The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Psquare’s split dominates Google search

    Psquare’s split dominates Google search

    The intention of Peter Okoye of Psquare to terminate contract with the Psquare brand dominated searches on Google Nigeria this week.

    Google’s spokesman, Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, made this known in a dispatch to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

    “Psquare’s Peter Okoye is reported to have indicated intentions to terminate his contract with the Psquare brand.

    “The news was confirmed yesterday by his lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo, who said that the identical twin brothers have had several feuds in the past, and efforts are being made to reconcile them.

    “Concerned fans searched Google for updates on the situation,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Peter and his twin brother, Paul, are hip-hop sensation with the popular stage name, Psquare, which dominated the Nigerian music industry for years.

    According to Kola-Ogunlade, celebrity news dominated this week’s top trending search terms on Google Nigeria, as the news of the death of a Nollywood actor and producer, Friday Ugwu, also trended.

    He noted that the actor, popularly known as Okaka De Don, was involved in a fatal road accident on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway last Friday.

    Kola-Ogunlade said that the death, which was confirmed by the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, made the deceased’s fans to log onto Google to confirm the sad report.

    According to the manager, Google birthday surprise spinner also got people’s attention online.

    “Google celebrated 19th birthday, and as part of the celebration, the company launched a Google Doodle inviting users to explore 19 of its most memorable doodles launched over the past 19 years.

    “Google users in Nigeria raced to Google to give the doodle a spin,’’ he said.

    He said that fans of American hip-hop artiste, Belcalis Almanzar, popularly referred to, by her stage name, Cardi B, also took to Google to watch the video of her record- breaking song, ‘Bodak Yellow.

    The manager noted that the artiste had officially become the first female rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 in 19 years.

    He said that her hit ‘Bodak Yellow’ trended for months before finally climbing to the number one spot of the chat.

    The Google manager also noted that American reality television star, Kylie Jenner, was rumoured to be pregnant for current boyfriend, Travis Scott.

    “The couple sparked pregnancy rumours some weeks back when both shared insinuative messages on social media that got their fans suggesting that the reality star was pregnant.

    “Kylie’s fans in Nigeria took to Google to search for more pictures of the couple,’’ he said.

    Kola-Ogunlade said that Ghana’s 4-1 defeat to Nigeria on Sunday in the 2017 WAFU Nations Cup Final also dominated Google searches.

    “Football fans raced to Google to search for more details about the match,’’ he said.

     NAN reports that Google Trends launched in May, 2006, allows one to see how popular search terms and their  demography have been overtime on Google.

  • El-Rufa’i inaugurates N5bn animal feed company

    El-Rufa’i inaugurates N5bn animal feed company

    Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, has said that his administration would continue to create more job opportunities for the youth in the areas of agriculture and mining.

    The governor made the pledge at the opening of a new animal feed mill, constructed by Sunseed Nigeria Ltd, in Zaria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it is the second animal feed mill unveiled in the state in last two weeks.

    “The state is gearing toward diversification of its economy away from dependence on government by developing its natural endowment especially in agriculture and mining.

    “While mining will take some time to begin to give us the results that we need, agriculture can bring immediate results and this is why our investment policy in Kaduna state is focused on agricultural industrialization.

    “Kaduna state is Nigeria’s leading producer of maize, Soya beans and Ginger, and we are also second in the production of Sorghum, Millet, Tomatoes, White beans and Potatoes.

    “Therefore every serious business in the world should be in Kaduna state,” he said.

    The governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i also stressed that the target was to create jobs and take the youth off the street.

    “As a government, the overriding economic imperative is to create jobs.

    “89 per cent of the population of Kaduna state consists of young people below the age of 35, and if we do not find ways to create jobs for them we will have a major social problem.

    “This is why this administration is committed to attracting investment into the state, so that we will have jobs for our young people.

    “This plant and even the hospital are the contributions towards creating jobs in Kaduna state.

    “Today we are commissioning a Five Billion Naira investment that will produce 100,000 tonnes of animal feeds yearly.”

    The governor disclosed that the administration was working to enhance the capacity of farmers to produce rice and wheat, as well as a special beans consumed in India, which would be exported to that country.

    He also said that the government was working with a group of investors to resuscitate the moribund Ikara Food Processing Company, adding: “we are working to privatise it fully to encourage investors and create more jobs.”

    El-Rufa’i commended the animal feed company for constructing a 15-bed hospital for use by its host community as part of its corporate social responsibility.

    Earlier, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris said the opening of the company would add value to Federal Government efforts at diversifying the nation’s economy, as it would provide needed jobs to a large number of people in the agric value chain.

    The monarch called on government to reintroduce marketing boards which would purchase farm produce directly from farmers for export.

    He appealed to all Nigerians to live in peace with one another irrespective of tribe, creed, social and political affiliation.

  • Police assure of tight security, panic-free celebration in Kwara

    Police assure of tight security, panic-free celebration in Kwara

    The Police Command in Kwara says it will provide watertight security to the residents before, during and after the forthcoming celebration of Nigeria’s 57th Independence Day.

    The Spokesman for the command, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Police Headquarters in Ilorin on Thursday.

    He said that measures had been put in place by the police to ensure public safety, while marking the 57th anniversary of the country.

    “There is no  security threat in Kwara. Everything is intact as we are at alert to ensure panic-free celebration.

    “Our traffic patrol unit, security dogs, bomb disposal unit will be unleashed for security on Independence Day.

    “We want to assure the people of Kwara to come out en-masse to grace the celebration.

    “We want the public to enjoy lively atmosphere on that day,” he said.

  • NLC against proposed amendment of Pension Reform Act 2014

    NLC against proposed amendment of Pension Reform Act 2014

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday kicked against the proposed amendment of the Pension Reform Act 2014 to exclude some agencies of government from the contributory pension scheme.

    Mr Issa Aremu, NEC member of NLC, made this known on Thursday in a statement issued in Kaduna.

    Aremu urged stakeholders on pension matters to reject the proposed controversial bill seeking to exclude members of the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Prison Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

    He said the bill is sponsored by Rep. Oluwole Oke and has passed its second reading.

    “Pension reform Acts of 2004 and 2014 were outcomes of executive bills, which addressed the delicate interests of the pensioners, government and the economy.

    “In principle, a private member bill informed by narrow and vested interest consideration cannot do justice to all.

    The labour leader also said that any private member bill, which seeks to erode the gains of the 13-year-old Contributory Pension Scheme in terms of coverage and resource pool is “counterproductive” and should not be encouraged.

    Aremu said pensions of the nation’s working men and women in security services are better secured in a national contributory Scheme than the old “unfunded and unsustainable discredited ‘Defined Benefits Scheme’ ( DBS ).

    According to him, until the recent contributory pension reform “all stakeholders bore witness to ugly features of corruption, inefficiency and share looting”.

    He added that this characterized the old Defined Benefits Scheme ( DBS ), adding that to return to the old era would mean bringing back corruption to pension administration through the National Assembly.

    Aremu advised the National Assembly against what he called “the pitfalls of frequent self-serving out sourced amendments” of the Pension Act.

    He observed that the pension Act has just been amended through executive and all inclusive review two years ago.

    The labour leader said with all its globally acknowledged successes, the contributory pension covers only 7 million workers.

    Aremu lamented that to ask for exclusion of the security agencies will undermine the scheme with all the attendant negative implications for Nigerian economy just coming out of recession.

    He, therefore, called all members of the Assembly to reject the private bill, which will return pensioners to the bad old days of non-payment of pensions.

    Aremu urged legislators to through their oversight ensure appropriate budgetary appropriation for the accrued benefits arising from the old unfunded scheme is paid.

    He also said that 60 million workforce in both informal and formal private sectors and states civil services are covered in the compulsory Contributory pension scheme.

  • Borno agency unveils operation zero pothole

    Borno agency unveils operation zero pothole

    The Borno Road Maintenance Agency ( BORMA ) on Thursday said it unveiled “Operation Zero Pothole” to repair roads in the state.

    The Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Satomi Ahmad, told newsmen in Maiduguri that the road repairs project was on major towns in the state.

    Ahmad said the agency had completed arrangements to commence work on the roads in Maiduguri metropolis, adding that similar projects would be executed in Biu town.

    He listed some of the roads to be fixed to include Post Office-Industrial Court, Jidari-Polo and Pompomari-Jidari.

    The chairman said that a surface dressing work would be on the Gomari-Pompomari-Tashan Kano road to control flood in the area.

    He added that “BORMA will repair potholes and failed sections on major roads in Maiduguri metropolis and major towns.

    “We will use the curfew period in Maiduguri to work on the roads to avoid causing traffic congestion during the day.”

    The agency boss disclosed that BORMA would resume work on Biu township roads by direct labour.

    He explained that the agency would establish a zonal office in Biu to facilitate coordination of rehabilitation work in southern parts of the state.

    According to him, the agency plans to introduce toll gates and initiate commercial ventures to enhance its operations.

    “We will introduce toll gates and engage in commercial viable activities to boost revenue sources to
    enhance our operations.

    “The agency has fleet of heavy duty equipment including pay loaders, excavators and tippers, which can be leased to sister organisations to generate income,” he said.

    He reiterated borno government’s commitment toward road development projects to open up the state and ease movement of goods and services.

  • Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to snatch a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday with the last kick of the game.

    The result took Antonio Conte’s side top of Champions League Group C.

    France international Antoine Griezmann rammed a penalty kick beyond former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give the home side a barely-deserved lead in the 40th minute.

    He was scoring the first European goal at their new stadium after striking the first Liga goal there this month.

    Former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who also spent time in Atletico’s youth system, pulled Chelsea level by glancing in Eden Hazard’s cross in the 60th minute.

    This was after the visitors had failed to make their first-half dominance count.

    Batshuayi replaced Morata with seven minutes remaining and inflicted a first home defeat on Atletico since September, 2015.

    It turns wide a Marcos Alonso cutback from close range deep into stoppage-time.

    “It’s very difficult when Atletico score [first] to come back, but in spite of this we deserved to win. We continued to play with good personality, we kept our heads on the pitch in every moment,” Chelsea coach Conte told a news conference.

    “We must be pleased with the performance and overall the personality we showed.

    “I always tell my players that it doesn’t change when you play at home or away, you have to play with the same personality and desire to play and try to deserve to win.”

    Atletico coach Diego Simeone has likened his side’s new home to the Circus Maximus in Rome.

    The club’s famously vociferous fans made a noise fitting of the biggest game in the stadium’s short existence, but Chelsea soon calmed the crowd.

    Hazard, without a goal in the Champions League since March 2015, was Chelsea’s chief creator.

    He dashed through the middle to lay the ball off for Morata to screw wide and then hitting the woodwork himself with a ferocious long-range strike.

    “Chelsea felt more comfortable than us and won the game deservedly,” said Atletico coach Simeone.

    “They were superior tactically and physically. They are a very competitive team, they showed more maturity than us and we have to congratulate them.”

    Atletico struggled to get into Chelsea’s half but capitalised from their first real foray forward.

    A deflected shot from Saul Niguez earned a corner kick from which David Luiz hauled Lucas Hernandez to the floor, leaving Griezmann to score a third goal in four games.

    Simeone’s side could have grabbed a second on the cusp of halftime when Courtois could only hold Koke’s stinging shot but Saul slotted the rebound just wide of the near post.

    A two-goal deficit would have been grossly unfair on Conte’s adventurous side, who also had the better of the second half.

    Morata wasted a chance to strike again when he skipped towards goal unchallenged, scuffing the ball wide of Jan Oblak’s goal.

    But Belgian international Batshuayi needed just one chance to grab the win that was as dramatic as it was deserved.

  • Court remands man for alleged possession of cocaine

    Court remands man for alleged possession of cocaine

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday ordered the remand of a 32-year-old man, Ya’kau Audu, for alleged illegal possession of 2.7 grammes of cocaine.

    Audu, who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ), is standing trial on a count charge, bordering on unlawful possession of cocaine.

    Counsel to NDLEA, Mr Mike Kassa, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Sept. 10 at Nyanya, Abuja.

    Kassa said the defendant was arrested on the same date by the police with 2.7 grammes of cocaine while driving a Honda Civic car.

    He said the offence contravened Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

    The defendant pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.

    Kassa, who urged the court to summarily convict the defendant having pleaded guilty, however, asked for a short adjournment to enable him present facts of the case.

    He also informed that the defendant was once convicted for one year imprisonment on Dec. 2, 2013 by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for trafficking seven grammes of cocaine.

    Counsel to the defendant, Mr Victor Edeh, however pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the defendant had become remorseful and self-reformed.

    Edeh said the defendant did not waste the time of the court by pleading guilty and had been cooperating with the prosecution in its investigation.

    The judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, consequently ordered the remand of the defendant in prison and adjourned the case until Oct. 4, for review of facts of the case.

  • No industrial growth with paper certificate alone – Obaseki

    No industrial growth with paper certificate alone – Obaseki

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo said investment in vocational education is fundamental to job creation and industrialisation of the state as well as the country as oil revenue continues to dwindle.

    Obaseki said this on Tuesday when he received donations made by the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association ( NECA ) in collaboration with the Industrial Training Funds ( ITF ), at Government Science Technical College, Benin.

    He commended the organisations for the donating electrical equipment and tools to the technical college.

    According to him, no country can grow industrially with `paper certificate’ alone; it must have technical skills to make the needed difference.

    The governor noted that most industrialised countries had in their workforces, people with vocational training who might not be university graduates.

    He said that plans were underway to set up three or five megawatts of power on the Government Science Technical College premises for its light industrial park to ensure constant electricity supply.

    The governor gave the assurance that the donated items would be judiciously utilised.

    Earlier, the Director-General of NECA, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, thanked the state government for emphasising improvement in vocational and technical education.

    Oshinowo said that the biggest challenge facing Nigeria was that of unemployment due to lack of technical skills to make youths employable.

    He urged that all hands should be on deck to tackle the challenge.

    The Principal of the college, Mrs Bose Imafidon, said that the benefitting electrical department was one of 10 departments with highest enrolment.

    Imafidon pledged to use the equipment for the intended purpose.

    The News Agency og Nigerian (NAN) reports that the other equipment and tools included desktop monitors, contact voltage regulators, prismatic fluorescent fittings and bundles of cables.

  • Gov. Ikpeazu, wife underscore need for urbanisation

    Gov. Ikpeazu, wife underscore need for urbanisation

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has expressed regret that the three major cities of Aba, Ohafia and Umuahia, the state capital, do not have master plans, 26 years after the creation of the state.

    Ikpeazu made the observation at a meeting organised by Vicar Hope Foundation in collaboration with UN-HABITAT Programme in Nigeria.

    He wondered how past administrations carried out physical infrastructural development in the cities without master plan.

    He said that the meeting was auspicious, considering the way and manner people abused the environment.
    “We need to preserve our environment for our generation and generations to come.

    “I believe that if you do not take care of your environment, your environment will kill you.’’

    He, therefore, charged stakeholders at the meeting to think about the environment and how to achieve a better place for human habitation.

    In her speech, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, urged the participants to evolve the best ideas and realisable action plan that would help turn around the conditions of the cities.

    She further underscored the need for all hands to be on deck in the onerous task of “making our cities cleaner, safer, functional and more profitable to dwellers and visitors’’.

    Mrs Ikpeazu, who is the founder of Vicar Hope Foundation, thanked the UN Habitat Programme for collaborating with the foundation to organise the meeting.

    In a goodwill message, the UN-HABITAT Programme Manager in Nigeria, Mr Kabir Yari, said the essence of the event was to promote sustainable urbanisation.

    Yari was represented by Dr. Steve Onu, a member of the UN Steering Committee on making cities resilient.

    He expressed the hope that the meeting would come out with a road-map on how to tackle the challenges posed by rapid population growth in the urban centres.

    In her speech, the Executive Director, Women Communication Centre, Hajia Limota Giwa, said that the meeting provided an opportunity for the cross-fertilisation of ideas on how to achieve the UN objective for the new urban agenda.

    Giwa commended the governor’s wife for her passion and commitment toward achieving sustainable urbanisation in Abia.

    She said that her initiative had given Abia visibility on the global map.

  • UniAbuja to commence academic activities Oct. 3

    UniAbuja to commence academic activities Oct. 3

    The University of Abuja( UniAbuja ) is to commence full academic activities on Oct. 3, following the suspension of the  nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) .

    The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr Waziri Mohammed,
    disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada .

    He told NAN that since the university has formally resumed  after the ASUU strike, the management had been working on the time table for revision and examinations at all levels.

    Meanwhile, the President, Students Union Government (SUG),  Ajiboye Okoyekola, had earlier forwarded messages to students briefing them on issues regarding resumption.

    He enjoined them to stay off the hostels as fumigation and general cleaning was ongoing.

    “The students should please bear with any inconveniences this decision may bring,” he said.

    He, however, urged the students to study hard, adding that exams would likely start on Oct. 9.