The Nation Newspaper

Tag: confirms

  • Reckitt Benckiser confirms talks to buy Merck unit

    Reckitt Benckiser confirms talks to buy Merck unit

    Britain’s Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc has confirmed that it was in talks to buy Merck & Co’s consumer health business, the latest asset up for grabs in a wave of recent pharmaceutical deals.

    The consumer products group over the weekend emerged as a front runner in the auction for the unit, best known for Coppertone sunscreen and Claritin allergy medicine, sources told Reuters. Germany’s Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE) is also vying to buy the unit, which could fetch about $13.5 billion.

    “RB confirms that it is in discussions with Merck regarding an offer for its consumer health business,” the company said. “We understand that we are part of a competitive process.”

    Bayer Chief Executive Marijn Dekkers indicated that the company still aims to be the world leader in over-the-counter medicines. While acquiring Merck’s consumer health business would go a long way toward achieving that goal, he did not tip his hand on the Merck bidding process after Bayer announced its first-quarter results.

    Dekkers, on a conference call with analysts, said in order to become world number one in OTC the company needed not only significant organic growth but also “bolt-on acquisitions.”

  • CBN confirms Dikko as Unity Bank’s chair

    The Central Bank of Nigeria has confirmed the appointment of Alhaji Lamis Dikko as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Unity Bank Plc.

    The approval was contained in a letter from the apex bank dated April 22, 2014, signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins.

    The letter also conveyed the approval of Mr. Thomas Etuh as the pioneer vice chairman of the Bank. Collectively, Dikko and Etuh will be bringing in over 40 years of collective experience to the Board of Unity Bank plc.

    The Board of Directors of the Bank had on March 27, 2014 forwarded the names of Alhaji Dikko and Mr. Etuh to the CBN, following the resignation of the former chairman, Alhaji Numan Barau Danbatta, OON. While awaiting the approval, Mr. Etuh had been serving as interim chairman.

    Alhaji Dikko is a seasoned banker who has extensive banking experience and a strong background in the financial services sector. He was also an intricate part in the consolidation process that led to the establishment of the Bank in 2006 and will bring to bear his many years of experience and wide contacts to the current re-organization and rejuvenation of Unity Bank.

    Lamis Dikko holds a B.Sc. Economics from Queen Mary’s College, University of London. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School for Management Development. He is currently Chairman of Infrastructure Bank and a Director of Legacy Pensions among others. To take up his new appointment, he had to relinquish hisw position as a Director at Enterprise Bank.

    He worked in Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd for more than fourteen years where he rose to the position of General Manager. He then moved to Intercity Bank Plc (one of the legacy banks of Unity Bank Plc) where he rose to become the Managing Director in 2001 until it merged with 8 other banks to form Unity Bank in 2005. At Unity Bank, he was first, Executive Director, Credit Risk Management and then Group Executive Director, (Central) before he left the Bank in 2010.

    Mr. Etuh was in 2011 appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. He is widely exposed to corporate business leadership. He studied Management, Banking and Public Administration at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and the University of Jos respectively.

     

  • Lagos International Table Tennis Classics: MOC confirms 27 umpires for tourney

    Lagos International Table Tennis Classics: MOC confirms 27 umpires for tourney

    The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the first Lagos International Table Tennis Classics has confirmed that 27 umpires will be on duty at the tournament.

    According to the Competition Manager, John Peters, the umpires were selected from the 16 states, which have qualified officials, adding that they are expected to handle proceedings throughout the competition.

    To acquaint the umpires with the new rules of the game, a one-day seminar will be organized for the umpires on August 21, prior to the kick off of the preliminary for Nigerian-based players holding on August 22 and 23 at Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

    Peters, who is one of the three International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) blue badge umpires in Nigeria, however, said another seminar would also be organised on August 24 to 25 for all the umpires that will be on duty during the main event, which will commence on August 26 to 31.

    To complement the umpires, some umpires that will accompany some of the participating teams will also be part of the officiating.

    Egypt’s Nabil Mamoud is the tournament’s referee while Nigeria’s Cecilia Arinye has been appointed as the deputy referee. Also, Cameroun’s Lamadjeha Djihe Didier is the racket controller and Assistant

    Competition Manager for the classics.

    So far, Egypt’s Omar Assar, who is the continent’s number one player and current African champion has been confirmed for the tournament, while other countries that are expected to be part of the championship are perfecting their entries before the deadline on August 13.

    Main Organising Committee of Lagos International Sports Classics organises the championship, which has been approved by ITTF, in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).

    The total prize money for the championship is $39, 700 with winners in the men and women singles getting &5,000 and &4,000 respectively. Players that make it to the last 16 will also get cash reward for their efforts.

     

  • Supreme Court confirms death sentences

    The Supreme Court has sentenced three men to death and another to 21 years imprisonment for murder, armed robbery and robbery.

    The apex court, in four separate judgments last Friday, upheld the decisions of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan (Oyo State), Kaduna (Kaduna State) and Calabar (Cross River State) on the cases against the four – Yekini Afosi, Maikudi Aliyu, Wale Banjo and Victor Essien Victor.

    Afosi and Aliyu were charged with murder; Victor with armed robbery. Banjo was initially charged with armed robbery but his charge was converted to ordinary robbery.

    Afosi was charged with murder, contrary to Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State 1978. He was arraigned before the Ogun State High Court, Ijebu-Igbo.

    He was accused of killing Mufutau Amusa on August 23, 1997 at No. 22 Idesan Street, Oke Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo.

    The prosecution said Amusa had tried to intervene in a quarrel between Musibau Elesin and Afosi, when he (Afosi) accused Amusa of beaming a torchlight on his face.

    He became angry, raced to his house nearby and got a dagger, with which he stabbed Amusa in the back, causing his death.

    The trial court found Afosi guilty and sentenced him to death.

    Dissatisfied, the accused headed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division. In its judgment of June 7, 2011, the Appellate Court confirmed the trial court’s decision. This forced him to take the matter to the Supreme Court, which resolved all the issues raised in his appeal against him.

    Justice Ariwoola upheld the concurrent decisions by the trial and appellate courts that “the two defences of self-defence and provocation put forward by the appellant were not available to avail him”.

    The judge added: “Therefore, having come to the conclusion that the two defences of self-defence and provocation could not avail the appellant, it follows that the court below (Court of Appeal) was right in so holding and its conclusion is unassailable.”

  • Bishop confirms 50 inmates in Awka

    Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor yesterday confirmed 50 inmates of the Nigerian Prison Amawbia. The inmates were sponsored by Governor Peter Obi and his wife, Margaret.

    The bishop, who was at the prisons on a visit, donated a bus to facilitate the movement of inmates to court.

    He said the visit was to give the inmates a sense of belonging and encourage them to reform for proper integration into the society when they are freed.

    The bishop regretted that some criminals are groomed and nurtured by politicians, who use them to promote violence to achieve their selfish interests.

    Ezeokafor urged prison workers to see their work as a vocation that should be carried out with dedication and commitment.

    He called on the Federal Government to accelerate the reform of the prison, saying the inadequate facilities in Nigerian prisons were unacceptable.

    Obi assured that the state would provide all necessary assistance to improve the prison conditions.

  • 2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING MATCH: Origi confirms suspension from Eagles cracker

    2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING MATCH: Origi confirms suspension from Eagles cracker

    Norway-based Kenya’s Harambee Stars goalkeeper Arnold Origi has urged the country to move on without him after it was confirmed he is not eligible to play against Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the June 5 World Cup qualifier in Nairobi.

    The Lillestrom custodian confirmed in an exclusive interview that he has picked two yellow cards as confirmed by world football governing body Fifa in a letter to Football Kenya Federation on Friday.

    “I can confirm that I was cautioned against Namibia and then against Nigeria. But these things happen and the country should learn to move on without me,” he told Goal.com.

    Origi said his absence should give another player a chance to start in goal and warned against the tendency of depending on a particular player.

    “There are many other players in the team and they can do the job. We should avoid a situation where the team depends only on me or Dennis Oliech being there.”

    Oliech is also suspended for the Nigeria fixture after picking two consecutive yellow cards.

    On Tuesday, Kenya FA Secretary General Michael Esakwa expressed doubts whether the two players were indeed suspended and revealed he had written to Fifa for clarification.

    “We got a letter from Fifa on Friday informing us that two of our key players are suspended for the June 5 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.

    “However, according to our records this is not true because both players have not picked two yellow cards as claimed.

    “We remain confident that Fifa will confirm the same for us considering that both players remain important to our campaign in the qualifiers.”

  • Bayelsa CP confirms policemen’s death

    The police in Bayelsa State have confirmed the death of 12 policemen on escort duty at the weekend.

    Their ill-fated boat was heading to Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government, for the funeral of the mother of Kile Torughedi.

    Torughedi is the Special Assistant to the governor on Maritime Security.

    Commissioner of Police Kingsley Omire confirmed the death at a briefing in Yenagoa yesterday.

    Omire said a search party had been mobilised to the site and gave assurance that efforts were being made by divers to recover the bodies.

    The commissioner dismissed speculations that the attack was from the militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which had earlier threatened to resume attacks.

    Omire said some aggrieved ex-militants took advantage of the malfunctioning speed-boat to launch the attack.

    He regretted that the policemen were merely “soft targets’’ in the attack, in which two of the 14 policemen survived.

    The commissioner said: “Fifty policemen set out on assignment to Azuzama. On their way, one of the boats conveying them developed engine fault.

    “A Joint Military Task Force (JTF) gun boat was moving ahead of them.

    “They were isolated and became soft target. Intelligence reports have shown that those involved in the attack were hoodlums within an ex-militant group.

    “Of the 50 policemen deployed to Azuzuama community, 12 officers were declared missing.

    “They include two police inspectors, four non-commissioned officers, (NCO) and six constables.

    “As I speak to you, some policemen are still at the community.

    “It was the disabled nature of the speed boat conveying the affected policemen that made them soft targets.

    “We had lots of gunboats and security personnel in the area. As I speak with you now, Azuzuama community has been condoned off.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the policemen were sent from the Command headquarters in Yenagoa to escort dignitaries to a funeral in Southern Ijaw Local Government.

    However, the boat conveying the policemen reportedly came under attack when it developed a fault.

    The yet-to-be identified gunmen shot the 12 policemen, whose remains were yet to be recovered.

    Governor Seriake Dickson has described the death as shocking and disheartening.

    In a condolence message to the Inspector-General of Police, the governor said the policemen were killed in their prime.

    Dickson expressed the government’s condolences to the Force and the families of the deceased.

  • Senate confirms Nebo, Turaki for minister

    Senate confirms Nebo, Turaki for minister

    The Senate yesterday confirmed Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Prof. Chinedu Osita Nebo as ministers.

    The names of Turaki (Kebbi State) and Nebo (Enugu State) were last week forwarded to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation.

    The lawmakers unanimously gave their nod for the appointment of the ministerial candidates after they were adjudged to have satisfactorily answered questions posed to them by senators.

    Nebo, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria , Nsukka (UNN), practically turned the question and answer session into a lecture.

    He thrilled the lawmakers with his mastery of contemporary issues in the country and the way forward.

    Asked how he intends to deal with the mafia in the power sector, if appointed Minister of Power, Nebo said he would chase out the demons frustrating the growth of the sector.

    He said some highly placed Nigerians still believe that witches are responsible for the problems in the power sector “but I believe that God will give me the power to chase out the demons in the power sector”.

    He eulogised the immediate past Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, describing him as a “professional to the core, who was committed and did his best for the power sector but, unfortunately, something happened”.

    The ministerial nominee said since he was aware that banana peels litter the landscape of the country, he would be careful.

    He added that if made power minister, he would, God being on his side, chase out the demons in the sector.

    The nominee also promised to study what is in place in the sector to enable him determine the best way to deal with the problems.

    He also said power generation is grossly inadequate, considering the population of the country.

    He noted that no house should be connected to the national grid, if it is not certified to be ready for connection.

    Nebo said the country could create over 10,000 jobs by engaging those who would check houses that are ready for electricity connection.

    On Ajaokuta Steel Complex, he described it as “a giant in comatose” and added that “by the spirit of God that giant will rise one day”.

    Nebo said, “Sometimes, I weep for the country. If it is conspiracy problem that killed Ajaokuta, why do we allow ourselves to be used to injure our unborn children?

    “We need more patriotism as a nation. Ajaokuta remains a giant in comatose, but by the spirit of God that giant will rise one day.”

    He said that Ajaokuta Steel Complex and Delta Steel Rolling Mill should have turned the fortunes of the country around “but we missed it.”

    Nebo also answered questions on insecurity, graduate unemployment and how to revive interest in the study of local languages.

    Turaki spoke on how to combat insurgency, especially in the North, corruption, plea bargain, the petroleum industry and the electoral process.

    After confirming the nominees, Senate President David Mark congratulated them and asked them to match their answers with performance.

    ‘To borrow the words of Professor Nebo, demons will not interfere in their performance.”

    A technical problem almost disrupted the screening session as the public address system in the Senate chamber malfunctioned when Nebo was being screened.

  • FARO CAMP MIKEL OBI CONFIRMS JAN. 5 ARRIVAL

    FARO CAMP MIKEL OBI CONFIRMS JAN. 5 ARRIVAL

    MIKEL OBI has told MTNFootball.com he will report at the Nigeria training camp in Faro, Portugal, for the AFCON on January 5. The Chelsea midfielder also played down a knock on his knee in an English Premier League game against Norwich City, saying he is fully fit even though he was not listed for Sunday’s clash at Everton. Mikel told MTNFootball.com that he will leave for Faro, Portugal, along with club mate Victor Moses immediately after an FA Cup game against Southampton.

    “I have two more games to play for Chelsea before I will resume at the Nations Cup training camp in Faro, that would be the league game against QPR and the FA Cup against S’hampton on January 5. I will leave for the camp immediately after the game together with Victor Moses,” he informed.

  • Assembly confirms Commission’s nominees

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has confirmed the nomination of five persons as members of its Service Commission (LAHSCO).

    They are Hon. Lanre Odesanya; Hon. Adejoke Adegeye, a member of the 6th Assembly; Mr. Wale Mogaji; Mr. Bayo Balogun and Mr. Bode Tawat. They will be sworn-in as Commissioners.

    The House has also adopted the report of the Committee on Health Services for a law to provide for voluntary cremation of bodies in mortuaries.

    Presenting the report, the panel Chairman, Hon. Suru Avoseh said Section 2 of the bill, stipulates that no cremation may take place except in a crematorium established by the Ministry of Health or by any other body upon the recommendation of the authority and approval by the Commissioner for Health.

    The bill, he said, is not seeking a law to cremate all bodies within the state, but voluntary cremation and for unclaimed bodies only.

    The committee urged the government to encourage more individuals to go into the business of funeral services through Public Private Partnership (PPP) as done in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

    Hon. Sikiru Osinowo enjoined government to provide land for those in support of cremation, saying: “Cremation is not our culture, if government cannot provide land to bury our dead, then it is a shame to humanity.”

    On the Certificate of Coroner Bill, Osinowo said Section 6 of the bill states: “A post-mortem examination has been made under Section 32 of the births, deaths and burials law Cap B3 Laws of Lagos 2003 and the cause of death of the deceased person can be certified by the coroner under the provisions of the births, deaths and burials Law Cap B3 Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

    “The Medical Certificate and Confirmatory Bill,” he said, also states that a Medical Certificate giving the cause of death of the deceased person may be given by a registered medical practitioner in accordance to relevant laws in the state.”