Curator

http://ift.tt/2rqLIvv Confirming the development, the Communications Officer of the ICRC Mr. Patrick Ederaro told The Guardian that the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties has slated a public hearing on the Bill for next Tuesday in Abuja. • N’Assembly holds public hearing on Bill Tuesday • We are clear on our mandate, says BPE To properly reposition the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) as the regulatory concession agency in Nigeria so as to enable it fully deliver on its mandate, the Commission is seeking a review of its Establishment Act 2005. Confirming the development, the Communications Officer of the ICRC Mr. Patrick Ederaro told The Guardian that the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties has slated a public hearing on the Bill for next Tuesday in Abuja. The Commission believes that the review of the Act in line with best global practices will spur the activities of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) which current...

http://ift.tt/2p65JIq Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has rejected in totality the PIGB, describing it as insensitive. However, the Host Community Bill and Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill are at different stages of scrutiny at the National Assembly. As the Senate last week passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have criticised the non-passage of the Host Community Bill. They emphasised the need for the Federal Government to urgently pass the bill that addresses host community issues to allow for peace and security in the Niger Delta, even as the Bill is yet to scale through the lower house of the National Assembly. Already, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has rejected in totality the PIGB, describing it as insensitive. However, the Host Community Bill and Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill are at different stages of scrutiny at the National Assembly. Other cluster bills still expected include: the Upstream Petroleum License and...

http://ift.tt/2pfmUoR Current economic downturn in Nigeria, particularly the disparity between the naira and other major currencies has pushed Accion Microfinance Bank Limited (AMfB’s) Profit before tax to N700 million from N838 million in 2015 • Prioritises technology to drive financial inclusion, performance Current economic downturn in Nigeria, particularly the disparity between the naira and other major currencies has pushed Accion Microfinance Bank Limited (AMfB’s) Profit before tax to N700 million from N838 million in 2015, a decline, which indicates 17 per cent down from 2015. The Chairman, Board of Directors, AMfB, Patrick Akinwuntan, said the implementation of its digital agenda would increase organisational productivity, reduce processing time and cost to carrying out transactions, and provide customers with better services in order to improve performance in the face of the challenges. He noted that the bank grew its loan portfolio from N5.45 billion in 2015 to N6.12 b...

http://ift.tt/2d6tqt7 By Bunmi Dear Bunmi, I’m a divorced mother of three. Their dad and I split up six years ago and he sees them every other weekend. When they’re with me, they have firm rules about bedtimes and behaviour. It’s a different story with their dad. He lets them stay up late at night watching unsuitable TV programmes and films. They always come back with an attitude, refusing to tidy their rooms and answering me back. I’m fed up with always being made out to be the strict parent. I grew up in a loving household where everyone did their bit and I want the same for the kids. As things are now, I’m frightened they’ll end up wanting to go and live with their dad. Gold, by e-mail. Dear Gold, You need to let your ex know about the atrocities your kids are up to. For all you know, he could be shocked at their behaviour as kids are good manipulators, especially   when dealing with their separated parents. Both of you have to agree you need to close ranks and draw up n...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Tabia Princewill “Why can’t Osinbajo be President?” was an article I published shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s first departure to the United Kingdom for treatment of an undisclosed illness. All of the points raised as to why in Nigeria we find it so difficult to follow the Constitution, or any given set of rules clearly outlining the manner in which certain situations must be dealt with, is simply a result of the immaturity of certain individuals who consistently and shamefully find themselves in the corridors of power. They manipulate the system, know all its cracks and return to continue their reign of destruction no matter the dispensation, military or civilian. We have come too far, even with all our troubles and half-baked solutions, to return to the utter destruction of military rule. Our progress was truncated by coups, by the inability, first and foremost, of our post-independence leadership to settle the fundamental question which has plag...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J * Another female student confirmed dead By Marie-Therese Nanlong A 400 level student of Sociology in the Plateau State University, PLASU, Bokkos on Wednesday attempted to commit suicide but for the timely discovery of his colleagues who rushed him to a hospital in Bokkos town. The student whose name could not be ascertained at the time of this report was said to have been on probation and was subsequently issued a withdrawal letter as he could not meet up with the required points before graduation. The institution’s Dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Goselle Lar confirmed the incident to Vanguard in Jos saying, “early this morning, I got a call that a student drank poison yesterday obviously in an attempt to end his life. “When we checked, we discovered that he is a 400 level student of Sociology who was on probation and was subsequently issued a withdrawal letter. He could not cope with the news, but I said, this is not the end of life, he could try another thing ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A Naval personnel on guard duty at the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, facility at Jalla, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State yesterday shot dead two persons following negotiations over job slots. Delta State Police Commissioner, Zana Ibrahim, confirmed the incident, saying the matter was  under control. The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, whose personnel shot both victims, could not be reached for comment as his line was switched off over repeated calls. However, an information officer from the command who declined identity, said the yet to be unidentified Navy officer who shot both casualties at about 2.30pm Friday, acted in self defence. The victim, Saturday Vanguard gathered, include a native of Ifie, Warri South council area, simply identified as Agbolu and yet-to-be identified unidentified victim from neighbouring Ekpan, Uvwie council area of Delta State. It was gathered that youths from bot...

http://ift.tt/2qXYdxi According to the IMB’s report, there are three major concerns, which include the Gulf of Guinea kidnappings; growing violence around the Southern Philippines and Indonesia attacks. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE As the global shipping sector grapples with the activities of pirates on the seaways, the latest ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) report showed that about 43 ships and 58 seafarers were captured in the first quarter (Q1) 2017. The global report highlights persisting violence and piracy hotspots off Nigeria, and around the Southern Philippines, where two crew members were killed in February. This comes as the Nigerian government approved $186 million (about N56.9 billion) to procure machinery to fully combat maritime crimes. The Fund is meant to acquire three new ready-for-war ships, three aircrafts, 12 vessels and 20 amphibious vehicles to combat the menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Indonesia also reported frequent incidents, mostly ...

http://ift.tt/2piqgLG Mountain of Yesterday (Kraft Books, Ibadan; 2017), written by Tony Nwaka, serves as a reminder that although darkness may subsist for a while, light always finds its way, triumphing and dominating. Mountain of Yesterday exposes readers to the high level of tribalism that exists in Nigeria, its toxic nature and why a new way of thinking nationhood is desirable. The author, Nwaka, shows this by the refusal and later on, disownment of Amina by her Hausa parents, due to her decision to marry an Igbo man, Udoka. Amina later relocates with her husband to his Ubo village in the South due to rioting and killing in Maiduguri. After they settle in their Ubo home, Udoka suddenly takes ill due to food poisoning; he succumbs to death, leaving Amina and their children behind to tackle all the gruesome cultural rites the Igbo culture requires of widows. After so much turbulence associated with being a woman from the North living in an Igbo society, Amina is finally considere...

http://ift.tt/2pyZoGo Nigeria’s online shopping mall, Konga has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering convenience to shoppers with the launch of ‘Konga Daily’. Konga Daily is a new category from the online shopping firm that seeks to meet every shopper with their daily needs – perishables and non-perishables alike. The firm claimed that Konga Daily provides hygienic foods and daily needs of shoppers as it relieves them the stress of shopping in open markets since they can simply buy fresh foods, fruits, cereals, provisions, detergents and more on http://ift.tt/2pxwvr3 Konga said the platform is built on value offerings including ease of shopping for customers; comfort; super-fast delivery on all orders; convenience and the supply of all the daily needs of customers in one place thereby simplifying buyers’ decision-making and buying process. Speaking at the official unveiling, the Chairman, Konga Online Shopping Ltd., Sim Shagaya, said: “Konga is a child that has grown and ...

http://ift.tt/2piyumM The Management of Julius Berger (JB) Plc, yesterday described the company’s delivery of Abuja Airport Emergency Repair Project in a record time as a demonstration of the firm’s leadership in Nigeria’s engineering construction company. The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Heinz Stockhausen, an engineer, disclosed this at Investors Relations Forum held in Lagos to herald the company’s Yearly General Meeting. Describing the project as tasking because of its importance both locally and international, Stockhausen said it brought out the firm’s ingenuity in engineering as workers were mobilized from Nigeria and over seas to ensure early delivery of the project. He extolled the Federal Government, especially the Ministry of Transportation, and other stakeholders like Nigeria Aviation Management Authority (NAMA), Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for their commitment towards earl...

http://ift.tt/2qXZZi5 The collection process was for truck drivers to obtain N500 from dredgers on each truckload of sand moved from their site and pay to the Ministry's collection agent positioned at the gate of the site The Union of Tipper and Quarry Employers of Nigeria (UTQEN) has kicked against the plan of the Lagos State Government to introduce multiple haulage charges on their services within the state. Acting National Chairman of UTQEN, Comrade Aliu Mayungbe, disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos, saying that the state Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development recently seek to obtain haulage charge from trucks transporting sands from dredging sites. Mayungbe, said that the plan is unlawful and a disincentive to businesses in the state. The chairman noted that members of the union had been paying the said charge to the government regularly through the Ministry of Transportation, stressing that effort of Ministry of Waterfront to utilise collection a...

http://ift.tt/2piGXXa A seedling breakthrough, which involves the planting of yam leaves to produce millions of healthy high yield stems, has been discovered by the international research institute, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. According to experts at the world leading research station, Nigeria would soon become one of the leading global yam producing countries with the current breakthrough recorded by the research institute, which would help farmers achieve the mass production of healthy yields. Speaking to journalists on the project, Yam Seed System Specialist, IITA, Abuja, Dr. Beatrice Aighewi, disclosed that the project is aimed at ensuring food security in the country. She said the breakthrough is mainly targeted at helping Nigerian farmers and those in the sub-west African tropical belt achieve significant global foreign currency accruable from yam exportation. Aighewi also explained that IITA is set to partner with some harvest s...

http://ift.tt/2qY2OQb Osagie • NAPTIP urges citizens to blow whistle on human traffickers The President of Godsent Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Dion Osagie, said over $200 million donated to NGOs in Nigeria yearly end up in the private accounts of the owners of these organisations. Osagie stated this during a chat with newsmen in Benin City yesterday. He alleged that about 70 per cent of NGOs in Nigeria are fraudulent. While calling for complete re-orientation in the running of NGOs in the country, Osagie called for proper screening of these organisations operating in Nigeria. He further said that: “If NGOs, especially those meant to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich really live up to their function and transparently utilise what they receive as donors, don’t you think it would alleviate poverty in the rural areas?” Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) has urged Nigerians to embrace the concept ...