Unity Bank Plc Monday said about 500 members of its staff will proceed on retirement, in line with a programme aimed at reinvigorating its workforce.

The bank also said that about 389 members of staff in various departments were promoted while salary increments by way of notches were also given to another 1,855.

A statement from the bank explained that the move was aimed at raising productivity and competitive position in the industry. “With the implementation of the programme, the bank has announced staff promotions, retirements and will embark on new recruitments to fill vacancies,” it said.

The statement also revealed that while a Deputy General Manager was promoted General Manager, two others Deputy General Manager and five others to the position of Assistant General Manager.

It explained further: “Three members of staff were elevated to the position of Principal Manager, nine to Senior Manager Position, six to Manager status, while those promoted to the ranks of Deputy Manager and Assistant Manager altogether number 54. Other staff in the rank of Senior Banking Officer, Banking Officer, Assistant Banking Officer and Executives also benefitted from the promotion exercise.

“Of the number proceeding on retirement one each are in the rank of General Manager and Deputy General Manager and an Assistant General Manager while others are of various categories In carrying out the retirement, the bank worked in co-operation with all the stakeholders including the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) to ensure industrial harmony,” it added.

Unity Bank also stated that the affected workers would be paid their terminal benefits, gratuity, and other entitlements.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/unity-bank-retires-500-workers/120726/#.UA7EGGut7sw.twitter

Abuja - ADCO, a U.S. manufacturing firm, plans to invest 60 million dollars in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said on Monday in Abuja.

Adesina said that ADCO’s partnership with the Federal Government, would lead to the production of 300,000 tractors with a view to eradicating rudimentary farming.

He said that this was part of the outcome of a partnership meeting in Abuja with delegates from USAID and the U.S. Bureau for food security (BFS).

The minister also said that the outcome of the meeting showed that the relationship between the U.S. Government and the Federal Government was very strong.

“We are committed to deepening that relationship and grow the economies of the two countries to create jobs and also ensure mutual food security.

“As a government, we focus on inclusive growth, balanced growth and basically meeting the needs of our people in the rural areas.

“To realise this, the Federal Government introduced the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/u-s-firm-plans-60m-investment-in-agric-sector/

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today charge the detained directors of seven oil-marketing companies, including Eterna Oil Plc and Nasaman Oil Services Limited, to the Lagos High Court for their alleged complicity in the petrol subsidy fraud.

Eterna and Nasaman Oil are believed to be owned and promoted by chieftains of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, as the EFCC proceeds with the prosecution of marketers, oil marketers under the aegis of Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farms Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) yesterday made good their threat to shut down their jetties and tank farms.

This is just as the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) has given the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims, failing which its members shall suspend the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide
Though details of the arraignment by EFCC were still sketchy as at press time yesterday, THISDAY gathered that the directors of five other oil-marketing companies will also be arraigned for allegedly collecting subsidies through fraudulent means.

EFCC sources, who confirmed the development, told THISDAY that the charges against the affected directors had been prepared by the legal department of the anti-graft agency and its external prosecuting counsel.

The companies will be charged before five judges who have been handpicked by the Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Adeyoola Phillips.

The judges are: Justice Samuel Candid-Johnson, Justice Lawal Akapo, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Adeniyo Onibajo and Justice Dotun Adefope-Okojie.

An EFCC source had confirmed to THISDAY during the weekend that the commission had in the course of investigations identified marketers, who had “fraudulently and knowingly” collected subsidies from the Federal Government.

He said the commission was able to establish the fraud committed by the marketers, by comparing the bills of lading at their offshore banks with the bills of lading they had submitted to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for subsidy claims.
In doing so, the source revealed, EFCC had found discrepancies in these documents, indicating that the marketers submitted forged documents to make their claims.

The EFCC source said this was done by fraudulently altering the bills of lading with the offshore banks for which the Letter of Credit (LC) was opened by the Nigerian banks, potentially indicating that there is a syndicate that specialises in forging bills of lading.

The commission, the source said, has commenced investigations to unmask this syndicate.

The source added that having established the fraud committed by these marketers, the agency invited them for questioning.

“When they were confronted with the damning evidence in the possession of the EFCC, they could not deny it. They owned up to the fraud,” he said.

It was learnt that the EFCC took mug shots of these marketers, released some of them on administrative bail and detained five others, who the source said, are likely to be arraigned in Lagos.

THISDAY also gathered that to ensure that all legal loopholes are covered, the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, was said to have met with Justic Phillips on Friday to intimate her of the commission’s intention to prosecute the fradulent marketers at the Lagos High Court.
The choice of arraigning the indicted marketers in Lagos, it was learnt, was because they committed the crime through the Lagos ports and most of them also have their registered offices in the state.

The EFCC source further revealed that in addition to these marketers that the agency is set to prosecute, the anti-graft commission and the State Security Service (SSS) are closely monitoring other marketers suspected to have defrauded the subsidy scheme.

Such marketers, the source added, included those who imported petroleum products and claimed subsidy on such products, using dead ships, known in industry parlance as ‘decommissioned ships’, as well as or unverifiable mother and daughter vessels.

The source stated that the commission was still trying to conclude its investigations into this category of marketers.
But as an interim measure, the source added that the agency had identified those who pose a flight risk and those who own private jets, and had solicited the SSS’ assistance in monitoring their movements.

The source also disclosed that the law enforcement agency had informed Interpol in the event that any of these marketers under investigation crosses the country’s borders.

Industry sources also reliably informed THISDAY that it is marketers who know that the noose is being tightened around their necks that have become jittery and have mobilised other marketers and the oil unions to threaten strike under the guise that the Federal Government has not paid their outstanding subsidy claims.

Meanwhile, DAPPMA has given the Federal Government 48 hours ultimatum to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims, accrued interests and the foreign exchange differentials arising from late payments, failing which its members will suspend the supply of petroleum products nationwide.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

very nice, well done darey

Available at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the team recorded even more stunning feats defeating world number four and five basketball teams, Lithuania and Greece.

Long before the tourney, nobody gave the team a chance to do well until it recorded an impressive 86 - 80 victory over Great Britain in a friendly game as part of the build-up to the qualifying tournament just a few days before the event dunked off. But the little hope roused by the victory over GB was quashed by the team's loss to host Venezuela in the opening game of the tourney.

The team however rallied and came back to beat Lithuania to make it to the quarterfinal stage and then went to defeat Greece to make it to the semifinals. It was here that it lost again to Russia, but having booked a place in the last four, it battled for crumbs in the third place match and emerged victorious over the Dominican Republic, yet another powerful basketball team.

In all, the D'Tigers' appearance at the Olympics is deserved and its performance as narrated above has been giving basketball pundits hope of a gold medal in London. However, the fact that the team is pooled alongside basketball giants, USA, and its Southern American counterpart, Argentina, seems to speak different volumes in the other direction. Also in the group are Lithuania (that would probably be gunning for revenge) and Tunisia, the African champions that Nigeria could not defeat back home at the Afrobasket ball event.

Clearly, making it to the Olympics does not already guarantee Nigeria a medal nor good result in the basketball event.

http://nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

if our reps can b so fraudulent and corrupt, i wonder d kind of policies the will form, can u imagine?he even changed his name, highest level of a criminal mind, anyway i trust d US govt, the can fish him out anytime he attempt to go there wheather with gbaja or gbajabi or gbajamilia...

effects of defeat...just tryin to be relevant...*hissssssssss*

Facts are beginning to emerge over reasons behind the recent clamour in the House of Representatives 4 GEJ’s impeachment. Could it be that they are reacting to Mama NGOZI’s (NOI) economic polices that seems to have plugged all lope holes for “Awoof”, are our dis(honourables) broke? Cos it was revealed that casual workers hadn’t been paid their salary by this members, who were themselves protesting over non-payment of their July 2012 salary, and literarily stopped the Senate President from attending the retreat in Asaba. He had to calm them down by promising that they will receive their July 2012 salary alert before 2pm that day, which they did. All these issues made them become so agitated and wanted to devise another means of arm twisting GEJ to wet their palms. And we know very well that majority of the Reps are of the PDP, but will they impeach one of their own? For how long will this continue? The misrepresentation we get about the present government from the House is indeed suspect since any one gong to equity must go with clean hands. Are our reps clean when the likes of Farouk Lawan and Gbajabiamila remain vocal? To the contrary they have earned a reputation of unprecedented corruption and unpatrotism, at least the various probe panels they’ve headed, says it all .

Just passing *whislin..dem for kuku campaign for life seat in the house, since na only dem get naija...*stl whistling jooooorrrr

@not2long, y do u want to cause problems in d country, Muslims and Christians r coming together to c how the can end the current prob, u r here trying to put more fire, inciting negativ tots, stop spreading false news abeg..

AGAINNNNN?? smh

gulfer: And another committe will be set up to look into the report of the committee that was set up to review the report of the Balgore committee? Wonders shall never cease in these 4 years with GEJ!!!

If u ve ever bin a manager in a big firm, u will understand, sometimes u need to sample some others views cos some may just want to be bias, letz just hp something Gud comes out

@poster, I'm tempted to believe that u haven't experience any b4, so u just want have a feel of it...let mi help u, with military rule, the is no benefit in case u didn't no...no human right, a lot of laws to abide to by force, u can b arrested anytime even for something as flimsy as urinating by the rd side, and kept in prison for as long as donkey yrs..is dat the kind of life u want, letz always think twice b4 we make some utterances...letz try to strengthen our democracy, at all at all na him bad pass?.letz manage it the way it is, it can only get beta

I perceive he is trying to be very careful in signing any policy to law, cos we will be the ones to still nail him, so for final conclusion and implementation, let other intellects look into it...well letz wait and see the action...I don't think he is confuse, I think he is just being very careful

When he has done a lot of inhumane things and fall out of love with a large no. Of Nigerians, he will definitely seek all necessary means to win the heart of people esp those that don't really know much about his antecedence, and social media is the most easiest and reachable medium to use, a WOLF in sheep clothing is he...I urge Nigerians to resist his ploy to drag them into his inimical ambition, letz seek ways to move our dear country forward, yes! We r faced with some challenges, but by Nigerians having a positive mindset, I see a more united Nigeria...

Even Adams baba commended him, 'twas really an effort in the right direction...I pray it's sustained, so that Nigerians can look beyond for a more stronger, united democratic Nigeria ...[b][/b][color=#006600][/color]WELL DONE GEJ and d pple of Edo state

@9ja voice, first if u r backward in life don't generalize it, beta put, "my backwardness" and not "our backwardness"...cos I'm beginning to believe that u r....secondly, Watz d correlation here btw gej , south south, south east, boko haram and ur backwardness, cos I really can pick that....u r telling wot pple think immediately the see an Hausa man, that pple believe they r illiterates, religion extremist, always in power, jealous of oda biz se guys, poor, always violent and bla bla bla... Thought u were going to attempt to correct dis preconceived impression in pples mind but after outlining all ur point u just stopped and advised us to us lens to read it, I just hope u haven't reposition ur butt to replace ur head and vise versa, cos u r just out to stare up Anoda bomb blast...even when the govt is trying to handle this very vital issue with tacts , u r hear instigating negative thought, letz allow gej work, stop d distraction, try to c how u can proffer solutions, we don't like the incessant bomb blast, nobody does even gej, letzz just kip praying and stop preaching inimical sermons.

Overtime Nigeria has experienced zig zags in her electoral system, with a lot of intimidation and violence, rigging and stealing of ballot boxes...looking at recent elections this year frm Sokoto, kebbi, and Edo states etc, the was no record of electoral malpractices, rigging or thuggery. Electorates trooped out enmass to exercise one of their civil rights without fear of intimidation, and violence in polling unit, contrary to wot was obtainable before...this goes a long way to confirm the fact that Nigeria is fast getting there, were electorates votes will count, without any foul play.
However, there is need for us, Nigerians to believe in this developmental process, the is need for Nigerians to believe in govt policies, the is need for nigerians to ignored all agents seeking govt downfall, having in mind that noting good comes in a hurry, but in due time with careful thought, consultations and implementation. Even as Nigeria is faced with some security challenges, Nigerians should put themselves in the shoes of the leaders and know that certain action requires tact esp when it has to do with security issues, giving the govt our cooperation, I believe in no time the problems will be ova...it is good to criticize at least contructively not rendering abuses, and distracting the govt, cos e no easy o...these foreign countries r not happy when things go right in Africa ESP Nig, they just want to b the only outstanding ones, so the try to manipulate Nigerians against Nigeria to bring down the country, letz resist them...with the current feat in electoral process, security will be next...I believe.

@kobojunkie...if boko haram go after anyone that gets in their way, and politicians get in their way, this definitely will make them anti politicians...they may not really hav full access to attack them cos of some sorts ofsophisticated security guards around them, probably the reason y u can count those affected...but the r anti anything that stands in their way...and Nigerians must come together and agree to conquer them, and we will..I believe.

Right frm the onset boko haram has never had a define tactics, they use diff methods and tactics to attack who'eva the feel is opposing them weather Christians or Moslem, and the just hate politicians, esp the sitting govt...but I believe the is a stronger power behind the scene pulling the strings for this guys,boko. The stronger power dictates how every attack shud b, where to attack and supply them wit the IEDs used...I presume that is y it is somehow diff for security outfits to tackle them, though they've made real progress in combating them...if I'm asked my suggestions....I will say the govt has a lot more to do, I no they hav tried o but the stil nid to do more..and to do more, I no the nid the citizens cooperation, pple shud stop rendering abuses rather proffer solutions, the media also has a bigger role to play...becos this stronger power is internationally powerful and some few in Nig, who wants Nig to disintegrate..the media, weather print or electronic shud make Nigerians believe that we can conquer...I believe..

Nigerians with awoof, and u will find out that most of them don't have immediate use for it...anyway rip to dem...it happened in Rivers State

BIG LIE!! The picture above doesn't even look like Wailo rd, where the camp is situated in Bauchi. This was the pic that was used when bomb exploded in Borno state...mayb Borno and Bauchi now share same road..na wa for pple o...the is no BOMB BLAST

The governors will be expected to discuss, among other contentious issues, the nation’s security challenges.

The need to convene the meeting by the governors followed the continued condemnations over the killing of the lawmakers by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, his Abia State counterpart, Chief Theodore Orji, and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who decried the killing of innocent Nigerians in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State.it was gathered that the governors were summoned by the Chairman of the NGF, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, so they can deliberate on the security implications of the massacre of more than 100 people, including the killing of Dantong and Fulani.

It was also gathered that the governors will also renew their demand for state policing as part of the constitution review and the eradication of polio from the country.

In their last meeting on June 25, the governors had demanded the creation of state police commands, and condemned the spate of insecurity and violence in the country and called for a multi-dimensional approach in tackling the situation.

The governors also emphasised the need for state policing, which they said, had become necessary to combating insecurity at state levels.

This, they argued, had become necessary because the state governments were currently overstretched in funding security.

The governors also stressed the need for a special intervention fund from the Federal Government, particularly for states that are mostly affected by terrorist attacks.

Na wa o, I don tire, I hope this one will....anyway I learnt Foreign investors hav taken ova, they've began the distribution of meters and hav reduced the tariffs too, low earners pay less 4naira per kilowatts hour instead of 8naira, at least a good move, and I hope dis greedy phcn won't jeopardize dis effort....I pray o

This shud b marked in China alone, their population na die...lol

Euroclydon:

You see its pple like you that make Nairaland look like 2go. This is a forum for matured thinking mind and when reasons pop for you to use ur head,u are being evasive.... U dont hav reasons why we shuld not break up and u dont have reasons why we shuld break up....where do u stand? Let me help you. For starters...the ingredients for the eguisi soup u eat comes from the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. I have given u one reason why we should not break up...for your level. I doubt if u can take anything more complex than that.

I laugh, u r just an ignoramus...get ur pen and starts copying..The point u just mention is known as economic integration, this is an important reason like u said, our meals contains ingredients from north, west and south...also the unity we perceive when the super eagles is playing another country, monitor the inner behavior of Nigerians as d match is on, u will c hw passionate they are abt their country Nig, u will c one nation state in Nigeria..Also, in every hook and cranny of the country, one will always find an Igbo, calabar, Hausa, Yoruba man doin one thing or the other, living in oneness (though some set of people want to spoil this unity), besides we need the farm products from the north and the oil in the south to make Nig one of the top 20 economies by the year 2020...that shud help u, olodo..

It's like comparing ones liability and assests, na wa o

Indo food all the way, honey well is stl learning

Some people use nairaland for their sch. Assignments, instead of of u to tell us y u think Nig shouldn't break up, u want us to tell u....oya de wait...kettle head, u de find expo..

He Was a pastor I Neva missed his sermon, but he somehow lost touch with God and the true gospel when he decided to delve into politics, he missed it all...to show his ambitious nature and hunger for power, he decided to romance the CPC party which he had always preach against, just like a dog eating his vomit, not just that, Sunday service became a stage for political power tussle, deviating from d main reason that brought people to church, which is to worship and reference God...u can't mix this two things, politics and religion, Neva, unless u want to deceive ur congregation just like Tunde is doing..if really he is who he claims to be, he shud proffer beta solutions, and seek the face of the Lord for the betterment of his country...I pray the Lord delivers us frm all false prophets

Once upon a time, GUSAU was a one time minister of agriculture before becoming the NSA to Obj...now the is this news flying everywhere that the president is about appointing him the next minister of defence,after the sack of the former...why shud it b him? Is it dat other Nigerians aren't capable or does it hav to go to the north again, or does he understand Nig more, I think govt appointment shud rotate

Northern Nigeria is not marginalized at all, after all the get juicy appointments, fed allocation,and occupy top govt positions...their problem is just ignorance and illiteracy, and those that hav attained and gotten some amt of education, capitalise on that by deceiving the illiterate ones and forcing them to believe that other people r the cause of their problems...education awareness shud b topmost priority in their states govt agenda to enable the common man send his ward(s) to sch.