The Nation Newspaper

Tag: holds

  • Martins holds no grudge

    Martins holds no grudge

    Seattle Sounders forward, Obafemi Martins has no qualms over his substitution in Saturday’s 2014 FIFAWorld Cup qualifier against Kenya on Saturday.

    The attacker was hooked at the hour by the Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi with CSKA Moscow winger, Ahmed Musa taking his place.

    Martins, largely denied of supply and service in the game, has now exclusively told supersport.com that he was not angry at being substituted insisting that the manager’s decision was in the best interest of the team.

    “I have no problems with being substituted. I am not the manager. He knows best and I respect his decision,” Martins told supersport.com.

    Martins also took the time to review the game against the Harambee Stars and the point earned, in highly dramatic circumstances at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar. “We are blessed that we drew the game. It was a very difficult game. We had chances and they also created chances too so we are happy we could draw in the end,” Martins said.

    Martins has scored 18 times in 39 appearances since making his Nigeria debut in 2004.

    Nigeria still top Group F of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification on five points after Malawi won 1-0 at Namibia on Saturday.

  • USAID holds pan-Afican conference on shea in Abuja

    USAID holds pan-Afican conference on shea in Abuja

    The United States Aids Agency (USAID) will hold the annual shea industry conference in Abuja from Monday to Wednesday.

    Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who is expected at the conference, said: “We’re very excited to host Shea 2013 in Abuja. Nigeria welcomes stakeholders with open arms and assures you of our support and an exceptional experience in an important part of the shea world.”

    The conference will address the economic, social and environmental aspects of shea. Speakers will discuss virtually all aspects of the business today: sourcing logistics, quality regulation, processing innovations, business modelling, social accountability, sustainability marketing, cosmetic formulation, soap-making, biodiversity and parkland enrichment, and much more.

    More than 15 million women across West Africa participate directly in the shea industry – millions collect shea nuts across the savannah area stretching from Senegal to Uganda and South Sudan, the three million square-kilometre “shea zone.”

    Millions make shea butter that millions more West Africans consume daily – in food and skin care products, said USAID.

    “Shea is critical to the livelihoods of millions of women in West Africa,” said Eugenia Akuete, president of the Global Shea Alliance.

  • Sanitation holds in Lagos tomorrow

    HUMAN and vehicular movements will be restricted in Lagos from 7am and 10am tomorrow, Environment Commissioner Tunji Bello said yesterday.

    According to him, it is to observe the monthly environmental sanitation programme in the state.

    He reminded Lagosians of the importance of daily waste disposal without waiting for the monthly programme.

    “Lagosians should properly dispose of their wastes through LAWMA and authorised PSP operators, as dumping of waste into canals impede the flow of storm water in our drainage channels, Bello reportedly said in a statement by ministry’s spokesman, Mr. Fola Adeyemi.

    Recalling how many states experienced serious flood disaster, the commissioner noted that there was no such issue in the state with the help of God and the concerted efforts of the government.

    Bello warned residents against patronising cart pushers, adding that the scope of the Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators had been widened for efficiency.

    The commissioner said the Drainage Maintenance Department (DMA) and Emergency Flood Abatement Department (EFAD) had commenced massive cleaning and dredging of drains and canals across the state to reduce flooding.

    He, however, urged residents to complement government’s efforts at attaining a flood-free-environment by ensuring an all-year-round cleaning of the canals and drainage channels.

    For total compliance with tomorrow’s sanitation, Bello warned drivers of intra-city and inter-state commercial buses to comply with the order, warning that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

  • Church holds seminar

    Members of the Evergreen Christain Church of God (ECCG), Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road, and 3 have the opportunity to self-empowerment initiatives at a seminar.

    The church’s Pastor, Philip Babalola, who told The Nation yesterday that the seminar themed, ‘Business success and financial wisdom’, would hold at the church’s premises, said it would start at 11 am on the first day and 9 am the second day.

    “The programme is inspired through the church by God to assist empower our members through orientation to withstand the current economic realities in our country. We can no longer wait on the government to see people out of the situation on the nation’s economic front,” Babalola explained.

    Guest speakers expected at the event, he said, include: Pastor Mrs. Toyin Bakare, accomplished chief executive of the popular SAS textile outfit based in Surulere, Lagos; ex-banker Bayo Gasper and Mr Kayode Adele, a prominent business man.

  • Meetings Africa 2013 holds soon

    Meetings Africa 2013 will take on a distinctly pan-African flavour. It takes place from February 18 to 21, 2013 with trade exhibition show days on February 19 and 20.

    Meetings Africa 2013 is being hosted by the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB) and will showcase Africa’s diverse business events product offering.

    Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, executive manager of SANCB, said the strategy is to make Meetings Africa a truly African showcase to grow the capacity of the collective African business events industry and transform regional Africa into one of the world’s business events powerhouses. The theme of this year’s event is “Advancing Africa together”.

    “We want to work with our business event partners on the African continent and want more global and African associations to use the great resources we have in Africa to bolster business event hosting and delivery,” she said.

    She added that Meetings Africa offered the industry and exhibitors an opportunity to see the best of South Africa’s and the continent’s business events industry under one roof.

    “It’s the perfect platform for business events industry professionals to meet, network and create mutually-beneficial business partnerships,”she said.

    Kotze-Nhlapo said she’d like to see Meetings Africa becoming the premier Africa platform for business events.

    The event will see more than 50 African association buyers, 200 international hosted buyers and 200 local corporate and government buyers in attendance.

    International Conference and Incentive Travel Research (ICR) was appointed by SANCB to evaluate and screen international hosted buyers for Meetings Africa 2013 to ensure those that attend have a real interest in bringing their business events and incentives to Africa.

    Several changes have been made to the Meetings Africa format to ensure buyers and exhibitors get as much as possible out of the event. SANCB has introduced a dedicated Seminar Day on 18 February 2013 -before the actual trade exhibition starts – to enable buyers and exhibitors to attend the various targeted seminar sessions.

    The Meetings Africa Association Day will also be held on February 18, 2012 and is a must-attend event for African Association leaders. It is designed to energise and engage association executives. Among its aims are to build the national and pan-African association communities and promote their engagement with international associations.

    A new event at Meetings Africa 2013 is the Decision Makers Forum that will be held on February 19, 2013. It’s a platform for key decision makers and industry leaders to engage to better understand the pivotal role business events can play in generating economic prosperity in South Africa’s cities, municipalities and provinces.

     

    Buyers and exhibitors can once again make use of the highly effective Meetings Africa Business Matchmaking system to pre-schedule appointments online to ensure their time at Meetings Africa 2013 is productively spent. The Meetings Africa Golf Day will take place on 21 February 2013, providing networking opportunities in a different way for corporate executives, hosted buyers and exhibitors

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Yar’Adua Memorial Lecture holds tomorrow

    The Board of Trustees of the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation will host the Second Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of the late politician tomorrow at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

    The event is to commemorate the 15th year anniversary of his death.

    The theme of this year’s lecture is: “Rebuilding Public Education as a Bridge to Nigeria’s Future”.

    An illustrated biography of the late Yar’Adua, entitled: “Shehu Musa Yar’Adua: Neither North Nor South, East Nor West, One Nigeria”, will be presented on the occasion.

    Published by Mockingbird Books, this simple, yet poignant story, will serve as an educational tool for primary school pupils throughout the country.

    It tells the story of a man who stood in the forefront of those demanding a timely handover to a democratically-elected government; a man who traversed the nation building bridges of peace, understanding and unity, which he prized as the hope of the nation.

    In addition to Senator Anyim, expected dignitaries at the event include former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar, who will deliver the lecture and former Senate President Ken Nnamani, who will serve as the Special Guest of Honour. Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will serve as the Chief Launcher, while Chief Tony Anenih is the Chairman of the Memorial Lecture Steering Committee. Mrs. Lola Shoneyin, winner of the 2011 ANA Prize for Children’s Literature, will review the book.

    Through its numerous programmes and projects, the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation has continued to further the ideals of the late Shehu Yar’Adua; his commitment to national unity, good governance and building a just and democratic society for Nigerians.

  • Governorship debate holds October 11

    The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) has said the grand finale of the governorship debate would hold on October 11.

    A statement by the group’s Chairman, Aremu Allimi, said three parties would participate in the last phase of the debate, based on their findings.

    They are the Action Congress of Nigeria, whose standard bearer is Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN). Labour Party’s candidate is incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko, while the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate is Chief Olusola Oke.

    Allimi said the debate would be held at the Cultural Centre, Adegbemile, Akure between 5 and 8pm.

  • Monthly sanitation holds tomorrow

    The monthly environmental sanitation holds tomorrow.

    The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello said yesterday that, human and vehicular movements would not be allowed from 7am to 10am.

    Bello said the restriction is to allow residents observe the exercise.

    He urged residents to clean their drains, reminding them that the last lap of the rainy season is around.

    The government, according to him, would not relent in the cleaning and dredging of primary and secondary channels; the Emergency and Flood Abatement Department (EFAD) would continue to de-silt and de-flood blocked channels.

    Bello said: “Lagos State has not experienced serious flooding like other states in Nigeria, because we have continued to expand and clean our channels in anticipation of the unusual rains.

    “The peculiarity of Lagos as a coastal state is flooding, as such, all hands must be on deck to assist the state in reducing the incidence of flooding to the barest minimum, by not engaging in acts like dumping into drain and canals, as well as desist from patronising cart pushers.”

    He advised Lagosians against panicking whenever it rains, saying all the drainage channels are being cleared and dredged.