The Nation Newspaper

Tag: group

  • Emirates Group honours top employees

    Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, Ahmed Bin Saeed Al- Maktoum has honoured 51 employees for their commitment to excellence, exceptional levels of dedication and exemplary performance and service to the company’s customers.

    Ten individual and team achievements were acknowledged during the ceremony with three of these stemming from outstanding levels of teamwork.

    Hundreds of colleagues, families and friends of this year’s winners gathered at the annual ceremony at Emirates’ Group Headquarters, as Sheikh Ahmed presented them with the Najm Chairman’s Award trophy and a monetary gift.

    Addressing the audience, Sheikh Ahmed said: “I know that many of you have been eagerly waiting for this day. The Najm Chairman’s Awards is the highlight of the Emirates Group calendar, as we celebrate your most amazing achievements.”

    The annual Najm  Chairman’s Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of Emirates staff around the world. Hundreds of Emirates Group employees are nominated for the coveted award and after a rigorous selection process the winning candidates are named.

    He continued: “We saw major growth in 2014 across the business. We won many industry awards. And we welcomed over 9,500 new colleagues into the Emirates Group family. These success stories created headlines around the world. But today’s achievements come from people who have worked quietly behind the scenes.  They have shown commitment, courage and the will to succeed. It gives me great pleasure to award them in the presence of their family, friends and all of you here today.”

    This year, the Najm Chairman’s Award winners stories ranged from saving lives to forfeiting personal time to help passengers in distress,  working in challenging and dangerous environments, to professionalism in highly pressurised and difficult situations.

    Najm Chairman’s award winner  Hanane Senhaji literally went the extra mile when she travelled a staggering 1,053 extra miles to help a customer complete her Hajj journey. When an elderly lady from the Philippines was travelling to Jeddah to start her Hajj pilgrimage, she fell ill on board and had to stay in Dubai. When the woman’s health improved, she wanted to complete her pilgrimage but was not allowed to travel alone. Hanan travelled with the woman to Jeddah, so that this elderly customer could be reunited with her son and complete her pilgrimage.

    Villajos Gary Almoite and Herald Mendoza Mateo, both coordinators for dnata in Singapore, saved the day when an incoming aircraft missed its assigned spot due to low visibility. Gary jumped from the belt loader in front of the aircraft and crossed his hands to indicate that the aircraft had  to stop. Herald worked in tandem to raise the air-bridge to stop an imminent collision with the aircraft which was too close. Their swift actions and quick decision making helped ensure the safety of customers.

    The Group continues to develop and expand its employee base. Last year, the Emirates Group strengthened its total workforce country.

  • Bamidele’s group campaigns for Buhari

    The Ekiti Bibire Coalition, a political platform of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, has begun a house-to-house campaign in support of the presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    The campaign, which is to take the group to the 132 communities, is aimed at building a grassroots support base for Gen. Buhari ahead of the February 14 presidential poll.

  • Group back Ezea for Enugu governor

    Group back Ezea for Enugu governor

    A group, the League of Professionals in Enugu State has unfolded plans to mobilise the people to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ezea, at the general elections.

    The group described Ezea, a lawyer, as a dependable and committed politician, who has the love of the state at heart.

    In a statement in Enugu, the state capital, the group said that Enugu State is ripe for power shift.

    It added: “We have carefully and critically analysed the candidates who have been presented by their parties for the exercise and come to the conclusion that Chief Okey Ezea of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is the most suitable person to govern Enugu State in 2015.  In reality, the battle is between Okey Ezea and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and these are the candidates we invested much of our time investigating.

    “The other candidates are political jobbers, who are there to fill  the vacuum that may be created by some technicalities.

    “On performance, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2003.  No tangible project has been attracted by him to the communitieshe represents. We could not associate him with any tangible motion or bill throughout the period.

    “Okey Ezea, on the other hand, has been in private business. His business has grown into an internatyional conglomerate.  It is our firm belief, following our findings, that Okey Ezea will transform Enugu State with the same zeal and precision he built his business.”

  • Group pledges support for Buhari

    Group pledges support for Buhari

    A group, the Voters Initiative Network, has thrown its weight behind Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential ticket.

    Justifying the need to support their candidacy, the group said, the two men will promite the interest of Nigerians.

    The convener, David Henry, said the group’s mission is to assist the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates. “We will embark on door to door campaign for these preferred candidates – Buhari/Oshinbajo, distribute fliers and sensitise people why there must be change in Nigeria.”

    The group also hinted of plans to organise a five million youth match to bolster its campaign-drive initiative. “Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources, and youths have been neglected over the years in every facet of governance and support. We need change.”

  • Group hails NDDC chief Dan-Abia

    The National Convener of Journalists-for-Humanity, Mr. Nkeneke Efo, has praised the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barrister Bassey Dan-Abia, for being focused and committed to his job.

    In a release in Uyo, Efo said Dan-Abia’s NDDC intervened in roads repairs and rehabilitation and made the roads passable during the Christmas season.

    “Of particular note is the spoilt section of the Abak-Ikot Abasi Road which it awarded to Messrs Base Engineering. The place was so bad that commuters had to divert to the East-West Road through Mkpat Enin which was also bad but this changed as the NDDC worked on the road just before Christmas. We commend the intervention of the Managing Director who has shown that he is in the Commission to work and not for show.”

    Efo also said the NDDC under Barrister Dan-Abia is embarking on several other road projects, some of which was abandoned by his predecessors.

    “In giving Barrister Dan-Abia kudos, I also appreciate a focused Chairman of the Commission, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, who is always on the move to make sure the core reason for the creation of NDDC is achieved.”

    He said if Dan-Abia maintains his focus, the Commission will be one of the greatest performance indices of the federal government in due time.

    The National Convener further advised government agencies to take a cue from the Barrister Dan-Abia led NDDC by putting in their best for the common man whom they were placed in the position to protect.

     

  • Group protests high electricity tariff

    Business owners under the aegis of Cooperative Business Society of Abuja (CBSA) have protested the astronomical hike in electricity tariff in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

    The grouped, which described the actions of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, (AEDC) as inimical to economic and business growth in Nigeria, said the hike was a flagrant disregard of the Multi-Year Tariffs Order as contained in the  National Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC) guideline, and a set back to business growth, especially with world economy facing turbulent time and coming a few days to the general election

    Recently, the AEDC jacked up the Abuja electricity tariffs for businesses from N22.08 to N35.03 per kilowatts for commercial power consumers in the FCT, an increment of about 58 per cent.

    The group in their objection letter and petition signed by 25 heads and managers of business entities that formed the cooperative group, stated: “We the undersigned business society group in Abuja hereby objects to the sudden increase by 58.55 per cent in electricity kilowatt from N22.08 to N35.03for commercial power consumers in the FCT.  According to the multi-year tariff order for the NERC, the maximum electricity increase for 2015 is five per cent.

    “We are shaken by this blatant disregard to the commission’s guideline and total lack of interest in the business operating in the capital city. Many businesses have collapsed under the ever increasing weight of cost of operation and harsh economic environment.’’

  • Group berates Lagos CP

    Group berates Lagos CP

    A group, the Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative (CRGI), has blamed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, for the indiscriminate and unregulated pasting of campaign posters.

    A few weeks ago, Aderanti served a notice directing his officers to arrest any personnel of the State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) found removing posters.

    CRGI’s Executive Director Nelson Ekujumi told reporters that since the police gave the directive the street have been flooded with political posters, thereby defacing the environment.

    Aside the environmental impact, Ekujumi also lamented the negative impact it has on the regulated outdoor business.

    “We wish to bring to your notice for urgent redress, threats to the constitution, public peace, health, democratic and economic rights of Lagosians by the indiscriminate and unregulated pasting of posters and billboards of political parties, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    “Our investigation revealed that this act of lawlessness and impunity has resulted in the termination of two outdoor agencies advertisements by their sponsors and economic loss. As is expected, more is to follow, whose consequences on our already comatose economy is better imagined”.

    “We are disappointed that the police as an agency of the state set up by law can threaten and intimidate another agency of the state, (LASAA) established by the same law from performing its statutory responsibilities.”

  • Student group supports Buhari, Ambode

    Student group supports Buhari, Ambode

    A coalition of Nigerian students under the aegis of APC Campus Connect has called on students and youths across the country to come out en masse and vote out the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government.

    They said the Federal Government had only brought them pains, hardship, suffering and unemployment.

    Representatives of the group, which comprisesgraduates and undergraduates from Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and the University of Ibadan (UI), among others, visited the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Education, Fatai Olukoga at his office in Ikeja.

    They declared their  support for APC’s Akinwunmi Ambode for governor and General Muhammadu Buhari for President in next month’s elections.

    Opeyemi Eniola, who coordinates the group, said they were campaigning for a change for the better through APC.

    Olukoga expressed delight about the youths’ initiative, saying: “What Nigeria needs now is a change from bad to good, from darkness to light and to achieve this, the electorate should wipe out PDP in governance in totality. Enough is enough and Mr. President should know that we are no fools”.

    He chided President Goodluck Jonathan over what he called the insignificant reduction in petrol price from N97  to N87 per litre, saying it was merely a political gimmick and an insult on Nigerians.

    Olukoga warned government not to take Nigerians for a fool with the hypocritical reduction which, according to him, came few weeks to the presidential elections.

    He said: “The reduction is not proportional to the reduction in the prices of crude in the international market. In fact, if this administration is serious at all, the fuel price should be brought down to N67 per litre. From the foregoing, it is evident that the President, government and the PDP lack integrity because they talk from two sides of their mouth and I want to advise the electorate to be wary of any hypocritical carrot they dangle before them at this time.”

  • Group demands apology from leaders

    Group demands apology from leaders

    Ahead of next month’s elections, a group, The Build A Nation Initiative, BAN, has demanded an apology from past and present leaders for what it described as their failure to provide effective leadership.

    BAN is an advocacy group and change agent comprising people who desire the birth of a new Nigeria of their dream. It also aims at promoting accountability in leadership, advancement of citizenship rights and creating awareness against corruption.

    Speaking during the group’s inaugural media parley at the City Hall in Lagos Island, last weekend, the Convener, Mr. Mr Emmanuel Ehiemma, said a nation without a visionary leadership was doomed.

    He said: “Most Nigerians are dissatisfied with the current state of the country. Nigerians are daily confronted with economic, social, political and security problems. The injury is mostly self-inflicted by a greedy and selfish leadership that is unable to mobilise the people to achieve their full potentialities and destinies. As a first step in the process of reconciliation, the people demand an unreserved apology from past and present leaders for their failure to provide effective leadership and stewardship to Nigeria. The apology will affirm the supremacy of the people over the leaders, restore confidence and trust of citizens in order to mobilise against the challenges ahead. This, I believe, is the essence of democracy.”

    Eizu Uwaoma, a strategist with the BAN, said: “In Nigeria, we need a solution because we all know the problem. We are concerned about the leadership rather than the election because our leaders are the same set of people. We need people who are affected by their everyday decision. People are upset and are trying to find solutions to the socio-economic problems plaguing the country, but their voices are not heard.”

    Jacob Somoye, a participant, said Nigerian leaders had yet to realise that ultimate power resides with the people.

    Another participant, Clement Nwankwo, said without a strong political activity, the system cannot work. “Leadership is a quality. True leadership is not being served, but it is in serving. If a leader is not committed, there can’t be satisfaction on the part of the citizens. We need to train one another and educate the people. We don’t know when our leaders are wrong because we don’t know our rights”, he said.

    The event featured a documentary, a lecture and an interactive session.

  • Group hosts worship session

    A prayer group, Victorious Praying Women Ministry, will today start praise and worship session.

    The event will hold at Victory Place, 15, Nurudeen Olowopopo Road, Alausa, Ikeja in Lagos.

    The programme, themed: “Open the Flood Gates of Heaven”, will run till January 25.

    The seven-day worship will feature healing of “chronic ailment, outburst of blessings, promotion, breakthrough and solutions”.