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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The top 10 banks earned N138 billion from charges on electronic payment transactions. This represented 26 per cent increase from the N109.1 billion earned in 2015. Bank customers who spoke to Vanguard, however, differed in their views about this development. ood, but it is double attack on citizens — Adeoye Abiodun COMMERCIAL banks earning N138 billion in 2016 from e-payment charges is a recorded progress on the side of the CBN and commercial Banks. But the question is: how are they utilizing the money. The amounts acquired are not being used to produce any infrastructure or aid the situation of the economy. We pay tax on our money. We pay high fees for e-payment transactions. It is like paying multiple taxes. To me the amount accumulated is too much. It is extortion — Aishat Hammed THE amount is too much. They are extorting money from the masses to enrich their pockets. If you have a sum of N10, 000 in your bank account, after the charges of all e-payment tra...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Experts at the International Telecoms Week conference in Chicago have highlighted the need to accelerate investment in Africa to facilitate the continent’s broadband data explosion. Based on the theme “Achieving A Connected Continent: Leading The Data Explosion Across Africa”, the expert panel session with participation from Google, Facebook, WIOCC, Liquid Telecom and Angola Cables discussed strategies for achieving improved broadband access across the continent. The session reviewed the state of broadband infrastructure and data traffic trajectories in different countries on the continent and made comparisons to other markets globally. This included areas in which investments had been made such as submarine cables, data centres, and access networks including 3G4G and FTTH networks as some of the elements that have accelerated the growth in data traffic on the continent. The consensus was that the data explosion will need to be driven by further investment ...

http://ift.tt/2qVchZG Same-sex activists hug outside the parliament in Taipei on May 24, 2017 as they celebrate the landmark decision paving the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalise gay marriage. Crowds of pro-gay marriage supporters in Taiwan on May 24 cheered, hugged and wept as a top court ruled in favour of same-sex unions. / AFP PHOTO / SAM YEH Taiwan’s top court ruled in favour of gay marriage Wednesday, a landmark decision that paves the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex unions. Crowds of supporters cheered, hugged and wept as the court said that current laws preventing the practice “violated” the constitution’s guarantees of freedom of marriage and equality. It gave the government two years to implement the ruling. Momentum has been growing behind the push for equal marriage rights, with Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen openly supporting the campaign. But there has also been anger among conservative...

http://ift.tt/2rsFo9i A man walks past a television showing a news report on North Korea's latest missile test of a Pukguksong-2, at a railway station in Seoul on May 22, 2017. North Korea on May 22 declared its medium-range Pukguksong-2 missile ready for deployment after a weekend test, the latest step in its quest to defy UN sanctions and develop an intercontinental rocket capable of striking US targets. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je China called on Monday for dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula after North Korea carried out a new missile test. “The (UN) Security Council has clear stipulations prohibiting DPRK against using ballistic missiles and China opposes this as well,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing, using the initials of North Korea’s official name. “The situation on the Korean peninsula is complex and sensitive. We urge all sides to avoid provoking each other and continue on the right track of dialogue and consulta...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Prince Abugo THE story of Niger Delta resonates with the contributions, sacrifices of heroes and ordinary citizens over the years. Their  sacrifices redefined the area and made it the main issue since Nigeria’s creation. The area witnessed and continued to witness untold economic exploitation that had kept it in economic and political subjugation to satisfy the greed of a powerful class. The Niger Delta is wealthy but poverty- stricken. During the colonial era, it thrived in palm oil and salt production, fishery, rubber plantations and other cash crops that brought the British to the area in search of raw materials and cheap market. But they soon imposed the authority of their sovereigns over us and encouraged conflicts. This brought resistance. And in the event, Oba Ovonramwen of Benin, Nana of Koko, Jaja of Opobo and several other historical figures who stood for our values as Africans were humiliated. Isaac Adaka Boro and Ken Saro Wiwa suffered the sa...