.5 dollars per barrel.

    Read also: NASS transmits budget to President