Curator

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development has urged the Solid Mineral Development Fund (SMDF) to fast-track the approval of 600 million dollar loan from the Sovereign Wealth Trust. Fayemi made the call in Abuja on Thursday at the inauguration of the Board of the SMDF. He said that the ministry had commenced negotiation with the sovereign wealth trust to access the fund and inject it into the sector. According to him, the ministry is also discussing with the Nigeria Stock Exchange to assist in packaging funds for the sectors. The minister urged the board to ensure that the funds were approved and released for the sector. Fayemi said that the constitution of the board marked an important milestone in the effort of the ministry to reposition the sector. The minister said that the SMDF was established by section 34 of the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act 2007, to address insufficient fund that undermined the growth of the sector. He said the fir...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is partnering with the Institute for Public-Private Partnerships (IP3) to the deliver infrastructure in the country. The organisations entered into the agreement to drive the delivery of infrastructure when the IP3 Team led by its Director of PPPs, Mr Tomas Kiguel visited the ICRC chief executive, Mr Aminu Dikko in Abuja on Thursday. Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony, Dikko described the collaboration as a major milestone for the ICRC as it would help the commission achieve its mandate. “It is true that without training, we will just be floundering without being able to reach our milestone and we are happy that we are having this relationship with IP3. “Having regard to the many years of experience the IP3 have garnered in training personnel all around the world; they have trained people from over 170 countries totaling over about 35,000 personnel. “ I know how rigorous and important the ...

http://ift.tt/2rmI3hp L-R: Kelly Ihetu, Prof. Tracie Utoh-Ezeajugh, Prof. Pita Ejiofor, Nze Uche Nworah and Barister Uju Aroh Professor Pita Ejiofor, Founder of Otu Suwakwa Igbo Initiative today, Tuesday, May 16th 2017, inaugurated a Four -Man Jury that will judge Igbo language films submitted for the 2017 Igbo Language Film Awards. The Jury members include Nze Uche Nworah, Managing Director and CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Prof. Tracy Utoh-Ezeajugh, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Barrister Uju Aroh of National Film and Video Censors Board and Kelly Ihetu of Silverbird Group. While inaugurating the Jury, Prof. Ejiofor said that the Igbo language Film Awards is an initiative of the Otu Suwakwa Igbo and is part of their efforts to promote Igbo language and Igbo cultural identity. He charged the Jury to apply their professional experience and judgement in their duty while being guided by the award criteria. In his response, a member of the panel, Nze...

http://ift.tt/2pkYR7M Stoke City's Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf (C) celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Stoke City at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on May 6, 2017. Adrian DENNIS / AFP Bournemouth will play Premier League football again next season after they benefited from a late own goal to snatch a 2-2 home draw with Stoke City on Saturday. The point for Stoke means they too are realistically safe from relegation for another year after a topsy-turvy game that featured two own goals and several missed chances. The game started in lacklustre fashion until midway through the first half when Bournemouth’s Adam Smith smacked the crossbar from distance and striker Lys Mousset blazed over. Bournemouth then had a let-off when midfielder Harry Arter went in two-footed on Stoke’s Joe Allen and escaped with only a yellow card. Stoke, whose season has been gradually ...

http://ift.tt/2pJ23ws Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, accompanied by local prospective Conservative candidate Mary Macleod, (unseen), laughs as she speaks to workers during her tour of the Octink sign manufacturer factory in Brentford, west London on May 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Jack Taylor Theresa May’s Conservatives made significant gains Friday in Britain’s local elections, handing the prime minister a boost ahead of next month’s Brexit-dominated parliamentary polls. Results, albeit on low turnouts, showed the governing Conservatives dealing heavy blows to the main opposition Labour Party and all but wiping out the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party (UKIP). Despite the thumping results, May said there was no room for complacency ahead of the June 8 general election and the EU divorce negotiations to come afterwards. “It’s encouraging that we’ve won support across the whole of the UK but I will not take anything for granted and neither wil...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J NNPC GMD briefs Buhari on state of cooperation says oil production now 2 million bpd By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikati Baru, on Tuesday  briefed  President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that the volume of oil production in the country now stands at 2 million per barrel on daily basis. Speaking to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Baru said he briefed the President on the activities of the NNPC and its subsidiaries. The GMD who hinted that the volume rose from 1.2 million bpd to 2 million attributed the oil production increase to the relative peace and stability in the Niger Delta. He also said that the briefing touched on fuel supply across the country, crude oil and gas productions and the ability of the corporation to supply gas to the power sector. “I briefed Mr President on the state...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Marie-Therese Nanlong Jos – Bloody clash between the Afizere and Anaguta tribes of Jos North local government area of Plateau State was averted on Monday by members of the Operation Safe Haven who are keeping the peace in the State even as the security operatives have taken over the area. Vanguard learnt that trouble started at the Angwan Rukuba junction area of the city when some Afizere youths removed a signboard mounted by the Anaguta tribe, to show the resident of their leader in the area, an act which infuriated the Afizere community. The skirmish caused tension in the area but the timely intervention of security agencies doused the tension and normalcy returned to the area. It would be recalled that the two tribes are in court over ownership of certain part of the city. A youth leader in the area, Joshua Gara told Vanguard that the signboard’s removal was the cause of the disagreement but the timely intervention of the security saved the day...