Curator

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Princewill Ekwujuru S TANBIC IBTC Bank Plc, has received approval from the FMDQ OTC PLC for the renewal of its shelf registration of N100 billion Multicurrency Commercial Paper (MCP) Programme. Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Dr. Demola Sogunle, said that the renewal of the N100 Billion MCP is in line with the bank’s strategic drive to promote alternative capital sources including debt financing.  Pursuant to the approvals, both programmes shall be included on the quotations list of the FMDQ, and all relevant information on the commercial paper (CP) programme uploaded to the FMDQ website. Stanbic IBTC Bank intends to resume regular issuance under its CP Programme, as part of the bank’s overall assets and liabilities management strategy. Notes issued under the programme shall also be updated to the quotations page of the FMDQ website after which they will be admitted to, and eligible for trading on, the platform. In contrast, Stanbic IBTC Holding...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Innocent Anaba D r. Abimbola Akintola, daughter of the late Premier of Western Region, Chief Samuel Akintola, has told an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, that her late father had no child outside of wedlock. It will be recalled that a judge of the High Court of Oyo State, Ibadan Division, Justice Ladiran Akintola, had in 2013, approached the court seeking to be declared a biological son of the late Premier, who was one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria. The suit, filed at the state High Court, was previously pending before Justice S. A. Akinteye for pre-trial conference before it was assigned to Justice Eni Esan. Counsel to the Samuel Akintola family, Olaseni Oyefeso, at the pre-trial conference, had challenged the locus standi of Justice Ladiran Akintola (claimant) on the grounds that he could not have validly sued as ‘beneficiary’ in the estate of the late Chief S. L. Akintola, arguing that it was the subject matter submitted to the cour...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Sebastine Obasi Power supply to distribution companies, DISCOs, witnessed a reduction of 16,045 megawatts, MW, in May, according to the daily operational report of the Nigerian Electricity System Operation, NESO, obtained by Vanguard Sweetcrude. The report shows that 82,147MW were supplied in the month of May, as against 98,192MW supplied in April. The shortfall was attributed to system breakdown, gas and water constraints. In May, Sapele I was shut down due to mechanical problems, Omotosho I and II were shut down due to gas constraints, while Odukpani GT1, 2 & 5 was shut down due to the tripping of Ikot-Ekpene/Ugwuaji 330kV line 3 at both ends. There were also significant line and high frequency constraints at Jebba, Afam VI, Geregu I and II, and Delta leading to generation reductions. Within the period, system frequency suddenly and sharply dropped from 51.06Hz to 43.37Hz leading to system collapse. Prior to collapse, Benin/Egbin 330kV line was out...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Udeme Akpan The Trade Union Congress has urged the federal government to negotiate a new minimum wage with labour as a result of massive devaluation of the Naira in the nation. The President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Dr. Bobboi bala kaigama disclosed in a recent presentation that most of them are now living below the poverty line as the middle class has been completely wiped out in the country as a result of the high level of inflation. “It is worthy of note that the Palliative Committee set up by the Government to fashion out measures to cushion the effect of petrol price increase on the people had concluded its assignment and established the framework for the negotiation of a new National Minimum Wage. We therefore appeal to the Federal Government to set up the Committee to do the negotiation so that a new National Minimum Wage for the Country can be arrived at in the next few months.” “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria strongly condemns the c...

http://ift.tt/2skRBuC …To commence operations this month To further consolidate its pan-African operations, Dangote Cement Plc has concluded plans to commence production at its $300 million cement grinding plant in Congo this month. At about 99 per cent completion rate, the company hopes to boost its production capacity by at least 1.5 million metric tonnes (MMT), to bring its total yearly manufacturing capacity to about 32 million tonnes. According to the company, the completion of a new cement manufacturing line at Bouansa, Congo, brings it closer to its goal of being the major exporter of cement in the continent. The new plant is coming on the heels of the ongoing construction of a new 3 million MT capacity cement grinding plant in Cote D’ivoire.The Plant Director for Congo Operations, Ganapathy Balasubramanian, while providing insights into the company’s operations explained that the factory, which costs CFA 133 billion or about $300 million, is expected to meet the nati...

http://ift.tt/2rLhkPC NLC President, Ayuba Wabba The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on workers to vote out of power public office holders who owe salaries and oppose better wage for them.The president of the congress, Ayuba Wabba, who made the appeal yesterday in Abuja while reacting to complaints of non-payment of emoluments of employees at the local councils by the president of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ibrahim Khaleel, advised workers to obtain their voter’s cards for the task ahead. His words: “We prepare to vote out governors or any political officer holders who is refusing to pay our salary. We can’t continue to lament. We have the power, so we must use it this time. Workers, pensioners and their households who are in one way or the other suffering the inhumane treatment of non-payment of workers’ wages must vote them out of office in the next elections.’’ Urging the unions and workers to unite against oppressive employers, the NLC boss...

http://ift.tt/2skxv3i IBM has introduced the IBM Blockchain Founder Accelerator to help organisations and enterprise developers address key challenges in adopting blockchain technology. According to the technology giant, the accelerator provides organisations with guidance, support and technical expertise in blockchain adoption. It aims to assist early adopters of blockchain and enterprise developers take blockchain networks into production faster, through enabling organisations to gain access to exclusive technology and consulting expertise. As an expansion of the blockchain ecosystem program, the IBM Blockchain Founder Accelerator is designed to address the key challenges organisations have identified through the development of leading blockchain networks. The program provides one-on-one mentorship and support by network founders and technologists across a range of needs such as business case development, network membership incentives, technical development, governance and ...

http://ift.tt/2rLmJpY President of the group and Iya Abiye of Lagos, Dr. Iyabo Foresythe, who made the call at an award ceremony held by the association to reward winners of an essay competition it organised in support of “Lagos@50. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI. Reward essay competition winners in support of Lagos@50 Association of Lagos Titled Chiefs has called on parents and school managers to make the welfare of the children a priority and give them adequate care needed to form strong personality. President of the group and Iya Abiye of Lagos, Dr. Iyabo Foresythe, who made the call at an award ceremony held by the association to reward winners of an essay competition it organised in support of “Lagos@50,” said since children are the future leaders, they should be carefully groomed to take up challenges of the future. She said, “The overall aim of the competition was to get through to the students and relate with them because we are aware of the important role that young people c...

http://ift.tt/2p4A6ND Besides, a book can enjoy wide distribution, depending on the clout and resources of the author and publisher, without having literary merit, and vice-versa. A few things I have read in my nearly thirty years’ close association with poetry has elicited empathy for one’s fellow talented, hardworking but unsuccessful human beings – those whose promise is inhibited by their environment – like this quatrain from Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”: “Full many a gem of purest ray serene. The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:/Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness on the desert air.” The quatrain conveys a message similar to that of Jesus in the parable of the sower: about seeds which – not of their own making – fell by the roadside, on rock or among thorns, and so either could not germinate or germinated but could not grow sustainably and eventually withered. Also, its purport is similar to that of the remark by th...

http://ift.tt/2r34xac Visit to the sick is enjoined by the Prophet in this tradition with one purpose in mind- supplication for him and offering admonition to the sick to bear his trials with patience and perseverance. In the Name of the Almighty, the Beneficent, the Merciful Brethren, he is indeed your real friend he who walks into and remain in your life at a time people are walking away. She, indeed, is your pillar in whose strength you can find succour and strength, she who robes you with kindness and compassion when others seek your death and annihilation. Contrary to the popular notion, trials and tribulations have their uses. They teach what you cannot learn in the lecture rooms. I have learnt this in life that nothing in our reality is appreciated until it is taken away. I have learnt this too – the lotus is the most beautiful flower in our world. In catching our fancy and attention, the lotus does not produce its flowers all at once. Rather its petals usually open one by ...

http://ift.tt/2s1tFv4 The research, which suggests a pot belly should be considered a major red flag, concludes waist size is as closely linked to cancer risk as overall weight. *Red chili pepper compound stops obesity, tumours, researchers find Every extra inch around your waist raises the odds of cancer even if the rest of your body is slim, the World Health Organisation has warned. The research, which suggests a pot belly should be considered a major red flag, concludes waist size is as closely linked to cancer risk as overall weight. Scientists at the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer found adding 11cm (4.3 inches) to the waistline increases the risk of developing a group of obesity-linked cancers by 13 per cent. Not all cancer is linked to fat and weight, but the researchers found the size of the waist was significantly tied to 10 cancers – those of the bowel, lower oesophagus, upper stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, womb, ovaries, kidneys and postmenopa...

http://ift.tt/2s1B25W As a woman, if you find yourself in an office where there are few women or are the only woman, it is your duty to lobby, if you will, for more opportunities for women. In this era of social media, globalization and hyper-connectivity, it is important that networks of women know how to access what they need, to become successful in the workplace and in life. This article is specifically about women supporting one another in the workplace. When I was a Union scholar with Harvard University in the Labour and Worklife Rights department, I saw certain trends of women supporting each other in the workplace, similar to my time at the American Foreign Service Association – the only bargaining union and professional association for the American Foreign Service. Here are some knowledge points I gathered on best practices. Supporting women in the workplace is, firstly, important in terms of representation. The U.S presidential election, for the first time, fielded a wo...

http://ift.tt/2r3wJtn Mufti, Conference of Islamic Organisation (CIO), Sheikh Dhikirullah Shaffi (right); Chief Missioner, Ansar ud Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad; popular cleric, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Adangba; and another Imam at the one-day seminar for imams and Alfas held in Lagos recently Ahead the holy month Ramadhan, Muslims have been urged to take advantage of the season to fervently seek the face of God for mercy and blessing for the transformation of the country. This admonition was made at a pre-Ramadhan lecture organised by Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) in Lagos, where Muslims were advised to be virtuous both during and after the fasting period. Its leader and scholar, Sheik Zikirullah Shafi said it is not enough to fast by denying oneself of food and water, but the whole body particularly tongue, eyes, ears, legs, should be deployed in observing the fasting period. Speaking on the theme: “I Fast that I may be Pious: Relationships be...

http://ift.tt/2s1CgOk Weststar Associates Limited, authorised dealer of Fiat vehicles in Nigeria, dares the shrinking automotive market in Nigeria to unveil its all-new Fiat Tipo, a model that promises plenty for money. Weststar Associates Limited, authorised dealer of Fiat vehicles in Nigeria, dares the shrinking automotive market in Nigeria to unveil its all-new Fiat Tipo, a model that promises plenty for money. The dealer had promised to be aggressive in its strategy with the introduction of new brands that would meet customers’ needs and strengthen its share across market segments. The new Tipo, which marks the return of the brand to Nigeria, debuted with latest-generation audio systems, including a handsfree Bluetooth interface, audio streaming, text reader and voice recognition, AUX and USB ports with iPod integration, controls on the steering wheel, an optional rear parking camera and the new TomTom 3D built-in navigation system on all variants. Managing Director, We...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Dele Sobowale “Advice is seldom welcome; and those who need it most always don’t want it.” Earl of Chesterfield, 1694-1773. VANGUARD BOOK, VBQ p 5. To the Earl’s sensible observation, one must quickly add the following. “Better to keep one’s mouth shut and be considered a fool; than to speak and remove all doubts.” (Anonymous). Former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, were among highly-placed individuals who granted interviews to Mr Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of the Editorial Board of THISDAY when he was compiling materials for his book, AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY. I must confess not to have read the book because no copy has reached my hands. That situation will be rectified at the earliest possible time – beg, borrow or steal. That admission notwithstanding, the excerpts published in various media convinced me of one thing. None of the characters quoted for making certain remarks did themselves any good. It ...