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 Agriculture › Cross River Earmarks 10,000 Hactares For Cocoa Cultivation by postbox(op): 8:54pm On Sep 28, 2020 |
The Cross River Government has acquired 10,000 hectares of land across the state for the cultivation of Cocoa in the 2020/2021 planting season. Dr Oscar Ofuka, Special Adviser to the Governor on Cocoa Development and Control, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar. Ofuka spoke in reaction to an award of honour given to him by the Shallom Ministry, Calabar, in recognition of his efforts at revamping the Cocoa industry in the state. He said that Gov Ben Ayade was committed to revitalising the ailing Cocoa industry in the state with a view to making it an alternative source of revenue. According to him, Cocoa is one of the cardinal points of the government’s Agriculture Revolution programme. He commended the governor for foresight in making agriculture the mainstay of the state’s economy, saying that the sector had been neglected for long. “Agriculture has been neglected for too long. It is time Nigerians return to agriculture. “Our youths, irrespective of sex or place of origin should return to agriculture rather than parade the streets in search of white-collar jobs that rarely exist. “Cocoa production is the new gold in Cross River, ” Ofuka said. He thanked the ministry for the award, saying that he was dedicating it to the governor as a mark of appreciation for his passion for Cocoa production. Ofuka urged residents of the state to support the state government by keying into Cocoa farming. “Let us all work together so that we can take our pride of place as the highest Cocoa producing state in Nigeria,” he said. Ofuka said that unless something would be done by the people of the state to boost cocoa production, the ultra-modern cocoa factory built by the present administration might be under utilised. He called on farmers in the state to embrace the cultivation of an improved variety of cocoa crop with a gestation period of 18 months rather than rely on the old breed. The special adviser said that all the Cross River Cocoa Estates which were in comatose had been revived particularly in Akim Osomba Community in Akamkpa Local Government Area where 3,800 hectares had been acquired by the government for cocoa cultivation. (NAN) SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/28/cross-river-earmarks-10000-hactares-for-cocoa-cultivation/
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| Politics › FG to conduct census of Businesses by postbox(op): 8:40pm On Sep 28, 2020 |
The Federal Government is set to conduct a census of businesses in the country, to ensure accurate statistical representation, operations and contribute to policymaking for national development. Mr Clem Agba, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, made this known at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) workshop in Abuja on Monday. The Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop organised by NBS was for National Business Sample Census (NBSC). Agba, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olusola Idowu, said the training was taking place at a time of increased demand for comprehensive, accurate and reliable statistics. “There is no doubt that the conduct of a national census of commercial and industrial businesses will help to increase the quantum and the quality of statistics required for positive combination, plan, monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and projects. “This is critical especially at this point that Nigeria is in the process of designing a medium-term and a prospective development plan tagged “Nigeria Agenda 2050”. “The essence of achieving the present administration’s reform agenda and other development programmes, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa Agenda 2063, can only be realised through the use of time-bound and accurate data. “Thus, it is our expectation that the experiences which will be shared during the workshop, the resolutions and agreements which will come out of this, will help in a great extent to strengthen the existing systems of statistical production in Nigeria.” The minister said that the current administration had the mandate of the bureau at the centre of its agenda, which it was determined to achieve. He said that the ministry would provide the necessary support the bureau needed aimed at its repositioning and strengthening to cope with its budget challenges “in order to ensure its sustainability”. He further charged the NBS to ensure effective and optimal utilisation of the resources available so as to achieve the purpose for which the project was designed. The minister also directed the participants to come up with feasible ways of improving the delivery of good statistical information for an informed decision. In his address, the Statistician-General of NBS, Mr Yemi Kale, said that the census had not been conducted for more than two decades due to paucity of funds. Kale said the census was conventionally conducted every five years, as recommended by the United Nations Statistical Commission. He, however, said the training would equip the personnel to train the data collectors to ensure they were equipped with the knowledge and processes of the survey or census. “This training event today is unique. The Training of Trainer, or ToT as we commonly call it, is an important stage in the data production process. “However, this ToT is unique in the sense that it jointly serves as a publicity event for the business census. As you can imagine, an exercise such as this requires a huge amount of publicity and advocacy. “Everyone, including individuals, households, business owners, organisations as well as policymakers at all levels need to be fully aware and support this exercise for it to be truly successfully.” The statistician-general said that pre-test and pilot exercises were conducted to test the bureau’s readiness and plans for the census. “An initial Pilot was conducted in June this year, just after the lockdown was lifted, while a second was conducted in late August to address challenges and issues exposed by the first pilot. “Both were conducted in Lagos, FCT, Kaduna, Abia, Bauchi, Oyo, Rivers and Kano states. The second pilot was hugely successful and has put us in a position where we believe we are ready to deploy nationwide.” He said the country had “been digitally carved into manageable segments and mapped out appropriately with numberings across all local governments and states.” He explained that this was done to help field managers assign work to the field personnel adequately and also help enumerators identify and locate the working areas to collate data. The Project Coordinator, Mr Yemi Adeniran, said the census would help the nation address the challenges and bridge the gap of inadequacies and inconsistencies in commercial and industrial business statistics. “This survey will serve as a benchmark for updates of subsequent commercial and industrial sector statistics,” Adeniran said. (NAN) SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/28/fg-to-conduct-census-of-businesses/
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| Sports › Weekend Clash Of The Titans Football Matches by postbox(op): 9:09am On Sep 26, 2020 |
We are here again, Another Weekend of Football games loading. We have some big matches coming up in a matter of hours. From the English Premier League to La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Let’s do justice by giving an in-depth analysis of these blockbusters. Manchester City vs Leicester City (Sunday,16:30 GMT) Expect a lot of end to end attacking football in this match. Leicester City still maintains 100% record in the EPL by winning both games against West Brom and Burnley respectively. The positive side is they have scored 7 goals in both games already and conceding just 2. It says a lot on the high note they are beginning the Season with, They need to work on their backline as they lost rather too cheaply to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup after holding on till 2nd half. Their record with Man City has not been that impressive as the last game they won was Dec 2018. Man City on the other hand has not looked shaken as they continue to look fierce in the attack, with the addition of Rodri, Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake. The list shows the intent of Pep Guardiola. Strengthen the back and boost the attack. They are favourites in this game with Leicester but LFC won’t go down without a fight. Players to watch out for: Jamie Vardy, Maddison, Castagne, James Justin, Kevin DeBruyne, Foden, Sterling, Jesus, Mahrez and Rodri. Barcelona vs Villarreal (Sunday 20:00 GMT) Barcelona ended last season trophyless. Strange but true. A lot of drama went down. Messi almost left. Suarez gone and the list of top headlines coming from the Spanish giants. Recently, things have beginning to take shape in Barcelona’s camp after Messi changed his mind on leaving. This is going to be a boost for other players in the Club. With Suarez gone, I guess Griezeman has no excuse but to replicate or do more than Athletico Madrid days. Villarreal under the leadership of Unai Emery has not done badly for the first few games of the new season. They are yet to lose with just two games played. Villarreal has a poor record with Barça on Head to Head. But we expect a litmus test for Barça using their poor end to last season. Players to watch out for: Ansu Fati, Messi, Griezeman, Moreno, Samuel Chukwueze, Paco Alacacer and Frankie de Jong. Roma vs Juventus (Sunday, 19:45 GMT) This clash needs no scratching of the head to know who will take the day. Roma has looked average and always struggling to end the season with UEFA Europa qualifications as their achievement Season in and season out. With the Players they parade, they are not always consistent in performance. They perform outstandingly at times and other games fall below expectancy. This makes this game tricky to decide who wins. Juventus on the other hand are the reigning Champions and getting stronger. They are favourites in winning this game with their World Class players and of course one of the Best Player in the World is still very much around. Players to watch out for: Edin Darkie, Pedro, Pellegrini, CR7,Paulo Dybala, Morata , Arthur, Bernandeschi, Rabiot, Diego Perotti, Javier Pastore and Justin Kluivert. Liverpool vs Arsenal (Monday, 20:00 GMT) The positive turn around Arsenal has had so far can be attributed to the Magical touch of Arteta. You can call him the Golden Goose, with just a short space of time after taking over, He has changed the Team in every way. Arsenal’s attack is getting deadlier day by day. Another ultimate test comes up with a game against the Defending Champs, Liverpool FC on Monday Night football. Both are on a 100% winning start, making this duel a game that should not be missed. It going to be a Cracker! Players to watch out for: M. Sallah, P. Aubamayeng, Mane, Thiago Alacantara, William, Ceballos, Fabinho, Diogo Jota, Pepe and Nketiah. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/26/weekend-clash-of-the-titans-football-matches/
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| Politics › Re: Lagos State Launches N5 Billion Support Capital For Low-Cost Schools (photos) by postbox(op): 5:37am On Sep 26, 2020 |
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| Politics › Lagos State Launches N5 Billion Support Capital For Low-Cost Schools (photos) by postbox(op): 5:33am On Sep 26, 2020 |
Lagos State Government in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Ltd has launched a N5 billion Post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recovery Support capital for the education sector to support low-cost private schools across the state in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic. The intervention fund, which targets over 2,000 private schools, was formally launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa. Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) collaborated with First Bank of Nigeria Limited to facilitate the matching fund, which will be given as loan to schools and vocational education centres across the State. Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was part of the State Government’s sustainable solutions to limit the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both residents and businesses. As the State gradually unlocks socio-economic activities, following the impact of the pandemic, the Governor said the loan programme would help the targeted beneficiaries accelerate recovery and give them the opportunity of a painless return to regular life. He said: “It is no longer debatable that education is one of the sectors that are severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with schools and vocational learning-centres shut since March when we took the tough decisions meant to disrupt the spread of the virus. Given the incidence of the closure of schools in response to the pandemic, it would not be out of context to note that the challenges presently faced by these schools would increase significantly. “With access to low-cost funding for privately owned schools and vocational training centres in the state, we are confident that this programme will help accelerate sustainable and painless return to world-class learning and skills acquisition of our young population. As a responsible Government, we are obligated to provide the intervention that would enable learners in these schools’ study in line with the new normal.” Sanwo-Olu said the N5 billion Education Loan Programme was a precursor to many more human development sector-specific support programmes that would be unveiled by the LSETF on behalf of the State Government next month. The Governor explained that the intervention was necessary, given the importance of education in building human capital. He said his administration took education as critical in building a 21st-century economy and realising objectives set out in the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda. The beneficiaries, Sanwo-Olu said, will have access to single-digit loan facilities to fund the provision of the amenities and services needed to aid learning. He said: “It is thus heart-warming to have First Bank of Nigeria electing to be our exemplary partner for this intervention. With their support, players in the education sector would be getting the financial support they need to boost learning at a single-digit interest rate. “I also commend the Board of LSETF and the management for this significant accomplishment. They have helped the Lagos State Government build an institution that has engendered public trust and elevated the hope of small businesses and young people, irrespective of challenges faced.” Chairperson, LSETF Board of Trustees, Mrs Bola Adesola, represented by Mrs. Tatiana Mousali-Nouri, said schools that have a minimum of 100 students and have been in operation for, at least, a year are the ones qualified for the loan facility. She said: “We are confident that this intervention fund, which is complemented by our free professional and institutional support structures, will ensure that education ecosystem in Lagos witnessed an improvement in the overall learning outcomes for the children, while positively impacting on the local economy through wealth and job creation.” First Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, said the Bank went into the partnership, having recognised the role played by education towards the growth of the economy. He praised the State Government’s efforts towards suppressing the burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the education, saying Lagos Government had scored another first. Adeduntan said: “With the single-digit funding targeted at about 2,000 low-cost private schools in Lagos, we are delighted to demonstrate our commitment to the development of education in the State, thereby contributing our quota to realise the mandate of the State Government and LSETF on economic growth, opportunities for employment and bridging societal gaps in education.” The loan scheme will be provided to two categories of applicants, which are Micro-Enterprise (ME) and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME). Those in ME category will receive a sum of not more than N500,000, while those in SME will get N5,000,000. To apply for the loan facility, applicants are expected to submit their applications via the LSETF portal for screening. Details of the successful applicants will be passed on to First Bank for appraisal and disbursement. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/25/covid-19-lagos-state-launches-n5-billion-support-capital-for-low-cost-schools/
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| Politics › Lagos Introduces A Fuel Pump Station On Waterways by postbox(op): 5:25am On Sep 26, 2020 |
The Lagos State government has introduced the first fuel pump on the Lagos Island waterways to serve private and commercial boat operators. The pump will boost water transportation and allow boat operators to easily refuel their vehicles. Previously, boat operators resorted to buying fuel from petrol stations in kegs and refuelling their boats from the kegs. Speaking at the five cowries terminal in Lagos during an event, Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, the General manager, LASWA, lauded the fueling station project, adding that it would boost ferry operators’ activities and help them expand. Emmanuel said: “This project is significant to us at LASWA being a responsible agency of government. “We are concerned about the hardship and occasional harassment usually faced by ferry operators while using jerry cans to get fuel from filling stations to run their boats. “With the opening of this fuel pump unit to serve both commercial and private boat owners, the safety of lives and property on the Lagos waterways will be greatly enhanced. “To further promote the safety of all waterways users, we urge boat operators to desist from moving fuel with kegs.” SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/25/lagos-introduces-a-fuel-pump-station-on-waterways/
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| Sports › PSL Announces DStv As New Headline Sponsor by postbox(op): 5:11am On Sep 26, 2020 |
The PayTV company has replaced the banking giants, who recently ended their 13-year partnership with the league. DStv has been confirmed as the new sponsor of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) ahead of the 2020/21 season. Absa and the PSL recently ended their sponsorship relationship of the top-flight league when their deal expired at the end of the recent 2019/20 campaign. The announcement regarding the new league sponsor was made by PSL chairman Irvin Khoza from the SuperSport Studios in Randburg, Gauteng on Thursday evening. “The PSL announces that DStv is now the official sponsor of the PSL. This competition will be referred to as the DStv Premiership,” Khoza said. “It’s a synergy that is powerful in what it brings to the supporters in that it the PSL continues to innovate and improve its products, which will have the full backing of DStv, whose offering requires an abundance of local content. “There is no them and us. We are joined at the hip to produce enhanced consumption for the best products for our deserving supporters.” DStv which is a division of the MultiChoice Group is already in partnership with the PSL to sponsor the reserve league, known as the MultiChoice Diski Challenge. The Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service also sponsors the league’s reserve league cup known as the MultiChoice Diski Shield. Absa had been the PSL’s premier sponsor since 2007. Bidvest Group was linked to the title sponsorship after they ended their partnership with Wits. South African services, trading, and distribution company sold Wits’ PSL status to National First Division (NFD) side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila. Companies such as Betway and Telkom were also reported to be keen on sponsoring the league in recent months. The new 2020/21 season is expected to kick off next month. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/25/psl-announces-dstv-as-new-headline-sponsor/
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| Properties › Lagos Eyes Private Real Estate Investment To Address Housing Deficit by postbox(op): 4:48am On Sep 25, 2020 |
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has charged real estate practitioners and investors to work with the Government to create a homeownership model that will help her address the deficits observed in the housing market in the State.https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/24/lagos-eyes-private-real-estate-investment-to-address-housing-deficit/ 1 Like 1 Share
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| Politics › Ekiti First Lady Launches New Initiative For Women Empowerment (photos) by postbox(op): 4:25am On Sep 24, 2020 |
The First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, on Monday, launched the Women Empowerment Team (WET), designed as a capacity building and empowerment programme for women across the 177 wards in the state. The scheme will operate through clusters and cooperative groups to be established across the state. Speaking at the launch, Mrs Fayemi said the initiative was proposed to be a “women-helping-women approach through a network of cooperative societies designed to foster peer-learning, knowledge sharing, skills acquisition and socio-economic and risk mitigation interventions for vulnerable women in the state.” She added that the purpose of the initiative, code-named ObinrinKete, is to realise as many targets of the Sustainable Development Goals 5 – Gender Equality, thereby leaving no woman behind. Mrs Fayemi noted that the vision of the Obinrinkete Cooperative is for Ekiti State to have a future in which all Ekiti Women are prosperous, empowered, productive, and gainfully engaged. Speaking further, she said the Women Empowerment Team (WET) will be a platform for monitoring initiatives that empower, inform and build the capacity of Ekiti women in general and more importantly women living in poverty. The First Lady explained that the main aim of WET is to ensure the implementation of her special intervention projects in all the LGAs of the State, with specific objectives in the areas such as Policy Mainstreaming -(monitoring impact of government policies on women); Economic Empowerment through 177 ward cooperatives. Others are Support for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) committee at the LGA level, Support for keep Girls in School Initiative; Access to primary Health Care at the Community level; Access to Agricultural Opportunities; HIV /AIDS Awareness; COVID-19 Awareness amongst women; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programs (WASH). In attendance at the stakeholders meeting held at the Lady Jibowu Hall of Governor’s office in Ado-Ekiti, were; top government functionaries including the Special Adviser, Communications & Strategy, Mrs Sola Salako Ajulo, Special Adviser, Development Partnerships/ SDGs, Mrs Magaret Fagboyo; Senior Special Assistant on SDGs, Mrs Abimbola Solanke, and wives of top government officials. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/23/ekiti-first-lady-launches-new-initiative-for-women-empowerment-photos/
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| Health › Multichoice Nigeria Visits BJAN, Donates PPE To Prevent COVID-19 Spread by postbox(op): 4:08am On Sep 24, 2020 |
Nigeria’s leading pay-TV company, MultiChoice Nigeria has donated dozens of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to members of Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) during a courtesy visit to the association by the officials of the company in Ikeja, Lagos recently. The gesture, according to MultiChoice is part of the company’s effort to stop the spread of Coronavirus and to show more support to its partners in the media especially at these challenging times. Speaking at the presentation, Head, Corporate Affairs, MultiChoice Nigeria, Ms. Carole Oghuma said, “We are glad to do this at this time and as a responsible organisation, it is necessary for us to reach out to our partners in the media during this period.” “This is our little way to show support to an association like BJAN and to help reduce the spread of the pandemic among brand journalists in the country,” she said. In his response, association Chairman, Mr. Princewill Ekwujuru thanked MultiChoice Nigeria for the kind gesture extended to the association. Ekwujuru who was represented by Mr Afolabi Idowu, the Vice Chairman said the support given to the members of the association would go a long way in preventing the spread of Coronavirus among his members. He assured the visitors that BJAN will continue to strengthen the partnership that exists between the association and MultiChoice. Other executive members present at the presentation are Mr. Lukman Ishau, the General Secretary and the Financial Secretary, Mr. Akeem Salau. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/23/multichoice-nigeria-visits-bjan-donates-ppe-to-prevent-covid-19-spread/
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| Politics › Minister Inaugurates Committee On Commercialisation Of Nigeria Film Corporation by postbox(op): 11:49am On Sep 22, 2020 |
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has inaugurated the Steering Committee on the Commercialisation of the Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC), saying the country’s film industry has the potential to make Nigeria the entertainment capital of Africa. While performing the inauguration in Abuja on Monday, the Minister said the Federal Government is now set to reposition the Nigeria Film Corporation for effective service delivery. “What we are doing today is to simply reposition the NFC in a manner that will enable it to play the role statutorily assigned to it,” he said. Alhaji Mohammed noted that the film industry drives entertainment and has brought fame to the country, hence the need to reposition the sector and provide the necessary enablement for the industry to thrive. He decried the lack of critical infrastructure to drive the film industry in Nigeria, saying, for example, that Nigeria has only 142 cinema houses compared to South Africa with 782 cinemas, United States of America, 40,393, India, 11,209 and China with 50,976 cinemas. The Minister, therefore, appealed to state governments to invest in the provision of infrastructure for the entertainment industry, in view of its huge potential to generate employment and contribute to the economy. “It is important to appeal, especially to our state governments, to invest in infrastructure in the industry. I don’t think it will be too much for the state governments to ensure they build at least one cinema house in each local government area of their state. That will give us additional 774 cinema houses,” he said. Alhaji Mohammed said at the moment, the NFC, which is expected to regulate and organise professional practice in the film industry, is facing numerous challenges, which include NFC’s inability to engage in commercial film production; the fact that the law establishing the Corporation limits its operational functions such that it cannot leverage on the private sector-led growth of the industry, and also that NFC’s civil service structure comes with bureaucratic limitations, budgetary constraints and operational inefficiency among others. He said in order to address these challenges and reposition the NFC for improved performance, the Federal Government has engaged the services of a Business Development Consultant to conduct due diligence on the corporation and the sector and recommend a strategy that is suitable for its reform and commercialisation. “Dear members of the SC, your appointment into this committee comes with huge trust and belief in your ability and capacity to make this reform happen. I therefore urge you to consider this a critical national assignment that requires unflinching commitment and zeal,” the Minister said. In his remarks, the Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprise, Mr Alex Okoh, clarified that the reform of the NFC is not a privatization but commercialisation, with no transfer of ownership and sale of share, so as to ensure that the resident values of the corporation are enhanced. Members of the Steering Committee are Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed as Chairman; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Deaconess Grace Isu-Gekpe; Director General, BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh; Managing Director, NFC, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, and Director, Industries and Communications, BPE, Abdullahi Dikko, as Secretary. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/22/minister-inaugurates-committee-on-commercialisation-of-nigeria-film-corporation/
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| Politics › Lagos Commissioner Commends Traffic Radio For Projecting Government Policies by postbox(op): 7:34am On Sep 22, 2020 |
The Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso has commended Lagos Traffic Radio for its drive and commitment to projecting the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration’s policies and programmes through effective dissemination of information to the citizenry. The Commissioner, who gave the commendation while declaring open the Station’s second management retreat with the theme “Building a High-Performance Team as a Catalyst for Sustaining a World-Class Radio Station”, reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to a greater Lagos, which is being achieved through the six pillars of the T.H.E.M.E.S Development Agenda. Omotoso explained that the first component of the agenda, which is Traffic Management and Transportation, is the primary concern of Lagos Traffic Radio, urging the leadership to continuously focus on informing and enlightening the masses on government activities. While noting that the retreat could not have come at a better time where competition for the airwaves has reached an unprecedented level, the Commissioner reiterated the commitment of the present administration to training and retraining of officers as part of efforts to equip them for future engagement and improve public sector service. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olusina Thorpe, in his goodwill message, said Lagos Traffic Radio has improved from just providing traffic updates to giving up-to-date traffic situation on other modes of transportation, especially water transportation. Thorpe averred that, over the years, traffic radio has strengthened its integrity and maintains a leadership role in the transport sector by adopting a holistic approach to filing live reports during emergency situations. He commended the Staff and Management for the obvious improvement brought into the system so far and called for more focus in the rebranding of the station to conform with the Greater Lagos City initiative of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration. In his welcome address, the General Manager, Lagos Traffic Radio, Mr. Tayo Akanle, said the retreat was necessary for the station to keep up with strategies for adoption of new technology and development. He said the major objectives of the retreat include building strong and well-supported plans for change development, integrating a succession plan, evolving strategy for talent development and evaluating management performance in line with the organisation’s mandate. Akanle pointed out that the fallout of the maiden management retreat earned the station several recognitions, including being nominated among the three best Radio Stations in Nigeria at the 2019 Media Merit Awards. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/21/lagos-commissioner-commends-traffic-radio-for-projecting-government-policies/ |
| Agriculture › Olam Cocoa Hits 100% Traceability Target Across Its Direct Global Supply Chain by postbox(op): 2:06pm On Sep 21, 2020 |
Olam Cocoa, a leading supplier of cocoa beans and ingredients, today announces it has achieved 100% traceability of directly sourced cocoa across its global supply chain, a commitment first stated five years ago. This means the company can now track approximately 12% of the world’s cocoa beans back to an individual farm or community. This breakthrough is the first significant milestone for Cocoa Compass, Olam Cocoa’s sustainability ambition for the future of cocoa. In a progress update published today, the company confirmed it is on track to meet its targets. These include a commitment to achieving 100% deforestation and child labour monitoring across all managed sustainability programmes worldwide in its direct supply chain by the end of 2020. To achieve 100% traceability, Olam Cocoa has developed an end-to-end traceability system which tracks the cocoa at every stage in the direct supply chain across nine countries. By collecting data such as farm and community metrics, cocoa bean purchasing and transportation information, and details on the facility where the cocoa was processed, it can provide unprecedented transparency for customers and allow sustainability programmes targeted at tackling child labour and deforestation to be tailored to the specific needs of farmers and cocoa-growing communities. This builds on insights from existing tools, namely the Olam & Farmer Information System (OFIS), which feeds through to Olam’s sustainability insights platform, AtSource. A dashboard shows where the cocoa beans have come from, as well as the social and environmental impact they have had on their journey from source to manufacturer. Over 325,000 cocoa farmers across Asia, Africa and South America are now using Olam’s sustainability technology to share their data in this way. Gerard A. Manley, CEO, Olam Cocoa, said: “Cocoa traceability has been a significant challenge for the industry due to the fragmented farming systems and lack of infrastructure in many cocoa growing areas. To deliver on our commitments we require an unprecedented level of granular data and on the ground expertise to effectively monitor our supply chain and act on issues such as child labour and deforestation. “A combination of our origination infrastructure and the processes we have developed over the past 25 years combined with the rapid increase in mobile and internet capability, means that our field teams can now collect, transmit and analyse reliable and consistent data in even the most remote locations. This is supported by the latest technology, such as real-time satellite mapping systems that penetrate cloud cover.” “Not only does this give our customers unprecedented visibility of where their cocoa comes from and how it makes its way to them; achieving 100% direct source traceability is a significant step towards our longer-term ambition of a professionalised and quality-focused cocoa supply chain, one where farmers are earning a living income, child labour is eliminated, and the natural world is protected.” SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/21/olam-cocoa-hits-100-traceability-target-across-its-direct-global-supply-chain/ 1 Like |
| Travel › British Airways Offers One Million Seats For Under £35 by postbox(op): 9:19am On Sep 21, 2020 |
British Airways has released one million seats for under £35 each-way. The seats are available across popular routes including, but not limited to, Athens, Bologna, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, Milan, Venice, Newcastle and Naples. Customers must book by 22 September to benefit from these fares. Also reduced are a large selection of Club Europe fares to 60 routes. These include £119 return to Dublin, £129 to Krakow or Luxembourg, £149 to Prague and Vienna or £169 to Nice. Customers should book by 30 September to benefit. British Airways Holidays are also offering a number of enticing holiday packages to accompany these fares, for 2020 and beyond. With travel dates up until the end of March, and the airline’s flexible booking policy offering no change fees or a voucher exchange for bookings made up until the end of September 2020 for travel until the end of August 2021, customers can book with absolute confidence that they can move their flights or holiday should their plans change. And finally, in the latest series of deals, British Airways Holidays is offering reduced Caribbean breaks. Customers will be able to save up to £100 on their Caribbean or Cancun flight + hotel package, when booking between 18-22 September, and travelling between 18 September 2020 – 31 March 2021 inclusive. Andrew Brem, British Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “It is exciting to be able to offer our customers a great range of low fares on travel to a large number of short-haul destinations, alongside our impressive sale prices. Travellers can book with absolute confidence knowing we are operating with stringent safety measures in place and that should anything crop up they can change their plans incurring no change fees, thanks to our flexible booking policy.” British Airways is currently in the middle of its September Sale, with deals across routes and cabins, including flights to New York, Antigua, St Lucia and the Seychelles. As always, customers can use Avios part payment to reduce the cost of the fare still further, while collecting Tier Points and Avios with their booking. Safety is at the heart of British Airways’ business and the airline has introduced a range of measures, which it requires customers and crew abide by. These include: 1. checking-in online, downloading their boarding pass and where possible self-scanning their boarding passes at the departure gate where possible 2.observing social distancing and using hand sanitisers that are placed throughout airports 3. wearing a facemask at all times and bringing enough to replace them every four hours for longer flights 4. asking customers not to travel if they think they have any symptoms of Covid-19 5. cabin crew wearing PPE and a new food service, which reduces the number of interactions required with customers 6. asking customers to ensure they have everything they need from their hand luggage before departure, and where possible, storing their carry-on bag under the seat in front of them 7. providing customers with a personal protection pack including a sealable disposal bag, hand sanitising gel and an antibacterial wipe. The airline is cleaning all key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day. The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/21/british-airways-offers-one-million-seats-for-under-35/ |
| Agriculture › Price Of 1kg Of Rice Increased By 40.69% Yoy In August 2020 – NBS by postbox(op): 10:28am On Sep 19, 2020 |
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the average price of some selected food items in the country increased in August. NBS said this in its “Selected Food Price Watch (August 2020)’’ report released on its website. The bureau said the selected food price watch data for November 2019 reflected that the average price of 1 dozen of Agric eggs medium size increased year-on-year by 3.70% and month-on-month by 1.02% to N478.97 in August 2020 from N474.12 in July 2020 while the average price of a piece of Agric eggs medium size (the price of one) increased year-on-year by 5.44% and month-on-month by 0.76% to N42.78 in August 2020 from N42.45 in July 2020. According to the report, the average price of 1kg of tomato increased year-on-year by 29.48% and decreased month-on-month by -4.65% to N289.86 in August 2020 from N304.01 in July 2020. Also, the average price of 1kg of rice (imported high quality sold loose) increased year-on-year by 40.69% and month-on-month by 2.30% to N501.71 in August 2020 from N490.44 in July 2020. Similarly, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber increased year-on-year by 34.74% and decreased month on month by -0.15% to N256.06 in August 2020 from N256.44 in July 2020. On a segmented basis, the food inflation sub-index rose from 15.48% y/y in July-2020 to 16.0% y/y in August-2020. Food prices increased 1.67% m/m (vs. 1.52% in July). Clearly, the sustained shortfall in domestic food supply relative to the demand, continued closure of land borders, increased input cost and FX market illiquidity, fueled the increases in food prices during the period. Elsewhere, the core inflation sub-index inched up by 10.52% y/y (vs. 10.10% y/y in May2020). Also, m/m pressure went up to 1.05% (vs. 0.75% in July-2020). Notably, across the components of the core inflation sub-index, the highest increases were recorded in the Health and Transport segment. In August 2020, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Kogi (22.03%), Kwara (19.11%) and Edo (17.95%), while Gombe (14.33%), Kano (13.99%) and Bauchi (13.42%) recorded the slowest rise. On month on month basis, however, food inflation was highest in Ogun (3.27%), Lagos (3.13%) and Abia (2.81%), while Plateau (0.67%), Zamfara (0.24%) and Sokoto (0.13%), recorded the slowest rise. The NBS said in arriving at the report, fieldwork was done by more than 700 NBS staff in all states of the federation supported by supervisors who were monitored by internal and external observers. It said the NBS audit team subsequently conducted randomly selected verification of the prices recorded. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/19/price-of-1kg-of-rice-increased-by-40-69-yoy-in-august-2020-nbs/ |
| Business › Facebook Announces Its New Office In Lagos, Nigeria by postbox(op): 7:13am On Sep 19, 2020 |
As part of its continued commitment and ongoing investment in Africa, Facebook, today, announced it will be opening an office in Lagos, Nigeria – its second office on the African continent. Aimed at supporting the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region, the office is expected to become operational in H2 2021 and will be the first on the continent to house a team of expert engineers building for the future of Africa and beyond. Facebook‘s office will be home to various teams servicing the continent from across the business, including Sales, Partnerships, Policy, Communications as well as Engineers. Commenting, Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Head of New Product Experimentation said: “The opening of our new office in Lagos, Nigeria presents new and exciting opportunities in digital innovations to be developed from the continent and taken to the rest of the world. All across Africa we’re seeing immense talent in the tech ecosystem, and I’m proud that with the upcoming opening of our new office, we’ll be building products for the future of Africa, and the rest of the world, with Africans at the helm. We look forward to contributing further to the African tech ecosystem.” The investment of the new Facebook office follows the 2018 opening of NG_Hub, its first flagship community hub space in Africa in partnership with CcHub, and the 2019 opening of a Small Business Group (SBG) Operations Centre in Lagos, in partnership with Teleperformance. Providing outsourced support to all English-speaking advertisers across Sub-Saharan Africa, the SBG office supports Small Medium Businesses (SMBs) through its Advocacy, Community & Education (ACE) programme, as well as its Marketing Expert sales programmes – all aimed at enabling SMBs to accelerate the growth and development of their businesses. “Our new office in Nigeria presents an important milestone which further reinforces our ongoing commitment to the region”, commented Kojo Boakye, Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa. “Our mission in Africa is no different to elsewhere in the world – to build community and bring the world closer together, and I’m excited about the possibilities that this will create, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa.” Since the opening of its first office in 2015, Facebook has made a number of investments across the continent, aimed at supporting and growing the tech ecosystem, expanding and providing reliable connectivity infrastructures and helping businesses to grow locally, regionally and globally. This includes the recent rollout of its SMB Grants programme in Nigeria and South Africa, aimed at supporting over 900 businesses by providing a combination of cash and ad credits to help small businesses as they rebuild from COVID. The development of 2Africa, the world’s largest subsea cable project that will deliver much-needed internet capacity and reliability across large parts of Africa, as well as its ongoing training programmes across the continent which support various communities including students, SMBs, digital creatives, female entrepreneurs, start-up’s and developers. Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa, said: “We’re delighted to be announcing our new office in Nigeria. Five years on from opening our first office on the continent in Johannesburg, South Africa, we’re continuing to invest in and support local talent, as well as the various communities that use our platforms. The office in Lagos will also be key in helping to expand how we service our clients across the continent.” SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/18/facebook-announces-its-new-office-in-lagos-nigeria/ 1 Like |
| Sports › Action Attractions From The World Of Football This Weekend by postbox(op): 10:23pm On Sep 18, 2020 |
It’s another Weekend of Football guys and there are juicy Matches that are talking point and expected to be a cracker. Chelsea vs Liverpool (16:30 GMT, Sunday) Stamford Bridge is welcoming the Reds on Sunday for another duel. Let’s not look at last Season’s stats at the bridge for Chelsea, We all know what happened. Yeah! Yeah!! This is a revamped Chelsea Team with lots of quality, expensive adds-on and high expectations this Season. Chelsea looked like they were booting in their first game with Brighton. Brighton deserved to win that game but just unlucky in converting their chances and keeping off Chelsea. As for Chelsea, I am expecting a better performance with LFC. Liverpool on the other hand has kicked off the season on a high note but conceded a lot of goals in their last game. They were lucky to get off with a win instead of a draw with one of the newcomers from the Championship league- Leeds United. Klopp has an edge over Lampard on Head to Head but I think the Team that makes best of their chances will take the day. Wolfsburg vs Bayern Leverkusen (17:00 GMT, Sunday) The Bundesliga 2020/21 is kicking off this weekend with Bayern Munich already in the driving seat. Wolfsburg vs Bayern Leverkusen has always being fun to watch as they are both fierce attacking sides. With the exit of Kai Havertz to Chelsea, Bayern Leverkusen is still a tough team to play. They still parade a couple of good performers like Mousa Diaby, Patrick Schick, Aranguiz and a couple of others. Oliver Gasner (Coach of Wolfsburg) and Peter Bosz (Leverkusen’s Coach) has only met twice in the league, beating one another, Sharing the wins amongst themselves. I don’t expect a draw here and it’s going to be action-filled. Parma vs Napoli (11:30 GMT, Sunday) Serie A starts this weekend. This highlighted match never lacks goals as both Teams are always out to hurt each other with attacking football. The average goal scored for games between these sides is not less than 3. Even in a game of draw it’s always a four goals thriller or more. In recent times, Parma has gotten the best of Napoli despite the high-performance level of the latter. Parma has remained unbeaten by Napoli since December 2019. Wait a minute! Who does not want to watch our own Nigerian international – Victor Osimhen, who just joined Napoli and in superb form at the moment. Don’t miss this game. That’s all I can take for this weekend, Have a fun-filled weekend of sports and stay safe. Kindly comment in the section provided and share. Ciao! SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/18/action-attractions-from-the-world-of-football-this-weekend/ |
| Politics › Flooding: Sokoto Govt To Construct 3 Dams In The State by postbox(op): 2:37pm On Sep 18, 2020 |
As a result of the perennial flood that has ravaged parts of Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Monday, disclosed that his administration is set to construct three dams in the areas worst hit by the flood. Gov Tambuwal stated this while sympathising with the people of Silame, Kebbe and Tambuwal local government areas in the state, over the flood disaster that affected the areas. He said the construction of the dams in the area will minimise the recurrent incidents of flooding in the state. According to him, the state government has concluded arrangements and logistics for the construction of Jiccini dam in Rabah local government area. During the tour, Tambuwal inspected the three bridges which portions were massively washed away leading to their collapse. The bridges are those of Silame, Kawa and Romon Sarki- Romon Liman in Silame, Kebbe and Tambuwal local government areas. While sympathising with the people of the area, the governor cautioned them against building on waterways and charged them to always abide by meteorologists advice on weather conditions in order to protect themselves and their property from the menace of flooding. The governor also explained that the state will come up with a special package to boost irrigation farming in order to reduce the losses recorded as a result of the flooding. He also informed the gathering that the state government will provide relief materials to the victims and also send experts to assess the level of the damages with a view to mitigating future occurrences. Tambuwal thanked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for sending its team to Sokoto to assess the level of damage inflicted by the natural disaster. In his remarks, the representative of the NEMA, Engineer James, said he was in the state to assess the level of the damage done by the flood in the areas affected. He thanked the Sokoto state government for its quick response to the plight of flood victims in the state and assured it of the federal agency’s collaboration in order to assist the victims. Hundreds of villages have been submerged by the flood while farmlands, livestock and infrastructure were also lost. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/18/flooding-sokoto-govt-to-construct-dams/ |
| Politics › FG Launches BIPC For Assemblers, Manufacturers In The Country by postbox(op): 2:14am On Sep 17, 2020 |
The FG through the office of the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI), on Monday, 14 September, launched the Backward Integration Programme Certificate (BIPC). BIPC is an initiative designed to accelerate growth in the industrial sector. A total of 9 firms were awarded a BIPC, based on their contributions to industrial development in the country: EMCO Foundry Works, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd (IVM), Mikano International Limited and MOJEK. Others were MOMAS Electrical Meters Manufacturing Company (MEMMCOL), Nigerian Foundries Limited, NIJI Group, PROTOGY and UNIKEM. Expressing his pleasure during the launch, the Honourable Minister, MITI, Otunba Niyi Adebayo (CON) stated that the introduction of the BIPC by the Ministry will ensure that companies, especially Complete Knocked Down/Semi-complete Knocked Down assemblers key into the backward integration programme. Accordingly, the initiative will stimulate local production and identify bonafide processors, assemblers and manufacturers. It will also improve the ease of doing business in the industrial sector by engendering a coordinated approach to industrialisation, the Minister said. The launch witnessed the presence of stakeholders from relevant government agencies including the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Bank of Industry (BOI), Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and some captains of industry. In his reaction, one of the recipients of the certificate, Mr Innocent Chukwuma, CEO Innoson Group, stated that BIPC will serve as an encouragement to investors willing to invest in the country. Another recipient, Mr Kola Adeniji of Niji Groups stated that the certificate is timely and well-articulated by the Ministry. He explained that the programme reposed the confidence of investors in government. Mr Rasaq Okulaja, representing the President of MAN, expressed his delight in the Ministry’s new initiative and applauded the classification of industries based on their activities across sectors of the economy. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/16/fg-launches-bipc-for-manufacturers/ 1 Like |
| Family › 79% Of Nigerian Parents Do Not Track Their Children’s Location – Report by postbox(op): 4:51pm On Sep 16, 2020 |
Parents have always managed to set geographical boundaries – where their children could go and where they could not – back in time. Nowadays there is another opportunity to monitor the child’s whereabouts – to track the location of them using special software. Yet, according to Kaspersky’s special survey for parents, not many parents in Nigeria realise this. According to the “Responsible Digital Parenting” survey, 79% of Nigerian parents do not track the location of their child. The reasons for this vary: 54% have never thought of tracking the location, while 28% do not know how to do it. There is an option to have the software, which lets parents locate their children on a map and set a safe area for them to stay in, installed on their children’s devices. However, 38% of parents in Nigeria claim they do not have it installed on any of their devices. “Modern times offer a wide range of tools which can help in preventing accidents in real or digital life. It is crucial to know how to use them, what their benefits are, and, actually, use them. Tracking your child’s location can definitely save you a lot of trouble – its advantages lie also in the fact that it allows to control not only digital, but also real life of the child,” commented Andrey Sidenko, Head of Child Safety at Kaspersky Network. To secure and protect your child both in digital and in real life, Kaspersky strongly recommends following this advice: 1. Learn more on the topic of children’s cybersecurity: explore modern trends, apps, the way of behaviour that has to be adopted in order to safeguard against dangers (for instance, the basic security rules while on the Internet); update your network security knowledge periodically, use the Kaspersky blog to do this. 2.Communicate with your child and define the borders which are not meant to be crossed: discuss with them safe locations both real and webpages. 3.Install a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Safe Kids to monitor your child’s activity successfully. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/15/79-of-nigerian-parents-do-not-track-their-childrens-location-report/ |
| Business › Inflation Rate Hits 13.22%, Records Highest Jump Since Oct 2016 by postbox(op): 1:13pm On Sep 16, 2020 |
The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation rate increased by 13.22 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020. This is 0.40 percent points higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (12.82 percent). Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index. On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.34 percent in August 2020. This is 0.09 percent higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.25 percent). The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending August 2020 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 12.23 percent, representing a 0.18 percent point rise from 12.05 percent recorded in July 2020. The urban inflation rate increased by 13.83 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020 from 13.40 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 12.65 percent in August 2020 from 12.28 percent in July 2020. On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.42 percent in August 2020, up by 0.15 from 1.27 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural index also rose by 1.27 percent in August 2020, up by 0.04 from the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.23 percent). The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index was 12.85 percent in August 2020. This is higher than 12.66 percent reported in July 2020, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in August 2020 was 11.66 percent compared to 11.49 percent recorded in July 2020. Food Index The composite food index rose by 16.00 percent in August 2020 compared to 15.48 percent in July 2020. This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Potatoes, yam and other tubers, Meat, Fish, Fruits, Oils and fats and Vegetables. On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.67 percent in August 2020, up by 0.15 percent points from 1.52 percent recorded in July 2020. The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending August 2020 over the previous twelve-month average was 14.87 percent, representing a 0.24 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in July 2020 (14.63 percent). All Items Less Farm Produce The “All items less farm produce” (or Core inflation), which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce stood at 10.52 percent in August 2020, up by 0.42 percent when compared with 10.10 percent recorded in July 2020. On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 1.05 percent in August 2020. This was up by 0.30 percent when compared with 0.75 percent recorded in July 2020. The highest increases were recorded in prices of Passenger transport by air, Hospital services, Medical services, Pharmaceutical products, Maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment, Vehicle spare parts, Motor cars, Passenger transport by road, Miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, Repair of furniture and Paramedical services. The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 9.64 percent for the twelve-month period ending August 2020. This is 0.16 percent points higher than 9.48 percent recorded in July 2020. State Profiles In analysing price movements under this section, note that the CPI is weighted by consumption expenditure patterns which differ across states. Accordingly, the weight assigned to a particular food or non-food item may differ from state to state making interstate comparisons of consumption basket inadvisable and potentially misleading. All Items Inflation In August 2020, all items index on year on year basis was highest in Kogi (17.29%), Bauchi (15.77%) and Ebonyi and Yobe (14.71%), while Lagos (11.45%), Kwara (11.22%) and Abuja (11.17%) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation. On month on month basis, however, all items inflation was highest in Ondo (2.20%), Ogun (2.07%) and Abia (1.87%), while Plateau (0.72%), Zamfara (0.60%) and Sokoto (0.54%) recorded the slowest rise in headline month on month inflation. Food Inflation In August 2020, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Kogi (22.03%), Kwara (19.11%) and Edo (17.95%), while Gombe (14.33%), Kano (13.99%) and Bauchi (13.42%) recorded the slowest rise. On month on month basis, however, food inflation was highest in Ogun (3.27%), Lagos (3.13%) and Abia (2.81%), while Plateau (0.67%), Zamfara (0.24%) and Sokoto (0.13%), recorded the slowest rise. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/15/inflation-rate-hits-13-22-records-highest-jump-since-oct-2016/
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| Health › NAFDAC Moves To Ban Sales, Packaging Of Alcoholic Drinks In Sachets by postbox(op): 2:01pm On Sep 14, 2020 |
The National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed worry over the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small volume glass and PET bottles. The Agency, in a press statement, signed by the Director-General of the Agency, Prof Moji Adeyeye, also lamented the negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and the security of the public. She said that according to the WHO report, alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people. The statement, which stated that the agency has the full support of the Federal Ministry of Health, stated that the agency’s concern also relates to the fact that alcohol is also a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties. Adeyeye also stated that uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles have been put forward as a factor contributing to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria with its negative impact on the society. “NAFDAC under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health, once again, wishes to bring to the attention of the general public, concerns relating to the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in sachets, small volume glass and PET bottles. “These concerns relate to negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and security of the public, alcohol being a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties. “Uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles has been put forward as a factor contributing to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria with its negative impact on the society.” “The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people. “NAFDAC with the full support of the Federal Ministry of Health has continued to exercise its regulatory responsibilities by ensuring that all alcoholic beverages and other regulated products approved by the Agency meet set standards of quality, safety, and wholesomeness. “The Federal Ministry of Health is concerned about the high incidence of substance and alcohol abuse in the country and NAFDAC, being the competent authority, and working with relevant stakeholders, is increasing efforts to stem this. With regard to alcohol, major stakeholders have been engaged at the highest level and are already sensitized on the issue. “To this end, several interventions jointly agreed upon by major stakeholders are being undertaken and as a first step, no new products in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles above 30%ABV will be registered by NAFDAC. “Furthermore, to reduce availability and curb abuse, effective January 31st, 2020, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume PET and glass bottles are to reduce production by 50% of capacity prior to January 2020. The overall goal is a complete phase-out of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small PET and glass bottles in line with the agreed roadmap or earlier.” The agency boss also said that NAFDAC is in the process of monitoring and enforcing all agreements jointly reached between the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC, alcohol producers, and other stakeholders. “The general public is hereby advised to exercise caution in the consumption of alcoholic beverages and avoid unregistered alcoholic products which could have deleterious effects on health. NAFDAC is committed to preventing easy access to alcohol by young people and other vulnerable and high-risk groups.“ She further advised Nigerians to exercise caution in the consumption of alcoholic beverages as well as avoid unregistered alcoholic products which could have deleterious effects on health. “NAFDAC is committed to preventing easy access to alcohol by young people and other vulnerable and high-risk groups.” SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/14/nafdac-to-ban-sales-of-alcoholic-drinks/
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| Career › A Look At The Nigerian Textile Industry Resuscitation Bill 2020 by postbox(op): 6:55am On Sep 14, 2020 |
Cotton production will be expanded to match Pakistan’s 2.3m tonnes through the provision of single-digit loans and hybrid seedlings to farmers. Nigeria currently produces only 105,000 tonnes which are not enough to sustain a local manufacturing industry.https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/13/nigerian-textile-industry-resuscitation-bill-2020/ 7 Likes 3 Shares
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| Business › August Inflation:food Prices Hike Remains The Major Arrow-head Of Expected Surg by postbox(op): 2:30am On Sep 14, 2020 |
The Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will next week published the August 2020 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report and our expectation is that the aggregate index will rise to a new high of 333.5 points (from 330.1 in the prior month), strong enough to push Headline inflation to 12.86% y/y from 12.82%y/y in July. The CPI is a weighted average measure of prices of baskets of consumer goods and services over a period (usually a month) and is used to determine the extent of increase (or decrease) in the average cost of living in an economy (i.e. Headline inflation) compared to the corresponding period a year earlier (or prior month). From our analysis, we expect the increase in the Headline inflation rate for August to be mainly driven by the upsurge in the Food price inflation sub-component to 15.55%y/y (from 15.48% in July), while the Non-food price sub-component (i.e. Core inflation) is expected to decline mildly to 10.06%y/y from 10.10%y/y. Our expectation of a further increase in the Food price inflation in August is anchored on two major factors – First, on the home front, the low harvest induced the high cost of staple foods and vegetables due jointly to the disruption of planting activities in March and April as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, the perennial Farmer-herders crises, and the inconsistent and insufficient rainfall (due to climate change) to support the ones planted between March and June. Hence, we expect the observed increases in the prices of common food items such as Tomatoes, Onion, Rice, Beans, and Vegetables in the market in August to reflect in the food price inflation index. Secondly is the pass-through-effect of costly imported processed/semi-processed food items as a result of foreign exchange (FX) shortage in the secondary market for the importer of these items. On the other hand, however, despite the increase in the formal and informal sector activities in August as a result of the further easing of the lockdown guidelines by the Federal Government, we expect Base Effect – defined as the distortion to the current estimate of an index caused by a disproportionately high value of the index (now used as the denominator in estimating the current period index) a year ago, to drag the Core inflation rate down mildly to 10.06%y/y from 10.10%y/y in the preceding month. However, on a month-on-month basis, we expect the Headline inflation rate and its sub-components – the Food price inflation rate and the Core inflation rate to rising slowly compared to the prior month. Specifically, we expect the Headline inflation to print at 1.02%m/m, compared to 1.25%m/m in July. Likewise, we expect the Food price inflation rate and the Core inflation rate to print at 0.63%m/m and 1.28%m/m respectively compared to a rate of 0.75%m/m and 1.52%m/m reported in the earlier month. Conclusively, it is worthy to note that with the recently announced increases in Electricity tariff and PMS price (effective from September 1) and the reduction in Savings Deposit benchmark interest rate to 1.25% (which is expected to discourage savings appetite), Nigeria Headline inflation is likely to hit 13.8% by year-end. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/13/august-inflation-projection-food-prices-hike-remains-the-major-arrow-head-of-expected-surge/
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| Car Talk › Hyundai Motor Launches ‘channel Hyundai’ For Smart Tvs by postbox(op): 6:58am On Sep 12, 2020 |
Hyundai Motor Company is leading the digital transformation in the era of COVID-19 and beyond with the launch of ‘Channel Hyundai’, an interactive app for smart TVs featuring multimedia content and a digital interface for customers to experience the brand in a new way. Channel Hyundai offers various online content and services to give customers direct access to the world of Hyundai from the comfort of their homes. “Channel Hyundai is our solution to the growing need for enhanced digital experiences amid the global pandemic,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor. “Our hope is that watching content on the big screen will bring family members together for a shared digital experience, since digital experiences can often feel isolated.” Hyundai Motor is initially presenting three categories within the app – LIVE, TV and MODELS – with plans to add more features in the future. The LIVE category offers product launches and presentations on the company’s vision, including the upcoming world premiere of the all-new 2021 Hyundai Tucson, which will be broadcast on the app in a high-resolution video on September 15. The TV category features videos that cover a wide range of lifestyle topics, from Hyundai’s various partnerships with the art community to its motorsport activities. Hyundai is also planning to produce original content exclusively for Channel Hyundai. The MODELS category is for those who want to find out more about Hyundai vehicles. The Channel Hyundai app features not only videos, but also a virtual interactive showroom that allows customers to get a first-hand virtual experience of key features on Hyundai models. New online content and services will be added over time to provide customers with an extensive collection of branded content with seamless access over smart TVs. The content is currently in English, with subtitles and other language contents in the making. The Channel Hyundai app is available on LG and Samsung smart TVs manufactured in 2017 or beyond, and with webOS 3.5 or higher for LG models. Hyundai plans to make the app more widely available on more brand of smart TVs in the future. The app can be downloaded under the search words “Hyundai” or “channel Hyundai” on LG Content Store or Samsung TV App Store. All content can also be viewed on the Channel Hyundai website. SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2020/09/12/hyundai-motor-launches-channel-hyundai/
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| Sports › Re: Football Players who are likely to light up the New EPL 2020/21 Season by postbox(op): 2:59am On Sep 12, 2020 |
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| Sports › Re: Football Players who are likely to light up the New EPL 2020/21 Season by postbox(op): 2:50am On Sep 12, 2020 |
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