The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Jonathan is guilty of ethnic and religious politics – el-Rufai

    Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has  accused President Goodluck Jonathan of playing ethnic and religious politics to divert the  attention of Nigerians from the bad governance going on in the country.
    The former Minister who spoke on a Liberty radio guest of the week programme monitored in Kaduna on Saturday  also accused the president of lacking the capacity to call to order all those beating the war drums across the country.
    el-Rurai noted that  having gone through one civil war, the country may not survive another war.
    He said that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were afraid of the person of former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari and therefore will do everything humanly possible to destroy him and brand him an ethnic and religious bigot.
    ”There are many agents confronting the Nigerian nation. What is very worrying is the kind of rhetoric that is going on in this country, a lot of which are being sanctioned by the government. For example, whenever Asari Dokubo speaks, just know that a week earlier, he had been called to the villa and given some money and whenever EK Clerk speak, you know it was arranged.
    “How can a small ethnic group like the Ijaws threaten the rest of us? We have 170 million; I don’t know how many of that population makes up the Ijaw nation, but I don’t think they are more than 5 million.
    “How can 5 million people threaten us saying unless their son becomes president, there will be no Nigeria? Who are they to do that? The government keeps quit when somebody says that. Of course, the expected reaction is that you have people from the north also threatening similar thing.
    “What type of a country do we have where there is no one to call people to order? It is sad. Again, it is this political strategy of Jonathan to always use ethnicity and religion whenever there is a problem.
    “Whenever there is a big issue about Excess Crude account or subsidy issue, they bring this issue of ethnicity and religion. But I have not lost hope because I know that Nigerians can see through their pranks and their game and will vote them out in the next election. The challenge for the next president is to build trust among the various ethnic groups so that Nigeria can walk towards one direction.
    “This country has gone through one civil war; I don’t know of any country that can survive two civil wars and those that are stealing crude oil; buying and stockpiling arms should know it is not the number of arms you have that decides who wins a war. Otherwise, the USA would have won in Iraq, but they couldn’t and at the end they had to leave the Iraqi to solve their problems.
    “So, they should think very deeply about what they are doing and learn from history. I know that Nigeria will survive these bad and incompetent leaders who steal during the day and drink and womanise at night instead of working for the Nigerian people,  ” el-Rufai stated.

     

  • How lack of adequate sleep affects workers

    How lack of adequate sleep affects workers

    Over half of workers in West Africa (59 per cent) report that they have to sacrifice sleep to fit in personal and work commitments, either by waking up too early or by burning the midnight oil.

     

    Although flexible working is highlighted as a way to reduce commuting, creating more hours in the day for sleep or family life and improving productivity and staff retention, only 34 per cent of firms are rewarding management for encouraging the creation of a flexible workforce.

    According to Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplace solutions, workers also highlight that a shorter commute (19 per cent) and greater flexibility of location (24 per cent) would give them more time spend with their families as well as to catch some extra sleep, but businesses can also benefit from introducing greater flexibility which is reported to improve productivity (51 per cent) and help retain staff (90 per cent).

    These are some of the key findings of a global survey by Regus, based on interviews with more than 24,000 business-people from over 90 countries. “Lack of sleep is clearly detrimental to workers health and happiness with long working hours closely linked to heart disease,” says Joanne Bushell, Vice President Africa, Regus.

    Respondents highlight that a shorter commute and more flexibility over work location would help them spend more time with their families, finally spelling an end to sleepless nights filled with catching up on work or personal tasks that couldn’t be squeezed into the day.

    Key Findings and Statistics

    Globally about 29 per cent of workers are sleeping less than they wish to fit all their commitments and in West Africa about 59 per cent of workers are sacrificing sleep to fit in work and personal commitments, while over 27 per cent feel they have to overcompensate for time taken off for personal matters.

    Workers highlight a shorter commute and location flexibility as ways of helping them spend more time with their families. But businesses can benefit too, as flexible work is thought to improve productivity and help staff retention. Yet currently management is being rewarded for encouraging a flexible work environment only in half of firms.

    Bushell continues: “This survey shows that allowing employees to work closer to home in professional and fully efficient environments can have an important impact on family life and provide workers with a few more minute skip each morning.”

    The Regus boss added, “But the benefits are not just for workers, firms can also improve productivity and retention by introducing flexible working. In spite of the win-win benefits that flexible working can bring on both employee and company side, there is evidently still plenty of grounds for improvement as over half of West African firms do not recognise or reward managers for encouraging the creation of a flexible workforce.”

  • Work permit stops Mba Stoke City move

    Work permit stops Mba Stoke City move

    English Premier League side Stoke City would not consider a move for Sunday Mba as he did not play enough games for Nigeria to be granted a work permit.

    Netherlands-based agent Richard Umejei told MTNFootball.com that a proposed move to the EPL for Mba fell through because in the last two years, the player has only played 10 of the 20 internationals involving Nigeria.

    Umejei disclosed: “It’s a pity Mba can no longer go to Stoke City because of work permit issues.

    “He played 10 matches out of 20 matches, which is far below the 75 per cent required for him to be granted a work permit. Had he played another five matches, he would have been good to go.

    “Both the Stoke chief scout, Kevin Cruickshank, and director of football, Mark Cartwright, were keen to invite him before they researched that his international appearances fall short of minimum required for a work permit.

    Cruickshank told Umejei, “I’ve been looking into his playing record for Nigeria and I’m not sure he qualifies for a work permit. He has only played 10 of the last 20 competitive games (50 per cent) for his county in the last two years.”

    Among the games he missed were 2013 AFCON group matches against Zambia and Burkina Faso as well as qualifiers against Liberia both home and away as well as the home game versus Rwanda in Calabar.

    Director of football Cartwright described Mba as a talented player.

     

  • Illegal firearms: Customs patrol Lagos, Ogun border areas

    The Nigerian Customs Service said it has intensified patrol on all discovered illegal routes in Lagos and Ogun states to check smuggling of firearms into the country.

    The Public Relations Officer of Zone A Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Service, Ikeja, Mr. Uche Ejesieme, said this on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Ejesieme said that the Comptroller-General of Customs was worried over the proliferation of firearms in the country, therefore gave a matching order to all comptrollers to intensify patrols at all routes.

    “When the new Zonal Comptroller, Mr. Nuhu Mohammed, took over the leadership in about a month ago, he directed that we should intensify our patrols around all illegal routes in the zone.

    “We have identified some flash points where we have intensified patrols so that unwanted goods such as illegal arms do not find their ways in whatever guise into the country.

    “Some of the unapproved routes found in Ogun axis have been blocked by our patrols. We have been motivated by the Customs authorities to do a good job.

    “We have more patrol vehicles and equipment to fight smugglers. We have good welfare for our men,’’ Ejesieme said.

     

  • Injured Omeruo to decide on surgery

    Injured Omeruo to decide on surgery

    Chelsea doctors are waiting on Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo to decide on whether he would want surgery on a problematic shoulder injury.

    Omeruo’s adviser Chika Conleth Akujobi informed MTNFootball.com: “The doctors at Chelsea have given Kenneth the option of surgery or theraphy for his shoulder problem.

    “They want a permanent solution to this problem and so they expect him to decide in the coming week what he wants.

    “If he opts for surgery, he will be out for eight weeks.”

    Akujobi added: “There is no panic as Kenneth is in very good hands.

    “George Weah is staying in the same hotel with Kenneth and he told him there is no problem as he also had surgery on both his shoulders while he was at Chelsea.”

    The Netherlands-based football expert said Omeruo’s latest injury setback will not have any negative impact on his future at Stamford Bridge.

    Chelsea technical chief and former Nigeria international Michael Emenalo has already suggested the player go out on loan, while manager Jose Mourinho is to decide on Omeruo’s fate.

     

     

  • U.S embassies to reopen after alert

    The United States said 18 of the 19 diplomatic missions recently closed due to security threats will reopen on Sunday.

    The state department said its embassy in the Yemeni capital Sanaa will stay closed “because of ongoing concerns.”

    BBC reports that the U.S closed 19 diplomatic missions in the Middle East and Africa last Sunday in response to what it said was a threat of a terrorist attack.

    The consulate in the Pakistani city of Lahore, which closed after a separate threat, will also not reopen yet.

    “We will continue to evaluate the threats to Sanaa and Lahore and make subsequent decisions about the reopening of those facilities based on that information,” said spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

    “We will also continue to evaluate information about these and all of our posts and to take appropriate steps to best protect the safety of our personnel, American citizens travelling overseas, and visitors to our facilities.”

     

  • Rivers’ crisis: Amaechi, PDP chairman draw battle line

    Rivers’ crisis: Amaechi, PDP chairman draw battle line

    The Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Felix Obuah, on Friday declared that the supremacy of the party remains and can never be compromised, while Governor Rotimi Amaechi questioned his stability and mental wellness.

    Obuah, while speaking in Port Harcourt, maintained that only Rivers people could settle their internal problems, wondering why the governor hastily rebuffed his peace effort, as if he (Amaechi) was not interested in making peace with the party and people of the state.

    The PDP chairman said the governor and his supporters must face the consequences of their actions.

    Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), however, described the Rivers PDP chairman’s peace attempt as most disrespectful, ridiculous and laughable.

    The governor made the remarks through his Chief Press Secretary, David Iyofor, who asked Obuah to show some respect for the office of the state governor.

    The chairman spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam.

     

     

  • Sokoto offers jobs to 541 graduates

    Sokoto offers jobs to 541 graduates

    No fewer than 541 graduates of Sokoto State origin are sure of employment by the state government this month.

    The beneficiaries would include first degree, master and doctorate degree holders.

    Governor Aliyu Wamakko said this on Thursday while on the traditional Sallah homage to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, in his palace.

    He commended the Sultan, former president Shehu Shagari, Islamic and Christian clerics and the general public for co-operating with his administration in achieving the preset level of peace in the state.

    He said the prevailing peace would “continue to spur us to do more to further improve the living standard of the people.’’

     

  • 36 Niger Delta youths get FG scholarship

    The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, said on Friday that 36 youths had been enrolled for formal education in the University of Alabama, United States.

    Kuku made the disclosure at the Offshore Orientation and Departure Programme, organised for the beneficiaries in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries are the latest group of participants in the scholarship scheme, being organised for youths in the region.

    The beneficiaries were enrolled to study Computer Science, Physical Therapy, Political Science, Pharmacy, Criminology and Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration.

    Other courses are Business Management, Communications Technology, Elementary Education/Teaching, Biology/Biological Science, Medicine, Accounting, Banking/Financial Support Services, Economics, Sociology, Forensic Chemistry and Engineering.

    Kuku, who was represented by the Head of Reintegration Department, Mr. Larry Pepple, said the purpose was to build the capacity of youths in the Niger Delta.

    The presidential aide urged the beneficiaries to “do exploits’’ while pursuing their educational career.

    “Do exploits so that we will celebrate you. The only way to achieve that is through hard work.”

    He said the beneficiaries were given scholarship because their communities were affected by militancy and oil exploration.

     

     

     

     

  • Four expatriates, Nigerian kidnapped in Rivers

    Four expatriates and a Nigerian working in the Rivers State Government-owned Buguma Fish Farm in Asari-Toru local government area of the state have been kidnapped.

    One of the workers also drowned on Friday, while trying to escape from the kidnappers.

    The whereabouts of the kidnapped persons remained unknown as at press time, while no demand had been made for ransom.

    The Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Emmanuel Chinda, confirmed the incident, describing it as “very unfortunate.”

    Chinda said the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration was making efforts to empower the people of the state, diversify the revenue base and take development to all the 23 LGAs, while some criminals were sabotaging the government’s efforts.

    When contacted, the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Angela Agabe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said details on the incident were sketchy, promising to get across to the area’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for more information.