The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ‘Bello trying to manipulate delegates’ list’

    Some of the aspirants for today’s governorship primary of the Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused Governor Yahaya Bello of trying to manipulate the list of delegates for the primary election.

    Sources close to some of the aspirants told The Nation that they have information that the governor was working with some unnamed officials at the party’s national secretariat to alter the delegates’ list because of fears that some of them may not vote for him.

    According to the APC electoral guidelines for the conduct of indirect primaries, only officials of the party from the ward, local government and state constitute delegates for the primary election scheduled to hold in Lokoja today.

    Read Also: Our disqualification ploy to throw up Bello as candidate, say aspirants

    Aside the party officials who constitute delegates, there are also statutory delegates made up of members of the state and National Assembly as well as national officials from the state.

    The source showed The Nation a document they obtained from INEC which was supposedly transmitted to the commission on July 24, containing names of the delegates for the primary.

    The source said: “Bello is afraid that more aspirants have been cleared to contest against him. He is no longer comfortable and so he is doing everything he can to manipulate the list of delegates and import names into the list.”

    The source asked the party’s national leadership y to allow a level-playing ground for all aspirants.

    There are 239 wards within the 21 local government areas of Kogi State and executive members of the parry in these wards and local government and state officials are delegates to the primary.

  • Okagbare: Why I didn’t protest my 100m disqualification

    Africa’s Queen of the Tracks, Blessing Okagbare – Ighoteguonor, has explained why she did not protest her disqualification in the 100m Women’s semi-final race at the ongoing African Games in Morocco.

    The hope of the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist winning her first gold medal in 100m event in her fourth appearance at the Africa Games went up in smoke after being disqualified for a false start in the women’s 100m semi-finals heat 1 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex on Monday.

    A similar incident occurred earlier in the day where an athlete was disqualified for false start, but the culprit refused to leave the track, insisting that he was not at fault.

    After some minutes of agument, the organisers allowed the athlete to run the race, a decision which was applauded by the fans at the stadium.

    When asked why she did to toe that line, Okagbare opined that despite the unfairness of the rules of the competition which had seen athletes being disqualified without warning, they must be respected.

    Read Also: Osimhen on rampage scores brace in Lille’s 3-0 victory

    “I watched some of the races today and felt like some people were giving a lot of red cards which were not fair.

    “I’m not saying this because they gave me one. My false start was there and I was wishing for a miracle for them to allow me.

    “I quickly thought they would want a show between me and Marie Ta Lou (Cote d’ Ivoire) and they would just give me a warning as I feel like that race was like a final already. I thought they would call me back but no.

    “I would have stayed there and insisted that I must run whether they like it or not.

    “But I have to respect protocol. I am a professional athlete and I have to be professional because it can happen anywhere.

    “I don’t have series of false starts in my career. So that one was my third warning in the history of my career.

    “So it has happened and that was it. I think somehow a little unfairness happen to a lot of people.

    “Three people were given a red card earlier in the day. It is a final race, let these people run. But it is the competition and they are enforcing their own rule and we have to respect it,’ Okagbare told SportingLife.ng.

    She left the Team Nigeria camp at the Africa Games for Zurich where she will be participating in the final leg of the IAAF Diamond League which gets underway at Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday evening.

  • Fed Govt, GINL to resolve Ajaokuta Steel dispute

    The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh, has expressed the willingness of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to resolve ongoing legal issues between Federal Government and Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (GINL) on Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

    He said the government was desirous to see that ASCL was completed and made operational. He therefore solicited the support of the National Assembly, management of ASCL and other stakeholders in achieving the goal under the administration.

    A statement yesterday noted that the Federal Government has not relented on its effort to address the issues of the steel industry and rescue it from its current state, foremost among which is the completion and operations of the plant.

    Read Also: Fed Govt loses 30% procurement budget

    It added that the government is desirous to achieve this through a robust framework to drive and guide the process for the revitalisation of ASCL and the steel industry in general.

    The state read: “In line with the above and the government’s desire to concession ASCL, a team of key stakeholders made up of Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim, Chairman, House Committee on Steel (NASS), Alex A. Okoh Director General Imeh Okon, SSA to President on Infrastructure, conducted a fact finding visit to the Ajaokuta complex on August 19th 2019.

    “The main objective of the visit was to ensure the country taps into the potential of the steel sector to transform the economy. “Other objectives of the visit were to avail members the opportunity to physically inspect the complex in order to appreciate the quantum of investments made; meet with the management and obtain the management’s option(s) on the issues that affect the plant with the view to enriching the strategy to be adopted for resuscitating the complex.

    “A physical tour of the enterprise to some of the major plants, installations and facilities in the Complex was done by the Team. Some of the plants and other facilities visited included, Steel Making Plant (Blast Furnace), Light Section Mill, Wire Rod Mill, Medium Section & Structural Mill, Thermal Power Plant, Lime Plant, Machine/Tools Shop , Water In-take Plant, Rail tracks, Road networks, etc.”

    It said the team verified and confirmed the management’s claim that many of the machines in the respective units were in a good condition and would only require minor repairs to operate effectively.

    Additionally, the team observed that the status of the ASCL plant was not as dilapidated as assumed generally, but that the plant was rather in a reasonably operational state.

  • Aviation professionals reject concession

    The Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) said it will rally other unions in the industry to kick against plans by the reappointed Minister of Aviation, Capt Hadi Sirika to concession some airports.

    The association said the airports’ concession proposal was ill-timed, unfavourable and dangerous because of insecurity in the country.

    Its General Secretary, Comrade Abdulrasak Saidu spoke in an interview in Lagos.

    The association also raised the alarm over the proliferation of airstrips in the country. It warned that safety and security could not be guaranteed in some of them.

    Read Also: Expert cautions govt against import of China’s used cars

    He also noted that if government scaled through with the proposal, several direct staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would lose their jobs, while thousands of indirect staff would also be affected, stressing that this negated the policy of the government to create more jobs for qualified Nigerians.

    Recalled that concession of four airports- Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano in the first phase of the exercise were parts of the six point agenda of Sirika in 2016, but it the industry unions severely kicked against the plan, fearing loss of jobs for its members.

  • CBN’s Business Expectations report predicts stable naira

    The naira is tipped to appreciate this month, next month and within the next 12 months, a business expectations report released on Wednesday by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has shown.

    The naira currently exchanges at N307/$1 at the oficial market and N362/$1 at the parallel market rate.

    According to the report, the level of inflation is also expected to increase slightly in both the next six months and the next 12 months while borrowing rate will rise in the current month, next month and the next 12 months.

    ‘’Respondent firms expressed optimism on the macro economy in August 2019. Respondents’ outlook on the volume of total order, business activity and financial conditions (working capital) were positive during the review period,’’ the report added.

    Read Also: NASSI to CBN: release funds to SMEs

    It said firms identified insufficient power supply, high interest rate, financial problems, unfavourable economic climate, unclear economic laws and unfavourable political climate as major factors constraining business activity in August 2019.

    The August 2019 Business Expectations Survey (BES) was conducted from August 12-21, 2019 with a sample size of 1050 businesses nationwide. A response rate of 95.4 per cent was achieved, and the sample covered the services, industrial, wholesale/retail trade, and construction sectors.

    The respondent firms were made up of small, medium and large corporations covering both import- and export-oriented businesses.

    At 28.6 index points, respondents expressed optimism on the overall confidence index (CI) on the macro economy in the month of August 2019. The business outlook for September 2019 showed greater confidence on the macro economy with 64.7 index points.

    The optimism on the macro economy in the current month was driven by the opinion of respondents from services (15.4 points), industrial (10.1 points), wholesale/retail trade (2.4 points) and construction (0.7 points) sectors. For next month, the major drivers of the optimism were services (36.1points), industrial (20.7 points), wholesale/retail trade (6.0 points) and construction (1.9 points) sectors.

  • TrustBond, FBN Mortgages to close housing gap

    TrustBond Mortgage Bank Plc and First Mortgages Bank (FBN Mortgages) emerged a consortium of large mortgage institution that will help close the housing deficit in the country.

    Their emergence was sequel to the holding of their court ordered meeting.

    The Chairman, First Mortgages Bank formerly a subsidiary of First Bank Plc, Adesina Augustine Buramoh-Adenuyewo said the objective of the merger was to create a stronger mortgage institution capable of competing more vibrantly within the nation’s mortgage sector.

    He said the goals of the merger will be achieved through the consortium having specific strategic skill, service excellence and redefined support to the primary mortgage sub-sector.

    Read Also: Govt workers can access FMBN Cooperative housing loans

    He said these shared strategic focuses will present enhanced value for the customers of both institutions, eliminate excess capacity and offer effective management of risk assets.

    He added that the new bank will be repositioned through continuous improvement in advanced cutting edge technology that will improve access to innovative mortgage products.

    He said: “We believe the new bank would run more efficiently than each bank operating on its own. Specifically, we expect the bank to have higher operating synergies which will result in increased gross income and interest income, decreased interest expense, enhanced credit management, and other benefits made possible by combining complementary operations. The synergy in the proposed merger is to create enhanced stakeholders and shareholders’ value.”

    Executive Director, Business Development, FBN Mortgages, Ngozi Ogunwa said the consortium is to make mortgages available to a greater number of people.

  • Aiteo: Optimal gas utilisation can solve power supply issue

    The Group Managing Director, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited, Victor Okoronkwo, has said Nigeria’s power shortage could be resolved through optimal utilisation of the nation’s huge gas deposits.

    Okoronkwo spoke at a panel session of the conference titled: Effect of sanctity of contract on Commercial Operation’ organised by the National Association of Energy Correspondents in Lagos.

    To him, lack of appropriate synergy between policy makers and players in the energy sub-sector is a major factor for the nation’s epileptic electricity supply. He said government should show greater commitment to power generation by providing favourable environment in  order to attract more investors.

    He said Aiteo Group is negotiating an alternative financing package that would enable it fund about $5 billion investment to be able to increase its oil production to about 250,000 barrels per day (bpd).This  will also  grow gas output to about three million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

    Read Also: Why Nigerians are not enjoying regular power supply, by Osinbajo

    “There will be a blend of financing options depending on the alternative financing mechanism the company is working out with its joint venture partner.”

    Okoronkwo also stated that Aiteo operates key strategic business of oil infrastructure in Nigeria and a major stakeholder across the energy value chain with huge investments in the country. The company, Okonkwo said, was one of the biggest single investment decision makers up to 2014, when it invested over $2.5 billion in acquiring oil milling lease (OML) 29 asset.

    “The company is Nigeria’s largest indigenous company by production and we are committed to producing between 80,000 bpd and 90,000 bpd. In the short to mid-term, we are going to 150,000 bpd and in the mid to long term we are going to 250,000 bpd, we want to secure energy supply for the rest of Africa and move from fossil fuel to clean fuel,” he said.

  • El-Zakzaky, wife to embark on another medical trip soon

    The embattled leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, will soon embark on another medical trip.

    Like the botched trip to Delhi, India, the Shiite leader would be accompanied by security operatives, it was learnt yesterday.

    A top member of the IMN, who spoke with our correspondent in confidence, said the Department of State Services (DSS) is preventing El-Zakzaky’s family members and close associate from visiting, adding that they have since collected their phones.

    El-Zakzaky and wife were taken to the DSS facility in Kaduna on arrival aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight E 9-11 by noon on August 16, at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Read Also: Iran backing El-Zakzaky to Islamise Nigeria, says Fed Govt

    Following the way their leader and his wife were whisked away by the security operatives, members of the IMN vowed then to resume the suspended protest until their leader and his wife are given proper treatment and freed.

    The source said: “You know that El-Zakzaky and his wife were immediately taken to Kaduna facility of the DSS immediately they arrived in the country from their medical trip.

    “They collected their phones. Now his people want to visit him, but the security operatives are preventing them from visiting.

    “Till now, nobody is allowed to visit him. And immediately he and the wife left for India, the security operatives moved some of his personal properties from his home in Kaduna. I learnt they are planning to take him out for another medical trip. But the day is not made known yet.”

  • Zenith Bank introduces ZECA Education Loan for children

    Zenith Bank Plc has introduced the Zenith Children’s Account (ZECA) Education Loan to assist parents pay their children/ wards school fees as the new school session begins.

    The loan offering, which is disbursed directly to the account of the beneficiary’s school, comes at a very competitive interest rate and flexible repayment tenors. To access the loan, parents are required to open a ZECA account for their children/wards at any of the bank’s branches.

    Commenting on the new loan product, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu said “the bank remains focused on providing premium financial solutions that create value for its customers and meet their lifestyle needs.”

    Read Also: Sterling Bank holds summit on $1tr agribusiness

    ZECA is a specialised savings product for children between the ages of 0-17 years. The account enables parents/ guardians save towards securing the financial future of their children/wards.

    Zenith Bank Plc is recognized as one of the most innovative financial institutions in Nigeria and was voted the most customer-focused bank in Nigeria for the Retail and SME segments in the 2018 KPMG Annual Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey (BICSS).

    The bank’s commitment to world-class service standards has led to several product innovations over the last few weeks. These include  the “Zenith Timeless Account”, which allows Nigerians aged 55 years and above bank for free; the “Zenith Save for Me”, a high interest target savings account and “Dubai Visa Service” on the Zenith Internet Banking Platform, which allows convenient application and payment for visas to Dubai.

  • AGF warns NHIS against investing in banks

    The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Mr. Ahmed Idris has warned the management of National Health Insurance (NHIS) against investing in banks.

    Idris gave the warning when the management of NHIS led by the Executive Secretary Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo paid an advocacy visit to the Treasury House.

    A statement from the Office of the AGF said the AGF discouraged the management of NHIS from investing in banks for now because of bank rates.

    Idris told the NHIS team “that their investment request should be made known as accommodation in Treasury Single Account (TSA) is so robust by working side by side with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and discouraged them from investing in banks for now because of the bank rates.”

    The AGF noted that the “NHIS issues with Aso Savings and Loan Limited would have been averted if OAGF was carried along in the transactions. Consequently, we need to populate your account department with Treasury officers, otherwise you will face the consequences of your action.”

    Read Also: Experts blame NHIS failure on poor implementation

    Idris promised “to assist NHIS get back their money from Aso Savings and Loans Limited and that the issues of merger will be looked at to confirm the truth, stating that NHIS should be placed under IPPIS.”

    He said: “The NHIS is a public institution and must be subjected to rules of engagement as far as public institution is concerned, as they are expected to key into all financial policies, no exemption and if you want to operate outside the rules, you are to seek approval.

    “We will continue to play our role to give you releases as at when due. If there are issues beyond your comprehension, our doors are always open to resolve such issues.”

    Speaking earlier, Prof Sambo said in every developmental agenda, global health is important, hence NHIS is the organ given the responsibility to handle health care in the country.

    Prof Sambo said the Federal Government took a drastic decision to establish a presidential fact finding team in order to improve the health sector as well as a white paper which involved the Ministry of Health and Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to look into details of the financial situation of NHIS.

    He said one of the goals of NHIS is to achieve universal health coverage and also to ensure that the vote of NHIS is viable to capture the most vulnerable in the society, stating that the Government will not be able to finance the health institution of the masses alone.

    In addition, he solicited the support of the AGF to help look into the financial system of the NHIS for smooth running of the scheme and for the realisation of their mandate.