The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Executive Director

  • Nigeria ranks fourth position in  global sales of soft drinks 

    Nigeria ranks fourth position in  global sales of soft drinks 

    Nigeria ranked fourth globally in total volume sales of soft drinks in 2016, statistics from Euromonitor International, global market intelligence research publishers has revealed.

    The statistics showed that 38.68 million litres of soft drinks were sold in the country in 2016, putting it behind only the United States (114.75), China (88.18) and Mexico (45.30) in top markets ranking.

    Mrs Martina Claus,  Head of Market Development, German Engineering Federation, made this known while speaking at the ongoing Third International Trade Exhibition on Agrofood, Plastics, Printing and Packaging in Lagos.

    Claus said 1.98 million litres of alcohol was also sold in Nigeria in 2016, while total volume sales of drinking milk products were 147 tonnes.

    She said: “Nigeria’s fast-growing population brings with it a continuing demand for soft drinks, especially as the climate is quite hot.

    “Urbanisation also drives demand for ready to drink soft drinks amongst busy, on the go consumers, whilst the lack of potable water is largely responsible for the consumption of 36.08 million litres of bottled water in 2016.”

    According to her, the Nigerian food and beverage market remains viable for investment despite the challenges of high energy cost and volatile raw material prices.

    Claus said one of the avenues for attracting prospective investors was the Drinktec Trade Fair for the beverage and liquid food industry which would take place in Munich, Germany from Sept. 11 to Sept. 15.

    She said the event was expected to attract around 1,600 exhibitors from over 70 countries and more than 70,000 trade visitors from all over the world.

    Also speaking, Mr Ahmed Omar, Executive Director, Nigeria Institute of Packaging,  said there was the need for Nigerians to take advantage of the huge opportunities provided by the food and beverage industry.

    Omar urged small and medium scale businesses to collaborate on how to source, package and supply raw materials to big players in the global market in order to maximise their gains.

  • Heritage Bank clears Executive Director

    Heritage Bank clears Executive Director

    Heritage Bank yesterday said its Executive Director, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, remains an employee of the bank.

    This is contrary to an online report that she had been relieved of her appointment.

    A statement by the bank yesterday said Mrs. Akpobome remained “a valued Executive Director” of Heritage Bank and had “not been found wanting in any form or shape.”

    Heritage bank accused the online news platform of engaging in de-marketing Heritage Bank as its major occupation.

    The statement said: “Financial institutions have credit policies governing its processes and management. These policies are designed and enforced by regulatory agencies to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the entire credit chain. But above all, Heritage Bank like all other banks in Nigeria are under the strict supervision of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    “Contrary to the picture the online platform keeps painting to the public, the law governing banking in Nigeria does not allow a ‘few powerful’ management team members to control any bank.

    “Heritage Bank has never been controlled by any one individual or ‘powerful’ individual(s) as deceitfully stated by this online news platform.

    “Heritage bank is a legal entity, and like any other public liability company, is managed by an efficient Management and Board accountable to all its stakeholders and the Central Bank of Nigeria”

  • NGO advocates full implementation of Special People’s Law in Lagos

    NGO advocates full implementation of Special People’s Law in Lagos

    The Centre for Human Rights and Empowerment (CHRE), on Thursday,has called for the full implementation of the Lagos State Special People’s Law.

    Mr Olusola Akinbode, the Executive Director of the centre, made the call at a Media Roundtable in Lagos.

    Akinbode said that there was a wide gap between the People with Disabilities (PWDs) and the able-bodied, which he said, was the reason for the enactment of the law.

    The law was passed by the 6th Lagos State House of Assembly in June 2011.

    The Governing Board of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) was inaugurated by former Gov. Babatunde Fashola on July 9, 2012 and charged with implementing the Law. the Law seeks to uphold the rights of all persons living with any form of disability in Lagos State by safeguarding them against all forms of discrimination and giving them equal rights and opportunities.

    The Law also seeks to uphold the rights of all persons living with any form of disability in Lagos State by safeguarding them against all forms of discrimination and giving them equal rights and opportunities.

    Akinbode said, “This effort is part of a continuing process of creating awareness for the rights of people with disabilities.

    “Today, implementing the law is still a problem, this is because the government is not fully committed to its implementation,” Akinbode said.

    Also, Dr Babatunde Awenleje, the General Manager of LASODA, said that the office had taken up the responsibility of developing a database to effectively plan for people with disabilities.

    Awelenje said that the database would enable the state government to formulate policies to empower and make them relevant in the scheme of things.

    He said LASODA was also planning to establish coordinating offices across the 20 local government areas to decentralise its office for the convenience of members.

    “LASODA has organised a lot of activities to sensitise the PWDs not to see themselves as a second fiddle in the society.

    “We plan to create coordinating offices to be headed by PWD as a way of giving them employment,” Awelenje said.

    In her remarks, Dr Ngozi Udonbana, the Head of Post-Graduate Studies, Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies, urged the government to train and empower people with disabilities.

    Also, Mrs Anthonia Oredipe, the Director, Directorate for Citizens Right, Ministry of Justice, in Lagos, said that government would do everything possible to guide the rights of PWDs.

    Oredipe said that the state government had exempted them from paying for the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) services.

    “I think integrating them into all facets of life will be a lasting solution to the issue of discrimination against PWDs in the state,” Oredipe said.

  • Expert identifies cause of Nigeria’s economic woes’

    Expert identifies cause of Nigeria’s economic woes’

    The discovery of oil and subsequent multi-dollar income thereafter by past governments is responsible for the current economic woes of Nigeria, acting Executive Director, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Dr. Yomi Kasali has said.

    Kasali, an engineer added that in the 70s, agriculture contributed over 70 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), maintaining that the advent of petrol, Nigeria’s economic scenario changed.

    The executive director said this in Idofian, Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state at the opening ceremony of cassava growers and tractor operators.

    The training was organised by African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in conjunction with Cassava Mechanisation and Agriculture Processing (CAMAP) and NCAM. Participants were drawn from Kogi, Kwara, Ogun and Osun states.

    His words: “Nigeria has always been the highest producer of cassava, but the production per hectare has stagnated to between 15 and 20 tons per hectare compared to more than 30 tons per hectare in other countries such as Brazil and Malaysia etc. Efforts should therefore be made to see that the hectarage production be improved.

    “This is another milestone in the mechanization of cassava in the country. This training would not have come at a better time than this period of economic recession in the country when all tiers of government are trying to embrace the diversification programme of the federal government.

    “Before you can empower beneficiaries of a programme, you need to train and educate them in order to impact the practices and technologies of the services that are required to bring about an optimum production.

    “The training will, therefore bring to the fore, the persisting problems encountered in the field and how to solve these problems. Also, the operation and maintenance of tractors and equipment on cassava mechanization will go a long way in improving the skill of operators and maintenance capabilities of the beneficiaries.

    “The country is littered with scraps and carcasses of different tractors due to lack of spare parts and proper maintenance. Maintenance increases the operating life of tractors. Tractor maintenance and its operation are very paramount to the realization of timely operation, optimum production and reduction of downtime.”

  • Edo APC, aspirants need to run scared, Mayaki warns

    Edo APC, aspirants need to run scared, Mayaki warns

    As the Governorship primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state is around the corner, the party “needs to run scared and eschew politics of blackmail, bitterness and internal bickering in other to avoid political bruises into the general elections”, the Executive Director, Media and Public Affairs to Edo State Governor, Mr. John Mayaki has warned

    Mayaki said the most crucial thinking of every progressive is to have an APC successor to the Comrade Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole who is aiming to assail an opposition candidate because, “I have no doubt the party’s primary contests would yield a pretty good sense of who the nominee will end up to be”.

    According to Mayaki, “The Comrade Governor has been very respectful of all the aspirants, while placing the interest of the party first. He is careful not to put his thumb on the scale, but at some point, the verdict is the verdict and that point is almost certainly here.

    “I expect Mr. Governor to formally stump and aggressively campaign for the party’s nominee among the aspirants, starting with a formal endorsement of the nominee’s candidacy immediately after the primary but not after blackmailing him”.

    The Spokesman said that the Governor, who sees an APC successor as critical to his legacy, is impatient to begin campaigning. He said, “Mr. Governor is taking nothing for granted”.

    “I want us to run scared the whole time as a party because we have a general election ahead of us. It is novel that a second-term Governor enjoys the popularity to be a potent force on the campaign trail, and equally have an eye on who succeeds him.”

    Mr. Governor is particularly enthusiastic, Mayaki said, about taking on the opposition party and whoever their presumptive candidate would be.

    Continuing, Mayaki said, “He (the Governor) has indicated he wants to spend a lot of time on the campaign trail, so when it’s time to do that, we’ll all go out guns ablazing.

    “We should begin to actively think through how to bring everyone together in the party; what works for the would-be party nominee, what works for the Governor, and how to utilize his strengths and his appeal.

    “A would-be nominee will earn Governor Oshiomhole’s endorsement and his active participation in the campaigns because he is particularly strong at making the economic argument for the party’s candidate. Besides, his position in the party and popularity made him ideally suited to counter any opposition.

    “No one really rewards politicians fighting each other in a general election”, Mayaki said. “The party needs to run scared. The party is full of attack dogs. Mr. Governor needs the support of everyone, including the aspirants having made us feel better about our economic future.”

  • Photos: Children exhibition

    Photos: Children exhibition

    L-R: Executive Director, Laterna Ventures, Mrs Oluyinka Morgan; Manager HR and Admin, Laterna Ventures, Mrs Debola Ibikunle; MD The Baby Lounge, Mrs Itoro Ugorji; CEO School KIts Ltd, Mrs Temilola Adepetun; MD Fun Factory and Froggles Kids World, MRs Bolanle Mabawonkwu at a briefing to unveil the First National EXCLUSIVELY CHILDREN EXHIBITION scheduled to hold in Lagos.
    L-R: Executive Director, Laterna Ventures, Mrs Oluyinka Morgan; Manager HR and Admin, Laterna Ventures, Mrs Debola Ibikunle; MD The Baby Lounge, Mrs Itoro Ugorji; CEO School KIts Ltd, Mrs Temilola Adepetun; MD Fun Factory and Froggles Kids World, MRs Bolanle Mabawonkwu at a briefing to unveil the First National EXCLUSIVELY CHILDREN EXHIBITION scheduled to hold in Lagos.

    Okunborr

    Okunbor

  • Adelabu named ED of First Bank

    Adelabu named ED of First Bank

    The Chief Financial Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Adebayo Adekola Adelabu has been appointed an Executive Director of the bank.

    The appointment of Mr. Adelabu, who still retains his portfolio as the Chief Financial Officer, is subject to the approval of  the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The choice of the new director, according to the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya is to enhance the capacity of the Executive Management and Board, by deepening specialization and strengthening the corporate governance culture of the Bank.

    A first Class accounting degree graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and an alumnus of global accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Adelabu was formerly the Group Financial Controller of the Bank between 2009 and 2010 and the pioneer head of Business Performance Monitoring Department between 2005 and 2007.

    Under his leadership, the existing performance management framework for the Bank was set up while he was also credited with the successful execution of the Bank’s medium term strategic plan targeted  at profitable growth with respect to revenue maximization and cost optimization. He also had a brief stint at Standard Chartered Bank between 2007 and 2009 as General Manager and the West African Regional Head of Finance and Strategy.

    Adelabu is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria with over 20 years of global and far-reaching professional experience in Banking, Audit and Management consulting.

    Commenting further on the appointment, Mr. Onasanya said as the leading financial services institution in Nigeria, the Bank is keen on ensuring adherence to international best practices in the constitution of its Board and Management. “We, therefore, continuously seek the most capable talents in-house and in the industry to fill vacant positions within the group,” he said.