₦airaland Forum

The British High Commission is looking to recruit an Entry Clearance Officer to work within the Visa Section.

Job Title: B3(L) Entry Clearance Officer

Job Location: Abuja and Lagos

Job Summary
The position is for an initial one year contract, and may be subject to renewal.

The candidate must be a British passport holder who already has or is able to obtain UK Security Clearance, or another national who has recently lived at least five consecutive years in the UK and may be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance.

The candidate must also provide evidence that they have permission to work for the British High Commission in Nigeria (i.e. that they are a Nigerian passport holder; or hold a Nigerian work permit that allows them to work for a diplomatic mission). Any applicant who does not provide evidence of this will be sifted out at the first stage.

Any suitably qualified member of existing BHC/DFID/British Council staff (who currently has SC) wishing to submit an application must also seek approval from their line manager prior to applying.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a variety of tasks to support visa operations.
The main duties will include:

Assessing visa applications in a fair, objective and courteous manner.
Making quick and pragmatic decisions to issue and refuse visas in accordance with the Immigration Rules, and within agreed time-scales.
Dealing with correspondence and other enquiries from applicants, sponsors and members of the public. Preparing well-presented and accurate replies, written in plain English, within target times.
Preparing written statements and paperwork related to the appeals process, and making sure that they are also well presented and accurate.

*Note that BHC refers to both staff in Lagos and Abuja

Requirements
We are looking for a candidate who meets the criteria listed below with good oral and written communication skills. In particular, the successful candidate should be able to work quickly and accurately, often under pressure, have a positive approach to tackling problems and a willingness to take on new tasks.

Good communication with excellent spoken and written English.
Computer literacy with accurate typing skills of at least 25 words per minute.
The ability to remain customer focused, polite and courteous under pressure.
The ability to work quickly and reliably with little supervision to meet challenging targets.
The capability of making quick decisions, in accordance with set rules and the ability to show that these decisions are fair and just.
Ability to work well under pressure.
Excellent team players - this is an all for one, and one for all environment.
Flexibility and a positive attitude to working in a forward thinking, modern and motivated department, which is working at the forefront of visa work. We are committed to improving standards and procedures - and we are looking for like-minded employees.
To effectively represent the Visa Section, the British High Commission, and the UK Government as a whole.
Previous experience of working within a visa section or other office environment is strongly preferred, and good keyboard skills and familiarity with computers and software packages (notably MS Word, Excel and straightforward databases) are essential for the role. Ideally the candidate will have recent ECO experience however this not a mandatory requirement. Any successful candidate who does not have recent experience will be required to attend and pass an Entry Clearance Officer training course.


Remuneration
This is a full time position from 8am – 4pm, Monday to Thursday and 8am – 1pm on Friday. Flexible working hours may be available. The job will be graded B3(L) and the monthly starting salary is N442,149.00 per month including allowances. Successful candidates who are not liable to pay Nigerian tax will be subject to a 10 % notional tax deduction on the basic salary. The salary will be paid in Naira.


Mode of Application:
The selection process for this position is ‘competency-based’. Applicants will be required to complete an application form outlining how they meet the required competencies (as listed below). Those who advance in the selection process will be interviewed based on these competencies and may also be required to complete a written exercise and presentation.

Seeing the Bigger Picture
Having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and wider public needs. Focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet Civil Service goals and deliver the greatest value.

Making Effective Decisions
Being objective; using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. Showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate option before arriving at well reasoned justifiable decisions.

Collaborating and Partnering
Creating and maintaining positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.

Managing a Quality Service
Being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. People who are effective plan, organise and manage their time and activities to deliver a high quality and efficient service, applying programme and project management approaches to support service delivery.

Delivering at Pace
Focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way.

Leading and Communicating
Leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. Supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.

All those interested in applying must complete the LE ECO core competency based application form – giving examples of how you think you meet the competencies. You should also enclose a passport sized photograph and a copy of your passport bio-data page.

Applications should be sent to:

Human Resources Assistant
British High Commission Abuja
19 Torrens Close, Maitama,
Abuja, FCT.

Or by e-mail to: recruitment.abuja@fco.gov.uk

Note: Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. Telephone applications and enquiries will also not be accepted. Only applicants called for interview will be contacted, and it is likely that interviews will be conducted in later last week of September 2014.

Application Deadline: 15th September, 2014

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Latest reports indicate that Manchester United have won the race to sign Radamel Falcao from Monaco on a one-year loan deal.

According to a report published by the Dailymail, the Colombian striker will cost the Old Trafford club £12million and follows Angel di Maria, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo in joining manager Louis van Gaal at the club.

It was gathered that the 28-year-old is yet to agree personal terms but it is speculated that he will earn £200,000-a-week.

The player is said to be on his way to Manchester in a private jet.

Meanwhile, after completing his move, Falcao will join up with his national team ahead of their friendly against Brazil in Miami on Friday night.

Falcao became the youngest debutant in the Colombian second tier when he played for Lanceros Boyaca in 1999 at the age of 13.

He joined River Plate in 2005 for £300,000 and spent four years in Argentina before moving to Porto for £3m. Seventy two goals in just 87 games thrust him into the spotlight as one of Europe’s hottest strikers and Monaco pounced last year, paying a reported £47m.

Meanwhile, another report on Dailymail stated that Javier Hernandez is undergoing a medical with Real Madrid ahead of his imminent departure from Manchester United.

It is believed that United will make £17million if the deal becomes permanent, but the original season-long loan agreement will see manager Louis van Gaal rake in £1.5m for the out-of-favour striker.

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9368

After all the bad news that have been going round over the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West African countries, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, a piece of good news finally arrived some moments ago.

Reporting online in the British journal Nature, researchers at the Public Health Agency of Canada announced that a prototype drug, ZMapp, that has been urgently given to a handful of patients with Ebola has cleared an important test hurdle.

According to the scientists report, the drug test results showed that ZMapp cured lab monkeys that have been infected with the Ebola virus disease.

READ ALSO: Suspected Ebola Victim Escapes

It was gathered that it is a norm to experiment drugs on animals first and then on progressively larger groups of humans to ensure they are safe and effective.

But, in an exceptional move, ZMapp that has not gone through these tests has been rushed to the outbreak in West Africa, as the lethal disease has no cure.

According to the Canadian researchers, 18 rhesus macaque monkeys given high doses of Ebola virus fully recovered after being given ZMapp, even when it was administered five days after infection.

The scientists informed that the drug reversed dangerous symptoms such as bleeding, rashes and high levels of enzymes in the liver.

They also stated that three “control” monkeys that had been infected, but not treated, all died within eight days.

It was gathered that 21 animals had been given the so-called Kikwit strain of Ebola, named after a location in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country where the hemorrhagic fever was discovered in 1976.

But lab-dish tests indicate it can also inhibit the strain in Guinea which has sparked the current epidemic, the scientists said.


READ ALSO: Scores Under Observation For Ebola In Rivers

Meanwhile, independent experts have started hailing the results as an encouraging first step in the long vetting process.

They added, though, that it was still unclear whether ZMapp worked on humans, as two patients who have been given it have died and two others have recovered.

“Widespread availability and use of ZMapp will require human safety testing and licensing, coupled with scaleup of the manufacturing process,” cautioned David Evans, a professor of virology at Britain’s University of Warwick.

ZMapp is being developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. of San Diego, California, partly in conjunction with the US Army.

ZMapp has so far been given to seven infected frontline workers.

Of these, two American doctors have recovered; a Liberian doctor and a Spanish priest have died; and a doctor and a nurse, both Liberian, and a British nurse, who has been flown to London from Sierra Leone, are still in treatment.

The World Health Organisation, W.H.O, gave the green light on August 12, saying it was ethical to use experimental drugs in the context of this dangerous epidemic.

Stocks of ZMapp, which is derived from tobacco leaves and is hard to produce on a large scale, are exhausted, the company said on August 12.

Investigation revealed that the other main experimental drug for the disease is TKM-Ebola, being developed by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp. of Vancouver, Canada, under a $140-million (105-million-euro) contract with the Pentagon.

It is currently in a Phase I human trial, the first step in the three-phase test process. In this phase, a drug is evaluated on healthy non-infected humans to see whether it is safe. Further phases test it for safety and also effectiveness.

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9363

The dissolution of the marriage between Christ Embassy Church founder, Pastor Christian Oyakhilome, and his wife, Rev. Anita Odegwa Oyakhilome, has entered the final phase, TheCable can report. The wife is seeking divorce on the grounds of “unreasonable behaviour” and “adultery”. She outlined several allegations against the pastor which TheCable cannot publish for legal reasons.

The divorce case, with Suit No FD14D01650, was filed on April 9, 2014 at Divorce Section A, Central Family Court, First Avenue House, High Holborn, London, UK, on Anita’s behalf by Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors, a full-service law firm with expertise in commercial law and a strong consumer focus in family, wills and estate, personal injury law and medical negligence.

Efforts to reconcile the popular couple, whose church is one of the biggest denominations in Nigeria and has branches all over world, have failed. They have two teenage daughters, Sharon and Charlyn. Oyakhilome is the president of Believers’ Love World Inc, the registered name of the Christian ministry, while his wife is the vice-president.

The pastor, according to an elder of the church, has denied allegations of adultery and believes his wife is being influenced by “bad friends” who are intent on destroying their home. While Anita believes she has been relegated in the scheme of things in the church, her husband has reportedly accused her of trying to usurp power and authority above her seniors in the ministry. Sources told TheCable that the pastor had been making efforts to avoid divorce in the hope that the wife would eventually have a change of mind.

However, TheCable can also report that the decree nissi was served on the charismatic pastor in his hotel room during a recent visit to the UK. Decree nissi, in legal terms, is like a yellow card in a football match which is a precursor to a red card (“decree absolute”) if no new evidence is provided to stall proceedings.

Church insiders said Oyakhilome had been hoping for rapprochement, but he was left with no option than to receive the papers when the lawyers cornered him at his hotel in London. The decree absolute, which will effectively end the marriage, is expected to be issued soon while terms of the divorce will be worked out by the lawyers on both sides.

TheCable learnt Anita recently wanted to go public with the details of her allegations against the husband but reached an informal agreement to sheathe her sword in the interest of the church.

Oyakhilome is regarded as one of the richest and most influential pastors in Nigeria, and co-authors the fast-selling Christian daily devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, with the wife. However, following the strain in the marriage, the wife had been complaining to friends that her husband had stopped the payment of royalties due her from the devotional.

“She complained of being deliberately starved of funds, perhaps to bring her to her knees in the belief that she would eventually return to her matrimonial home and mend things,” a church member told TheCable in the UK. A wealthy Zimbabwean businessman, who is into telecoms, is one of the biggest financiers of the London branch of the church which Anita pastors along with other branches in Europe.

When the crisis got to a head, the Zimbabwean stopped funding the church ? some said in solidarity with Oyakhilome, his close friend and neighbour in Johannesburg, South Africa. However, Oyakhilome was said to have been shocked when the wife announced at a fundraiser that she was sowing a “seed” (donation) of $1 million ? despite her assumed lack of access to funds. Matters got to a head on Sunday, July 13, 2014, when some relatives of Anita locked up the London branch of the church to protest against the “humiliation” being meted out to their sister ? who had not overseen services at the branch since November 2013.

Some church members had sometime in May 10, 2014 launched facebook campaign, asking: “Where is Rev. Anita Oyakhilome?” They said Pastor Chris and Rev. Anita must unite “for the sake of the gospel, the church and their two beautiful daughters”.

They quoted Malachi 2:16 in the Message Bible: “I hate divorce, says the God of Israel.” The facebook page, which has over 3,300 “likes”, was opened with a stated mission: “This is a Call to Prayer for all believers who understand God’s heart concerning marriage and a Call to Action by Pst. Chris. #DoWhatYouPreach”.

Officials of the church quickly moved to deny any rift between the pastor couple. One official, Kenneth Achumasara, told the media last June: “I can tell you authoritatively that there is no issue between Pastor Chris and his wife, Anita…

If you go to the UK now you will see her along with the kids. She is still with him and there is no issue between them. I have been with him for 22 years and the Pastor Chris I know cannot even utter such words as reported. He will never address such a gathering. She will soon be in Nigeria for a programme and I will definitely invite you to have access to her.”


Read more http://collpressng.com/?p=9341

Posting the statement to his Facebook and Twitter pages, the former minister cited Australian hostage and crisis negotiator Stephen Davis, who alleged the above duo were key elements of the insurgency on Arise News.

BREAKING NEWS: SHERIFF AND IHEJIRIKA JUST NAMED AS BOKO HARAM KINGPINS – AriseTV – August 28, 2014

Australian hostage negotiator Stephen Davis has just named Former Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff and immediate chief of army staff Lt-Gen Ihejirika (removed in January 2014) as the Boko Haram brains on ARISE NEWS.

Davis said Boko Haram commanders that he has been negotiating with as the source of this information. The kingpins not only finance BH operations but select targets for assassination and execution.

Finally, the truth about BH is coming out. Hopefully, the murderers of General Muhammadu Shuwa, the abductors of the Chibok girls, those truly responsible for the Nyanya bombings, and attempted assassination of General Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi will be known.

We hope the authorities will take the steps necessary to act on this revelation, and thereby discharge their duty to protect us, the citizens of Nigeria. That is just what it is, a hope!
SOURCE:http://collpressng.com/?p=9328

The Enugu State House of Assembly has confirmed a clergy cum politician, Ralph Nwoye, as the new deputy governor of the state. Mr. Nwoye, whose name was forwarded to the Assembly on Wednesday, replaces Sunday Onyebuchi who was impeached on Tuesday over allegations that he raised chickens behind his official quarters and failed to represent Governor Sullivan Chime at some events.

The Enugu State House of Assembly has confirmed a clergy cum politician, Ralph Nwoye, as the new deputy governor of the state.

Mr. Nwoye, whose name was forwarded to the Assembly on Wednesday, replaces Sunday Onyebuchi who was impeached on Tuesday over allegations that he raised chickens behind his official quarters and failed to represent Governor Sullivan Chime at some events.

Mr. Nwoye’s political antecedent is unclear at this time. But he is said to be a former caretaker local government chairman in the state.

He is also said to be a pastor at the Christ Ascension Church in Enugu.

Mr. Onyebuchi’s impeachment is believed to have been masterminded by Governor Chime.

The former deputy governor has however indicated that he would challenge his removal in court.

The impeached deputy governor had told the impeachment panel set up by the state’s chief judge that Mr. Chime also operated a piggery at the Government House.

Giving evidence before the panel last Wednesday, Mr. Onyebuchi said the governor’s poultry was hurriedly evacuated shortly after the panel commenced sitting.

Mr. Onyebuchi revealed that the state government had budgeted for the maintenance of the poultry since 2011.

The embattled deputy governor, who tendered the state’s budget between 2011 and 2014, said funds had always been provided for the poultry he operated.

He insisted that he did not commit any offence that should have warranted his impeachment and that the poultry farms he and the governor were operating were there before they assumed office in 2007.

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9317

Some governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP have started making moves to stop Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from emerging as the party’s governorship candidate in Adamawa State. The governors believe it will be dangerous for the PDP to field Ribadu as the party’s governorship candidate. It was also learnt that they were not sure if Ribadu, who was the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria presidential candidate in 2011, was not being planted in the ruling party with the aim of spying on the Federal Government.

‘‘He can be uncontrollable and can explode anytime,” an unnamed governor told cancer adding that some of his colleagues were of the opinion that it was wrong for Jonathan’s Principal Secretary, Alhaji Hassan Tukur, to impose Ribadu on the party and the people of the state. According to reports from Punch, the governors, who were part of a meeting in the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja on Monday night, believed that it would be dangerous to allow Ribadu to get near the Presidency and the PDP.

The former EFCC chairman defected from the All Progressives Congress to the ruling party on August 16 and a few days after, he picked the PDP nomination form for Adamawa State governorship election scheduled for October 12. He thereafter applied for a waiver to enable him take part in the primaries which will hold on September 6. It was also gathered that the governors used the opportunity of their meeting to discuss others issues, including President Goodluck Jonathan’s chances in 2015. One of the governors, who was at the meeting but asked not to be named, told two journalists, including our correspondent, that some of them also agreed that it would be dangerous Tukur and a woman minister in charge of one of the key ministries are believed to be instrumental in the former EFCC chairman’s decision to dump the APC for the PDP.

The PDP governors were said to have insisted that if Tukur was passionate about Adamawa State, he could as well obtain a nomination form to contest the position either now or in 2015. Our source vowed on Monday that he and some of his colleagues had resolved not to support Ribadu for the position. He said they believed that it would be difficult for Ribadu to be allowed to come closer to the seat of power because of his antecedents. Asked if it would be better for him to be given a ministerial position since he has joined the ruling party, the governor answered in the negative. He said, “It is not ideal for the man (Ribadu) to come close to us at all. We still don’t know why Hassan Tukur is insisting on the man.

“We can’t trust him for anything. Look at the auditing job given to him concerning the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation? Do you know the problem that report caused this government? “Before Ribadu submitted the report, he had leaked it to all the embassies in the country. Will it therefore not be wrong to have such a man close to the government he had denounced and condemned in the past?” He said the position of the governors was capable of affecting the waiver that Ribadu was seeking from the leadership of the PDP to enable him to take part in the governorship primaries in his state. Under the constitution of the party, new members and returnees are not qualified to seek elective positions until after two years ─ except they get a waiver.

Section 50 (9) of the PDP constitution says, “There shall be a minimum of two year membership span for a member to be eligible to stand for election into any public office, unless the appropriate executive committee gives a waiver or rules to the contrary.” Our correspondent gathered that the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP were sharply divided on whether to grant him waiver or not. While some NWC members were said to have favoured that he (Ribadu), Buba Marwa and Marcus Gundiri be granted waivers, others were said to have rejected the move. But the PDP said it had not foreclosed the issue of waiver for Ribadu and others. The members of the NWC are expected to meet in Abuja on Wednesday (today) and there were speculations that the matter would come up. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said ,

“The issue of waiver is not a problem. “We the members of the NWC are meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) and if the matter comes up as part of the agenda, we will discuss it. “Waiver is not a problem at all. So, wait until after the meeting on Wednesday. Like I said, if it comes up, we will discuss it.” However, a source close to the former EFCC chairman said he might use his contacts among some of the governors to reach out to others. He said Ribadu was a close friend of at least three of the PDP governors He listed the governors as Ibrahim Shema(Katsina), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom). Ironically, Akpabio is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. “These are his friends among the PDP governors and they will definitely try to speak for him,” the source added. Meanwhile, a leader of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bola Tinubu, has said he does not bear any grudge against Ribadu for defecting to PDP. He twitted,

“Ribadu remains a friend and brother. He is mature. He remains one who believes in liberty, justice and service. I wish him luck with GOODLUCK.’

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9298

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has been reportedly meeting secretly with top politicians from the North.

According to sources who spoke to Daily Independent, the speaker has also set up the Tambuwal Presidential Project, (TPP), whose membership is drawn from top politicians in the North, members of the National Assembly, as well as APC chieftains, who are not disposed to General Mohammadu Buhari’s presidential ambition.

Top APC officials who are not in favour of Buhari running for the post of the president are said to be holding secret meetings to convince the Speaker who is seen as the most acceptable among Northern politicians desperately yearning for power to return to the North in 2015, to join the party and contest the presidential ticket of the party.

Those in the North are of the opinion that Tambuwal, coming from Sokoto State, a key North Western state of the country, would be a better candidate to compete with President Goodluck Jonathan in the event that he (Jonathan) emerged the PDP presidential candidate.

According to an APC member of the House of Representatives, who pleaded anonymity, majority of the members are in support of Tambuwal’s presidential ambition and are already working round the clock to sell the idea to other Nigerians.

He said: “We have gone far with the Tambuwal Presidential Project (TPP); we have reached virtually all nooks and cranny of this country to seek support of major stakeholders within and outside the APC. We are very comfortable with the response we have received so far. Nigeria and Nigerians would get a better deal if and when we translate the TPP into reality In-Sha Allah.”

There have been strong indications that Tambuwal may dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), following the pressure being mounted on him by the opposition and barring any last minute change, he will contest the 2015 Presidential elections under the banner of APC.

Some days back, Tambuwal held a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State and there were insinuations it may not be unconnected with his 2015 political ambition.

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9266

Following the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in some West African nations, residents of the Federal Housing Estate, Oke-Ila, Ado-Ekiti, have been gripped with fear over the sudden appearance of a mysterious monkey in the area.



According to the residents who described the monkey as having a light brown skin, it escaped about two weeks ago from it master’s home, also a resident in the area, and began terrorising everyone in the area, jumping fences, attacking women and children and seizing fruits from hawkers in the area.

Abiodun Ajayi, a resident of the area who spoke to Daily Sun said it was a woman who raised the alarm about two weeks that she saw a monkey, coming out of a nearby bush around her house in the estate and ever since, they have been looking for the monkey.



He said: “Last Sunday, I invited officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) when I saw the monkey on a tree. But before it could be shot, it dived into a compound and vanished. It comes and goes anytime and anyhow.”
Other residents in the area said all efforts to capture the animal have proved futile. They therefore called on the state government to


support the NSCDC’s effort and fish out the monkey on rampage.

“The monkey is real. There is no one in this area who can say he has not seen it. Children cannot play freely again and women are being harassed by the monkey. This is the period of Ebola. Government should please help us,” a resident said.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the NCSDC in the state, Mr. Tolulope Afolabi said the specie of the monkey is different from the common small ones and is big enough to cause anyone fears.

He explained that personnel of the Corps had made several attempts at killing the monkey but to no avail.


He however assured residents that they are on top of the issue and the corps officials are on ground trailing the animal all the time either to kill or catch it.

Monkeys are one of the animals known listed as a major source of the deadly Ebola virus.

Recently, the Nigeria Custom Service impounded a trailer full of smoked meat allegedly said to be monkey meat being imported into the country through the Jibia border in Katsina state.

Source: http://collpressng.com/?p=9251

Easy Taxi is the leading taxi hailing application in Nigeria and in the World. By pursuing "excellence in execution", we want to become the first choice among taxi apps for passengers and taxi drivers in any market.

Easy Taxi is a completely free smartphone app which allows users to hail a licensed taxi in just one click. It also lets taxi drivers get more passengers when they want them.

We are an on-demand car service that seeks to create efficiencies in the Nigerian transportation network by bringing business innovation to the country’s urban transportation challenges. We aim to create a lasting legacy in Nigeria by changing the perception of taxis and by making people think twice about using their cars. Eventually there will be no more traffic jams!

As part of the Rocket Internet family, we bring unrivaled expertise from launching hundreds of ventures around the globe. Locally, in Nigeria we have successfully launched Jumia, Kaymu and Hellofood and employ over 300 people.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position:

Job Title: Content Writer

Job Location: Lagos


Job Description:

•The role revolves around online and offline communication.
•Article writing
•Social media influencing
•Building a strong online presence
•Provide support to the department head
•Drafting write ups for posting
Job Requirements

•Strong IT/Office tools skills
•Strong numerical & analytical skills
•Good knowledge of project management
•Good Communication skills, Writing skills and Interpersonal Skills
•Creative problem-solving skills and ability to work in a team environment.
•Creative writing skill
How to Apply

Interested applicants should forward CV to: recruitment@easytaxi.com.ng

Deadline: 3rd September, 2014

WordPress as a blogging platform is highly beneficial for blog owners. Its open source content management system (CMS) is responsible for its huge popularity.

The WordPress plugins lend great functionality to this platform. You can use these add-ons to expand your site to incorporate all the features you need to run your blog with greater convenience.

Listed below are seven WordPress plugins, which every blog owner should have on the blog:

Recommended WordPress Plugins

1. Google XML Sitemap:

When the search engines start looking for your blog, it is important that web spiders find your site fast.

Google XML Sitemap can help your website become easily discoverable. Your site will have a web spider-friendly sitemap and every time someone types in the keyword, you website will be found faster than other websites.

2. WP Maintenance Mode:

Your website maintenance should not treat your regular online visitors rudely. Have this WP plug-in and let your visitors see a colorful webpage saying that the maintenance is going on.

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Your blog visitors are always eager to know what is going on in your website. If you have added something new to it, they should know first. This WP plug-in does just that.

The visitors will just have to subscribe to this by mentioning their preferred email id and pages whose development they want to know. As a result, whenever you make a change to those elements, they will be informed automatically.

4. Gravity Forms:

Forms are very helpful when you want to remain in touch with your visitors. Feedback forms are a mode of communication between the visitors and you. If you have a general form then you may not get a good response.

Have customized forms with Gravity Forms. With this plugin, you can have multiple tailor-made fields in your form.

5.All in One SEO Pack:

The success of blog is highly influenced by the number of visitors your site receives. You can increase traffic to your website if you optimize it with on-page SEO techniques. This WP plug-in is aimed at helping you achieve a higher ranking for your site and subsequently greater online presence.

This plugin facilitates in building appropriate title, description, Meta tag and keywords among other things for every post or page that you create. You can easily optimize your small business for the search engines.

6. WP Database Backup:

When it comes to important blog data, you have to take charge. Do not just rely on the backup steps of your hosting company. Use this plugin to back up database.

You can get a backup done on demand or you can schedule the operation. This plugin will make sure that your data is secure lest your site should be hacked or it becomes corrupted for certain reasons.

7. Easy Privacy Policy:

This WordPress plugin can create privacy policy page very easily for your site. You can either tweak it to customize to your liking or leave it as it is. The default settings will create a generic privacy policy page that outlines the fundamental laws governing the cyber world.

Having a privacy policy page is very helpful in establishing credibility with site visitors as well as Google. This plugin is designed to generate policies that are in line with Google AdSense.
Summary

You can enhance your blog with these WordPress plugins to create a fully featured site. These plugins will help you have an optimized site for the social media as well as search engines.

Read more at http://clearsoft.org/?p=1929

One of the biggest problems with people that want to get started with their own blog or online business, is that they start a blog but really have no clear direction on where they want to go with it. Unfortunately this usually ends up in the blog owner losing interest in their site, writing content and just wasting their time and efforts.

Before even registering your domain name or writing the first post for your site, you need to set clear intentions on why you are blogging in the first place. It’s very likely that the reason will fall within one of the variables below.

You simply want to start a blog and see what it’s all about
You have a passion and want to create a blog because it seems like a fun hobby
You want to make money online and blogging seems like a good way to start
You already have a business in place and are starting a blog to grow awareness

Those are four of the most common reasons for starting a blog.

Each of them needs to be addressed accordingly and in the right matter to find longterm success. However, in this article we are focusing on just a money factor.

Road To Riches

So what are some of the methods you need to look at before even starting a “for profit” blog.
Find Something People Want or Need

The first thing you are going to need to do is find something to blog about. Since we are focusing strictly on making money, this doesn’t necessarily have to be something you are passionate about… but if you can find something that fits, even better!
Is There Already Money Being Made in this Niche

Once you’ve found something worthwhile to blog about and it seems like it’s a service that people either research online, buy or need, then you are on your way. The next step is for you to see what the market currently looks like for your niche market. A good way to see if advertisers are spending money in this area is to simply search for your blog topic on Google. If you see a lot of ads within the search results, there is a good chance that your blog idea can make good money.
How Can You Target Your Audience

Now that you are on the right path and have chosen a niche topic that is something people want and advertisers are willing to spend money to get their sites and products in the face of your audience, you need to figure out how you are going to cater to that audience. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of a resource site. Just think about the last time you wanted to purchase something online… you probably did some research on this product first. If you can create enough quality content around a product or service and become a value to your audience, this is the perfect example of how to get on the right path for creating a profitable blog.
Best Ways to Monetize Your Blog to Make Money

The last step in the process is to create a solid monetization strategy for your blog — in short, how are you going to make money? Most blogs will monetize their sites through the use of on site advertising, affiliate marketing and by creating their own products. Depending on the direction you go with your site, any or all of these methods may apply. Going back to when I was talking about looking for advertisers in the search results for your specific blog topic, you can either contact these same advertisers to see if they would like to advertise on your blog or see if they have an existing affiliate program in place. The key thing here is to make sure you site has a lot of traffic and content before trying to sell ad spots on your site. You can implement affiliate marketing and your own products at any given time.

Read More: http://clearsoft.org/?p=1904

Android L could be called “Lemon Meringue Pie”: ReportAndroid L could be called “Lemon Meringue Pie”

Ever since Google previewed Android L at I/O earlier this year, everyone has been wondering what the operating system version would be called. Now however, the folks at Android Police have come across some conclusive evidence that the “L” stands for “Lemon Meringue Pie.”

The evidence includes Wi-Fi certification of the HTC Volantis tablet aka Nexus 8, and multiple references to “LMP” on Android Open Source Project as well as the latest Android SDK. The latter mentions the current previews available for Android L for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 as ‘lmp-preview-release’.

While LMP may not be concrete proof, last year’s Android K OS was internally known as KLP — Key Lime Pie. At the last moment, Google struck a deal with Nestle and named the “K” as KitKat. This time around things are again moving in a similar direction, so while Lemon Meringue Pie maybe the obvious choice, don’t be surprised if Google again partners a brand and names the operating system version after their product.

This isn’t great news for the guys who have been lobbying for the next Android version being named after an Indian dessert. The guys who were campaigning for “Android Kaju Katli” last year, have been lobbying for “Android Ladoo” this time. Android chief Sundar Pichai too has acknowledged the campaign, but seems like we will have to wait for another year to see an Android version named after an Indian dessert.

For those who can’t wait to use Android L now ahead of an official release, Google has an Android L preview available that can be used on Nexus 5 and Nexus 7. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install the developer preview on your Nexus smartphone or tablet.


Source: http://clearsoft.org/?p=1895

New iPhone 6 images have leaked, with the latest tease once again showing off the phone’s heavily rumoured protruding rear camera.

An addition which is sure to raise questions from some – and beg questions of being an addition prone to damage – the protruding camera has been spotted on a claimed prototype handset.

Although offering no new details on the phone, the latest leaks seemingly back up claims the phone will feature an all new, rounded, slim line form factor.

Reports earlier this week claimed that the iPhone 6 will line up at a mere 6.9mm thick. Given this svelte body, the phone’s rear camera will protrude by a further 0.67mm.

One of the most eagerly awaited devices of the year, the iPhone 6 looks set to build on the TouchID incorporating iPhone 5S with a bevy of new additions.

As well as making the jump to a faster, more power efficient A8 processor, the iPhone 6 will reportedly be bestowed with improved camera optics and the WWDC unveiled iOS 8 operating system.

Making the jump to a new 4.7-inch form factor, the handset will reportedly precede an even larger, 5.5-inch iPhone offering later this year. Apple is also expected to launch its first wearable, the much mooted iWatch, later this year.

Read More: Galaxy S6 release

Untested drugs can be used to treat patients infected with the Ebola virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

An agency report yesterday stated, that WHO has authorised the use of experimental drugs in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) as the death toll topped 1,000 and a Spanish priest became the first European to succumb to the latest outbreak of the virus.

The declaration by the UN’s health agency came after a US company that makes an experimental serum said it had sent all its available supplies to hard-hit West Africa.

“In the particular circumstances of this outbreak, and provided certain conditions are met… it is ethical to offer unproven interventions with as yet unknown efficacy and adverse effects,” the WHO said in a statement following a teleconference between medical experts.

The current outbreak, described as the worst since Ebola was first discovered four decades ago, has now killed 1,013 people since early this year, the global health body said.

Cases have so far been limited to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, all in West Africa where ill-equipped and fragile health systems are struggling to cope.

Elderly Spanish priest Miguel Pajares, who became infected while helping patients in Liberia died in a Madrid hospital on Tuesday, five days after being evacuated.

Monrovia said it had requested samples of an experimental drug, ZMapp that has shown some positive effects on two US aid workers but failed to save the Spanish priest.

Supplies would be brought in by a representative of the US government later this week, the Liberian government said.

There is currently no available cure or vaccine for Ebola, which the WHO has declared a global public health emergency, and the use of experimental drugs has stoked an ethical debate.

Despite promising results for the ZMapp treatment, made by private US company, Mapp Biopharmaceutical, it is still in an early phase of development and had only been tested previously on monkeys.

ZMapp is in very short supply, but its use on the Western aid workers evacuated to the United States last week triggered controversy and demands that it be made available in Africa.

Mapp said it had sent all its available supplies to West Africa. “In responding to the request received this weekend from a West African nation, the available supply of ZMapp is exhausted,” it said in a statement.

“Any decision to use ZMapp must be made by the patients’ medical team,” it said, adding that the drug was ‘provided at no cost in all cases.’

The company did not reveal which nation received the doses, or how many were sent.

But the Liberian presidency said: “The White House and the United States Food and Drug Administration have approved the request for sample doses of experimental serum to treat Liberian doctors who are currently infected with the deadly Ebola virus disease.”

Panic is stalking the impoverished countries ravaged by the disease in west Africa, where drastic containment measures are causing transport chaos, price hikes and food shortages, and stoking fears that people could die of hunger.

Numerous countries around the globe have imposed emergency measures, including flight bans and improved health screenings.

Source http://collpressng.com/?p=9178

The National Council on Health has banned the transport of corpses and critically ill persons on both local and international routes with immediate effect.It said only dead bodies with waivers granted by the Federal Ministry of Health would be transported within and into Nigeria . Such corpses must be conveyed only in ambulances.To show its seriousness on the movement of corpses, the council advised state governments to enact legislation for its effective compliance .The NCH which is the highest policy making body in the health sector reached the decision after a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Members of the council are the Minister of Health, the Minister of State for Health; state Health commissioners ; the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory , and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health.As the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the World Health Organisation said it had approved the use of trial drugs such as the ZMapp serum by persons infected with the Ebola Virus Disease.Chukwu explained that the council deliberated extensively on strategies to contain the spread of the EVD beyond those who had primary contact with the late Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who brought the virus to Nigeria.

He said since it had been established that the disease could only be spread through contact with either the corpse of someone who died of the virus or anyone who became sick as result of the viral infection, necessary steps had to be taken .The minister added, “The corpses of all persons confirmed to have died of EVD must be buried according to WHO standard protocol.“Council further directed that the transport of corpses into Nigeria as well as inter-state transport be banned until further notice except with approved waivers that may be issued by the Federal Ministry of Health”.

Ebola: Private hospitals reject patients with fever

Some private hospitals in Lagos on Tuesday rejected treating patients who visited them with symptoms of fever as part of measures they were taking to prevent contracting the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).Some hospitals in Lagos Metropolis showed that nurses and other health workers, including cleaners were seen wearing face mask and gloves while attending to patients.

Also, some of the health facilities were compelling patients to wash their hands and apply sanitisers before proceeding into their building.A Neurologist at Jaycee Hospital, Dr Francis Ojini, said that his hospital did not attend to patients who presented with fever.

Ojini said that it became necessary as health workers were at greater risk of contracting the virus.”Health workers are the first to be in contact with patients who visited the hospital and so it is necessary we take precautions.

“For now, any illness that has to do with fever is not being attended to as we are trying to be careful because of the new development of the Ebola disease.”If there is need, we refer patients we feel we cannot treat. We hope we are able to curtail the spread in order to save lives,” he said.

A nurse at the same hospital, who pleaded anonymity, said that nurses wore face mask and gloves when any patients visited the facility.She said they are protecting ourselves from contracting a deadly disease that has no drug or vaccine at the moment.


Ebola: Nigerian passenger causes panic in Turkey

The Ebola scare got wider yesterday, with Turkey putting a Nigerian under watch and President Goodluck Jonathan calling for concerted efforts against the deadly disease .The Nigerian, who arrived in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday, created panic when she fell ill aboard a Turkish Airlines plane flying from Lagos to Istanbul.It prompted authorities to take measures against a possible case of the Ebola virus.

The 32-year-old woman reportedly fell ill to fever and vomited during the flight before the pilot demanded paramedics’ attention.Paramedics working under the General Directorate of Health for Borders and Coasts delivered the first treatment to the woman on the plane. She and her three-year-old son were later taken to the hospital for further examination.The Turkish health ministry in a statement said officials were keeping a close watch on the woman as a precautionary measure.

“It is not possible to say the patient in question has the Ebola virus, but we are carefully evaluating even the smallest symptoms because she came from Nigeria,” the ministry said.The spokesman of Turkish Airlines, Ali Genç, also confirmed the incident via his Twitter account. “The plane has been disinfected as a precautionary measure,” Genç stated.


Canada offers 1000 dose of experimental Ebola vaccine to West Africa
The Canadian Public Health Agency has offered to release 1000 dose of a made-in-Canada experimental Ebola virus vaccine known as VSV-EBOV which has never been tested on humans but has shown to be effective in the treatment of the disease in animals.
In a statement released yesterday August 12th, the Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose said the World Health Organization’s Director general, Margaret Chan, has approved of the donation.

The Minister also revealed that Canada will be donating $185,000 to the World Health Organization for the prevention and control of the deadly virus in Africa. Canada has only 1500 of the experimental vaccine and would be sending 1000 of it to Africa.
“I was pleased to offer the experimental vaccine developed by Canadian researchers as a global resource to help fight this outbreak,” she said, adding that between 800 and 1,000 doses would be donated to the WHO.The Minister in the statement added that “Canada feels this experimental vaccine is a global resource, so in response we are sharing it with the international community, while keeping a small supply in Canada.”
The news comes hours after the World Health Organization said a panel of experts advised that it would be ethical to use untested drugs and vaccines in this raging epidemic, which is several times larger than any previous outbreak.
WHO Endorses Experimental Drugs for Ebola Patients
The World Health Organisation has authorised the use of experimental drugs to fight Ebola as the death toll topped 1 000 and a Spanish priest became the first European to succumb to the outbreak.
The declaration by the UN’s health agency came on Tuesday after a US company that makes an experimental serum called ZMapp said it had sent all its available supplies to hard-hit west Africa.
“In the special circumstances of this Ebola outbreak it is ethical to offer unregistered interventions as potential treatments or prevention”, WHO assistant director general Marie-Paule Kieny said in Geneva after a meeting of medical experts.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon announced plans to step up the global response to the outbreak, while urging governments to “avoid panic and fear” over an easily- preventable disease.

source here

President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Mr Danladi Irmiya Kifasi as the new Head of Service of the Federation as Mallam Bukar Goni Aji retires.

This is contained in a tweet posted by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Source

Your cover letter is the recruiter’s first impression of you, and as such is an integral and vital part of the job application process. A high-quality cover letter will ensure that your CV is noticed, and will set you apart from the bulk of competition.

Before writing a Cover letter, a few things should be done:

Analyze Yourself: [/b]Consider what you have to offer and what skills/ qualifications are relevant to the position and organization.

[b]Analyze the Advertisement: [/b]Take note of the description of the work, not simply the job title. Assume that the duties outlined are the ones the employer considers most important and think about how to link your skills and experience directly to them. Always keep the employer’s needs in mind and don’t mention items that are irrelevant to the position.

Note the Qualification Listed: Consider how your qualifications match this list, and if they do not exactly fit, think about how or why you feel your qualifications would be relevant.

[b]Writing the Cover Letter

Introduction (1-3 sentences):

■Name the job for which you are applying and tell how you learned about it
■State that you are qualified to do the job based on your background (give the employer a sense of your confidence in your own abilities)
■State that you are very interested in the job or the organization and indicate a specific or unique reason why this job or organization appeals to you, which in turn shows that you have done some research – keep this brief)
Body (1-3 paragraphs):

■Determine what you are going to discuss in terms of your education, work/volunteer experience, skills, interests, personality and beliefs (focus on the ones which address the job’s most important requirements)
■Subdivide the body into sections – one possibility is: first paragraph describes what you have to offer, the second describes your interest in and knowledge about the organization
■State the skills/strengths you will bring to the job (address all those asked for in the job advertisement) and include examples or descriptions of how you have acquired and demonstrated each skill/strength
■Explain how the skills/strengths you mention would be useful in the new position
■When including an example of your abilities be specific to allow the employer to visualize what you have done and can do (quantify: how long did you do it, how much responsibility did you have, what techniques did you use and why were they useful?)
Conclusion (1-3 sentences):

■If your body section is more than one paragraph, restate that you are qualified to do the job, but make this sentence different from the one in your opening paragraph
■Thank the employer for taking the time to consider your application
■State that you would like to meet in person to further discuss the job and your qualifications or that you hope to hear from them soon
■You may also want to tell the employer where and when you can be contacted if they require further information.
A few more tips…

■Avoid using Sir or Madam, rather take the time to find out the name of the HR Officer or relevant manager within the company, or use the contact’s name if this is present on the job you’ve seen advertised
■Always check for any spelling mistakes, odd grammar or bad punctuation. Check twice, even three times mistakes such as these are sure to create a bad impression straight away
■Avoid waffling. Your letter should be brief and concise. All details are already included in your CV, and the reader will be put off if your letter is too lengthy
■Always sell yourself, within reason, on the specific requirements mentioned in the advert, demonstrating why you are suited to the job in question
■Avoid fancy fonts and formats, and always make sure the font is of a standard size
■Always make sure your contact details are up to date, and correct