The Nation Newspaper

Tag: high

  • Oliseh rates GloPremier League high

    Oliseh rates GloPremier League high

    Super Eagles’ coach, Sunday Oliseh has rated the Globacom premier League high and confessed that he hasn’t watched much of the games because he was just resuming as coach. He promised to give more home based players the opportunity to play in the National team.

    Oliseh further revealed that he had so far invited players from the home front that are eager to play for their fatherland as dedication is one key to play for the super Eagles.

    He, however, confessed that he had penciled down at least two good players in the encounter he  watched between Shooting stars and Abia Warriors in Ibadan last Sunday  but refused to disclose their names.

    Oliseh defended his choice of 18 foreign based professional footballers as against six from the local league saying Nigeria needs to prosecute every match with the best legs anywhere in the world.

    The ex-Eagles captain watched the encounter in Ibadan last Sunday in company of his brother, Churchill Oliseh and his assistant coach from Belgium, Lucito and that was his first game in the Nigerian Professional league since  assumption as Eagles coach.

  • Senate President receives British High Commissioner

    Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki has eulogised the bilateral relations between Nigerian and the United Kingdom, assuring that the present administration will fulfill its obligations to the betterment of the nation.

    The Senate President, who hosted the visiting British High Commissioner, Dr. Andrew Pocook, in his office, commended him for reinvigorating the mutual understanding between the two countries.

    He said that Nigeria will always look forward to Britain in areas of infrastructural development and social-security. Saraki added: “I am very delighted to receive Your Excellency in my office barely 48 hours to my resumption to office. This shows the level of commitment the British government has towards the course of Nigeria.

    “We look forward to a very good working relationship in order to move our dear country forward. Nigerians deserve the best of governance.”

    The Senate President spoke on the task before the new administration, assuring that, with the collaboration from the United Kingdom those challenges are surmountable.

    Dr. Pocook congratulated the Senate President on his election. He said the United Kingdom will always walk closely with Nigeria government in ensuring good governance at all levels.

  • Etisalat takes stock, rates 2014 high

    Etisalat takes stock, rates 2014 high

    Etisalat has said this year has been good for its business in the country, promising to delight its customers with innovative products and good service quality in the coming years.

    Its Centre Manager, Marina Flagship Experience Centre, Oluwaseyi Ayebiwo, who spoke on the sideline with The Nation during the commissioning of the centre in Lagos said in six years of its operation, it has achieved the 20 million subscriber milestone, insisting that it is no mean feat considering that the telco came late and enjoyed no any form of incentive which the early birds did.

    He said: “For the year, we have not done badly as a company. Recently, towards the end of October, we hit the 20million subscriber base. That is in less than six years since we came onboard. For us, this is a great feat for any company and I don’t think any other company in the world has done that.  We have grown so fast at so short a time. We intend to maintain that feat.

    According to him, next year will be full of activities as the telco will not rest on its oars but keep redefining customer experience through innovative products.

    “Going into 2015, you are going to see a lot of innovative programme from the company. In terms of service quality, we will always strive to take it higher. We know that customers have to be served and they are the focus of our business. That is why we make customers an important part of our decision process. We organise customer forum from time to time, where customers tell us what the challenges are and what they would want to get from us in the nearest future. So the customers are dear to our heart,” he said.

    Speaking on the uniqueness of the centre, he said the ambiance and the way it is built is interactive with the customers, such that when customers comes in, all the equipment necessary to resolve all their issues and make sure they are happy are available.

    He said: “It starts from the interactive counters for devices, where customers can come in around the devices and they know from that which one they want to use.

    “Aside that, we have other dedicated counters for special customers services. We also have different original equipment manufacturers such as Samsung, Nokia, Apple, Techno and others. .They have their stands here and they are all available to ensure that every customer’s complaints are sorted out. We have a VIP lounge where customers can come in with a fully equipped library for those who wish to read. You can come in, take some time out after passing through the stress our of the day and relax.”

  • Pellegrini rates Iheanacho high

    Pellegrini rates Iheanacho high

    Manchester City are confident Nigeria youth international Kelechi Iheanacho will be issued a work permit.

    And the English Premier League moneybags have stressed that the highly rated starlet is part of coach Manuel Pellegrini’s plans.

    Kelechi Iheanacho is highly regarded by Pellegrini, so much so that he was allowed to train with the Argentina National Team before the friendly with Portugal last month.

    “Kelechi has been in England training with the first team of Manchester City,” a source told SL10.ng.

    “When Argentina met Portugal in November, the Argentina national team trained with a shadow 11, not the regulars you see on television, and Iheanacho was among those selected.”

    With no caps for the Super Eagles, the 18-year-old’s future at the Etihad Stadium is hanging in the balance due to red tape, but the Citizens are hoping to invoke the Premier League special talent clause to complete the transfer.

    “We are optimistic that Iheanacho will get a work permit, that is what everyone is looking forward to. He should be able to prove his mettle and break into the first team,” added the source.

    “Manuel Pellegrini wants him which is important. He has to be considered as a special talent to get a work permit. Man City are not prepared to loan him to another team.

    “They don’t have a Plan A, B or C for Iheanacho.  The club want him.”

    Iheanacho, who has been called up to the Nigeria Under 23s, has been linked with New York City and KV Mechelen in the last few months.

  • FIBA Africa’s Romdhane rates First Bank high

    FIBA Africa’s Romdhane rates First Bank high

    Member of the FIBA Africa Women Commission, Salma Ben Romdhane, has commended First Bank Basketball Club for putting a good performance at the ongoing African Champions Cup for Women in Sfax, Tunisia.

    Romdhane, who is also a member of the Tunisia Basketball Federation (TBF), stated that the Nigerian team has shown good improvement from 2012 when they last participated in the competition. She also commended the team’s management for putting together a good squad.

    “The First Bank team has shown great improvement and played well at this competition. They were also very good in the victory over CS Sfax and can get to the top if they continue this way. Despite the fans backing their the home team, the Nigerian stood strong and won the game.

    “They also did the same against KPA  OF Kenya  and I am sure they can become champions again if they continue to play well,” Romdhane said.

    She added that women basketball has improved and predicted a good Nations Cup. “I hope the players replicate their performance at the Nations Cup and the fans will be in for a good time.”

  • Chinese firm aims high

    Chinese firm aims high

    As GAC Motor’s new flagship model, the GS5 Super carries with it the strategic mission of making an impact in the SUV market.

    The GS5 Super was launched at the Oriental Sports Centre in Shanghai of China penultimate week.

    At the launch conference, GAC Motor Director and General Manager, Song Wu was upbeat about the future of the SUV.

    GAC Motor is the first auto company to make official market launch at the Crown on the Sea, a popular name of Oriental Sports Centre, announcing to the world that China now owns a world-class auto brand.

    Wu gave an in-depth explanation of the positioning and mission of the GS5 Super and its meaning to the GAC Motor brand.

    He pointed out that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently called upon China’s literature and art circles to truly address the issue of ‘who should be served’, which is also of great guidance value for the auto industry. To him, a clear stance must be taken to build a world-class auto brand.

    GAC Motor is sticking to the philosophy of “Make Cars for the Family” rather than blindly pursuing  economic returns from the market or become a slave of the market.

    Right from its founding, the firm showed great courage and wisdom of “daring to be the first under heaven” in directly entering the medium- and high-end market to compete with joint venture brands, winning high praise from the industry.

    The GS5 Super was developed on a European high-performance platform. In terms of driving fun and five-star safety, it carries forward the perfect DNA of the GAC Motor family. As for power assembly technology, the GS5 Super is the first to offer the golden power combination of a 1.8T engine and 7-speed G-DCT automated manual transmission, known as T+7speed. This gives GAC MOTOR a solid foundation to win over joint venture brands in terms of core technology.

    “The GS5 Super is the work of our latest R&D efforts. Technologically advanced, it will directly compete with some joint venture brands. We believe that GAC Motor will keep abreast with and even overtake joint venture brands,” Wu said.

    As the only Chinese auto brand with a firm footing in the medium- and high-end market, the firm faces competitions from Japanese and Korean auto brands. In the first three quarters of 2014, it sold 75,000 cars, up by 41 per cent year-on-year, far overtaking what joint venture brands have achieved.

    “In a matter of only several years, we have established GAC Motor’s GPS production mode. If we copied the Honda or Toyota model word by word, there would be no GAC Motor today,” he said.

    Meanwhile, GAC MOTOR has established strategic partnerships with the world’s TOP 10 auto suppliers including BOSCH, Continental and TRW. The world-class supporting parts fully ensure the R&D level and product quality of GAC Motor. The GS5 Super is precisely a masterpiece work of GAC Motor’s forward development based on its global R&D network.

    With the GAC Motor model, Wu is confidence of the future of the company’s products. “GAC Motor is changing itself and is making breakthroughs. We have created top-quality products in complete  accordance with the latest international standards. But, we will not stop here. Rather, we will continue to go ahead,” Wu stated.

  • CAF inspector rates Akwa Ibom Stadium high

    CAF inspector rates Akwa Ibom Stadium high

    It is now official. The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying cracker between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa will take place at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo.

    Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr. Fred Crentsil, who was mandated by the Confederation of African Football to inspect the facility, has given the infrastructure very high marks.

    “You guys have a wonderful facility here. It is one of the best I have seen anywhere around Africa and elsewhere. It is of the same standard and mould as Soccercity (the main stadium in Johannesburg that hosted the final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals) with a lower capacity.

    “I am particularly amazed that there are provisions for the physically –challenged persons. Everything is taken care of here. I am hugely impressed,” Crentsil said in Uyo on Thursday.

    The CAF official inspected the stadium as well as hotel facilities in the Akwa Ibom State capital, in company with the NFF’s Assistant Director of Competitions, Mr. Bola Oyeyode.

    NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick had, after inspecting the magnificent facility three weeks ago, announced that the venue would host the Super Eagles, Bafana Bafana clash.

  • Naira at two-week high

    Naira at two-week high

    The naira, yesterday, hit a two-week closing high at 162.65 against the dollar, after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold dollars directly to lenders to prop up the local currency, dealers said.

    The local unit closed at 0.76 per cent firmer on the day, a level last seen on September 9, compared with the previous day’s close of 163.90 naira. Dealers said the central bank sold an undisclosed amount of dollars to the interbank market.

    The naira has been falling for the past two weeks, weakened by the impact of the decline in global oil prices and low offshore inflows into the debt and equity markets, dealers said.

  • Road accidents in Nigeria will remain high if………

    • There are no standard theory and practical tests for learners before being issued licence. Today in Nigeria, there are officers of the state governments and the Federal Road Safety Commission who have printed driving school certificates in their table drawers or cabinets which they personally issue to learners who did not even attend any driving school thereby making people that go to driving schools look foolish. This destructive selfish habit must be stopped forthwith. It is also time for the Federal Road Safety Commission and the state government agencies to conclude arrangements on the uniform theory and practical tests to be conducted monthly or quarterly in all the states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (including verbal versions for those who cannot read and write since they cannot be avoided in Nigeria for now). This if done, will promote standards among the driving schools and safety on the roads since the learners will prefer to attend only the schools that will effectively teach them to guarantee their success in the tests and as it happens in the secondary schools preparing students for WAEC Examinations.

    • Pre – Driver Licence Renewal Refresher Training – Without doubt, majority of Nigerians driving today did not receive the right training in driving schools and this has been impacting negatively on the driving of some of them. In addition, vehicle technology, driver health and the road environment are dynamic. Hence the need for every driver (including drivers of self – owned vehicles as long as you are holding the driver licence) to undergo a mandatory pre – licence renewal refresher training in driving schools. Driving has to do with human lives and valuable properties and it must be appropriately addressed with a very high degree of seriousness without selfish motives. If other professionals have continuing education programmes and workers undergo different levels of capacity building programmes, why not same in driving, whether you drive daily or occasionally, for a living or for pleasure.

    • Introduction of licence seizure or driver suspension:  It is time for the Federal Road Safety Commission to be more present on the roads and focus more attention on what happens on the roads and not             in offices. Any driver who causes  an accident or commits dangerous driving offence should have his or her driver licence withdrawn and also banned from driving for a specific period of time depending on the degree or circumstances surrounding the accident caused by him or her. This will make people see safety – consciousness as expedient.

    To be continued.

  • Federal High Court workers may join strike

    There are stong indications  that Federal High Court workers may join the strike by their state high court counterparts under the aegis of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

    Workers embarked on the strike to enforce their demand for the financial independence of the judiciary.

    It is also to show solidarity judiciary workers in Rivers State who are protesting the presence of two heads, one appointed by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the other by the state government.

    It was learnt that JUSUN officials have started mobilisation of their Federal High Court members across the country and have put them on red alert should the federal government fail to meet their demands.

    Since the strike commenced last week, Judges of the High Court of Lagos state, lawyers, police and prison officials for instance, have not been able to access the court rooms.

    As a result, activities had remained  paralysed as no court room was opened for adjudication of cases.

    The two main gates of the headquarters of the High court of Lagos state along Oba Akinjobi road and Old Secretariat road, GRA, Ikeja remained under lock  by the workers to prevent litigants and their counsels from going into the court premises.

    Many cases which ought to have been heard, including high profile ones involving oil marketers, chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited Chief Olawale Babalakin and Chairman, Cross Country Transport Company, Chief Bube Okorodudu were stalled by the workers’ strike.

    Chief  Okorodudu, for instance,  who came to Ikeja High  court last week, in compliance with an order of the court presided by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo could not gain entrance into the court premises.

    Justice Lawal-Akapo issued a warrant for the arrest of Okorodudu to appear in court yesterday to answer alleged theft charges of N82.8million preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Okorodudu’s counsel  Godswill Mrakpor said his client’s absence from the court was because he travelled out on health grounds.

    He said Okorodudu, immediately on arrival in the country last week  reported himself to the police at Zone 2, Onikan and was in court as ordered by the trial judge.

    Workers at the other divisions of the High Court of Lagos State, including Ikorodu, Lagos and Badagry also locked the gates against judges and lawyers in compliance with the directive of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

    JUSUN last week directed its members to shut all courts with the exception of federal courts for failure of the Federal Government to implement the judgment of a Federal High Court on the financial autonomy of the state judiciaries councils.

    In a communique at the end of an emergency meeting,  the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union, JUSUN also asked Federal judiciary workers to be at alert because they may be requested to join the strike in solidarity with their state counterparts.

    The communique,  jointly signed by the National President of the union, Marwan Adamu, and the General Secretary, Isaiah Adetola, also stated that the national secretariat of the union has taken over the industrial dispute embarked upon by the Rivers state JUSUN recently over leadership crisis.

    JUSUN further described as “unfair” for both the National Judicial Council, (NJC) and the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), to issue two separate directives for and against returning to work.

    The union said they had to solidarise with their colleagues as the workers cannot serve two masters at the same time.

    He said the union members in Rivers would not resume unless the critical stakeholders in the state amicably resolve the matter so as to ensure security of the workers.

    According to the communique, “the security and protection of our members is no longer guaranteed in this leadership crisis that engulfed the Rivers State Judiciary in the last one year”.

    It also said: “After the exhaustive deliberation on the refusal/failure of state Governments to respect/implement the Federal High Court Abuja, judgment /orders in respect of financial autonomy of state Judiciaries as well as failure of stakeholders to abide by the decision to set up a technical implementation committee of the FAAC meeting of  June 17, it is resolved by NEC:

    “That all Judiciary staff at state level nationwide should proceed on an indefinite strike with effect from Friday, July 11.

    “That the National secretariat of the union shall notify Federal Judiciary workers to join the action as events unfolds.

    “That the National Executive Committee of the union after a review of events in Rivers state Judiciary also resolved that JUSUN members in the state should continue and sustain their current strike until the major stakeholders, fine an amicable resolution of the leadership crisis in Rivers state judiciary.

    Meanwhile the NEC in session has announced total takeover of action in Rivers State”