₦airaland Forum

Former Minister of Aviation and prominent PDP chieftain, Femi Fani Kayode(FFK) has accused the ruling APC for practicing witchcraft after the party erected giant brooms in Abuja ahead of the February 16 presidential election.

“They have erected a giant broom at Unity Park near Transcorps Hilton in the centre of Abuja and another one directly in front of the city gate. The broom is the symbol of the ruling APC and a symbol of witchcraft. They are invoking dark forces to stay in power but they will fail,” FFK said in a statement available to Today’s Echo

“They are sick in mind, spirit and soul. The only thing that fuels and invigorates them is the commission of atrocities and the shedding of innocent human blood. They are nothing but evil vampires and, like satan, they came for one purpose alone: to kill, steal and destroy,” FFK also said

http://www.todaysecho.com/symbol-of-witchcraft-ffk-blasts-apc-as-it-erects-giant-brooms-in-abuja/?

As the 2019 presidential election in Nigeria approaches, the political landscape is increasingly dramatic as the major players gear up for a thrilling contest. It is estimated that about 55 candidates will participate in this election. However, the two major parties remain the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC has ruled the country for three years, after defeating the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP in the 2015 presidential election. It was the first time the PDP would lose power since 1999. Buhari is seeking re-election for another four years.
On Sunday, October 7, 2018, the main opposition party, PDP picked a candidate; Atiku Abubakar, who is a former Vice President and a renowned businessman. Atiku had also contested with Buhari for the APC ticket in 2015 and lost.
Despite its large hydrocarbon resources, Nigeria is still a third world country with poor infrastructure, widespread poverty and prevalent unemployment. Statistics are difficult to obtain in Nigeria and elections are hardly won by issues and ideology but rather more by a combination of several factors, including ethnicity, religion, and mobilizing capacity.
As Buhari and Atiku face off in a battle for the reins of Nigeria, Today’s Echo examines how Nigerians will vote and the issues that will determine the winner in this thrilling contest.

http://www.todaysecho.com/todays-echo-exclusive-how-atiku-may-win-the-2019-presidential-election/

Cash strapped university students are being paid as much as £3,500 to be infected with dangerous tropical diseases including typhoid, malaria and pneumonia.
The UK students are among a growing number of healthy volunteers being paid to be infected with exotic bacteria and viruses for scientific research at institutions including Oxford University and Imperial College London.
The UK is a world leader in the study of infectious diseases and the experiments – known as “challenge trials” where human guinea pigs, mainly students, are “challenged” with an infectious disease – have become a popular way to progress the development of new vaccines at a fraction of the cost of field studies.
With the risk of a global pandemic growing, experts say a better understanding of infectious illnesses and how to combat them is urgently needed.
Matthew Speight, a 27-year-old zoology student at Oxford University, earned almost £6,000 in two typhoid challenge trials organised by the Oxford Vaccine Group in 2016 and 2017. Undeterred, this week he is taking part in another trial in which he could contract malaria.
“I am a PhD student, the income I get is significantly below the minimum wage, so the financial incentive is strong,” he told The Telegraph. “The trials pay quite well and Oxford is very expensive. I used the money for my rent.”
Not all participants become ill but in both the typhoid trials Mr Speight took part in he contracted the disease. He described the experience as “the worst of my life”.
“You swallow a cup of bacteria”, said Mr Speight. “[There was] a bit of trepidation, but also a resolve. I thought, I’m here, so bring it on.”
Despite having had a trial vaccine two weeks ahead of time, the student contracted the disease. “Three or four days later I had this crazy fever. It was the height of summer, during the 2016 heatwave. My body and joints ached, I had a strong headache, and I was profusely sweating – I remember the bed being soaked, I had a lot of laundry to do that week. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”
Typhoid, a highly contagious disease which spreads rapidly in areas with poor sanitation and dirty drinking water, affects nearly 12 million people a year and kills roughly 160,000.
Although typhoid vaccines do exist, current options do not work well in young children and provide protection for only a few years.
“In the last decade, there has been a recognition that these [trials] are a tool to deal with international challenges in health more rapidly,” said Andrew Pollard, professor of paediatric infection and immunity at Oxford University and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group.
“In a controlled and managed environment you can gain an answer about whether to proceed with a [new] vaccine.”
Over the last eight years, the Oxford study has enrolled more than 450 people, about half of them students. The vaccine developed as a result of the trial is now in the next phase of testing. It has been given to 89,000 children in Nepal, Bangladesh and Malawi and full results are expected later this year.
However, trials on healthy human volunteers have been controversial. A UK drug trial in 2006 went disastrously wrong when six healthy young men ended up in intensive care after reacting badly to an experimental medicine.
But while risk can never be entirely eradicated, scientists behind today’s challenge trials say the risks are minimal and the ethical standards watertight.
Participants are not technically paid for taking a risk but for their time and discomfort. A trial which involves a hospital stay, for instance, will pay significantly more than a study in which participants have to attend short check-up appointments.
“Consent of volunteers has to be central,” said Prof Pollard. “It’s also appropriate that pay is not linked to danger, or we may encourage the vulnerable to take more risks.”
Volunteers have extensive medical checks and are fully informed of the risks before participating. Doctors are also on hand 24 hours a day to monitor all participants and step in as required.
At the end of the trial, volunteers receive a course of antibiotics to eradicate any remaining bacteria, irrespective of whether they became unwell.
Typhoid is not the only disease volunteers are risking in the name of science. At the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), around 1,250 volunteers have inhaled live pneumococcal bacteria – which can cause pneumonia – as part of a challenge trial.
“There are 90-plus strains of pneumococcal bacteria,” said Dr Andrea Collins, senior clinical lecturer at the LSTM. “Current vaccines in the UK protect adults against 23 strains, and children 13. We are still very much exposed. Our aim is to develop a vaccine with all 90 serotypes.”
Pneumonia is the leading killer of children under five worldwide, with 1.4 million dying from the preventable disease last year.
Volunteers in the study, who are predominantly students from Liverpool’s universities, are paid between £200 and £600 for taking part. But nobody has ever become ill in the trial, which tracks natural and vaccine-derived immunity based on whether participants become carriers of the disease.
Hannah Browne, a 23-year-old medical student at Liverpool University, is currently taking part in one of the pneumococcal vaccine trials in return for £380.
“I was intrigued about rising [disease] resistance so got involved,” she told The Telegraph. “But I’m a student so there was also a strong financial incentive. Every little helps.”
She added that having the bacteria squirted up her nose “tickled a bit” but was not painful.
Similar studies are likely to become more common. The Medical Research Council has established a new programme, Hic-Vac, which provides £100,000 grants to support scientists setting up challenge trials. The project is also creating a global network of researchers to share advice and insights about how to run a successful study.
Back in Oxford, Mr Speight was this week volunteering in yet another trial. This time he will be bitten by a malaria-ridden mosquito during a vaccine study run by the Jenner Institute.
The trial will involve around 40 volunteers, with each person paid between £1,700 and £3,000 for their participation.
“I’m a bit anxious, but even if I get ill, people will be on hand to treat me,” said Mr Speight. “Most people who get malaria don’t have that option. I want to contribute to tackling diseases in any way I can. It’s rewarding, even if it can be a terrible experience.”

http://www.todaysecho.com/british-students-are-being-paid-to-catch-diseases/

Smoking cannabis occasionally may improve men’s fertility by stimulating sperm production, a study by Harvard University suggests.
Analysis of more than 662 men found that those who had never taken the drug were more than twice as likely to have sperm concentrations below a “normal” threshold.
Published in the journal Human Reproduction, the results have taken the scientific community by surprise because previous research pointed to a negative effect for cannabis on fertility.
However, the scientists pointed out that most studies have hitherto focused on heavy drug users or animals.
They believe improved fertility in moderate users may be explained by a boost to the endocannabinoid system, known to play a role in sperm levels, from smoking cannabis.
Dr Jorge Chavarro, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said: “These unexpected findings highlight how little we know about the reproductive health effects of marijuana, and in fact of the health effects of marijuana in general.
“Our results need to be interpreted with caution and they highlight the need to further study the health effects of marijuana use.”
or the new study, investigators collected 1,143 semen samples from 662 men between 2000 and 2017.
On average the men were 36 years old, mostly white and college educated.
Analysis of the semen samples showed that men who had smoked marijuana had average sperm concentrations of 62.7 million sperm per millilitre (million/mL).
Those who had never smoked a joint had an average count of 45.4 million/mL.
Only 5 per cent of cannabis users had sperm counts below 15 million/mL, the World Health Organisation’s threshold for “normal” levels, compared with 12 per cent of men who had never smoked cannabis.
The authors cautioned that their study does not prove cannabis improves fertility.
They said it was possible that men with more testosterone and better fertility are more likely to try drugs.

As China’s Economic growth slows down in the heat of its trade war with the United States, developing countries like Nigeria, who rely on Chinese loan may become adversely affected.

The first and second economies in the world have drawn daggers, and while they have not gone for each other’s throat, they are definitely attacking each other’s belly.

The United States had long protested that China unfairly devalues its currency, the Yuan, so that Chinese goods are relatively cheap compared to American products. China responded by reminding the Americans that they had put themselves in unfair advantage by determining the rules of international trade in the first place.

However, the conflict intensified when US president, Donald Trump, a Nationalist whose moto is ‘America First’, imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese imports into the US and the Chinese retaliated in kind. These tariffs, coupled by other factors, have slowed down the Chinese economy, which was growing at double digits 1o years ago. In the latest round of talks, both parties have agreed to suspend the punitive tariffs and wait for a 90-day window to resolve the crisis.

According to analysts, China’s economic growth rate went down to 6.5 percent in the third quarter of last year; the lowest ever since 2009. Economist forecast for this year is even more gloomy; at 6.2percent.

All the signs on ground shows that things are not looking good in China as they did two years ago. Car purchases fell last year for the first time in more than two decades. iPhone sales also went down abnormally in China last year. Meanwhile, the stock market in Shanghai has still plunged by more than a quarter from its 2018 high.

China has been shuffling its securities regulators in the past three years, indicating that all is not well in one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Banking veteran Yi Huiman was appointed the new chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission on Saturday, January 26.
Bloomberg reported on January 27 that Chinese banks are desperate for capital.

“To prop up the economy, Chinese banks have been lending well in excess of deposit growth. Since the beginning of 2016, as loans outstanding grew 41 percent, deposits rose just 29 percent. That put balance sheets under increasing strain,” according to Bloomberg
Chinese banks have lent out too much money than they should have. Although not yet insolvent, they do not have enough money to fulfil their lending obligations unless they get some money from outside. Chinese Banks simply don’t have the ability to continue lending as much as they do without additional capital.

This means China cannot loan out money to other countries as it used to. This is a source of worry for third world countries, like Nigeria, which is leveraging Chinese funding to execute $3.4 billion worth of projects. In September 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari was in China to secure an additional $328 million from the Asian economic powerhouse.

Nigeria’s increasing dependence on Chinese loans
Under President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria in increasingly dependent on loans to fund infrastructure projects and a large percentage of this is coming from China. Most of Nigeria’s borrowing from China is coming from the Chinese Export-Import Bank (Exim)
In August 2016, the Federal Government announced that it was seeking a loan of $20 billion from the China Exim bank to finance infrastructural projects at a time when foreign debt stood at $11.26 billion. One of the downsides of this is that the Chinese government gave stringent conditions to Nigeria for the loan, including the appointment of Chinese officials to oversee the utilization of the fund.

A breakdown of projects financed by Chinese loans:
Mambila hydro-electric power plant – $4.8 billion; railway modernisation coastal project (Calabar-Port Harcourt-Onne Deep Seaport segment) – $3.5 billion; Abuja mass rail transit project – $1.6 billion; Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project (Lagos-Ibadan segment double track) – $1.3 billion; Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project (Kano-Kaduna segment double track) – $1.1 billion; and others – $6 billion.

In February 2016, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi announced that the government has secured a $7.5 billion loan from China for the construction of standard rail gauge from Lagos to Kano. Again in August 2018, during the FOCAC Round Table meeting in Beijing, Buhari announced that Nigeria has signed an additional $1billion loan from China for additional rolling stock for the newly constructed rail lines as well as road rehabilitation and water supply projects.

Today, Nigeria’s foreign debt has increased to $22 billion and China accounts for the bulk of that debt.

Rationale
Buhari has argued that the money borrowed from the Chinese has been efficiently utilized, citing ongoing projects under his administration that are being financed by loans from China.

In September 2018, the Federal Government in response to concerns about its growing Chinese debt, said through the Debt Management Office, that it borrows from China in order to take advantage of a cheaper source of finance. The DMO also reveals that the loans come with concessions which them very attractive.

“Given the country’s infrastructure deficit, which needs to be urgently addressed, the loans from China Exim, which provide financing for critical infrastructure in road and rail transport, aviation, water, agriculture and power at concessional terms, are appropriate for Nigeria’s financing needs and align properly with the country’s Debt Management Strategy.” The DMO said.

Dangers on the horizon
In October 2018, the MarketWatch warned about the time bomb of Chinese overfunding to Developing economies. It also warned that the terms of these loans may not be transparent enough and that it is probably only the officials involved directly in negotiating these deals that actually know and understand the terms of obligation for both borrower and lender.

“China is not a member of the Paris Club, so there is no reason to assume that the usual approach to official debt negotiations is relevant to understanding what may happen. If, as I suspect, widespread debt-servicing difficulties are on the rise among many of the world’s poorest countries, China’s tendency to favor collateralized loans raises particular challenges,” The Marketwatch said.

As the Chinese economy slows down and Chinese banks gasp for need of cash, it is highly unlikely that China will be interested in any new request for funds from Nigeria. It is also expected that the Chinese will now be more eager to recover their loans back which means stricter economic policies on Nigeria. This is worrisome for Nigeria as the country does not seem to have diversified its debt portfolio properly in the past three years, but instead focussed more on Chinese funding.

In short, the Nigerian government has become addicted to Chinese money. When the money stops coming, or reduces significantly, which may happen soon, is the government poised to adapt to the new changes?

Most of the projects funded by Chinese loans are not completed. The Lagos-Ibadan rail line was due to be commissioned last year December, but completion has been postponed to February 2019.

Moreover, these projects are being executed by Chinese companies, which is one of the conditions for the loans. The Lagos-Ibadan rail line for instance is being handled by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). This is a smart move by the Chinese to ensure double capital flight back to China inform of business revenue and loan repayment. Now, with the pressure on Chinese banks for capital, these companies may also be under pressure to ramp up tax remittances back home.

Is the government seeking alternative funding for the projects? What will be the fate of these projects and other infrastructure commitments when funding stops?

As Nigeria heads into the presidential election in February, it is doubtful if any of the top contenders understands the enormity of the challenges awaits him when he resumes in May.


http://www.todaysecho.com/exclusive-chinas-slowing-economy-may-hurt-nigeria/

While fielding questions from participants at an interactive session organised by Good Leadership Initiative on Sunday in Lekki, Lagos, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said it is extremely dishonourable for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to label TraderMoni, one of the social investments programme of the current administration as vote buying.
“I don’t want you to believe some of the propaganda of the opposition on TraderMoni. First, I think it will be very useful if you follow what this TraderMoni is about. You know, The Senate President and the speaker of the House of Representatives were most dishonourable in describing the TraderMoni as vote buying. I say it is dishonourable because this is a programme authorised by the National Assembly. It is in the budget,”Osinbajo said.
“Both the Senate President and the speaker must have approved it before we could even spend money on it. Besides, after approving i t, they delayed the budget and we started implementing the budget in August. So, I don’t understand how anybody, who after approving it, but then defecting to another party will then describe a major government programme as vote buying. I think it is extremely dishonourable and I dont think we should countenance that propaganda from them at all.
He went further to justify the TraderMoni scheme as necessary in taking people out of poverty.
“The TraderMoni is a programme is run by the Bank of Industry. I do not carry money into the market place and give people money. It is purely electronic.
“There is a young Nigerian company called Eyo Owo, and other Nigerian companies that do enumeration. So what they do is, they go into the market, look for the petty traders, take their data and all of that. They ensure that the profile is right for those individuals who will be given the TraderMoni. When they have done that, they have an back-end, where they vet and then begin to make disbursements.
“We start with N10,000. These are petty traders whose inventory is usually no more than N2,000 or N3,000. When you look at somebody who is selling plantain or somebody who is selling a tray full of eggs.
“The problem many of s have is not just a problem in this side of the world. It is a problem of the elites. They don’t understand poverty, they haven’t seen it and they haven’t experienced it. So they can easily say ‘What is N10,000?’
“When they get the N10,000, once they pay back, it is automatic, they get N15,000, when they pay that too, they get N20,000, all the way up to N100,000. The whole idea is that these guys are at the bottom of the pyramid in our commercial value chain and they are the vast majority of people who trade in our country”.
“People keep talking about getting Nigerians out of poverty, how do we do it? What has worked in India and Bangladesh is what we are doing. Of course it is not vote buying.
“We used to give out MarketMoni before TraderMoni. 400,000 people got it and nobody heard of it because I didnt show up there. Once I showed up, the profile of the programme improved. Everybody now knows MarketMoni because I decided to join them in launching it in several states.
He concluded by telling the audience not to listen to funny individuals who are trying to put the efforts of the FG in bad light.

http://www.todaysecho.com/osinbajo-it-is-dishonourable-for-saraki-dogara-to-label-tradermoni-as-vote-buying/

Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has finally revealed the cause of the crash of his chopper on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at Kabba in Kogi State.

On Sunday, while addressing participants at a dialogue session organised by Good Leadership Initiative, at Pistis Conference Centre, Lekki, Lagos, the VP appreciated everyone for their concern and expressed that the crash was not as a result of a mechanical fault.
Talking about the safety measures being taken to forestall similar occurrences in the future, he said:
“The truth is that I can’t say for certain what will happen as a general rule, but yesterday’s (Saturday) incident was not a mechanical problem, it was more of a weather or environmental problem that caused the crash. It will be difficult to say what anyone will do about those kind of situations.

“I think that, generally speaking, these kind of things occur but God is Almighty and He is sovereign. I believe that the incident demonstrated that God has a plan and purpose for each and everyone of us and it is not yet time”.
Immediately after the crash, Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, the public limited company holding Caverton Helicopters Limited and Caverton Marine Limited, released another helicopter to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Source: http://www.todaysecho.com/osinbajo-speaks-on-cause-of-helicopter-crash-says-it-is-not-yet-time-to-die/

Are you a business owner, corporate executive, young entrepreneur or an aspiring leader? Register to join the Session with VP Osinbajo, which takes place on Sunday 3rd of February 2019 in Lekki, Lagos. You will have the chance to interact and ask questions.

Attendance is strictly by invitation. Registration is free!

This dialogue with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is put together by Good Leadership Initiative (GLI), a non-partisan and not-for-profit organization with a mandate to promote the emergence of capable Nigerian professionals across all cadres of governance.

To find out more and register, visit http://www.goodleadershipinitiative.com/#faq

It is very easy if you have your money. If you are the one that goes to them, then it is seen as a commercial affair and you are billed.

10 minutes interview on Business Morning for instance, costs at least 500,000 naira

The oil and gas industry is the lifeblood of the Nigerian economy. According to a Nigerian Energy Sector report done by Proshare, the industry contributes about 16.05% to Nigeria’s total GDP, and accounts for over 74% of the national budget revenue. The industry has been divided into upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream sector of the industry, which consists of the exploration and production of crude oil is the major revenue earner for the government.

A 2016 KPMG Nigeria oil and gas industry brief puts the upstream oil sector as the single most important sector in the economy, accounting for over 90% of the country’s exports and about 80% of the Federal Government (FG’s) revenue.

Though, the upstream sector is dominated by International Oil Companies (IOCs) which account for more than 70% of Nigeria’s production, indigenous oil companies have within the last five years become increasingly involved. A couple of Nigerian oil and gas companies have acquired assets left behind by IOCs ongoing divestment. Although there have been challenges, indigenous firms have generally done well with the assets they have acquired, thereby increasing optimism in the ability and capacity of local content.

With indigenous firms now accounting for about 12 per cent of Nigeria’s 1.8million bpd total oil production, five of these local players are leading what is called ‘the indigenous revolution’ in the Nigerian upstream sector.


See full list here: http://www.todaysecho.com/five-indigenous-companies-revolutionising-the-nigerian-upstream-oil-and-gas-industry/

Oil prices are climbing higher this week as the United States escalates its stance against Venezuela with sanctions against its state-owned oil corporation. This gives the Nigerian government more optimism that it will meet up with the 2019 budget, which is benchmarked at $60p/bl.
This will also make more money available for the Nigerian government, which is spending about N242 Billion on the 2019 elections
According to CNBC, International Brent crude oil futures were at $60.05 per barrel, up 12 cents, or 0.2 percent on Tuesday morning. This is expected to go higher as the sanctions bite harder in the coming days.

http://www.todaysecho.com/2019-budget-more-oil-revenue-for-fg-as-us-targets-venezuelas-petroleum-industry/

According to US National Security Adviser(NSA), John Bolton, the measure blocks about $7 billion in assets for Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. — the parent company of the US-based Citgo oil company, and would result in more than $11 billion in lost assets over the next year.
“The United States is holding accountable those responsible for Venezuela’s tragic decline,” US Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin said.
“PdVSA has long been a vehicle for embezzlement, for corruption for Venezuelan officials and businessmen. Today’s designation of PdVSA will help prevent further diversion of Venezuela’s assets by Maduro, and will preserve these assets for the people of Venezuela where they belong,” Mnuchin added.
Venezuela has been enmeshed in crisis, following widespread demonstrations against president Nicholas Maduro and the declaration of opposition, parliament-backed Juan Guaido as interim president. The United States and several South American counties have recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s leader while Maduro continues to hold on to power.
Venezuela has the world’s biggest proven oil reserves and is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
There have been concerns that the execution of the 2019 budget may encounter serious threats as the price of oil hovered below the $60 benchmark in December 2018.
While the problem in Venezuela has been tragic for the South American country, it may be a blessing in disguise for the Nigerian government.

As the trade war between the United States and China intensifies, both countries are beginning to feel the heat. It is particularly worrisome for China as the world’s second largest economy slows down under the weight of economic tariffs on trade with the US.

According to analysts, China’s economic growth rate went down to 6.5 percent in the third quarter of last year; the lowest ever since 2009. Economist forecast for this year is even more gloomy; at 6.2percent. This is not to say that the United States is also not bearing the brunt of the conflict. Economists are less optimistic about U.S. expansion this year too, though they’re nearly unanimous in feeling a recession can be kept at bay until at least 2020.
What Donald Trump has done to hurt China is his policy of imposing high tariffs on Chinese goods, which has led to a plunge in Chinese imports into the United States. With no market to sell their goods, the Chinese are looking elsewhere, to Europe and developing economies.
All the signs on ground shows that things are not looking good in China as they did two years ago. Car purchases fell last year for the first time in more than two decades. iPhone sales also went down abnormally in China last year. Meanwhile, the stock market in Shanghai has still plunged by more than a quarter from its 2018 high.

http://www.todaysecho.com/china-us-war-chinas-economy-slows-down-under-the-weight-of-trumps-sanctions/

Moreover, reports wafting into the media space this morning indicate that Chinese banks, although not insolvent, do not have enough money to fulfil their lending obligations unless they get some money from outside. Chinese Banks simply don’t have the ability to continue lending as much as they do without additional capital

This means China cannot loan out money to other countries as it used to. This is a source of worry for third world countries like Nigeria, which is leveraging Chinese funding to execute $3.4 billion worth of projects. In September 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari was in China to secure an additional $328 million from the Asian economic powerhouse.

Furthermore, China has been shuffling its securities regulators in the past three years. Banking veteran Yi Huiman was appointed the new chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission on Saturday, January 26.

Nevertheless, the Chinese economy remain strong despite the downturns. The Yuan is strong and growth rate remains high despite the decline. Analysts believe this current crisis is a test of the endurance of the evolving Chinese economy.

The Chinese know the trade war with the US is hurting them badly, that is why they have indicated reainess to renegotiate.
The U.S. and China will hold a pivotal round of talks this week in an attempt to end their trade war. The meetings are scheduled to commence on January 30. Bloomberg predicts 3 scenarios:

The U.S. and China agree to hold more talks
China comes to table with a game-changing offer
Negotiations break down and Trump walks away

Commendations have been pouring in for a British Special Forces soldier who participated in fighting terrorists and rescuing victims during a terrorist attack on a hotel in Nairobi.
MSN news reports that, the elite soldier, who is in Kenya training the country’s special forces, was on an “admin run” when al-Shabaab terrorists stormed the nearby hotel complex, killing 14 people, including a British charity worker
According to media reports, the SAS operative was off-duty, shopping nearby when the incident happened. He dashed to his car, picked up his military equipment and dashed to the scene.

Former British soldier, Chris Ryan, who served in the elite regiment for 10 years, said: “He was out shopping on an admin run.
“He had his equipment in the car, so when it all kicked off he sprinted back to his car and quickly got kitted up before heading straight towards the firefight.
“When he arrived in the hotel he started organising the entire operation, directing the police and army.
“Then he went in there on his own to neutralise the enemy and rescue the hostages.
“His actions certainly saved many lives and shows the manner of these men, who are extremely brave and always ready.”
Pictures and video from the scene show the SAS operative in jeans and body armour, holding a gun, as he escorts bystanders out of the DusitD2 hotel to safety.
The weapon he is seen clutching is a Diemaco C8 Carbine – standard issue for Special Forces soldiers.
Chris, who served in the highly-secretive regiment for 10 years, said footage of the soldier showed he is a highly trained fighter who instinctively knew what he needed to do to save lives.
And he praised his “creativity” in instructing Kenyan forces to block off roads and exits and storm the hotel on his own.
Best-selling author Chris, whose books are inspired by his SAS bravery, said: “That’s just what the guy does, it’s his nine to five job.
“He’s trained to the highest level to react to these types of situations. And counter terrorism operations are just bread and butter to him.
“The calibre of these types of soldiers is such that the other side, al-Shabaab, wouldn’t stand a chance if they came up against this guy.
“He is trained to react to the threat. He will instinctively locate the threat, identify it and then neutralise it.
“His tactic is to shoot the enemy before they get a chance to shoot themselves.
“You can see from the videos that he wasn’t cowering anywhere, he was aggressively moving on to targets, on the prowl hunting these animals down.
“He was dominating the firefight, switching everything from their surprise attack to them being hunted, because they’ve now got a professional solider in the thick of it going after them.”
Chris said he was impressed – but not surprised – at how the soldier took control of the situation, directing the Kenyan police and army as he engaged with the terror gang.

http://www.todaysecho.com/off-duty-british-soldier-who-stormed-scene-of-kenya-terrorist-attack-commended/

On January 08, 2019, the second edition of the Aiteo-CAF Awards, was held in Dakar, Senegal. Liverpool forward, Mohammed Salah and South African playmaker, Thembi Kgatlana emerged African male and female players respectively at the event, sponsored by Aiteo, Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil and gas company.

Few things arouse interest and passion more than the round leather game in Africa. Besides the excitement it generates, football presents an alternative reality for Africans.
A critical look at football sponsorship in Africa shows that Aiteo, MTN, and Globacom are some of the few African companies that have invested heavily in football on the continental.

Aiteo is taking care of the payment of salaries of the National team coach and other football officials under a deal worth about $7million with the local football authority, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) in May 2017. Aiteo also paid special bonuses to players of the National team, the Super Eagles, during their world cup qualifiers. This has led to a remarkable improvement in the Nigerian national team, which qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2018 and the African Cup of Nations 2019 after a string of failures.

Furthermore, Aiteo has invested into local football in Nigeria by taking over the sponsorship of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the country, which was rebranded Aiteo Cup in another monumental deal with the NFF.
Another Telecoms company with a large presence in Nigeria that is investing in African football is MTN. The South African Telecom giant was the title sponsor for the AFCON from 2004 to 2008. According to African Business Review, MTN’s $12.5mil was the biggest sponsorship deal in African sporting history. MTN also sponsored the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, making history as the first African sponsor of a FIFA World Cup.
Some African companies have also invested heavily in the local leagues of their home countries. In South Africa, state-owned telecoms company, Telkom sponsors one of the most important tournaments in the country. The Telkom Knockout is a yearly football competition organized by the Premier Soccer League (PSL). The South-African bank, ABSA has also been heavily involved in the country’s premier league as title sponsors.

https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/01/caf-awards-aiteo-others-hailed-for-investing-in-african-football/

Authorities in Las Vegas have issued a warrant to obtain the DNA of soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to see if it matches that found on a dress of a woman who has accused him of rape, according to a law-enforcement official with knowledge of the case.

The authorities sent the warrant recently to the court system in Italy, where Mr. Ronaldo plays soccer, the official said.
Las Vegas police reopened the case in the fall after the woman, Kathryn Mayorga, filed a lawsuit alleging that Mr. Ronaldo raped her in 2009 in Las Vegas and then paid her $375,000 (£294,000) to keep it secret.

Authorities in Las Vegas have issued a warrant to obtain the DNA of soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to see if it matches that found on a dress of a woman who has accused him of rape, according to a law-enforcement official with knowledge of the case.
The authorities sent the warrant recently to the court system in Italy, where Mr. Ronaldo plays soccer, the official said.
Las Vegas police reopened the case in the fall after the woman, Kathryn Mayorga, filed a lawsuit alleging that Mr. Ronaldo raped her in 2009 in Las Vegas and then paid her $375,000 (£294,000) to keep it secret.

An attorney for Ms. Mayorga and a Las Vegas police spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment.
A key piece of evidence in the investigation is a dress from the night in question nine years ago. Las Vegas police found DNA other than Ms. Mayorga’s on the dress, the law-enforcement official said. When the warrant is served in Italy, authorities would be expected to collect a sample of Mr. Ronaldo’s DNA and send it to Las Vegas police, who would assess whether it matches that found on the dress, the official said.
Mr. Ronaldo plays for the Turin, Italy-based club Juventus, which signed him in a $92 million transfer last summer.
The alleged rape occurred in June 2009. Mr. Ronaldo, then 24, was on vacation in Las Vegas and met Ms. Mayorga in the Rain nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort before inviting her to a party in his suite, according to her civil complaint.

It was there that Mr. Ronaldo forced himself on Ms. Mayorga while she begged him to stop, the filing alleges. The complaint adds that “when Cristiano Ronaldo completed the sexual assault of the plaintiff, he allowed her to leave the bedroom stating he was sorry, he was usually a gentleman.”
Ms. Mayorga reported the alleged sexual assault to police on the day it occurred. Under Nevada law, there is no statute of limitations on investigations or potential charges stemming from such reports.

http://www.todaysecho.com/rape-allegation-police-issue-warrant-to-obtain-ronaldos-dna/

Hip hop star, Nicki Minaj has become embroiled in a scandal after her latest boyfriend was exposed as a convicted rapist and serial criminal.
According to Hollywood Life, to say that Kenneth “Zoo” Petty, 40, has a long rap sheet is an understatement. Nicki Minaj’s new man has been arrested twelve times over the years, and each time, he’s gotten a brand new picture, courtesy of the police. While the exact details of each twelve arrests are unknown, it is known that Kenneth has served time for both attempted rape and for shooting a man. His most recent arrest, according to Radar Online, happened on Sept. 12, 2018, when he was reportedly busted for driving with a suspended license.
Kenneth was allegedly charged with two infractions and one misdemeanor for “operating an unlicensed vehicle,” “failure to stop at a stop sign,” and “operating a vehicle while license is suspended or revoked.” He appeared in the Nassau County First District Court on Oct. 25 for an arraignment hearing, and his next court date on the case is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2019. This offense pales in comparison to his arrest in 1995. When Kenneth was just 16-years-old, he was busted for attempted first-degree rape of a 16-year-old-girl. Kenneth, according to official records, used a “knife/cutting instrument” during the attempted rape. Kenneth is now a registered sex offender.
According to TMZ, Petty served four years in New York State Prison before he was released. Years later, Petty was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and served another seven years for shooting a man. He reportedly was released in 2013.
Nicki Minaj has fought back against the rising criticisms about her choice of lover. According to Fox news, Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, faced intense scrutiny from fans after she shared a photo of herself with Petty on Instagram on Sunday. In the picture, Minaj is seen with her left leg wrapped around Petty as he cradles the backside of her thigh.
This has led to an outpouring of criticisms on the social media.
In response, Minaj wrote on IG recently: "He was 15, she was 16... in a relationship. But go awf Internet. y'all can't run my life. Y'all can't even run y'all own life. Thank you boo."

http://www.todaysecho.com/nicki-minajs-new-boyfriend-exposed-as-convicted-rapist/

Honestly, feminism is very rational but not natural.

Yes, I think every reasonable persons will like a world where anybody can chose whatever they want to be either men or women. The truth is that, our choices will always be guided by reality. Sometimes, we get stubborn and reject the natural path but often times, it comes with sacrifice. If we are ready to pay the sacrifice, we should do it without complaint.


The problem with feminism is that it seeks to create make men and women equal in all ramifications, forgetting that men also have their own natural incapabilities. Men are not naturally suited for raising babies alone., they cant breastfeed. If a woman goes all out for career and the man is left with the kids, he could try his best but will be naturally hampered.
Now remember, there is a third party; children. If you are a woman and you are ok with strangers raising your children for you, fine. Deal with it cos it's the choice yu have made.


Nevertheless, there are homes where both husband and wife are successful career people but usually when they get to a point where they have to decide who should sacrifice a bit of their career, its the woman and when the pressure for finance comes, the man steps in.


I beleive many men would be ok with women who can take care of their responsibilities too but it's the same feminist women that will call such a man lazy whereas many women live off men without compaints

Buhari acts tough:

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/fg-moves-to-end-revenue-diversion-by-key-mdas/

Three years after the full implementation of the Treasury Single Account, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally moved to plug the existing income leakages from revenue-generating ministries, departments and agencies. This latest directive is in reaction to a forensic report by auditing firm, KPMG, confirming that some Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) failed to remit N8.1 trillion within a period of five years, an amount equivalent to the country’s yearly national budget.
A recent circular from the office of the Secretary to the Government, titled “New and Improved Performance Management Framework for Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs)”, has detailed measures to ensure that all funds generated by these enterprises are correctly and efficiently swept in the Federation Account.
The circular re-categorised GOEs into self-funded, partially funded or fully funded, as is the practice in other countries in the world, to optimise their contributions towards funding the federal budget. The Presidency has also immediately ordered a major reorganization of the budgeting and remitting processes by no fewer than 30 GOEs. These include:
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)
Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC)
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC)
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN)
Voice of Nigeria (VON)
National Communication Commission (NCC)
Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA)
Nigeria Maritime Management and Safety Authority (NIMASA)
Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA)
Nigeria Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (NOGFZA)
Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET)
Nigeria Aerospace Management Agency (NAMA)
Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET)
National Civil Aviation Authority
Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO)
National Housing Corporation of Nigeria (NHCN)
Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC)
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)
Nigerian Gas Company (NGC)
Nigerian Tourism Development Board (NTDB)
Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
National Universities Commission (NUC)
Education Trust Fund (ETF)
Petroleum Development Trust Fund (PDTF)
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
The new measures are aimed at making the companies more efficient, reducing wastage and eradicating corruption.
“Government has noted also that most GOEs remit less operating surpluses to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) than is required by law and/or financial regulations, thereby imposing avoidable restrictions on government’s ability to implement its developmental agenda,” the circular reads.
Henceforth, the performance contracts of the chief executive officers (CEOs) and other top management staff of these enterprises will include financial indicators and targets.
Also, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation will be required to regularly monitor the revenue and expenditure performance of all GOEs and ensure that they are published monthly.
There shall also be a quarterly Budget performance review of the GOEs by the budget office.
The circular stated that the government will now strictly enforce the peg of expenses, “frequency of board meetings, overseas travels” as well as cut “other potentially wasteful practices.”
The circular also reiterated that it is mandatory for all GOEs to use the Treasury Single Account (TSA) for all financial transactions. According to the circular, remittances are now be collected quarterly instead of annually as was the practice.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who signed the circular, said incentives will be included within these measures to encourage compliance. He also said the government will undertake legislative actions to amend sections of the acts establishing some GOEs to accommodate the newly announced procedures.
Other measures stipulated in the circular include:
“Accounts of all GOEs shall henceforth be audited within 4(four) months after the end of each financial year;
“the computation of the operating surplus shall be reviewed to allow the deduction from the agency’s revenues of only operational expenses, wholly, reasonably and necessarily incurred in its operations;
“annual budgets of GOEs shall be presented to the Budget Office of the Federation for review, further to which they will be submitted to the National Assembly by Mr. President along with the national budget. GOEs shall no longer send their budgets directly to the National Assembly;
“consideration and passage of budgets of GOEs shall going forward, be scheduled alongside the main budget of the Federal Government; and
“agencies with capacities to be self-funding shall be categorised and removed from the National Budget. “
According to the circular, revenue departments to be manned by “Professional Treasury Officers from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation” would be created within the GOEs.

Are you a witty and talented wordsmith? Stand a chance to win N30,000 cash at the comfort of your home by participating in this #HopeBeatsCancer copywriting challenge organised by Zenera Consulting, a leading public relations and advertising firm in Nigeria.

In celebration of its 5th anniversary, Zenera Consulting is lending its voice to cancer awareness and is seeking to inspire hope in people living with cancer or who have close relatives fighting the disease.

The #HopeBeatsCancer copy must be original, creative and inspiring. Contestants are expected to post the copy on Instagram, using the hashtags, #ZeneraAtFive #HopeBeatsCancer. Five winners will be selected on November 30, 2018 by award-winning writer, Toni Kan.

Apart from the N30,000 up for grabs, the winners will also be invited to Zenera’s star-studded cancer walk, scheduled for December 1, 2018, in partnership with Inspiration FM, Lakeshore Cancer Centre, Roding Healthcare Limited and Federal Road Safety Corps.

Learn more about the cancer walk here: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/zenera-consulting-to-celebrate-5th-anniversary-with-walk-for-cancer/

International business news platform, Bloomberg has published a new feature report, alleging that internal quarrels are weakening Nigeria’s ruling party before elections.

Read full report below:

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances of winning re-election in February are facing a potentially insurmountable hurdle: widening divisions in his own party.

Read the rest here: http://www.todaysecho.com/internal-quarrels-weaken-nigerias-ruling-party-before-elections-bloombergopinion/

The Ondo State Government has revealed that it would commence construction on a planned flyover bridge at Ore next week.

The bridge is an effort to divert traffic along the Lagos-Ore-Benin expressway to ease traffic and reduce accidents. The governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Akeredolu has solicited support from stakeholders, including the FRSC in ensuring a successful construction.

Governor Akeredolu yesterday, met with the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi.

Part of recent statement by the governor, made available to Today’s Echo, reads:

“I just finished discussing with the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, soliciting their support with our government with diverting traffic as we commence the construction of the Flyover Bridge in Ore next week”

http://www.todaysecho.com/ondo-state-government-to-commence-construction-of-ore-flyover-bridge-next-week/

Bekeme Masade, CEO of CSR-in Action, a Nigerian  sustainability advocacy and consulting outfit, has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the world’s leading sustainability impact measurement and reporting standards body, based in Amsterdam. She will be joining a leading caste of global sustainability professionals.

Bekeme, who is the first West African member on the Board of Directors, will be commencing her 3-year appointment on 1 January, 2019. She was appointed alongside Mr. Jack Ehnes, Chief Executive Officer, The California State Teachers Employees’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), USA and Dr. Jianzhong Lu, China President of Weir Group, China. The GRI board appointment process is rigorous and meritorious and other current board members include Tim Mohin, Chief Executive, GRI, Prof. Alexandra Watson, Vice-Chairman, GRI Board, Dr. Jianzhong Lu, China President of Weir Group, Girish Ramachandran, President, Tata Consultancy Services Asia Pacific, Singapore, Mr. Peter H. Y. Wong, Chairman of General Fiduciary Company Limited, Hong Kong SAR, Dr. Roberto F. de Ocampo, OBE, Founding Partner of Centennial Group International, Philippines and Sandra Guerra, Managing Director, Better Governance, Brazil.

“They are joining at an exciting time, as GRI navigates towards the consolidation of its strategy and uncovers new opportunities for growth,” says Eric Hespenheide, Chairman, GRI Board, a former Partner at Deloitte, who led their global sustainability reporting and assurance practice. Also, according to GRI, the latest “appointments reflect GRI’s multi-stakeholder nature and commitment gender, regional and background diversity.”

Commenting on the appointment, Bekeme expressed her delight, saying, “I am humbled by this appointment. It tells me that the GRI is committed to engaging its most crucial stakeholders honourably and to pursuing an African agenda. I remain convinced that Africa is ripe for advancing and embedding sustainability practices and that the GRI is a valid partner to work with to drive the sustainability agenda even more than ever.”

A social entrepreneur, Bekeme is the Chief Executive of CSR-in-Action, a group made of a consulting firm, a think tank and a training institute dedicated to corporate social responsibility, policy development, advocacy, empowerment and sustainable development in the region.

Bekeme, CSR-in-Action has promoted sustainable measurement and reporting using the GRI framework, specifically, since 2011, and has catalysed the growth of sustainability adoption and transparency through corporations’ production of annual report.

CSR-in-Action produces the pioneer sustainability investment report in Nigeria The Collective Social Report: Nigeria (now The Corporate Sustainable Investor Report), endorsed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and supported by United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in 2012; a first of its kind compendium which includes a rating of business sustainability performance.

Bekeme helped establish the Business Coalition for Sustainable Development Nigeria (BCSDN) in May 2014, an initiative affiliated with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), made up of a coalition of leading businesses across all sectors to drive collective development. She has engaged stakeholders throughout the economic value chain – government, business, civil society organisations and communities – and recently spearheaded the design and development of a Community Engagement Standards to facilitate the Federal Government agenda for promoting peace through equity in oil and gas communities in Nigeria. She is on the board of several non-profit and for-profit organisations and is convener of the annual Sustainability in the Extractive Industries Conference, the largest development focused gathering for extractives now in its eighth year, and producer of The Good Citizen Radio Show.

GRI is an independent international organisation that pioneered sustainability reporting globally. It currently serves a global audience through regional hubs in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, South Africa and the United States. GRI reports are produced in more than

The acting Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed has said that over 2,000 former workers of the defunct Nigerian Airways have now received at least 50 percent of their pension.

Part of a statement from Ahmed available to Today's Echo, reads:

"Happy to announce that we are committed to keeping to our promises of ensuring social justice never eludes our people again. Over 2,000 Nigerians now have access to their entitlements, after 16 years."

In October, 2018, the Federal Government began paying the arrears of former Nigeria airline workers.

https://twitter.com/ZShamsuna/status/1061684630120812544

President Muhammadu Buhari leaves Abuja today for Paris, France to attend the maiden edition of the Paris Peace Forum holding from November 11 to 13, 2018, the Presidency has announced.

Organised by the French Government and a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the Forum is based on the “simple idea that international cooperation is key to tackling global challenges and ensuring durable peace.

President Buhari will join the United Nations(UN)Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and other world leaders in discussing contributions towards global peace while underscoring the imperative of collective action.

While in Paris, President Buhari will also join other world leaders to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Armistice signed on November 11, 1918 between the Allied Forces and Germany in the forest of Compiegne in France to end the First World War

During his visit to Paris, President Buhari will attend a luncheon hosted by President Emmanuel Macron in honour of visiting heads of delegations. He will also participate in an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in France.

President Buhari will be accompanied to Paris by Governors Aminu Masari, Willie Obiano and Kayode Fayemi of Katsina, Anambra and Ekiti States, respectively.

Others include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd); and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakah

Women around the world are evolving and rediscovering themselves. Gone are the days when they say a woman’s world is limited to the kitchen. Today’s women are doing more than just being a reflection of their husbands, they are carving a path for themselves. As the world progresses and women get out of poverty and achieve more freedom, they are discovering that they are more than society had previously defined them to be.

To break boundaries, women must realize their potentials and maximize them. With education, determination and self-discovery, women are more empowered and can create immense impact in the society.  Intellectual, spiritual, and physical development are as important for women as they are for men today. The church already provides opportunity for the spiritual development and self-discovery of women.

However, some churches are going beyond this, they are also providing opportunity for women to enhance their capacity to actualise their dreams. One of them is The Elevation Church, a Lagos-based Christian organization which recently hosted a conference for women called ‘Made for More’.

Made for More Women’s Conference

The Made for More Women’s Conference is a two-day annual event which the church says is aimed at empowering women. The event usually holds in the month of October at Pistis Conference Centre of The Elevation Church and it is targeted at every woman, irrespective of status and age, both within and outside the church.

Speaking on the rationale behind the event, co-founder of the Elevation Church and chief host, Bolarinwa Akinlabi said the Made for More conference is an avenue to speak directly to the sense of worth in a woman to let her know that she is made for much more than the pages of the newspaper seems to suggest.

“The average young woman, before reaching the age of 20, has received so many stereotypical definitions from the family unit, extended family, billboards, magazines, etc. If you open the pages of a typical magazine, without even seeing a word, there are expectations being pushed out on the average young woman such that she thinks her worth and value is about the outward appearance. We have to speak directly to that sense of worth in a woman to let her know that she is made for much more than the pages of the newspaper seems to suggest.  If you look at the billboards on the street, they seem to suggest that women are made for a certain thing. But God has giving us the instruction to speak specific words of worth into the woman. Her worth is made up of so much more than the physical attributes that want to define her. “

According to the head of Communications, Chinny Ugoji, the organizers of the programme want to raise women that are full of passion for the right things; that are not afraid to move forward with a sense of purpose, focus and ambition.

The conference started in 2016 with Pastor Nike Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre as the first guest speaker. Since then, there have been testimonials by women who have been inspired by the event to develop an idea and start something.

According to Akinlabi, one woman recently told her that she had always had an idea to start a new business and she was inspired by the first made for more conference. She launched out her business and has been growing in leaps and bounds over the years.

The second Made for More Women’s conference was in 2017 and it featured Pastor Mrs Funke Felix- Adejumo, a renowned speaker and philanthropist who is the co-founder of Agape Christian Ministries. Pastor Adejumo revealed secrets to a godly woman’s growth and success using biblical principles.  A thousand women were in attendance to worship, discuss crucial issues, pray and get empowered. Over a hundred women-led and owned businesses and brands were on exhibition for Women in Business sections. Women also displayed their products, brands and cultivated business relationships.

Testimonials

Just wrapping up its third edition, the Made of More Women’s Conference has been on the lips of many women, who say it has made a positive impact on their lives.

One of these women, Mrs Morenikeji Rhodes Plumptre, said she made up her mind to join The Elevation Church after attending the 2017 Made for More Conference.

"I had just started visiting Elevation Mainland Church in July 2017. Deciding to become a member at the time was a big decision which I did not want to take lightly, because my personality is not a dormant one. I had been in my old church for 28 years and my husband was still there so I really needed to be sure. Early September, I started hearing about the Made for More Conference. What caught my attention was the fact that Pastor Funke Adejumo, whom I adored, was going to be there.

At the time, I still lived on the mainland, but I made up my mind that come what may I would go, so I registered. Because of the distance and lack of transportation, I could not make the Friday event so I headed off on Saturday. I did not know what to expect. I entered the Pistis Conference Centre and all I saw was a sea of women excited.

There was frank talk with Pastor Joy Isa and a few other women from different walks of life on every topic and information that so many of us would have paid a huge sum money to get. Then the worship, I did not know how broken I was till the worship started, I was so highly blessed, I wept and my environment became a blur as I worshipped my Lord from the innermost part of me, I left that day feeling 100pounds lighter. The icing on the cake was Pastor Funke Adejumo, we all laughed so much we were in tears.

The very next day, I put my name down at TEC Mainland for membership class because I knew right there and then that the Elevation Church was my new home. God worked it out for me and today my husband, daughter and I are fully settled in Pistis Conference Centre and are even church workers. Thank you Pastor Bola Akinlabi for allowing me to know that I am truly Made for More."

A current business owner who runs “Ara Mi” a beauty retail and online store, recently said that she got the inspiration to start her business after attending the event in 2017.

Another woman, CEO of Darkskin Fabrics, a clothing outfit in Lekki, said her business started exactly October last year.

“During the 2017 Made for More conference we were asked to come out and talk to the ministers on what we want the Lord to do for us, and in my exact words: 'I want my business to move from glory to glory, from a car shop to its walk-in store. The Minister prayed for me and exactly 7 months from last year's event I didn't only get a walk-in store but also great business partners that heaven sent to turn my business around.”



Girl on Fire

The third Made for More Conference was held at The Elevation Church’s Pistis centre on the 19th and 20th of October 2018, with the theme: “Girl on Fire”

Introducing the theme, chief host, Bolarinwa Akinlabi said in a video broadcast:

“A girl on fire is energized, a girl of fire has passion; she is not afraid to use her voice. She is not afraid to defend the people who cannot defend themselves, a girl on fire has a song to sing and it’s a song her world is waiting to hear her sing.”

For two days, Bolarinwa Akinlabi and over a thousand other women shared experiences, networked, and encouraged one another to be better in various aspects of their lives.

Akinlabi encouraged women to recognize God's gifting on their lives no matter how insignificant it seemed

“Have you recognized what you have in your house, no matter how insignificant? Like the woman with the little oil, recognize your gift and you will experience miracles,” she charged the audience in one of her ministrations.

The programme featured Jumoke Adenowo; renowned Architect, Interior designer and Founder of AD Consulting as the guest speaker. Adenowo challenged the passion and drive of the woman, inspiring women to discover themselves and break beyond the limits that want to confine them. According to her, man sees a woman as mere seed, but God sees a forest.

To maximize their inner potentials, women have to submit to God.

“Obedience is doing what you've been told to do, submission is deliberately putting down what you have.”

There was a panel session which included business owners, specialists and professionals like Mercy Makinde, Foluso Gbadamosi, Ivie Ogbonwam (HR professional), Simisola Ajasa (Health specialist), and Joy Isa (seasoned teacher). The panel discussed how women can have it all at the “Real Talk” session.

On the first day, there was a ‘Women in Worship’ session, that featured popular gospel artists including Sola Allyson, Lily Perez, Chioma and Ella Vibes. These music ministers led the women in unrestrained and pure worship.

Speaking about the worship session, Akinlabi said; “as women there are some issues we cannot look to people to solve for us, God has to be the answer. We had a wonderful worship session where we just created an atmosphere for the woman to receive the healing and reinforcement and strength that she can only get from her maker.”

One of the vital components of the event is the Business exhibition/fair, a place where women entrepreneurs come together and network. The “Women in Business” exhibition held on Day 2 of the conference, 20th October 2018. The aim of the exhibition is to create awareness for women-led ventures to share business ideas, experiences and merchandise and network.

The side attractions include child care, and a parental clinic. At the parental clinic, which held on the last day of event, mothers sat with physiotherapists, educators, counsellors, certified autism specialists, childhood neurodevelopmental assessors and many more which will only hold on the last day of the event. The parenting clinic was created for women dealing with some challenging issues with their families. There were also experts in the child psychology business; seasoned teachers and educators who also brought women who are parents together to give them real tools to help them deal with troublesome relationships with their children



 The Elevation Church

Coincidentally, The Elevation Church (TEC), which organizes the Made for More conference, has just concluded the celebration of its eight-year anniversary. The church is fast becoming a worship centre of choice for many young people in the Lekki area who are drawn by its charismatic pastor and his dynamic messages.

According to the lead pastor, Godman Akinlabi, “In the past eight years, The Elevation Church has upheld its mandate to make greatness common, and it hopes to raise even greater people who will be positive leaders steering the reins of Nigeria and restoring the country to its glory.”

The week-long series of activities for the anniversary celebrations included a special thanksgiving services at the church’s island and mainland centers on Wednesday, 10 October and Thursday 11 October 2018. The services featured popular gospel artiste, Big Bolaji amongst other acts. There was also a social media celebration to cater to its teeming youthful congregation from Monday, 8 October to Sunday, 14 October 2018.

In a statement made available to news men, Head of Communications, Chinny Ugoji explained that the church has developed a series of impactful events within the past eight years, one of which is the Made for More Women’s Conference holding this October. There is also Exponential, a conference for pastors and church leaders. It is a three-day leadership bootcamp with break-out sessions, workshops, and plenary sessions, hosting about 20 facilitators specialising in different areas/ministries e.g pastors, media, etc. The aim of the event is to resource the body of Christ. Others include “Metamorphosis”, a seminar for previously married, remarried and blended families; “Hangout”- an annual conference for Singles; “Accelerate Conference” - a mid-year event to prepare people for the rest of the year; Navigate Conference for Teenagers from 13-19 years old” and many more.

Additionally, the church has commenced plans to launch its official outreach arm, PISTIS Empowerment Foundation in January. The foundation is targeted at improving access to education, health and shelter in underserved communities. Since inception, the Elevation Church has engaged in several outreaches, community services and interventions in and around its community. Some of these programs include Elev8 200, a ministry to the less privileged; an active Prison Ministry; Back to School Initiatives; and community sanitation in areas like Aboki Village and Jakande. The Elevation Church also holds several medical outreaches across Lagos state.

Speaking about the PISTIS foundation, Godman Akinlabi said, “The Elevation Church is rising up to serve the needs of individuals beyond the confines of church. People have more than spiritual needs and they need to feel supported as well by the body of Christ. Through our empowerment foundation, we are tasking ourselves to support the economically challenged through education (formal and informal) and support for their total well-being.”

The Elevation Church was founded in 2010 by Pastors Godman and Bolarinwa Akinlabi. The church started out in a hall in the heart of Lagos Island but has grown in capacity, with various locations across Lagos. These centres include the Island Church, Pistis Conference Centre; the Lifepointe Church which is an expression for the young at heart; the Mainland expression at Pistis Hub; and a streaming centre within the greater Lekki area.

The Made for More Conference is The Elevation Church’s contribution towards women empowerment.

http://www.todaysecho.com/the-elevation-church-repositioning-women-to-break-boundaries/

Relationship expert and lead pastor of The Elevation Church, Godman Akinlabi has said the few worthy candidates vying for political positions in 2019 are not in the leading parties. He said this during a press conference week designed to mark the church’s eighth anniversary, as well as announce the yearly women conference tagged: “Girl on fire.”

He said: “To move Nigeria forward, we need people that would come up with new visions to leverage our passion, frustration and get everybody to rally round and fulfil it.”

Pastor Akinlabi also advised Nigerians to go for candidates that have demonstrated capacity to build and reject career politicians.

He said: “There are quite a number of people running for positions in the coming elections that possess some of these needed leadership qualities, but the number is not enough. We also have quite a number of people vying for offices now, who have never demonstrated capacity to build something from scratch, establish and make it valuable. Some of them have been in politics all their life.

http://www.todaysecho.com/2019-the-few-worthy-candidates-are-not-in-the-leading-parties-pastor-godman/

If you have been experiencing charges this morning while trying to pay through the Remita system, there is a reason why.

The Federal Government has indicated that, from November 1 2018, the service charge on all payment to its ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs] would be borne by the payer.

Remita is the technology through which money is remitted into the TSA. Remita is a private infrastructure, owned by SystemSpecs.

In line with the global best practices and amidst dwindling revenues, the federal government has approved a new Treasury Single Account [TSA] tariff model which mandates that the service charge on payment to its ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs] from November 1, 2018 would be borne by the payer.

This revelation emerged at the recently concluded One-Day Stakeholder Sensitisation Exercise on TSA e-Collection Charges held in Abuja on Tuesday October 30 2018, organised by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Under the new model, according to information emanating from the office the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, all funds collection into the TSA would require payers to bear the transaction cost.

The new model would, therefore, replace the previous one wherein the merchant—in this case, the federal government—bore the charges on all transactions to the service providers on behalf of payers.

In the previous tariff regime, the federal government owed the technology service providers and the participating deposit money banks up to two years in service charge.

In 2012, the pilot TSA scheme commenced using a unified structure of accounting for the 217 MDAs for accountability and transparency in public fund management.

In August 2015, the initiative was fully implemented and covered over 1000 MDAs after a presidential directive. At commencement, all players, including all commercial banks, SystemSpecs and the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], agreed that a fee of 1% of funds collected is payable.

http://www.todaysecho.com/tsa-charges-to-be-borne-by-payer-from-nov-1-fg/

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote has declared that with the right support, his business empire could produce enough to feed the entire West African region.

In a recent interview with Time, Dangote said,  “With the right kind of support, we could feed the entire West African region. It’s possible. Not today, but in the next 10 years.”

At some point in the interview, the entrepreneur  started sketching out plans to Time.

Read more: http://www.todaysecho.com/we-can-feed-the-entire-west-african-region-dangote/