Life Daily

Ondo State House of Assembly on Thursday approved three years extension for the repayment of the state government N27 billion bond inherited from the previous administration. The House’s resolution followed a letter by Gov. Olurotimi Akeredolu, seeking the lawmakers’ approval to restructure the payment period of the bond. Akeredolu said in the letter that restructuring of the payment period of the bond would enable the state government to attend to other financial expenses. The House, at the plenary presided over by its Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun, unanimously approved additional tenure of three years for repayment of the bond. The House also agreed that restructuring of the bond would reduce the state monthly debt services and inject more funds to the recurrent expenditure. The House Majority Leader, Mr Olusegun Araoyinbo, while debating on the governor’s request, said that the letter should be given express approval. Araoyinbo said that this would enable the state gov...

Humanitarian crises around the world will worsen in 2018, with no let-up in civil wars in Africa, near-famines in war-torn regions and the threat of extremist Islamist violence. A Geneva-based think-tank, ACAPS, made the prediction in a report published on Thursday. ACAPS, a non-profit venture that supports humanitarian aid workers with daily monitoring and analysis of 150 countries, examined the anticipated needs of 18 countries in 2018 and found little to cheer. “If 2017 did not look good, predictions for 2018 are no better: violence and insecurity are likely to deteriorate in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Ethiopia, Mali, Somalia, and Syria in 2018,” ACAPS director Lars Nissen wrote in the report. In 2018, Ethiopia will join northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen as places at risk of famine, said the report, entitled “Humanitarian Overview: An analysis of key crises into 2018”. Rather than bringing stability, the prospect of elections in Afg...

Google has inaugurated a new product known as `Datally’, a mobile data-saving app that helps one to understand, control and save data into the emerging market. The Google Country Manager, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor in a media briefing in Lagos, said that with Datally, one could save and do more with data. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an emerging market is a country that has some characteristics of a developed market, but does not meet standards to be a developed market. This includes countries that may become developed markets in the future. According to Ehimuan-Chiazor, the app is a technology built to tackle some of the challenges being faced by internet users of the emerging market. “Some of the characteristics of the emerging market are their aspirations for better life, appetite to lift family out of poverty, and highly mobile among others. “They face some challenges such as; huge percentage of people who use low earned phones, connectivity and localis...

Nigerian returnee from Libya has revealed that 25 compatriots, ferried from Nigeria to Libya by a trafficker identified as Charles, perished in the Sahara Desert, in the course of the journey. The returnee, who identified himself as Alex Otoide, from Edo state, said seven of the group also died inside a Libyan jail. “We were 55 that travelled from here to Libya, 25 people died in the desert.More than seven people died from hunger and thirst inside the prison”, Otoide said in a report published by TheNation newspaper today. Otoide spoke with journalists in a government camp in Benin City. He said the human trafficking agent, Charles collected the N500, 000 from him with a promise of a better life in Europe. He, however, regretted that instead of Europe, he ended up in a Libyan jail. He said but for providence, things could have been worse for him as he witnessed the sale of 20 Nigeria girls in the prison where they were all kept. “They sold about 20 girls in the night. I sa...

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Thursday said the former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Force, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, did not receive salary from government after his disengagement. Adeosun said this in Abuja when she appeared before members of House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the disappearance, re-appearance, re-instatement and promotion of Maina. She said that from the records of the ministry, there was no trace of any payment of salary to Maina after he was disengaged from service in 2013. “We have looked very well and we have no biometrics of Maina, so there is no way he could have received salaries,” Adeosun said. In his submission, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, said that Maina was last paid salary in February, 2013. According to Idris, from March, he was removed from the payroll so I don’t know where he was receiving the salary. “If there was any payment of salary to Maina, there should be payslips an...

U.S. President Donald Trump, in an unprecedented Twitter attack, has sharply rebuked British Prime Theresa May after Britain criticised him for retweeting British far-right anti-Islam videos. “Theresa @theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine,” Trump tweeted, sparking further outrage in Britain that has seen several major Islamist militant attacks on its streets. .@Theresa_May , don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2017 Trump’s unrepentant response was a reaction to May’s spokesman who on Wednesday criticised his retweets of anti-Islam videos originally posted by a leader of a British far-right fringe group. “It is wrong for the president to have done this,” the spokesman said. Trump sparked criticism on both ...

ECOWAS on Wednesday said it would not take lightly the maltreatment of its citizens across countries in Northern Africa. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel Alain de Souza said this this while presenting the Status Report on the State of the Community to the Second Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja. De Souza was represented by the commission’s Vice President, Edward Singhatey. Following the presentation of the report, parliamentarians raised concerns over efforts made by the sub-regional bloc to investigate reports on African migrants being maltreated and sold into slavery in some North African countries. Some members of parliament also expressed concerns over the requests made by Tunisia to be an observer country and Morocco to be a member of ECOWAS respectively, in spite of reported abuse against African migrants in those countries. The commission’s president, however, called for thorough investigation of such reports and judicial enquiries to be mad...

Nigeria’s Super Eagles and 31 other national teams will know their group stage opponents tomorrow as FIFA stages the World Cup draws in Moscow. Without question, the eyes of the footballing world will be on the Russian capital as the competing nations discover their opponents. Expectations in Nigeria include being grouped along with Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who they met in the 1994 World Cup. Millions of football fans will watch with baited breath, waiting to map out their favourite team’s path through the tournament. Even football’s most prized players, Messi,Ronaldo and Neymar also said they would be full of expectations in interviews with FIFA.com. “I’m relaxed because, although some teams are stronger than others, all the groups will be balanced. I’m calm because I know that, when the time comes, the team will be ready,” explained a laid-back Cristiano Ronaldo. “Whoever we’re drawn against, we have to win, no matter what,” he added with characteristic determination. ...

A housing expert, Mr Yemi Adelakun, says the Federal Government should evolve efficient means of boosting the availability of houses by reducing the cost of construction and mortgage financing in Nigeria. Adelakun, a former Chairman of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Programme, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the maiden edition of the Nigeria Housing Finance conference. The conference, with the theme “Financing Affordable Housing: Realities, Necessities and Possibilities’’ was organised by Finance Africa and Nigeria Integrated Social Housing Cooperative Society Limited (NISH). “We need finance to buy land, technologies, building materials, infrastructure and to pay workers and professionals. We also need finance to buy completed houses; finance is however, a scarce and costly resource. “We must identify domestic and foreign sources as well as alternative options of financing affordable housing, including equity financing. Adelakun said that the current financin...

As part of effort to assist workers to build their own houses, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) says it has disbursed more than N7 billion loan to 800 beneficiaries in 2017. Its Managing Director, Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed this at the FMBN 2017 Management Retreat in Abuja, with the theme “Towards Improving FMBN Transaction Turnaround Time“. Dangiwa noted that the focus of the bank’s loan was to ensure completion of ongoing projects and recover FMBN financial outlay presently tied. He said that the bank recovered N2.4 billion in 2017 against a cumulative figure of N8.3 billion as at 2016. According to him, the retreat will underscore the intention of the new management for a quick positive turn-around in all facets of the bank’s operations. Dangiwa said that the bank was micro-managing some of the housing estates to forestall diversion of funds and ensure recovery of loans. “The new management has also made a total refund payment of N6.6 billion to 44,370 beneficia...

The Nigerian artist Wizkid may have missed the Grammy nomination this year, but he beat a strong field including Jay-Z, Drake, Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar to net the best international artist prize at the Mobo awards in London Wednesday night. Other artists edged out by Wizkid are Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Migos, Solange Knowles, SZA Another Nigerian artist Davido, also emerged the best African Act for the year. He beat a field of artists, including Wizkid to get the award. The other artists in the pack were: Eugy, Juls, Maleek Berry Mr Eazi, Sarkodie, Tekno, Tiwa Savage and Wande Coal. The night belonged to Stormzy, the charismatic British grime MC who scooped three prizes. He scooped best male artist, best grime act, and best album, for the chart-topping Gang Signs & Prayer. Stormzy was nominated in the five categories. He fought off competition from Sampha, J Hus and Skepta to be crowned Best Male Act and Best Grime Act. The MOBO awards, which started in 1996, is Eur...

Oil prices rose on Thursday ahead of an OPEC meeting in Vienna at which producers are expected to extend a supply-cut deal that came into effect in January with the goal of tightening supplies and propping up prices. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will be meeting at its headquarters in the Austrian capital, along with ministers from other oil producing countries, most importantly Russia. OPEC is scheduled to hold an open session, including media, at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT) in Vienna on Thursday, before going into a closed session at noon, according to a tentative programme on OPEC’s website. Non-OPEC ministers are set to join at 3 p.m., followed by a joint press conference after the meeting. Brent crude oil futures for February, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at 62.73 dollars a barrel . Oil was 67.90 dollars five weeks ago. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at 57.45 dollars a barrel. While there has not been an ...

Manchester City restored their eight-point lead in the Premier League after Raheem Sterling’s late goal clinched a 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town, while Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal victory at Burnley on Sunday. City have swept aside all comers this season, but they found themselves in the unusual position of trailing at half-time after Nicolas Otamendi’s own goal at the John Smith’s Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side equalised through a Sergio Aguero penalty in the second half before Sterling’s lucky 84th-minute winner sealed their 11th successive league victory. City’s gritty success reopened their advantage over second-placed Manchester United, who had temporarily closed the gap with a 1-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. “The Premier League is so tough, now winter has come. We knew they were so aggressive so strong, but we are so happy for the way we won,” Guardiola said. “It is impossible to win every game easily. The guys competed amazingly.” The leaders had...

Several international bankers have sounded a warning about the mega risks involved in embracing bitcoin, which this week soared to a new record high of more than $8,000. Six years ago, it traded for just one dollar. “It’s the exact definition of a bubble,” the head of Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse, Tidjane Thiam, warned recently in comments that immediately sparked an uproar on social media among bitcoin’s supporters. The head of the French central bank or Banque de France, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, warned in the summer: “People are using the bitcoin today are clearly doing it at their own risk and at their own peril.” Nobel laureate, Jean Tirole, also insisted that the current bitcoin boom was a “bubble”. “It’s something that has no intrinsic value,” he said on the sidelines of a conference in Paris this week. “It could collapse from one day to the next. I would be completely against French banks, for example, investing in bitcoin.” Bitcoin is not regulated, but is t...

Robert Mugabe’s nephew said Grace Mugabe is now concentrating on building a controversial university for her husband as the couple were forced to step into oblivion last week. “I like the spirit she has, she is with him all the time. She is an amazing person. She wants to continue planning the Robert Mugabe University so they have something to do,” said Leo Mugabe. Zimbabwe announced plans in August to build the $1-billion post-graduate university in Mazowe, 35 kilometres (20 miles) outside Harare. Leo said Mugabe was in good health and “quite jovial” after being forced to resign when a military takeover ended his 37 years in power. He however declined to discuss the $10-million retirement bonus reportedly granted to the 93-year-old former president as part of a deal that finally persuaded him to resign on Tuesday. “He is fine. I have been to see him, he is quite jovial,” the son of Mugabe’s late sister Sabina told AFP. “He is actually looking forward to his new life — farm...

Mercedes team mates, Valtteri Bottas and 2017 champion Lewis Hamilton made it a 1-2 affair in Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was Bottas third victory of the season and a memorable one, having succeeded in fencing off the challenge of Hamilton, who came home four seconds behind Bottas. The Abu Dhabi champion joined Mercedes to partner the Hamilton in January following the unexpected exit of 2016 champion German Nico Rosberg. The 28-year-old Finn, who started from pole position, led from the lights to the flag apart from a spell following his first pit stop when the four-time champion Briton was in control. It was Bottas’ third career victory, all of them recorded since . “This is a really important win for me after having a pretty difficult start to the second half of the year,” said Bottas. “We Finns don’t show much emotion but it doesn’t mean we don’t have any. I am so happy. There has been so much support. I can’t show it too much but I feel good.” Four-t...

The President, Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Mr Aminu Umar, has called on the Federal Government to intervene in delayed disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to sustain shipping business. Umar made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday. NAN reports that ship owners have been worried over the non-disbursement of the sum of more than 100 million dollars being administered by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The fund has been growing in the last 14 years when the Cabotage and Inland Shipping Act 2003 was enacted. According to Umar, there is no improvement in shipping business in the country, adding that they are still engaging NIMASA over the fund. “We hope that in 2018, NIMASA will come up with the intervention fund for ship owners because the fund is already there. We want to see improvement in our operations. “There is need for government to make the CVFF fund transparent so...

Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and aspirant for the chairmanship position of the party, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to return to the PDP. George made the call while addressing PDP supporters on Sunday in Katsina as part of his campaign tour to solicit for support to actualise his aspiration. “The former vice president is a landlord in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as he was among the G-34 that established it, “In the All Progressives Congress (APC) party, Atiku is just a tenant that can be kicked out any time the landlord wants. “But in the PDP, nobody can kick Atiku out because he has laboured for the establishment of the party, “Just because your house is leaking, you cannot abandon it and move to a rented house,” he said. The PDP stalwart urged party members to close rank and do the right thing as the Dec. 9, convention date approaches. “If we miss to select the right leaders during our convention, then w...

The Adamawa chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed the receipt of the resignation letter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the party. The State Secretary of APC, Alhaji Saidu Nera, confirmed the development on Sunday to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola. Nera said he was yet to get the letter but the party officials of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area where Atiku registered had told him that they received the letter. Meanwhile, the former Vice President, who on Friday announced his decision to leave APC, has arrived in Yola where he is now engaged in series of meetings with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials at all levels who keep trooping to his house to woo him back into the party. NAN reports that the former Vice President had so far met with Adamawa PDP executives at all level as well as state chairmen from the six states that constituted North East, including the National Vice chairman North East of the party. Commenting on ...

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on Sunday said more than 600 employees sacked by Aero Contractors Ltd. in March were yet to get their severance packages. Mr Olayinka Abioye, the General Secretary, NUATE confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. NAN reports that the airline, which is presently being managed by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), had sacked more than 600 of its workers representing 60 per cent of its workforce. The Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Capt. Ado Sanusi, had assured the affected workers that they would be paid their pensions and gratuities. Abioye, however, noted that the unions in the sector had met with the airline’s management to see how the workers could be paid all their entitlements. “The truth of the matter is that none of them have been paid the negotiated redundancy benefits but they have received their gratuities which were ware-housed by Stanbic IBTC. “We just had a ...

The Southern Senators’ Forum has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a meeting of the leaderships of the National Assembly, state houses of assembly, and governors. The forum said the meeting would brainstorm and commence implementation of the 2014 National Conference report. The Chairman of the forum, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, made the call in a communiqué he read at the end of a retreat of the organisation in Calabar on Saturday. The retreat had the theme: “National Unity and Restructuring”. According to the chairman, the forum resolved that its members will liaise with their colleagues in the National Assembly to kick-start a legislative process that will ensure the implementation of the report. He also said that the group urged the leadership of the National Assembly to bring up the report for consideration. “After presentation of papers, contributions and general brainstorming, it was resolved that Nigeria and Nigerians have come a long way. “As such, it has become ...

The Chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Mr Felix Hyat, said states’ chairmen of the party would resist attempt by any group for parallel convention on Dec. 9. Hyat stated this when he received an aspirant for national chairmanship of the party, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, on a campaign visit to the state on Friday night. He said that PDP would disown any member or group that would engage in organizing a convention other than the one being put together by the National Caretaker Committee of the party. “Let it be made known in very clear term that all PDP chairmen in the country are more prepared for anybody preparing to hold a parallel convention. “We will not take it; we will disown them and we have started holding meetings and sending messages to those who are conceiving the idea. “If you believe that power comes from God and you say that you are looking for it on behalf of the people, when the people take decision, abide by it. “Any attempt to bring down...

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) is training security personnel on how best to conduct themselves securing elections, as Plateau prepares for Local Government elections. Mr Nelson Ananze, Acting Executive Director, Community Action for Popular Participation (CAPP), said that the two-day training in Jos, was to help security personnel to be professional in their conducts before, during and after elections. Ananze said that the training was also targeted at creating harmony between the security and citizens, especially women, youths and the physically challenged so that none is deprived of exercising his/her civic right. “The training is also to acquaint them (security personnel) with the election laws. “They need to know how to handle people, especially those with disability and how to handle situation during the exercise. “A situation room will be set up to share information, and address security challenges peacefully and in time so that everyone can contribute to the suc...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent about N6 billion to establish a business school in the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna. The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, made this known on Saturday at ABU’s 40th convocation ceremony held at its main campus, Samaru, Zaria. Garba said that the business school had begun as a faculty, covering Accounting, Business Administration and Economics Departments. The vice said that the development gave room for expansion of the departments and introduction of related academic programmes. He said that the ABU’s Faculty of Medicine had been transformed into ABU College of Health Sciences and headed by a provost. “The college has taken off with four faculties of Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences and Allied Health Sciences. “Along with this development is the commencement of three new academic programmes beginning from 2017/2018 session. “These are Bachelor of Dental...

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) on Saturday emphasised the need for closer co-operation among security agencies in the country to strengthen national security. Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, Commander of the NAF 553 Base Services Group, Enugu made the call after the 4th Quarterly Route March of air force officers and soldiers. Masiyer stated that one of the objectives of the route march is to build comradeship with personnel of other agencies considering that “the Nigeria Air Force cannot do it all alone’’. According to him, the invitation of the army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is aimed at ensuring cordial inter-agency co-operation among the agencies in the state. “We want to promote comradeship and spirit of oneness with all security agencies to create understanding and seamless interface for quick results whenever we carry out joint internal security duties,’’ he said. Masiyer said that the essence of the quarterly physic...

The International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICCN) has urged the Federal Government to address the bottlenecks at the nation’s borders and seaports to enhance trade and investment in the economy. The President of ICCN, Mr Babatunde Savage, made the appeal on Friday night in Lagos at the chamber’s Annual Award and 80th Anniversary celebration of the ICC Marketing and Advertising Code in Lagos. Savage said that businesses needed adequate power supply, effective communication facilities and free movement of people and goods to thrive. He said that there was need for Nigerian Government to forge strategic alliances with governments of other African countries to tackle hindrances to business growth. Savage said that resolving bottlenecks that impeded trade would promote cross border trade and reduce operational cost of businesses. According to him, the mission of ICCN is to mainstream businesses in Nigeria to the global community and promote wealth creation through international ...

Mr Wale Adegbite, Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun Chapter, on Saturday urged commercial banks to give long-term loans to manufacturers to grow the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Speaking at 10th Business Luncheon of the association in Ota, Ogun, Adegbite said `that by providing long-term loans, the banks would have contributed their quota to Nigeria’s GDP. According to him, banks prefer to give short-term loans to businesses with high turnover in their investments, rather than manufacturers whose investments are usually long-term based. Adegbite said the manufacturing sector had the potential to contribute more than what it is contributing to the GDP if long-term loans were available to them. The MAN chairman lamented that obtaining loans from commercial banks had not been easy for manufacturers. He said the refusal of commercial banks to grant long-term loans at low interest rates had hindered sustainable growth in the manufacturing sector and ad...

Lionel Messi has signed a new contract with Spanish clubside FC Barcelona until 2021, the Liga leaders confirmed on Saturday. This ended speculation that the five-times World Player of the Year could leave the club he has spent his entire career for free next June. “FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi signed on Saturday morning a new contract that will keep the Argentine superstar at the club through the 2020/21 season,” said a statement from Barca, posting a picture of Messi signing the deal alongside club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. “The buyout clause was set at 700 million euros (626.25 million pounds).” The Argentine star agreed the new contract with FC Barcelona in July but the club did not release the usual photo of the player putting pen to paper. This had fuelled speculation he could depart in June 2018, when his previous deal ran out, for free. Messi leads the scoring charts in La Liga with 12 goals and on Friday picked up the 2017 European Sports Media Golden Shoe. ...

urgently confront structural root causes of instability in various parts of the continent to address the refugee crisis confronting many members states. Mrs Minata Cesssouma, the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, said this in Nairobi on Saturday at the opening of the 5th AU Annual Humanitarian Symposium. Cessouma, who was represented by Dr Khabele Matlosa, Director, Political Affairs, said no country could achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere where majority of its people could not contribute to its development because they were either refugees living outside the country or internally displaced. She said Africa was host to more than 3.5 million refugees and 15 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), adding that future projections were more worrying, given the growing effects of climate change and new conflicts on the continent. She added that “it is equally worrying when majority of displaced population are women, children and youth and the very f...

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok Ete-Ibas, has advised naval personnel to ensure that they are fit at all times, being the key to military profession. He gave the advice at the fourth route march of the service at Mogadishu Military Cantonment, Abuja, on Saturday. Represented by Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Rear Adm. Tariworio Dick, the chief of naval staff said fitness was the main criterion in military as a profession anywhere in the world. He added that “every personnel should be determined to be fit and healthy.” He explained that personnel could only carry out assigned jobs when they were fit. He noted that “it is only personnel who are fit that will be available for deployment to carry out assignments anywhere at all times. “So, the route march is aimed at keeping personnel fit and available for deployment at any time. The naval chief reaffirmed the continued commitment of the service to protect the nation’s maritime domain against cru...

The International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICCN) has urged the Federal Government to address the bottlenecks at the nation’s borders and seaports to enhance trade and investment in the economy. The President of ICCN, Mr Babatunde Savage, made the appeal on Friday night in Lagos at the chamber’s Annual Award and 80th Anniversary celebration of the ICC Marketing and Advertising Code in Lagos. Savage said that businesses needed adequate power supply, effective communication facilities and free movement of people and goods to thrive. He said that there was need for Nigerian Government to forge strategic alliances with governments of other African countries to tackle hindrances to business growth. Savage said that resolving bottlenecks that impeded trade would promote cross border trade and reduce operational cost of businesses. According to him, the mission of ICCN is to mainstream businesses in Nigeria to the global community and promote wealth creation through international ...

Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, says restructuring Nigeria is inevitable for all-inclusive advantages it will confer on federating units and enhancement of national unity. Ekweremadu stated this at a two-day Retreat by Southern Senators Forum in Calabar on Friday, and dismissed the fear in certain quarters that restructuring would cause the break-up of the country. He explained that restructuring was not the same as exclusive resource control as the renewed and aggressive search for oil around the Lake Chad, Sokoto and Benue River Basins in recent times appeared to suggest. According to him, whereas federating units will have more control over their resources in a restructured Nigeria, there would always be an Equalisation Fund to ensure that every region thrives above a reasonable threshold. “In fact, oil and gas is among the least strategic endowments of the nation today and in the years ahead. Oil is fast losing its import in the global economy. “Many ...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it is yet to receive a letter of resignation from the party from former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, being reported in the media. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known while reacting to the development on Friday in Abuja. Atiku had in a statement personally signed by him on Friday announced his resignation from the APC, citing lack of good relationship with the party leadership, among other issues. He explained that he joined the APC in 2014 after some of its leaders appealed to him, following crisis in his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which resulted to its fictionalisation. According to Atiku, the situation in my former party left me and several other loyal party members in limbo, not knowing which of the parallel executives the legitimate leadership was. “It was under this cloud that members of the APC made the appeal to me to join their party. “It ...

German Gynaecologist, Kristina Haenel, was fined 7,150 dollars by a court in that country on Friday, after being found guilty of “advertising” abortion by providing information about the procedure on her website. Haenel, a 61-year-old medical doctor from the western city of Giessen, posted information on her website in April 2015 about the legal and medical aspects of the procedure in German, English and Turkish. She also provided information about the payment required for an abortion, which the court in Giessen found violated a law that forbids advertising abortion services in a way that is to the person’s own economic advantage. Haenel’s lawyer said she would appeal the decision. Haenel, who performed abortions for 30 years, said she was only fulfilling her ethical duty by providing information to women considering ending their pregnancy. She said “I didn’t do it so that women would come to me; they do that anyway; I don’t need that.’’ Meanwhile, hundreds of women gathere...

The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it had uncovered plans by some elements within the party to hold a parallel national convention on Dec. 9. The National Publicity Secretary of the committee, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, made this known at a news conference at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Friday. Adeyeye alleged the move was a “sabotage’’ by some persons who had allowed themselves to be used by All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause divisions in the PDP. He added that the attempt was totally uncalled for, noting that those making such plans were honest members of PDP. He said that the caretaker committee had been working very hard to carry all party members and supporters along towards organising a successful convention. “We are also putting our resources in place to address all the fears earlier reported by some national chairmanship aspirants. “One of the steps taken by the leadership is to make available and in good time, t...