The Nation Newspaper

Tag: commitment

  • Govt restates commitment to infrastructural devt, others

    Renewed hope has come for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and completion of the Apapa Truck Park, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Tin Can Island /Oworonshoki Expressway, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

    Others are Wharf Road and the Mosimi/Sagamu Road in Ogun State. The roads are receiving attention, he said.

    Fashola assured that the Federal Government was committed to completing road projects across the country.

    He spoke during an inspection tour of road projects in Lagos State at the weekend.

    He said the ongoing projects across the country were to develop infrastructure to improve commerce and bring the nation out of recession, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision.

    “We have to fulfil Mr. President’s mandate to get this economy out of recession and set it on the path of inclusive growth where money trickles down to the most vulnerable people,” he said.

    The minister said that the infrastructural renewal commitment of the Federal Government was giving opportunity to various artisans and other construction professionals job opportunities. He said government would back up training of artisans with an economic programme.

    “There must be an economic programme and that programme is the infrastructural renewal that puts everybody to work- from the architects to those who really build,” he said.

    Answering questions from reporters, he condemned the theft of manhole covers on Eko Bridge and urged residents of the state to take ownership of the manhole covers to prevent their theft.

    Inspecting the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the minister said government would continue to disburse funds to ensure contractors continued with the work.

    At the Port Access Link Road project in Apapa, Executive Director, Borini Prono, (contractor handling the project), Mr Paolo Prono, said the firm needed additional one month to complete the sanitary plant building on the site.

  • Fed Govt restates commitment to ease of doing business

    Fed Govt restates commitment to ease of doing business

    The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to providing well-designed legislative framework to ensure ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah said this at the Japanese Business Mission to West Africa Business Seminar and Networking organised by Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in Lagos.

    The programme had in attendance representatives of 14 companies  from eight countries, which include Japan, France, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ghana and United Arab Emirates.

    Enelamah said the fulcrum of the economy agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration was the ease of doing business in Nigeria for local and foreign investors.

    This agenda of the government, he said, has led to a number of bills  introduced in the National Assembly, which focuses on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    The minister asserted that to encourage foreign direct investments to Nigeria, with its high potentials for growth, there must be functional legal framework to ease the acts of doing business.

    He added that last year, the Federal Government inaugurated the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) with Acting President Yemi Osibanjo as Chairman.

    “I am the vice chairman and we are poised to work with stakeholders in the public and private sectors so as to identify obstacle of doing business in Nigeria and find possible solutions,” the minister said.

    Enelamah, who was represented by the Director General of Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, Ms Yewande Sadiku, noted that the Federal Government was poised toward increasing trade and business opportunities with other countries in its effort to diversify the economy.

    He said Nigeria’s population remains a force nobody can ignore in Africa as the country remains the 24th largest economy in the world and hope that by 2030, it will be the 19th economic giant in the world.

    The minister added that Nigeria is increasingly trying hard to diversify away from oil as service sector contribute the largest Gross Domestic Product for the Federal Government to the tune of 19.82 per cent in 2016 followed by agriculture.

    The  Director General, JETRO Paris, Susumu Kataoka, stated that the purpose of the visit was to know the business environment in Lagos and see the changes, processes and identify new business opportunities.

    He said Japanese companies were ready to do new businesses and expand their frontiers in African countries, especially in Nigeria.

    Kataoka restated the commitment of the Japanese government in investing $30 billion for sustainable development in African’s infrastructure,  technology transfer, improvement of living condition and regional stability.

     

  • Dealing with commitment in relationship

    DEAR Harriet, Thanks for your counsel on life issues. It’s of great benefit to me. I am beginning to see things differently. That is why I need you to throw light on how to deal with a boyfriend who is afraid of commitment. I am a matured single lady in a relationship.

    Thanks.

    Name withheld, Abuja.

     

    Commitment is one of the most important goals of a sustainable relationship. Thanks for sharing your situation. It will interest you to know the number of people who are experiencing same challenge as you.

    Commitment can be explained as a dedication or rather an obligation that binds a person to a particular person or course of action. It may be made willingly or unwillingly.

    Now, let’s have an overview of the problem at hand before offering solutions. One thing that we must understand is that there are different categories of people in dealing with the issue of commitment in a relationship. Some people may ask for a commitment at the early stage, while others may ask for some type of commitment after a lengthy relationship.

    Individuals with the commitment issue may experience mental distress and emotional difficulty when faced with situations that require their full dedication to achieving a particular goal.

    The term commitment cuts across every aspect of life. In the workplace, for instance, a fear of commitment may lead a person to avoid or reject projects or assignments. This attitude could have a negative impact on the person’s performance or overall effectiveness.

    Also in a relationship, commitment issues may prompt one or both partners to reject the opportunity to pursue a more stable, intimate arrangement such as getting married. However, the factors behind your partner’s inability to commit may stem from variety of issues. While you may consider his fear of commitment of no importance, you need to be open and realize that his perception of the situation is what governs his behaviour.

    Here are some reasons why your partner might find it challenging to be committed. May be your partner may not be genuinely in love with you or may have feelings for someone else. His relationship with you might be on a friendly ground.

    Fear of a loss of identity where he may have to cater to all your needs in fear of making you unhappy and in the process lose himself can be a reason as well. Others causes for lack of commitment in relationships are as follows.

    Fear of being controlled

    Immaturity and the need to remain young

    Fear of a reduced social life with friends or buddies

    Fear of financial responsibility

    Fear of becoming more demanding

    Fear of being “trapped” and losing  sense of freedom

    Fear of the unknown  here, your boyfriend or girlfriend may feel that he/ she is making a life time commitment without having any idea of what is down the road.

    Inferiority complex: A person with low self-esteem will see the other person better as a result commitment becomes difficult. The way forward is this, once you understand that his fear of commitment is really an undefined fear or set of fears within himself, your next move is to attempt to repair this problem by doing the following: bring his possible fears listed above to the surface one by one.

    If you ask him directly why he is afraid to commit, he may be unable to identify the real issues. This is probably because he will only be feeling emotions that are associated with fear and not possess conscious awareness of the label for such emotions.

    Have a meaningful open discussion with him. You may be surprised what this type of conversation may bring and your relationship may become stronger or otherwise. See this as an opportunity to really communicate deep-rooted fears and feelings with each other.

    In addition, it is possible that even with this type of extensive interaction, your boyfriend may continue his pattern. If you see a consistent pattern of avoidance, procrastination and so on after this discussion, then the pattern has a good chance of being around a long time, may be indefinitely.

    If he constantly reassures you, he will make some decision but he never seems to follow through. Then, you need to be honest with yourself about the quality of this relationship as a long-term commitment.

    As painful as this may be, always chasing the elusive carrot as the saying goes is demoralizing and will devalue your self-worth. You might also want to set some time limit within yourself, but try to avoid ultimatums.

    Note that decisions about commitment made by ultimatums rarely work out in a healthy way. So, in the process of dealing with the issue, make sure it is approached the proper way. However, when your own tolerance level is reached, let him know that you can no longer be involved in this relationship and might have to choose to go in another direction. If action is not taken, clarify that it is not an ultimatum, but for the good of the relationship.

     

    Harriet Ogbobine is a counsellor and a motivational speaker. Send your questions and suggestions to her blog; www.liwh.com.ng, text messages only 08054682598 or bineharriet@gmail.com.  You can follow her on twitter: @bineharrietj and instagram: harrietogbobine.

  • Saudi pledges commitment to oil output cut

    Saudi Arabia has said it will adhere to its commitment to cut output under the global agreement among oil producers, its energy minister Khalid al-Falih has said, expressing confidence that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’(OPEC’s) plan to prop up prices would work.

    Khalid al-Falih, according to Reuters, spoke at an industry event in Abu Dhabi. al-Falih said he was encouraged by signs of commitments by other participants in the deal since it took effect on January 1.

    “Many countries are actually going the extra mile and cutting beyond what they’ve committed. I am confident about the impact and I am very encouraged about those first two weeks,” al-Falih said.

    The comments are the latest in a series of assurances from officials that participants will follow through on the agreement intended to help get rid of oil supply glut. Compliance with the deal will be a key influence in early 2017 on oil prices, which at $56 a barrel are about half their level of mid-2014.

    Under the accord, the OPEC and Russia and other non-members will curtail oil output by nearly 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), initially for six months.

    Last week, Falih said Saudi output had fallen below 10 million bpd, meaning Saudi Arabia had cut production by more than the 486,000 bpd which it agreed to late last year under the producers’ agreement.

    Al-Falih said: “We will strictly adhere to our commitment,” adding that during the six-month agreement, Saudi output would either be at the kingdom’s target under the deal or “as is the case now, slightly below.”

    Producers were unlikely to extend the deal beyond six months and would allow market forces to prevail once the supply glut is eradicated. “My expectations are that the rebalancing that started slowly in 2016 will have its full impact by the first half,” he said.

    “Once we get close to the five-year average of global stocks and inventories we will basically let our foot off the brakes and let the market do its thing.”

    OPEC complied with up to 80 per cent of its last output cut in 2009, according to International Energy Agency data. A committee of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers to monitor the issue is meeting on Sunday.

    Kuwait also said last week it had cut production by more than it committed to and OPEC’s secretary general told Reuters he was confident of the level of commitment and enthusiasm among producers who agreed to the deal.

  • Reckitt Benckiser renews commitment to diarrhea eradication

    Reckitt Benckiser renews commitment to diarrhea eradication

    Reckitt Benckiser,  the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, has renewed its commitment to the eradication of diarrhea among children.

    The company marked the Global Handwashing Day (GHD) with the donation of a borehole and ultra-modern hand washing sites with pictorial illustrations on the steps to effective Handwashing to the United Christian Nursery and Primary School in Apapa Lagos.

    Kids were taught hand-washing using amusing, easy-to-remember and innovative learning methods all in a bid to ensure the spread of infectious diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery are greatly curtailed.

    According to a statement available on Global Hand-washing webpage, proper handwashing requires soap and running water. A tap is not necessary for handwashing: running water can also be achieved by pouring water from a basin or constructing a “Tippy Tap”—cans or plastic bottles that release just enough for a clean hand wash each time they are tipped.

    RB took the initiative to impart this vital Handwashing knowledge to children since they are known as change agents with a malleable and receptive mind.

    In celebration of the 2016 Global Handwashing Day, Dettol organised a Handwashing event where they donated handwashing sites and a Borehole to United Christian Nursery & Primary school Apapa, Lagos. Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, RB West Africa, Rahul Murgai, “In RB, our global vision is to provide the world with innovative solutions and products for healthier lives and happier homes. Dettol has been the trusted champion for good health and hygiene for over 50 years in Nigeria. We believe that it’s important to inculcate good habits at an early age. A simple act of washing your hands with soap can prevent illness and diarrhoea related deaths if we truly want to achieve the millennium development goal of a Clean and Healthy Nigeria. The Global Handwashing Day gives us the opportunity to leverage a larger eco system and an awareness platform to achieve this objective.”

    Speaking further at the event, Marketing Director, RB West Africa, Aliza Leferink said: “The donation of the Dettol Handwash site and Borehole to the school was to enable the school children and teachers cultivate proper handwashing habits that would ultimately reduce the risk of infections. Promoted on a wide enough scale, handwashing with soap can be thought of as a ‘do-it-yourself’ solution against preventable illnesses because it is easy, effective, and affordable”.

    A statement by the company said: “Dettol in Nigeria has consistently endeavored to create mass awareness among mothers and children. In the last 6 years, they have reached out to over 6 million Nigerian children and mothers through their School Hygiene Program and various other initiatives in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Nigerian Medical Association and Save the Children to create a Healthy Nigeria and reduce Diarrhoea related deaths.”

  • CIBN to Buhari: show commitment to diversification

    CIBN to Buhari: show commitment to diversification

    President/Chairman of Council, Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof SegunAjibola has urged the Federal Government and government at all levels to show strong commitment to the diversification of the economy.

    He spoke at this year’s annual dinner to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Nigerian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The theme was: Impact of Prospective Policies on non-oil imports- The Nigerian Experience from 1986 to Date.

    Ajibola said government would need to set up a task force that would review the examples of other countries that had been in situation similar to Nigeria’s.

    According to him, government should support the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing the enabling environment for business to grow and production of goods and services that would compete favourably in the global market.

  • Firm restates commitment to CSR

    Firm restates commitment to CSR

    Mantrac Nigeria Limited, the sole dealer of Caterpillar products and services in the country, has restated its commitment to investing in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

    The company’s CSR initiative focuses on boosting the skills of young engineers. It has created e-learning website for engineering graduates, who plan to become technicians in Nigeria and other African countries.

    The website is leveraging on Caterpillar’s state-of-the-art e-learning solutions and making them available to those interesed in becoming a career as a heavy equipment technician. It is expected to bridge the gap that exists between human labour and required skills.

    Three  of the candidates, who completed the Caterpillar e-learning modules were honoured and given their certificates and Caterpillar kits by the company at its head office in Lagos.

    Its Managing Director, Edmund Martin-Lawson, who described the initiative as “giving back to society,”said: “the training would help the beneficiaries to upgrade their skills and foundation knowledge of Cat products and their operations”.

    Martin-Lawson said the company also provides Caterpillar engines and generators for the oil sector and industrial users, as well as the small range of generators for small –scale industries and residential applications.

    Technical Training Manager, Lateef Adenle said the free, e-learning curriculum contained 18 modules of easy-to-understand, technical insights into safety and basic fundamental systems like electrical, hydraulics and power train.

    He said Caterpillar recognised the technicians by giving them certificates of completion, adding that the first five persons, who completed the modules were equipped with Caterpillar special tools to aid their work in future, adding that their experiences would be shared on Caterpillar’s website.

    Earlier, the training manager had conducted the participants round the various departments of the company in the country, including the workshop, re-building section and generator assembly plant, to acquaint them with the operational logistics of the company.

    Echoing similar sentiments, the Company’s Service Operation Manager, Ahmed Ragab, said access to the basic Caterpillar Technician curriculum was free. He said those who registered for the curriculum had the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge and upon successful completion of the curriculum, would be given their certificates of completion to support their chances of getting jobs.

    One of the participants, Adebowale Olorunlana, an engineering graduate from the Lagos State University (LASU), while thanking the company for the opportunity, said the training was capable of upgrading his skill and urged the company to extend the opportunity to other engineering graduates across the country.

  • Diamond Bank reaffirms commitment to quality service

    Diamond Bank reaffirms commitment to quality service

    Despite the harsh operating environment and strict regulatory framework which calls for caution in the financial industry, Diamond Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to quality service delivery, sustenance of strong fundamentals  and stable profitability for its shareholders.

    In a statement the bank stated that keeping in view with the 2015 full year results as approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Q1 2016 results submitted to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as the strategic roadmap for Q3 and Q4, its revenue yield and profitability will exceed analysts’ expectations and forecast.

    In its operations in Q1, Q2 and extending into Q3 2016, the Bank has continued to deploy new technologies and digital applications to drive financial inclusion, convenient banking, enhanced customer friendly services and its overall retail banking strategy that will enable it focus on driving non-interest income and strengthen explored opportunities to grow its market share. These have positioned the Bank for a better future with strong expectation for improved financial performance in the rest of the business year.

    In the Bank’s Q1 2016 result presented to the NSE and SEC, Diamond Bank resiliently buoyed itself above sundry industry turbulences and posted PBT of N6.7bn, averaging monthly PBT of N2.3bn, thus scaling industry expectations and meeting the minimum target for its shareholders for the period under review.

    In the first quarter of the financial year, the Bank displayed a strong will to reduce its operating costs and interest expense, which shrunk by 2.8% and 10.3% respectively compared to Q1 2015.

    Diamond Bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio submitted to the the NSE and SEC for Q1, 2016 stood at 16.2%, which is 1.2% higher than the CBN minimum requirement of 15%, with the Bank’s liquidity position standing at 52.4%, higher than the 30% minimum requirement set by the CBN. The Bank also recorded an asset base of N1,821.6 billion at the end of Q1, 2016, making the Bank one of the 10 most solvent banks in Nigeria.

    As a “systemically important bank” in Nigeria, Diamond Bank Plc has continued to maintain its global relevance as a financial service provider with a strong and focused management; and is rated one of the biggest banks in the world in the latest Top 1000 World Bank ranking by Financial Times. Diamond Bank Plc, standing as the 6th biggest bank in Nigeria, 20th biggest bank in Africa and 711th biggest Bank in the world, according to the latest ranking, is one of the most liquid and capitalised financial institutions in Nigeria.

    According to the Bank’s chief spokesperson, Ayona Trimnell, “Diamond Bank in the last half decade, has continued to sustain strong fundamentals, expand its operational offices across the country, improve on its service delivery, increase its revenue yield and maintain stable profitability for its shareholders”.

    Diamond Bank Plc is Nigeria’s fastest growing retail bank, leveraging innovation and technology to enhance customer experiences and drive financial inclusion in what it terms Beyond Banking.

    Since incorporation in December 1990, Diamond Bank has challenged the market environment by introducing new products, innovative technology and setting new benchmarks through international standards. Today, Diamond Bank is best placed to respond to changing lifestyles and is leading the digital transformation in response to these societal shifts. Diamond Mobile app, for example, is Africa’s leading banking app and the first with the touch ID feature.

  • NBC reiterates commitment to CSR

    The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has re-affirmed its commitment to social investment in the host communities through its Back-To-School initiative.

    It said during a media tour of its Ikeja plant in Lagos that over 8,000 pupils in the public primary schools have benefited from the initiative in the last five years.

    Its Director, Legal, Public Affairs and Communication, Mrs Sade Morgan, said the initiative is an indication of one of the ways of partnering with its business environments on shared values.

    Besides, Morgan said NBC under its Water Stewardship Scheme,  was able to achieve a 54 per cent reduction in process water use between 2004 and last year, while it had provided water to over 8,000 households in 14 communities.

    She also said NBC had continued to support the Federal Government’s local content policies, affirming that the company’s products are produced locally.

    Morgan said NBC has also demonstrated its ability to ease the labour market from saturation by engaging 950 suppliers, saying 90 per cent are from the local Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

  • Developer reaffirms commitment to WTC Abuja

    In spite of the prevailing economic downturn in the country and the currency depreciation, real estate enthusiasts are optimistic that the Phase One of the World Trade Centre project, Abuja will be delivered this year as projected by the developers.

    The Group Managing Director of Churchgate Group, Mr. Vinay Mahtani, at a meeting with estate valuers and agents in Abuja, said customer interest in the project has been overwhelming. He restated his firm’s commitment to delivering the Phase One of the project this year.

    Mahtani said there has been a growing demand for quality real estate — residential and commercial.

    “Many people share our dream of building world-class projects in Nigeria; and Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora, have shown their confidence in us through investments made already,”he said.

    At the meeting, an estate surveyor, Mr. Olusola Akinsola, who spoke on behalf of other estate surveyors and valuers, expressed satisfaction at the level of work on the Phase One. He xexplained that the effect of completing the WTC Abuja would be good for the real estate sector and the country’s economy at large. According to him, “housing is no more about shelter – it’s about employment, economic inclusiveness and multiplier effect on the local economy.” He opined that the WTC Abuja, being the first of its kind in West Africa, will bring all of these to the Nigerian economy.

    Construction of the WTC Abuja Phase One is now at the final stage. The project consists a residential tower that will offer luxury apartments with modern amenities and an AAA commercial tower that will accommodate businesses of all sizes. The buildings, at 24-storeys each, are set to define Abuja’s skyline: the commercial tower is the tallest office building in the nation’s capital, while the residential tower is the tallest residential building in Nigeria.

    On the potential of the WTC Abuja when completed, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Communication, Churchgate Group, Mr. Femi Awopetu said the WTC Abuja would be an economy driver in itself, bringing together corporations and individuals, and providing a platform on which they can conduct business.

    Awopetu added that the project will also impact the economy and improve welfare of lives. “We have already created employment for thousands of people during the construction of Phase One and this will continue throughout subsequent phases of the project,” he said.