The Nation Newspaper

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  • APC begins membership registration

    The registration of All Progressives Congress (APC) members begins on Wednesday in 120,000 centres nationwide.

    APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party is targeting 15 million members across the six geo-political zones.

    He said: “It will be a continuous exercise. We are targeting 15 million members. We have printed about 15 million forms for members at polling booths and they are to fix two passport photographs to the forms. The party is preparing to have a data bank.”

    Mohammed, who spoke with reporters at the weekend in Lagos, said a five-member National Registration, Data Processing and Collation Committee had been raised to coordinate the exercise, adding that similar mobilisation committees had been set up at the state, local government and ward levels.

    He said the ward congress will hold on March 22, local government congress on March 29 and national congress on April 26.

    Mohammed said: “We are preparing for the 2014 and 2015 elections. After the ward, local government and state congresses, we will hold our national convention.”

    On the proposed national dialogue, he said: “It is diversionary. Our position on the national conference has been vindicated. We have said that the convener is insincere. He opposed it, but turned around to initiate it. It is President Goodluck Jonathan’s conference. He has the highest number of nominees there.”

    Mohammed warned against repression and chided Senate President David Mark for not reading the letter of the defecting senators on the floor of the Senate, saying his refusal was suspect.

    He added: “More senators will defect as time goes on.”

     

  • Oyo council begins N90m projects

    Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State at the weekend kicked off the construction of capital projects worth N90 million.

    They include asphaltic tarring of the Agbanlepanu-New Garage road, Ashipa to Academy road; construction of a block of three classrooms, headteacher’s office and toilet at Kolajo Primary School, Olomi; and construction of 48 open stalls at Liberty Academy Market.

    Oluyole Council Caretaker Chairman Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye said the projects would be funded with part of the council’s share of the Excess Crude Oil Fund.

    He said: “When Governor Abiola Ajimobi visited Kolajo Primary School and other areas affected by rainstorm in February, he promised to provide a block of three classrooms to replace the old one that was destroyed.

    “What we are witnessing today is a further fulfillment of Ajimobi’s campaign promises.”

    Abass-Aleshinloye said the 48 open stalls at Liberty Academy Market would provide a safe and affordable alternative for street traders.

    Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oluyole chapter, Seye Obadina urged the council boss to complete the projects on time.

    Oyo State Chairman of the League of Veteran Journalists Alhaji Kola Animashaun said: “A good road should last for, at least, 20 years, before showing any need for repair. Please make sure that the roads being built can stand the test of time.”

  • Eneramo begins rehabilitation

    Eneramo begins rehabilitation

    NEW Bekistas signing, Michael Eneramo, on Thursday began his rehabilitation process after undergoing a successful knee surgery.

    Pictures released by the club, saw the Nigerian working out at the Sports Health Center of Acibadem Fulya Hospital.

    Eneramo’s rehabilitation process is closely watched by Specialist Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Dr. Omer who performed the surgery on him.

    According to the programme, Eneramo is expected to do physical therapy with the view to reduce his weight and to minimize stamina.

    His running schedule is then expected to begin before the end of this week.

     

  • NULGE begins warning strike today

    The National Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has directed its members in all Local Government Councils in the country to start a three-day industrial action today.

    A statement signed by the association’s Deputy National President, Comrade Jones Ofunne and General Secretary, Comrade Joshua Irapakob, said the warning strike “is in response to the Senate’s flagrant disregard to the wishes and aspiration of the Nigerian people.”

    “The union is aware of some senators who voted against the Local Government autonomy for reasons of their inordinate ambition to become governors and continue their looting spree, entrenchment of poverty and lack of development at the grassroots. If the labour of our people during hearings, to have a local government that is grassroots development-oriented, people-driven, free from executive lawlessness, encumbrances and endless pilfering, will not be in vain, then the Senate must revisit the issue of Local Government autonomy immediately,” the group said.

    The unionists said: “The NEC-in-session notes with appreciation, the transparent approach of the House of Representatives to the process of the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution by publishing the report/results of the public hearings held in the 360 federal constituencies held on November 10, 2012 at which Nigerian people voted overwhelmingly in favour of complete autonomy for Local Government. The House of Representative is urged to remain the last bastion of the defence of the wishes of Nigerians by voting in conformity with the outcome of the public hearing held on November 1, 2012.”

     

  • LASU begins conference today

    The Consul-General, United States Consulate, Lagos, Mr Brian Browne and the former Secretary of the National University Commissioning (NUC), Prof Peter Okebukola are among local and international speakers billed for the international education conference at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, which starts today.

    Also expected at the five-day conference tagged: “Education and the transformation agenda at nations; hindsight, insight and foresight”, are: President of Nigeria Academy of Education, Prof U.M. Ivowi; ex-Provost of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Dr. Kayode Noah; Lagos State Commissioner for Works Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and first Dean of Facaulty of Education, LASU, Prof P. A. I. Obayan.

    The Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof Rafiu Okuneye, said the theme was chosen after considering on-going talks about transformation in the country, adding that a communiqué will be issued at the end of the conference. Participants, he said, would come from Ghana, Sierra-Leone, South Africa and Gambia.

  • Work begins on Ago Palace Way

    Palliative works designed to bring immediate relief to the flooded parts of Ago Palace Way, Okota, a Lagos suburb, have been flagged off by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.

    He explained that the effort would not only ensure easy flow of rain waters by through the drains, but would raise the road level.

    He described the road as a failed asphalt road resulting from the growth in population and the consequent pressure resulting from development along the corridor. He noted that the original design was to use the sides as drains which the development has blocked.

    Hamzat said the palliative works which would cost about N90 million would take about eight weeks to complete, adding that contract for the fourth phase of the route from Century Hotel to the end of the road had been awarded.

    While restating the commitment of the State Government to delivering a first-class road on the axis, the commissioner urged motorists to bear with the resultant challenges which, he said, the ministry was positioned to address.

    He called on the residents of the area to co-operate with the government and contractors when they are fully mobilised for the reconstruction.

    Also in a statement, the ministry has restated that the phased development of the Meiran Road linking the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway with the Ajasa Command communities was in satisfactory progress.

    Hamzat said the contractor had attained a 100 percent of site clearance, 90 percent of relocation of services and 98 percent of drainage works, while the earthworks were currently on-going with over 70 per cent completion.

    He said: “While the desire for top-quality road network that will have immediate and visible impact on socio-economic lives of citizens cannot be over-emphasised, there is the need for people to appreciate that construction method in the state is fast changing with its emphasis on minimal disruption to users’ activities. The periods of rains are low-activity periods in construction and cognizance of this must be taken and road is not an exception.

  • Ekiti begins production of organic manure

    The Ekiti State Waste Management Authority (EKWMA) has started producing organic manure for farmers and other industrial use, under the state government’s Waste to Wealth programme.

    Governor Kayode Fayemi announced this yesterday during the celebration of the World Environment Day at the Adetiloye Hall in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He said his administration is determined to turn waste to wealth through the engineering management of dump sites.

    Fayemi said a nylon recycling plant has begun operation on a commercial level.

    Speaking on the theme of the programme: “Think, Eat and Save”, the governor said it was high time people started moderating their food consumption and cultivate the habit of food preservation.

    He said food production can only thrive in a situation where there is preservation to avoid wastage, which is predominant in our society.

    Fayemi said: “The United Nations (US) recently confirmed that over 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted yearly due to lack of preservation and this has to stop.

    “Due to the inherent wastages, one in every seven people are said to be hungry, despite the huge production level, while an alarming number of infants die daily due to hunger. This is unfortunate.”

    To ensure food preservation, he said the state government partnered the Federal Government to build a silo on the Ijan road, adding that his administration has built cold rooms in some local governments.

    Urging the people to imbibe the habit of farming, either on commercial or subsistence level, Fayemi said the government would assist farmers.

    He also urged the people to preserve the forest.

    The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Eniola Ajayi, said the governor was determined to sustain a green environment and tackle environmental challenges.

    He said the administration has just concluded advocacy meetings on Operation Klean Ekiti (OKE).

    Ajayi said a major outcome of the meetings was the decision of market women to have a weekly environmental sanitation day.

    The Guest Speaker, a renowned environmentalist, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, identified land grabbing and poor rural infrastructure, among others, as factors responsible for food loss in Nigeria, adding that secure land tenure was important for food security.

    Bassey said strong rural economies would reduce poverty.

    The governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi and House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin were decorated as Environmental Ambassadors at the event.

  • Honda begins free Check-up

    The Honda Place (THP) has commenced free check-up camp for customers with old and new Honda models at three locations.

    They include Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt.

    The company’s Head of sales and marketing, Mr. Deepak Daryanani said the check-up camp will offer a comprehensive 40-point check-up and a thorough examination of the engine, suspension, transmission, electrical system, under-body, AC, exterior among others.

    Daryanani added that the check-up camp would also avail participants’ series of discounts on products and services.

    He listed some of these offers as special discounts on old models; parts and labour charges, full body spray and up to 50 percent discount on wheel alignment and balancing.

    Other incentives are 25 percent discount on parts for models earlier than 2005 though excluding service parts and 15 percent discount on parts for 2006 – 2008 Honda model years.

    He said the objective of the campaign is to provide the best of products and services while also availing customers an unprecedented value-added experience.

    “The services are designed to help customers rediscover the value of their cars and appreciate the commitment of the dealership to the brand,” he said.

    Customers, Daryanani said, would be trained on fundamental ways to maintain their vehicles and keep them in top shape to avoid needless breakdowns.

    “The training will include regular and routine inspection of car, tips on managing emergency situations as well as driving tips and safety features,” Mr. Daryanani added.

  • Farming season begins in Kano

    Local farmers in most parts of Kano State have started clearing their farms in readiness for this year’s planting season, it has been reported.

    Investigation in Rimin Gado, Gwarzo and Kabo local government areas of the state, revealed that most of the farmers in the areas had begun the clearing exercise about two weeks ago.

    The investigation further showed that some of the farmers who had completed the clearing of their farms had since been bringing local manure to their farms.

    The investigation also showed that farmers who travelled to some parts of the country in search of greener pastures during the dry season (popularly known as Ci Rani) had also started returning home.

    One of the returnees, Malam Ibrahim Shuaibu, told journalists in Gwarzo that he returned from Lagos last week in order to clear his farm in preparation for the rainy season.

    ‘’Most farmers in the village who went to Lagos and other parts of the country in search of greener pastures have started returning home to prepare for the forthcoming rainy season,’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, some farmers in the areas have called on the state government to ensure early distribution of fertiliser in order to enable farmers get the commodity in time.

    They said there was need for the government to provide the commodity in time to enable farmers, particularly in rural areas, to purchase the commodity.

    ‘’Government should ensure early distribution and sale of the commodity so that farmers in remote areas can access the commodity in good time,’’ a farmer in Rimin Gado, Malam Abubakar Mohammed said.

    ‘’I use seven bags of fertiliser on my farm every year, but I find it difficult to get the commodity in time because of the bureaucracy involved in distributing and sale of the commodity,’’ he added.

  • MfBs’ licence validation begins

    MfBs’ licence validation begins

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has begun its routine licence validation and capital verification for the year in microfinance banks (MfBs), The Nation has learnt.

    This is part of the processes to be completed before the release of the National Microfinance Development Strategy before the end of June. The document is expected to outline modalities for developing the subsector and rules that operators will follow to achieve improved performance and ensure the sector’s stability.

    The exercise is in line with the need for more disclosures, transparency and improved corporate governance expected from operators in the subsector.

    CBN’s yearly report for 2011 indicated that 800 MfBs were examined during the year. An analysis of the examination showed that 774 MfBs met the prescribed capital adequacy ratio of 10 per cent, with 52 per cent having capital funds in excess of the minimum regulatory capital.

    Also, 84 per cent of the institutions met the prescribed minimum liquidity ratio of 20 per cent, translating to an average liquidity ratio of 88 per cent for the sub-sector. This reflected the pervasive under-trading and placement of funds with DMBs.

    The average portfolio-at-risk (PAR) or non-performing loan-to -total, on the other hand, was 46.0 per cent, reflecting a high level of non-performing loans. A total of 29 MFBs, however, had PAR ratios below the prudential maximum of 2.5 per cent. Each MFB with a regulatory/ supervisory issue of concern was served an appropriate supervisory letter with prescribed timelines for compliance. Holding actions were imposed in 54 cases entailing the cessation of the grant of fresh loans and further acquisition of fixed assets.

    Besides, the CBN is considering the establishment of a Microfinance Development Fund (MDF) as a further step to deepen the financial market. The MDF when established would assist in addressing teething challenges of underfunding for the financial sub-sector.