The Nation Newspaper

Tag: campaign

  • Access Bank campaign ends

    The Divisional Director, Retail Banking Division of Access Bank, Obinna Nwosu, said the ‘Access Early Savers Back to School’ campaign initiative is part of its resolve to promote financial and independence among the younger generation.

    He said it would ensure that children, parents and guardians do not relent on their efforts to achieve financial independence, as the campaign ended on Monday.

    Nwosu, said in a statement, “With a minimum balance of N50,000 maintained in their account, account holders immediately qualify for ‘Dora branded Lunch Box’. This scheme is neither a raffle draw nor a promotion, but a reward for customer loyalty.

    “This serves as an avenue for showing our sincere appreciation to our numerous ‘Early Savers’ account holders for their loyalty and continued patronage over the last one year; and to encourage other kids to pursue a secure financial future by opening an Early Savers Account,” Nwosu added.

    He said: “ ‘Early Savers Back to School Campaign”is an initiative that is more than just a financial product but rather an interactive experience for account holders as it comes on the heels of the bank’s strategic partnership with Nickelodeon, a global family entertainment brand to drive its financial inclusion strategy for kids, parents and educators.”

     

  • Kick It Out: Osaze backs anti-racism campaign

    Kick It Out: Osaze backs anti-racism campaign

    Nigeria’s West Brom star Osaze Odemwingie has vowed to support the Kick It Out campaign against racism despite the doubts of some high-profile stars.

    The striker’s comments came as he opened a national exhibition called the Out of Africa Campaign, which debuted at The Public gallery Wednesday night.

    Ex-Baggie ace, Jason Roberts and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand caused controversy by deciding not to wear T-shirts supporting the campaign, saying it has not done enough to tackle racism in football.

    Their decisions came after England U21s 1-0 victory against Serbia earlier this month was marred by abuse and violence, including some allegedly directed at England full back Danny Rose, which sparked his eventual sending off.

    Odemwingie, West Brom’s top scorer for the past two seasons, however, said he will wear a T-shirt during the away clash against Newcastle United on Sunday.

    The Nigerian forward endured racist chants at his former club Lokomotiv Moscow.

    He said: “The campaign is doing a good job and this is my way to show my support. I have had my own bad experiences but I’m thankful I don’t feel like a victim everyday.

    “Sometimes it hurts me to see bad things happening, but I still want to show my support.”

    He would not be drawn on his own opinion of the scenes which dominated the headlines after England’s U21s fixture.

    The exhibition pays homage to African stars who have graced the English game, beginning with Ghanaian star Arthur Wharton who plied his trade with Preston North End over 100 years ago and is widely regarded as the first black professional footballer.

    The exhibition also has pictures and profiles dedicated to more modern icons including South African Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe, and the stars of today in Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Tottenham Hotspur.

    Black Country favourites also features DR Congo and Albion star Youssouf Mulumbu, Cameroon and Wolves man George Elokobi who is currently on loan at Bristol City.

  • An unfinished campaign against Polio

    An unfinished campaign against Polio

    Leaders of the global fight to eradicate polio vowed at the United Nations on Thursday to step up their efforts to eliminate the virus from the three countries where the disease still has a foothold — Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. The challenge is that those countries are troubled by political unrest, violence and social customs that can interfere with the delivery of vaccines to the children and adults who need protection.

    Polio erupted in frightening epidemics around the world during the 20th century and crippled or killed hundreds of thousands of victims a year. There is no cure, but vaccines eliminated the virus from advanced countries and relegated it to poorer regions of the world.

    In 1988, a global campaign was organized by public and private organizations to eradicate the disease. It has been an enormous success. At its start, more than 350,000 children were paralyzed each year in more than 125 countries. This year, only 145 cases have been reported, and the disease remains endemic in only three countries.

    Afghanistan pushed down the number of cases to 17 so far this year from 80 last year. Pakistan drove its polio burden down to 30 cases as of mid-August, but has run into difficulties because of opposition from the Taliban and Muslim religious leaders who depict vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage. Nigeria experienced a drop in cases in 2010 followed by an upsurge to 84 cases this year, mostly in areas where militant groups are fighting and people distrust Western vaccines.

    Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said he would enlist agencies of the United Nations to make eradication a top priority this year. Ridding the world of polio should be a crucial part of a broad campaign to immunize all children against infectious diseases.

     

    – New York Times

  • Sambo, Obasanjo, Mark, Tambuwal lead PDP campaign train

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Senate President David Mark; and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, will lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign train ahead of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State.

    At the inauguration of the campaign committee yesterday in Abuja, Sambo said the PDP would fight and win the Ondo election on the basis of ‘one man, one vote’.

    Sambo, who chairs the campaign committee, explained that the Federal Government would ensure that the election is free and fair.

    The PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, bemoaned the loss of Ondo State to the opposition Labour Party (LP) through a judicial process.

    Hesaid the PDP would reclaim the state through the ballot this time around.

    Tukur said: “Ondo State is a PDP state and a very important one to our party for that matter. It was, therefore, a matter of distress to us when we lost it, not through the polls but through a judicial process.

    “Our resolve to win Ondo State back is the underlying factor for setting up this high powered committee.”

    Tukur, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, expressed optimism that the popularity and acceptability of the PDP candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, would ensure victory for the party.

    Other members of the campaign committee are: Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amechi; former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Agagu; former Ekiti Governor Segun Oni, and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP.

     

  • Group to Jonathan: Deliver on your campaign promises

    Group to Jonathan: Deliver on your campaign promises

    The Foundation for Integration in Nigeria (FIN) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to deliver on his electoral promises.

    In a communiqué  at the end of its Executive Meeting held at the weekend in Abuja and signed by its National President,  John Aide, the group said:  “We urge President Jonathan to deliver on his campaign promises in all its ramification to Nigerians or forget 2015 as Nigerians will decide his fate through the ballot.

    “The continued culture of corruption and the brazenness with which it is practiced is killing the economy of the country. Corruption is an enemy of development. Government should be sincere in its fight against corruption.”

    On the state of insecurity, it appealed to the Armed Forces and Northern leaders to live up to their responsibility .

    The communique reads: “We urge the Northern leaders to collaborate with the Federal Government to stop the menace of the bombing being perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorist group and the Armed Forces of Nigeria. They should live up to their responsibilities by providing security to our facilities

    “We urge the political leaders who suffer from verbal diarrhea to stop making divisive/undemocratic utterances to allow President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to perform.”

    The group also rejected the plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to introduce N5000 note.

    “We condemn and reject the plan to introduce 5,000 Naira note and the change of the 5, 10 and 20 Naira notes to coins as this will cause inflation and raise the cost of goods and services to the ordinary masses of this country.

    “This great nation is bigger than any individual. We call on Nigerians not to be despaired but rather keep hope alive for the help of God and the collective active commitment of the people will bring about positive changes in Nigeria.”

  • Speaker, others launch free malaria treatment campaign

    Speaker of the Adamawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri,

    The Speaker of the Adamawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, and three members of the state assembly have launched free malaria treatment for patients in their constituencies.

    Fintiri launched the programme in Madagali Michika, Mubi North and Mubi South constituencies.
    The speaker said the programme was jointly initiated and sponsored by him and the three lawmakers to check the malaria scourge in the Northern Zone of the state.

    He said the measure was one of the ways they decided to pay back the people who elected them.
    He also said they would initiate free surgery programme for some needy persons.

    The speaker urged those entrusted with the medicines in the affected constituencies to ensure that they reached all wards and units for easy access by the people.

    “Malaria is a major threat to our people, particularly at this time of the year, and that is why we decided to embark on this programme to complement government effort in fighting the scourge.

    “We want to contain malaria in this zone and hereby call our people to give us the necessary support to succeed,” Fintiri said.
    In their remarks, Mr Musa Kamale (PDP-Michika), Alhaji Usman Lamorde (PDP-Mubi South) and Alhaji Abubakar Jarengol (CPC-Mubi North), said they were committed to the programme and would sustain it.

    Also, the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isa, whose emirate covers the affected constituencies, described the measure as a welcome development that would enjoy his full support and that of other leaders in the emirate.

    “This is good news to our people and I want to warn those involved in handling the drugs against diversion,” the emir said.
    He called on the people of the zone to complement the lawmakers’ effort in the fight against malaria by keeping their environments clean.

    The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of drug to the acting Chairmen of Madagali, Michika, Mubi South and Mubi North local governments by the speaker assisted by the lawmakers.

  • Obama campaign gets a lift in Florida

    Is this the lift President Obama was looking for on his campaign bus tour through Florida?
    In this key swing state, Obama stopped at Big Apple Pizza & Pasta Italian Restaurant, where he was greeted by owner Scott Van Duzer, a muscular man dressed in a gray T-shirt and matching athletic shorts.
    Van Duzer was so smitten by the president that he embraced him in a bear hug, leaned backward and lifted the 6-foot-2 president a foot off the ground. Photos of the moment show Obama with his arms spread wide and palms turned upward, as if to say he’s at the mercy of the pizzaman.
    Van Duzer has a broad smile on his face, and a woman in the background has a look of sheer surprise. Reporters lined up on the other side also had a clear view of the lift.
    Afterward, a reporter at the scene reported that Van Duzer, 46, from Port St. Lucie, stands 6-foot-3 and weights 260 pounds, and he can bench-press 350.
    “Everybody look at these guns,” Obama said, pointing to Van Duzer’s chest. “If I eat your pizza, will I look like that?”
    “Look at that!” Obama exclaimed after Van Duzer put him down. “Man, are you a powerlifter or what?”
    Obama told reporters that he stopped at the restaurant because the owner has set state records for donating blood.
    “Here’s an example of somebody who is doing well, but he’s also giving back. So we just want to say how proud we are of him,” Obama said. “I still wonder how he got these biceps, but what we know is that the guy’s just got a big heart along with big pecs. So we’re very proud of him, and we just want to say thank you for all the great work.”

    Van Duzer is a registered Republican, but he voted for Obama in 2008 and said he will do so again in November.“I don’t vote party line, I vote who I feel comfortable with, and I do feel extremely comfortable with him,” he said. Apparently, the Secret Service gave him the go-ahead to lift Obama “as long as I didn’t take him away.”