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  • Firm encourages good sleep pattern

    Firm encourages good sleep pattern

    Regular sleep recreates and stabilises human system while its deprivation causes disorder, writes Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

    Nigerians have been urged to observe regular  sleep  to enjoy heathy  living. They were told that the consequences of sleep deprivation are grave.

    The Group Managing Director, Vitafoam Nigeria plc, Mr Taiwo Adeniyi, stated this at this year’s World Sleep Day organised by the firm as part of the activities marking the event. This year’s theme was: Sound Sleep Sound Health.As part of activities to mark the day, the  company did a walk that started from Falomo under Bridge, Lagos and ended at its Ikoyi head office in Lagos.

    Adeniyi said sleep is important as a good one gives a healthy living, but, “Sleep deprivation can lead to higher risk of chronic health problems such as  high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. According to Harvard Medical School, for people with hypertension, one night without enough sleep can cause elevated blood pressure all through the next day.

    He continued:“Some of the most serious potential problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke.  Also, research links a lack of sleep to an increase of the stress hormone- cortisol in the body with its consequences. “

    He said everyone feels better after a good night’s rest. “A minimum of seven hours of sleep is a step in the right direction to improve one’s health. Short changing self on sleep has a negative impact on the health in many ways such as lack of alertness because even missing as little as one and half hours can have an impact. Lack of sleep can affect the ability to think and to remember and process information that can cause impaired memory. It can also cause relationship stress as it can make you feel moody, and you can become more likely to have conflicts with others. The quality of life is affected as you may become less likely to participate in normal daily activities or to exercise. A greater likelihood for car accidents is common as drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities each year, according to the Federal Road Safety Commission.”

    “If you continue to operate without enough sleep, you may see more long-term and serious health problems. Other potential problems include obesity, depression and lower sex drive. Chronic sleep deprivation can even affect your appearance.  Over time, it can lead to premature wrinkling and dark circles under the eyes. Sound sleep is one of the four pillars of health, when sleep fails, health declines and that is the greatest quality of life,” said Adeniyi.

    Adeniyi made reference to former American president Bill Clinton who once admitted that some of the grave mistakes he had made in life were made when he was tired.

    “The organisational cost of insufficient sleep shows that sleep awareness programmes can produce better leaders. The unawareness of a healthy sleep can reflect on leadership. Most of Nigeria’s current economic challenges can be traced to years of bad leadership that would have been averted if we had better sleep awareness programmes in our society,” said Adeniyi.

    To assist Nigerians enjoy good sleep, he said his company has come up with affordable Vitafoam three new sets of mattresses- Vital Haven, Galaxy Classic and Spring.

    “We have mastered the act of sleeping over the years and this is why we have continued producing quality sleep products that will help our dear esteemed Nigerians to have sound sleep. This year, we are launching three new sets of mattresses; Vital Haven, Galaxy Classic and spring to give Nigerians perfect sleep” said Adeniyi.

    Experts say getting a good night sleep depends on a lot of factors; comfort, stress level, room temperature but to get it right you have to start with the basics and your mattress is the first building block to a restful slumber.’’ Our spring and Orthopaedic mattress are posturpaedic, orthopaedic and therapeutic. These mattresses help to support your body in a neutral position, one in which your spine has a nice curvature while your buttocks, heels, shoulders and head are supported in proper alignment,” said Adeniyi.

    Also speaking on the importance of sleep, Dr Adefemi Adeoye of Clinical Fellowship Sleep medicine, University of Toronto said quality sleep gives quality health, “We spend about a third of our entire life sleeping; sleep is important in restorative function, without sleep we won’t have enough energy to function well the following day and science has made us know that a lot of hormones that help in building up cells that we’ve utilised in different parts of the body are built during sleep.”

    In our society, nowadays, people aren’t getting enough sleep. They put sleep down on their priority list because there are so many other things to do – family, personal and work life. These are challenges, but if people understand how important adequate sleep is, it makes a huge difference,” said Dr Adeoye.

    On the numbers of hours to sleep, Dr Adeoye said: “There are nine age-specific categories with a range for each, which allows for individual differences of how many hours one should sleep. For older adults, 65+ years, it is seven to eight hours; adults, 26 to 64 years, it is seven to nine hours; young adults, 18 to 25 years, seven to nine hours; teenagers, 14 to 17 years, it is eight to 10 hours; school-age children,   six to 13 years, it is nine to 11 hours; preschool children, three to five years, it is 10 to 13 hours; toddlers, one to two years, it is 11 to 14 hours; infants four to 11 months should sleep for 12 to 15 hours; while newborns zero to three months should sleep for 14 to 17 hours.

    Though there is evidence that genetic, behavioral, environmental, comfort, strees level and room temperature factors help determine how much sleep an individual needs for the best health and daily performance, a minimum of seven hours of sleep is a step in the right direction to improve one’s health, said Dr Adeoye.

  • Firm unveils new logo at 50th anniversary

    O Fifty years is not 50 days.

    For a firm to survive the harsh economic environment in Nigeria for 50 years calls for celebration. It was in the light of this that one of the foremost oil and gas companies in Nigeria, SAIPEM, rolled out the drums while celebrating its 50 years of doing business in Nigeria. It also used the occasion to unveil its new logo. The firm has operated in Nigeria since 1967.

    Reeling off his company’s achievements in the last 50 years, the Managing Director of Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, Mr. Guido D’Aloisio said the company had done well in the area of infrastructural development.

    On national development, Guido D’Aloisio said: “Nigeria will need to put infrastructural facilities in place in order to attract foreign investors into the country so as to  develop some of the key infrastructure that will drive the country’s development while focusing on boosting economic growth.”

    The anniversary began with the unveiling of the 50th-year anniversary logo which was the first of activities lined up for the event.

    The company, which is a major EPCI contractor in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, has been responsible for the development of some of the major infrastructural facilities in the industry in the onshore and shallow waters and deep offshore fields.

    Not only that, the company is working to improve capability and technology in order to attract the right investments from organisations with good track records and potential to develop the economy.

    Guido D’Aloisio explained that since its 50 years of doing business in Nigeria, the company has become a leader in local content, adding that over 90 per cent of its workforce are Nigerians, some of whom have spent over 25 years working for the organisation.

    “We have Nigerians working here with us for over 25 years. For us, the Local Content Act is a continuation of what we were doing for many years,” he said.

    He further explained that as part of the company’s desire to make the Nigeria market attractive to foreign investors, the firm has built a strong presence and reputation in the oil and gas industry over the years, adding that investors are willing to do business with reliable and competent organisations; therefore presenting SAIPEM to these investors is an indication that the investors are dealing with the right company capable of delivering on time, quality and safety.

    “Today, we want to reflect not only on how far we have come with our values and mission, but also more importantly on SAIPEM’s future. The industry we compete in will continue to evolve just as it has over the years, with groundbreaking innovations and new ways of doing business. “We are better positioned to lead these advances. We have the resources to solve tough problems, we have invested heavily in assets, innovations and we have the deepest commitment to development in the industry.

    “Our facility in Rumuolumei in Port Harcourt Rivers State represents an example of this. With one million sqm yards, and a production capacity of 27,000 tons per annum, the yard still represents the largest and the most technologically advanced yard in West Africa.

    “We have an approach which is global but with a focus on the local environment. We have always been there; therefore we have always tried to integrate ourselves into the environment in which we are working. We have partnered with local companies to develop their capabilities and have brought in our technologies and experience in project management, engineering fabrication and construction. We leverage on our worldwide experience in the development and execution of complex and innovative turnkey projects all over the world,” he said.

  • Firm promotes indigenous talent

    As part of efforts in promoting the rich culture of the people of Ondo State, Goldberg, also known as “Your Excellency” recently engaged traditional drummers in a cultural competition in Ikare Akoko, where Aje Olokun drummers emerged the overall winner with the grand prize of N250, 000.

    The second position with the cash prize of N150, 000 was won by Afunbiokun Drummers, while Aloyinlapa Group claimed the third position with the prize of N100, 000. The other two finalists Omolere and Heritage Group got N50,000 each.

    The contest at Ikare Akoko was the third of the drummers’ competition in the ongoing Goldberg Excellency tour, following the Abeokuta, Ilorin and Ado Ekiti editions. The tour will also visit lle lfe in Osun State and Benin City in Edo State in the next editions.

    The traditional drummers contest started with a procession through some streets of Ikare Akoko and it attracted a large turnout of residents who trooped to the venue of the contest to witness what they described as a new dawn in cultural rejuvenation among the Yourbas.

    Speaking at the finale, the Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Funso Ayeni, stated that the Goldberg Excellent Excellency Tour which is also scheduled for Ado Ekiti, Ile Ife and Benin City.

  • Lagos, firm launch artisans’ portal

    Lagos State Government and Isabiwork Nigeria Limited have launched an online platform to promote artisans.

    The portal, isabiwork.ng, according to the company, came out of the desire to help project artisans’ work, connect them with customers and serve as a source for the services of artisans, such as carpenters, furniture makers, cobblers, electricians and fashion designers.

    Isabiwork Nigeria Limited Managing Director Mrs Oghenekevwe Omotosho told The Nation that the artisans would register with their phone numbers, business names, and proof of their handiwork. This company, she said, would help display their talents, which would culminate into referrals for them.

    Mrs Omotosho said the company has adopted measures to ensure that only credible artisans were captured.

    She said the platform would enable potential clients to have easy access to artisans in their localities.

    She said:  “We promise to always deal with only skilled efficient and reliable artisans after a thorough due diligence has been put in place as regards their credibility and expertise. There is a big gap between the artisans and their viable customers. We are also here to provide as much benefits as possible.”

    Through the government’s support, she said, the platform would also provide regular training for artisans to ensure that they are up to date with their work etiquette.

    “We have discovered that most of them lack good customer relations and time management. And some of them are half baked.  With the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, we are going to train them,” she said.

    The platform currently has 2,000 artisans with group life insurance cover courtesy of the company.

    An artisan on the platform, Mr Kazeem Eletu, who is a member of the Nigerian Union of Tailors, Awoyaya Branch, said the portal has opened their eyes to benefits they never thought they could have.

    The effort, he said, would go a long way in growing the Micro Small-Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME).

    He said: “This platform has exposed us to benefits that we thought were only exclusive to those in government work. Now we know that we can insure our lives and future as artisans. And we can also save for the future. The platform has also organised trainings for us that have opened our eyes to how we can relate better with customers.”

  • Firm engages Nigerian professionals

    A HEAD of this year’s  global creative ranking of agencies, the Chief Executive Officer of Loeries Award Company (LAC), Mr. Andrew Human  has engaged creative directors of leading advertising shops in the country.  The development is to galvanise them into showcasing their creative works at the Loeries Festival.

    Speaking at a workshop organised by company for Nigerian Creative Directors, Human stated that the Loeries Awards is a festival that celebrate creative works in the African and Middle-East region and the celebration would not complete without the participation of Nigerian creatives.

    “Our judging criteria are regional creativity; how you are using Nigerians in Nigeria, for Nigerians. So, we want to see Nigerian works and you have to enter. If you want to win a race, you have to run; if you stand and watch, you can’t win. That’s the key thing. Our festival is second to Cannes in size; we have about 5000 delegates. We have all the big clients- MTN, DSTV, Vodacom, South African Breweries, banks, media agencies, and many others. So, more than the awards, it’s a networking festival,” he said.

    The Loeries CEO also provided them needed information for award entries, judging criteria and tips to winning a Loeries award.

    Human said works that fly between June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017, and are created for Africa or the Middle-east are qualified for entry. Works created by the region for western markets can also be entered.

    On how creative works are judged for the awards, he stated that same criteria are used for all categories. He listed the criteria as innovation, quality of execution, relevance to the market audience, relevance to the brand, and relevance to the chosen medium.

    Highlighting the six steps to winning a Loerie award, Human said: “Start with a great idea. Keep the work simple like in the newspapers; let the heading tell the story; don’t keep the best for the last like in a novel. Don’t create work for the sole purpose of winning an award; work with your clients and do work that add value to your clients. Study the category and know where to enter. Make your stats relevant. And lastly, presentation can make you lose an award; treat every entry as a pitch.”

    The Loeries Awards is the most prestigious awards for creativity in Africa and the Middle-East.

  • Electricity firm seeks public support against vandalism

    The Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has urged members of the public to help in containing the growing activities of vandals affecting steady power supply in the zone.

    The Senior Corporate Communication Officer of the company, Mr Kingsley Nkemneme, made the call Friday in Yola in an interview with newsmen.

    Nkemneme said that within the past two months no fewer than 10 transformers were vandalised.

    “Our properties worth millions of naira were vandalised by insurgents, which we are trying to replace only to be faced with this raising problem of vandals.”

    Nkemneme lauded the effort of Mijili community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa who assisted in arresting a vandal, and urged other communities to emulate them.

    “We want to urge the public to be active participants in helping us to serve them better.

    “Whoever they saw around our facility who claimed to be our staff must tender genuine ID card of YEDC.

    “The public need to know that while we suffer economic losses due to activities of vandals, which is pure economic sabotage, they (public) experience hardship due to lack of power supply caused by the vandals,” he said.

    On shortage of pre-paid metres, Nkemneme assured that the company was set to acquire 130,000 metres under its first phase of metering for the year.

    He also said that the company had recently installed 240 single phase high voltage transformers to boost power supply in the zone.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the YEDC is covering Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Taraba states

  • Firm canvasses technology strategy

    A marketing and communications company, Verdant Zeal, has reiterated the importance of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as key players in not only Nigeria’s economic growth, but Africa’s.

    The firm said governments and other development partners needed to harness the power of technology to make a quantum leap in order to have a fair chance of development on continental scale. The company said it was casting a long range vision for the future by focusing on growing technology among African youths.

    Its Group Director, Synergy, Mr. Dipo Adesida, while briefing reporters in Lagos earlier in the week, disclosed that his firm planned to train youths on how e-commerce and mobile money would help grow the economy as part of the innovation series the firm was promoting.

    Adesida said the initiative was part of the desire to give back to the society as the company celebrates its 10th Anniversary. “We, as Verdant Zeal, will not only  galvanise the youth  and inspire them to think differently, but will ensure a robust engagement so that some of them would have opportunities to live out their dreams,” he assured.

    As part of the innovation series instituted to examine the question of Africa’s development  and hone opportunities for growth, he stated that the firm would also leverage on inherent strengths.

    To achieve this, a lecture/symposium is being organised by the firm, with the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje and Etisalat’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Matthew Willsher as discussants to encourage the youths.

    He said: “Africa is gradually moving from a resource based economy to knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. This has helped in impacting our youths as more youths now are exposed to the internet and get to share ideas with both local and foreign friends.”

    The Group Director Marketing & Business Development and Chairperson, 10th Anniversary Planning Committee, Nkiruka Oguadinma, said there would be an art exhibition showcasing their operations in Africa. She said the exhibition would cover artefacts from nine African countries.

    On their expansion drive in Africa, Oguadinma said they were studying the business bend in other African countries.

    According to her, any income from the exhibition will be donated to the Society for the Blind and Sickle Cell society.

  • Firm equips school lab

    The dream of science students of Day Secondary School, Tunga, Minna, Niger State to use a standard laboratory for study got a boost when Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, an oil exploration company, refurbished their archaic laboratory. The oil firm spent over N3 million to bring the old laboratory to life.

    The school, which was established in 1988 with about 200 qualified teachers and a student population of about 4,000, had been using inadequate and obsolete  apparatus, thereby denying students the opportunities to investigate, engage in scientific reasoning, manipulate equipment, record data, analyze results, and discuss their findings.

    Head of Science Department of the school, Aisha Yusuf, said, with the upgraded laboratory would improve students’ performance in the two subjects.

    According to her, numerous challenges had faced laboratory approach in science instruction raging from the use of inadequate labs to outdated facilities.

    She said the school borrowed facilities from other schools to be able to form reagents or carry out experiments especially during external exams.

    At the commissioning/ handing over of the equipment to the school recently, the Senior Adviser, Public and Government Affairs, of the firm, Abdullahi Jibrin, said, the refurbishment of the combined Physics/ Chemistry laboratory was part of the company’s commitment to shaping lives through improved education in Nigeria.

    According to him, MPN supported the education project through the Network for science Education Advancement (NSEA).

    He stated that ExxonMobil subsidiaries had contributed over N10 billion Naira in supporting good education in neighboring communities and across Nigeria.

    “Education is vital to the development of communities and is the means through which tomorrow’s future leaders are built. This is why over the years, ExxonMobil subsidiaries have contributed over N10 billion naira in supporting good education in our neighboring communities and across the nation.

    “Through this project, we hope to further improve the quality of education received by the students in this community.

    “This project Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) three million six hundred and eighty five thousand naira only (N3, 685, 000.00). It is our hope that the beneficiaries will endeavor to make the most of this opportunity, and that through projects like this, we will improve education and raise the standard of living across communities in Nigeria.

    “We expect that the laboratory and all equipment will be maximally utilized for the benefit of all. The laboratory has been upgraded and provided with equipment such as; conical flasks, a galvanometer, test tubes, screens, micrometer screw gauge, optical lenses and litmus papers etc,” Jibrin said.

    The Principal of the school,  Mr. Ibrahim Anzag, said the school had grown from strength to strength over the years and that in spite of crumbling laboratories and other facilities, 60 per cent of the students achieved credit in at least five subjects in both the Senior School Certificate Examination  (SSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) exam in 2016.

    Mr. Anzag, said effort will be made to boost the academic performance of students with the rehabilitation of the laboratory, adding that the laboratory would be used with care.

    He called on the state government to recruit lab technician to keep the facilities in good shape.

    The principal said delinquent behavior which had been a major concern in the school had hugely reduced among students.

    He cited lack of classroom and office furniture, perimeter fencing, sporting facilities and relevant textbooks as the major challenges affecting the school and called on the state government to address them.

  • SEC seals off firm for alleged Ponzi operations

    SEC seals off firm for alleged Ponzi operations

    Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sealed off the premises of a firm, Yuan Dong (YDEC), for unacceptable investment operations.

    Its Head, Corporate Communication, Mr. Naif Abdussalam, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the closure was to end the firm’s unlawful activities against unsuspecting investors.

    “Investments in the scheme range from a minimum deposit of N10,000 to a maximum deposit of N240,000.

    “The investment period of the scheme is pegged at a minimum of 30 working days to a maximum period of 10 months with offer of interest rates on short and medium term basis.

    “The company promises a daily profit of N80 and N2,400, depending on the category of investment,” he said.

    Abdussalam said the commission’s investigations showed the company also enticed its customers with payment of bonuses should they convince more investors to invest in the scheme.

    He said the commission established that the company’s activities also constituted a breach of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA), 2007.

    “Furthermore, it was discovered that contrary to their supposed existence in over 20 locations across the country, the company only has functional offices in Asaba, Kano and Abuja.

    “The promoters of these illegal operations have been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force and are undergoing interrogation.

    “The commission wishes to notify the investing public that the company is not licensed to carry out investments business of any type and as such, its operations are illegal,” he said.

    Abdussalam advised the public to exercise due diligence and caution in the course of making investment decisions.

  • Fed Govt, governors, firm meet over $4.5b Chinese agric loan

    The Federal Government has met with some governors and a Chinese company, YTO China-Africa Machinery Corporation (CAMACO), to fine-tune the implementation of the $4.5 billion agriculture infrastructure loan agreement with the Peoples Republic of China.

    The Chinese government had, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to China last year, promised to support agriculture in Nigeria with machinery, including tractors and irrigation infrastructure.

    Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Chief David Umahi (Ebonyi) and representative of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State attended the meeting.

    The governors harped on the quality of the equipment, adaptability to weather and technical maintenance, among others.

    Umahi warned against low quality equipment and asked for detailed specification of what would be supplied to avoid bringing in machinery that may not be suitable for Nigeria’s hot weather.

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh said the government would not accept any low quality equipment, urging the Chinese firm to work out how it would assemble in Nigeria and, eventually, manufacture some of components locally.

    Ogbeh  noted that the government would not take loans without designing the means of repayment.

    “We are negotiating the interest rate, telling them to produce here when our steel mill comes on stream. We are harping on specification. We are also discussing how to pay back the loan, through export of agriculture produce,” Ogbeh said.

    The governors agreed to meet with the technical committee to identify agriculture produce in the states that could be exported to China.