The Nation Newspaper

Tag: post

  • Post recession: ‘Fund repatriation injurious to economy’

    Post recession: ‘Fund repatriation injurious to economy’

    Fund repatriation by  foreign construction firms has been identified as a major disincentive to the economy. If the trend is unchecked, the economy will continue to suffer, even in post-recession.

    This was the submission of practitioners and experts at the annual lecture of the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN), at the LCCI Conference Centre, Alausa, Lagos.

    Speaking on the theme: “Economic recovery: The role of  construction sector in post-recession Nigeria,” Chairman on the occasion Dr. Meckson Okoro lamented that foreign firms, usually the beneficiaries of most contracts awarded in the country, repatriated the funds, including profit, to their countries.

    Okoro said this was injurious to the economy.

    President, Building Collapse Prevention Guide (BCPG) and First Vice President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, listed the government’s lack of commitment as a factor militating against the growth of the industry in Nigeria. This, he explained, is caused by the government’s continued patronage of, and support for, foreign firms over indigenous ones. He said it was a disservice to the economy.

    Construction, Awobodu noted, is a determinant of development, warning that if the government’s policies were not tilted to favour construction, the nation might slip back into recession.“Many nation’s development is tied to the construction sector; this sector is the determinant of development in any nation. Government should take investments into construction industry serious, recession can re-occur due to our human errors,” he said, adding that the sector may not record significant growth until the citizens and government learn to use of local construction operators, fearing that recession might return if we failed to do the right things.

    The  Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) President, Mr. Otis Anyaeji, who was represented by the Ikeja Branch Chairman of the society, Mr. Akintayo Akintola, also regretted that most projects had become ‘processes’ because of lack of adherence to completion dates. He said conditions for award of contracts were usually and deliberately made difficult to eliminate local engineers, thereby making nonsense of the Local Content Law.

    In his submission, President, Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mrs. Mercy Iyorta, represented by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Jide Oke, said the political class’ attitude and other challenges faced by the country were responsible for the recession.

    Oke noted that the infrastructure deficit was huge, adding that the private sector must drive the sector to speed up development.

    Construction is very important, it is the barometer to measure the growth of any nation,” he said.

    Okoro, who commended PEWAN for setting the agenda on issues of economic growth and development, tasked the Federal Government to show more commitment to the sector. He, however, expressed disappointment at the absence of the guest speaker, Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the event, .

    “I think it’s not good enough that the invited guest speaker, in the person of Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, nor the host, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode were neither here, nor represented, knowing full well that the organisers of this event are the message carrier of their activities. Considering Fashola’s portfolio as housing minister, and this being a housing event, he should have at least sent a representative if he cannot be here.I think it’s quite unfair that they were not part of this event,” he lamented.

    In his goodwill address, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, expressed optimism that the country would get it right as long as the citizens joined hands with the government in its policies.

    Ooni, who was represented by- Oba Adebanjo Adedinni, the Asoya of Isoya, Ile Ife, and Oba Adetokunbo Awosunle, the Elejesi of Ife Kingdom, assured the organisers of the Ooni’s commitment to the construction industry, especially infrastructure provision and housing delivery.

    “I’m happy with what PEWAN is doing. Without you, the Property and Environment Writers, most of the success we recorded in the sector would have been possible; I thank you. Your continued advocacy on industry matters,” the Imperial Majesty said.

    Other dignitaries at the event were representatives of professional bodies such as the Nigerian Institute of Architects, the NSE, NIQS, the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), BCPG, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), among others.

    Students from the Technical College, Agindingbi were also in attendance.

  • Buhari urged to appoint Post Master-General

    Buhari urged to appoint Post Master-General

    Workers of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) under the auspices of its Senior Staff Association (SSA) yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately appoint a new Post Master-General for the organisation.

    They said the absence of a substantive Post Master-General was negatively affecting the organisation.

    The National President of NIPOST branch of SSA, Gabriel Imafidon who spoke to reporters in Abuja, also asked the government to immediately remove all impediments to the successful implementation of the Stamp Duty Act in the country.

    He said the delay by the government to appoint a substantive head for the organisation 10 months after the retirement of the last occupant of the office has affected the morale of the workers, pointing out that even though there has been two acting head, there are decisions that can only be taken by a substantive Post Master General.

  • Mide Martins opens up marital crisis, then brings down post

    Mide Martins opens up marital crisis, then brings down post

    After a barrage of crticisms from her fans, popular Yoruba actress, Mide Martins, has pulled down an Instagram post she put up on Saturday in which she detailed why she and her husband are going their separate ways.

    In the post, Martins gave her own side to the story of her marital crisis which started making the rounds on social media last week after she and her husband, Afeez Owo, both celebrated their birthdays on April 12 and April 13 respectively.

    While her husband, Afeez Owo, put his wife’s picture on his Instagram to mark her birthday, Martins declined doing same for her husband.

    This move did not go unnotice to fans who began insinuating that her marriage was on the rocks and she was no longer in her matrimonial home.

    But on Saturday, Martins took to Instagram to clarify things in several posts.

    She said she could not celebrate her husband by posting his pictures on his birthday because he  abandoned the house and their children for over three months.

    “So many people abused, cursed, judged, criticized and even condemned me for not uploading his picture on his birthday. How can I celebrate a man that has abandoned me and his kids for over three months now without looking back and made it clear he wasn’t ready to get back to me”

    Also, countering comments that she moved out of her matrimonial home, Martins said it was her husband that moved out of their house to a new apartment after an argument three months ago over the well-being of their children.

    “Presently as we speak, he’s now (living) in his new house, neglected his wife, kids and responsibilities since. I tried to resolve this issue by informing some of our close relatives but all to no avail. I guess his mind was strongly made up and must have his reasons for wanting to be a free man. Naturally couples do have issues between each (other) which are meant to be resolved between them amicably, not taking such a drastic measure like moving out of the house.”

    Aside the couple’s two daughters, Martins said her husband also abandoned two of their cousins and a house help when he left over three months ago.

    The actress also insinuated that her husband was seeking her downfall.

    “My husband why are you trying to destroy me? Why do you wanna kill me? What will be your achievement? Why do you wish to destroy my career? This is the career that gives me money to feed the children that came out from your flesh and blood. Why do I deserve this kind of hatred from you? Is this what I get for having stayed by your side and supported you for good 13 years?”

    However, as at yesterday, the actress had pulled down posts concerning her marital crisis.

  • Stuck with post dated cheques

    BANKRUPT! Yes, that aptly describes the state that Veronica was in at the moment. She owes some of her creditors and they have given her deadlines to repay the debts .The only assets she could boast of are three post dated cheques in her drawer but they just wouldn’t be useful now.

    Like her financial status, her emotions are also tottering on the brink. “I was abandoned by men that I really loved. They all ran away when I needed them most. Now, some of them are back just to tell me that they are sorry and that I am the bride they wished they had. They are all married and I am still single, left with emotional promissory notes in the ‘dream’ bank.”

    In banking, a post dated cheque is a cheque written by the drawer (payer) for a date in the future. It just can’t be cashed or deposited before the date written on it. Of course it is filled with material (emotional) promises, suggestive of a better future but you just cannot make use of it.

    So who needs a post dated cheque that’s gathering dust in the drawer? These cheques are frequently used by customers (lovebirds) who take out payday loans. You buy (love) now and pay later. Sometimes, it could be a guarantee that the loan (love invested) would be paid back. The big question here is when would it be paid back? A matter of time though.

    Sometimes, this can also be uncertain too. What if the account that you want to draw from goes red? Sadly, if this should be the case, no matter the number of emotional cheques in your custody, you just can’t draw from them and it can be really frustrating. There is a deliberate payment delay that is synonymous with uncertainty.

    A recent study by researchers found that the more a couple fights about money, the more likely they are to split. In fact, couples who disagree about finances once a week are more than 30% more likely to divorce than couples who disagree about money a few times each month. Even couples who do not end up in divorce courts cite their finances as a source of relationship strife. Conversely, the way you and your spouse save, spend, earn and invest can actually be points of bonding and affection if approached in the right way.

    It is therefore important to manage your money as a team to ensure that you have a stronger, more fulfilling relationship. Understanding your partner’s spending habits will also help you get to know one another better? Think that the eyes are a mirror to one’s soul? Finances may be an even better bet. “Each of our saving and spending habits is a reflection of who we are, how we grew up and our general perception of life.”

    Delegating money tasks is another way to build trust and improve communication. While it is common for money to be a source of suspicion and resentment in relationships, it can also be a tool cementing the bonds of your relationship.

    This reminds you of the song, ‘Aint Nothing Goin but the rent’ by Gwen Guthrie, the American singer, songwriter and pianist who stole the show in the mid 80s. Naturally, the song took lovebirds to reality zone, talking about the materialistic side of love. “You’ve got to have a j-o-b if you want to be with me/No romance without finance.” The song which was also sampled by numerous dance and hip hop artists is referenced in Eddy Murphy’s monologue, “No Romance without finance’.

    An example of emotions gone blank, lost in the affectionate vault happened a few weeks back with Madonna and her ex-husband, Guy Ritchie.

    Interestingly, Guy Ritchie just had a lavish wedding ceremony and you would have expected that he wouldn’t want to ‘upset’ his new bride scrolling back to the emotional events of the past.

    Obviously he had a post dated cheque that needed to be cashed and so Rocco’s 15th birthday could not be ignored. It was a low-key affair but you wonder how low-key an affair it can be when Madonna was there.

    A short video clip showed Madonna, her former husband, their other son David presenting Rocco with a huge cake as they sing ‘Happy Birthday’

    together in love.

    Madonna also posted a cute picture of herself and Rocco as a baby, captioning it “15 years have gone by too quickly!! Happy birthday, son!”

    That was not all. They were actually reunited for one night only.

    Divorced seven years ago – and there’s been a few digs from both sides since they separated in 2008 –  but Guy Ritchie and Madonna put their differences behind them to celebrate their son Rocco’s 15th birthday as a one big happy-ish family.

    Sadly, neither Madonna nor Guy has had many good things to say about their eight years together. Earlier this year the queen of pop spoke candidly about how she felt trapped in her marriage. She told The Sun: “There were times when I felt incarcerated. I wasn’t really allowed to be myself.”

    However, the positive side of the emotional story is that they managed to bury the hatchet for this big occasion.

  • 2Face, others on post election campaign

    2Face, others on post election campaign

    Although the 2015 general elections are over, the ‘One Voice Peace Concert’ spearheaded by award-winning singer, 2Face Idibia appears to have more to offer.

    At the Classique Event Center recently, fans were wowed with a collection of hit songs from the artiste’s repertoire, even as 2Face and his team seized the opportunity to sensitise all on the need for post-election involvement in the activities of the nation and its government.

    Speaking exclusively to The Nation, 2Face shed light on the essence of the concert. “We are here to talk to Nigerian youths about peaceful co-existence and also for them to be monitoring governance,” he said.

    According to him, “Over the years, the future of Nigeria has been squandered. But all hope is not lost, we can still rebuild Nigeria. Our generation has really lost a lot. We really want to influence the youths positively.”

    The singer further stated how the concert integrates peaceful co-existence among youths and the general public. “Music is a powerful tool, and it is one of the channels we are using to influence and sensitise the publics,” 2Face adds.

    Acknowledging what the concert stands for, the event planner, Helen Abutu said: “One Voice Peace Concert is a continuation or the second phase of the Vote Not Fight Campaign.”

    Hosted in collaboration with 2Face’s Foundation and other non-governmental organizations, the show also featured performances by artistes such as Reminisce, Olu Maintain, Ice Prince, Sound Sultan, Phyno, Efa, Niyola, YunggreyC, Suspect, DJ Neptune, Joe El, Vector, Uzi, Yemi Alade, Timi Dakolo, Harrysong, Illbliss, Sexy Steel, Naeto C and several others.