The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Diri Charges wrestlers ahead Tokyo Olympics

    Diri Charges wrestlers ahead Tokyo Olympics

     

    Our Reporter

     

    Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri has announced a donation of N2m to the Nigeria wrestling team and equally charged the wrestlers to bring Olympic glory to the country when they go to the 2020 Tokyo Games later this year.

    While speaking at the closing ceremony of the just-concluded Baraza Champion of Champions wrestling tournament in Yenagoa, Gov. Diri also advised the wrestlers to combine their chosen sporting discipline with education.

    Over 50 wrestlers across the country competed at the 4-day tournament in 11 Olympic weight classes in Women Wrestling and Freestyle events.

    Apparently impressed with the standard of competition he witnessed on the final day of the tourney, despite their inactivity for nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bayelsa State Chief Executive renewed his unflinching support for the wrestling family.

    “Just to encourage you, we will also give a donation of N2m.” he pledged. “The Honourable Commissioner of Sports (Hon. Daniel Igali) will bring that to you.

    “Once again, I want to thank you. I want to encourage you, and as youths, this is the right way to go, and you are doing the right thing.

    “But also do not forget your books as you become champions. You can see your role model Daniel Igali. Daniel Igali was a world champion (and Olympic gold medalist). Not only is he a world champion, he is well-schooled.

    Read Also: Diri gives scholarship at carol night

    “And so, do this alongside with your books.”

    The Baraza Champion of Champions tournament was aimed at getting Team Nigeria wrestlers prepared for April’s Olympic Qualifiers and African Championships both in El Jadida, Morocco.

    Ahead of the Olympic qualifiers, Gov. Diri said he is confident Nigerian wrestlers will not only qualify for the Tokyo Games, but also win medals for the country at the quadrennial multisport showpiece.

    “Let me on behalf of the State Government congratulate you for the display of the skills that I have witnessed here today (Monday),” he added. “Thank you.

    “And we are very sure that when you go out in your competitions in the Olympics, you are going to bring laurels to Nigeria.”

    In his response, President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Bayelsa State Hon. Daniel Igali thanked Gov. Douye Diri for continuously supporting wrestling and promised that the NWF will stop at nothing to ensure the athletes get adequate preparation for the Olympics and eventually bring glory to the country.

     

     

  • Dare, NFF mourn late Sports Minister Ka’oje’s

    Dare, NFF mourn late Sports Minister Ka’oje’s

    Our Reporter

     

    Nigeria’s sporting fraternity was thrown into grief once again as the death was announced yesterday  of former Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission, Hon. Bala Bawa Ka’oje.

    He was 60 years of age.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has described the death of Ka’oje as a huge loss to the sports industry and the country at large in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media),John Joshua-Akanji .

    “It is shocking to learn about the death of former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Bala Ka’oje,” Dare reportedly said. “So sad that Nigeria has lost a very illustrious son who served this country meritoriously.

    Read Also: Ka’Oje clamours for Osaze, Yobo, Anichebe’s return

    ” His death has robbed Nigeria of another bright mind and committed public servant.This is not just a loss to his family and friends, but the country in general.“He made his mark while serving as Minister of Youth and Sports,” Dare added.

    Similarly, Nigeria Football Federation expressed its shock and sadness at the passing of the former Minister, with the NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi describing the deceased as “a dignified and unassuming public servant who showed great passion and interest in the development and improvement of Nigeria sports.”

    Born in Kebbi State on 20th  September 1960, Bala Bawa Ka’oje earned a master’s degree in structural engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. His remains were interred in Abuja yesterday’s afternoon.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Olamilekan scores first goal for Olympic Sporting Club

    Olamilekan scores first goal for Olympic Sporting Club

     

    Our Reporter

     

    Nigeria  striker Lawal Olamilekan on Tuesday  opened his  goal scoring account  for Olympic  Sporting  Club  in the  Egyptian FA Cup  match following his side’s  3-2 win over MSR Elslom.

    Incidentally, the FA Cup was Olamilekan’s third game for El-Olympi since he was snapped up a fortnight ago from Imo State-based Brighter Tomorrow Football Club under the auspices of forward-looking manager Emeka Darlington.

    He made his  debut  in a 2-2 draw  against Mansura  in a league tie  and was also featured in his side’s 3-1 away win  against El Hamam.

    On Tuesday, the 19-year-old  scored his side’s first  goal of the encounter  and assisted  Mustafa Koshra for the  second while Mohammed Al –Adesi  scored the third goal  through penalty.

    “Of course, Olamilekan had a very good game and scoring his first goal for El-Olympi would boost his confidence,” Darlington declared. “It was his third game for the El-Olympi and scoring today is a big plus for him.”

    Read Also: UNILAG shuts staff club

    Incidentally, the second division team is coached by former Egyptian international and erstwhile Zamalek striker, coach Ahmed El Kass where Darlington believed Olamilekan would blossomed.

    “Olamilekan is definitely in good hands with Coach Ahmed El Kass at Olympic Club,” Darlington noted. “Coach El Kass was a great striker in his days with Zamalek and I’m confident, Olamilekan will learn so much from him.”

     

  • Ogun begins building of approved roads

    Ogun begins building of approved roads

    Our Reporter

     

    OGUN State Government has begun the construction of approved roads.

    It said this is to provide infrastructural development and ensure implementation of urban renewal agenda of the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration.

    Last month, the state Executive Council approved the building of some roads, which include Molusi College Road in Ijebu-Igbo and Igan Road in Ago-Iwoye (Ogun East), Oke-Ola Road in Imeko (Imeko-Afon Local Government) and Ibooro/Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro Road, Ado-Odo / Ikoga Road in Ogun West.

    Works and Infrastructure Commissioner Ade Akinsanya made this known while addressing reporters after an assessment tour of ongoing construction works.

    He said the government was guided by the viability and condition of the roads, to improve commercial activities and reduce hardship faced by residents and motorists, especially during the rainy season.

    “We have resolved to ensure immediate construction of the listed roads because of their economic values and viability to the growth of the state,” Akinsanya, an engineer, said.

    He said construction works were also ongoing in parts of the state simultaneously, alongside clearing, excavation and laying of precast drainages in Ogun East, which included Ilishan Market Road, Ilishan and Igan-Imere Road in Ago-Iwoye.

     

     

  • Lagos urges workers on efficient delivery

    Lagos urges workers on efficient delivery

    By Tajudeen Adebanjo

     

    LAGOS State government on Tuesday urged the civil servants to continue to deliver efficient service delivery.

    This, the government said, would enable easy implementation of the six-pillar development agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, called project THEMES.

    At a workshop organised by the Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO) to evaluate the implementation of development initiatives by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), LASRO’s Chief Resilience Officer, Gbolahan Oki, said the  periodic evaluation of the implementation of the THEMES became necessary, to ascertain the level of progress made by various agencies.

    Oki added that such evaluation would enable MDAs to know areas where they were performing well and where they needed to work harder so that government desire to upscale infrastructure development for sustainable growth could be fast tracked.

    While emphasising the need for training and retraining of the workforce, the Chief Resilience Officer noted that since government sustainable development initiatives are driven by civil servants, there would always be the need  for regular training to build capacity for greater productivity and efficiency.

    Read Also: IPAC elects new executives in Lagos

    According to him, the government had scaled-up the implementation of its resilience initiatives among MDAs, adding that the recognition of the state as one of the 100 resilience cities in the world was considered by the Sanwo-Olu administration as a challenge to work harder.

    The honour, he noted, was based on the resilience nature of the State and its ability to cope with any challenges right from its creation in 1967.

    Saheed Mabadeje from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, said the workshop has over the time helped MDAs to assess their performances, return to the drawing board and see how they could improve on their public service delivery.

    Another participant, Dr Ogunjobi Oyeyemi who represented Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the workshop would help different agencies to work towards achieving good governance.

     

  • Ogun Community to governor: save us from landgrabbers

    Ogun Community to governor: save us from landgrabbers

     Chinyere Okoroafor

     

    THE Baale of Feru village in Ado-Odo Ota, John Olaniyi Falola, has pleaded with Ogun State government to intervene in the land dispute in his community.

    Falola made the plea in Ota.

    The monarch said some land-grabbers recently invaded the community and destroyed people’s property.

    The Baale urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene and put an end to the menace.

    He said the chaos caused by the land grabbers, popularly called ‘Ajagungbale’, is becoming unbearable and inhumane.

    The monarch also narrated how land grabbers recently invaded the community, destroyed properties and chased away the original landowners.

    He said: “This is becoming intolerable and barbaric. The government should come to our aid and put a stop to this turmoil. My people don’t sleep with their two eyes closed anymore because the land grabbers operate both in the day and night. If this issue is not addressed on time, it might lead to violence between the youths and the landgrabbers which I do not want to happen.”

    Read Also: Abiodun bans tankers, trailers from Ogun flyovers

    Speaking on the issue, a principal member of the community, Azeez Jimoh, urged the governor to mediate as a matter of necessity.

    He said the community never experienced such incidence during the administration of Ibikunle Amosun.

    Also,  Gbenga Ibuoye Nigeria Limited, a company into laterite mining in the area, said the crisis caused by the landgrabbers is costing the firm a lot of money in settling disputes.

  • FITC gets global awards

    FITC gets global awards

    Collins Nweze

     

    FINANCIAL Institutions Training Centre (FITC) has emerged winner of the 2020 Business Excellence Award (The BIZZ Awards) and the Strategy, Change, and Transformation Award (The IBX Awards).

    FITC was announced winner of the two global awards at a virtual ceremony in Doha, Qatar and Houston, Texas, United States.

    FITC won in the Gold category at The BIZZ awards and in the Silver category in Strategy, Change and Transformation  at the International Business Excellence, IBX Awards in recognition of its phenomenal initiatives that have led to innovative and exceptional transformation within the organisation.

    Also presented with an award was the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), FITC, Chizor Malize, who won the IBX 2020 Award for “Inspirational Leader”. The award was in recognition of the innovative, dynamic and game changing work at FITC last year at the height of the global pandemic resulting in the extraordinary organisation wide transformation at FITC and positive impact on the Nigerian financial services sector, FITC’s primary focus area.

    Other IBX 2020 Award winners include Microsoft and Virgin Mobile.

    The International Business Excellence (IBX) Awards is part of a global business movement, giving organisations the chance to meet and compete with others from all over the world.

    Over the last 12 years, IBX Awards have been leading the way in recognising inspirational business practices, holding over 100 events and hosting more than 2000 firms.

    Organized by Awards International, the IBX Awards recognises long-term sustainable profitability achieved through the practice of excellence, which occurs across a broad range of disciplines and defines the modern business agenda.

  • Lagos to build houses for workers

    Lagos to build houses for workers

    Tajudeen Adebanjo

     

    LAGOS State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is set to embark on housing scheme for workers.

    Tagged “Lagos State Workers Village Scheme,” the 608 units of two-bedroom apartments will be constructed on an 8.3 hectares parcel of land near Gold Estate on Ayobo-Ishefun Road, Alimosho.

    Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, during an inspection to the site, said some people have been selling the land to unsuspecting individuals.

    Akinderu-Fatai urged Lagosians to verify status of the lands at the Office of the State Surveyor-General before purchasing them.

    “Why should anyone risk building on government land without valid titles such as Certificate of Occupancy and building plan approval, when such structure would eventually be removed? There is need for the public to make an enquiry on any property from the appropriate quarters before any transaction on it”, he stated.

    The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Wasiu Akewusola, said  structures without a valid document from the government will be removed.

     

  • Stanbic IBTC Bureau De Change closes

    Stanbic IBTC Bureau De Change closes

     Collins Nweze

     

    STANBIC IBTC Holdings Plc’s Bureau De Change Subsidiary, Stanbic IBTC Bureau De Change (BDC) Limited has discontinued its Bureau de Change business from January 1 by relinquishing its  licence.

    The discontinuation of the BDC business was primarily driven by changes in regulations, which afford customers with the opportunity of purchasing foreign exchange (Personal Travel Allowance and Business Travel Allowance) from Stanbic IBTC Bank at any of its branches.

    The intention is to repurpose this subsidiary for other business venture in the near future, and stakeholders would be informed when engagements had been concluded, the bank said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Naira gains at NAFEX window as foreign reserves up by $1b

    Naira gains at NAFEX window as foreign reserves up by $1b

     Collins Nweze

     

    THE naira recorded marginal gains against the dollar as it exchanges at N393.83/$1 at the NAFEX (I&E Window) where forex is traded.

    The naira appreciation followed increase in Nigeria’s external reserves by $1 billion in 15 days to hit $36.3 billion.

    Also, the exchange rate at the black market where forex traded unofficially maintained stability at N475/$1. The exchange rate at the parallel market closed at N475/$1 on the previous trading day of January 14, 2021.

    This is as the Central Bank of Nigeria sustains its intervention across the foreign exchange markets to meet the needs of manufacturers and end-users who need dollars for their medical trips, school fees payments, travel allowances, and others.

    Former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu, explained that the naira gain, is still marginal. He said many dollar savers were anxious to dump the fund on buyers because the market pressure has moved from ‘buying to selling’ of dollar.

    He said more people wanted to offload the greenback and only very few people want to buy because they see the exchange rate as not reflective of market realities.

    “For me, the naira is now a dead currency, because most people, if they have a choice, will have nothing to do with it. The naira is now meant for buying and selling at the local market only,” he said.

    President, the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Aminu Gwadabe, said currency speculators pushing the naira to forceful depreciation through their illegal activities would continue to insure losses.

    Speaking to financial reporters on the market development, ABCON Gwadabe said forex speculators were taking huge risks with their funds, as the CBN has enough financial muscle to defend the naira and close the gaps between official and parallel market rates.

    According to him,  the funding of Bureaux De Change (BDCs) has also helped to deepen the forex market and reduce the level of forex scarcity that always formed the basis for speculation.

    He said with the apexbank having the needed financial strength to fund the market, the rates would soon converge to save the naira.

    He said exchange rate unification that would further narrow the gap between official and parallel rates had been canvassed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank because it makes for positive transparency, clarity of direction and reduces  speculative demand for the naira.