The Nation Newspaper

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Abia seeks industrial development partnership with U.S.

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Monday said that the government was willing to collaborate with the U.S. Government to facilitate the development of the state’s economic sector.

Ikpeazu said this when the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, paid him a visit at Government House, Umuahia.

“Small-scale manufacturing is one of our strong points and we have secured the development of a facility where industrial activities will be carried out.

“We are looking for not less than 500 companies to take advantage of the investment opportunities which the state has to offer.”

He said that the industrial clusters created by the government were backed by law, to ensure that the project outlived the present administration as a measure to secure investments.

Ikpeazu expressed the hope that the establishment of commercial ties between Abia and the U.S. government would go a long way to boost industrial development in the state.

Earlier, the American Ambassador said that the U.S government had interest in the success of Nigeria and its citizens.

Symington further noted that ties between Nigeria and the U.S. was strong, citing relationships between citizens of both countries.

“I still have a lot to learn about your state and understand your vision and most importantly how to push that vision forward, especially how to create opportunities for people to live a better life and care for their families,” he added.

NAN

November 6, 2017
Mugabe sacks vice president Mnangagwa

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on Monday fired Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president, Information Minister Simon Moyo said.

Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former intelligence chief, has been heavily-criticised by supporters of Mugabe’s wife, Grace, who has also been touted as a potential successor to her husband.

Moyo said Mnangagwa had exhibited traits of disloyalty, disrespect and deceitfulness.

Mnangagwa was appointed vice-president in 2014, taking over from Joice Muguru, who was axed after Grace launched a campaign accusing her of plotting to topple the president.

NAN reports that on Oct. 6, Mugabe’s wife accused Mnangagwa of a dark past of clandestine plots, including planning to stage a coup around the time of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.

“In 1980 this person called Mnangagwa wanted to stage a coup. He wanted to wrestle power from the president.

“He was conspiring with whites. That man is a ravisher,” said Grace.

Inspite of his advanced age and concerns over his health, Mugabe has refused to name a successor.

He has been endorsed as his party’s candidate for next year’s election.

NAN

November 6, 2017
Lagos moves against tax defaulters

The Lagos State Government says it is going all out to enforce tax laws and payment by all defaulters, as only about 600,000 are up to date in terms of compliance.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, in a statement on Monday, said the move against defaulters was commencing immediately.

Ayorinde lamented that many residents were not fulfilling their civic obligation of paying their taxes.

Lagos has a population of over 22 million.

According to Ayorinde, the prevailing situation will adversely affect government’s infrastructure renewal drive across the state.

“The government has directed all its revenue agencies to ensure prompt payment of taxes and also commence enforcement of payment by all tax defaulters with immediate effect,” he said.

Ayorinde said the government remained committed to completing all ongoing projects on schedule, but this was largely dependent on prompt payment of taxes by residents.

He listed some of the major ongoing projects to include the Oshodi Transport Interchange, reconstruction of the Oshodi International Airport Road, network of roads in Epe to link Ijebu Ode, construction of Bus Rapid Transit lane from Abule-Egba to Oshodi as well as the construction of the Pen Cinema flyover.

He also said the government had commenced the construction of over 20 network of roads within the boundaries of Lagos and Ogun States to ease movement and enhance business activities between the two states.

“These projects have already begun in earnest.

“The construction of the 181 roads earmarked across the 57 local councils, which is now an annual ritual of this government, will commence anytime soon and many more too numerous to mention,” Ayorinde said.

He said the will and commitment of the government is to ensure that all these project are completed before 2019.

Ayorinde said the state government appreciated those who had supported it, particularly in the discharge of their civic responsibility through payment of taxes.

NAN

November 6, 2017
Man wins 9mobile photography competition with borrowed camera

SELF-taught and emerging photographer, who borrowed a friend’s camera to shoot image, Oluwaseun Otitoola, has been named the 2017 9mobile Photography Competition.

Otitoola’s image titled, Fragment of CMS Bookshop Building, was first from the top 100 images selected from hundreds initially received.

This year’s edition of the annual competition opened on August 7 with a call for entries and closed on September 11. After weeks of assessment, with theme tagged: Capturing Solid Memories in 9ja, focusing on “Architectural buildings”, the judges announced Otitoola’s Fragment of CMS Bookshop Building as winner.

“I didn’t have a camera of my own but I love photography so I borrowed my friend’s camera to participate,” according to the 24-year-old engineering graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU ).

According to the judges, Otitoola’s image illustrates the “perfect” blend of classic and modern architectural Lagos (Nigeria) which was theme of this year’s competition

“It was exactly what we were looking for,” one of the competition’s judges Kola Oshalusi said.

As first place prize winner Otitoola went home with a hi-tech Canon digital camera and N30, 000 worth of airtime. The finalists: Amanda Ihemebiri’s “The Nest Oil Tower” and Taiwo Omotosho, Lines Side by Side, who bagged the second and third positions, went home with Samsung device and some airtime. The newly-introduced category, the voters’ choice category, was won by Ikenna Ogbenta’s Skies and Scrapers, which came with a Samsung device. The winners were presented their prizes at the office of 9mobile.

“The competition serves as a platform to discover, reward and empower budding photographers to fulfil their passion and capture compelling images that celebrate our Nigerian heritage,” according to the Chief Executive Officer, 9mobile, Boye Olusanya.

November 6, 2017
PHOTO: President Buhari receives Gov. Ishaku of Taraba

President Buhari receives Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku at the State House in Abuja.

November 6, 2017
‘Kwara implemented 71% of 2017 budget’

Kwara State Government says it has so far implemented 71 per cent of its 2017 budget.

Alhaji Wasiu Odewale, the State Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen shortly after the 2018 Budget Harmonization Meeting in Ilorin on Monday.

Odewale said that the success recorded in the implementation of the budget was unprecedented as many infrastructure projects for 2017 had been executed.

He said the meeting was to fine tune preparation for the 2018 budget with a view to expediting its passage.

Mr Shuaib Abdulkadri, the Deputy Chairman, Kwara House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, said the event was to foster better working relationship between the legislature and executive, especially in the presentation and passage of the 2018 budget.

The meeting was attended by some members of the state executive council as well as various committee chairmen of the State House of Assembly, among others.

NAN

November 6, 2017
NAFDAC reduces MSMEs registration fee By 50%

Prospective entrepreneurs in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs ), in the country now have cause to smile as the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has reduced the cost of registration of products for such type of companies by 50 per cent for companies with five or less than five employees, in line with Federal Government’s policy on Ease of Doing Business ( EDB ) in Nigeria.

Speaking during NAFDAC Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, held at Mambayya House, Kano yesterday, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC.

Mr. Ademola Mogbojuri, who was represented by NAFDAC Director, Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, explained that the rationale behind the reduction was to encourage MSMES to solidly stand on their feet and continue to contribute their quota to the economic development of the country.

He also stated that NAFDAC has also concluded plans to reduce registration time by 90 days, adding that, “NAFDAC is to implement 50 per cent reduction in cost of registration of products for companies with five or less than five employees.”

According to him, NAFDAC has also worked out modalities for the establishment of Small Business Support Desk (SBSD) to guide small business through registration process, which will also serve as enquiry point for small business on regulatory issues.

He added that the agency has also put in place electronic submission of documents so as to reduce the amount of time and delay process taken for hard copies to get to the Directorates at the Lagos headquarters.

“To encourage MSMES, we have activated NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach (NaPRO) to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labeling and other requirements so as to facilitate the registration process. We must also ensure increase in the number of time samples are submitted to the laboratory per month,” he stated.

According to him, “no fees will be charged for inspection, laboratory analysis and export licence when MSMES are exporting their products,” adding that NAFDAC will also discourage the use of consultants by companies to register products.

November 6, 2017
Non-payment of electricity bills will worsen power supply – ANED

The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors ( ANED ) has called on Nigerians to pay their electricity bills promptly.

It said that non-payment of electricity bills would worsen the irregular power supply in Nigeria.

Mr Sunday Oduntan, its Executive Director (Research and Advocacy), said in a statement in Lagos that lack of steady power supply had hindered the development of the country.

ANED is an umbrella body of the 11 power distribution companies in Nigeria.

“If the DISCOs are not paid, their businesses will suffer and if their businesses suffer, our hope for constant electricity will be a pipe dream,” he said.

The association said it was from the monthly electricity bills paid by Nigerians that DISCOs have to pay the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) for electricity supplies that they received.

“NBET also pays the Generating Companies ( GENCO ) who have to pay their gas suppliers (Thermal).

“DISCOs will pay the market operator which is Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN ) and other stakeholders for the various services that they provide.

“Consequently, if Nigerians don’t pay their bills, it starves the entire electricity value chain of the funds needed in power.

“Lack of funds leads to poor or no electricity supply, potential failure of the power sector and related mass unemployment and diminished prospects for national economic growth,” he said.

Oduntan said that non-payment means that our aspiration for 24-7 power supply would continue to be just an aspiration.

“Not paying bills by bypassing or stealing electricity means that it costs legitimate customers more to receive electricity supply.” he said.

NAN

November 6, 2017
Africa set to top 1bn mobile internet connections in five years – Study

Africa’s mobile internet connections will rise from 419 million at the end of 2017 to 1.07 billion by the end of 2022.

A report by research and consulting firm Ovum in London estimates that mobile broadband connections “Data connectivity is growing strongly in Africa.

The foirm said there are also good prospects on the continent in areas such as digital media, mobile financial services, and the Internet of Things,” said Matthew Reed, Practice Leader Middle East and Africa at Ovum.

“As Africa’s TMT market becomes more convergent and complex, service providers are under increasing pressure to make the transition from being providers of communications services, and to become providers of digital services.”

Mobile phone operators such as MTN Group, Orange and Bharti Airtel are investing heavily in high-speed networks to meet demand from users who are increasingly using phones for everything from paying their bills to streaming videos and surfing the internet.

NAN

November 6, 2017
Swearing-in newly appointed permanent secretary

Permanent secretary, Ministry of Information &Strategy Mrs. Kofoworola Omotayo Awobamise, PS, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Taiwa Olufemi Salam, P.S, Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Suwebat Iyabo Are, P.S, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogunnunbi Olukayode Timothy and PS, Establishment Training, Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba, during the Swearing-in Newly Appointed Permanent Secretary, at Lagos House, Alausa, Lagos

Lagos state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode[4th left], out going Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola[3rd left], Permanent secretary, Ministry of Information &Strategy Mrs. Kofoworola Omotayo Awobamise[2nd right], PS, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Taiwa Olufemi Salam[3rd right], P.S, Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Suwebat Iyabo Are[left], P.S, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogunnunbi Olukayode Timothy[2nd left] and PS, Establishment Training,Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba [right], during the Swearing-in Newly Appointed Permanent Secretary, at Lagos House, Alausa, Lagos

November 6, 2017