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  • Buhari administration, investors’ friendly – Olajiga

    Buhari administration, investors’ friendly – Olajiga

    The Chief Executive Officer of the largest locally owned cashew processing company in Nigeria, FoodPro Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ayo Olajiga, has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as investors friendly.

    Olajiga said this on Wednesday in Ilorin in an interview.

    Olajiga explained that the support he has received from the Bank of Industry ( BOI ), is huge hence the backing from the Federal Government for the institution ( BOI ) to function well.

    He said the fact that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, came to commission the extension of the factory recently was a testimony that this administration encourage the Private sector.

    He said the company has contributed to the unemployment situation of the country with its employment of over 400 people.

    “Through domestic processing of raw cashew nuts, we have created more than 400 direct jobs and several thousand indirect jobs for farmers, vendors, suppliers and artisans who form the heartbeat of FoodPro’s value chain.

    “With 90% of FoodPro’s employees being women, we are humbled by the role we play in impacting communities and improving economic and social development conditions in our host community.” Olajiga said.

    He explained that the company has been in operation since 2013 and recently ramped up its capacity from 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts per annum making it the largest locally owned cashew processing company in Nigeria.

    Olajiga added that FoodPro factory is the only factory certified by the African Cashew Alliance for Food Safety and Quality.

    He said the company’s plans is double its operating capacity further to 10,000 tonnes, commence export of packaged and branded goods, including existing brands – Lion Cashew & Go Nutz as well as a range of additional products that are currently in the development phase.

    Olajiga explained that most of the company’s outputs are exported to the United States of America ( USA ) with other retain brands across local store in the country.

    He said the choice of Kwara State as where the factory was located was because of its strategic location to where the company source for its materials from, coupled with the state government’s friendly business policies.

    He commended the Bank of Industry ( BOI ), for its support to the company and the Kwara State government.

    NAN

  • No leadership crisis in Nigeria Football Supporters Club – Ikpea

    No leadership crisis in Nigeria Football Supporters Club – Ikpea

    Samuel Ikpea, President, Nigeria Football Supporters Club ( NFSC ), has debunked the statement credited to the Media Officer of Super Eagles, Toyin Ibitoye, that the club was enmeshed in leadership crisis.

    Ikpea said this on Wednesday in Lagos while reacting to Ibitoye’s allegation on the leadership of the supporters club.

    The Eagles spokesman had on Monday in a private newspaper interview allegedly said that the Nigeria Football Federation was mindful of the situation with the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, which is a private body.

    He also said that hence, there were plans to ensure that the crisis did not affect the Eagles in Russia.

    Ikpea quoted him as saying: “The Nigerian Football Supporters Club has split into two factions with Rev. Ikpea and Vincent Okumagba laying claims to the leadership of the body.

    “The Ikpea faction is backed by majority of the members, including Rafiu Ladipo, who is the President-General of the body.

    “While Okumagba is supported by the younger elements, who want change in leadership from Ladipo’s over 20 years of controlling the body.

    “The club could not travel with the Super Eagles to Ndola where Zambia hosted Nigeria in the opening game of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

    “The Ikpea-led group arrived in Cameroun by road on match day when the Indomitable Lions hosted the Super Eagles in Yaoundé.

    On the position of NFF over the issue, Ikpea said that it was unfortunate that the football house was feigning ignorance about the status of the association.

    “There is no truth in a statement by Super Eagles Spokesman, Ibitoye, over their imaginary crisis. We had a legitimate election last year which has the NFF representative in attendance.

    “There is no faction or crisis at all, I was duly and democratically elected at the July 10, 2016 election at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, so why the denial of the authenticity of headship of NFSC.

    “What I expect from NFF is a role of bridge builder and not fanning the embers of disunity. The fact remains that the supporters club is a one body with no known faction,’’ he said.

    Ikpea said that if NFF truly wanted to send a contingent to Russia 2018 World Cup, they knew who and who to contact.

    “If the NFF truly want to sponsor some of us to Russia, they know who to contact there are no two ways to that. They are well aware of the status of our association.

    “Maybe, this is another ploy to sponsor some of their cronies to the Mundial on government payroll by claiming that we are divided or did not know the faction to deal with.

    “We want to appeal to NFF not to divide the house with undue interference and speeches that could set the association on the brink.

    “The election which they failed to acknowledge was witnessed by the body’s council of Elders, Representatives from the NFF and Ministry of Sports,’’ he said.

    On the issues around Okumagba, Ikpea said he has been officially dismissed from the club in 2015, adding that the club had been part and parcel of the Super Eagles qualifiers.

    “We have been part of Eagles matches both home and away, where we spent our personal resources and even our lives to travel to Cameroon by road.

    “About Okumagba, he and some members were officially dismissed from the club for anti-club activities and disrespect to the club.

    “Their letters were forwarded to the NFF, Nigeria Police, Ministry of Sports and House of Assembly which they acknowledged, copies of the letters were documented,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • New Zimbabwean Govt. declares Mugabe ’s birthday as public holiday

    New Zimbabwean Govt. declares Mugabe ’s birthday as public holiday

    Former President Robert Mugabe’s birthday, Feb. 21, is now a public holiday after the Zimbabwean Government gazetted it as Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, the state-controlled media reported on Monday.

    The designation of the day as a public holiday comes after the government adopted the decision in August following intense lobbying by the ruling ZANU-PF Youth League.

    The day has been previously commemorated as the 21st February Movement by the party in celebration of the principles and ideals of the former president.

    The party youths pushed for the birthday to be declared a holiday in recognition of Mugabe’s efforts in empowering the youths.

    Mugabe resigned on Nov. 21 after military and public pressure, ending his 37 year stay in power.

    NAN

    Read Also: Mugabe ‘glowed’ with relief after he quit – priest

  • PDP will not fail followers – Bafarawa

    PDP will not fail followers – Bafarawa

    A former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Atahiru Bafarawa, said the Peoples’ Democratic Party ( PDP ) would not afford to fail its numerous followers at the Dec. 9 national convention.

    Bafarawa stated this in Sokoto on Sunday while receiving an aspirant of national chairmanship of the party, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who was on a campaign visit to the state.

    He said that it was unfortunate that the party encountered crisis after its convention in Port Harcourt in 2016, noting that the party was on “intensive care” at that time.

    “Now that the party is out of the intensive care unit, there is need to put the party in order.

    “We stand at risk if we don’t put our house in order. We will fail our millions of followers who are in support of this great party.

    “Honestly, what we can do is to unite ourselves and pray to God to guide us to choose leaders who will lead our party,” Bafarawa said.

    The former governor said that the North-West was yet to take any decision on who to support for the national chairmanship position, noting that the people would make the decision.

    He described Dokpesi as a man of wisdom and experience, the criteria needed by the man who lead PDP as chairman.

    “We believe that God chooses leaders, and I know that you are qualified to aspire for any position in this party and country,” the former governor told the aspirant.

    Earlier, Dokpesi had said that he knew that Bafarawa was a man who loved and always wanted the best for his people, state and the country.

    At a meeting with state executive members and convention delegates of the party at the Secretariat, he said he was in the state to seek support of party members for his aspiration to lead PDP.

    Dokpesi pledged to work with the state executive committee and members to return PDP to power in Sokoto in 2019.

    Dokpesi was also in Gasau, where he met officials and delegates of the PDP in Zamfara.

    NAN

  • Oyo approves N2bn for rehabilitation of 100 schools

    Oyo approves N2bn for rehabilitation of 100 schools

    Oyo State Government has approved two billion naira for rehabilitation of 100 public secondary schools and construction of four compartments VIP toilets.

    This was announced in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday.

    Arulogun stated that the projects, which cost N2 billion would be handled by 10 contractors across the state.

    He said that the upgrading of infrastructure in schools to facilitate the provision of enabling learning environment and fast track transformation and repositioning of education sector in the state, was non-negotiable.

    The commissioner emphasised that the Ajimobi-led administration had prioritised education as one of its legacy sectors.

    He explained that 34 schools would be renovated in Ibadan, 30 in Oke Ogun, 15 in Ogbomoso and 12 in Oyo zones while the remaining nine were in Ibarapa zone.

    “Among the schools to be rehabilitated with the construction of four compartments VIP toilets are Emmanuel Grammar School, Samonda; Anglican Grammar School, Kudeti and Otun Agbaakin Community Grammar School, Akinyele.

    “In the list are Fiditi Grammar School, Fiditi; Orayan Grammar School, Progressive Grammar School, Tede; Community High School, Alarere; Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu and  Jericho High School, Eleyele, among others.

    He said that the state’s Bureau of Public Procurement had issued the certification for the renovation of the one hundred schools, warning that contractors should abide by the project specification and duration.

    The commissioner stressed that  government would not relent in its resolve to positively turn around the education sector.

    Arulogun pointed out that government’s efforts were already yielding fruitful results with the recent 54.4 per cent pass rate in WASSCE, being the best in the last 18 years.

    He said that students from the state also emerged first and second best in the 2017 WASSCE in Nigeria as well as the best 2017 WASSCE students in public schools.

    NAN

  • Roma’s De Rossi apologises after losing his head at Genoa

    Roma’s De Rossi apologises after losing his head at Genoa

    AS Roma’s veteran midfielder Daniele De Rossi has apologised after losing his head in a 1-1 draw at Genoa on Sunday.run of Serie A away wins.

    Roma were leading 1-0 in a bad-tempered match when he was involved in an off-the-ball pushing match with Genoa forward Gianluca Lapadula at a corner and slapped him in the face.

    After consulting the video replay system ( VAR ), the referee awarded a penalty kick which Lapadula converted in the 70th minute and the 34-year-old De Rossi was sent off.

    “I have to apologise to my team mates, the coach and the fans,” said De Rossi after the 15th red card of his career.

    “It’s a moment that I’m incredibly sorry about. There’s not much to say: we were tussling, I tried to block him with an arm – the footage is ugly.”

    Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco pointed out that De Rossi should have remembered VAR was being used in Serie A this term.

    “With the technology we have nowadays, you don’t get away with that kind of thing,” he said.

    “Daniele is not a youngster and he knows that. He’s able to take responsibility. But he’s part of a team and when we draw or lose, the loss goes for everyone, not an individual.

    “We need to do more work, together, to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”

    Roma had won their last 12 away league games, a Serie A record, in a run stretching back to February.

    Sunday’s draw leaves them fourth on 31 points, seven behind leaders Napoli.

    NAN

  • Pope Francis arrives in Myanmar amid humanitarian crisis

    Pope Francis arrives in Myanmar amid humanitarian crisis

    Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the start of a delicate visit for the world’s most prominent Christian to majority-Buddhist Myanmar, which the U.S. has accused of “ethnic cleansing” its Muslim Rohingya people.

    The pope will also visit Bangladesh, where more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to escape what Amnesty International has dubbed “crimes against humanity”.

    The Myanmar army has denied the accusations of murder, rape, torture and forcible displacement.

    After leaving Rome, the pope told reporters on his plane: “They say it’s too hot (in Myanmar). I‘m sorry, but let’s hope it will at least be fruitful.”

    Ethnic minorities in traditional dress welcomed Francis at Yangon airport, and children presented him with flowers as he stepped off his plane.

    He waved through an open window at dozens of children waving Vatican and Myanmar flags and T-shirts with the motto of the trip – “love and peace” – as he set off in a light blue Toyota car for St. Mary’s Cathedral in the heart of the city.

    Only about 700,000 of Myanmar’s 51 million people are Roman Catholic.

    Thousands of them travelled by train and bus to Yangon, and they joined crowds at several roadside points along the way from the airport to catch a glimpse of the pope.

    “We come here to see the Holy Father. It happens once in hundreds of years,” said Win Min Set, a community leader who brought a group of 1,800 Catholics from southern and western states of the country.

    “He is very knowledgeable when it comes to political affairs. He will handle the issue smartly,” he said, referring to the sensitivity of the pope’s discussions about the Rohingya.

    Large numbers of riot police were mobilised in the country’s main city but there were no signs of any protests.

    The trip is so delicate that some papal advisers have warned him against even saying the word “Rohingya”, lest he set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the Buddhist-majority country’s military and government against minority Christians.

    The Rohingya exodus from Rakhine state to Bangladesh’s southern tip began at the end of August, when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar army launched a counter-offensive.

    U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson lon Thursday called the military operation “ethnic cleansing” and threatened targeted sanctions for “horrendous atrocities”.

    Myanmar’s government has denied most of the accusations made against it, and the army says its own investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by troops.

    Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens nor as members of a distinct ethnic group with their own identity, and it even rejects the term “Rohingya” and its use.

    Many people in Myanmar instead refer to members of the Muslim minority in Rakhine state as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

    Francis is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on the second leg of his trip.

    The most tense moments of his Myanmar visit are likely to be private meetings with the army chief, Gen.  Min Aung Hlaing and, separately, civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

    More than 150,000 people have registered for a mass that Francis will say in Yangon on Wednesday, according to Catholic Myanmar Church spokesman Mariano Soe Naing.

    Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the trip was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Suu Kyi.

    Suu Kyi’s reputation as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been tarnished because she has expressed doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failed to condemn the military.

    “I have great admiration for the pope and his abilities, but someone should have talked him out of making this trip,” said Father Thomas Reese, a prominent American author and analyst at Religion News Service.

    The pope has already used the word Rohingya in two appeals from the Vatican this year.

    Asked if he would say it in Myanmar, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Francis was taking the advice he had been given seriously, but added: “We will find out together during the trip … it is not a forbidden word”.

    A hardline Buddhist monk group previously known as Ma Ba Tha said it welcomed the pope’s visit but warned, without elaborating, of “a response” if he spoke openly about the Rohingya.

    “I hope he doesn’t touch on sensitive issues that Myanmar people couldn’t accept,” said Tawparka, a spokesman for the influential group, who goes by a single name.

    “There’s no problem if he talks about Islam, but it’s unacceptable if he speaks about Rohingya and extreme terrorists.”

    NAN

  • Stop discussions on 2019, focus on governance – Tambuwal

    Stop discussions on 2019, focus on governance – Tambuwal

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has described discussions on the 2019 elections as a `distraction and unhelpful’ to elective office holders.

    Tambuwal made the remark in Sokoto on Thursday and said  what should be paramount now were discussions about governance and how the mandates given in 2015 should be executed.

    “I do not know why you are asking to comment about 2019 elections when we only just crossed the half way mark of the mandate entrusted to us in 2015.

    “Elective office holders need us to discuss more about governance. By the time you raise issues about 2019 in 2017, you are distracting the entire polity.

    “We can discuss 2019 election when the time comes but for now, let us discuss governance issues,” he maintained.

    The governor said his administration would continue to promote agricultural and other economic ventures to boost revenue and employment opportunities.

    He said through close collaboration with the private sector, agricultural activities in Sokoto State had increased.

    “With the Anchor Borrowers’ scheme and other interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria, we have made positive impact on the lives of our farmers.

    “Our partnership with Dangote to develop rice through the out-grower scheme at the Goronyo and Middle Rima Valley has been a huge success so far.

    “From 500 hectares in the first year, we have now set aside 2,000 hectares of land for cultivation.

    “In addition to that, Dangote Rice Ltd will establish a rice processing mill here in the state.

    “All these are geared towards harnessing our potential in the sector for the benefit of our citizens,” he said.

    Tambuwal said Sokoto State had positively felt the impact of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, and urged all Nigerians to support the president for continued success of the administration.

    NAN

  • Nigeria to take exciting crop of young talents to Russia

    Nigeria to take exciting crop of young talents to Russia

    Nigeria are the only one of Africa’s five representatives from the last World Cup, who return for the 2018 edition in Russia and will be looking to better their place in the last 16 in Brazil.

    A crop of exciting youngsters headline a team representing Africa’s most populous nation and who will play at the World Cup for the fifth time, having mostly underachieved in the past.

    Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, Henry Onyekuru and Moses Simon represent a new generation that has emerged since the 2014 finals.

    Nigeria surprisingly qualified easily from a tough group that included Algeria, who also reached the second round of the last World Cup, and African champions Cameroon.

    Nigeria were the first African country to book a berth in Russia and finished unbeaten in Africa’s Group B, winning all their home games with two draws and a victory away under German coach Gernot Rohr.

    The German was a surprise appointment just weeks before the start of the group phase of the preliminaries.

    The 64-year-old Rohr is a former Girondins Bordeaux midfielder who returned to coach the French club to the 1996 UEFA Cup final, and in more recent years was national coach of Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger.

    He will have high hopes that Nigeria can make an impact at the finals, particularly after they beat Argentina 4-2 in a friendly in Russia earlier this month.

    Africa’s best return at the World Cup was a quarter-final place for Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

    But there will be concern about Nigeria’s dependency on Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel, with the level of performances over the last year falling dramatically when they were absent.

    Obi Mikel now plays his club football in China while his old Chelsea team mate Moses is the biggest name in Nigeria’s team.

    NAN

  • Amun, Adepoju salute Yakubu Aiyegbeni

    Amun, Adepoju salute Yakubu Aiyegbeni

    Fanny Amun, a former Super Eagles Assistant Coach at the France `98 World Cup, has described Yakubu Aiyegbeni as a player who had paid his dues in domestic and international football.

    Amun spoke against the backdrop of Aiyegbeni’s retirement on Wednesday in Lagos after he turned 35.

    Shortly after he announced his retirement, the former Super Eagles striker thanked all who had played one role or the other in his career.

    “I would like to officially announce my retirement from professional football today,’’ Yakubu told Sky Sports on Wednesday in London.

    “Thank you for the memories,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Aiyegbeni played for Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and Everton FC all of England and made 250 Premier League appearances as well as scored 96 goals in a career spanning 20 years.

    He started his professional career in the Nigerian league in 1997/1998 season when he plied his trade with Julius Berger FC of Lagos (now defunct).

    He also played in Israel with Macabi Haifa FC before moving to Europe in 2003.

    The “Yak’’ as he was fondly called is the 3rd best all-time scorer of the senior national team 21 goals.

    He featured three times for fourth-tier side Coventry City this year before being released by the club.

    The former assistant coach of the Super Eagles added that Aiyegbeni would be remembered for his selfless performance for the national teams.

    “Aiyegbeni is still young but the fact remains that he has paid his dues as a club player and a national team player who has represented Nigeria at the highest level of football.

    “He was most times noted for his response to national duties and did so well.

    “I think he must have prepared well for life after retirement because he is still young and not be in the ranks of those claiming that Nigeria has not done anything for them.

    “Nigeria has done everything for them at least they have the opportunity of wearing the national jersey which others did not have, they need to prepare well for the future and not wait on Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Similarly, a former international Mutiu Adepoju, said that Aiyegbeni would be remembered for his contributions to the national teams during his playing days, adding that he was dedicated.

    “Most of us will remember him for his contributions to the national team as a striker who scored many goals.

    “He is one of the few dedicated players around ready for call-up and wearing the national colours.

    “He has done well, he is a good player and very well respected; I wish him well,’’ he said.

    NAN