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Tag: restates

  • Lagos restates commitment to tourism

    Lagos State Governor  AkinwunmiAmbode has restated his commitment to enhancing the economic fortunes of the  state by deepening tourism infrastructure development and providing world-class tourism assets across the state.

    He said: “Collaborating with private sector organisations on tourism-related programmes is borne out of this administration’s genuine commitment to engage and give interested business organisations  access to the untapped tourism potential of the state”.

    He spoke at the Lagos Day at Akwaaba Africa Travel Market held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    This is the first time, according to the governor, that the state will support the hosting of the African Travel Market on a prominent scale since its inception in 2004.

    Ambode, represented by the Commissioner for Tourism Arts and Culture Mr. Steve Ayorinde,  explained: “Our decision to collaborate with the organisers of this event was borne out of the present administration’s genuine commitment to engage the private sector in the growth and development of the tourism sector of the state and give interested organisations access  to the untapped tourism potentials of the state.”

    Ambode reminded the audience that “at the inception of this administration, we did not mince words regarding our commitment to drive development through tourism and invest in sectors that will grow our economy’s capacity as a result of our mission to build greater Lagos State”.

    The governor justified the administration’s effort on the strategic development of infrastructure and the provision of tourism attractions across the state. He said: “We are conscious of the fact that provisions of infrastructure and security of the polity for our stakeholders are fundamental ingredients for tourism development.’’

    He added: “Over the last three years the state government has invested heavily in key infrastructure projects like new network of roads, provisions of monuments, improvement of our beaches, building of the five standard theaters, museums , etc.

    ‘’One of the ongoing key projects, which we deliberately decided to undertake given its strategic importance to tourism promotion, is the Airport road. It is planned to be a world class road infrastructure that will be a delight to visitors to the state and Nigeria.’’

    The governor continued: “The Lagos State Government will continue to encourage and promote private sector’s investment towards tourism promotion. We recognise Lagos, as a destination of choice that is blessed with natural and rich cultural heritage. For this reason. We will continue to deepen partnerships with all stakeholders in the state’s tourism space to ensure our competitiveness as a vibrant tourism destination.”

    The Akwaaba Travel Market organised by Mr Nkechi Uko is a major marketing platform where airlines, travel agents, hotels, tourism boards, both foreign and local, media and general travelling public in Africa meet to rub minds, and share views on development.

    The Lagos Day also provided the government an opportunity to share information on the state’s potential tourism investment opportunities. Papers were presented by the state’s team on ‘’Epe, the emerging get-away haven, Badagry, the essence is more than a whisper’’ and a peep into the state tourism master plan was provided by Messrs Enrst and Young.

    Mrs. Bolanle Austen-Peters did a presentation on Eko theatre, public art, installations and the partnership that works, while the audience equally had an insight into the Eko Park Project and the shape of things to come on the ongoing Onikan tourism hub.

    Mr. FolaAdeyemi Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Other dignitaries at the well-attended event includes OtunbaSegunRunsewe, Director General National Council for Arts and culture, notable movie artistes from Ghana and Nigeria including Mr. Van Vicker, Joke Silver, KunleAfolayan and host of others

  • Alao-Akala restates commitment to APC over defection rumours

    Former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has said the report of his plan to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is a “publicity stunt aimed at laundering the image of the ADC”.

    In a statement by the Head, New Media and Public Affairs, Alao-Akala Campaign Organisation, Mr Jeremiah Akande, the former governor said he was too busy with his campaign.

    He pledged not to engage in a media war or propaganda involving any group, body or political party.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole to Saraki: You’ll be impeached legally, not with thuggery

    The statement reads: “The attention of Alao-Akala Campaign Organisations has been drawn to a newspaper report with the headline: ‘OBJ to Ladoja, Alao-Akala: produce younger ADC governorship candidate’.

    “The Media and Publicity Directorate of Alao-Akala Campaign Organisation, after a careful study of the report and analysis of the disjointed and unfounded information pieced together in the body of the story, came to a professional conclusion that the idea behind the story was a mere ‘publicity stunt’ aimed at laundering the image of the political party in question.

    “The Alao-Akala Campaign Organisations wishes to state categorically that His Excellency, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, as an experienced politician who has tested the murky waters of politics and who is well schooled in the ‘Rules of Engagement’, is too busy with his campaign activities and will not engage in any form of media war or propaganda involving any group, body or political party.

    “The Legal Advisory and Monitoring Directorate of the Alao-Akala Campaign Organisation has been mandated to formally write to the affected groups and persons to henceforth desist from misleading the public with their distorted facts and to put a stop to defaming and involving the name and person of His Excellency, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, in acts, actions and activities that have nothing to do with him or face the legal consequences of their dirty actions…”

  • Fed Govt restates commitment to press freedom

    Fed Govt restates commitment to press freedom

    Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to the freedom of the press.

    The media, he said, has nothing to fear from the present administration.

    The minister spoke in Abuja yesterday when he received a delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) in his office.

    “The media has nothing to fear from the government but, on the contrary, we are the ones that cannot sleep with our eyes closed because of the media,” he said.

    Mohammed, who said the government always takes criticism from the media in good faith, however, appealed to the media to be fair and constructive in its criticisms.

    The minister said the present administration believes that democracy cannot thrive without a free press but noted that the media should report the government within the context of the daunting challenges facing the nation, most of which were inherited by the administration.

    He said the government was on a rescue mission, but noted that the rot of 16 years cannot be corrected within two and a half years.

    He thanked the IPI for its confidence in Nigeria by granting the country the hosting right for its annual congress, saying the IPI World Congress 2018, scheduled for Abuja on June 21-23, will give the government the opportunity to showcase its achievements to the international media.

    Executive Director of IPI Ms. Barbara Trionfi said she is in the country to interface with media professionals towards the successful hosting of the forthcoming congress.

    She hailed the government for its efforts towards promoting press freedom and the safety of journalists and urged the media industry to look beyond business rivalry and competition to cooperate and promote the core values of journalism.

    Ms. Trionfi was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of IPI Nigeria and Publisher of Media Trust, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf; former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr. Tonnie Iredia, and the Secretary of IPI Nigeria, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, among others.

  • SEC restates December 2017 deadline for cancellation of dividend warrants

    Nigeria’s apex capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has restated its decision to stop further issuance of dividend warrants by December 31, 2017. Also, investors that fail to register for the electronic dividend (e-dividend) under the ongoing free registration exercise will pay N150 registration fee with effect from January 1, 2018.

    Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, at a media briefing in Lagos, said there was no going back on the Commission’s decision to stop dividend warrant by December 31, 2017.

    “We realised there is a slow pace in terms of implementation of e-dividend. This is an initiative that is very close to our heart and at the last count, there are about 2.1 million Nigerians who have keyed into it. But in the last three or four months, there has not been  appreciable increase in terms of the number of enrolment, that is where we felt there is a need for us to have a conversation with the registrars and bankers,” Gwarzo said.

    He pointed out that the registrars agreed to the discussion, saying “We expect in the next two or three months to see a significant improvement in terms of enrolment.”

    He added that to leverage on that and to be able to optimise the support we have received, SEC has also been in the vanguard of public enlightenment.

    He stated that as at December 31, any Nigerian that has not registered for e-dividend will now have to pay N150 for registration.

    Also, head, Vertical Markets Group, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBBS) Mr. Samuel Oluyemi said, “The E-dividend mandate registration was at 50,819 in August and 59,204 registration in September and dropped to 37,153 in October. The drop in the E-dividend further calls for collaboration among key stakeholders at driving awareness.”

    According to him, the free registration window is ending December 31, 2017 and our expectation at NIBSS is to have 50,000 registration every month.

    “The dedication of NIBSS on E-dividend mandate is irreversible with 136 stockbrokers  connected to the portal with 16 registers

    “What we have done with E-dividend portal is to ascribe each quoted company to their registers. When an investor picks a form, the companies managed by those registrars are listed under them.

    “The beauty of what we have put in place now is to ensure that stockbrokers begin to play a critical role in the e-dividend mandate registration of investors.”

    SEC had in 2016 announced June 30, 2017, as deadline for issuance of physical dividend warrants but later extended it to December 31, 2017 to shareholders by quoted companies to tackle unclaimed dividends and mitigate the risks associated with warrants.

    SEC had in November 2015 launched the E-Dividend Mandate Management System (E-DMMS) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) and other stakeholders. The E-DMMS is an E-dividend payment portal that ensures the payment of dividends directly into a shareholder’s account.

    It is believed that these steps taken by the Commission would help to reduce the increase of unclaimed dividend which stood at N117 billion as at December 31, 2016.  Out of this figure, N86 billion was in the custody of the paying companies while N13.7 billion was in the custody of the registrars. From November 2015 when the SEC flagged-off the campaign on e-dividends to February 2017, about N42.2 billion has been paid to investors from the backlog of unclaimed dividends.

  • Ambode restates commitment to $2.3bn Badagry deep sea port project

    Ambode restates commitment to $2.3bn Badagry deep sea port project

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State met in London on Thursday with representatives of APM Terminals on the development of the Badagry Deep Sea Port project, restating his administration’s commitment to the creation of a  friendly environment for investors.

    He cited the over $2.3billion Badagry Deep Sea Port Project which he said would address the infrastructure enhancement and urban renewal agenda of the State.

    He hailed the investors for forging ahead with the project which,according to him is capable of generating over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.

    Government,he stressed, would spare nothing to see the project to realization.

    He said the Badagry Deep Sea Port, on completion, will be the biggest in Africa as it is expected to sit on a land space of over 1000 hectares.

    Speaking on behalf of APM Terminals, Head of Africa, Mr. Peter Volkjaer Jorgensen said the Group was strongly committed to partnering the State Government on the project.

    At the meeting were  Country Manager, APM Terminal, Mr. David Skov; Chairman APM Terminal Apapa, Chief Ernest Shonekan; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Head of Africa, APM Terminal, Peter Volkjaer Jorgensen; Chairman, Supreme Offshore Limited, Mr. Chidi Ofong; Mr. Koye Edu; Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye; Permanent Secretary, Lagos Global, Mr. Olajide Bashorun and Country Senior Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Uyi Akpata.

  • Firm restates commitment to CSR

    Firm restates commitment to CSR

    Mantrac Nigeria Limited, the sole dealer of Caterpillar products and services in the country, has restated its commitment to investing in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

    The company’s CSR initiative focuses on boosting the skills of young engineers. It has created e-learning website for engineering graduates, who plan to become technicians in Nigeria and other African countries.

    The website is leveraging on Caterpillar’s state-of-the-art e-learning solutions and making them available to those interesed in becoming a career as a heavy equipment technician. It is expected to bridge the gap that exists between human labour and required skills.

    Three  of the candidates, who completed the Caterpillar e-learning modules were honoured and given their certificates and Caterpillar kits by the company at its head office in Lagos.

    Its Managing Director, Edmund Martin-Lawson, who described the initiative as “giving back to society,”said: “the training would help the beneficiaries to upgrade their skills and foundation knowledge of Cat products and their operations”.

    Martin-Lawson said the company also provides Caterpillar engines and generators for the oil sector and industrial users, as well as the small range of generators for small –scale industries and residential applications.

    Technical Training Manager, Lateef Adenle said the free, e-learning curriculum contained 18 modules of easy-to-understand, technical insights into safety and basic fundamental systems like electrical, hydraulics and power train.

    He said Caterpillar recognised the technicians by giving them certificates of completion, adding that the first five persons, who completed the modules were equipped with Caterpillar special tools to aid their work in future, adding that their experiences would be shared on Caterpillar’s website.

    Earlier, the training manager had conducted the participants round the various departments of the company in the country, including the workshop, re-building section and generator assembly plant, to acquaint them with the operational logistics of the company.

    Echoing similar sentiments, the Company’s Service Operation Manager, Ahmed Ragab, said access to the basic Caterpillar Technician curriculum was free. He said those who registered for the curriculum had the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge and upon successful completion of the curriculum, would be given their certificates of completion to support their chances of getting jobs.

    One of the participants, Adebowale Olorunlana, an engineering graduate from the Lagos State University (LASU), while thanking the company for the opportunity, said the training was capable of upgrading his skill and urged the company to extend the opportunity to other engineering graduates across the country.

  • Omirin restates resolve to quash ‘impeachment’

    Omirin restates resolve to quash ‘impeachment’

    Former Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin has restated his resolve to challenge his “impeachment” by seven members of the Fourth Assembly in court.

    Members of the Fifth Assembly turned down his request to reverse his “impeachment’’, restore his rights and privileges and obliterate the records of former factional Speaker Dele Olugbemi.

    Omirin said it was wrong for the lawmakers to make public the contents of the letter he wrote to them.

    He accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-dominated Assembly of blackmailing him by addressing a briefing on the letter.

    The ex-Speaker, who spoke yesterday at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Governor Ayo Fayose, the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole and the Assembly Clerk, Tola Esan, knew about his letter.

    He added that he also notified party leaders like Solid Minerals Minister Dr. Kayode Fayemi, state APC Chairman Olajide Awe and Senator Anthony Adeniyi.

    Omirin condemned the Oluwawole-led Assembly for playing politics with his request, describing the action of the lawmakers as “petty.”

    He said he was advised to go to court, and he instructed his lawyer to contact the Clerk for the Hansard of November 20, last year, when the impeachment was carried out.

    Omirin said: “The rejection of my letter was petty. It confirmed that the lawmakers don’t have minds of their own. I had decided not to join issues with the Assembly, because I couldn’t afford to cast aspersion on the same House I once presided over and led members to pass 72 bills into law.

    “Making my letter public was a clear case of blackmail. The governor, Speaker and the Clerk were aware of my letter. It was the Clerk who called me and said my impeachment could be reversed and that I should write a letter, rather than going to court.

    “I know that my letter could not have been made public by Oluwawole without consulting Governor Fayose. So, it was an attempt to frame me.

    “The Speaker is not in charge of that Assembly, the governor is and whatever the Speaker does, he has to follow the dictates of the governor.”

    Responding, Committee Chairman on Information Gboyega Aribisogan said the lawmakers did nothing wrong in deliberating upon Omirin’s letter, saying their action could not be mistaken for blackmail.

    He added: “We have deliberated in this House that whatever happens in the Assembly should be made known to the electorate. So, the issue of blackmail being raised was a figment of his imagination.”

     

  • Etisalat restates commitment to Nigerian Idol 5

    Etisalat restates commitment to Nigerian Idol 5

    The ceremonial premiere of the fifth season of Nigerian music reality show, Nigerian Idol, accorded show sponsors, Etisalat Nigeria, another opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the empowerment of Nigerian youths through the music platform.

    Head Events and Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani, said at the Oriental hotel, Lagos, venue of the premiere, Wednesday, that Etisalat was proud to be associated with the Nigerian Idol, describing it as a platform that affords youths the chance to express themselves through music and take their dreams to the next level. She also revealed that Etisalat has put in place an interesting show for viewers and audience this season.

    “As a brand, we consider the youths as a critical audience and we are passionate about what drives them. This year’s edition promises to be one of the best shows ever, because we have put so much in place to give the audience and viewers an all-round exciting experience. This season, we will be giving away premium prizes, not just to the winner, but also to the runners-up and others in the top 10 positions,” she said.

    This season, the winner of Nigerian Idol will be rewarded with N7.5 million cash reward, a brand new car, a recording deal with Universal Music Company worth N7.5 million amongst other prizes.

    The show is scheduled to begin airing on March 1 on TV stations across the country, including NTA, STV, Hip TV, Superscreen TV, WAP TV, Smash TV, AMC TV, Rave TV, Cool TV Wazobia TV and V.Channel TV.

  • Learn Africa restates commitment to shareholders’ value

    Learn Africa Plc is committed to ensuring responsible corporate governance standards that will safeguard shareholders’ value as it seeks to grow its business.

    Managing director, Learn Africa Plc, Mr Segun Oladipo, yesterday at a press briefing on recent development in the company in Lagos reiterated the commitment of the directors to responsible corporate growth.

    According to him, the management remained committed to ensuring a more judicious management of the company’s resources in order to enhance shareholders’ value.

    “We recognise that corporate governance standards and practices must be balanced to protect the interests of the shareholders and of the company. The board is mindful of its obligations under the Code of Corporate Governance issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Code of Corporate Governance and the Post- Listing Rules of the Nigerian Stock Exchange,” Oladipo said.

    He outlined that the company had successfully introduced new titles into the Nigerian market as replacements for some of the Pearson Education titles that were withdrawn from its list while the company has carried out a thorough revision of some of its publications to align them with the new curriculum requirements and sustain their market acceptance.

    “We have originated 96 new titles and produced over 20 million copies of our various publications. Without any doubt, we have been able to broaden the range of our product portfolio in order to meet the increasingly growing and dynamic needs of our customers,” Oladipo said.

    According to him, the company was able to achieve an exponential growth in open market sales from N800 million in 2011 to N1.4 billion in 2013 as its team of experienced and committed sales professionals succeeded in entrenching recent titles in the market.

    He noted that the company was able to deliver book supply contracts received from Universal Basic Education Commission through the indenting of its new titles worth over N2 billion in the last two years alone, thus making the its new series the fastest moving new titles in the Nigerian book market today.

    Oladipo said that following the decision to broaden the coverage area, the company expanded its sales team from 61 before Pearson’s divestment to 137 highly motivated sales persons within one year adding that the company has concluded the restructuring of the entire sales and marketing department for optimum utilisation and efficiency to enable it to meet the current challenges of contemporary book business.

    He pointed out that as part of continuous efforts to ensure that customers have easy access to its products; Learn Africa has established new depots across the country while the company has continued to improve its warehousing and distribution activities regularly with a view to ensuring that customers’ orders are serviced promptly.

    “This company recognises that management, professionals, and technical experts are its major assets, and investments in their future and development are given top priority. Our expanding skill base has been extended by a range of trainings provided to employees whose opportunities for career development within the company have thus been enhanced. Training is carried out through both in-house and external courses. Incentives and welfare schemes designed to meet the circumstances of each individual employee are implemented wherever applicable and some of these include performance bonuses,” Oladipo said.

    He commended shareholders, employees and other stakeholders of the company noting that it has been able to forge ahead in spite of the divestment of Pearson education due to the unflinching support of these stakeholders.

    “We assure you that the company is sound and that we would continue to raise the bar in book publishing and marketing while generating appreciable returns on investment,” Oladipo assured.

  • Fed Govt restates commitment on economy

    Fed Govt restates commitment on economy

    Federal Government has reassured that it is committed to the diversification of the economy.

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo said the government was looking beyond oil and gas revenue.

    He spoke on Monday at a Command Performance/Dinner in honour of the participants in the ongoing Abuja National Carnival where he stood in for President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Sambo said the Federal Government would promote the tourism and culture sector.

    The sector, he said, provides the economic development option, with high capacity for economic empowerment, employment opportunities, poverty reduction and good returns on investment.

    Sambo said the sector could make Nigeria the number one tourists’ destination in the world.