₦airaland Forum

Press Release

You Are A Cheap Blackmailer - Group Slams Ben Bruce

Our attention has been drawn to the baseless, cheap and careless allegation leveled against uncommon Senator Godswill Akpabio by Twitter-Senator Ben Bruce claiming that Chief Akpabio masterminded the incidence that took place at the National Assemble today.

How can a Senator with the right frame of mind allege that Chief Akpabio is the instigator of the crisis that took place at the National Assembly and then rely on such cheap blackmail to petion the American and the British Embassies in Nigeria; asking them to revoke uncommon Senator Akpabio's visas.

If dishonourable Senator Ben Bruce has any personal issue with Chief Akpabio, we ask him to look elsewhere to express his bitter feelings towards him and not use the incidence at the National Assembly to blackmail him cheaply.

Senator Akpabio has served this country in various capacities and has never been found wanton or involved in any undemocratic process and we therefore wonder how dishonourable Senator Ben Bruce came up with his false allegation against him.

Hence, we found the allegation by dishonourable Senator Ben Bruce against Chief Akpabio as not only offensive but also a desperate attempt to discredit and disparage him before the right thinking members of the public.

We understand that Ben Bruce has some issues to settle with the Federal Government concerning his mind boggling debt to the Asset Management Company of Nigeria and is desperately looking for a helper who will help him avoid being declared bankrupt as well as taking over his companies.

We therefore urge the American and the British Embassies in Nigeria to ignore dishonourable Senator Bruce over his senseless utterances as that is a sign of a drowning man.

From his various utterances, we are not sure if he does not have an infirmity of the mind because we have watched him over the years and have not seen any meaningful contribution from him other than sleeping around with our young girls in the name of organising beauty pageants.

We therefore advice Mr. Ben Bruce to consult his Doctor before his madness goes out of control.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/you-are-cheap-blackmailer-group-slams.html

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday sacked the erstwhile Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS), Lawal Daura, in the aftermath of the siege on the National Assembly by security operatives acting on his instruction.


Sequel to Daura’s summary dismissal, Osinbajo approved the appointment of Mr. Matthew Seiyefa as the Acting DG of the DSS.

Below is a brief profile of the Acting DG of DSS, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa:


1. Seiyefa hails from Bayelsa State.

2. Before his new appointment, he was Daura’s deputy, being the most senior director in the DSS.

3. He had served as the Director, Institute of Security Studies, Abuja.


4. Seiyefa has about 34 years of experience on the job, and had also served in different capacities, including as State Director in Osun, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos.

5. He is married with children.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/5-things-to-know-about-new-dg-of-dss.html

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has said Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is fast losing its relevance, given the realities of today’s marketplace.According to the body, an economy like Nigeria that depends largely on the sector was taking an uncalculated risk, as the end might be catastrophic.

It stressed the need to diversify oil-dependent economies like Nigeria “at this stage of our development and its imperative in securing our future.”Speaking at the 42nd Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2018) in Lagos, the chairman, SPE Nigeria Council, Chikezie Nwosu, said: “In the next half-century or less, the place of oil and gas in the global market may not be very much favourable for such an undiversified economy as ours.

“This is the right time (some say, we may already be running late) to effectively take advantage of the oil and gas industry to drive other sectors of the economy, such as gas, to power our gas-based industries, manufacturing, agro-allied, alternative and renewable energy, banking, ICT, public health, among others, to full maturity and self sustainability.”

The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Diversification of the Nigerian Economy: The Oil & Gas Industry as an Enabler. Nwosu noted that the energy sector remained pivotal in shaping economic development globally. This, he added, was especially so for Nigeria, whose bulk of export earnings is derived from crude oil.
“To remain competitive and relevant in the global economy, the position of the oil and gas industry as the bedrock of the Nigerian economy requires a paradigm shift from a consumer product to an enabler for diversifying the economy,” the SPE boss advised.
Meanwhile, after decades of difficulties in Nigeria over crude theft, pollution and oil-related corruption, Royal Dutch Shell Plc is still optimistic that fossil fuel can improve life in the country.
The Anglo-Dutch oil major wants to develop Nigeria’s domestic energy market around natural gas.According to the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas, Ed Ubong, it is plentiful, harder to steal, better for the environment and can underpin a robust industrial sector that could potentially employ thousands,”
He believes that Shell has done the groundwork to set up a gas-based system, and that the organisation’s influence and large balance sheet can transform Nigeria’s population into a new market, according to a Bloomberg report.
“Imagine if you held maybe $100 million in the United States, would it convince you to set up a factory in Nigeria?” Ubong asked in an interview at Shell’s compound in Port Harcourt.“The first thought companies have is: Do I have power?” he concluded.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/oil-sector-fast-losing-attraction-says.html

The Central Bank of Nigeria has hinted about plans to increase the interest rate as it hopes to tighten the monetary policy in response to higher inflation ahead of the general elections in February.

A Bloomberg report on Tuesday quoted a CBN Deputy Governor, Dr Joseph Nnanna, as giving the indication on Monday on the sidelines of a conference in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.


Already, he said virtually all members of the Monetary Policy Committee had supported the idea, that “the Monetary Policy Rate should increase if inflationary pressures build up.”

But finance and economic experts have expressed divergent views on the issue with those opposed to the idea saying increasing the MPR would make it difficult for businesses to raise funds.

According to the report, the MPC has held its key rate at a record 14 per cent since 2016 in a bid to prop up the naira and tame inflation after it spiked to double digits in the same year. While price growth has since slowed to below the monetary policy rate, the panel has shifted from some members voting for rate cuts in January to three of 10 members favouring higher rates at the July meeting.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, flagged the delayed passage of the 2018 budget of N9.12tn ($25bn) and pre-election spending as possible price risks in the second half of the year. Nigerians will go to the polls in February next year for a vote in which President Muhammadu Buhari will seek another term.

Nnanna said, “These factors would warrant a rate increase to send the right signal to the public, that the central bank will tighten policy to respond to higher inflation. There’s a scope to raise rates before the elections in February.”

He reportedly voted for a 50 basis-point increase in May. While the individual member statements from the July MPC meeting have not been released, one person voted for 25 basis-point hike and two wanted to raise the rate by 50 basis points.

“The central bank is still in the mood for tightening. How fast are we going to tighten is what members haven’t agreed upon,” he said.

Nnanna said while policy tightening by the United States Federal Reserve was a concern, investors still saw Nigeria as an attractive market, thanks to the stable naira and the yield curve on fixed-income instruments higher than in the US or Europe.


“I am not worried about reversal of capital flows. If any investor wants to exit the market, we shall meet them at the door and write a cheque and give them their money,” he said

Reacting to the issue, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, a former Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Chijioke Ekechukwu, said while tightening would help curtail the threat of inflation, the burden that would arise as a result of high cost of funds would be transferred to consumers.

He said, “An increase in the interest rate is to achieve a specific goal. It’s either to reduce inflation or to protect the foreign exchange market by reducing importation. Once interest rate increases, it wants to curb importation and protect the local currency because people will not have enough money from banks at cheaper rate.

“When businessmen and women have cheaper funds from banks, there will be so much request for foreign currency. On the other hand, Nigerians would have expected that they would reduce interest rate because when interest rates are increased, the impact will still be on the consumers. It will affect the inflating rate as a matter of fact but the businesses will pass the ultimate costs on consumers and they are the ones that will suffer everything when the rates are increased.”

Also speaking, a professor of finance at the Nasarawa State University, Uche Uwaleke, said the threat of election spending, which might impact negatively on inflation, could force the apex bank to increase the interest rate.

He said, “Single-digit inflation would justify easing monetary policy. This is not yet the case. The impact of largely unproductive expected election spending on inflation has to be factored in. Reducing the MPR may not necessarily translate to lower lending rates by the banks to the real sectors due to poor transmission mechanism from structural rigidities.

“On the other hand, increasing the policy rate will increase cost of funds for businesses, lower productivity and most likely increase non-performing loans for banks since they are likely to re-price their assets.”

The President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr Uche Olowu, said the MPC would be taking a right step by increasing the interest rates.

Olowu, who described it as a wise decision, said an increase in interest rate was necessary to compensate for loss of value.

He said the next necessary thing to do when inflation rates start rising would be to raise the interest rates so that money would not lose value.

According to him, there is currently too much money in the economy because of electioneering activities, which will bring about liquidity and eventually raise inflation.

Olowu said, “So, to counter that, interest rates have to be raised. However, the rates should be increased after the elections, and not before. If they increase now, this current government would be of the view that they want them to lose the election, or that they are working for opposition parties. After the election, there is nothing to lose.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/cbn-may-increase-interest-rate-soon.html

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has described today’s invasion of the National Assembly(NASS) by armed security men as a coup against democracy as well as Nigeria and its people, saying those with history of collapsing democracy in the country must not be allowed to truncate it now. The governor, who reacted to NASS invasion through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Nigeria was obviously under the worse government in its history.
Governor Fayose said events of late had proven the unprecedented desperation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC government, adding that “the sack of the Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura is only face-saving, having failed in their coup-de-tat to topple the leadership of the National Assembly.” He said; “Today is a sad day for Nigeria. It is a sad day for democracy and it is a day that all Nigerians must begin ask what took us to this ignoble state as country and people. Nigerians should ask whether there would have been this APC government if the PDP government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had acted this way. “I warned Nigerians not to elect President Muhammadu Buhari because he lacked the required democratic credentials to operate in a democratic society. Even when they started with the invasion of the Akwa-Ibom State government house and later the Ekiti State House of Assembly, some of those who should know then still pretended as if all was well. “In Ekiti, the government house was invaded by armed security men, I was attacked, my deputy was attacked, and the will of the people was subverted. Yet, some people still never saw the danger being posed to our democracy. “Today, we have all seen the results of our silence when this reign of tyranny started. They first sent our economy into recession and they have now plunged democracy into recession. “Today is a sad commentary for democracy in Nigeria and it has gotten to a level that all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community must rise and wrestle the country from the hands of those who truncated democracy in 1983 and are threatening it now.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/attack-on-nass-coup-against-democracy.html

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday, says that Nigeria needs N4 billion to tackle infectious diseases.

Ihekweazu said this at the launch of Alliance for Epidemic Preparedness and Response (A4EPR) in Lagos.The launch of A4EPR is aimed at getting major stakeholders in the health sector to combat infectious diseases.

The alliance is an initiative of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PHN) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).


The PHN is in alliance with NCDC and a coalition of private sector which has in its fold: Dangote Group Plc., MTN Nigeria, Total Nigeria, Shell Foundation and Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The mission of the group is to seek a way forward in bringing intervention to the risk of infectious diseases, draw attention to the need of innovative partnerships in health emergency.

The group also seeks to introduce to the private sector and key stakeholders to the alliance of A4EPR and secure forward commitment and pledge of private sector toward health security.

The NCDC boss, who stressed the need for urgent moves to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, said “Nigeria actually needs about N4 billion to combat infectious diseases. This does not mean that all the monies must come from government; the private sector has a role to play.

“There is the need for financial assistance in critical segments of combating infectious diseases such as infrastructure and equipment which needs about N1.8 billion.

“The infrastructure and equipment are responsible for the machines and test variables while we also need response and logistics of about N700 million.

“In Emergency Stockpile, we need N600 million, for Technology and Innovation segment, we need N600 million, Capacity Development needs N200 million, while Advocacy and Community engagement will require N100 million.”

Ihekweazu said that the agency was mandated with the task of enhancing the countrys preparedness and response to epidemics.

He added that “we are responsible for the prevention, detection and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

“The core mandate of the NCDC is to detect, investigate, prevent and control diseases of national and international public health importance.

“We played leading role in the response to the outbreak of Lassa fever, Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) Cholera, Yellow Fever and Monkey Pox.

“For now, we need to be deliberate in our actions because we are not sure of the next outbreak, so we need to have all the facilities intact and also get enough funding.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/nigeria-needs-n4bn-to-tackle-infectious.html

Sterling Bank Plc, has reported a 63.4 per cent surge in net profit for the first half (H1) ended June 30, 2018.

The lender reported a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N6.2 billion and gross earnings of N77.6billion against PAT of N3.8billion on gross earnings of N57.1 billion during the corresponding period of 2017.

The Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Abubakar Suleiman, said: “We sustained our momentum in the second quarter, delivering solid growth across key financial indices.


We also achieved a 35.9 per cent growth in gross earnings to N77.6billion from N57.1billion in the second quarter of 2017.

“This was largely driven by a 25.1 per cent growth in interest income and a 56.5 per cent growth in transaction banking revenues, emphasizing our commitment to our retail drive.”

Suleiman disclosed that net operating income was up 29.1 per cent, on the back of a 54.8 percent reduction in impairment charges.

“Sterling Bank experienced significant improvement in asset quality as cost of risk declined further by 86 basis points to 0.8 per cent from 1.6 per cent in June 2017, reflecting the strength of our risk management framework.

Overall, Profit after Tax rose by 64.8 per cent to N6.2billion resulting in a 370-basis point increase in Return on Average Equity to 12.2 per cent.”

During H1 2018, the bank launched disruptive market offerings that included Farepay, Specta, and Sterling One Pay.

The most recent innovation, One Pay, is an upgrade of its mobile and internet banking solution in line with its digitisation drive, and promise to continuously innovate to meet customers’ evolving needs.

One Pay is designed to create an omni-channel experience for users by integrating both web-based Internet and mobile banking solutions.

In addition, the bank’s commitment to partnerships also resulted in the deployment of I-invest, a first-of-its-kind investment app that allows retail customers instant access to treasury bills.

I-invest eliminates entry barriers such as lack of education and information to make smart investment decisions and the ability to get a broker and/or time required to visit banks to fill forms for treasury bills.

On the prospect of the bank for the second half of the year, Suleiman said Sterling Bank would continue to explore and exploit opportunities already identified across the growth sectors of the economy while actively supporting special intervention and social investment programmes.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/sterling-bank-records-634-per-cent-half.html

Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried what it called the harassment of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, opposition leaders, and voices of dissent by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led-Federal Government.

PDP’s allegation came barely minutes after Senate President Bukola Saraki returned to PDP which he left in 2014.

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday in Abuja, accused the government of misusing the anti-graft and security agencies close to the 2019 general election.

Ologbondiyan said that the current development posed a grave threat to the nation’s democracy and urged the international community to stop the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration before it becomes too late.

He party was reacting to what it described as a witch-hunt against Ekweremadu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Just a few days after the EFCC and over 200 policemen practically held Ekweremadu hostage to prevent the defection of the APC Senators to the PDP, the EFCC has continued to harass Ekweremadu to cover its shame.

“We wish to remind Nigerians and the international community that this is only the newest in the series of attempts to destroy the senator
politically in the run up to the 2019 general elections.

“It is of grave concern to us that while corruption and corrupt persons abound in the APC, the EFCC prefers to chase after innocent members of
the opposition.”

He said while scores of APC members with corruption and fraud-related charges walk free, the anti-graft agencies had continued to harass and dent leaders of the opposition in the name of anti-corruption war.

It warned the APC administration to desist from “highhandedness and witch-hunt of the opposition” in order not truncate the country’s democracy.

“The APC government cannot be allowed to tarnish and destroy opposition leaders just a few months to the general election in the name of fighting corruption,” Ologbondiyan said.

Full details at[url] http://www.akelicious.net/2018/08/stop-harassing-us-pdp-warns.html[/url]

The Kaduna State High Court has freed about 100 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites group, that were arrested at various locations following a clash between the group and the Nigerian Army in December 2015.

Justice Shiri Nyom in his judgement discharged and acquitted the sect members of the charges levelled against them as contained in a Press Statement signed by the President Media Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa and made available to newsmen in Kaduna.

According to the statement, “This judgement has not only vindicated the members of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, but it is certainly a victory for perseverance in the face of extreme persecution. It is a victory for truth and justice against tyranny and impunity.”


The Islamic Movement further stated, “It will be recalled that the Kaduna state government sued almost about 200 members of the Islamic Movement after an attack on the Movement by the Nigerian Army in December 2015 which led to the killing of over a thousand souls, including three sons of the Sheikh Zakzaky, his elder sister and a nephew.


"The attack was sequel to the unlawful invasion of the privacy of their residence and eventual destruction of the house completely. This has been aptly described by several human rights bodies as a massacre. To worsen these flagrant crimes against humanity, bodies of all the hundreds killed were hurriedly and secretly buried in mass graves about 100km away from the scene, apparently in a shoddy attempt at hiding the crime and its magnitude.”


The sect group reiterated its call for the release of its leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife who have equally been in the custody of the Director of State Services (DSS).


“We are all aware of the crude tactics of the Kaduna state government led by Malam Nasir el-Rufai all in his devilish plots at perpetuating the persecution against the Islamic Movement and the continued detention as well as incommunicado of Sheikh Zakzaky and his ailing wife in spite of previous court judgement ordering their immediate release from detention, thereby further flaunting his fundamental rights and rights to liberty.


"With this victory in the court today, the false charges filed against them of aiding and abetting the culpable homicide has been punctured for good. We await the response of the Kaduna state government as Sheikh Zakzaky’s case comes up in the next two days. We expect them to respect the judgement of this honourable court and the course of justice to withdraw the fake charges against him and release him with immediate effect.


“As a peaceful Movement, we have kept to our clean tradition of seeking redress through peaceful means without any resort to violence despite deliberate and persistent provocations by the government. Today, Kaduna state government has again failed in court after a fair trial. We therefore give praises to the Almighty Allah for yet another successful outing, which further proves to the world that the Movement and its leader are only victims of impunity and mischievous plots by the El-Rufai-led government,” according to the statement.


The IMN thanked all those that stood by it throughout the trial.


Reacting to the judgement in a statement, Attorney-General/Commissioner of Justice, Hajiya Umma Hikima said the state will appeal the acquittal of IMN members.


She expressed the dissatisfaction of ministry with the ruling of the Honourable Court which she described as perverse and totally lacking in merit saying, "The ruling shall be appealed immediately at the Kaduna Judicial Division of the Court."


According to the statement, "In prosecuting the case, the State called 47 witnesses and tendered several exhibits. The prosecution believes that a compelling case was argued. Therefore, an appeal will be filed to challenge the ruling of the court.


"On 22nd March 2016, after conclusion of investigation by the Nigeria Police, the Kaduna Government through the Attorney General’s Chambers filed a five count charge of Criminal Conspiracy, Culpable Homicide, Unlawful Assembly, Disturbance of Public Peace and Wrongful Restraint under sections 97, 221, 114, 100 and 106 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 1991 respectively against almost 200 members of the sect that were arrested by the Army in Zaria at the scene of crime."


She lamented that the court delivered its ruling and, despite the quality of evidence placed before the Honourable Court, ruled in favour of the accused persons and held that the totality of the evidence led by the prosecution before the court is not sufficient to warrant the accused to be called upon to enter their defence.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/armyshiite-clash-kaduna-high-court.html

International oil firm, ExxonMobil, has engaged the National Basketball Association (NBA) and an international Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Africare to teach about 300 students from 10 secondary schools in Abuja about how best to live healthily.

The youth development program which focuses on developing life skills and raising public health awareness among high school youths,recently took place in Abuja, with students from Government Model Secondary School, Maitama; Rahinna Model College, Jikwoyi; Raberto Schools, Wuse II; Divine Mercy Secondary School, Asokoro; and Glisten International School, Jahi, in attendance.


Also, in attendance at the programme were students from Bicardos International School, Kubwa; Government Secondary School, Karu; Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3; Government Secondary School, Garki; and Government Secondary School, Airport.

At the event, ExxonMobil disclosed it has continued to be a corporate leader in the fight to reduce the global burden of malaria.

It explained the programme – Power Forward – uses the game of basketball to teach and mentor 300 students from 10 secondary schools annually in Abuja.


Power Forward, it explained was in its fifth year, and teaches health literacy and life skills such as leadership; respect; and personal responsibility through basketball and other programming to positively impact Nigerian secondary school students.

According to the oil company, in 2017, the program reached over 12,000 youth in schools and vulnerable communities with life skills information; distributed 3,700 bed nets; established 20 hand wash stations to promote hygiene; and promoted exemplary leadership skills

It further stated that while 10 secondary schools participated at the 2018 edition of the programme, it has however reached about 30 schools in Abuja to date.

In a brief of the programme shared with Akelicious, ExxonMobil said it was inaugurated in Abuja on November 19, 2013, with a tip-off event featuring NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) representatives, Nigerian policymakers and influential personalities.

It noted that the NBA players and legends who had participated in the program to date include former NBA players; Hakeem Olajuwon; Olumide Oyedeji; Kelenna Azubuike; Jerome Williams; and Obinna Ekezie who is also the current chief executive of Wakanow.

For the WNBA, it noted that All-Stars Swin Cash and Chiney Ogwumike and former WNBA player, Mactabene Amachree, have all graced the program.

ExxonMobil, equally noted that its supported programs have since 2000, distributed more than 14 million bed nets, nearly three million diagnostic tests and more than four million anti-malarial treatments, thus reaching more than 125 million people worldwide.

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the challenges were not insurmountable, adding that a holistic approach alone would set the pace for an enduring solution to resolve the challenges.

He categorised the challenges under three bands which he said were transaction framework; operational issues; as well as policy and regulatory concerns, Okoh explained that solutions proffered without a thorough diagnosis of the issues would fall through in the course of time.

He reaffirmed the Bureau’s dedication to the success of the sector towards ensuring improved electricity supply to the nation.

Similarly, the statement quoted the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Shadimu Mutiu, to have given an assurance of the committee’s support towards the success of the sector.


Mutiu, reportedly said that only a joint effort could bring about the much needed progress sought by all parties involved in the sector.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/oil-firm-exxonmobil-provide-recipe-for.html

From the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), N25 billion loans are coming for non-oil exporters.

Chief Executive Officer of NEXIM bank Abba Bello said beneficiaries of the loan include “exporters of agricultural and value-added products, who submitted applications for stocking facilities and working capital to enable them execute their export contracts.”

This decision was taken after the review of applications under the Export Development Fund (EDF) at the Board of Directors meeting yesterday.

The managing director added that “these projects, which are distributed across the country with nation-wide impact, cut across various sectors/industries including Cocoa, Cashew, Sesame Seed, Gum Arabic and Leather products.”


Bello explained that the loan “disbursements will commence immediately to maximize the benefits of the export season towards achieving the economic diversification objectives of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari under the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP).”

The total amount approved is expected to support about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs and facilitate foreign exchange inflow of about $100million from non-oil exports.

Earlier in the year, the CBN established the N50 billion Export Development Fund to be disbursed at single digit, which is currently being managed by NEXIM.

Following the inauguration of a new Board in March, Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, charged the Board to ensure that the institution achieves its mandate of diversifying the foreign exchange earnings of the Nigerian economy.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/n25b-loan-for-non-oil-exporters.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged all its members who joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) to return “home” and salvage the nation.

It also warmly welcomed Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, back to its fold.
In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan National Publicity Secretary, in Abuja following the announcement made by the governor, the party hailed him for showing “patriotic courage and boldness in these times of brazen dictatorship.”
It said the return of the Governor to PDP confirms the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led-administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not have the welfare of Nigerians at heart, as they have continually offer flimsy excuses over the mindless killings that have caused untold sorrows across the country, particularly, Benue State.
It added: “Painfully, Nigerians are being slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, nearly on daily basis.”
The PDP commanded Ortom for standing firm by the people of Benue State and refusing to mortgage their welfare to a government that has consistently demonstrated cluelessness.
The party urged the governor to be rest assured that he will be accorded his dues and rights as a member of the PDP.
The PDP added: “The return of Governor Ortom to our party, which is a reflection of his people’s desires further confirms the rejection of the Buhari -led APC administration by Nigerians.
“It also buttresses the fact that PDP remains the viable platform for all Nigerians that are desirous of rescuing our nation from the gross Mis-governance and authoritarianism exhibited by the APC-led administration.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/come-back-home-pdp-begs-former-members.html

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State has urged intending pilgrims from the state to be good ambassadors by abiding strictly to the laws of Saudi Arabia while in the holy land.

El-Rufa’i made the call while addressing the first batch of the state’s 2018 intending pilgrims who left for Saudi Arabia on Thursday morning to perform this year’s pilgrimage.

”Kaduna State is known for order and discipline and I can say that the intending pilgrims have exhibited that since they arrived in the camp.

“I urge you all to also exhibit the good conduct in Saudi Arabia and be good ambassadors of Kaduna and Nigeria,” he said.

He said the State Government had strived to ensure that preparations for this year’s pilgrimage were smooth and thanked all those involved in achieving the feat.

”Our government has put in place measures which have improved the management of Hajj affairs and strengthened its operations,” he said.

The governor was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas.

The Overseer, Kaduna State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Imam Husayn Ikara, said a total of 6,713 persons were expected to perform this year’s pilgrimage from the state.

He said the first batch was made up of 560 intending pilgrims from Zaria and Giwa local government areas.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/el-rufai-urges-intending-pilgrims-to-be.html

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it had successfully completed the in-house life extension programme on one of its C-130H aircraft, NAF 913, thereby improving the airlift capability of the service.

NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to Adesanya, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had said that NAF would continue to intensify efforts at reactivating unserviceable aircraft in its inventory to enhance its operational effectiveness.

The NAF spokesman said that Abubakar stated this while assessing the progress of work on the in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) of another NAF’s C-130 aircraft at 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot (ACMD) in Lagos.

Abubakar noted that the reactivation of NAF 913 was another major feat recorded by the current NAF leadership to further improve NAF’s capability to provide logistics support across multiple theatres of operations.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the enabling environment for NAF to raise the serviceability status of NAF operable aircraft from about 31 per cent in 2015 to an average of 80 per cent as at date.

Adesanya said the Commander at 631 ACMD, Air Commodore Moses Onilede, told Abubakar that the Depot had also successfully overhauled two C-130H aircraft engines, while the in-country Periodic Deport Maintenance(PDM) of the second C-130H, NAF 917, had reached an advanced stage.

He said Abubakar commissioned two newly-completed and furnished officers’ residential quarters at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base (SEAFB), Ikeja, and the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC), Oshodi.

He reiterated the commitment of the present administration toward meeting the welfare needs of personnel.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/air-force-reactivates-c-130h-aircraft.html

Reports reaching Akelicious from Abuja have it that officials of the Department of State Security Services, (DSS), the Police as well as the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday morning laid siege to the residence of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Abuja.


This is coming also after the Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s home was locked down by police officers and his convoy prevented from leaving the premises to attend to the invitation by the Inspector General of Police, Idris K. Ibrahim.

The reason behind their action is unclear at the moment as the officials have reportedly prevented the lawmakers from going out.


Confirming the development, Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan wondered why the security operatives were after the lawmakers.

He tweeted, “Security operatives block Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu,’s residence in Apo, Abuja… Senate President Bukola Saraki already invited by the Police by 8am… Is this a democracy?”

Full reports at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/breaking-police-efcc-dss-take-over.html

As part of its strategic drive to strengthen business partnerships between Nigeria and China, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, recently organised the FirstBank-Chinese Business forum.

Themed: Deepening Sino-Nigerian Cooperation the Forum was organised as part of the overarching strategy by the Bank to drive business conversations and the promotion of business and economic partnerships between Nigeria and China.

Only recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria reached a currency swap agreement with the Peoples Bank of China, in order to ease the burden of the liquidity issues faced by Nigerian business owners and Chinese manufacturers.


Notably, FirstBank is among the four banks appointed as settlement banks in the deal.

As such, the FirstBank-Chinese business forum is one of the bank’s efforts to drive better customer services culture as part of its service excellence initiative.

The Group Chairman, CIG Motors, Diana Chen, was among the panellists at the plenary session that discussed the recently signed currency swap deal between the Chinese and the Nigeria governments, Lekki free trade zone, and other collaboration between Nigeria and China.

FirstBank’s Group Executive, Treasury & Financial Institutions, Ini Ebong; Head, Foreign Banking Services, Ayotunde Fanimokun; and Group Head, Products & Marketing Support, Abiodun Famuyiwa, joined in the plenary session with the Chinese industrialist.

Speaking, the Managing Director/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited & Subsidiaries, Adesola Adeduntan, said: “The business relationship between China and Nigeria is of great importance to us, hence the establishment of our Representative Office in Beijing, China in 2010. “

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/firstbank-chinese-business-forum.html

===The Debt Management Office (DMO) says the Federal Government will issue another Green Bond to finance capital projects in the 2018 budget before end of the year.

Ms Patience Oniha, DMO Director-General, at the listing ceremony of the pioneer FGN N10.69 billion Green Bond in Lagos, however said the amount to be raised in the second tranche had not been determined by government.

===The Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service says it generated N176.75 billion in the first half of 2018, from the N165.74 billion it generated during the same period in 2017.

The command’s Spokesperson, Mrs Nkeiruka Nwala, said the increase in revenue was due to the implementation of the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II, which had blocked revenue leakages in cargo clearance procedures.

===The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company says it has expended N10 billion on the procurement and installation of certified prepaid meters for its customers within the South-East.

The company’s Head of Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh said it inherited more than 700,000 unmetered customers from defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, adding however that due to inadequate funds, it could not provide meters to all its customers.

===The American Business Council says Nigeria attracted a Foreign Direct Investment of not less than 1.3 billion dollars from the U.S. in 2017.

Darrel McGraw, Vice President of the council, said a survey carried out in collaboration with Accenture, KPMG, PwC and the U.S. Embassy, assessed the overall economic impact of U.S. companies in Nigeria.

===The African Union Commission says it will partner with institutions and organisations that have the capacity to fix the infrastructure deficit on the continent to ensure realisation of its Vision 2063 Goal.

The Senior Technical Advisor, Department of Trade and Industry, AUC, Dr Oswald Chinyamakabru, said the AU was committed to reducing poverty significantly in member countries.

====The German government through the German International Cooperation (GIZ) says it has committed 45.6 million Euros to support development programmes in Nigeria in the past three years.

The “Aid Information Management System’’ website, a Development Assistance Database of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning revealed that the fund was committed to new and ongoing programmes between 2015 and 2017.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/watch-video-fg-to-issue-green-bond-for.html





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLPgJP5HBxs

The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), a new faction of the APC, says the ruling party has been pleading with its members to return to its fold.

In a statement by Kazeem Afegbua, its spokesman, the breakaway faction said the APC is “dangling juicy carrots and promising them heaven and earth”.

President Muhammadu Buhari and four APC governors met with Senate President Bukola Saraki on Thursday over the crisis rocking the party.

Afegbua said Buhari promised “mouth-watering offers all in the name of re-election” to “the same leader who was ridiculed, scandalised, demonised.”

The spokesman accused the leadership of the ruling party of double standard, saying it should not be taken seriously.

After the ruling party became factionalised, Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman, had said he would not lose sleep over R-APC.

In the statement released on Sunday, Afegbua said those who claimed they would not lose sleep “have become sleepless in the last two weeks”.

He said it was too late for a reconciliation.

Below is the full statement:

We members of the R-APC find it very amusing that those who boasted that they won’t lose sleep over our altruistic action, have been hopping from door to door pleading with our members not to leave by dangling juicy carrots and promising them heaven and earth. Such level of double standard is the reason why the R-APC was birthed in the first place because the leadership is not one that keeps promises and it’s the reason why no one should take the APC serious.

It is interesting to suddenly see Mr. President holding meetings with the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, reportedly promising mouth-watering offers; the same leader who was ridiculed, scandalised, demonised, criminalised and called all sorts of names by agents of the presidency just to give the Senate President a bad name in order to hang him. As soon as the Supreme Court gave a resounding verdict on the trumped up and frivolous charges against the Senate President, Mr. President suddenly felt a need to praise the judiciary for standing on its own. Hmm, power as they truly say, must be a crazy aphrodisiac.


Never a time has the number 3 (three) citizen of Nigeria been so dehumanized, criminalised and disgraced in such whimsical manner while all the present reconciliators kept conspiratorial silence, waiting for the sledge hammer to fall on the Senate President. They tried all tricks, mounted all manner of pressures, raised all dubious allegations, just to nail the Senate President. They were short of calling him a promoter of armed robbery; they linked his name to the Offa Robbery and improvised all biles to rubbish the institution of the Legislature. They stripped him naked in the marketplace and now desperately trying to bath him with ornaments in the inner fortress of Aso Rock. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct displayed magisterial arrogance in prosecuting the Senate President, but all that fell by the wayside as the Supreme Court gave one of its landmark judgments in recent time by giving him a clean bill of health.

Pronto, all the political conspirators in the APC swoop into dubious reconciliation assignment, hopping from door to door at the thick of the night to strike deals of reconciliation. Those who said they won’t lose sleep over the R-APC, have become sleepless in the last two weeks. Does anyone need to be reminded that caveat emptor should be the operative words? Those who pleaded in the past, short of kneeling before their subordinates, ended up in the political belly of their benefactors when the re-election was concluded. It is an albatross that some people are still carrying till date. Examples abound in this our democracy and it is ringing bell in our consciousness every now and then. This government is never a promise keeper and some of the promises contained in the manifestos of the APC have been jettisoned. The president who has held himself in the inner sanctuary of the Presidential Villa is all of a sudden, opening his doors to one meeting or the other all in the name of re-election.

Just to make the point that it is too late in the day. The train has left the station. Leopards cannot change their spots no matter how much one tries to tame them. We enjoin all our members to remain steadfast and resolute in defending their rights and taking the appropriate action in defence of democracy. This democracy must survive on ethical grounds and not on lawlessness and exclusion. It must provide a level playing grounds for all participants. Those who prevented some persons from visiting their states in the name of politics, have suddenly realised that they need the services and support of those persons. They are now pleading, ready to submit to all demands. Who does not know that won’t work because examples have shown that political agreements are often observed in the breach.

This is to inform our members nationwide that we are still maintaining our stand against the APC and no amount of carrots, intimidation and harassment can dissuade us in our shared commitment to rescue this democracy.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/apc-begging-promising-us-heaven-and.html

Nigeria has championed the telecom industry to business and political audiences around the world as the next big thing paved with ease of doing business and other government cushions.

An in-depth look however, paints a different picture: the industry is beset by myriad of challenges most of them occasioned by the same government which is touting an investment haven.

No doubt, telecom has become one of the most vibrant industries in Nigeria. According to Statista, a global statistics company, there are approximately 76.2 million Nigerian internet users as of 2017; an increase of nearly 50 percent from the 2013 figure of 51.8 million.


But, the multiplicity of taxes across different tiers of government, is today hampering the growth and development of the sector.

Some of the taxes and levies include: Aviation Clearance fee, Building Permit fee, Employee Development Levy, Site levy, Operational Permit levy, Business Premises levy, Building Fitness levy, Sanitation fee, Infrastructure Maintenance fee, Tenement Rate, Signage and Advert levy, Fire Service fee, Effluent Discharge fee, Environmental/Ecological fee, Gaseous emission fee, among others.

These taxes are for the same industry that provides direct and indirect employment to thousands of Nigerians.

The industry also contributes N450 billion in form of taxes to Nigeria’s economy and accounts for nearly 10 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Yet, the telecom firms are targets of incessant harassment and fines from many quarters in the country.

Tobechukwu Okigbo, Corporate Relations Executive, MTN Nigeria, reacting to the recent disruption of his company’s operations by Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), said the “the violence and the needless destruction of property is deeply saddening. As always our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees, some of whom were attacked by supposed NLC operatives and have sustained injuries”

Elsewhere, Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has expressed concerns over the disruption of operations of MTN Nigeria, saying that “Damage to any Telecom Facilities will lead to the disruption of critical national security and economic services which will expose innocent citizens to great danger.

“Attempts have been made to disrupt the network operations of some of our members through the shut down and vandalisation of critical network facilities”

On taxation, Olusola Teniola, president, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), urged the ministry of finance to work towards harmonisation of the various taxes to stop overtaxing in the telecom industry and appealed to the governments to use the taxes to improve the lives of the citizens.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/how-heavy-taxes-harassments-hobble.html

The Muhammadu Buhari administration has concluded arrangements to deploy 300,000 new beneficiaries in the second batch of its N-Power Volunteers Corp. The deployment will be effective from 1st August.

With 200,000 beneficiaries currently benefitting from the programme, this means that by August, 500,000 unemployed Nigerian graduates will be beneficiaries of the scheme, which is a crucial part of the administration’s National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).

The N-Power Volunteer Corp scheme is designed to benefit all Nigerians irrespective of their backgrounds and is currently in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), according to Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity.

“President Muhammadu Buhari made it clear that the SIP would be a major programme of the administration because he was concerned about poverty and unemployment,” Vice President Yemi Osinbajo once said.In conjunction with all State N-Power partners, the new beneficiaries will be promptly deployed to their assigned Primary Places of Assignment (PPA) on or before the said date.

The final selection lists broken down in States/Local Government Area (LGA) for each of the (3) N-Power component would be circulated to all focal persons in the states and FCT by July 20, 2018.

All successfully deployed N-Power beneficiaries in the second batch will be engaged for two-years starting from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2020.

In order to qualify for their first monthly payment stipend of N30,000 by August 31, 2018, all deployed volunteers are expected to upload on their N-Power portal page their stamped and signed confirmation of resumption on or before Friday, August 10, 2018.

Through the N-Power scheme, hundreds of thousands of young, unemployed Nigerian graduates have been empowered through training and skills acquisition in different areas of public services, including education (N-Teach), health (N-Health), agriculture (N-Agro), and building/construction (N-Build).

Each N-Power beneficiary learns entrepreneurial skills to enable him become a business person and become a professional on his own, while beneficiaries are given electronic devices to enhance their work and paid a N30,000 monthly.

State-based N-Power partners comprise, but are not limited to the following: N-Teach – State Universal Board for Education (SUBEB); State & Local Government Area (LGA) Offices for Adult Education Centres; State & LGA Offices for Nomadic Education; N-Agro – State & LGA Offices for Agriculture Development Programme (ADP); and N-Health – State & LGA Offices for Primary Health Care Board.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/www.nan.ng/headlines/buhari-raises-n-power-gear-half-million-beneficiaries-by-1-august/amp/

The Senate on Thursday, mandated its Committee on Federal Character to investigate alleged lopsided appointments into Federal Government agencies.

The decision followed a Point of Order by the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, at plenary.

Ekweremadu alleged that appointments by the present administration were skewed in favour of a particular region of the country.

The point-of-order followed a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking Senate’s confirmation of appointment of Mr Tunde Lemo, as Chairman, Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and six members.

Lemo is a former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Ekweremadu pointed out that some of the appointments by the administration were not in tune with the Federal Character principle.

He said that the Constitution provided composition of government or its agencies should reflect federal character principle so as to promote national unity.

He added that it should be done in a manner that avoided the predominance of persons from a few states or from few ethnic or sectional groups in the government or in any of its agencies.

In his contribution, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu) said that most appointments of the present government were lopsided.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, mandated the Committee on Federal Character to investigate the matter and report back on Tuesday.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/senate-to-investigate-fgs-appointments.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, as Chairman of the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency.

Buhari also appointed a new managing director and six members of the board of FERMA.


President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read a letter from Buhari at the plenary on Thursday in which he sought legislative approval for the appointments.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/breaking-buhari-appoints-ex-cbn-deputy.html

Anthony Joshua believes he has 10 years to cement his boxing legacy, and victory over Alexander Povetkin is part of his journey to greatness.For all the talk of a future unification bout against Deontay Wilder and the threat posed by his Russian opponent, AJ said he is only concerned by how far he can go.

The heavyweight champion told Sky Sports: ‘It is not just about Povetkin and Wilder, it’s me and my legacy and what I can reach.‘I feel like I am back in a tournament like it was in the amateurs or the Olympics. I have to get past people like Povetkin to fulfill my legacy.’

Joshua and Povetkin posed for pictures together at Wembley Stadium after the press conference and there was no animosity between the pair as they smiled and shook hands.The IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO champion also revealed he has changed his mentality regarding opponents.‘I used to concentrate on the opponent and always worried what was next,’ he added.

‘I used to box within myself, stopped expressing myself and fulfilling my potential to become a great world champion. ‘It creates a great fight, I can’t afford to get beat and Alex thinks he can beat me. ‘

Povetkin was respectful in his succinct responses and acknowledged the calibre of fighter he is stepping in against on September 22. ‘I want to say that Anthony Joshua has proved that he’s one of the strongest fighters here – and I’m excited about this fight,’ the 38-year-old said.

‘This fight will be all about experience.‘I know Anthony Joshua is a world champion, but we have been training hard for this fight.’Head of Matchroom Boxing Eddie Hearn also underlined the serious threat posed to Joshua’s record in the upcoming bout. ‘The pace that this young man is moving at and the challenge he is wiling to take is fantastic for the sport of boxing,’ said Hearn.Anthony Joshua wants to create a legacy and the only way you do that is by fighting real fighters,’ he concluded.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/i-will-rule-boxing-for-10-years-anthony.html

The Special Representative of UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, says the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria are becoming more sophisticated and deadlier.

Chambas, who is Head, UN Office for West African and the Sahel (UNOWAS), in a report presented to the UN Security Council, said the violence was a major security threat in the region, warning that it risks changing into terrorist attacks.

“Violence between farmers and herders is increasingly a major security threat in the region and risks morphing into the terrorist attacks that have defined the security landscape.

“Farmer-herder conflicts are becoming more sophisticated and deadlier, especially in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

“During four days in June, new spates of attacks and retribution killings between herders and farmers in this region resulted in scores of deaths,’’ the UN envoy for said.

In the Lake Chad Basin, Chambas said in spite of gains made by the Nigerian armed forces and the Multinational Joint Task Force, Boko Haram remained active.

The UN envoy for West Africa and the Sahel said: “The trend of Boko Haram, using female suicide bombers continues, and reportedly almost one in five suicide bombers is a child.

“The most recent attacks on a Nigerian military garrison in Yobe and the ambush of a military convoy in Borno are the latest manifestations of the threats still posed by Boko Haram.

“There is a need for increased support to diplomatic, security and humanitarian responses to Boko Haram, in a holistic manner.

“To this end, UNOWAS is providing technical support for a joint summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), on July 30, as called for by Security Council resolution 2349 (2017).

He explained that the severe depletion of Lake Chad had led to environmental degradation, socio-economic marginalisation and insecurity for 45 million people.

According to him, an estimated 2.3 million people remain displaced by the aggregate effects of insecurity and climate change.

He appealed to Member States to support the humanitarian response to the Lake Chad crisis, which remains critically underfunded and revitalisation of the Lake Chad Basin.

“Let me stress that any military response to security challenges in the region needs to be matched by the implementation of comprehensive strategies linking security and humanitarian interventions to development and human rights initiatives.

“There is also need to increase our collective efforts to address the challenges facing the Sahel region with actions that combine politics, security and development,’’ Chambas stressed.

He said the period under review saw an upsurge in popular discontent in the region manifested through often violent demonstrations calling for political and economic reforms.

“The sometimes violent conduct of security forces, notably in dealing with popular demonstrations, has also fuelled political tensions.

“Commitment by countries of the region and support from the international community will be key to ensuring the effectiveness and accountability of security sector institutions as part of broader security sector reform efforts.

“Several countries continue to struggle with justice, national reconciliation and human rights challenges.

“Among those is the concerning number of high-profile arrests, judicial prosecutions and convictions against political and civil society actors.

“We must collectively continue to urge Member States to provide an enabling environment for the exercise of the freedoms of expression and assembly, which are critical in consolidating democracy and good governance,’’ the UN envoy said.

He said UNOWAS would continue to closely monitor the situation with forthcoming elections in Nigeria, Mauritania and Senegal.

“In some countries of the region, including Nigeria, UNOWAS is working closely with ECOWAS and other partners to support the establishment of national peace architectures that can provide a systematic and inclusive approach to the prevention, management and resolution of conflict.’’

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/herdsmen-farmers-conflicts-becoming.html

The Federal Government has called on cement manufacturers to consider reducing the price of the commodity in order to improve local consumption for various infrastructural projects, even as they continue to build their export capacity.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, argued that cement price can be cheaper if per capita consumption increases through adoption of concrete roads and collaboration among local producers.

Osinbajo, during the inauguration of BUA Cement plant in Sokoto, on Tuesday, said: “Currently, Nigeria produces over 40 million tonnes of cement annually. Nigeria produces more cement than any other country in Africa. Indeed, when put together, several other countries still cannot produce as much cement.


“Nigeria’s huge market size of high urbanisation rate of 3.5 per cent, and even now, a low per capita cement consumption of about 125kg, and an estimated housing deficit of 17 million are key drivers for the growth of the Nigerian cement industry in the medium term.

“We have plenty of capacity to consume cement locally. As mentioned earlier, two issues require urgent attention. The first is the price of cement, it surely can be cheaper.

I know the standard arguments such as power, transportation, and other challenges, but it is still a lucrative business, and I know the reduction of price is possible between the major players.

“The second issue is concrete roads. We can change the narrative on road construction dramatically if we think through using concrete buildings in Nigeria,” he added.

Meanwhile, BUA Group has announced plans to commence exportation of cement with its recently inaugurated 1.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) cement plant in Sokoto to neighbouring countries, while also meeting local demand for the commodity.

With the inauguration of the Sokoto Plant, and completion of the expanded plant in Okpella, Edo State, the Group’s installed capacity is expected to hit 8MMT by the end of 2018.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said the ultra modern cement plant holds a significant promise for the local market, and has huge export potential to earn foreign exchange for the country.

Rabiu said: “In the event that we choose to export, the Forex savings and potential forex this could generate for the country is huge.

We are in a prime position to actually deliver the entire demand here within the North-West, which is our catchment area, and also export; even though at BUA, we have made it a policy to cater first to our home market before we export.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman also said the second line of its $1billion Obu Cement Complex in Okpella, Edo State inaugurated in August 2017, would be completed this year end. He said BUA Cement investment in Edo remains the single largest private-led investment in the entire South-South region of Nigeria, outside the oil and gas industry.

He continued: “By the time that plant is completed by the end of the year – together with what we have here, BUA Cement’s total production volumes will be in excess of eight million tonnes, and that would give us over 35 per cent of the entire volumes produced in Nigeria.”

The Governor of Sokoto State, Dr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urged investors to exploit opportunities in the State through the huge deposit of natural resources, adding that the State has developed a blue print on the ease of doing business to encourage investors and protect their investments.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/fg-pushes-for-lower-cement-price.html

ECOBANK Nigeria has announced a strategic partnership with Total Nigeria Limited, to offer agency banking services at Total filling stations nationwide.

The scheme will commence with 100 selected stations to ensure members of the public carried out their financial transactions such as deposits, withdrawals and account opening at Ecobank Xpress Points.

Also, transfers to Ecobank and other banks, bill payments, airtime top up would be done seamlessly at the selected locations.

Announcing the partnership in Lagos, Executive Director, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Carol Oyedeji, said the deployment of Ecobank Xpress Points through Total Nigeria, is an extension of the bank’s distribution and financial inclusion strategy to take banking services to the doorsteps of every Nigerian and African.

She said the outlets would offer convenient and accessible financial services in a cost effective and secure manner, stressing that Ecobank was determined to extend the reach of its banking services to customers in remote and rural locations with its agency banking initiative.

“To deliver our strategy of reaching 100 million customers by 2020, we have created innovative platforms, products and services, which are already serving a much larger customer base.

“These agent locations will support some of the innovative services we have introduced to the market such as Xpress, which allows customers to withdraw cash at ATMs without their cards, transfers within and across 33 countries through the Ecobank Mobile App and our proprietary money transfer service, Rapid Transfer, among others,” Oyedeji explained.

Commenting on the partnership, Total’s General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Adesua Adewole, said: “At Total, the team develops our network of service stations everywhere in Nigeria daily, to bring Total closer to its 200,000 daily customers.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/ecobank-partners-total-nigeria-on.html

Thirty three stocks recorded price losses, while 13 posted price appreciation on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports

Negative sentiments persisted on the Exchange on Tuesday with the market capitalisation shedding further N109 billion, while index dropped to 36,000 mark.

NAN reports that the market capitalisation lost N109 billion or 0.81 per cent to close at N13.390 trillion as against N13.499 trillion posted on Monday.

In the same vein, the All-Share Index lost 303.16 points or 0.81 per cent to close lower at 36,963.70 compared to 37,266.86 achieved on Monday.

Okomu Oil led the losers’ table having lost N7.00 to close at N85 per share.

Stanbic IBTC trailed with a loss of N3.95 to close at N47.55, while International Breweries was down by N3 to close at N37.50 per share.

Lafarge Africa also declined by N3 to close at N34.50, while Julius Berger dipped N2.70 to close at N24.30 per share.

On the other hand, Dangote Cement led the gainers’ table, gaining N3 to close at N230 per share.

Dangote Sugar followed with a gain of 45k to close at N17.95, while Custodian and Allied Insurance gained 19k to close at N5.70 per share.

Flour Mills increased by 10k to close at N30, while Eterna Oil added 10k to close at N6.50 per share.

The volume of shares traded dropped to 203.80 million shares valued at N2.39 billion exchanged in 4,178 deals.

This was in contrast with a turnover of 303.48 million shares worth N2.04 billion transacted in 3,402 deals on Monday.

Transcorp emerged the most active stock during the day, exchanging 20.71 million shares valued at N26.56 million.

Access Bank came second with an account of 19.49 million shares worth N195.42 million, while Zenith International Bank traded 15.42 million shares valued at N368.71 million.

Sovereign Trust Insurance sold 13.30 million shares valued at N3.49 million, while Custodian and Allied Insurance exchanged 12.68 million shares worth N69.38 million.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nse-33-stocks-record-price-loss.html

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says it will soon introduce 24-hour services in 50 healthcare facilities across the territory.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Rilwanu Mohammed, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mr Mohammed explained that for the FCT to have functional healthcare system that would provide qualitative health services to the people at the grassroots, there was need to strengthen the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and make them operate 24 hours daily.

He said that 50 healthcare facilities would be selected from the 248 PHCs in FCT to begin the new programme that would operate 24 hours.


“There are emergency cases that residents often take to healthcare centres at night but meet no one at the centres.

“Most times women go into labour at night and that situation of not getting health workers to attend to them is not something we can cope with.

“When such selected PHCs are in 24 hours operation, they will provide healthcare services both day and night,” he said.

The secretary stated that the administration of the present FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, was committed to making healthcare services accessible to the down trodden across the territory.

Besides, he disclosed that 12 additional PHCs were being constructed across the six area councils.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/official-50-phcs-to-run-24-hour.html

Drinking at least six cups of coffee every day could decrease your risks of early death, a new study has revealed.

Researchers say that those who drink six or seven cups of coffee per day are 16 percent less likely to die from any disease over a 10-year period than those who never have a cup of Joe.

Coffee has long been linked with combating heart disease, cancer, dementia, diabetes and depression.

The researchers, who hail from various institutions including the United States National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health, say they hope their findings provide further reassurance that coffee can be part of a healthy diet.


For the study, the team tracked almost 500,000 Britons between ages 38 and 73 from 2006 to 2016.

The researchers asked them how many cups of coffee they drank per day, including the type: decaffeinated, ground or instant.

The researchers, who published their results in JAMA on Monday, found that those whose coffee intake was high fared the best.

Those who drank eight cups or more per day saw their death rates cut by 14 percent, and it was raised to 16 percent among those who drank six to seven cups.

A 10-year study of 86,000 female nurses showed a reduced risk of suicide in coffee drinkers.

Another study, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, found that women who drank four or more cups of coffee were 20 percent less likely to suffer from depression.

A cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of fiber of the recommended intake of between 20 to 38 grams.

A 2015 study showed that at least four cups of coffee per day may help protect against the development and reoccurrence of MS.

It is believed that coffee prevents the neural inflammation that possibly leads to the disease developing.

Caffeine is one of the few natural substances that have been proven to aid fat burning.

Several studies have shown caffeine to boost the metabolic rate by between three and 11 percent.

Other studies show that caffeine can specifically increase the burning of fat by as much as 10 percent in obese individuals and 29 percent in lean people.

The protective effect was also seen among moderate and light coffee drinkers – but to a lesser degree.

Two to five cups, one cup per day, or less than one cup per day reduced early death rates by 12, eight and six percent, respectively.

According to lead author Dr Erikka Loftfield, a cancer epidemiologist at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, the results held true whether the type of coffee drank was ground, instant or decaffeinated.

But previous studies conducted in the US, Europe and Asia have found a consistent link between coffee drinking and reduced deaths from all causes including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and liver, bowel and womb cancer.

Additionally, caffeine has been shown to be abundant in antioxidants which reduce inflammation and boost both lung function and sensitivity to the glucose-controlling hormone insulin.


“Coffee drinking was inversely associated with mortality, including among those drinking eight or more cups per day,” said Loftfield.

“These findings suggest the importance of non-caffeine constituents in the coffee-mortality association and provide further reassurance that coffee drinking can be a part of a healthy diet.”

In 2017, a study was conducted by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California on more than 90,000 Americans and their coffee habits.

The researchers found those who drank three cups per day lowered their risk of early death by 18 percent while those who drank one cup per day lowered their risk by 12 percent.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/drinking-six-cups-of-coffee-daily_17.html

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Oji Ngofa, on Sunday said the decision of the International Criminal Court to invite only President Muhammadu Buhari among other world leaders to the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute of the Court was an indication of the high regard in which Nigeria is held.

Ngofa said this in an interview with journalists in The Hague ahead of Buhari’s arrival in the country.


He explained that Nigeria has always been a strong pillar of support to the ICC, especially in Africa, since the adoption of the Rome Statute establishing the Court on July 17, 1998.

The envoy said, ‘‘As the only Head of State invited to this milestone event by the Court, that is indicative of the high regard in which Nigeria is held.

‘‘Nigeria has always been a strong pillar of support to the ICC especially in Africa, in the last 20 years, and this visit shows that this support is recognised and appreciated.

‘‘Whilst there have been some criticism of the Court, President Buhari believes that its work is vital to preventing impunity worldwide, and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of the most serious crimes.

‘‘I am certain that this visit will reassure the ICC that Nigeria remains a strong advocate of the ideals of the Rome Statute.”

Ngofa expressed the belief that Buhari’s visit will be an opportunity to show Nigeria’s appreciation for the honour done to the country by electing a Nigerian as President of the Court.

‘‘The President of the Court, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji is a distinguished Nigerian jurist.


‘‘His election as President by his peers in March 2018 indicates that his cerebral and leadership traits have not gone unnoticed,’’ he said.

The ambassador expressed satisfaction with the current volume of trade between the two counties which he said currently stood at 3 billion Euro in the first quarter of 2018.

He said Nigeria was working hard to diversify its export base and increase the non-oil exports from Nigeria to the Netherlands, in line with the administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

He added, ‘‘The latest figures released by the NBS (Q1) 2018 shows that the Netherlands is currently Nigeria’s largest trading partner, with trade volume of over €3 billion (N1.2 trillion).

‘‘This total is composed of imports from the Netherlands worth €726 million and exports to the Netherlands of €2.29 billion. Nigeria, therefore, has a healthy trade surplus with the Netherlands.

‘‘However, a majority of the value of the exports are petroleum-based.”

Ngofa also spoke on the visa policy of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria.

In 2013, the Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria had swapped their visa application processes in Nigeria with the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

The envoy said, ”This has been one recurring theme in my interactions with the Dutch authorities since my arrival as Ambassador late last year. I also had to get my visa to this country from the Belgian embassy in Abuja, and upon my arrival, I have kept this issue on the front burner with host authorities.

”We have made series of representations and the Dutch have promised to expedite action to see that their Embassy resumes issuance of Schengen visas in Abuja.

”We believe that with the increasing trade relations between our countries, priority must be given by the Dutch to visa applicants in Nigeria, as this would facilitate business and people-to-people contact.”

On other consular issues, the Ambassador praised Nigerian community in the Netherlands for being generally law-abiding and contributing positively to various aspects of Dutch society.

”There are, however, a few Nigerians who are detained mainly for immigration and sundry offences.

”The Embassy always provides consular assistance to them, upon their request, and also liaises with the host authorities to ensure that the basic human rights of the detainees are respected. From our records, there are less than 30 Nigerians detained in the Netherlands,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/why-buhari-is-only-world-leader-invited.html