The Nation Newspaper

Tag: consolidate

  • WASCO restrategises to consolidate market share

    As part of its ongoing strategy to consolidate its market share in Nigeria, the West African Seasoning  Company, manufacturers of monosodium glutamate seasoning, Ajino-Moto has in Kano, unveiled the popular Kannywood Actress, as its brand Ambassador the Northern Nigeria market.

    While unveiling Maryam Boot, as the new Ambassador of Ajino-Moto, she expressed readiness to support and partner, with the WASCO team, so as to promote Ajino-Moto, as the leading MSG, brand in the Northern market, which guarantees healthy culinary satisfaction for the entire family.

    Despite coping, with encroachment into the its market  share by competitors, especially masked distributors of unwholesome, in legal MSG wraps from China, Ajino-Moto has remained consistent in delivering quality seasoning for wholesome culinary delights for families over the years.

    Speaking on the occasion, WSCO’s Managing Director, Junichi Niki, reiterated the company’s commitment to the Nigerian economy, and its determination to continue to satisfy the needs of the market through provision of unique and quality products, by investing consistently in research and development of its workforce.

    Niki, however enjoined regulators not to rest on their oars in ridding the market of illegal and unwholesome MSG imported from China by unscrupulous businessmen.

    The MD maintained that, it is also in this efforts that the over 100 years old company,spread across 130 countries in the world to maintain its clear target of 90 per cent share of the seasoning market.

    Last year, WASCO unveiled an actress and comedian, Helen Paul and former Big Brother Naija house mate, Chief Miyonse Amosun, as Brand Ambassadors in Lagos to help grow its brand influence in the Southern part of the country.

  • Oyetola to consolidate on Aregbesola’s achievements

    •APC candidate meets with Osun group

    The Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the September 22 election, Mr. Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, at the weekend met with members of a leading socio-political group in the state, the Osun Positive Force (OPF.)

    He assured them of running an all-inclusive government, if elected into office.

    Addressing the group at the Government House Annex at Okefia in Osogbo, the state capital, the APC candidate said he would consolidate on the achievements of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    Oyetola, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Governor, expressed gratitude to members of the  OPF and the APC during the party’s recent primary.

    Assuring not to disappoint them, the APC candidate said he is in the best position to continue and sustain the giant strides of the current administration in the state.

    He said he carefully picked the name, Ileri-Oluwa (God’s Own Project) as his campaign slogan to reflect the “Supremacy of God”.

    Oyetola called for the people’s support in the forthcoming poll.

    The APC candidate, who hailed Aregbesola for transforming the state in the last eight years, said he was fulfilled working with the governor.

    He described Aregbesola as a great man and a most resourceful, consummate and creative governor in the history of Osun State.

    He said: “I seek your hand in partnership as the flag bearer of our party. I want to build on the giant strides already made by the current administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. Having been a privileged member of the team that has brought the current transformation to our state in the last seven and a half years, I know what the issues are. I know what our people need is an agenda of continuity and revitalisation that will deepen the current gains in infrastructural development.”

    He urged those who had not collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), including OPF members, to collect them and educate others around them to do so.

    The founder of the group, who also doubles as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, praised God for giving Oyetola to the party.

    He said: “We are happy because God answered our prayers. The last time we met here, less than two weeks ago, all of us collectively resolved to support Alhaji Oyetola as the flag bearer of our great party, the APC.

    “By His grace, God assisted us to perform excellently well to the extent that the margin between our aspirant and other aspirants is so wide than the distance between East and West. We give thanks to God.

    “We also give thanks to God for the success of our party’s direct primary. All logistics problem was surmounted without any security incident in the 332 wards. This is also commendable for our party and for members and leaders of OPF.

    “We also thank God that of all the aspirants, majority of them, have come back to accept the verdict of the party. They have pledged their support for the party. All those aspirants: we thank them and we pray that God will be with them as they continue to support the effort of the party.”

    He urged members of the OPF to canvass for Oyetola to make him and the APC win the September 22 governorship election.

  • Nigeria, EU, others consolidate progress on trade facilitation

    Nigeria, EU, others consolidate progress on trade facilitation

    Nigeria, Brazil, China, the European Union (EU) and other leading economic powers announced that they have made tremendous progress on investment facilitation initiative for development.

    The group made this known in Marrakech, Morocco, during the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mini-Ministerial meeting.

    In a breakthrough for Nigeria, the group of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Friends of Investment Facilitation for Development (FIFD) pledged support for the success of the High-Level Investment Forum scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 3- 4.

    The Forum will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) Commission in partnership with FIFD.

    In a statement, the Communication & Strategy Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr Okechukwu   Enelamah, Mr. Constance lkokwu, explained that FIFD is an initiative by some WTO members, including Nigeria as a core member to drive trade and investment with deliverables in mind.

    The WTO investment coalition, he stated, is made up of Nigeria, Argentina, China, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Canada and the EU.

    lkokwu stated that a draft declaration is being negotiated for finalisation at the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the deliverables for the Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ministerial Conference in December. According to him, one of the objectives of the investment coalition was to place investment facilitation as a priority for the WTO Ministerial MC11 in Buenos Aries, Argentina.

    The others, he said, was to achieve coherence between the trade and investment policy communities and position the WTO to be more pro-development with actual deliverables for its members while seeking active investment opportunities in their countries.

    Quoting the minister, lkokwu explained: “Nigeria is part of this coalition because government sees investment and trade facilitation as a positive and pro-development agenda.” Furthermore, he said it was the belief of government that the WTO is better responsive to domestic economic priorities.

    “This investment facilitation initiative is potentially significant to position WTO better to respond to the investment needs of developing countries in general and African countries in particular,” the minister added.

    The Director-General/Chief Negotiator, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, expressed delight at the progress made so far, saying: “This is for economic growth and recovery, creation of employment opportunities and connection to global value chains.”

    The Abuja event titled: “High-level forum on trade and investment facilitation for development” is expected to bring together African investment and trade decision makers as well as private sector representatives to share perspectives on leveraging trade and investment opportunities on the continent.

    It seeks to connect actual investors within and outside the continent with African policy makers in order to produce concrete outcomes.

     

  • MPC to consolidate forex, inflation gains

    MPC to consolidate forex, inflation gains

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-led Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will consolidate on the gains of the foreign exchange policy which has ensured stability as well as the continuous drop in inflation rate at its meeting today and tomorrow.

    The committee is likely to maintain the status quo on all rates according to analysts.

    The decision at the meeting, the fifth this year, is likely to keep the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), which is the benchmark interest rate, unchanged at 14 per cent, the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)at 22.5 per cent, Liquidity Ratio at 30 per cent and the Asymmetric corridor at +200 and -500 basis points around the MPR- benchmark interest rate.

    Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa Limited Ike Chioke explained at the weekend that the committee members had agreed on the need for more fiscal-monetary policy coordination to sustain improvements in domestic macroeconomic fundamentals.

    He said with the economy now running out of high base effect driven moderation in headline inflation, there is likelihood that inflation rate will rise for the first time since the start of the year in September.

    He said given supposed price-anchored monetary policy regime, the MPC is not likely to cut benchmark rate in a period of rising inflation expectation.

    “MPR has become a less effective Monetary Policy Tool: the case for easing via benchmark rate reduction becomes weaker if the current disparity between the benchmark rate and short-term fixed income yields is taken into consideration. Although the recent bullish streak in the fixed income market has narrowed this spread, it is not enough to justify a cut in interest.

    “While our medium term outlook favours a gradual monetary easing, we believe the stabilisation of the forex market is paramount to achieving monetary policy objectives. The forex market, despite improvements recorded so far in the year, is still in a fragile state as the CBN is yet to harmonise all rates at the official market. As such, in the event that a unified rate is not achieved, monetary easing poses a threat for forex stability”.

    He said the current realities of Nigeria’s budget deficit, suggests the need for the fiscal authorities to continuously fund this disparity, which present tightening stance enhances; though at a higher cost to government.

    Managing Director Cowry Assets Management Limited Johnson Chukwu agreed with Chioke that the MPC will keep rates unchanged.

    “They will keep the rates the way they are. Inflation has moderated to 16.01 per cent and the economy has wriggled out of recession. So, this is not the right time to tamper with rates especially as the economic indicators are moving to positive direction,” he said.

    At the official market, the CBN continued with its weekly Small and Medium Ebterprises sales worth $100 million for spot and short tenured forwards under 60 Days while the Official rate improved from N305.95/$1 the preceding Friday to N305.90/$1 on Monday before eventually closing the week at N305.85/$1.

    This implies a marginal 3bps appreciation Week-on-Week. Similarly, at the interbank market, the domestic currency depreciated from N354.99/$1.00 on Monday to N356.99/$1 on Wednesday, but strengthened to N353.50/$1 by the close of the week, up 0.4 per cent Week-on-Week.

    At the parallel market, the naira exchanged for N369.70/$1 on Monday, strengthened to N367/$1.00 on Tuesday and traded flattish till the end of the week, up 0.5 per cent Week-on-Week.

    Despite the spate of forex interventions by the CBN, the external reserves have remained on the uptrend, reaching a 31-month high of $31.9 billion on September 19. This accretion to the reserves has been largely due to the stability in oil prices as well as improved production volumes and we believe this will give the CBN more impetus to continue with its interventions.

  • Sterling Bank ‘ll consolidate on ‘positive ratings’

    Sterling Bank ‘ll consolidate on ‘positive ratings’

    The Executive Director, Finance & Strategy of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, has said the bank would consolidate on the positive ratings by the various international rating agencies by ensuring that it continues to deliver quality services to its customers and adhere to best practice as applied to banking worldwide.

    Abubakar, who attributed the ratings by Global Credit Rating (GCR), Moody’s and Lafferty Bank Quality Ratings (LBQR) to the lender’s strong performance and resilience amid challenging operating conditions, noted that the ratings is a validation of its business models.

    Earlier, GCR  affirmed Sterling Bank’s national long-term and short- term ratings of BBB (NG) and A3(NG), with the outlook accorded as stable.

    Similarly, Moody’s Investors Service had also assigned B2 Issuer rating to the bank.

    This, according to Moody’s, is a confirmation of the Bank’s “solid assets quality metrics and provision coverage, improvements to the Bank’s  Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and risk management processes as well as its high liquidity buffers and a solid deposit funding base”.

    Assessing the bank’s quality, the Lafferty Bank Quality Ratings (LBQR) also this year, reckoned Sterling Bank to be among the top 10 in the world, top three in Africa (after Capitec and Barclays Africa) and the top bank in Nigeria.

    The Lafferty Group approach to bank ratings involves an evaluation of key quantitative and qualitative criteria such as strategy, culture, customer care, brand promise and financial performance.

    Michael Lafferty, Chairman, Lafferty Group had statement that “banks that score well on Lafferty Bank Quality Ratings tend to trade at a premium price to their tangible book value”.

    GCR in a report made available to newsmen by Sterling Bank in Lagos at the weekend attributed its rating to its strong performance and resilience amidst challenging operating conditions.

    Part of the GCR Report reads: “Sterling’s total assets amounted to N796.4bn (representing a market share of 2.8 per cent) at FYE15. The bank’s capital base grew 12.2 per cent in FYE15, solely through internal capital generation, with the risk weighted capital adequacy ratio (“RWCAR”) improving to 17.5 per cent at FYE15 (FYE14: 14.0 per cent). To further strengthen its capital base and support asset growth, the bank is in the process of raising up to N35 billion Tier II capital expected to be concluded in the third quarter of FYE 16. Sterling Bank, “The one-customer bank”, is a full-service national commercial bank with an asset base above N800 billion with over 187 business offices and more than 800 ATMs (automated teller machines) nationwide.

  • ‘Let’s consolidate on Oshiomhole’s gains’

    ‘Let’s consolidate on Oshiomhole’s gains’

    AHEAD of next Saturday’s governorship primaries of the  Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC), delegates have been enjoined to vote for a candidate who would consolidate the gains of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    In a statement entitled: We Risk Flameout in Saturday’s ‘Big Gamble’, Mayaki said: “Whatever achievements and gains recorded throughout the Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole’s administration could be worthless, if we miss it on Saturday – and as such, delegates must use their tongue to count their teeth, so as not to risk a futuristic flameout on the state”.

    “It’s a ‘big gamble’ on Saturday”, Mayaki observed. “We stand the risk of losing all our achievements, if the right person is not elected to fly the party’s flag at the general election. A mistake would be very expensive, especially at this critical time in our nation’s history. Only the delegates would deliver us from this political death-cage by voting somebody who believes in Edo state and has capacity to manage it”.

    According to Mayaki, My concern is just as yours; can we get the best to emerge the party’s flag bearer? From benefit of hindsight, we have seen the damage which a wrong driver can do to our collective vehicle – the state. We need not take our future into rabbit holes; delegates must be told because that would be strategically dumb and self-defeating.

    “I believe we should look for people who will put Edo State first, that will respect traditional institutions, rejuvenate the economy with his wealth of financial experience, create jobs, attract investors and work for the unity of our people across the 192 wards.

    “In addition, we need someone with capacity to manage the lean resources prudently and judiciously because, all the aspirants want to do their best for the state, but remember, nobody can give what he does not have. If you don’t have the brain, if you don’t have the knowledge and capacity, you will not be able to do it. So, we need a candidate who can apply the resources creatively”.

    “It’s also good to note”, according to Mayaki that “as we go to the polls on Saturday, we must not depend on our momentary obsessions to decide our future. The second gamble in not voting the right candidate is the big error the opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) wants us to make – their fixation and fear is understandable; averse to the aspirant who got Mr. Governor’s blessings.

    “The opposition party knows that with Governor Oshiomhole, they are flirting with a political disaster and as such, to consolidate on the Governor’s achievement is to support his choice of aspirant and only then we can go basking in gushy assurances about our future and the sustenance of the Oshiomhole’s legacies.

    “As for flame-throwing aspirants and party chieftains, it is high time we put our house together rather than going ballistic and elevating our feuds which certainly will do the fabric of the party fresh damages towards the general election. The blistering allegation of voters’ card buying by some party Chieftains and blackmail towards Mr. Governor is to be heavy–handed on a course we are not in a position to benefit.

    “Let us be careful in giving the opposition the rope which they would gladly and promptly hang the party – let’s not turn a minor issue into a political crisis. I appeal to our party members and delegates to support Mr. Governor to seizing the moment and have a bounce in the polls and thereby reversing the PDP’s momentum.

    “The people of the state – the workers; civil servants, the artisans, market women, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and the civil society – are counting on the Comrade Governor, and the party to provide positive leadership and this can only be done by taking on the fight that matters on Saturday – to avoid a flameout – we have no luxury of engaging in destructive sideshows”, Mayaki advised.

  • Experts to aviation minister: consolidate on existing policies

    Stakeholders in the aviation sector have called on the minister of aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, to consolidate on existing policies, programme initiatives as well as stimulate incentives that would accelerate the development of the sector.

    They said the minster could only be adjudged to have contributed significantly to the development of the sector if he succeeds in putting in place the sector’s master plan that would define how the different policies and programmes would be implemented to enable aviation contribute significantly to the gross domestic product from its paltry less than one per cent .

    Speaking in separate interviews, Sheri Kyari, an aircraft engineer and Mr. Ben Ola, an aviation economist, said recent policies announced by the minister concerning automation of revenue for aviation agencies, streamlining of aviation personnel as well as the service performance index rolled for the agencies would go a long way to fix some of the challenges the aviation sector had been grappling with.

    They said Chidoka’s activities in the last eight months are a pointer to the fact that he appears to have a good understanding of how to fix sore points in the aviation sector.

    While giving a performance scorecard, they listed part of the issues he has attempted to resolve to include rampart corruption in the sector at different levels with the inauguration of an anti-corruption committee in partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

    Besides tackling low level corrupt practices among airport workers, the airport authority has attempted to improve security around the airport by restricting the movement of unauthorised persons around the terminal.

    The minister, they said, has engaged stakeholders in interactive sessions to gather input on how to develop the aviation sector.

    Only last week, he convoked an industry gathering where he sought their views on how to move the aviation sector forward.

    Speaking at the interface and discussion session, Chidoka said there are lots of untapped opportunities for the sector, especially Lagos, which, he said, would have positioned itself as hub of aviation in the West African sub-region.

    “We also have weak corporate governance in the industry, poor incentives for private sector participation. Also the under-utilised Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and under financed domestic airlines are also part of the problem,” he said.

    The minister, however, said that with appropriate policies, programme initiatives and incentives, this industry would pick up speed.

    To achieve the desired result, Chidoka recently collaborated with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC), to check low-level corruption in the aviation industry.

    He gave the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) two weeks within which to end the activities of these groups.

    Chidoka said that corruption has scared away a lot of foreign investors from the country. He also ordered the Chief Executive Officers in the aviation agencies to meet in one week and submit a report to his office on how to move the airports in the country forward and also improve on them.

    He warned that if FAAN fails to get rid of touts at airports, especially the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, he would not hesitate to take a decisive action against the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma.

    He stated that the federal government cannot sit down and fold its hands and overlook corruption in the system and warned that the government would at any moment from now come down hard on touts.

    To put an end to corrupt activities at the airport, the federal government has installed new Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in all the strategic places within the airport and monitors the activities of all the officials of the agencies while discharging their duties.

    However, due to the inability of airlines to operate 24 hours into some airports in the country and which airlines have been complaining about, which is not the best for Nigerian aviation, the federal government has not rested on its oars, as it has awarded contracts for the installation of AirField Lighting (AFL) systems in 13 major airports across the country to optimise 24hours airlines services.

    Also deployed is 24 hours surveillance patrol at the five international airports, which include Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano and Enugu International Airport (EIA), Lagos.

    Also, is the pronouncement by the Minister of Aviation that airlines operating in Nigeria must have at least a Nigerian in the cockpit beginning from July 1, 2015.

    “Effective from July 1, 2015, all airlines operating both general and commercial services in Nigeria must have a Nigerian pilot in their cockpits. We cannot grow Nigeria without Nigerians. For us to grow Nigeria, we need Nigerians. We have been trying to get information from operators and we got this information from those who operate in the industry. We do know that Nigerian aviation industry has come of age and we hope to maximise the benefits for Nigerians,” he said.

    The policy was also hailed by the Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Capt Nogie Meggison, who described the policy as a welcome development and that it would help to remove the thousands of unemployed pilots from the street.

  • Syrian casualties surge as jihadis consolidate

    MORE than 2,000 Syrians – almost half of them pro-government forces – have been killed in just over two weeks of fighting in Syria, marking one of the worst death tolls in the country’s three-year civil war, opposition activists said Monday.

    The reports reflect a recent surge in deadly attacks by the al-Qaida-breakaway Islamic State group targeting President Bashar Assad’s forces, signaling shifting priorities as Sunni militants seek to consolidate their hold on territory and resources in northern Syria.

    Assad’s forces have gained momentum in the fighting with rebels seeking to topple him from power. Infighting also has hurt the rebel cause, with Islamic extremists battling more moderate fighters who have been greatly weakened by lack of weapons and clashes with the militants.

    But a series of recent setbacks for the Syrian government at the hands of the Islamic State group threatens to overturn government successes, pitting the Syrian army against a formidable force that now controls large chunks of territory in the country’s north and neighboring Iraq.”Now that they’ve mopped up rebel resistance to them in the east, the Islamic State (group) can turn to the regime,” said Aymenn al-Tamimi, an expert on militant factions in Syria and Iraq. “It may have been a benefit (to the Islamic State) to deal with rebels first, but the assault against the regime was inevitable.”

    The recent attacks came after Assad was re-elected last month to a third, seven-year term in a vote that was confined to government-controlled areas and dismissed by the opposition and its Western allies. In his inauguration speech on July 16, he confidently declared victory and praised his supporters for “defeating the dirty war.”Since then, fighters from the Islamic State group have launched attacks against army positions in three different provinces in northern and central Syria. In the past week alone, the militants captured a government-controlled gas field and two major army bases in three different provinces.

    More than 300 soldiers, guards and workers at the Shaer field were reported killed by Islamic State militants in a three-day offensive to capture the field.

    The army recaptured Shaer this past weekend.Militants last week also overran the sprawling Division 17 military base in the northern Raqqa province, killing at least 85 soldiers inside.

    Amateur videos posted online by activists showed more than a dozen beheaded bodies in a busy square said to be in Raqqa.

  • Obi, cleric urge Obiano to consolidate on present gains

    Outgoing Anambra State Governor Peter Obi yesterday told the governor-elect, Chief Willie Obiano, not to be distracted by scavengers, who foment trouble.

    He advised him to be focused, decisive and concentrate on the job without being misled.

    Obi spoke at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Church in Awka during a mass in honour of the inauguration/swearing-in of Obiano and his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, today.

    He said: “Consider the children, the masses, in the decisions you make.

    “You should not bother about what people will say about you because some will call you names, but the ultimate is to achieve good results.”

    The Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, said leaders should sacrifice their time and energy for the people.

    He said leadership was not about the quest for material things, but service to the people.

    The cleric advised that public funds should be meant for public and not private use, urging leaders to forgo personal agenda and pursue that of the public.

    He enjoined Obiano to consolidate on the partnership between the church and the government, noting that the church would pray for his administration to succeed.

    Ezeokafor noted that with the level of performance by Obi, Anambra had reclaimed its place in the country.

    He advised Obiano to emulate his predecessor and listen to advice.

    “It is a means of carrying the people along and ensuring the delivery of democratic dividends to the rural dwellers.”

    Obiano thanked Obi and the indigenes for the support given him and Okeke.

    He solicited prayers to succeed.

    Okeke told The Nation that they would maintain Obi’s legacies.

    Those who attended the service included Chief Victor Umeh, Obi’s outgoing deputy, Emeka Sibeudu, traditional Rulers, among others.

    Obi visited Nnewi yesterday and launched a N3billion shopping mall project to be built by ZHONTIAN Construction Company at Nkwo Triangle.

    He said government paid N600million to the company, which, according to him, was 20 per cent of the total amount of the contract as mobilisation fee.

    Obi said his administration had set 20 per cent aside in the bank as another installment to the contractors, assuring that the project would not be abandoned by the Obiano government.

    The outgoing governor said his contract policy was to mobilise the contractors with 10 per cent of the contract sum, but he mobilised the shopping mall contractors with 20 per cent to make up for the delay in launching the project, adding that on completion, it would give Nnewi a facelift.

    A consultant for the project, Mr. Allen Duze of Ngonyama Okpanum Associates, said the project was expected to be completed in 14 months, but could be finished in one year.

  • NFF to consolidate on 2012 gains — Maigari

    NFF to consolidate on 2012 gains — Maigari

    NIGERIA Football Federation (NFF) President Aminu Maigari has revealed exclusively to SportingLife that the target of the football house in 2013 is to consolidate on the gains of 2012 and ensure that the game moves forward.

    The former Bauchi State FA Chairman, said: “It is wrong for anybody to say that we did not perform well in 2012. The outgoing year was an eventful one for us. Though we did not make it to the 2012 Africa Nations Cup, we had an almost 100 per cent qualification result in the 2013 edition. Also, the Super Eagles are on course to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. At present, we are topping our group. The Flying Eagles (U-20) male team also had a 100 per cent qualification result for the Africa U-20 Youth Championship to be held in Algeria later next year, same to the Golden Eaglets (U-17) male team. They also posted a 100 per cent qualification result in their own cadre to qualify for the Africa U-17 Youth Championship holding in Morocco in April next year.

    “In the Female category, it was not also a bad result, as the Flamingoes ( U-17) female team played up to the quarter finals of the U-17 World Cup in Azjabazan, while the Falconets (U-20) female team played up to the semi-finals in their own category in Japan. It was only the Falcons (senior ) female national team that performed below average in the Africa Women’s Championship in Equatorial Guinea. In all we had a good outing in the year 2012. The Beach Soccer team crowned it all by retaining the COPA Beach soccer trophy towards the end of the year”.

    Projecting into the year 2013, Maigari said,“We are going to consolidate on these achievements in the new year. We are going to kick-start the year with the Super Eagles’ campaign in the Africa Nations Cup holding in South Africa. I am not entertaining any fears that the team would do well. We gave the technical crew all the free hand to rebuild the team, and everyone is now happy that a new Eagles is gradually evolving. We will see them more in South Africa, and by the special grace of God, they will make Nigerians smile at the end of the day. We will also ensure that the team qualifies for the 2014 World Cup slated for Brazil. The other qualifying matches will be played in the new year. So, we will motivate the team properly to ensure that they pick one of the Africa ticket. Both the U-17 and U-20 male teams will be supported to ensure that they qualify for their various competitions at the world level. We will also support the rebuilding process in the senior women’s team, to ensure that they reclaim their lost title in Africa, same to the junior women’s team, and the Beach soccer team. However, these things will not be realised without adequate funding. We need all the financial assistance from the federal government and corporate bodies to achieve these feats in 2013,” he concluded.

    He was full of praises to the federal government for the enabling environment given to the NFF, while also appealing for the support of all soccer-loving Nigerians in the new year.