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Tag: MAN

  • Man arrested for raping minors in Minna

    A 23-year-old man, Audu Mai Faskare, has been arrested in Tunga, Minna, Niger State, for allegedly raping two minors, aged 8 and 10.

    One of them, however, reported to her parents after he raped the two girls at the same time same day.

    She said the weekend episode was the second time Faskare forcefully had carnal knowledge of her; the first happened when she was sent on an errand by her mother.

    According to her, she met the other minor on the way when Faskare called them to help him run an errand. On getting to his house, he locked the door and asked them to strip.

    The second minor, who was reluctant to speak at first, opened up after her colleague’s confession. She said Saturday’s incident was the fourth time Faskare would rape her.

    She said it started some months back when she was going to school. He called her into his room to send her on an errand; he locked the door and told her to remove her clothes, she refused but was unable to scream because he shut her mouth. This happened three times.

    State FIDA Chairperson Magistrate Mairo Jibo described the incident as unfortunate, and lamented that it was reported a day after when all evidences would have been lost.

    She, however, said with the innocence of the girls, any judge could see they were telling the truth, stressing that the association of women lawyers would ensure that the culprit does not go unpunished.

    “Looking at the way the girls described the incident, it is evident they do not understand the consequence of what was done to them. It is unfortunate.”

    Director General of the Niger State Child’s Right Agency, Mariam Haruna Kolo, said the agency would ensure that justice is served.

    She called on parents to avoid sending their children out unnecessarily and to investigate when they return from errands late.

    Efforts to see Faskare at the police station were unsuccessful. A policeman, however, said Faskare denied knowing the girls or having any affair with them.

    The girls are at the police clinic in Minna waiting to be examined for evidences.

  • MAN lists ways out of recession

    MAN lists ways out of recession

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), at the weekend, raised the alarm that lack of power supply, scarcity of foreign exchange (FOREX) and the devaluation of naira are dealing with them in their businesses.

    It, however, points out that encouragement of investors in the manufacturing and processing of new materials and other input items imported into the country are the way forward to escape the current economic recession.

    President of MAN, Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, and Chief Azubuike Okafor, the chairman, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu wing of the association, spoke at the weekend in Awka, Anambra State, during its 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Beautiful Gate Resort.

    For Jacobs, who was represented by Mrs. Ekama Akpan, National Vice President, Eastern zone, the economic recession had made a number of the sectors to right size their personnel profile in order to remain in business.

    Despite the challenges, he said, it was not a time to be despondent, rather everybody should bond together and face the challenges with their time tested skills and resolve.

    “We need to review our process and re-strategize to weather the storm, knowing that after the storm, comes sun shine,” Jacobs said.

    In his address, Azubuike, who is in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu sections of (MAN), said the perennial power issue, scarcity of (FOREX) and the devaluation of the naira, had compounded and constrained the frequency of production, distribution, exchange of goods and services in Nigeria.

    Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, appealed to (MAN) to partner with the state government in driving the economy of the state to a greater height.

    Obiano, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Finance and Industry, in the state, Sir Emenike Ezinando, said it was the reason why the government had put in place adequate security measure to protect manufacturers in the state.

    The theme of the Annual General Meeting was “Manufacturing as the way forward in economic recession” with Dr. Prince Ifediora Amobi, Executive Director, Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ASSIPA) as the event lecturer.

    He said in his lecture that recession was not a cancer, rather like malaria, adding that every country would have it and come out of it.

    Amobi further said it was not only MAN that was feeling the crunch, describing recession as a global case at the moment, not only in Nigeria.

     

  • EPA’ll cost Nigeria $1.3t, says MAN

    EPA’ll cost Nigeria $1.3t, says MAN

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has restated its opposition to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) /European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), saying it would cost the country about $1.3trillion in lost revenue from tariff removal.

    Its President, Dr. Frank  Jacobs, in a statement, insisted that signing the agreement would have adverse effects on the economy and may spark socio-economic crisis.

    He said as a result of the mismatch of the two regions in terms of technology and manufacturing experience, accepting EPA in its present form would spell doom on the nation’s industrialisation programme.

    He said: “It should be borne in mind that Nigeria is in recession and needs every effort to pull it out. Nigeria is mainly a commodity-goods producing country and would trade same in an EPA free trade arrangement.  We have limited capability to produce and export industrial goods to Europe.”

    The MAN chief stated that EPA in its present form will stifle existing manufacturing industries as they would be uncompetitive because cheaper finished products from European countries would flood the local markets and would lead to the de-industrialisation of the country. This he argued could have implications on employment generation and poverty alleviation in addition to loss of investments.

    Jacobs pointed out that recent policy of resource-based industrialisation which is adopted by the government aimed at utilising the abundant natural resources of the country to sustain the manufacturing sector will naturally be destroyed.

    He also said it would lead to the closure of companies that currently have been galvanised to invest in the production of raw materials and intermediate products and undermining the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

    According to him, Nigerians will continue to be exporters of unprocessed raw materials and importers of processed goods and become an extension of EU market.

    He further said current efforts by manufacturers to export non-oil products would be greatly hampered.  The recent surge in the export of non-oil products which has grown tremendously would be drastically affected, he added.

    Other effects are that it would negatively affect the informal sector and the SMEs which are currently sustaining a large percentage of the population while incurring significant revenue loss through removal of tariff estimated at about $1.3 trillion.  It would also have negative effect on the nation’s other trading partners such as the United States (US)and China especially in the context of Most Favoured Nation (MFN), he added.

  • Why MAN can’t support EPA implementation, by president

    Why MAN can’t support EPA implementation, by president

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has opposed the implementation of ECOWAS/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) because of its implications on the nation’s industry.

    MAN President Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs said signing the partnership agreement would have adverse effect on the nation’s industrial development with likely socio-economic crisis.

    In a statement, the MAN chief noted that because of the mismatch of the two regions (Europe and West Africa) in technology and manufacturing experience, accepting EPA in its current form would spell doom to the nation’s industrialisation programme.

    He said studies on the effect of EPA on the nation revealed negative impact on the economy.

    Dr Jacobs said: “It should be borne in mind that Nigeria is in recession and needs every effort to pull it out. Nigeria is mainly a commodity-goods producing country and would trade same in an EPA free trade arrangement. We have limited capability to produce and export industrial goods to Europe.”

    The MAN chief said EPA would stifle existing manufacturing industries by making them uncompetitive.

    He said because cheaper finished products from European countries would flood Nigerian markets, they would lead to the de-industrialisation of the country.

    This, he argued, could have catastrophic implications on employment and poverty reduction in the country, besides the loss of investments.

    Jacobs recalled that the recent policy of resource-based industrialisation, which was adopted by the government to use the nation’s abundant natural resources to sustain the manufacturing sector, would be destroyed.

    The MAN president also said it would lead to the closure of companies, which were being galvanised to invest in the production of raw materials and intermediate products.

    According to him, it will undermine the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) while the country will remain exporters of unprocessed raw materials and importers of processed goods as well as become an extension of the EU market.

    Jacobs said current efforts by Nigerian manufacturers to export non-oil products would be greatly hampered.

     

  • DRAMA AS MAN FALLS AFTER SEEING HORROR MOVIE

    A drama occurred in the cinema while a man was watching ‘Raw’ one of the movies selected at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

    “We can confirm two patrons did feel unwell during the screening of Raw… one of which required the assistance of the emergency services,” added Jennifer Bell, Vice-President of Communications for the festival. “Incidents like this sometimes happen at TIFF screenings. The safety and security of all our patrons and guests is a priority for TIFF and any situation where an audience member is feeling unwell is handled with care and due professionalism by our venue teams.”

    The incident occurred during the midnight screening of the film on Tuesday. Spokesperson for the film, Ryan Werner, told ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ it was obvious the “film became too much” for  the audience, saying he added he had only seen this type of physical reaction to a movie once before (in response to Lars von Trier’s Antichrist).

    The cannibal film, created by writer-director Julia Docournau, had premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May where it bagged the FIPRESCI Critics’ Prize, but did not get the kind of reaction recorded at TIFF. Some wonder if it was not some kind of publicity stunt for the movie.

    Recall that the media was awash with news of a yet-to-be-released movie in Nigeria in which an agonizing fire incident was later discovered to be a publicity stunt.

    The French-language film is about a shy, vegetarian college student at a veterinary college who develops an insatiable lust for flesh as the result of a gruesome hazing ritual.

  • Grooming tips for the bearded man

    Grooming tips for the bearded man

     

    Growing a beard can be an expression of independence and confidence but it takes a lot effort and commitment. Just like the hair on your head, facial hair is also very important. It needs regular upkeep to avoid looking unkempt and shabby.

    Grooming tips:

    • Keep your beard clean. Wash your face every morning and night. Dry thoroughly with a clean towel and avoid putting your face on dirty pillowcase.
    • Shampoo your beard at least few times a week. Use a moisturizing shampoo to prevent the hair from getting brittle
    • Use a thick, heavy duty conditioner to keep your beard from getting too strong. Leave the conditioner in for a while before washing it off.
    • Trim it regularly. This is done to get rid of split ends in the hair and maintain your chosen shape.
    • Eat a healthy diet. Avoid eating oily food, eat lot of fruits and drink plenty water as well.
    • Get beard oil. A good beard oil will prevent your beard from itching, beard dandruff and also keep your beard and face from getting oily.
    • Moisturize with shea butter or moisturizing oil such as olive, coconut or grapeseed oil.

     

  • MAN praises new CBN policy

    MAN praises new CBN policy

    Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) President, Dr. Franks Udemba Jacobs has praised the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on “Foreign Exchange Sales to End Users”, which authorises dealers to dedicate at least 60 per cent of their foreign exchange purchases  to manufacturers, saying it will afford his colleagues the opportunity to determine the exchange rate of the naira to arrest its drift.

    He spoke to The Nation in his office in Ikeja while reviewing the state of the economy and the adverse effect of some policies on the real sector.

    He regretted that the policy reduced the contributions of the manufacturing sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    On how the continuous slide of the naira could be arrested, he said manufacturers could stem the tide. He promised to advise his colleagues not to bid too high for dollars as the new policy has given them a strategic role to determine the value of the naira if managed properly.

    He said MAN has a duty to do this because if the fall of the naira was not arrested, importers of machinery and raw materials would be forced to close shop.

    While praising the new policy, Udemba said this was the first time the government was responding to the challenges of the sector, stressing that this was the only way comatose industries could be revived.

    Questioning the impropriety of the exclusion of 41 items from forex market, which he claimed harmed  the sector, he said it has destabilised the real sector and caused the folding of over 56 firms.

    The MAN boss said essential raw materials, which were not available locally, be removed from the list, noting that some products listed as finished products by CBN were actually raw materials for some firms.

    He made a case for the 96 finished products, which he claimed, indigeneous manufacturers  can produce to be included in the list of items not valid for forex to protect the local businesses and retain employment.

    Udemba asked that manufacturers with confirmed letters of Credit issued before the release of the circular on July 25, last year be given priority in forex allocation at the confirmed rate.

    MAN is canvassing the need for  the government to conclude the review of the Export Expansion Grant (EPG) to enable exporters of manufactured products to earn foreign exchange that will mitigate forex scarcity.

  • Why GDP decline may continue, by MAN chief

    Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which declined significantly from $568.5 billion in 2014 to $481.07 billion last year, representing 15.3 per cent drop in one year, may continue unless the industrial sector’s low productivity is addressed and dollar injected to support the needs of both the private and public sectors, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has said.

    Speaking during the association’s seventh edition of its Business Luncheon for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Lagos, its Apapa Branch Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Odunayo, said the greatest challenge facing Nigeria is low productivity of the sector.

    Citing a recent report by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he said industrial production, which was as low as 6.4 per cent in the second quarter of last year, stood at near zero in the second quarter of the year. He, therefore, said a revitalised industrial sector remained the single most potent solution to the current economic recession in Nigeria.

    With Nigerian manufacturing sector in a time of economic crises: Survival strategies as its theme, the forum provided a platform for CEOs and top management executives of over 300 member-companies of the branch to interact and share experiences on how to enhance the profitability of their manufacturing operations under the current economic challenges.

    Odunayo said the prevailing harsh economic climate, which forced a drop in the nation’s manufacturing sector’s capacity utilisation to below 20 per cent at the end of the second quarter of this year, was partly responsible for the significant decline in the country’s GDP by 15 per cent.

    He attributed the decline principally to scarcity of foreign exchange for raw materials replenishment, and the declining purchasing power of Nigerians, adding that other longstanding negative factors that are yet to be removed for manufacturers to breathe a sigh of relief include lack of supportive infrastructure such as steady and reliable electricity supply and good road network.

    The MAN chief warned that unless the Federal Government takes proactive measures to revitalise industrial production by addressing these issues, the GDP decline may continue. He also said to halt the decline there is need to inject more dollar into the system to support the private and public sector needs.

    He lamented the exchange rate losses by companies for transactions validly made through the CBN, but unconsummated by the apex bank because of inadequate foreign exchange which runs into hundreds of billions of naira.

    “These transactions include approved Form Ms, Letters of Credits (LCs), and approved bills for collections. Government is not accepting responsibility for not consummating these transactions.

  • MAN advises govt to resuscitate industries

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has advised the Federal Government to take urgent steps to revitalise the industrial sector through the creation of an interim foreign exchange (forex) access window to the sector.

    The association said the low production level in the economy could only be boosted through the injection of forex which has remained scarce. It noted that bridging the funding gap in the 2016 budget can only be achieved through loans.

    Its Apapa Branch Chairman, F. Odunayo who spoke at its Seventh Business Luncheon in Lagos support from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow and currency depreciation may not be substantive enough to bridge the gap except alternate funding sources are designed.

    He said: “The greatest challenge facing Nigeria at the moment is low productivity. According to a recent CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) report of the second quarter of 2016, industrial production stood at near zero.”

  • Man kills wife, three others in Sokoto

    The Sokoto State Police Command yesterday confirmed the murder of Mrs. Yemisi Adio, 43, and three others, by her husband, Taiwo Adio.

    A statement by the spokesman El-mustapha Sani, said the incident happened on Saturday at the old Airport Area of Sokoto city.

    He said the suspect used the same pestle with which he killed his wife, to kill the others.

    The victims, according to Sani, are Rachael Adewole, 42, Dennis Adewole, 10, and Esther Badelu, 14, all of the same address.

    He added that the pestle has been recovered as an exhibit, while the case is being investigated by the command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

    “The bodies have been deposited at the mortuary of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, for post mortem,” he added.