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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Henry Umoru ABUJA—THE Senate  yesterday mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs to investigate what it described as    exorbitant airfare of over N1.5 million fixed for the 2017 intending pilgrims and the feeding regime by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON. According to the Senate, the probe will help expose any sharp practice therein and make appropriate recommendation concerning its findings. The Senate also urged the federal government to immediately direct NAHCON to review the hajj fare downwards to “a realistic, humane and fair amount affordable by pilgrims in this time of recession and economic hardship.” It also asked the government to direct the NAHCON to “reverse the unpopular, much talked about ‘forced feeding policy’ since it negates the principle of freedom of choice for pilgrims”. NAHCON has so far approved 2017 hajj fare packages for 23 States, Muslims Welfare Boards, Federal Capital Territory, FCT and the Armed ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Oboh Agbonkhese THE Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, has tasked micro, small and medium scale enter-prises, MSMEs, to make the country’s leather industry productive. The Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Radda, gave the charge at Lagos Leather Fair’s opening ceremony, where he commended the organisers, Femi Handbags, sponsors and Lagos State Government, noting “of particular interest to SMEDAN is the limitless business opportunities available to MSMEs in the leather value chain.” Dr. Radda, who was represented by SMEDAN’s Director of Engineering, Technology, Innovation and Infrastructure, Engr. David Ozigi, also said the agency was collaborating with Kano State Government to redevelop the N12 billion Industrial Development Centre, IDC, Tiga, into a world class leather cluster park and training centre in partnership with stakeholders and potential investors. Also at the event were Executive Secretary, Nigerian Export Pr...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chris Onuoha Wife of Imo State Governor, Nkechi Rochas Okorocha, has enjoined youths in the country to shun social vices and embrace godliness in their lives, saying it is the only way a youth can have a better and secure future. Nkechi Rochas Okorocha made this remark, weekend, at the event to mark 2017 Diocesan Youth Day and Award presentation by the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria CYON, Okigwe Chapter held at St. Mary’s Cathedral Headquarters, Catholic Diocese of Okigwe, Imo State. Represented by Dr. Joy Nnena Ezebuiro, former Adviser to the Imo State Governor on Women and Mobilisation and Empowerment, she said; “The best thing that will happen to any youth is to start a life with Christ, because with God, all things are possible. “Youths are leaders of tomorrow and it will be difficult for any youth to talk about a future without making reference to the present. When a youth gets it right from the start, the future is secured and this will go a l...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chioma Nwafor A presidential candidate for the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Engineer Emeka Onyeama has appealed to all stake holders seeking elective offices in the June 13 Zonal elections to shun destructive politics. He observed that some people had engaged in a campaign of calumny against his person because he has expressed an ambition to seek a second term as President of the NCF, and wondered why election into offices had become a do or die affair. He defended his decision to return for a second term, saying, “we have managed to reinstate cricket in the National Schools Sports curriculum which has seen students participate in the last two schools sports festivals. “We have also succeeded in getting cricket back to NUGA, which is another platform we are holding strongly.” Continuing, the former NCF boss said his regime also recalled that at the 2016 Youth Games in Ilorin, cricket was the only team sport that featured at the Games, adding that the ac...

http://ift.tt/2qJCmwQ By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief ABUJA—Nigeria has earned $296, 143 dividends from its investments in the Islamic Development Bank for the 2016 fiscal year. The Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Salisu Na’Inna, in a statement from Jedda, Saudi Arabia, yesterday, identified Nigeria as the fourth largest shareholder of the Islamic bank. “Nigeria, the fourth largest shareholder in the 57-nation Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDBG), has been allocated the sum of US$296, 143 as dividend from the profit earned by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) in 2016, but would be converted into shares,” he said. Nigeria is the fourth-largest equity subscriber to the IDB with 1,384m Islamic dinars (ID) – One ID = One SDR (Special Drawing Rights) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as at 2014. “The country’s overall shareholding in the IsDB Group is 1.68 per cent, surpassed so far only by the sharehold...

http://ift.tt/2pvvJvj By Babajide Komolafe Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has taken over the assets of Wokson International Limited in Asaba and Warri in Delta State due N5 billion indebtedness. This follows the injunction granted by Hon. Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court Lagos Division against Wokson International Limited in Asaba and Warri in Delta State on the application of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The order mandates AMCON to take over all the assets of Wokson International Limited and Chief Dr. William Oki, the promoter of Wokson International Limited over a staggering indebtedness of over N5billion. In a statement released on Friday,  AMCON said it has moved in and took over all the assets of Wokson International Limited and that of its principal, Chief Oki as ordered by the Court through Mr. Robert Ohuoba, the Receiver who also received protective orders from the court. The assets, which are now under AMCON include as...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Dennis Udoma E NUGU— A female staff of a Federal health centre in Enugu, has been arrested by police, alongside an accomplice, for alleged job scam. The arrests followed a petition to the police by a victim of the alleged employment scam, Mrs. Roseline Agbanyim, who was trying to get a job for her relative. Agbanyim claimed that the female staff, through the accomplice, fraudulently duped her and collected N370,000 on three different occasions, for the purpose of securing a job for her cousin. The arrested accomplice told the operatives that she did the racketeering job on behalf of the arrested staff. The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arrest, adding “she is being quizzed right now to establish her level of involvement in the alleged scam.”   The post 2 arrested in Enugu over N370,000 job scam appeared first on Vanguard News . Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2qJL6TM

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J •As YSFON, Kastina Govt for Buhari Quarter final matches of President Buhari Peace Cup were decided yesterday(Sunday), at the township stadium. With the semi final matches to be decided today,Monday. They includes, host Kastina taking on Sokoto in the first semi final while Kebbi and Bauchi slug it out in the second semi final. Meanwhile, the Youth sports Federation of Nigeria, in conjunction with the Kastina Government has organised a Prayer session for President Mohammadu Buhari at the ongoing maiden edition of President Buhari National peace cup for U-18 Boys soccer tournament in Kastina. The prayers conducted by both Muslim and Christian clerics, Mallam, Abubakar Makki and Pastor,Bulus Daniel prayed for the quick recovery of the president at the Mohammadu Dikko Stadium, Kastina on Friday. With the session attracting top government and YSFON officials such as the Honourable Commis-sioner for sports,Abdu Habu Dankum, Perma-nent Sec,Saminu Aliyu Dankama, Direc...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Muhammad Ajah W hat will the fare for the 2017 Hajj be? Without any atom of doubt, this is the most resounding question going on in the minds of Muslims in Nigeria, especially the intending pilgrims who have deposited huge sums with their respective state boards in anticipation of the announcement of the final fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). Expectations are high that the 2017 Hajj fare will be much higher than last year’s, apparently because of forex related issues. But what would have happened if NAHCON’s reforms for 2017 Hajj were not fearlessly and doggedly pursued and achieved? I was in a midst of people who speculated the 2017 fare. Though it was all about speculations, I was impressed with the submission of one. He analyzed the current economic reality in the country and the instability in the forex market. Summarily, most of the discussants believed that the fare may go beyond N1,500,000.00 (one and half million naira). One ...