The Nation Newspaper

Tag: intensify

  • Ahead XXI Commonwealth Games: Quadri, Omotayo intensify preparation with German Open

    As part of their build up to the XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo are currently in Bremen, Germany for the 2018 ITTF World Tour tagged German Open.

    Quadri, ranked 22 in the world will begin his campaign from the qualifying round in Group Three alongside Turkey’s Ahmed Li and Bulgaria’s Philipp Floritz in his quest for a place in the main draw of the men’s singles.

    Also Commonwealth Games debutant – Omotayo will have his hands full when he battles Japan’s Masaki Yoshida and Hungary’s Bence Majoros in Group four.

    Quadri’s first group match on table three today will be against the Bulgarian, while his final group match against the Turkish star will be tomorrow on table three as well.

    Unlike Quadri, Omotayo will play his two group matches today on table four against the Hungarian and Japanese in his quest to make it to the knockout stage of the preliminary round.

    In the doubles, Quadri will continue his partnership with Egypt’s Omar Assar as they start their campaign from the preliminary round tomorrow against Hungarian stars.

    Another Nigerian on duty at the German Open is Dapo Kolawole who has been drawn against players from India, France and Argentina.

  • ‘Intensify efforts on diversification’

    As the price of crude oil continues to crash in the international market, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has advised the Federal Government to intensify efforts to diversify the economy from oil.

    This was among several resolutions  adopted by the union at its 29th National Executive Meeting (NEC) in Bauchi State.

    The union, in a communiqué signed by its National President, Alhaji Sani Suleiman, noted that before the advent of crude oil as the main stay of the country’s economy, various parts of the country were known for massive production of food and cash crops.

    “With the decline of crude oil price, NAAT urges the Federal Government to intensify efforts aimed at diversification of the economy in the areas of solid minerals, food and cash crop production,” the communiqué read.

    According to the union, diversification will raise the prospect of jobs for youths.

    The union, however, warned the Federal Government to avoid employing military in the crisis going on in the Niger Delta. The statement reads:“NAAT urges Federal Government to adopt dialogue in addressing the agitations in the Niger Delta and the Southeast Zone with reference to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Dialogue will help in ensuring that the main stay of the economy(oil production) is not disrupted, thereby attracting local and foreign investors to the economy.”

    On the challenges in educational institutions, NAAT observed with dismay the shortfall of fund which makes it difficult to pay the salaries of workers.

    It lamented that this has resulted in the institutions having to go the extra-mile to augment the deficit being experienced in the payment of salaries.

    The leadership of the union at the meeting demanded the payment of outstanding arrears so as  to cushion the effects of the harsh economy.

  • Labour minister to intensify service delivery

    The Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity, Kabir Taminu Turaki has pledged to intensify service delivery through the implementation of the Transformation Agenda in the labour sector.

    Turaki, who is also the Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Continuing Dialogue for Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, gave the assurance while taking over the affairs of the ministry from its permanent secretary, Dr Clement Illoh on Friday.

    He called for team work among the management and staff of the ministry and its parastatals to move the labour sector forward in the interest of enduring peace and national development.

    He promised to build on the good work of his predecessor, Emeka Wogu.

  • Schools intensify anti-Ebola campaign

    Schools intensify anti-Ebola campaign

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) and Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) have held awareness campaigns on the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

    At the Offa Poly, HND students collaborated with the Department of Mass Communication to sensitise their colleagues on the need to be hygienic to arest an outbreak of the virus.

    The coordinator of the campaign, Mr Zakariyau Imran, said the aim was to enlighten students on the danger of the virus, urging them  to seek medical assistance if they developed symptoms of the disease.

    He added that regular hand washing and avoidance of contact with the inner part of one’s body should be observed.

    The head of the Department of Mass Communication, Mr Abdulateef Oyewole, expressed satisfaction with the campaign, saying adequate information on the epidemic would help to prevent the spread of the virus.

    “The campaign is very relevant in terms of discipline because it publicises the safety measures to curtail the Ebola virus, for students to know the danger of the virus and how to contain it,” he stated.

    A member of the organising team, Apotiade Taiwo, HND I, Mass Communication, said the campaign was a means of reducing the spread of the Ebola virus with emphasis on indiscriminate body contact with individuals with excessive sweat secretions and sharing of hand towels.

    Meanwhile, the Mass Communication Department of Lagos State Polytechnic held a sensitisation rally, tagged: “Ebola alert: Safety for one, safety for all.”

    The rally started around 9am from the First Gate of the main campus, Ikorodu and later proceeded to the office of Dean, Students Affairs (DSA), School of Technology, Engineering, Environmental Studies.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution, Mr Olarewaju Kuye, who received the students at the school’s library on behalf of the Rector, Dr Abdul-azeez Abioye Lawal, congratulated the department for organising the campaign.

    “The Mass Communication department is one of the best in this great institution because no other department has done the job that you did. I want to use this opportunity to beg your lecturers not to come to class today. After this Ebola campaign, go to your house and enjoy yourselves,” he stated.

  • ‘Intensify efforts to find Chibok girls’

    ‘Intensify efforts to find Chibok girls’

    Two non-governmental organizations, the Vision Spring Initiatives and Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives (ECOWA) have called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards finding the over 200 school girls abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State.

    According to Lousia Ekhomu, the Executive Director of  ECOWA, “ We  condemn in the strongest terms the abduction of school girls in Chibok  in Borno State of Nigeria. It is sad that more than 200 Nigerian school girls who had gone to write examinations were forcefully abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Ekhomu added that there is an urgent need for government to motivate security operatives and improve their operational capacity to live up to expectation of protecting the people.

    Also speaking, Bridget Osakwe of WANEP used the opportunity to appeal to government and traditional and religious leaders from the north to address and resolve the root cause of the insurgency towards ensuring restoration of sustainable peace in the north.

    “There is need for the re-orientation of young people in the north from the culture of almajiri  and all other indoctrination that promotes violence.”

  • Minister asks security agents to intensify search for abducted students

    Minister asks security agents to intensify search for abducted students

    The Minister of State for Power, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, has urged security agencies to intensify efforts at finding the remaining abducted students of Government Girls Secondary School,  Chibok,  Borno State..

    Wakil, who stated this in a statement yesterday in Maiduguri, also urged other stakeholders to join hands with the security agencies in securing the release of the girls.

    “I think that there is a need for concerted efforts to secure the release of the remaining students. There is also the need for a new strategy to contain attacks on soft targets such as schools and hospitals’’, he said.

    He stressed that attention should henceforth be paid to schools, hospitals and other soft targets.

    “As the insurgents are now avoiding well defended hard targets, we should design new approaches to securing identified soft targets.’’

    The minister sympathised with the parents of the kidnapped female students.

    He advised that an inventory of likely soft targets should be taken by relevant authorities and contingency plans put in place to secure exit routes in case of attacks.

    “An alarm and warning system should be put in place in all likely soft targets across the conflict areas.

    “This system will trigger early response and abort attacks as was the case of the foiled plans to attack the NNPC mega stations on Dambua-Biu road,’’ Wakil said.

    He described the increasing assaults on innocent students as inhuman and unIslamic, saying that attacking women and children as part of a soft target strategy was condemnable and reprehensible.

    Wakil appealed to insurgents to lay down their arms and enter into negotiation with the government.

  • 18th NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL Ogun athletes intensify training

    18th NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL Ogun athletes intensify training

    •Amosun rehabilitates Alake Sport Centre 

    OGUN STATE Government says it will carry- out a total renovation and rehabilitation of all the facilities at the Alake Sport Centre, Ijaiye Abeokuta to international standard.

    The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun stated this when he visited the sport centre to congratulate the State athletics for doing well at the just concluded Southwest One Team Sport Elimination in Ibadan where the State qualified for nine Sports out of the thirteen on offer at the elimination.

    Governor Amosun who expressed dismay at the level of decadence of the facilities many of them built over twenty-five years back praised Team Ogun athletes for excelling at different national and international competitions despite the dilapidated structures.

    He therefore promised to overhaul all the facilities as a way of providing enabling environment so that the athletes will continue to give-out their best.

    Governor Amosun, however, called on the athletes to reciprocate government gesture by putting more effort and charge them to do the state proud at the forthcoming National Sports Festival “Eko 2012”

    He said: “Continue to train hard and go for gold in Lagos. Let me assure you that I will be with you in Lagos to encourage you and once you deliver, the state government will reward you adequately.”

    Governor Amosun did not forget to tell Ogun State athletes to be disciplined and avoid any act that will tarnish the good image of the State saying as state ambassadors they must serve as good examples to other states during the National Sports Festival.

    Responding on behalf of Team Ogun athletes, the Vice Captain Ephraim Daniel thanked the Governor and his entourage for the visit and promised his colleagues resolve to do the state proud at the “Eko 2012”.

    He was also full of praise to the State governor for deciding to upgrade the facilities at the Alake Sport Centre to International standard while reminding the Governor on the need to continue to improve the welfare of the athletes.