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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Kingsley Adegboye with Agency report AGAINST the backdrop of   the huge capital expenditure involved in mass housing development, housing experts have said the sector requires appropriate finance, insisting that finance is a critical ingredient in housing development. This is the submission of the experts who spoke at various forums. Recently, the Managing Director,Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria FMBN, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, an architect, disclosed in Abuja that meeting the affordable mass housing needs of Nigeria remains a major challenge, with estimated 17 million housing deficit in the country, which is anticipated to cost about N60 trillion. Dangiwa added that the present administration will develop a well functioning mortgage finance market that is able to attract large, long-term local and foreign investments needed to promote a vibrant, competitive, innovative and sustainable housing market driven primarily by private sector and public-private partn...

http://ift.tt/2tfsWHv By Dayo Adesulu LAGOS— The fate of students in the 104 Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria is hanging in the balance, as staff, yesterday, embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of salaries and allowances. Union chairmen of many of the Unity Schools who spoke with Vanguard, vowed to proceed on indefinite strike until the Federal Ministry of Education acceded to their demands. Zonal Director, South-West, Unity Schools, Dr Ganiyu Adeniyi, told Vanguard on telephone: “As we speak, there are schools that are being owed salaries, unpaid arrears since 2007,  and a host of other arrears.” He said since there was no remarkable commitment on the part of the government, the strike would continue indefinitely. Adeniyi, who dismissed the circular from the Federal Government that the strike had been put on hold, added that the government did not call the strike and could not, therefore, call it off. Chairman, Federal Government College, Idoani, Ondo Sta...

http://ift.tt/2shKC7M By Tare Youdeowei IBUSA—Ibusa Professional Women Association, led by Dr. Ifeoma Utomi, has stressed the need for all, especially those in the rural areas, to be health conscious and go for regular checks to avoid health hazards. She gave the charge during a one day sensitisation and health awareness programme for men, women and the girl child held at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ibusa, Delta State. The association, Dr. Utomi said, carried out the health programme to contribute its quota to the community as well as assist the government. She said: “The association seeks to create an enabling relationship amongst all.  As an NGO we will continue to engage not only in health programmes but other facets of life that affect women and children.” The Ibuza Professional Women Association had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the Obuzor of Ibusa, Obi Prof. Louis Nwoboshi, who commended the group and urged other well meaning people of the community emulate the ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Festus Ahon ASABA—DETERMINED to offer better health services, Nordica Fertility Centre has introduced modern advanced techniques in fertility services especially in the area of baby gender selection. In a chat with newsmen in Asaba, Delta State, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said that the centre had introduced some modern techniques such as Pre-Genital Diagnostic, PGD and Pre-Genital Screening, PGS for better results. Noting that they have centres in Asaba, Lagos and Abuja, Ajayi called on persons with challenges in bearing children to take advantage of the services offered by the fertility centre “to have babies and determine the gender of their children.” On why In-Vitro-Fertilization, IVF, should be considered by persons who have challenges in bearing children or gender of their choice, he said that they had over 100 successful cases since the take-off of the centre about five years ago. He add...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Providence Emmanuel E XPERTS across key sectors of the economy have highlighted some of the impediments to doing business in Nigeria, and  possible ways of tackling them. Some of these obstacles include government’s poor knowledge of the financial market, multiplicity of taxes; infrastructure; poor power supply, multiple taxes from different agencies of government; weak transportation system; inability to cultivate available land for agricultural produce; among others. The experts include Head of Tax and Regulatory Services, PwC, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele; Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman; Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Bolaji Balogun and Managing Director, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Mr. Bola Onadele. They spoke as panelists at the 2017 WIMBIZ CEO/Policy Maker interactive series with the theme: ‘Ease of Doing business: A Policy Dialogue on Regulation...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J ABUJA—The Federal Government  has said the proposed ICT University will commence academic activities at the beginning of the coming academic session. Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, made this known in Abuja while inaugurating the implementation committee for the proposed ICT University of Nigeria. The minister said the establishment of the university was in response to bridging the technology gap in the country and to create enabling environment for manpower development and skill acquisition. The minister had in 2016 announced the plan by Federal Government to convert the Digital Bridge Institute, DBI, Abuja into a university of ICT, with branches in six zones of the country as campuses. According to him, “the Ministry of Communications has identified the establishment of an ICT University as one of the ways to move to the next phase of the nation’s ICT growth by the enhancement of ICT learning environment that is geared towards the stimulation...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Rosemary Onuoha THERE are indications that insurance firms are pre-empting a speculated plan by Nigerian Insurance Commission, NAICOM, to raise the industry minimum capital base. To this end, shareholders of Wapic Insurance Plc have approved the company’s plan to raise additional capital in the sum of N10 billion. The capital raise would be by way of rights issue, public offering, book building process or other methods or a combination of methods by issuance of ordinary shares, preference shares, convertible loans stocks, medium term notes, bonds or other securities in such tranches, series, or proportions, as the directors may deem fit. The offers would be at such coupon or interest rates, within such maturity periods and on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the directors. The shareholders at the company’s 58th Annual General Meeting in Lagos last week, expressed their readiness for the anticipated increase in capital. This came on the bac...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chinonso Alozie O werri— Attempts by a traffic officer to arrest an erring driver in Owerri, the Imo State capital yesterday, almost claimed the life of a middle-aged woman, who was waiting for a tricycle ( Keke ) at the Imo Government House Roundabout, as she was knocked down by the vehicle. According to an eyewitness, tension gathered when a traffic officer (names withheld) at the roundabout “forced” himself into the vehicle in motion and was allegedly battling for control of the steering. The vehicle, said to be heading towards Douglas Street, skidded off the road and hit the woman standing by the roadside, who immediately passed out. Also, the traffic officer was said to have sustained a cut on his forehead, from where blood was gushing out. When Vanguard contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, he confirmed that the woman who was knocked down and the affected traffic officer were in an undisclosed hospital, while the vehicle...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chioma Onuegbu AFAHA UBE ITAM—HOODLUMS have turned the ramshackled Government Primary School, Afaha Ube Itam, Itu Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, to a criminal hideout, which they use as base to raid and carry out all kinds of crimes at night. The village head of Afaha Ube Itam, Eteidung Gabriel Edet, who raised the alarm when the Rotary Club of Nigeria, District 9140, Uyo, donated 100 writing desks to the school, said the institution had no perimeter fencing and because of its strategic location, along the entrance to the community, it was a choice place for criminals. His words: “Sadly, the school has been converted into a criminal den because of the fact that it is not fenced. Hoodlums use the premises to rob and perpetrate all kinds of crime in the night. I want our indigenes in positions of authority to do something to address this worrisome issue.” He said the effort of the Rotary club in coming to assist the primary school despite the worseni...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Kingsley Adegboye DISTURBED by the silence of Lagos state government to obey the directive of the Nigerian Judicial Council, which ordered Chief Justice of the state to allow Shangisha Landlord Association, SLA, possess the 549 plots of land at Magodo Scheme 2 following the Supreme Court judgement, the Association has called on the state government to respect the judgement by allowing them to possess their plots. The Association’s demand was sequel to the writ of possession of March 16, 2017, that emanated from the Supreme Court judgment which ordered that the landlords be given 549 plots of land at the site, but which the government allegedly is preventing  Justice Atilade to sign, five years after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the association over the matter. In a statement signed by the association’s chairman, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga, the group, while urging Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to act on the matter accordingly, however, accused some officia...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME The Chairman  of Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Hon Christian Ahiakwo, has accused the federal government of insincerity with its claim to encourage Niger Deltans to invest in modular refineries, saying it granted 56 licenses to operators with non from the region. Ahiakwo who spoke ahead of the Environment summit slated by his committee in collaboration with the State’s Ministry of Environment and the Waste Management Agency for June 13th and 14th 2017 at the State House of Assembly complex, said the licenses were issued by the federal government within the first month President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office. Continuing, he said the action of the government had shown its alleged insincerity with its proposal to encourage operators of illegal refineries in the creeks of the region to come into legal oil refining business. He said the environment summit would create awareness on how to develop more friendly att...

http://ift.tt/2s06VMV Offers Free Wi-Fi On Children’s Day, Democracy Day Nigeria’s retail pioneer and foremost entertainment destination, The Palms Mall, is set to unveil its freshly remodelled web platform to the delight of its customers. The launch will coincide with Children’s Day and Democracy Day, when the mall will provide lots of fun, games and engaging activities for children and their families. This will come with free Wi-Fi throughout the weekend experience. The new web platform will create an exciting online experience for customers with a clean uncluttered design, improved functionality and feature-rich content focused on achieving the mall’s mission of providing an exhilarating adventure for families and friends. Some of the features of the platform include instant movie alerts, latest fashion trends, access to exclusive offers and vouchers, store information on all your favourite brands, prompt customer service and so much more to make for an enjoyable online experie...

http://ift.tt/2rZVKUi Nigerian footballer, Ahmed Musa, has remarried after divorcing his former wife, Jamila.The Super Eagles striker’s has formally married, Juliet, the lady that allegedly brought to end his first marriage. With Tuesday’s union in Abuja, it is obvious that Musa has started a new life.Jamila is said to have returned to Kano with their two children. The footballer, who plies his trade and lived in England with Jamila, was some time ago invited for questioning by the Police there following a heated argument with Jamila, which later turned out to be over Juliet. Vía Nigeria News – Nigerian Newspaper – The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2rIejz8

http://ift.tt/2rqKBPj Certain factors can cause erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. Some of these are depression, stress, mood and alcohol among others. Alcohol You might consider having a few drinks to get in the mood, but overindulging could make it harder for you to finish the act. Heavy alcohol use can interfere with erections, but the effects are usually temporary. The good news is that moderate drinking, one or two drinks a day, might have health benefits like reducing heart disease risks. And those risks are similar to erectile dysfunction risks. Depression The brain is an often-overlooked erogenous zone. Sexual excitement starts in your head and works its way down. Depression can dampen your desire and can lead to erectile dysfunction. Ironically, many of the drugs used to treat depression can also suppress your sex drive and make it harder to get an erection, and they can cause a delay in your orgasm. Stress It’s not easy to get in the mood when you’re overwhelmed b...

http://ift.tt/2p4d9Me Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba / AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF / I am not a great fan of Manchester United FC, Jose Mourinho or even Paul Pogba. Yet I am celebrating all three of them because of their common indefatigable spirit. They all always seem to be able to navigate where there appears to be no way to succeed against the odds.Manchester United are not the best English Club this season. Mourinho is not the best manager in the EPL this season either. Paul Pogba has not justified his costliest player in the world this season. But between all three of them they have succeeded against all odds. Manchester United’s second trophy this season may be for Europe’s second tier club championship but last Wednesday night, for all Manchester United fans care, it was as valuable as the Uefa Champions League trophy itself that has eluded them for well over a decade. The final match of the 2017 Europa Cup against Ajax Amsterdam FC was not a classi...

http://ift.tt/2rqS9BZ Kabiyesi Enitan Babatunde Adeyeye Ogunwusi “Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you”- Andrew Murray Henri Fredrick Amiel said, “The man who has no inner life is the slave of his surrounding”. Modern slavery has nothing to do with an oppressor. It is mostly self-inflicted! In his famous book, Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare said, “Men at some time are masters of their fate. The fault, O dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings”. I did a quick check on the word, ‘underling’, and the synonyms got me thinking. The synonyms for underling are: inferior, minion, menial, vassal, subject, hireling, servant, etc. Youths are in no way inferior, we are “pregnant” with the future. We must rise up from being an ordinary observer by positioning ourselves strategically towards redesigning the nation. Youths Arise! Prudence Kohl once said, “The search for self-worth begins by finding what is indestructible inside, the...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Bose Adelaja A Trailer driver’s assistant, also called   motor boy, lost his life as a trailer fell on the expressway along Lagos tollgate yesterday. It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of the day in Ojota, when a trailer laden with a 40-foot container reportedly hit the road median before falling on the motor boy. Another account had it that the trailer developed mechanical fault and fell on the road. The accident was said to have led to massive traffic gridlock in the axis, as motorists spent hours to navigate through the scene of the accident. Investigation carried out at the scene by the Emergency Rescue Team, ERT, of the Lagos State Emergency Manage-ment Agency, LASEMA, revealed that the trailer, with number plates:  LSD 379 XT, suddenly developed a mechanical fault and fell on the road, leaving the driver and motor boy trapped. General Manager, LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu said the trapped driver (Olatunji Akande) was r...