The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SINGAPORE

  • ‘Nigeria has abundant opportunities for Singapore’

    The Singaporean Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, has said that Nigeria holds the ace in his country’s quest for investment.

    Zulkifli said Nigeria has abundant resources that his country could tap from.

    He said rather than concentrate on China and Asia for business, Singapore was already looking in the direction of Nigeria.

    Zulkifli, who spoke when Nigerian’s Ambassador to Singapore, Nonye Rajis-Okpara, paid him a courtesy call, said several companies from Singapore were already in Africa.

    Zulkifli, who equally advised other countries to do same, listed some of the companies to include Olam, Tolaram and Sea Truck.

    He said the upcoming Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum, scheduled to take place between October 28 and 30, 2013 in Singapore, would provide further grounds for the consolidation of business trade between his country and Nigeria.

    The Minister said there is the need for countries to shift their focus from China and South East Asia to Africa and look at Nigeria beyond oil and gas.

    He emphasised the importance of involving medium enterprises that are eager to enter the Nigerian market.

    On the Bilateral Air Services Agreement and the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, Zulkifli informed Rajis-Okpara and her entourage that Singapore is also keen on signing the agreements and the new development from Nigeria was a welcome advancement in the negotiation process.

    Rajis-Okpara told Zulkifli that the purpose of the visit was to discuss preparations for the upcoming Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum.

    The Forum is being hosted by the Nigeria High Commission in collaboration with the Singapore Business Federation and International Enterprise, Singapore.

    She described Nigeria as the gateway to Africa.

     

  • Singapore deports Chinese bus drivers after protest

    Singapore has deported 29 Chinese bus drivers and criminally charged five others for staging the country’s first strike in 26 years.

    Last week, 171 drivers recruited from China participated in a walkout over pay and living conditions, BBC reports.

    The incident has thrown scrutiny on the city-state’s policies on foreign, low-skilled labour.

    Beijing has said it is concerned about the arrest of its nationals.

    On Monday, one of the men will face criminal charges under laws that prohibit against workers from initiating, continuing or participating in illegal strikes. Four men were charged last week.

    Strikes are illegal in Singapore for workers in essential services, unless the employer is given 14 days notice.

    Authorities said in a statement on Saturday that the work permits of 29 other drivers would be revoked, followed by their deportation. None of the men were identified.

    No more charges or deportations are expected, the statement said.

    The strike, which involved drivers for state-controlled SMRT, was the first major labour action in the city state since 1986.

     

     

  • Unemployment, layoffs down in Singapore

    Unemployment, layoffs down in Singapore

    Unemployment in Singapore declined in the second quarter of this year, reversing the slight increase a quarter ago, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
    The ministry attributed the drop in unemployment to more jobs being created in the second quarter, while layoffs eased for the second successive quarter.

    These were the key findings from the “Labour Market, Second Quarter 2012” report released by the Ministry of Manpower’s Research and Statistics Department on Friday.
    Total employment grew by 31,700 in the second quarter, higher than the gains of 24,800 in the same period last year and 27,200 in the first quarter of 2012.

    Cumulatively, employment rose by 58,900 in the first half of 2012, compared with the increase of 53,100 in the corresponding period of 2011.
    Services contributed 17,300 jobs, the majority of employment gains in the second quarter of 2012. But the figure was lower than the same period last year where there was a gain of 19,300 jobs in the services industry.

    For the seventh successive quarter, growth in construction workforce accelerated, supported by public infrastructure projects.
    In manufacturing, employment grew by 4,700, as gains led by petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors outnumbered the declines in the electronic, computer and optical products sectors.

    MOM said amid the strong employment creation, unemployment declined over the second quarter, after the slight rise in the first quarter.
    The seasonally adjusted overall unemployment rate dipped over the quarter by 0.1 per cent point to 2.0 per cent in June, erasing the increase in March.
    The jobless rate for residents and citizens declined by 0.2 per cent point to 2.8 per cent and 3.0 per cent respectively.