The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Germany

Germany to partner NGO on waste to wealth

The German government has pledged its technical and financial support for a non-governmental organisation, Vicfold Recyclers to convert waste to wealth.

Vicfold Recyclers, an Ilorin, Kwara State environment-based NGO, specialises in collecting waste, especially plastic bottles from households with a fee being paid in return.

The German support is in the area of providing machines to Vicfold Recyclers to crush the plastic bottles collected and turn them to useable materials.

German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck made the pledge in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during the presentation of the winner of ‘You for G20 Competition’ to Vicfold Recyclers.

Represented by Press and Diplomacy Officer, German Embassy, Abuja, Nigeria, Ludwig Jung, Mr. Schlagheck said, “Over 200 budget proposals and applications were submitted and after a rigorous selection process Vicfold Recyclers came on top. We are here today to hand over the certificate of ‘You for G20 Competition’ to the NGO and also to pledge support for the project.

“The German government will support Vicfold Recyclers with equipment and machines for the processing of all the waste to useful materials.

It has submitted proposals for the upscaling of the NGO and we will support that. We will support the project not only symbolically but financially.”

Founder of VicFold Recyclers, Victor Amusa hailed the decision of the German government to assist his fledging NGO.

Amusa said, “It is surprising that this event is holding today. It actually goes to show that little effort counts. Right actions taken towards sustainability someday get rewarded, because when we saw the contest for ‘you for G20 competition,’ it all happened in the confines of our room. It dawned on us on how else we need to put what we do out.. We had 19,368 votes. The internet community was wonderful. To us at our local corner here in Ilorin, there is this belief by the internet community.

“The passion is there, but the support was no longer there. Most times I used the car for our logistics to convey waste here, then we would get back to car wash for cleaning up. It got to a time we stopped washing it. The ‘You for G20 competition’ winning came to us as a

moral booster. There is no way we can right the history of Vicfold Recyclers without remembering the German mission. They have been very wonderful.

“Let me also add that the problem of plastic waste is that of portability. We looked a situation when we are taking waste from you you get an alert immediately. It is has been wonderful. Each time we reward our subscribers, you see the joy, happiness and inner fulfilment from them.

“We are going to make the German mission proud of its decision to select our project out of the over 200 applicants. When we make them proud it will open opportunities for the teaming young population we have. It is going to get our hands busy and make the economy of our state gets buoyant. It is also put food on the table of the unemployed women. We are so particular about the women because when you feed a woman you will feed a nation.”

August 29, 2017
Global medical trade fair begins Nov 13 in Germany

ALL is set for the annual world’s biggest medical trade fair, Medica, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

This year, the 41st in this series will hold from November 13 to 16, 2017 across 17 exhibition halls and 262 000 sqm of space.

In a statement yesterday, Trade Fair Services Limited, West African representatives for Messe Dusseldorf GmbH (organisers of Medica) for over three decades, said it will again support West African visitors to the event.

The statement reads: “The uniqueness of this event resides in the fact that it has remained the premier networking and communication platform for the global medical technology marketplace. Visitor statistics from Medica 2016 indicate 128 000 international visitors, including 100’s from Nigeria and 1000’s from the West African region chose Medica as the base for their business deals.

“Over 5,000 exhibitors from 70 countries will use Medica 2017 to present their entire range of new products, services and processes for inpatient and outpatient care. No other event worldwide matches the display of such a wealth of innovations.

“The medica trade fair will focus on: Electromedicine / medical technology (approx. 2,500 exhibitors), laboratory technology / diagnostics, physiotherapy / orthopaedic technology, commodities and consumables, information and communication technology, medical furniture and specialist furnishings for hospitals and practices.”

August 18, 2017
Germany trains 230,000 farmers in Nigeria, others

German Development Agency (GIZ) has trained 230,000 small farmers in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Cameroon.

The farmers were trained under its Farmer Business School training (FBS).

In collaboration with 20 local partners, the organisation said it developed the Farmer Business Schools’ training programme to strengthen entrepreneurial skills.

According to it, 440 trainers and supervisors were trained to organise the FBS programme. GIZ said one-fourth of farmer business school graduates were women. GIZ explained that graduates were taught to plan their production, record their income and expenses as well as the use of agricultural input and labour. Seventy to 99 per cent of the farmers polled, it said, have increased cocoa and other crop yields by between 50 and 100 per cent.

More than 60 per cent, the organisation said, have opened accounts with rural banks, and their savings will serve as collateral for new loans. A third of the FBS-trained smallholders have joined producer cooperatives to improve their position in the market.

Accordingly, yearly household incomes from agricultural production have risen: the recorded increases lie between EUR 160 and EUR 756. The report said: “Incomes from non-cocoa products, primarily food production, have more than quadrupled, with recorded increases of between EUR 660 and EUR 830. With this additional income, the small businesses are better able to cope with fluctuations in cocoa prices and yields. The total income effects for Western and Central African smallholders are estimated to be EUR 12.5 million.

The project, according to the organisation, supports public and private extension services to provide business training for small farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria and Cameroon.

During the FBS, the organisation said the farmers learnt how to better plan cocoa and food production, costs associated with improved production techniques, and how they can increase yields and incomes through targeted investment.

The organisation listed the agencies involved in the programme to include: National Planning Commission, Nigeria; Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana; Ministry of Agriculture, Côte d’Ivoire; Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development Cameroon and Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Togo.

In addition, the organisation said the project cooperates with agricultural trade companies and microfinance institutions, which provide the farmers with technical advice and training, market information and financial services. They also offer advisory services and training on food production and healthy diets. The project which started in 2014 will end next year.

August 11, 2017
Ehizoya set for Nollywood festival in Germany

German-based entertainment outfit, Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V culture, has presented this year’s Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and Nollywood Europe Gala Awards (NEGA) awards projects to His Excellency, Mr D. O. Falowo, Nigeria’s new Consular General in Frankfurt, Germany.

The President of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment, Mr. Isaac Izoya, said NFFG and NEGA, both scheduled to hold on September 8 and 9, 2017, are meant to promote Nigeria in Europe via Nollywood movies produced in Germany.

Responding, Falowo said “I can’t wait to witness the event because I heard so much about it when I was still in United States of America before coming to Germany. I was aware when Her Excellency Senator Danzilla James from Atlanta Georgia and Dr. Queen Blessing Itua came to receive their awards respectively some years back. They came back to United States then singing praises of the event generally.

“You could then imagine how I felt when I was posted down to Frankfurt. We are here to support viable projects of this magnitude which is very good for our country’s image.”

Expected to attend are Nollywood stakeholders and Diplomatic Corps, VIPs from Abuja, Ghana, UK, USA.

The Nollywood Events (NFFG & NEGA) are organised by Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V, in alliance with Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. Stadt Frankfurt Kulturamt (Ministry of Art/Culture – Frankfurt), Hessen State Filmforum Höchst VHS-Frankfurt Am Main, The Office for Multicultural Affairs (Amt für multi culturelle Angelegenheiten – AmkA), Ethiopian Airlines and the Nigeria community e.V, Frankfurt, Germany.

Two movies – Diplomatic Strings and Strings will premiere on the opening night while Candle in the Wind by Abdul Salam Mumuni and shot in Ghana is also among movies that will be screened at the festival. Diplomatic Strings, produced by Izoya was shot in Frankfurt and Lagos and produced by Isaac Izoya.

On September 9, Deranged, which was produced by Nadia Buari and shot in Ghana will also be premiered. Later, the NEGA gala night will hold at Friesstrass 20 60388 Frankfurt Am MMain and Nigerian comedian Kenny Blaq and Hip hop star Zeez and local-based artists Tu-Brain and Shaba will entertain guests.

July 10, 2017
President Xi arrives in Germany in advance of G20 summit

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, arrived in Berlin on Wednesday, part of a flurry of diplomatic meetings in advance of G20 summit slated for Friday and Saturday in Hamburg.

Xi was greeted with military honours by German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, before heading off to a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

He stopped on the way to sign the guest book at Bellevue Palace, the president’s official residence.

Next on his agenda was a visit to Berlin’s zoo with Merkel, where the two are to view a pair of pandas that recently arrived in the German capital, a gift from China.

The evening will be rounded out with a banquet hosted by the German president.

Xi and Merkel will both attend the G20 summit, where they are expected to discuss a host of topics with other world leaders, including joint policies on climate change and world trade.

NAN reports that Xi had a stop over in Russia where he met with President Vladmir Putin on Monday where they discussed bilateral cooperation and coordinate positions on a range of international issues ahead of the G20 Summit in Hamburg.

July 5, 2017
G20 summit: Germany expects 8,000 violent protesters in Hamburg

German security forces expect some 8,000 violent protesters to converge on the northern city of Hamburg where Chancellor Angela Merkel will host leaders of the G20 leading economies.

Interior Minister said on Tuesday that some 20,000 police officers will secure the Friday and Saturday event in Germany’s second-largest city where anti-capitalist protesters are expected to riot.

NAN reports that on June 20, German police unveiled a mass detention centre built in anticipation of protests against the summit.

Authorities say roughly 8,000 of those are prepared to use violence.

The 11,000-square-metre centre in Hamburg’s southern Harburg district has 70 group cells and 50 single cells that can hold as many as 400 detainees, according to police spokesman Timo Zill.

A supermarket once stood at the location, which was most recently used as refugee accommodation, Zill said.

Refurbishing the venue as a mass detention centre was meant to cost three million euros (3.4 billion dollars), but Zill said it remained to be seen whether the project would exceed the budget.

July 4, 2017
Lars Stands Tall as Germany Win ANOTHER Tournament

Lars Stindl struck the only goal as Germany beat Chile 1-0 to win the Confederations Cup in St Petersburg.

Borussia Monchengladbach forward Stindl tapped home against the run of play after a defensive blunder midway through the first half as world champions Germany added another major trophy to their collection.

Copa America winners Chile wasted a glut of goalscoring chances in either half and with the help of a superb stoppage-time save from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Joachim Low’s side held on to win the tournament for the first time.

Germany celebrate as they lift the Confederations Cup title in the Saint Petersburg Stadium

Germany players celebrate with the trophy after winning the controversial game

Lars Stindl of Germany celebrates scoring his side’s first goal with team-mate Timo Werner

Stindl was left with a simple tap in after Werner found him unmarked in the penalty box

Marc-Andre ter Stegen celebrates as the referee blows the full-time whistle on the match

Alexis Sanchez looks on in frustration as his Chile side struggle to come to terms with defeat

MATCH FACTS

CHILE: Bravo; Isla, Jara, Medel, Beausejour; Diaz (Valencia 53); Aranguiz (Sagal 81), Hernandez; Vidal; Sanchez, Vargas (Puch 81).

SUBS: Rodriguez, Silva, Fuenzalida, Mena, Roco, Herrera, Gutierrez, P.Diaz, Toselli.

BOOKINGS: Vidal, Jara, Vargas, Bravo.

GERMANY: Ter Stegen; Mustafi, Ginter, Rudiger; Kimmich, Rudy, Goretzka (Sule 90), Hector; Draxler, Werner (Can 79), Stindl.

SUBS: Brandt, Younes, Wagner, Henrichs, Leno, Demirbay, Plattenhardt, Trapp.

GOALS: Lars Stindl 21.

BOOKINGS: Kimmich, Can, Rudy.

REFEREE: Milorad Mazic.

After the two sides drew their group game 1-1 10 days ago Chile made the brighter start in the rematch and were clearly the better side throughout most of the first period.

Alexis Sanchez flashed a shot wide in the second minute, Arturo Vidal’s effort from inside the penalty area was parried by Ter Stegen and Eduardo Vargas fired over the crossbar from 25 yards.

Another effort from Vargas was well held by Ter Stegen as Chile looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

Ter Stegen then spilled Vidal’s shot from outside the area into the path of Sanchez, but the Arsenal forward could not control the rebound and another chance went begging.

Moments later Germany snatched a 20th-minute lead with their first meaningful effort on goal.

Chile defender Marcelo Diaz gifted Timo Werner the ball on the edge of the box and the Germany striker ran on and turned the ball across goal for Stindl to tap into an empty net.

The South Americans carved open the German defence again four minutes later, but the final ball into the box from Mauricio Isla flew beyond Charles Aranguiz with an equaliser beckoning.

Chile’s Gonzalo Jara fouls Germany’s Werner with what appeared to be an intentional elbow

The striker was left needing lengthy treatment on the injury after going down heavily

Joshua Kimmich and Arturo Vidal square up to one another after a confrontation

Referee Milorad Mazic reviewed TV footage of the incident with the video assistant referee

Mazic surprisingly decided to hand Jara a yellow card despite reviewing the tackle

Chile’s Edson Puch, left, and Germany’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen challenge for the ball

Germany finished the half strongly, with Leon Goretzka lashing an angled shot wide following Sebastian Rudy’s brilliant through-ball before Julian Draxler steered a low effort inches wide after being set up by Werner.

Early in the second period, Gonzalo Jara’s last-ditch block deflected Draxler’s shot wide before Serbian referee Milorad Mazic booked Bayern Munich team-mates Joshua Kimmich and Vidal following a fracas as the game turned feisty.

Mazic called on the video assistant referee just after the hour mark when Jara appeared to strike Werner in the jaw with his elbow as he challenged for the ball. But the VAR review courted more controversy when Mazic opted to show the fortunate Chile defender a yellow card.

Chile began to threaten again with 20 minutes left. Vargas’s low shot on the turn inside the area was gathered by Ter Stegen and Vidal thumped the ground in frustration after lashing his effort off target.

Edson Puch set up fellow Chile substitute Angelo Sagal for another gilt-edged chance in the 85th minute, but the latter blazed over from eight yards.

Ter Stegen denied Chile again in time added on, diving low to his left to keep out Sanchez’s free-kick from just outside the area to ensure victory for Low’s experimental squad.

Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal tries to bring his side back on terms with an acrobatic effort

Chile players surround Germany midfielder Emre Can as he attempts to hold on to the ball

Sanchez almost scored an equalising goal with the last kick of the game from a free-kick

Germany’s Shkodran Mustafi, left, hugs his Arsenal team-mate following the final whistle

July 2, 2017
Germany to Face Chile in Final, Beats Mexico 4-1

Leon Goretzka scored twice in the opening eight minutes as Germany beat Mexico 4-1 in Sochi to join Chile in the Confederations Cup final.

The Schalke midfielder swept home a Benjamin Henrichs pass from 20 yards and then slotted home from Timo Werner’s through ball.

Werner then tapped home Jonas Hector’s pass to increase Germany’s lead.

Marco Fabian scored a brilliant 35-yard strike for Mexico, before Amin Younes added a fourth for Germany.

Mexico had plenty of chances to come back into the game at 2-0 down but squandered them.

Fabian’s stunner came too late to threaten a comeback, although there was a chaotic ending with several chances at both ends.

While Germany go onto Sunday’s final in St Petersburg, Mexico face Portugal in a third-fourth play-off earlier that day.

Timo Werner scored Germany’s third to join Leon Goretzka on three goals for the tournament

Germany boss Joachim Low left most of his regular star players at home, including Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller.

That their weakened squad includes first-team players from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, Arsenal and Liverpool speaks a lot about the strength in depth of German football.

Germany have two young teams in international finals this weekend. Five of the starting 11 in the Confederations Cup semi-final would have been eligible for Saturday’s European Under-21 Championship final against Spain – including Goretzka and Werner, who are now joint top scorers in the tournament with three apiece.

Despite their opponents having chances, Germany looked comfortable, with Goretzka impressive before he was replaced midway through the second half and Werner staking a claim to be Germany’s first-choice striker for next summer’s World Cup.

The RB Leipzig front man could have scored more, but attempted to poke one effort through Guillermo Ochoa’s legs, with the Mexican keeper blocking that effort, and put another shot wide from a wide angle.

Ajax’s Younes scored their late fourth, turning home a pass from fellow substitute Mere Can.

Twenty six shots. One goal. Mexico waste their chances

It took Mexico 89 minutes, but they finally beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen

With better finishing, Mexico could have revitalised a game that felt over within eight minutes. They had more than twice as many shots as Germany – 26-12 – and had more efforts on target too, eight to seven.

Fabian’s effort from a short free-kick was the best goal of the game.

At 2-0, Giovani dos Santos forced a save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Javier Hernandez shot over from six yards, while Hector Herrera and Raul Jimenez also tested the Barcelona keeper.

Jimenez went even closer when he hit the crossbar with a header in the 75th minute, although at 3-0 that would only have been a consolation.

After Younes made it 4-1 in injury time, Mexico still had time for more attempts with Hernandez clipping the post and Jimenez heading wide.

Mexico start their Gold Cup defence a week after their third-fourth play-off against Portugal.

However, only three members of the Confederations Cup squad are playing in the tournament for teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

June 29, 2017
ISIS: Six people arrested in Europe-wide sweep

Six suspected followers of the Islamic State terrorist group have been arrested in Spain, Britain and Germany in a joint operation, Spanish Police said on Wednesday.

Four people were arrested in Palma de Mallorca, while one each was arrested in the central English City of Birmingham and the western German City of Dortmund.

The man arrested in Birmingham, which is considered a focal point for the Islamist scene in Britain, is 44 years old. Britain has been rocked by deadly terrorist attacks in London and Manchester this year.

In Germany, the Office of Criminal Investigation for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was involved in the operation that led to the Dortmund arrest.

The group is believed to belong to the same cell, according to the investigators.

They are suspected of glorifying holy war in radical video messages and of supporting suicide attacks in Europe.

June 28, 2017
Spain deports 23 Nigerians for various offences

The Spanish Government on Tuesday deported 23 Nigerians for committing various offences in the country, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

They were deported barely five days after 34 Nigerians were sent home from six European countries for committing immigration-related offences.

NAN reports that 34 Nigerians were jointly deported by six European countries on June 22 for committing immigration-related offences.

The deportees were sent back home from Switzerland, Germany, Iceland, Austria, Belgium and Hungary.

NAN gathered that the new set of deportees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMlA) Lagos, at about 6.40 a.m on Tuesday.

The new deportees, comprising 21 males and two females, were brought back in a privilege style aircraft with registration number EC-IZO.

DSP Joseph Alabi, the spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, confirmed the development to NAN.

Alabi said that the deportees were received by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

He said that others also on ground to receive them were officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to him, nine of the deportees, who were deported for drug-related offences, were handed over to the NDLEA.

He said that two others, who were deported for criminal offences, were handed over to the police.

Alabi said that the remaining 12 deportees, accused of breaching the country’s immigration rules, were profiled and allowed to go to their respective destinations.

June 27, 2017