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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J …Appoints Yakubu as Chairman Premium Pension Limited has paid retirement benefits to the tune of about N119 billion since inception, the company has said. Accordingly, the company now manages about 738,736 Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) and 46, 941 retirees while having pension Assets Under Management (AUM) in excess of N460 billion. Meanwhile, the recently held Annual General Meeting of the company saw the ratification of the appointment of Architect Yunusa Yakubu as the Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. He was until his appointment the Chairman of the Board’s Committee on Strategic Growth. He takes over from Mr. Aliyu Abdulrahman Dikko. A successful businessman and versatile consulting architect, Yunusa Yakubu obtained a B.Sc. in Architecture in 1984 from Ahmadu Bello University and followed up with an M.Sc.in the same subject at the same university in 1986. He started his working career with the Ministry of Works and Housing in Bauchi State ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J … As M&A scaled back in 2016 Stories by Rosemary Onuoha Fitch Rating has set a negative forecast for the year ahead in its 2017 insurance industry outlook report, predicting a continued decline of premium rates, with soft pricing prevailing in the global reinsurance market. The soft pricing, according to the report, is driven by a continued over demand of capital, sluggish reinsurance purchasing, and several years of below-average catastrophe claims, despite last year seeing catastrophe losses reach their highest level since 2012. Profitability is predicted to be weakened, with combined ratios expected to deteriorate down to 92 per cent from 91.5 per cent in 2016 as premium rates and investment yields decline, but the agency believes most reinsurers are expected to maintain credit metrics and ratings despite the challenges. “Most ratings therefore have stable outlooks. Some smaller reinsurers with limited business diversification could face negative ratin...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A combination of speculative attack against the naira in the parallel market and activities in the newly introduced Investors and Exporters (I&E) forex window are   impeding further decline in the parallel market exchange rate below N385 per dollar. Prior to the 100 per cent increase in dollar supply to BDCs, from $20,000 to $40,000 per BDC, the parallel market exchange rate dropped to N380 per dollar. Thus the expectation was that with the increase in the volume of foreign currency available to the market, the dollar will, by now be trading at N375 per dollar or less in the parallel market. Contrary to this expectation, however, the naira depreciated to almost N400 per dollar before appreciating to N390 two weeks ago and N385 per dollar last week. BDC sources who spoke to Financial Vanguard blamed this development on speculators, who they claimed “are doing everything possible” to resist further appreciation of the naira in the parallel market...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Soni Daniel,Northern Region Editor Something very provocative and disappointing happened in the Federal Ministry of Education on February 10th this year. The occurrence, to say the least, amounted to a travesty of justice, a rape on laid down rules guiding the transfer and promotion of principals and vice principals of the 104 Federal Government Colleges alias Unity Schools. It posed a threat to the survival of the institutions. On that fateful day, 47 of the 104 principals, who are mostly directors on level 17 and who have put in their best to advance the course of education in Nigeria, were surreptitiously removed from their posts on the order of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, acting on the instruction of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu. Incidentally, the continued stay of Dr. Shu’ara in the ministry has sparked trouble between the Presidency and the House of Representatives, which has described her retention by the forces in the P...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Bashir Bello K ATSINA— Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said yesterday that the Federal Government is planning to upgrade six airports to international status. Sirika said government had engaged experts and consultants to examine airports fit for the upgrade. The Minister stated this when he accompanied the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on a visit to Katsina State to pay homage to the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Usman. However, the minister was silent on whether Katsina State Airport will be considered for upgrade. Earlier in his remarks, the Emir had requested for the upgrade of the state airport and also appealed for extension of railway terminal lines to Katsina State. It would be recalled that the Federal Government had stopped the railway line in Kano State. Responding, Professor Osinbajo said government was working round the clock actualise the request. Osinbajo commended the Emir for the reign of peace in the state, ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Olasunkanmi Akoni A s part of measures to solve the perennial traffic gridlock on Ikorodu Road, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has approved the immediate construction of many lay-by to decongest traffic in Ketu axis of the state. According to the Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, the governor has embarked on aggressive revamping of the transportation sector, which led to the construction of multiple lay-by at Oworoshoki, Car Wash, Ogudu and Berger, while a slip road was constructed at Estate Bus Stop. He said: “The present administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is committed to decongesting traffic across the metropolis and with the pathetic traffic situation in Ketu, the need to construct multiple lay-by became imperative.” In his remarks, the Oba of Ketu, Isiaka Oyero, commended the project and appealed to the government to address unemployment by suppor-ting youth empowerment programmes.   The post Lagos...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Benjamin Njoku “Nigerians prefer jazz to classical or secular music.” That was how one of the patrons summed up his experience  as  the annual Runway Jazz festival, came to a rousing close last Sunday night in LagoIndeed, the patron was not wrong. This year’s jazz festival was an explicit proof that jazz music has come to stay in Nigeria, The quality audience  was both larger and more enthusiastic, which left an impression that the appreciation of this genre of music is growing in leaps and bounds in the country. From the first performance  till the last, the sold-out Runway Jazz festival- a fusion of world class jazz performances and fashion rekindled  an old  passion that is peculiar with those that have been around in the 70s. Though devoid of  youthful audience whose idea of jazz incorporated dance, reggae, hip-hop and Afrobeat influences,the evening was a blend of jazz, fashion and style. There was no dull moment throug...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Benjamin Njoku As the battle for the top prize in ‘Norkse Talenter’ (Norway Got Talent), gets fiercer, Nigerian-Norway based vocalist, Daniel Appyday, has emerged one of top contenders of the reality show. Checks revealed that Appyday, who before leaving Nigeria for Norway, was well known for his gospel hits, “Thunder Praise”, “Oku Muonso No Try Jehovah”, “Chukwu Ebuka and Agbaya”, is the only Nigerian on the reality show and has made it past the first four of the five stages of the show. The show, now in its eight season is one of the biggest TV shows in Norway. It is a spin-off of the popular ‘Britains’s Got Talent’ reality franchise. The winner of this year’s edition will walk away with $60,000 cash prize and a recording contract from Sony Music. Born Daniel Ernest Emeka Okafor, Appyday is one of the 36 contestants of the thousands auditioned for the competition that made it to the semi-finals. His next performance on the show is scheduled for Friday, Ma...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Yetunde Arebi T he first time I heard the word fisting, it was during a discussion with a group of young adolescents. Not only was I embarrassed at my obvious ignorance of its existence, I was ashamed that I even dared to doubt the possibility of such an act. Indeed, I learnt a few things from that encounter and it did prompt me to do a research of my own to update my knowledge. Interestingly, I have discovered that there is an entirely new world out there yet to be discovered by many of us. It is important that we try to update ourselves on some of these things for several reasons besides the embarrassment it might cost. Sexual slangs are linguistic terms or phrases which are considered colloquial rather than formal. They refer to sexual organs, processes and activities about sex and sexuality. Today, we are beginning a series of lessons to intimate ourselves with some of these words. Please beware that some of them may seem impolite and improper for some pe...