The Nation Newspaper

Tag: firm

  • Firm expands African footprint

    PKF International Limited has strengthened its global coverage with the admission of KLSA Associates as a member firm in Tanzania.

    KLSA Associates’ core services are audit and assurance, accounting, tax and business advisory. The firm has significant industry expertise in agriculture, the financial services sector, retail, energy, tourism and telecoms services, engineering, aid donor and government services.

    Strong growth in Tanzania’s natural resources and tourism sector (gold, oil, gas and hotels) has led to PKF responding to client demands for sector expertise by expanding its global presence in Tanzania.

    Its Nigeria Senior Partner, Mr. Tajudeen Akande welcomed the new member firm, saying it would further encourage uniformity of standard audit and advisory services for multinationals expanding tentacles across Africa. The new entry will also enhance Africa regional cooperation and integration, especially in areas of financial advisory, IT infrastructure and International Financial Reporting Services (IFRS).

    A statement endorsded by its Media and Brand Consultant, Sanya Onayoade explained that  in joining the PKF International network, KLSA  Associates will be able to tap into shared global resources and expertise to better serve client needs.

  • Firm kicks off inclusive teaching, learning drive

    Piston and Fusion, a leading training organisation, has kicked off its newest concept of leadership and capacity development drive for teachers aimed at exposing participants to global standards of ‘inclusive teaching and learning’.

    Working with the Institute for Learning, United Kingdom, the body is leveraging on its corporate social responsibility platform to complement the efforts of the Lagos State Government on the education development in the state.

    Established last year, its the firm’s Programme Director Mr Adeola Badmus, told The Nation at its Omole, Lagos office that the body veered into teachers’ emancipation because that area receives less attention.

    He said: “One of the yardsticks in evaluating the success of most of our schools is the performance and development of its various students. In reality of this and in achieving this cardinal success, our teachers must have the right skills to engage, motivate and meet the various needs of the students; a trait we intend to strengthen and improve on both parties through this training.

    “We observe that corporate organisations and even well- meaning individuals donors are mostly interested in putting infrastructure in schools but with very little attention on teacher development. So, if we have good schools but poor teachers, the product will be faulty.

    “Therefore, we have decided to take on certain number of teachers at every quarter and and improve on their skill with the hope of improving education in Lagos State.’’

    According to Badmus, one teacher representing 11 schools, has been incorporated into the first batch, which began on Monday, last week, noting that other batches would follow.

    Piston  and Fusion’s Director of Programme Ono Okechukwu,  explained that the concept would benefit the teachers by equipping them with more skills that would make them relevant to teaching, especially at the state level.

    “To get the best out of our teachers, schools must have development programmes that will improve teachers’planning and delivery approach to be in-line with global standards,” he added.

    Badmus stressed that the workshop would increase student pool, equip teachers with modern skills and techniques in teaching, and, ultimately, impart on a better performance by students in their various national examinations across  boards.

  • Firm revamps Oyo community’s cassava processing cottage

    In continuation of its policy of investing in communities to positively impact the lives of smallholder farmers across Nigeria, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has rehabilitated the Cassava Processing Cottage at Ago-Are, in Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State. The facility was originally inaugurated and handed over to the community in December 2004.

    According to the Executive Director, BATNF, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ashade, the rehabilitation became necessary due to expansion of agricultural activities, especially the cassava value-chain enterprise. Besides, the Ago-Are agrarian community, last year, had requested of the foundation a facility expansion to increase cassava processing into various derivatives.

    She revealed that the rehabilitation of Ago-Are Cassava Processing Cottage signposts the foundation’s commitment to supporting efforts targeted at alleviating poverty among smallholder farmers.

    “Our work in supporting smallholder farmers in rural communities in Nigeria is our answer to the challenge of poverty and our approach to transforming the society to self-sufficient people who can feed themselves, earn an income from their farms through processing and feed the larger population.

    “So far, the foundation has established community development projects in all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, some of which have resulted in wealth creation and food security,” Ashade said.

    While urging the smallholder farmers to take advantage of the initiative to enhance their livelihood, Ashade expressed optimism that with the handing over of the facilities, the foundation believes that the beneficiaries and the community at large, will put the equipment into proper use in order to increase their productivity and income, thereby making life more meaningful for the beneficiaries, their households and the socio-economic life of the community.

    Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented at the event by the Director of Rural Community Development in Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Pastor Yode Ayanlowo, said BATNF’s impressive agricultural interventions and development agenda have given indigenes of the state a renewed sense of hope. He reiterated government’s willingness to continue to partner with the foundation in its transformation drive by engendering an enabling environment.

    “Cassava plays a remarkable role in the agricultural development of Nigeria, especially in Oyo State, as it has transformed from a minor crop to a major crop. Importantly, Nigeria is believed to be the highest producer of cassava in the world, and by extension the highest consumer, leaving nearly nothing for export. This, however, requires a concerted effort to increase production of the commodity. We hereby assure BATNF of our continuous support and co-operation,” Ajimobi said.

    While inaugurating the Cassava Processing Cottage, the Aare of Ago-Are, His Royal Highness, Oba Abodunrin Oyetunji Kofoworola Olakanla II, commended the exemplary role of BATNF in alleviating poverty among smallholder farmers. He added that the foundation is reputed for its wealth creation agenda among smallholder farmers.

    “For the reason that agriculture is key to food security, it therefore becomes necessary to support and encourage smallholder farmers through periodic incentives that would enable them to earn a better living,” the monarch said, even as he acknowledged the BATNF’s giant strides in agricultural development in his community.

    He urged the organisation to also extend its interventionist schemes to the area of provision of potable water so as to enhance the livelihood of members of the community.

  • Firm on trial for ‘wonder bank’ fraud

    A businessman, Emmanuel Ugoakaeze, has told an Ikeja High Court that a company, Nospecto Oil and Gas,  diverted his N540.7 million to financial firms running high-yield investment schemes, popularly called “wonder bank”.

    In charge No: ID/212/2011, Nospecto and four others are being accused of conspiracy, stealing and collecting deposits illegally from the public without a licence, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    They were accused of fraudulently converting N360 million, property of Gladys Cho and Associates, and N180,750,000 belonging to Rivotel International Ltd, firms managed by Ugoakaeze.

    The other defendants are Alhaji Yusha’u Abdullahi Maiyaki; Alhaji Al-Sidiq Manga; Alhaji Monday Sumanu Philemon; and Alhaji Najeem Yusuf.

    The offences, the Commission said, were committed between August 2006 and May 2007 and are contrary to Sections 516, 383(1); (2)(f); 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Volume 2, Laws of Lagos 2003 (AS amended) and Sections 58(1) and 59(a)(b) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act LFN 2004.

    At the resumption of trial on March 28, Ugoakaeze, testifying before Justice Kudirat Jose for the prosecution during examination-in-chief, introduced himself as a director in a company, Rivotel International Ltd.

    Led on by EFCC counsel, Mr. A.M. Ocholi, he alleged that sometime in 2006, he was introduced to Alhaji Maiyaki, the chairman of Nospecto, by one Ambrose Okogie, a member of his church.

    “Ambrose had a business model that he said was generating N40,000 from an investment of N330,000 every month,” Ugoakaeze added.

    He explained that after the introduction to Maiyaki and Manga at a meeting, the defendants made a presentation and it was confirmed that the business “was real and authentic.”

    Ugoakaeze said: “I was encouraged to invest in it and I decided to give it a six-month trial. I later approached Alhaji Maiyaki, proposing that I wanted to buy land in Ikeja for a hotel. The cost of the land was N800 million.”

    He said he met the defendants and Maiyaki assured him they could manage his investments and urged him to invest his money in four companies appointed by them.

    “Their business, as per the MoU we signed, was transacting in oil and after he confirmed that they had licence to carry out the business. I sent N360 million to his suggested companies and they issued me with receipts. Eventually, we started transacting business and statements were coming,” Ugoakaeze said.

    He added that it was after six months that he saw on TV that “Nospecto was a fraud,” and that the company had invested his money in another company dealing in shares.

    “They introduced me to their stockbroker and it later occurred to me that the money I paid was diverted to several places. We visited their office in Victoria Island but they were no longer there.”

    The matter was adjourned by Justice Jose till May 23 and 31 for continuation of trial.

  • $3.8b FPSO: Content Board, firms laud LADOL over Egina project

    The journey to fully realise the $3.8 billion Floating Production Storage and Offtake (FPSO) oil platform reached another milestones yesterday, with the site tour by government agents and other concerned stakeholders who said the work done so far met international standards.

    The platform otherwise known as Egina project was awarded to Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) in 2013 to build a world class oil production platform in Nigeria with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), acting as the local content partner.

    Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB),  Daziba Patrick Obah, and Deputy Managing Director, Total, Musa Kida,  led a team of representatives of other International Oil Companies (IOCs) and top managers of Gulf Trade Bank (GTB), on an inspection tour of the project site at LADOL base in Tarkwa bay, Apapa-Lagos.

    The team comprising representatives of IOCs such as ENI, Chevron, Agip, Shell, Ezon Mobil, and others, were received by the Executive Chairman of LADOL, Mr. Ladi Jadesimi.

    The stakeholders who took turn to speak with reporters after a tour of the project site were unanimous that the FPSO is indeed a game changer for the nation’s economy. They added that it was capable of seeing the country make a quantum leap in her quest join the club G30 by year 2020.

    Kida said Total  was proud to be associated with the  fact that oil firm strongly believes the Nigerian Content is here to stay.

    “It was a huge technical struggle in taking the risk to believe that this integration can indeed take place here or anywhere in Nigeria. Now it has remained our pride for taking this step, and we remain committed to it,” he said.

    To this end, the Total oil chief appealed to government and other IOCs not to make the Egina fabrication “a one-off project that will seize to attract other projects.

    “This facility has been built to international standards, and Total is very comfortable with work done here so far as we believe that the base is capable of fabricating very huge modules that will be utilised in the FPSO. Egina installation will be side-by-side here by early next year, so it is going to be more impressive. My appeal therefore is that my colleagues in the oil industry should sustain this good beginning by ensuring that other FPSOs are done here at LADOL base,” he added.

  • Firm backs Fed Govt’s anti-graft probe

    Firm backs Fed Govt’s anti-graft probe

    A Nigerian-based firm, Inview Technology Nigeria Limited, has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government’s anti-graft war prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The firm is a software middleware partner for the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC’s) common standard set top boxes to enable customers access the free-to-view platforms by Digital Switchover (DSO).

    A statement by its Chairman, Nick Markham,  said: “Inview Technology Nigeria Limited is proud to be supporting the Nigerian government in the Digital Switch Over (‘DSO’) programme, and is committed to helping the NBC deliver free digital channels to the Nigerians.

    “To ensure that the DSO programme is managed correctly, Inview respects and supports the EFCC’s work investigating payments relating to DSO. As part of the EFCC’s investigation, allegations have been made in the press concerning actions that the Inview’s CEO, Babatunji Amure, may have taken.

    “Inview has taken these allegations seriously and has held discussions with the EFCC senior Investigating officer, who has confirmed that Inview is not involved in this matter.

    “The EFCC has confirmed that in fact the allegations relate to Mr. Amure’s role as CEO of D-Vine and therefore any actions Mr. Amure may have taken would have been outside the scope of his employment with Inview.

    ‘’The EFCC has also confirmed that the investigation has no impact on Inview’s work with the government concerning DSO. Inview will continue to support and assist the EFCC during these investigations,” the statement read.

  • ‘Defence firm to meet nation’s needs’

    The Director-General, Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Ogunkale, has said his determination to reposition the firm to meet the needs of the Armed Forces, police and other security agencies is a task that must be done.

    He spoke at an interactive session with the Commandant, Depot Nigeria Army, Brig.-Gen. Christopher Musa, who visited him at the DICON headquarters in Kaduna.

    Gen. Ogunkale said when Nigerians compared Brazil’s Defence Industries with DICON, he asked “how we got to where we are.”

    “We will brood over how we got to where we are. Whatever hurdles we have identified militating against our progress in our effort to sustain the goals of DICON’s founding fathers, we clear them and move forward.”

    The DG said he was on course to reposition the corporation, adding that he and his management team strategised weekly to attain the goals set for the industry.

    He said: “When I took over, the first thing I discovered was that the vision, mission and logo of DICON were limiting. They were not forceful enough to support the DICON of my dream. So what I did was to change them and the DICON board, with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Danjuma Sheni, as the chairman at their maiden meeting this year, giving tentative approval to them after they must have been fine-tuned.”

  • PPMC’s private security firm nabs oil thieves in Ogun State

    PPMC’s private security firm nabs oil thieves in Ogun State

    Topline Leighton Limited is a private pipeline surveillance firm hired by the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to monitor its System 2B that runs from Atlas Cove in Lagos State through Ogun and Ondo states to Ilorin in Kwara State. The firm has, between January and this month, punctured major illegal oil bunkering sites, including Roberts Village near Atlas Cove and Ogere Waterworks, among others. It also caught some suspected vandals. EMEKA UGWUANYI reports.

    •Over 1,000 jerry cans of petrol seized

    A major breakthrough in the fight against pipeline vandalism and oil theft has  been achieved.

    A private pipeline surveillance firm, Topline Leighton Limited, hired by the Pipeline and Products marketing Company (PPMC), an arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has caught some oil thieves at Ogere in Ogun State.

    The alleged oil thieves hacked the PPMC’s System 2B Pipeline at Ogere Waterworks area of Ogun State. The pipeline right of way is in the bush and has been a haven for vandals.

    However, luck ran against them (vandals) this week. The alleged thieves include Mr. Lanre Adewusi (47years), from Ogun State, Agbor Ayang (25 years) from Cross River, and Ebak Oyama (24years) from Cross River.

    They however denied being vandals and oil thieves when interviewed by The Nation. They said they were lured into the bush by a friend who said they were being hired to load planks.

    The Ogere illegal bunkering site has been notorious and the illegal activities there have degraded and polluted a greater part of the area with several abandoned wells and spills. At the site, about 1000 jerry cans of between 30 and 50 litres loaded with petrol (premium motor spirit) were impounded by the security agents and another over 1500 empty jerry cans packed in different parts of the bush.

    The Security Coordinator, Topline Leighton Limited, Mr. Adigun Adetona, after the inspection of the pipelines and stolen fuel, said the pipeline surveillance firm was hired to monitor NNPC/PPMC system 2B pipeline from Atlas cove to Ilorin in Kwara State. The System 2B Pipeline runs from Atlas Cove in Lagos through Mosimi in Ogun State to Ore in Ondo State and to Ilorin in Kwara State.

    “You saw we recovered over 1000 of jerry cans filled with petrol from the arrested vandals, as well as their equipment,’’he said.

    Adigun said since his firm assumed the surveillance of the pipelines, it has made series of arrests at Atlas Cove and environs and new discoveries of where vandals operate.  He said: “We are in-charge of the safety and Security of NNPC pipeline from Atlas Cove to Mosimi to Ibadan and from Ore to Ilorin. We are glad because of the landmark achievement here in Ogere Waterworks. You can see what we detected. Oil theft and pipeline vandalism have been going on here for decades but nobody has been able to apprehend the vandals but with our efforts and the collaboration of the security agencies, we are able to make this breakthrough. This is our commonwealth; they (vandals) are stealing. With the collaboration of other security agencies including the Police, Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, we are ready to match them in all fronts and ensure that our national assets are secured.”

    Adigun warned vandals to desist from destroying national assets and values, adding that it will no longer be business as usual. He said the vandals would  be handed over to the police for interrogation, adding that his firm’s efforts had reduced the number of attacks by vandals, which has improved the pumping of petroleum products from the depots. The pumping has been frequent and regular.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on zero tolerance against oil theft and pipeline vandalism had started yielding results.

    The Public Relations Officer, Mosimi Office, PPMC, Mr Godwin Agono, was also excited over the arrest of the vandals and noted that the stolen fuel would be returned to the depot. He lamented the loss of petrol from the Mosimi depot on daily basis due to the vandals’ activities.

    He told The Nation that quantity of stolen fuel seen at the Ogere illegal bunkering site sends a big signal in terms of the battles the PPMC face, adding that the more programme and models applied to curb their activities, the better technology often deployed by vandals.

    The Operations Manager and leader of the pipelines surveillance group, Mr. Aminu Joshua, appealed to the government for more support to track down more vandals. He said information about the Ogere arrest was put into reality on Monday during their patrol of pipeline’s right of way and discovered that about three trucks were coming out from the bush and were loaded with petrol.

    He said that oil theft had been the major occupation of the community, adding that they engaged the vandals in gun battle. ‘’We urge NNPC and other government agencies to support the pipeline surveillance team in other to drive the vandals away’’,he said.

  • Save us from sacked unionists, firm cries out

    •‘Leave me out of your crisis’

    Linda Manufacturing Company Ltd., producers of the popular Expression weavon, has called on the police to save the firm from its sacked unionists.

    The unionists, the firm alleged, have halted its productions for over two weeks under the guise of industrial unrest.

    The firm’s Operation Manager, Monday Nnah, told reporters that the sacked unionists have been preventing workers from entering the firm’s factory on Iju road, Lagos.

    The action, he said, followed the sack of eight unionists who instigated workers at the weavon and brushage sections of the factory on January 26, to vandalise company properties.

    Nnah said the workers were instigated by union officials who claimed to be protesting against poor ventilation and exploitation by supervisors, among others.

    He added that the unionists refused to collect the query issued to them.

    Nnah said another query was not replied, forcing the firm to terminate their employment.

    The Operations Manager fingered the National President of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), Comrade Boniface Isok, for the industrial unrest.

    When contacted, Isok denied the allegations, saying he had nothing to do with the unrest.

    He said he and his executives were exploring ways of resolving the industrial dispute.

  • Firm thrills customers with free offer

    Cold Stone Creamery, Nigeria’s foremost ice cream brand is saying rewarding its customers with a special three-day appreciation offer.

    The Buy One Get One Free offer starts from today to Wednesday February 17, 2016 and would be valid across all its stores in Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu and Abuja.

    The Marketing Coordinator of the brand, Timilehin Lajubutu, said: “This giveaway is our way of saying thank you and we love you considering the fact that we are in the month of love, to all our customers. It is also an open invitation to those who are yet to enjoy the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience to come on board”.

    She stated that the brand is this year, focusing more than ever on ensuring that it’s promise of making people happy is fulfilled.

    “We would be launching several creative promotions during the course of the year; these promotions are all aimed at giving our customers value for their money and keeping them happy by taking them on a journey of indulgence only Cold Stone Creamery can offer,” she said.