The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ESA Foundation awards multi-sector grants to Nigerians

    ESA Foundation awards multi-sector grants to Nigerians

    The Edwin and Stella Ajaere (ESA) Foundation has completed its 2021 round of grantmaking to Nigerians within its target sectors for intervention. The grants were drawn from the ESA Foundation Endowment Fund.

    This round of grants were made to qualified beneficiaries through ESA Foundation’s Health, Empowerment and Education (H.E.E) Grant 2021 programme announced March 17, 2021.

    Altogether, 19 beneficiaries spanning the grant’s three target categories received support. Students, entrepreneurs and medically-needy recipients made up the list.

    Specifically, 12 businesses, 6 students, and a cancer patient received support.

    Information provided by ESA Foundation listed “Need, impact, sustainability and innovation” as key criteria for awarding grants.

    Speaking about the foundation’s mission, the President, Chantelle Ajaere, said: “ESA Foundation was created in honour of late Edwin and Stella Ajaere, who were so passionate about entrepreneurship, education and human progress via the use of technology, greatly evidenced by their feats in business and their far-reaching impact in charitable projects.

    “Together with Chairman of The GIG Group, Chidi Ajaere, and the rest of the family, we believe their lives can be best immortalized by perpetuating their best ideals through a potent vehicle of service that is both sustainable and impactful.

    “Their legacy serves as the bedrock for this social intervention which focuses on improving value creation primarily in business, health and education through strategic targeted empowerment.

    “We believe, as they did, that the growth of society rests not only upon the shoulders of government, but also upon civil society. Our mission is to change the lives of millions of people in a substantial and sustainable way.”

    On the process for selecting and awarding beneficiaries, she said: “Excellence, transparency and fairness are defining values in our approach. We have instituted the best evaluation, verification and awarding standards, ensuring that every beneficiary is deserving of the grants based on pre-established criteria.

    “Our goal is to ensure that those most in need of our intervention receive the support they need in a timely manner through the most transparent and fair of processes”.

    The ESA president also spoke on the foundation’s strategic growth plan, noting that a phased transition from focus on Nigeria, to focus on Africa, and eventually the world, was actively and carefully being followed to realise a global vision of impact.

    “We have a clear roadmap for global impact. This plan carefully follows a sequence of Nigeria first, Africa next, and the world eventually. Our programmes, anchored on sustainability, are designed to change the lives of millions of people across the globe. We are committed to this broad vision and will not relent”, she said.

    ESA Foundation released a list of its 2021 beneficiaries, congratulating them and urging them to make the most of the grants.

    The list, as released, has beneficiaries grouped into the two categories of Education and Entrepreneur as seen below:

    Winners in the Entrepreneur Category are:
    Peter Ayeni of Agbaye.com, Oluwamayowa Solu of Brickify, Siyaka Mustapha of Spiff Leatherworks, Ime Joseph Bassey of Aqua Osuk Enterprises, Adetunji Tobi of COB, Victoria Orleans of Colorfood1, Iwunze Ngozi Blessing of GemMaurice Farms, Oriasotie Ehimare Emmanuel of Clouddust, Ani Sunday Collins of Suncollins productions, Ewean Okungbowa Sylvester of Chopwell, Michael Blaise of CampusHelp, Emmanuel Bala Musa of Digihealth

    Listed in the Education Category are:
    Akpelu Florence (Alpha Academy), Ogbu Sylvia (Nekan Secondary School), Miracle Chikwendu (Jacobs Model College), Adeyemo Collins Ademola (Joint Hiers International School), Ejimogu Uche (Nekan International School), Etunne JohnMary (SS Simon and Jude Seminary School).

  • Eutelsat, Facebook partner on digital divide

    Eutelsat, Facebook partner on digital divide

    By Lucas Ajanaku

    Eutelsat Communications and social media giant, Facebook have partnered to bridge digital divide in rural areas in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African communities through the use of satellite.

    Eutelsat is expanding its use of the Express Wi-Fi platform  with Facebook to provide broadband services via satellite across several regions in sub-Saharan Africa. With Express Wi-Fi, Eutelsat aims to connect thousands of people in rural and underserved communities spanning Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    Express Wi-Fi is a platform developed by Facebook Connectivity that enables partners to build, grow and monetise their Wi-Fi businesses in a scalable way, while providing their customers with fast, affordable, and reliable internet access.  Express Wi-Fi is used in more than 30 countries, including in multiple Asian, South American and African markets, helping millions of people connect over Wi-Fi.

    Eutelsat and Facebook have previously conducted successful pilots in rural and underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) enabling local businesses to offer affordable internet access to customers on a pre-paid basis. To date, Eutelsat’s use of the Express Wi-Fi platform has enabled access to affordable broadband for thousands of individuals across the DRC.

    Speaking on the initiative, General Manager of Konnect Africa, Philippe Baudrier, said: “We are delighted to partner with Facebook in this ambitious scheme, aimed at getting more people online in the most underserved areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative is the perfect example of the power of satellite connectivity to bridge the digital divide, with unmatched economic and social benefits; we are proud once again to leverage the unparalleled coverage of EUTELSAT KONNECT to satisfy this growing demand.”

    Head of Connectivity Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa at Facebook, Fargani Tambeayuk, said: “At Facebook, we’re committed to working with partners to help expand connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa, which continues to be the region with the highest coverage gap. Connectivity is essential to ensuring access to jobs, education, healthcare and more. We’re proud to partner with Eutelsat to combine the power of the Express Wi-Fi platform and EUTELSAT KONNECT, with the goal of increasing satellite broadband coverage across rural and underserved areas of sub-Saharan Africa.”

  • Fed Govt seeks seizure, repatriation of illicit funds

    Fed Govt seeks seizure, repatriation of illicit funds

    By Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

    The Federal Government yesterday appealed to countries that are the main destination for illicit financial flows (IFFs) to freeze, seize and repatriate such funds.

    Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Mrs. Zainab Ahmed made the appeal during a virtual International Conference on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and Asset Recovery.

    According to her, countries that are the main destination for IFFs and their proceeds should take urgent steps to assist in combating this scourge, by preventing the inflow of illicit funds, freezing or seizing assets already in the country, and by ensuring that illicit funds and any proceeds are repatriated.

    The government is also leading the call for African countries to be present when decisions on IFFs are taken at a global level.

    “Africa must have a seat at the table and be well represented during negotiations about illicit funds and their proceeds,” Mrs Ahmed said.

    The resulting domestic revenue losses from IFFs she said “are significant, putting developing countries and the entire African region at risk of not achieving sustainable and inclusive development, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic”.

    She said Africa is in a “race to the bottom to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) as a result of the current international tax practices and treaties”.

    The finance minister lamented that “commercial activities (particularly aggressive tax avoidance and tax evasion, through trade mispricing, abusive transfer pricing, profit shifting and tax arbitraging) account for approximately 65 per cent of illicit financial flows across Africa”.

    Mrs Ahmed said in Nigeria and across the African continent, countries “suffer various forms of IFFs, including tax evasion and other harmful tax practices, the illegal export of foreign exchange, abusive transfer pricing, trade mispricing, mis-invoicing of services,  illegal exploitation and under-invoicing of natural resources, organised crimes, and corruption”.

    The minister warned that “unless checked, IFFs will continue to significantly erode domestic revenues, enable corruption, threaten economic stability and sustainable development, divert money from public priorities and hamper government’s efforts to mobilize domestic resources and recover better.”

    The recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report on the impact of illicit financial flows on African development she said presented “the scope and disproportionate impact of IFFs on African countries”.

    “Commercial tax evasion and other types of IFFs inevitably impact the allocation of already limited government funds, with disproportionate impact on public services benefiting women and youth” she said.

    “Consequently, curbing IFFS can lead to improvements in environmental, social, and economic development in Africa”.

    As one of the most affected countries, she said Nigeria “has demonstrated strong commitment to addressing IFFs through our participation in the Open Government Partnership and the significant progress made in the extractive industry”.

    Nigeria, she added, has demonstrated that technology-enabled improvements in tax collection and compliance help deter tax crime and facilitate public trust while mainstreaming of transparency and anti-corruption measures into economic-policy-making processes significantly reduces crime.

    In the area of asset recovery, she said Nigeria has “taken proactive steps towards the recovery of stolen assets, in part through  engagement with multilateral stakeholders; bilateral agreements on the return of stolen assets with several critical destination countries including the United States and Switzerland; and the establishment of an independent Financial Intelligence Unit within the Central Bank of Nigeria”.

    According to her, “more needs to be done across Africa to ensure the recovery of stolen assets, and there is need for enhanced support to African countries from the international community in building the capacity and systems necessary to ensure sustained and effective asset recovery.”

  • Czech Republic donates N194m medical equipment to Ogun

    Czech Republic donates N194m medical equipment to Ogun

    Ogun State government yesterday took delivery of medical equipment worth N194million from the government of Czech Republic.

    The equipment include 15 ICU beds, an incubator, children cribs, a generator and a phototherapy machine.

    Handing over the equipment to Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, the Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria, Marek Skolil, expressed his home government’s delight to support and partner the state government, particularly in the area of health development.

    Skolil said the Czech government is concerned about how Nigeria, being the centerpiece of the regional architecture of Africa, was not developing not only in terms of infrastructure, but also in terms of human and social well-being.

     

  • APC primaries: Sanwo-Olu has no anointed aspirants, says Faleke

    APC primaries: Sanwo-Olu has no anointed aspirants, says Faleke

    By Robert Egbe

    A member of the House of Representatives, James Abiodun Faleke, yesterday debunked rumours that Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has a list of his anointed aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries at the Ikeja Federal Constituency.

    He said anxious APC members had been calling him to enquire about the claim, but that knowing Mr. Sanwo-Olu’s integrity, he advised them to disregard it.

    The APC Lagos State chapter on May 3, released guidelines for aspirants contesting on its platform for the chairmanship, vice chairmanship, and councillorship tickets in the July 24, 2021 Local Government Area Election.

    Addressing the matter in a statement yesterday, Faleke said: “I have received calls and messages from most of our APC members from Ikeja Federal Constituency to ‘confirm if it is true that our governor has written a list of some aspirants as his anointed candidates?’

    “I want to put on record all I have told those who called me that Governor Sanwo Olu is the governor for all and has no special or anointed candidates within our Ikeja Federal Constituency or the state. All party members are for him.”

    “Please disregard any pressure from anyone using his name or sending any list to all of you in the constituency.

    “The leadership of the party in the state has told all that we will be going for primaries.

    “I advise all to go about their ambitions in a very peaceful manner, as Ikeja is not known for violence. Thanks and God bless you all.”

     

     

  • Two die, three injured as gas explosion rocks ex-governor’s hotel

    Two die, three injured as gas explosion rocks ex-governor’s hotel

    By Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

    A gas explosion yesterday occurred at the Conference Hotel on Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, killing a technician and another yet-to-be identified person.

    The explosion, which happened around noon, left three others with injuries.

    The hotel is owned by a former governor.

    The injured have been hospitalised.

    The Hotel Facility Manager, Tunde Osinubi, confirmed the incident, saying it was regretted.

    Osinubu, in a statement, attributed the cause of the explosion to “a fake gas cylinder.”

    He said: “A routine maintenance of the automatic revolving door at the entrance of the reception, which involved the use of oxyacetylene gas to weld the door hinges, was being carried out.

    “The oxyacetylene gas cylinder suddenly exploded, killing the technician and one other person yet to be identified.

    “Three other people were injured and were taken to hospital. They are responding to treatment.

    “So far no sabotage is suspected. It is, however, suspected that the gas cylinder purchased at the open market may be fake and unable to withstand gas pressure.”

    “The incidence of gas explosions as a result of fake cylinders being sold, has become worrisome and of great concern, as similar incidents have been reported at locations in Abeokuta.

    “The hotel management sympathises with the families and friends of the deceased and wishes to warn the public of the presence of fake gas cylinders in the market.

    “This incidence is, however, greatly regretted.”

  • Lagos moves to strengthen cooperative societies

    Lagos moves to strengthen cooperative societies

    One thousand, six hundred and ninety-three routine inspections were carried out between May last year and this year by the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, the commissioner, Dr. Lola Akande, has said.

    Briefing reporters in Alausa, Ikeja to mark the second year anniversary of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, she said this was part of efforts to ensure best practices in the establishment and running of cooperatives societies. Akande said during the period under review, 2,359 cooperative societies were revalidated, 247 new registrations were accepted, while the state mediated in 410 cases involving cooperative societies.

    The commissioner said to curb sharp practices in cooperative societies, the House of Assembly has passed a bill and when it becomes a law, it will further strengthen the sector.

    She said the ministry is making efforts to get national certification of courses offered at the Lagos State Cooperative College, which was established in 2018 to boost the capacity of cooperators in the state.

    “Currently, 122 students are in session for a professional diploma programme. The ministry is championing the cause of the college to be accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), to run National Diploma in Cooperative Economics and Management and Microfinance and Entrepreneurship Development from 2021/2022 academic session,” Akande said

    She said during the period under review, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) recovered over N44million as compensation and refund of payment for returned substandard goods and services.

    The commissioner said in the last one year, the government had provided opportunities for MSMEs to thrive, including the establishment of an e-commerce hub, SME’s hub and encouragement of stakeholders to maximise the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTAA).

     

     

     

  • Survey ship will generate revenue through charting, says Naval chief

    Survey ship will generate revenue through charting, says Naval chief

    By Precious Igbonwelundu

    The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo has said the Nigerian Navy (NN) would generate revenue by deploying the newly acquired hydrographic survey vessel, NNS LANA for charting of west, central African countries’ waters and other related tasks.

    He made this known  after the vessel was received at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT jetty in Lagos.

    Vice Admiral Gambo said the Hydrographer of the Navy has received approval to produce navigation charts for countries in West and Central Africa, a job that was hitherto performed by the United Kingdom Hydrographer.

    According to the CNS, those countries and other maritime stakeholders would have to pay for the charts which they require for safer navigation.

    He said the ship would be deployed in Nigerian waters and anywhere her services were required inorder to boost hydrographic efforts within the maritime space.

    “Where we get patronage from the Gulf of Guinea and other parts as may be, we will render services at a cost. So, she is a revenue generation asset for the country and the Nigeria Navy and other maritime agencies.

    “The Nigerian hydrographer has been given approval to produce navigation charts for countries in west and southern Africa which of course, were produced for us by the UK Hydrographer.

    “Therefore, these people and other maritime stakeholders will now have to pay for such chart for their safe navigation.

    “The maintenance routine is same as other vessels. For this specialise and very sophisticated vessel, we have cautiously procured consumables and other spare parts needed that will last till the next two to three years. Of course, the usual dockyard routine will also be observed,” said Gambo.

    The Nation reports that the specialised ship which was built in France, departed the OCEA Shipyard on April 16 for Nigeria and arrived at the Lagos Fairway Buoy around 6am on Monday after completing a cumulative 440 hours sea time, 4005 nautical miles at a speed of 10knots per hour.

    Highlighting the importance of the ship, Vice Admiral Gambo said it will soon join other NN ships at seas to contribute to efforts in the defence of the nation’s maritime environment.

    The CNS said that the federal government of Nigeria had embraced the blue economy initiative inline with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal-14 agenda.

    “The agenda entails the sustainable exploration and exploitation of vast resources in the nation’s maritime environment. The provision of quality hydrographic services is key to the development of the various sectors of the blue economy.”

    “Therefore, the acquisition of this survey vessel is an affirmation of the federal government’s commitment towards the nation’s economic development,” he said.

    Gambo said that the Nigerian Navy would collaborate with other maritime stakeholders to actualise the country’s vision of developing a sustainable economy that would contribute to the nation’s socio-economic prosperity.

    “I thank the President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr Muhammadu Buhari for his enormous support to the Nigerian Navy’s recapitalisation effort.

    “I am indeed grateful to the almighty God for granting the ship and her crew safe passage,” he said.

    In his welcome address, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa said NN’s capacity to conduct hydrographic survey that would assure safety of naval and merchant traffic over the sea was significantly impaired with the absence of a hydrographic ship in NN fleet.

    “With NNS LANA joining the fleet, going forward, the maritime industry can be assured of getting improved and reliable hydrographic data and information from the NN to guide maritime activities…The ship will contribute to safety in the maritime industry as well as to Nigeria’s national security,” he said.

  • Dickson Golf Estate nears completion

    Dickson Golf Estate nears completion

    By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

    Top American golf company, Total Golf Construction USA, handling the construction of Bayelsa State Golf Estate, now known as Henry Seriake Dickson Golf Estate, is committed to delivering a world-class golf course in the state.

    Vice President of Total Golf USA, Jeff Brewster, said in a statement   yesterday that the construction of the gigantic golf estate is 80 per cent completed.

    Brewster said the golf estate was awarded in 2012 by the former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, and they started the designs and building of the golf section in 2012.

    Shedding light on the construction, the country representative of Total Golf USA in Nigeria, Sopirinye Jaja, said the project was supposed to have been completed in 2015-2016 but for some unforeseen circumstances.

    Jaja said the project, when completed would help drive sports tourism in the state, noting that many professional golfers in neighbouring Rivers State are from Bayelsa State.

    He said: “When finished, the Golf Course will be the first PGA standard 18 hole golf course in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

    “Sixty per cent of professional golfers in neighbouring Rivers State are from Bayelsa. When completed, Bayelsa State could replace Rivers State as home of the PGA tournaments in the Niger Delta.”

    Recently, former President Goodluck Jonathan visited the Golf Course and expressed his admiration for the work done so far by the Bayelsa State government while Governor Douye Diri also expressed the commitment of his administration to completing the world-class golf project very soon.

    Diri, a former Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in the state, said his government placed much premium on sports infrastructure and development.

  • Anyanacho leaps in WT rankings

    Anyanacho leaps in WT rankings

    By Olalekan Okusan

    Tokyo Olympics-bound Elizabeth Anyanacho is now ranked 62nd d in the world, according to the latest ‘world ranking’ for May 2021 as published by World Taekwondo (WT).

    Anyanacho who only started competing in 2017 became the first woman in 16 years to qualify Nigeria for the Taekwondo event of the Olympics.

    At the start of 2019, Anyanacho had no world ranking but by May 2019, she was ranked 163rd  in the world and  was  ranked 85th  by December 2019.

    World ranking records in June 2020 showed that she climbed up to the 71st  position before the global lockdown on sporting activities due to the COVID-19.

    The resumption of the international competitive schedule in 2021 has seen Anyanacho grabbing vital points at the Turkish Open, despite losing at the quarter-finals stage.

    Based on the latest ranking, Anyanacho is now 6th  in Africa behind Ruth Gbagbi of Cote D’Ivoire [3], Egypt’s Hedaya Malak [14], Gabon’s Urgence Mouega [37], Marie Frederique Ekpitini of Cote D’Ivoire [57] and Wafae El Atri of Morocco [57].

    She said:  “It is just number on a table but seeing the improved ranking is motivating because it shows that I have been working extremely hard in training. Certainly, we want to be on the top at some point and the only way to get there is to keep going. Our current target is to be in the top 20 in the world.”