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Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Brazil good test for Super Eagles, says Rohr

    GERMAN coach Gernot Rohr has admitted that the October 13th international friendly against  the Selecao of Brazil  in Singapore is a  very good test  for the Super Eagles, even as he vowed  to restrict the use of mobile phones and social media while players  are on international duty.

    The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Monday disclosed on its website that  the reigning Copa America champions will be playing two friendly matches  against  Africa  Senegal and Nigeria on 10 and 13 October respectively with the likelihood that star players like Neymar, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho would be on parade at the National Stadium in Singapore.

    “We are happy  about this particular match coming up  against Brazil  even if they are not an African team that we’re going to play  in  the 2021 AFCON qualifiers,” the former FC Bordeaux manager.“ Of course, it’s Brazil and as such, it’s a big match for us  to be played far away in Singapore;  and I hope we can  have more than  two good training sessions before the match (against Brazil)   like we had before the match against Ukraine .”

    According to Rohr, international friendly against the traditional  soccer nations  such as Brazil serves as twin purpose of preparing the Super Eagles for the upcoming  continental qualifiers (against Benin Republic at home on  14th November  and away to Lesotho on 19th November) as well as  improvement of the side’s  rating in the monthly FIFA-Coca Cola rankings.

    “It would be very important for us to train hard for this match because we have to make a very good game  against one of the best teams in the world because    a good result  will improve our rankings in the world,” noted  the 66-year-old coach. “This is going to be a wonderful match for us to play  and I hope all our injured players would be available for the match because it’s a very big match.”

    In a related development, Rohr informed that the general ambiance around the Super Eagles camp has improved   post the 2019 AFCON  in Egypt  with restriction and use of social media when the players are on international duty.

    Read Also: Rohr laments Mikel, Ighalo exit from Super Eagles

    “Of course,  we have better communication and conversations   in the team now because the phones are restricted during breakfast, lunch, dinner and during our meetings and I’ve also advised the players against  social media which sometimes is not very good,” revealed  Rohr.

    Meanwhile, match organisers  have disclosed that tickets for the two matches between  Brazil against Senegal and Nigeria will go on sale today  at the SportsHub website.

    The NationSport gathered that ticket for a single game is   priced from $29 ( about N10,150) onwards, while there are special-bundle prices from $49 ( about N17,150)onwards for two games.

    Fans may also choose the $299(about N104,650) SuperFan Package, which includes VIP lanyard and pass, access to a dedicated VIP lounge, Centreline platinum tickets with padded seats and drink holders, as well as refreshments.

  • Cashless policy: LCCI seeks more time, enlightenment

    THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has asked for more time for the implementation of the cashless policy.

    In a statement, its Director- General, Muda Yusuf said the latest Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) circular should have given a much longer notice to economic players, including enlightenment.

    He said the effective date is extremely short as the circular was dated September 17 with effective date of September 18, noting that it is just a notice of one day.

    He said: “This would have short term disruptive effects.  We implore the CBN to give at least two months to allow for players in the economy to adequately prepare themselves. This is particularly so for investors who are major players in the retail segment of the economy.  It is difficult to justify the decision to penalise cash depositors.  The emphasis should be on discouraging cash transactions and withdrawals, which is more in consonance with the objective of the policy.”

    Read Also: LCCI urges CBN to reduce cash reserve ratio

    Yusuf said the  cashless policy is no doubt a commendable initiative which has impacted significantly on the economy but insisted that  financial institutions should continuously strive to raise the level of confidence of citizens in the electronic payment platform.

    The LCCI chief said this would entail the reduction in ATM fraud, internet fraud and other fraudulent activities on the various electronic platform.

    He called for more enlightenment and incentives to encourage the citizens to use electronic payment systems. According to him, the transitioning process requires robust enlightenment, consultation and stakeholder engagements.

     

     

     

  • NEPZA to revoke licences of dormant zones

    The Acting Managing Director, Nigeria Exports Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Terhemba Nongo, on Wednesday threatened to revoke the licences of inactive Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in the country.

    Nongo, who issued the threat during a media chat in Abuja, insisted that every inactive licenced free zone in the country should be revoked.

    He said: “Going by the importance of Free Trade Zones in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic diversification, government will no longer watch the laxity at which those given the licences are treating the zones.

    “We have three types of investments in Free Trade Zones. We have the private development by the zone run by private sectors.

    “We have public private partnership (PPP) which is between the government and the private sector. We also have public zone which is owned by the government.

    “The challenges we are having in the Free Trade Zones are the ones owned by the state governments. We are talking with them and the response is a little bit encouraging.

    “We have given some of them timelines and if they don’t start within the next one year, we will revoke the license of these Free Zones, though the centenary economic city, Tomaro and Abuja Technology village are not among the inactive zones.”

    Read Also: ‘NEPZA crying wolf over N14.3bn NSEZCO fund’

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to set up seven new industrial parks to support the Nigeria Industrial Revolution plan of the government. The industrial parks would be located in each of the country’s six geo-political zones.

    He gave the locations where the parks would be located to include Lekki in Lagos; Makurdi in Benue State; Benin, Edo State; Ilorin, Kwara State;  Sokoto; Gombe and Abakiliki in Ebonyi states.

    Unongo said the FTZ in Ilorin, Makurdi and Sokoto are almost completed, adding that the agency would soon go into tenders to provide infrastructure for the projects, assuring that by the time infrastructural development is completed in these FTZs, the government would be able to attract the right investments.

    “Each of the zones would provide a minimum of 50,000 direct jobs for the country, thus giving a total of 350,000 direct jobs for the seven of them. In terms of indirect jobs, he said the zones can create about one million jobs for the country.

    “These new industrial parks in the works would spike infrastructure development and unleash a new wave of job opportunities for our teeming youths. It is worth stressing that with every free zone or industrial park licencing, the door is open for serious infrastructure development,” he said.

  • Telcos: ICT boosts economy with N1.549tr

    THE information communication technology (ICT) sector now accounts for approximately 10 per cent of nominal gross domestic product (GDP), the telcos said on Wednesday.

    Acting under the auspices of Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), the carriers said as against 2016, it now has direct contribution of over N1.549trillion to the economy.

    Its Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, in a letter addressed to Communications Minister, Dr Ibrahim Pantami, seeking to draw his attention to the myriad of problems assailing the industry, said  the  sector has also consistently accounted for over 30per cent of Nigerian Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) since its deregulation in  2001.

    Adebayo added that the  sector has created over 20,000 direct and 1.5 million indirect jobs since its deregulation in 2001.

    He therefore urged the minister to use his good office to get an Executive Order to be issued designating “Telecoms Infrastructure as Critical National Security and Economic Infrastructure.

    “Despite these milestones, it is of great concern to stakeholders that the ICT sector is still operating below its potential; it is faced with fundamental challenges militating against network enhancement and development as well as inadequate infrastructure to support broadband roll out,” he said.

    Titled: Request for Ministerial intervention on  Ease of  Doing  Business in Telecoms Sector in Nigeria, Adebayo said the provision of superior telecoms services has been frustrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja by the refusal of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to grant permits to carriers to build infrastructure.

    “Despite concerted engagement, FCDA has maintained that due to the need to maintain the Abuja Master Plan, it will not grant approval to our members to build new sites in the FCT, Abuja,” he lamented, adding that more base stations (BTS), resilient infrastructure and other elements to support stable telecom operations were needed.

    Other issues raised by the telcos include the Amended Taxes & Levies Order of 2015 which failed to fix the taxable rate resulting in the imposition of arbitrary levies and charges at the state government levels.

    ‘Specifically, item 3 (b) of the Amended Schedule to the Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Act introduced new levies and taxes under items 12 – 25. Most of these taxes and levies were hitherto contested by our members on the grounds that they were not applicable to telecommunications operations justified by the previous Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Act 1998.

    “It is disturbing that the entire instrument has given the state governments authorisation to coerce and disrupt the operations of our members in order to compel the payment of sundry levies, charges and taxes.  Rather than Amended Order addressing the issue of multiple taxation, it on the contrary increased the tax burden of our members and adversely impacted the ease of doing businesses in Nigeria,” the letter read.

    Because of of multiple taxation, telcos  have continue to record incidences of sabotage, outright vandalism and arbitrary site closure in across the country intended to coerce and exert pressure to compel the payment of multiple and discriminatory taxes and levies targeted at telecom facilities for the purpose of revenue generation.

    He listed some of the taxes to include ecology tax for gaseous emission;               sewage, sanitation and public convenience levy; sanitation and refuse effluent tax; business premises tax for BTS situated in farm lands; and tenements rates charged per base station in some states is far higher than rates per square metre charged by the same state for residential and commercial buildings when the infrastructure occupies the same land. He said some states demand for the payment of fumigation charges of BTS in the bush.

    “These are few examples of the nature of taxes that are alien to our operations but aimed at telecom operators,” he said.

     

  • ‘Nigeria still cash-based economy’

    THE Deputy Managing Director, eTranzact International Plc, Hakeem Adeniji-Adele, has said Nigeria is still a cash-based economy.

    He reacted to the  latest figures from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) which put the total value of transactions on automated teller machines (ATMs) at N1.5 trillion in first quarter, while mobile money operations and web payments were N810.1 billion and N107.6 billion respectively.

    He said there were more transactions on electronic transfer such automated clearing house (ACH) NIBSS Electronic Fund Transfer and NIBSS Instant Pay (NIP) than there were on ATMs, even though both options had bank branches as part of their channels.

    Read Also: Nigeria’s long road to cash-less economy

    “So far, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted 79 licences to players in the payment system while another 26 have approvals in principle; this call into question the level of cash circulating in the country. Nigerians love to handle tangible money, it’s a mindset thing,” he saidd.

    He pointed out that the total value of transactions using ATMs in first quarter this year and the fact that it’s almost impossible to go a day without cash in the country gives credence to the claim that the country is still predominantly a cash-based economy.

  • Mission not collecting cash from South Africa returnees

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday honoured the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, for patriotism.

    The Green Chamber, in a motion moved by Abdulrasak Namdas (APC), also recommended Onyema to the Federal Government for a befitting National Honour for doing the nation proud.

    Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, hailed the Air Peace chief executive for conveying many Nigerians from South Africa, following the xenophobic attacks.

    There were echoes of “Chief Onyema, thank you, sir! Chief Onyema, thank you, sir! Chief Onyema, thank you, sir!” in the Green Chamber yesterday.

    The lawmakers expressed appreciation to him for giving succour to Nigerians in their time of need.

    The Speaker instructed the Clerk to ensure that a copy of the House resolution on the businessman’s good gesture was forwarded to the Federal Government immediately.

    He also directed that a letter of commendation from his office be sent to Air Peace office as well.

    Gbajabiamila said the House was honouring Onyema for his high sense of patriotism.

    The Speaker said Onyema was invited to appear before the House yesterday in recognition of his magnanimous decision to volunteer the use of his aircraft to evacuate Nigerians who were attacked in South Africa.

    According to him, Onyema’s airline had already conveyed over 498 Nigerians from South Africa, and had returned to South Africa to airlift more returnees.

    Gbajabiamila said it was a rare show of patriotism and that the House would recommend him to the Federal Government for further honour.

    On his motivation for the gesture, Onyema said his decision was spontaneous: to mitigate the hardship being faced by Nigerians in South Africa.

    Read Also: BREAKING: $9.6bn judgement: Reps summon Malami, Sylva, others

    The businessman said additional 319 Nigerians had just “checked in” from the former Apartheid enclave.

    He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the mature manner he handled the xenophobic matter with South African authorities.

    Members who spoke yesterday included Majority Leader Tahir Mongonu, Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu, Deputy Whip Nkiruika Onyejeocha, Jerry Alagbaoso, Abdulrasak Namdas and Haruna Dederi.

    They said the honour was well deserved as the airline boss had shown his unalloyed love for the country and its citizens.

    The lawmakers added that Onyema’s action had brought respect to the country and Nigerians.

    They also noted that he had come up with greatly beneficial initiatives in the past which had impacted on the lives of Nigerians.

    Dederi said: “Allen Onyema has always been in the forefront of positive change in the country. He was one of the initiators of the Amnesty programme in Nigeria, and Almajiri school system in the country.”

    Also, Nigerian Mission in South Africa yesterday denied the report that its officials collected money from Nigerian returnees.

    A video, which has gone viral, alleged that consulate officials were collecting 500 rand to process Nigerian passengers on Air Peace flight.

    The airline management had offered to convey Nigerians wishing to return home, following the recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners and their businesses by the South African youths.

    Reacting to the claim, Nigeria’s Consul-General in Johannesburg, South Africa Mr. Godwin Adama said the claim was false.

    Adama said it was a ploy by some people to frustrate the evacuation process.

    He added: “The Mission works with Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa.

    “The same people sent notice to Nigerians from across the provinces to park their luggage and go to the Consulate to travel the same day.

    “This created serious logistics challenges and I had to accommodate all the women with children.

    “Everything has gone on well, despite attempts by these groups of discredited individuals.”

    The President of Nigeria Citizens Association (NICASA), South Africa, Ben Okoli, also said no such thing happened.

    He said: “These crops of diplomats that are working in the Consulate are just great and are the best we have ever seen.

    “There is nothing like money being collected by anyone; not NICASA, not even the Consulate. These services were rendered free of charge. No one has ever said anyone collected money from him.

    “So, I am unhappy with this fake news that people are just circulating. It is a lie.

    “We are discountenancing the lie and it is unacceptable.”

  • DisCos: 6million metres coming

    THE 11 DisCos said they would install about six million meters between 2019 and 2022.

    Fears about whether there are enough testing stations to handle the huge numbers were allayed by the Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) which assured  that it has decentralised its meter testing activities with the operationalisation of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt Meter Test Stations.

    NEMSA’s Managing Director, Peter Ewesor said the fear of cogestion was unfounded.

    Read Also: DisCos to FG: Respect electricity contracts

    “I don’t think the place will be congested because presently the six million meters that are going to be deployed are not going to be deployed in one year. They are staggered between this year and 2022.

    “We have plans to ensure that the meters they will be bringing, we have adequate resources to deal with them. We have three meter test stations; Oshodi is in Lagos. We have Meter Test Station in Kaduna. We have Meter Test Station in Port Harcourt. Definitely, all the MAPs and DisCos should go to the Meter Test Station close to their environment.”

     

     

  • Lift siege, SERAP tells Fed Govt

    SOCIO-ECONOMIC Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged “Nigeria’s authorities to immediately lift the siege to the offices of Sahara Reporters and Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), end the illegality and allow journalists, activists and civil society to operate freely”.

    A statement on Wednesday by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, said: “Nigeria’s security agents and state governors should also immediately stop the nationwide campaign of arbitrary arrests against journalists, activists and protesters. The attack on Sahara Reporters and CDHR is coming on the heels of staggering crackdown on critics, journalists and activists by many state governors.”

    The statement added: “Federal authorities and many state governors are targeting journalists, critics and activists in clear violation of Nigeria’s Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and international obligations, as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to requiring the authorities to respect fundamental rights and the rules of law.

    “These attacks are clearly aimed at silencing the kind of journalism and investigative reporting that makes Federal and state governments uncomfortable. President Muhammadu Buhari now needs to make clear that he does not want any part of this kind of behaviour and that unacceptable and dangerous threats and attacks against journalists, protesters and activists will be fully investigated.”

  • Dickson disengages special adviser

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has dismissed Mrs. Helen Bob as a special adviser.

    A statement by his Chief Press, Fidelis Soriwei, said Mrs. Bob was dismissed for repeated acts of gross misconduct, indiscipline, irresponsibility.

    It was gathered that Mrs. Bob’s sack might not be unconnected with her public outburst over Dickson’s choice of candidate and running mate for the November 16 election. Bob had condemned some of the governor’s decisions, describing them as  a recipe for failure.

    She said she was ready to be relieved of her duties as a government official.

    The former aide described a stakeholders’ meeting proposed by the governor to seek a possible substitution of Erwujakpor as unnecessary.

    Read Also: Dickson warns PDP leaders against issuing unauthorised statements

    Mrs. Bob has warned Dickson of the catastrophe awaiting the PDP at the November 16 election if the party failed to address members’ grievances.

    Bob, who accepted her punishment in a statement yesterday, said: “No amount of sack will stop the flood that is about to submerge the PDP come November 16 if the party does not redress the issues I have made known to you.

    “With all due respect, I enjoyed the great privilege to have served the Bayelsa State talented youths you never cared for from the point you directed that the Talent Development Centre (Peace Park) be demolished, yet you have no intentions of developing the said centre for over a year now. Too bad, may be because I’m from Okpoama.

    “That is the day I relieved myself from this appointment that has been so useless to you but today you make it sound very important as if it existed. However, as the political prophetess of the State, I bless His Excellency and the entire core Restoration Family to have made me a subject matter all through last night and hating the truth.

    “I am a daughter from the Atlantic. We respect but don’t tolerate injustice. Let me thank you immensely for giving me the great opportunity to serve our dear state as the Special Adviser to your office on Talent Development and gender Promotion. Frankly speaking I am a woman of truth and will always stand by it. You have done very well not to have ignored my comments which of course I know must have touched your heart. And the gods of the land will be so proud of a true Izon daughter.”

  • Ex-Bayelsa PDP senator joins APC

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, Senator Nimi Amange, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Amange, who represented Bayelsa East in the Senate, said he joined APC because Governor Seriake Dickson arrogated PDP to himself.

    His intention was contained in a letter he sent to the Chairman of Ward II in Nembe Local Government.

    Amange said his romance with APC started before the 2019 election when he helped the party win his senatorial district and the House of Representatives seat.

    He said: “When I was in PDP, we were enslaved by only one man who regarded himself as emperor. There were no political activities, even if you want to be a councillor. The 105 councillors were nominated by him. The eight chairmen were nominated by him. I cannot be part of that.

    Read Also: Kogi, Bayelsa polls: PDP steps up efforts to unite aggrieved members

    “I was one of the founding fathers of PDP in Bayelsa State. I did not join the PDP; I was part of the formation in August 1998, and I have been there since. But I have never seen this kind of authoritarian rule. So, I have decided to pitch my tent with a party that can uproot the party from the ground so that Bayelsans will be freed. I promise you Bayelsans will be freed come November 16.

    “Today, I can tell you that the APC candidate, David Lyon, comes from Southern Ijaw council; that is the council with the highest voting strength. Definitely, that council is for APC. I come from Nembe and by joining APC, Nembe has fallen into the hands of APC.

    “Brass is where Timipre Sylva comes from and Brass normally is for APC. Those three councils are gone and we can give Kolokuma/Opokuma, the smallest council, to PDP because their candidate is from there. Sagbama, where the present governor comes from, will be donated to him because his running mate is from there.

    “Where the governor comes from is where he picked his party’s deputy governorship candidate from. The question is what will other councils do? We can still donate that to him. We are taking three, they are taking two. The remaining councils are 50/50.”