How wholesome is that tomato paste you are consuming?
Experts say it may be reddish in colour and ravishing but could lead to other diseases such as cancer. To this end, the global food safety concerns on processed fruits and vegetables, which tomatoes pastes belong took the centre stage in Lagos recently, during a Consultative Meeting with Importers of Tomato Paste in Retail Packs (Sachet/Tin) from China by Erisco Foods producers of RIC-GIKO tomato paste with support from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
The concerns came as a result of a recent discovery that a group of Asians and their Nigerian collaborators have been killing Nigerians by selling starch and colouring in the name of Tomato paste.
According to the President of Erisco foods Limited, Chief Eric Umeiofia, reports from a NAFDAC survey revealed that such killer tomato paste with colouring are carcinogenic and therefore unfit for human consumption.
“Apart from the cancer-causing colouring, the starch contained in those products is clearly harmful to unsuspecting diabetic patients. This, the importers have been doing by luring unsuspecting Nigerians with banned synthetic colouring agents which are eye-catching and other substandard ingredients and with sell at cheap prices! However, it has been established that the more red your food is via substandard tomato paste, the more you endanger your life and that of your family,” he stated.
Umeiofia who explained that Ric-Giko shared their standard with tomato paste produced in the United State, South Africa and EU lamented the faking of some genuine tomato paste in the country. He said wholesome tomato paste such as RIC-GIKO should be a rich source of Lycopene, a photochemical with many possible health benefits and a natural pigment that gives many red fruits and vegetables their colour.
“It has been scientifically proven that Lycopene contains a potent antioxidant that stabilizes free radicals making them harmless and helping the body to dispose of them thereby reducing the risks of cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs.
However, the substandard tomato paste contain little or no Lycopene and secondly, the banned colouring used by importers of deadly tomato paste are most times impossible to dispose of from the body. The colourings therefore stick to veins, arteries and vital organs and accumulate to cause cancer, hypertension and other diseases.
In addition, the banned colouring agents have been proven to cause poor neurological development in children; causing hyperactivity, poor concentration and, hence, poor performance in education and progress in life.
He advised Nigerians to patronise only made-in-Nigeria Food product, adding that the Nigerian government should encourage indigenous local manufacturers, especially in the food sector as tomato paste.
Endorsing Ric-giko tomato paste, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii stated that it has become imperative to conduct a study on the quality of tomato pastes imported from China to Nigeria.
Orhii said: “Tomato is one of the consumed fruits in the world, either as raw fruits or as processed products. In fact, available records revealed that globally, tomatoes are second only to potatoes in economic importance and consumption and are used in the food industry as raw material for the production of several products like juices, sauces, purse, pastes and canned tomatoes.”
PRESS RELEASE March 28, 2024 FAAN SHUTS DOWN KFC OUTLET AT MMIA
In line with Lagos State law on People with Special Needs, Part C, section 55 of General Provisions on Discrimination which states that “A person shall not deprive another person of access to any place, vehicle or facility that members of the public are entitled to enter or use on the basis of the disability of that person”, the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed the KFC facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with effect from March 28, 2024.
This is as a result of a social media report by a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM), alleging discriminatory treatment he received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The MD/CE of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi, Kuku intervened swiftly by deploying a management team comprising the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah; the Regional Manager South West, Mr. Sunday Ayodele; Ag. General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo and the International Terminal Manager, Mr. Kerri, to investigate the allegation.
It is based on the findings of the team that FAAN has shut down the KFC facility at the MMA, where the incident occurred.
The authority has instructed that the KFC Management should tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to the affected PRM and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at the door post of their facility at MMIA before it resumes operation.
FAAN uses this medium to express our unreserved apology to the affected Passenger with Reduced Mobility and assures all airport users that we shall continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the rights of every passenger are not infringed upon.
Mrs Obiageli Orah Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.
The victim of the maltreatment, Adebola Daniel, son of former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, recounted his experience at the KFC outlet of the airport in a series of posts on Wednesday via his social media handle.
Daniel, a wheelchair user, described his ordeal as “the worst sort of public humiliation” he ever had.
However, because “the lift to the lounge has been out of service,” for the past three years, he decided to find “solace” at the KFC outlet in the airport, alongside his wife and his three brothers, whom they were travelling together.
“Today I chose KFC – what a colossal mistake,” he bemoaned.
EreluRoz: This nlfpmod is mischievous , he surely knows the kind of topic to bring to the front page for gbasgbos but he'll be pretending like he's gentle.
He no dy take eye see any paternity fraud story before he rushes to bring it to front page
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To be a part of this dynamic global team whose mission is already shared by over 100,000 employees worldwide, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited welcomes applications from suitably qualified Nigerians for the following positions.
All applications must be completed online. Applicants are advised to submit only one application per position to avoid disqualification.
This advert closes three weeks from the date of publication.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Important Notice TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, and its approved recruitment consultants, will never ask you for a fee to process or consider your application Anyone demanding such is not an authorized TotalEnergies representative and you are strongly advised to refuse any such demand.
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Those who want the Naira to be N400 to the $ are living in a dream world. Even discounting for the negative impact of speculative attacks on the value of the Naira, the exchange rate will (and should) reflect its market value in reality, not the artificiality that the Emefiele era central bank sought to maintain to please economic illiterates in political power at the time.
That artificiality created room for massive arbitrage by speculators which bled the economy. Nigeria does not (yet) have a productive export economy. That’s the heart of the matter.
And we do not have $100 billion in foreign reserves. So on what basis would the Naira forex rate return to some fantasy land soon? It will also take time to regain or achieve full investor confidence such as we had when we were there (and the rate was N150-165 to the $ 😀).
The sooner we focus on a painstaking creation of vale-added manufacturing export economy that earns forex beyond oil in real and significant terms, the better. Key to this is the electricity conundrum in which we are at less that 4,000 megawatts of generation for a population of 200 million for decades now. Take power to even 20K megawatts (let’s not talk of 50K for South Africa’s 60 million population or Brazil’s 181K megawatts for a population only slightly larger than Nigeria) and you will see what the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit is capable of.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari expresses his deepest condolences to his former official photographer, Sunday Aghaeze, and family, on the death of his wife, Mabel.
In a message to the Aghaezes at the funeral, which held on Thursday, the former President said he was shocked by the news of the demise of the brilliant chartered accountant, adding that the family had lost a pillar of support, a peaceful and loving mother.
He urged Mr. Aghaeze and the children to take solace in the good name and solid reputation that the deceased left behind, and to thank God for giving them Mabel for the period He allowed.
The Defence Headquarters said troops of Operation Hadrin Daji have rescued 16 Almajiris and a woman abducted in Gada Local Government Aera of Sokoto State.
The PUNCH reports that some terrorists had invaded the LGA on March 9, 2024, and kidnapped the victims.
The DHQ, in a statement on Saturday, by the Director of Media Operations, Maj. Gen Buba Edward, said the troops with local authorities and government agencies worked together to ensure the freedom of the hostages.
He noted that the rescued victims had been handed over to the Sokoto state government. The statement read, “Recall terrorists invaded and kidnapped 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman in Gada LGA of Sokoto State.
“On 21 March 2024, the military, working with local authorities and government agencies across the country, in a coordinated search and rescue operation rescued these hostages.
“The rescued hostages have been handed over to the Sokoto State Government for further action. ”
Edward, however, said the military had extended its resources to find and rescue kidnapped victims in the country.
He vowed that the military would not rest on its oars until terrorists and other non-state actors abducting citizens are brought to book.
Edward said, “Additionally, the armed forces are extending all of its efforts and resources to find other innocent hostages and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.
“These efforts would continue until they are found and the terrorists arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law. The military would not rest until all kidnapped hostages are rescued.”
Edward also noted that troops would deploy the same efforts to fish out those behind the death of its personnel in Delta State.
He said, ” Furthermore, troops are deploying the same effort to track down the culprits responsible for the killings of 18 soldiers in Okuama Community in Delta State on 14 March 2024.”
He said the banner of wanted persons would be deployed in strategic locations.
He said, ” Indeed, to curb the freedom of action of terrorists and the perpetrators of insecurity across the country, the military has released banners of wanted terrorist and their cohorts.
“The banners would be deployed in strategic areas across the country. The deployment of the banner is for ease of recognition and arrest of the wanted persons. The public is urged to cooperate and report, please.”
In the last one year, we have had more than 50 people raised from the dead. How do you explain such things? Both old and young, in various countries. How do you explain? What will you use to explain them? Including the ones that happened in the hospitals to the amazement of doctors and nurses. Maybe we bribed them....
A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack damaged power plants and caused blackouts for more than a million Ukrainians on Friday morning, in what Ukrainian officials said was one of the war’s largest assaults on energy infrastructure.
At least five people were killed in the assault, and 23 others were injured, according to Ukrainian officials.
The strikes came as the Kremlin escalated its rhetoric over the conflict, saying that Russia was “in a state of war” in Ukraine — and moving beyond the euphemism “special military operation” — because of the West’s heavy involvement on the Ukrainian side.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, traffic lights were not working and the water supply was disrupted. A fire raged at the country’s largest hydroelectric dam, in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. A few dozen miles to the southwest, a power line supplying a Russian-occupied nuclear power plant was temporarily knocked out.
“The enemy is now launching the largest attack on the Ukrainian energy sector in recent times,” Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister, said on Facebook. “The goal is not just to damage, but to try again, like last year, to cause a large-scale failure of the country’s energy system.”
The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia had launched 63 Iranian-made “Shahed” attack drones and 88 missiles in the assault, including hypersonic weapons that fly at several times the speed of sound. The air force said it had shot down most of the drones but fewer than half of the missiles, a low interception rate compared with previous assaults that may reflect Ukraine’s dwindling air-defense stocks.
“Russian missiles have no delays, unlike aid packages for Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media, an apparent reference to the $60 billion in military assistance for Ukraine that Republicans in the United States Congress have held up for months.
'A huge shock': Catherine, Princess of Wales, announces she has cancer
Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed Friday she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the “early stages” of treatment.
The princess described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” in a video statement released on social media. The news comes two months after she had temporarily stepped away from public life following what Kensington Palace said at the time was surgery for a non-cancerous abdominal condition.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous,” said Catherine, 42, who is married to the heir to the British throne, Prince William.
“The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Kate continued that her diagnosis was “a huge shock” and that “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
The princess added, “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok.”
Kate said that she had told them she is “well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.”
She praised Prince William for being by her side as “a great source of comfort and reassurance” as well as the support she has received from the public.
“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery,” the princess said.
She ended her heartfelt message by saying that she was also keeping “all those whose lives have been affected by cancer” in her thoughts.
“For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone,” Kate concluded.
The announcement is a devastating blow for the British monarchy as King Charles III is currently undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer, which was announced by Buckingham Palace in early February.
The update on the princess’s health came after Kate successfully underwent abdominal surgery on January 16. She remained in a London hospital for 13 days following the procedure and, on doctor’s advice, had since been away from public duties during her recovery.
Kate was spotted in public for the first time since her surgery, visiting a farm shop with her husband Prince William last weekend.
The consultant will provide strategic digital media communications services to the African Development Bank’s Communication and External Relations Department, by providing content for the Bank’s corporate website and other platforms, and for different communications products as needed.
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR SOCIAL MEDIA INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT
Assignment Title: SOCIAL MEDIA INDIVIDUAL Consultant
Brief Description of the Assignment: The consultant will provide strategic digital media communications services to the African Development Bank’s Communication and External Relations Department, by providingcontent for theBank’s corporate websiteand other platforms,and for different communications products as needed.
Department issuing the request: Communication and External Relations Department
Germany recently enacted the second part of its new skilled worker law, which introduces fresh regulations such as allowing international students with student visas to work 9 months prior to their studies.
Nairmetrics learnt that the country recently put into effect this second segment of its revamped skilled worker law, following the initial enactment in November 2023.
The government aims to attract skilled workers from various industries and is doing so through its international student visa route by relaxing regulations.
Here are some of the changes to be aware of:
Work opportunities before the start of studies
Non-EU citizens can apply for the visa for study applications, allowing a stay of up to nine months while preparing a university application. During this period, applicants can undertake language courses, gather necessary documents, and acclimate to the country.
Crucially, prospective students from developing countries can now work up to 20 hours per week during these nine months to support themselves financially.
These changes benefit international students, including those who are yet to commence their careers, stand to benefit from the new regulations.
The new regulations facilitate the integration of work and study in Germany at all stages of higher education, even before admission.
Apprenticeships for non-EU nationals Similar to university applicants, third-country nationals interested in apprenticeships in Germany can now work while searching for opportunities.
They are permitted to stay for nine months, provided they possess B1-level German proficiency and are below 35 years of age. During this period, they can engage in part-time work and continue working for 20 hours per week alongside their training once they secure an apprenticeship.
Increased work hours for international students Under the new regulations, international students in Germany can now work more hours to support themselves financially. The permitted time has been extended from 120 to 140 full days in any calendar year, equivalent to 20 hours per week, or 280 half days per calendar year.
Extended post-study stay Graduates of German universities are now allowed an 18-month stay post-graduation for job hunting, with the option to apply for permanent residence after two years of employment.
As these rules remain unchanged, graduates seeking a career change now have an alternative visa pathway through the EU Blue Card or German Skilled Worker Visa.
Also, applicants with a degree or vocational qualification recognized by Germany can apply if they have two years of relevant work experience, even if it’s not in the same field or industry as their qualification.
POLICE ARREST FOUR FOR FAKING KIDNAP, DEMANDING FIVE MILLION NAIRA RANSOM
Detectives of the Lagos States Police Command have arrested Margret Itodo ‘f’ aged 25, Agnes Ogbeh ‘f’ aged 23, Esther Anyanwu ‘f’ aged 24 and Anthony Chinakwe ‘m’ aged 24 for faking the kidnap of Agnes Ogbeh.
On March 19, 2024, Agnes Ogbeh, resident in Akure, had travelled to Lagos and was reportedly kidnapped in Lagos. The family back in Akure received a video showing Agnes and one other tied, gagged, and groaning with blood droplets around them. The ‘kidnappers’ demanded the sum of Five Million Naira for the release of Agnes.
Upon receipt of the complaint, detectives of the Command commenced a discreet and diligent investigation into the matter. The hideout was located where Agnes, the other lady in the video and two others were found living freely together.
Further investigations revealed that Margaret Itodo is a professional make-up artist who was hired to make the video look real. All four have made confessional statements and are to be arraigned at the conclusion of investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, mni while commending the detectives for a timely investigation calls on Lagosians to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around them to the nearest security agency.
SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER LAGOS STATE COMMAND IKEJA
The US Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the giant company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market.
It’s the largest in a recent string of Big Tech companies to face antitrust complaints from the US government, which is cracking down on the massive industry, whose power has gone largely unchecked over the past several decades.
The complaint, said Attorney General Merrick Garland at a news conference, alleges that ”Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits but by violating federal antitrust law.”
“Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies break the law,” he added.
The long-anticipated lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, comes after years of allegations by critics that Apple has harmed competition with restrictive app store terms, high fees and its “walled-garden” approach to its hardware and software: Apple famously makes its tech easy to use, but it achieves that by tightly controlling – and in some cases, restricting – how third-party companies can interact with the tech behemoth’s products and services. In some cases, Apple may give its own products better access and features than its competitors.
The company said it denied the lawsuit’s allegations and would fight them and added that the lawsuit could empower government “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”
But Garland on Thursday said Apple’s actions have wide-ranging effects.
“Monopolies like Apple’s threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based. They stifle innovation. They hurt producers and workers and increase cost for consumers,” Garland said Thursday.
“If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly. But there’s a law for that,” he added.
For example, Apple allows iPhone customers to send high-quality photos and videos seamlessly to one another, but multimedia texts to Android phones are slower and grainy. The company late last year relented and agreed to improve the quality standard it uses to interact with Android phones via text message – but it still maintains those messages in green bubbles, creating a kind of class divide, critics argue.
The company also gives its own products the ability to access certain parts of its hardware that it restricts other companies from using. That unleashes an almost magical experience for how iPhones interact with AirTags, when competitors’ products are far more limited in their capabilities.
“Apple creates barriers that make it extremely difficult and expensive for both users and developers to venture outside the Apple ecosystem,” Garland said on Thursday.
‘We will vigorously defend against it’ This year, European regulations forced Apple to give other companies access to the iPhone’s tap-to-pay hardware chip, enabling the creation of competing digital wallets. But those rules are limited to the European Union.
And Apple maintains a 30% commission on most sales through its app store – a frequent complaint from companies that try to sell subscriptions, saying Apple’s enormous share of the smartphone market forces them to pay what they argue is an unnecessarily high commission.
“We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it,” Apple said in a statement.
Thursday’s suit claims Apple has illegally monopolized smartphone markets by using a complex web of contractual terms that harm everything from text messaging to mobile payments. Among other things, the DOJ says, Apple has used its control over iOS, the iPhone operating system, to block innovative new apps and cloud streaming services from the public; degrade how Android messages appear on iPhones; restricted how competing smartwatches can work with iPhones; and hindered rival payment solutions.
Apple, in a statement, said the lawsuit would set a “dangerous precedent” and hinder its ability to make the compelling and consumer-friendly technology that have made the company one of the most valuable in the world.
“At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love – designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in its statement. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.”
The changes the DOJ wants from Apple Thursday’s lawsuit against Apple seeks three specific remedies that could dramatically change the company’s business model.
The Justice Department wants a court order barring Apple from using its app store to block innovative new apps. It also wants the court to block Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent other messaging apps, smartwatches, digital wallets and other technologies from integrating with the iPhone.
It also called for the court to prevent Apple from using its contractual terms to “obtain, maintain, extend, or entrench” the company’s alleged monopoly.
The complaint, a copy of which was reviewed by CNN, does not explicitly call for a breakup of Apple. But it did not rule out the possibility, and asks for “relief as needed to cure any competitive harm.”
According to the complaint, the list of participating states or districts in the suit include New Jersey, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
Years of scrutiny Apple has shrugged off legal challenges and criticism for years that its practices are anticompetitive. Its sterling consumer reputation and a disciplined public relations and legal strategy mirror the precision with which Apple manufactures and oversees its products.
But the Justice Department’s landmark suit challenges a broad range of Apple’s practices.
The case represents the Biden administration’s latest effort to hold a Big Tech giant accountable under US antitrust law.
Apple was named in a sprawling House report in 2020 finding that the iPhone maker, along with Meta, Google and Amazon, hold “monopoly power.” Until Thursday, Apple was the only one of those tech companies the federal government had not yet sued for alleged antitrust violations.
The legal action could weigh on Apple’s stock price, which currently values the company at just under $3 trillion, and could force changes to policies, business strategies, products and applications by the tech giant. Even divestment of some assets is not out of the question for Apple, the tech company founded by Steve Jobs in the 1970s.
Apple’s (AAPL) stock fell 3% Thursday. The lawsuit was widely anticipated.
Along with a pair of ongoing antitrust cases against Google, the DOJ lawsuit against Apple is likely to become a symbol of the Biden administration’s commitment to competition and lowering prices. It will also be a test of how far courts are willing to go to apply decades-old antitrust law to the modern digital economy.
The Apple case may be one of the most closely watched lawsuits brought by Jonathan Kanter, Biden’s top DOJ antitrust official. Kanter, who in private practice once represented rivals to Google including Microsoft and Yelp, is viewed as part of a fresh generation of regulators.
Along with his counterpart at the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, Kanter has argued that the United States has for decades allowed a wave of corporate consolidation and anticompetitive practices that ultimately harmed the public through higher prices, fewer choices or reduced innovation.
Apps vs Apple To solve Android phone customers’ “green bubble” issue, Eric Migicovsky, a tech entrepreneur, says an app he created, dubbed Beeper Mini, to help Android users message iPhone users without those limitations was quickly shut down by Apple.
“It lasted for a total of three days before Apple started to take swings at us,” Migicovsky said. “Technologically, they worked very hard to take actions to penalize Beeper Mini users by knocking the connection offline or by making it progressively more unreliable.”
Those kind of interactions have made Apple’s app store a focus of antitrust complaints.
Beginning in 2020, Apple fought a highly public court battle against Epic Games, maker of the video game “Fortnite.”
Apple isn’t an illegal monopolist in distributing iOS apps, federal courts have decided in that case, highlighting the difficulty of pinning Apple down on federal antitrust charges. Apple did, however, get penalized for violating a California competition law and altered some of its app store practices in response to a court order.
Those rulings highlight the challenges ahead for the Justice Department, which will need to bring a strong legal theory about how Apple has allegedly harmed competition, legal experts say. The DOJ would also need to prove that the benefits Apple has delivered to consumers don’t outweigh its alleged antitrust violations.
Against claims by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that it has successfully settled all outstanding foreign exchange (FX) obligations, foreign airlines say the status quo remains the same.
Kingsley Nwokeoma, President, Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, (AFARN) told BusinessDay that as far as he is concerned, nothing has changed as regards clearing foreign airlines’ trapped funds.
“If they say they have cleared the trapped funds, they should show us figures. They should tell us how much have been cleared. The last I checked, the status quo still remains the same,” Nwokeoma said.
Hakama Sidi Ali, acting director of corporate communications at CBN, on Wednesday disclosed in a statement that the financial regulator recently concluded the payment of $1.5 billion to settle obligations to bank customers, effectively settling the residual balance of the FX backlog.
But Bankole Bernard, chairman of Airlines and Passengers’ Joint Committee (APJC) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) told BusinessDay that CBN’s claim is true, adding that the airlines’ trapped funds have been cleared.
According to him, the foreign airlines have been offered the option to get their funds from the banks using the rate of the I & E window but have refused because the current I &E window rate is not the same they used to sell tickets.
Bernard said the airlines would be making losses if they collect the money using the I & E window, that is why they stopped selling low inventory tickets and are selling only very high fares in order to recover their monies that have been lost as result of the current exchange rate.
When asked why Emirates is yet to resume flight operations in Nigeria, he said “Emirates cannot resume flight operations because of the diplomatic row they have with Nigeria. The rich and powerful still find their way to Dubai.
“The crimes Nigerians are committing in Dubai has made them refuse Nigerians from coming to Dubai. These crimes affect tourism. They do not want their country to be perceived as unsafe. Emirates still has their office in Nigeria and they have staff they are paying salaries,” he said.
Last year, International Air Transport Association (IATA) disclosed that Nigeria owes $812.2 million out of $2.27 billion trapped funds, making it the country with the highest trapped funds globally.
The top five countries that account for 68.0 percent of blocked funds include Nigeria ($812.2 million), Bangladesh ($214.1 million), Algeria ($196.3 million), Pakistan ($188.2 million) and Lebanon ($141.2 million).
Job Description Be willing to live our purpose of making an impact that matters. Have graduated from a recognized University/ Polytechnic with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit or its equivalent in any discipline. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. Be maximum of 26 years old as at the date of application. Have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Not have written the Deloitte aptitude test before.
Job Description Be willing to live our purpose of making an impact that matters. Have graduated from a recognized University/ Polytechnic with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit or its equivalent in any discipline. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. Be maximum of 26 years old as at the date of application. Have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Not have written the Deloitte aptitude test before.
Ozumba Mbadiwe Ave, Eti-Osa, Eti Osa 106104, Lagos, Nigeria Full-time Service Line: Consulting
Job Description The Generative AI Engineer / Developer will, as part of several client delivery teams, be responsible for developing, designing, and maintaining cutting-edge AI-based conversation systems, ensuring smooth and engaging user experiences. Additionally, the person will participate in a wide variety of Natural Language Processing activities, including refining and optimizing prompts to improve the outcome of Large Language Models (LLMs), and code and design review. The kinds of activities performed by the Prompt Engineer will also include, but not be limited to:
Working across client teams to develop and architect Generative AI solutions using ML and GenAI. Developing and promoting standards across the community. Evaluating and selecting appropriate AI tools and machine learning models for tasks, as well as building and training working versions of those models using Python and other open-source technologies. Working with leadership and stakeholders to identify AI opportunities and promote strategy. Developing and conducting trainings for clients on principles used to develop models and how to interact with models to facilitate their business processes. Building and prioritizing future machine-learning enabled features to support client business processes.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc., B.Eng, B.Tech., HND, etc.) in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. 5+ years of professional experience. 4+ years of experience programming in Python or R. 1+ years of experience with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLM). 2+ years of experience building and maintaining scalable API solutions. 1+ years of experience with GenAI or a similar tool. In-depth understanding of AI protocols and standards. Understanding of technology risks and the ability to assess and mitigate them. Deep knowledge of a specific domain or industry, with a focus on applying NLP/LLM solutions in that context. Experience with debugging and troubleshooting software or solutions design issues. Proven ability to stay current with best practices and new technology solutions in the field. Ability to display both breadth and depth of knowledge regarding functional and technical issues.
Person-Specifications
Cloud Certifications including Cloud Architect, Cloud Engineer, ML Engineer, DevOps Engineer. Experience presenting to clients or other decision makers to present and sell ideas to various audiences (technical and non-technical). FSI or Telco Industry experience. Strong leadership / stakeholder management. Possess excellent written and oral communication/presentation skills.
Job Description Be willing to live our purpose of making an impact that matters. Have graduated from a recognized University/ Polytechnic with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit or its equivalent in any discipline. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. Be maximum of 26 years old as at the date of application. Have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Not have written the Deloitte aptitude test before.
Job Description Be willing to live our purpose of making an impact that matters. Have graduated from a recognized University/ Polytechnic with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit or its equivalent in any discipline. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. Be maximum of 26 years old as at the date of application. Have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Not have written the Deloitte aptitude test before.
Job Description Be willing to live our purpose of making an impact that matters. Have graduated from a recognized University/ Polytechnic with a minimum of second class upper degree/upper credit or its equivalent in any discipline. Have minimum of a credit in five (5) O ’levels subjects including Mathematics and English in one sitting only. Be maximum of 26 years old as at the date of application. Have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Not have written the Deloitte aptitude test before.
Politics › Re: Land Grabbers To Sue FG, Demands Creation Of 6th State; To Demand For Trillions by nlfpmod(mod): 7:35pm On Mar 28, 2024
