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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, the President, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), on Tuesday called for a new resource mobilisation and funding, to effectively implement environmental projects in the country. Osibanjo made the call in Lagos at the 2017 World Environment Day celebration organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment in conjunction with `Save the Children International’. The theme for the celebration is “Connecting People to Nature’’. He listed the new resources to include funding for research and development in environment as well as strong mechanism to promote science and policy interface. “Funding for environment at the national and state levels are grossly inadequate compared to the basket of environmental challenges on ground and desirable sustainable solutions. “The Ecological Fund should be incorporated into this new resource mobilisation and funding strategy model. “It is also critical that the 1989 National Environmental Pol...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J   The recent Executive Order on local content may be one of the most unique decisions of this government since its inception, if well implemented. This is according to a recent review report by H. Pierson Associates . It is a major catalyst the economy has sought over the years. With the Federal Government currently being about the biggest spender, such a directive which states that “all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the FGN shall grant preference to local manufacturers of goods and service providers in their procurement of goods and services”, could have far-reaching implications. The Executive Order stipulates that within 90 days of the date of the order, the heads of all Federal Government MDAs “shall propose policies to ensure that the Federal Government’s procurement of goods and services maximises the use of goods manufactured in Nigeria and services provided by Nigerian citizens doing business as sole proprietors, firms, or companies h...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Studies(NAITES), Biu; to metamorphose into a varsity; is to  become a “unique and specialized solution centre” for the nation and its military in the North. Buratai disclosed this on Monday, while presenting the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the Nigerian Army University site to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state at Government House, Maiduguri. He said the establishment of the army university, was based on the requirements and challenges where solutions could be found not only in the military strategy for tactics and operational activities, but in science and technology. “Your Excellency, we are really grateful for this timely offer for this very large land (50 square kilometres) for the Nigerian Army University. Our joy knows no bound for this singular act of yours and indeed the Governor of Borno st...

http://ift.tt/2rGHL8R Manchester City's Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta takes the applause of the crowd in tribute for his final home appearance for the club at the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on May 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS /  Argentina full-back Pablo Zabaleta will join West Ham United from Premier League rivals Manchester City, it was announced Friday. Zabaleta will formally begin a two-year deal with the London club on July 1, when his City contract expires. The 32-year-old had already been released by City, for whom he made more than 200 appearances after joining from Espanyol in 2008. “This is an absolute pleasure to be part of West Ham. I hope I can give you good moments. Of course, I come to the club to enjoy myself and hopefully we can have a very successful time,” Zabaleta told West Ham TV. Zabaleta won the Premier Leagu...

http://ift.tt/2qR7aMa The “world’s first operational Robocop” started its tour of duty Sunday in Dubai, the first in the emirate’s planned robot police force, according to the Daily Mirror. The Robocop, five feet five inches tall and weighing 220 pounds, speaks six languages and reads facial expressions. “He can chat and interact, respond to public queries, shake hands and offer a military salute,” Brigadier-General Khalid Nasser Al Razzouqi, Director-General of Smart Services with the Dubai Police told the Mirror. Residents can use the Robocop to pay fines or report crimes, and it also can transmit and receive messages from police headquarters. The launch “is a significant milestone for the Emirate and a step towards realizing Dubai’s vision to be a global leader in smart cities technology adoption,” Al Razzouqi said. “With an aim to assist and help people in the malls or on the streets, the Robocop is the latest smart addition to the force and has been designed to help us fight...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Mathew Onyilo, Associate Priest, SS Peter and Paul, Catholic Church, Nyanya has urged Nigerians to seek God’s guidance and intervention in their endeavours if the country’s situation must change for better. Onyilo made the call while giving a homily at a Mass on Sunday at the  SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Nyanya, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The priest, who spoke in view of the on-going challenges in the country, said Nigerians should have faith in God because he alone can solve the problem of the country. He also urged Nigerians to strive to live a godly life adding that life “without God is empty.’’ He advised Christians to renew their relationship with God in order to have a better future. According to him, “most times, we stop people from knowing God due to our attitude to them and some have the opportunity to help others but will not.’’ “God tells us to show our love for God by keeping his commandments so t...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Osama bin Laden’s son reportedly seeks to avenge his father’s death and is poised to become the new leader of Al Qaeda. Personal letters seized in the raid that killed bin Laden show that his son, Hamza, is set on avenging his father’s death, Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent, told CBS News in an interview that will air Sunday. “He tells him that…he remembers ‘every look…every smile you gave me, every word you told me,” Soufan said about bin Laden’s son. Soufan also told CBS News that Hamza wrote that he considers himself “to be forged in steel.” Soufan said that Hamza’s path to become the leader of the terrorist organisation was created years ago when he was used as a propaganda tool in bin Laden’s videos. He was seen sometimes holding a gun. The agent added that he has even started to sound like his father. “His recent message that came out, he delivered the speech as if it’s his father, using sentences, terminology that was used by Osama bin Laden,” Soufan s...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has said that the Nigeria Police Force requires additional 155,000 personnel to adequately provide security for the country. Idris, who disclosed this at a two-day National Security Summit in Abuja on Thursday, said to achieve this, the force needed to recruit 31,000 annually for five years. The theme of the summit is: Forging Partnership for Effective Strategies to Curb the Menace of Kidnapping, Recurring Farmers-Herders Clashes and Criminality in Nigeria. “To attain the UN ratio requirement of one police officer to 400 citizens of a country, the Nigeria Police Force needs to recruit 155,000 to police Nigerian population of approximately 182 million,”he said. Idris said that the police had not conducted recruitment into its rank and file cadre since 2011 until 2016 when the recruitment of 10,000 applicants was approved by the Federal Government. He said that this development had left a huge gap in the manpow...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Manchester City overtook Liverpool for the third position in the English Premier League, after a 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium. After an opening goal by David Silva in the 2nd minute, the goals stopped coming until the second half, even though the Pep Guardiola boys had over 70 per cent possession. On resumption, however, Vincent Company scored for the hosts from a cross provided by Kevin de Bruyne, after Joel Ward had thwarted City pressure with a clearance for corner kick. From then on, two more goals were scored by Kevin de Bruyne in the 59th minute and Raheem Sterling in the 82nd minute. Nicolas Otamendi, a defender like Company made it five goals for City, with a header, again after a de Bruyne cross. The victory was City’s best this season. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace now have 38 points out of 36 matches are 16th on the table, not still save from relegation, with two matches to go. The post Manchester City demolish Crystal Palace,...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nasarawa and Benue states have jointly destroyed expired drugs, food, cosmetics, and expired drinks worth N105 million. Mrs Yetunde Oni, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, made this known on Friday at the venue of the joint exercise in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital. Oni, represented by Alhaji Abubakar Jimoh, the NAFDAC Director,Special Duties, said the periodic destruction exercise was one of NAFDAC’s strategies to prevent the circulation of fake, counterfeit medicines and unwholesome products in the country. She said that some of the products earmarked for destruction were voluntarily handed over to NAFDAC by various governmental and non-governmental organisations while others were mopped up from open market via enforcement activities and NAFDAC surveillance systems. “For us in NAFDAC, zero tolerance is what we are aiming for. A lot of damage is being done by counterfeit drugs. ...