The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boss

  • Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Kogi State Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Chafe has called for a value reorientation among Nigerians to reduce the allure for what they consider the ‘good life’.

    This, according to him, could bring kidnapping in the state to its minimum.

    Chafe made the call in Lokoja at the weekend when he received members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi council, in his office.

    He urged parents and other opinion moulders to be steadfast, noting that many kidnap cases were done with the connivance of the families of victims to extort money.

    “Most of the kidnapping we have are local; local in the sense that it is majorly conspiracy from insiders. They equally resorted to picking up elderly people whose children are doing well outside the state to get money from them,” he said.

    He explained that kidnapping and robbery have reduced by 70 per cent as a result of efficient collaboration between the government and the police, saying large cache of arms has been recovered from hoodlums.

  • Council boss preaches peace

    The Sole Administrator, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Adedoyin Yakubu Salami, has urged residents to be security conscious at all times especially during the Yuletide period.

    Salami Spoke at the stakeholders’ meeting with security personnel and Community Development Associations.

    He said Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode takes the security of the citizenry, irrespective of where they live within the state serious.

    He said the security of the area is a collective responsibility of both the government and the governed.

    According to him, the invitation of the security men to the meeting was meant to consolidate on the peace currently being enjoyed in community and the need to seek the full cooperation of the community leaders in the discharge of their duties.

    On the nation’s economy recession, Salami appealed to the people to pay their rates to enable the LCDA provide the needed infrastructural facilities, adding that the council cannot do anything without the support of the people.

    He said: “As you are all aware of the present economic situation in the country, the council is financially challenged, so, we need to look inward to help ourselves and the only way to do this is through our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and for this reason, I appeal to you to tell our people to pay up to enable the government provide their needs.” A Task Force has been constituted to track all reluctant revenue payers.

  • Film Village boss makes case for filmmakers

    The Managing Director, Abuja Film Village International (AFVI) Ltd, Mr. Segun Oyekunly has called for more support for indigenous filmmakers so as to pave the way for qualitative documentation of socially relevant issues in the country.

    In particular, the AVFI boss said that stakeholders in the film industry are in dire need of financial backing, to enable them churn out good films on contemporary trends, for entertainment and enlightenment of both local and international audiences.

    Oyekunly made the call while declaring open an American Film showcase at the 2016 Abuja International Film Festival held last week.

    The Film Showcase was reportedly presented by the Embassy of the United States of America, in collaboration with AFVI Ltd, where audiences were engaged on contemporary issues aptly captured in American independent documentaries and narrative films.

  • Edumark boss counsels pupils on diplomacy

    The Chief Executive Officer of Edumark Consults, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, has implored  secondary school pupils to be abreast of information with respect to international issues and etiquette. She said getting acquainted with the aforementioned would prepare them for the world ahead.

    Mrs Ogunde made the call during The African FutureTrust Model United Nations (TAFMUN) which held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, where she spoke on the theme: ‘Preparing them for the future’.

    TAFMUN, organised by  FutureTrust Initiative for Capacity Building (FTI), an NGO, is modelled after the United Nations general assembly to expose secondary school pupils to international affairs.

    They are given roles as delegates of various countries and research problems of such countries and propose resolutions.

    Lauding the intiative, Mrs Ogunde said: “My generation was not prepared for this world of global village and global technology; but in another way we were prepared through education and information that we were exposed to. The youths of today should be fully prepared for the future that cannot fully be envisaged by exposing themselves to international issues and their impacts on them”.

    Ogunde added that the times of children being seen and not heard had long gone, noting that they  should be equipped for leadership and decision making roles through education and information.

    Earlier, the Founder FTI, Mrs Maureen Egbuche, advised the delegates, SS2 pupils from various secondary schools, to inculcate the attitudes and knowledge that would be instilled in them.

    She said they would be trained in areas such as critical thinking, capacity building, international etiquettes and rigorous debates. She added that at the end of the conference, each delegate would be required to submit a 16-page research on International issues in Nigeria.

    “Pupils will engage in rigorous debates as ambassadors, experts and activists to tackle the international community’s pressing issues. It is a time to step out of your comfort zones and we are confident that pupils who participate in our conference will become the policy shapers and world leaders of tomorrow”, Egbuche said.

    TAFMUN 2016 Secretary General, Miss Chisom Ogbummmuo, also advised delegates to be cooperative, cultivate friendships as well as see the world as it ought to be during the training.

  • Group backs NECO boss

    Group backs NECO boss

    The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET), has praised the appointment of Prof. Charles Uwakwe as the Executive Secretary, National Examination Council (NECO) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Executive Secretary, Comrade Ikpa Isaac, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said that his appointment was well deserved.

    Isaac said: “We at the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency wish to laud the Hon Minister of Education for in the first place finding a man with the necessary qualities to pilot the affairs of our nation’s only senior certification agency at this point in time.”

    According to Isaac, Mr. Uwakwe, irrespective of his ethnicity, meets the requirements for him to have been appointed by Buhari.

    He condemned recent protests over his appointment on the ground of ethnicity.

    He said the practice must therefore remain scouting for the best brain the country can find to hold such a sensitive position.

    “The demand of the protesters is dangerous coming at a time when there is outcry in some quarters that the appointments under the current government tilted in favour of the north; acceding to the protesters’ demand would therefore only worsen the sense of discrimination that is already growing in some geo-political zones and cannot be in the interest of Nigeria.

    “If the head of every government agency has to be appointed on the basis of geo-location, then the north would be left massively disadvantaged as many of the government establishments headed by northerners are not located in their geographical areas,” he added.

  • Visa reforms to boost FDI, says Immigration boss

    The Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, has said the ongoing visa reforms of the Federal Government will not only aid the ease of doing business in Nigeria, but also encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.

    He stated this during the week while receiving the Turkish Ambassador,  CakilHakan, at the Immigration Headquarters in Abuja.

    Babandede called on Turkish businessmen and other foreign investors to take advantage of the visa-at-port-of-entry facility, also known as visa-on-arrival, to do business in Nigeria.

    A statement signed by NIS Public Relations Officer Ekpedeme King Babandede explained that the visa   issued at the country’s international airports, was introduced by the Federal Government as part of the measures to boost FDI.

    According to Babandede, “in order to encourage ease of doing business in Nigeria, the Immigration Act 2015 has given the CGI the powers to issue such visas to investors, frequently travelled business persons of international repute, executive directors of multinational companies, members of government delegations as well as holders of United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Laissez-Passer”.

    The Act, the CGI explained, also empowers him to issue Permanent Residence Visas to foreign nationals, who according to him, are married to Nigerians and to foreign investors, who have imported an annual minimum threshold of capital over a period of time.

    Babandede said the agency intends to use the Visa reforms expeditiously and transparently in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on public accountability, adding that he has constituted a committee to clearly articulate the visa reforms to enable the service sensitise the public appropriately.

    Earlier, the Turkish Ambassador, CakilHakan, lauded the cordial relationship between Nigeria and his country.

    He said Nigeria was the first country in Africa to host a Turkish Mission and that about 25,000 Nigerians arrived Istanbul in 2015, out of which 18,000 were issued online visas.

  • Chikatara’s deal is done, says Abia Warriors boss

    Chikatara’s deal is done, says Abia Warriors boss

    Abia Warriors chairman Emeka Inyama has exclusively informed AfricanFootball.com  that striker Chisom Chikatara’s overseas transfer has been concluded and he will leave this week for his new club.

    Inyama further told AfricanFootball.com that Chikatara’s new club is in Europe and not any one of those that have been speculated in the media.

    “Chikatara’s transfer has been concluded, he will be playing in Europe, but at this time, it will not be proper for me to reveal the name of the club,” Inyama disclosed.

    “The player and the club are both satisfied with the contract and he will now leave after he picks up his visa in Abuja.”

    Chikatara made the headlines for his four goals at the CHAN in Rwanda earlier this year.

    A celebrated move to Wydad Casablanca was cancelled after the Moroccan club failed to come up with the cash as agreed.

  • NDPHC gets new boss

    NDPHC gets new boss

    A new helsman has been appointed for the Niger Delta Power Holding (NDPHC). He is Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, who would act as it managing director.  The NDPHC supervises the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

    Ugbo replaces the former boss of NDPHC, Mr. James Olotu, who handed over last weekend at the company’s headquarters in Abuja.

    When Olotu was the helmsman at the NDPHC, he was able to build 10 mini power stations under the NIPP, including, 750mw Olorunsogo II, 450mw Sapele, 434mw Geregu II, 450mw Omotosho II, 450mw Ihovbor, 450mw Alaoji, 563mw Calabar and 225mw Gbarain, among others.

    NDPHC’s management and its Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) counterpart are in talks to sign an agreement on provision of 265mw of power to be specifically kept as spinning reserve to guard against system collapse caused by frequent attack on gas pipelines.

  • New boss Koeman to cost Everton a cool £5m

    Southampton manager Ronald Koeman is edging closer to taking the reins at Everton, with a compensation fee in the region of £5million understood to have been discussed.

    After leading Saints to their best Premier League finish in back-to-back seasons, the 53-year-old had started negotiations about extending his stay at St Mary’s.

    Former Barcelona defender Koeman had a season remaining on his three-year deal, but the Dutchman now looks set for a move to Goodison Park.

    We understand a compensation fee of around £5million has been discussed and a resolution could be reached as soon as Monday.

    Rob Jansen, who recently replaced Guido Albers as Koeman’s agent, told Voetbal International on Saturday that they had “reached an agreement with Everton” and “now it is up to the clubs”.

    Koeman is understood to have been the first choice of the club’s new major shareholder Farhad Moshiri, although Sevilla manager Unai Emery is believed to have been preferred by some others at Goodison Park.

    The Spaniard, fresh from winning a third straight Europa League, is among the bookmakers’ favourites to succeed the Dutchman at St Mary’s, along with the likes of Eddie Howe, Frank de Boer, Andre Villas-Boas and Manuel Pellegrini.

  • Ex-NHIS boss joins APC

    Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Femi Thomas has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

    Thomas, at the weekend, joined the APC with hundreds of his supporters in Ikoro Ward in Ikoro Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of the state where he was registered and admitted.

    Women and youths sang and danced round the community in solidarity with the medical doctor-turned politician.

    The former NHIS boss had served as health commissioner during the Segun Oni-led administration between 2007 and 2010.

    Thomas said he quit the PDP because the party had lost focus and could not provide the platform for his vision.

    He pledged to join forces with the progressives to sack the PDP from power in Ekiti and and promote the welfare of Ekiti people under an APC-led government.

    APC State Chairman Olajide Awe promised to accord him the privileges of a full member.

    Represented by the Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, Awe said Ekiti APC is one and there is no internal crisis.