The Nation Newspaper

Tag: partner

  • Amosun to homeowners: partner govt

    Amosun to homeowners: partner govt

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has urged Homeowners in the State to partner with his administration by paying their taxes so as to fulfil the remaining promises to the citizenry.

    Amosun spoke during the distribution of Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) and building plan approvals to another batch of beneficiaries at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta.

    According to a statement by the press officer in the Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Passover Adeshina, the governor, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, urged residents as responsible citizens to perform their civic responsibilities  by paying their taxes to aid socio-economic development of the state.

    The Head, Stamp Duty and Land Matters, Ogun State Internal Revenue Services  (OGIRS), Mr. Olakunle Olayemi said  the Home Owners’ Charter Programmes had improved from monthly to bi-monthly and thousands of beneficiaries had collected their land title documents.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Joseph Ebeatu from Sango-Ota, thanked the government.

  • Senate seeks to partner Immigration

    The Senate Committee on Local Content has called on the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to partner the Senate in ensuring that the Local Content Act is strictly applied in expatriate quota.

    According to the committee, the move will secure employment for Nigerians and prevent transfer of foreign exchange in the name of engaging foreign experts.

    Speaking during a working visit to NIS Headquarters in Abuja, Chairman of the committee Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) said the Eighth Senate would see that the Local Content Act of 2010 is fully enforced in the oil and gas industry.

    The senator said it would ensure Nigerians were employed in the industry.

    Adeola added that the committee will amend the Act to cover other areas where foreigners deprive Nigerians of jobs and capital flight.

    The senator said the expertise of NIS would be needed when the committee visits companies covered by the Act, adding that qualified graduates in oil and gas are roaming the streets without jobs whereas expatriates are collecting fat salaries on jobs that Nigerians can conveniently undertake.

    Comptroller General of Immigration Mohammed Babandede said youth agitation in Niger Delta could be solved by effective implementation of Local Content Act since expatriates are taken over jobs that could be done by locals.

  • FBN Holdings, WIMBIZ partner

    FBN Holdings, WIMBIZ partner

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited and FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, both subsidiaries of FBN Holdings Plc have  partnered Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) in its 2017 annual conference.

    The conference comes with theme: “The Next Frontier: Women, You’re your Place”. The event is scheduled to hold on November 13 to 14, in Lagos.

    The Annual WIMBIZ Conference now in its 16th edition, continues to inspire and empower women through the delivery of insightful and empowering lectures/sessions charged to take women to the next level in their careers, professions and businesses.

    The conference is focused on increasing and supporting the success rate of female entrepreneurs and the proportion of women in senior positions in corporate organisations and public service. This year’s conference will attract over 1,500 Nigerian and International delegates.

    FirstBank and FBNQuest Merchant Bank have  supported the WIMBIZ conference over several years to entrench the support for women economic empowerment, consistent with the United Nations Global Compact and the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principle where FBN Holdings is well represented by FirstBank.

  • Group to partner govts on housing

    The Society of Real Estate Developers of Nigeria (SOREDON) is ready to partner the federal and state governments to address the 17 million housing deficit in the country.

    According to its Chairman, Mr. Michael Adedeji, to solve the problem, experts and financial competence, the forte of SOREDON, because of its ability to raise offshore funding to tackle housing deficit, are needed.

    “We can’t just blame the governments for the housing deficit in Nigeria because there are people who should tackle this challenge. If we are providing one million housing every year, maybe it should have been addressed all these years. Together with our foreign partners, we have earmarked $5million for take-off.  We are capable of providing 500, 000 housing units annually and we also guarantee high quality houses,” Adedeji said.

  • Kaduna, others partner on innovation roundtable

    Kaduna, others partner on innovation roundtable

    The Kaduna State Government, in partnership with Verdant Zeal and PAN Nigeria,is organising the Verdant Zeal  First Innovation Roundtable for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Start-up Entrepreneurs.

    The theme is “How Innovation drives entrepreneurship: The case for SMEs and start-ups.”

    The  roundtable is propelled by the success achieved with the annual series, which has held since 2012, but with a renewed vision to impact key economic hubs across Nigeria.

    Scheduled to hold in Kaduna State,  the series will create a platform for employers of labour, e-commerce solo-preneurs and SMEs to appreciate the place of innovation in business growth.

    On the new initiative, the Executive Vice Chairman, Verdant Zeal Group and the event convener, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi , noted that in the last six years, Verdant Zeal has convened the Innovation Series, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative instituted in 2012, to examine the development of Africa, discuss the Nigerian project as well as pin-point opportunities for development and growth within the continent.

  • Ways to know if your partner is cheating

    DISCOVERING a partner’s affair is easier than ever before in history. Text messages, emails and online credit card statements leave the careless cheater with an electronic affair trail a gigabyte long. We know the typical telltale signs: weight loss, new music or food interests, the purchase of a new wardrobe. But if your affair radar is up — because your partner’s behavior just feels off or out of the ordinary — here are 13 not-as-conspicuous signs you may be overlooking.

    1) Time-stamping: Optimizing precious moments with a lover is a balancing act, so he’s counting minutes. “It won’t raise any red flags if I’m home by 6:00 p.m. on the dot,” he rationalizes. Or, “If I call her every day at noon, she won’t get suspicious.” He’s drawing timelines in the sand — and being uncharacteristically prompt or oddly ritualized with his schedule may be one way he does that.

    2) New lingo: A friend of mine’s suspicions grew when he heard his wife irritably yell, “Good Christ!” — an expression neither one of them had ever used — and one she typically would find offensive. If she’s spending enough time with her lover, she’s sure to pick up some of his/her expressions.

    3) Changing things up: Every evening — like clockwork — he comes home, asks about dinner and walks the dog. Now, that ritual is being messed with. He needs a shower as soon as he walks in the door. Or he pours himself two fingers of scotch when that’s usually reserved for weekends only.

    4) Driving alone: Typically, you’d hop in the car together and be on your way. But recently she finds a myriad of reasons to have a few minutes alone — and a need to take her own car. “I have to stop at Sephora, and I don’t want to bore you!” she says. Time and again.

    5) Wearing a lampshade: “Let’s go out and get sh*t-faced tonight,” he atypically and enthusiastically suggests. And you know he hasn’t said anything like that since he was pledging a fraternity. Having an affair — it’s no secret — can make people feel young and impulsive again and that can spill over into other behaviors.

    6) Wanting you to strut your stuff: What’s this? A little something from Vicky’s Secret just for you? Funny, he’s always claimed that lingerie doesn’t do much for him. His affair has reawakened his libido and, ironically, he’d like it to do the same for you.

    7) You’re clearly up to no good: You smile at the waiter, and he goes off. He knows you’re a friendly sort — didn’t he always love that about you? — but recently that innocent cordiality seems to antagonize him in ways it never did. Now that he’s having an affair, he knows it’s not so far-fetched that you might, too.

    8) No harm in looking, right?: “Did you see our cute neighbor checking out your butt?” she asks with a big smile. “That flight attendant is really your type!” she teases, leaving you wondering what happened to her jealous streak. No mystery. She’s on an affair-fueled, guilt-mitigating mission to casually justify extramarital attractions.

    9) Affairs? No biggie: You sadly report your best friend’s husband is cheating. Instead of sharing your dismay, he becomes defensive. “Well, he hasn’t been happy in that marriage,” or “People have affairs. That’s life.” Condemning others means condemning himself — and he’s not about to go there.

    10) Won’t watch it: Fatal Attraction? Derailed? The Affair? Forget it. Plot lines that would have formerly piqued her interest now make her visibly uncomfortable. If there’s an affair involved, know you won’t be seeing it together.

    11) All nerves: Many folks experience atypical bouts of depression and anxiety as the guilt of the affair — and the stress of keeping such a huge secret — take a visible toll. Symptoms may include insomnia, disinterest in eating or an unshakeable blue mood.

    12) Suddenly an expert: “Did you know the U.S. has the highest dog population in the world?” She starts spewing facts about things she’s never shown interest in before. Heck, she never even liked dogs that much. Could be she’s absorbing her lover’s interests — and finding a way to talk about him/her without saying as much.

    13) Signature blank stare: The guy who always has an answer now seems lost for words. His brain is fried with the details of the lies he’s told and excuses he’s made. When you innocently inquire about his last trip to Home Depot, you can almost see the wheels turning in his head: Did I tell her I went to Home Depot? What did I tell her I was shopping for? Is she trying to trap me in a lie? While he entertains these possibilities, you’re on the receiving end of that strange, faraway look in his eyes you’ve been seeing all too often.

     

  • Epe monarchs, Lagos partner to end rape, gender-based violence

    Epe monarchs, Lagos partner to end rape, gender-based violence

    The Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamoru Animashaun, the Olu of Epe, Oba Shefiu Adewale, and their chiefs have promised to work with the Lagos State Government to end rape, child abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.

    They made the pledge while leading an “Advocacy walk to create awareness about rape, domestic violence, child abuse, maltreatment, neglect” held in Epe by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

    The advocacy walk started from the palace of Oba Adewale to that of Oba Animashaun.

    Addressing the people of the town in front of his palace,Oba Animashaun said he would no longer tolerate rape and domestic violence in the community.

    Admonishing men to stop beating their wives, he warned them against raping young girls and forcing women to sleep with them against their wish.

    He counselled parents to send their children to school as against the common practice of sending them to hawk on the streets, describing such attitude as child abuse.

    He said the state government has zero tolerance for rape and that anybody caught would be sent to prison for life if convicted by a court of law.

    He charged leaders of the town to protect the vulnerable in the community from assailants and aggressors.

    “Any community that fails to protect the vulnerable members would not progress. Children are leaders of tomorrow.The leaders of today should protect them. We must all be our brother’s keeper,” he said.

    The two monarchs promised to carry the campaign against domestic violence to the nooks and crannies of the community.

    Epe Local Government Chairman, Mr Adedoyin Adesanya, promised to set up a committee to drive the campaign against domestic violence.

    He said the council under him would do everything possible to ensure the eradication of negative vices such as rape, child abuse and domestic violence.

    Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Director and member of the team, Mrs. Bose Ironsi,  told the traditional rulers that they have become change agents  against gender-based violence.

    “We want to make you our ambassadors so that you can help us to drive home our message to the people of the community and kill the vice for us.

    “Thank God, we have people like you we can lean on and who are saying we should not keep quiet in the face of rape and gender violence”.

    DSVRT Coordinator Mrs. Titi Vivour-Adeniyi explained that the team chose the traditional rulers for their advocacy because they are the first responders and are close to the people.

    “They are the ones that would help us to spread the message against domestic violence, child abuse and other vices to the grassroot”, she said.

    The leader of the Epe Market women, Alhaja Mulikat Onibon, lamented that the men have taken to beating their wives as against advising them when they are in the wrong.

    She said her colleagues in the market would be used to spread the campaign against the evil of gender- based violence.

  • Woman held for ‘duping’ partner of N7m

    Woman held for ‘duping’ partner of N7m

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a woman, Gladys Assah-Asor, for allegedly defrauding her business partner, Nkiruka Okon, of N7million.

    The 35-year-old single mother from Cross River State, lives at 33b Silifatu Abioye Street, Ogba, Oke-Ira. She works as a network marketer for a popular product based in Ikeja.

    The suspect, RRS claimed, confessed to the crime during interrogation by its Decoy Team after Okon reported the matter.

    RRS quoted Assah-Assor as saying: “I met Okon in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, in 2008 where she works as with a commercial bank. We were just friends as at then.

    But later in 2015, I marketed a product to her called Healthy Halogen Oven, a product imported into Nigeria by a networking marketing company called Avenues to Wealth. As a network marketer and a partner to the company, my duty is to bring potential customers and partners into the business for a win – win profit making both for the customer and myself.

    “I told Okon about the Healthy Oven which was one of the products of Avenues to Wealth sold for N12,000 at company price.

    “We agreed to partner in buying large quantity of the product, myself and Okon would put together the financial capital while I do the marketing and transportation of the product to the customers”.

    In her statement, Okon, according to RRS, said: “I got interested in the healthy oven marketing business and decided to go into partnership with Gladys, whom I have known since when I was residing in Port Harcourt. We agreed to buy about 410 units of the oven from the company where one sells for N12,000 and agreed to sell at the rate of N20,000.

    “I made a deposit of N4,500,000 to Gladys account on the agreement that after sales I would be collecting back N7.5 million plus the profit  but she refused to stick to the plans as agreed in our memorandum of understanding. After I contacted her for my money, she refused to pick my calls and absconded for over one year. Then, I realised I have been duped by the person I thought was my business partner.

    “All my efforts to persuade Gladys to pay my money proved abortive as she continued to give me one excuse or the other.

    “During one of our confrontations in 2016, Gladys issued me a dud cheque of N3 million, N2 million and another N2 million making N7 million in total but the bank told me the cheques were not payable.”

    RRS accused Assah-Assor of duping another woman who investigators declined to reveal her identity.

    Assah-Assor, RRS said, also confessed to have duped the woman of N1.8million in a car purchase deal she brokered.

    Besides, RRS said: “She confessed to have linked the woman to an auto dealer from whom her sister wanted to purchase a Toyota 4-wheel drive worth N3 million. She had convinced the lady to pay for the vehicle in installment.

    She confessed to have collected the first tranche of N1.8million on behalf of the auto dealer. The bubble burst when the lady demanded for a refund and that she was no longer interested in the deal upon realising that Assah-Assor was up to some games.

    She disclosed to investigators to have used proceeds from the second fraud to open a catering shop business, bought a car, travelled out on vacations and got a suitable apartment for her family.”

    The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.

  • Councils ‘to partner on development’

    A group, Osun State Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP), has called for collaboration among local governments to foster social and physical growth in rural communities.

    CSDP’s Chairman Abdul-Rahaman Musa urged executive secretaries of local governments to synergise with the agency.

    He noted that collaboration between Osun CSDP and local government chairmen bosses would fast-track development at the grassroots.

    Musa spoke in Osogbo, the state capital, at a strategic workshop for executive secretaries of local governments, local council development authorities (LCDAs) and area councils on CSDP operational processes and procedures.

  • Agro-mechanisation: UNN, firm partner on tractor assembling

    The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Hightech System Limited are to partner in tractor assembling, manufacturing and other tractor value chain services as part of Higher Institution Tractorisation Initiative (HITI).

    The joint venture Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Tuesday in Abuja between UNN and HITI under the Partnership Development Programme on Nigeria Agricultural Mechanisation Local Content Support Initiative.

    Transactional Adviser to HITI, Mr. Ike Willie-Nwobu, said that the project would be domiciled at the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMMCO) plant, Enugu, while an Israeli automotive firm would be providing mentorship and guardian manufacturing support.

    According to him, the technical support is under the auspices of Chinese-Israeli European Technical Partnership Guide with the Digital Bridge Institute, Abuja providing Tractor Information and Communication Management System (TICMS).

    Willie-Nwobu explained that the initiative was necessitated by the need to develop agriculture and agro-business. “This initiative is conceptualised to ensure the following: begin and sustain local manufacturing and maintenance of tractors in addition to value addition for the farmers who are using the tractors,” he said.

    The transactional adviser said that support to agriculture will lead to the diversification of the economy from a mono-product economy to a multi-product economy, adding that it will also boost investment in Medium and Small Scale Enterprises, which will drive the economy.

    He added that the initiative will create jobs by restoring the functionality of ANAMMCO in addition to empowering farmers and others along the value chain. Also, the global linkages and partnerships provided by the MoU, he said, would create global competitiveness.

    On his part, UNN’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, said that the initiative would fast-track sustainable agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria using higher institutions as focal centres.

    Ozumba said that the medium and long term goal of the initiative was to leverage the huge concentration of skilled manpower and human resources in universities to provide solutions to tractor challenges in Nigeria.

    “Students, under close supervision and mentorship would be drafted to assemble tractors, provide service/maintenance back-up and operations so that farming and food security initiative of the Federal Government will be achieved,” he said.

    The Vice Chancellor added that in addition to providing solution to food challenges, students of higher institutions will have the opportunity to serve as extension staff, learn in practical terms and contribute to their communities while earning good money at same time.

    “The proposed HITI will be powered through the four platforms-Tractor Assembly Manufacturing Production (TAMP), Tractor Value Chain Support Services (TVCSS), Tractor Vocational and Entrepreneurship Programme (TCEP) and Tractor Outreach/Extension Workshop Support Centres (TOEWSC).

    “The initiative will also incorporate partnership with optional Asian-Turkey-European and Israel systems and institutions for Integrated Agric/Farm project, Modern Agricultural/Mechanisation Innovation Relay Centres,” Ozumba said.

    He said that the project was geared towards providing alternative tools of thinking for the country using innovation linkages.