The Nation Newspaper

Tag: South Africa

  • Herbal product to berth in South Africa

    Herbal product to berth in South Africa

    A Herbal weight loss product Ezslim will soon berth in South Africa, Managing Director, Herbal Pro, producers of Ezslim, Mr Kishore Uttamchandani, has said.

    Produced by Herbal Pro, Ezslim was in Ghana before coming into the country. Since then, it has experienced growth of 80 percent sales.

    Commedienne Lepacious Bose is the brand’s ambassador.

    Speaking at a briefing on EZslim’s anniversary at Ikeja, Lagos, Uttamchandani: ”It is our belief that we can conquer anything using what nature has provided. EZslim since it entered the market two years ago has redefined the need for weight loss.

    ‘’The product helps to lose weight without side effects. I will like to appreciate our brand ambassador, Ms Lepacious Bose who is a source of inspiration to many and whose success story has contributed greatly to our own success.”

    The last two years of the company’s existence has seen a 70percent direct sale from its website and on social media. The company, which preaches healthy living ensures that it reflects in the content on its website and social media pages where weight loss tips, healthy recipes and other weight loss or healthy living related information are shared.

    Nigeria recorded a 41percent internet penetration in the last quarter of last year and this number was pumped up to 54 percent in the first quarter this year.This increase has reflected in the trend observed at Herbal Pro, a company that uses the online space for advertising and sharing of useful information.

    The company’s Public Relations Officer and Digital Marketing Manager, Miss Vivian Iweha, said: “We receive over 200 new inquiries daily. We have also recorded increase in sales which has doubled in the last 3 months due to the various promos by Herbal Pro which offer customers more. Seventy percent of this figure is from direct sales from the Herbal Pro website as well as our social media pages and via emails, while the rest are sales by EZ Distributors and registered pharmacies and walk-ins.

    “Herbal Pro is always on the lookout for more ways to promote healthy living hence one of the reasons we celebrate today. Herbal Pro is proud to present Nigeria’s first health focused news letter which will contain information on healthy living, including tips on weight loss, healthy life style, videos, feedbacks, customers testimonials, news from around the world, as well as from the Herbal Pro blog. Access to the newsletter is free

    Bose added: “EZslim is the cheapest weight loss pill I have used. It costs only N9, 000 per pack and comes in easy to take capsules. It has no side effects. I have used it so it is tasted and trust.”

    She emphasised the importance of weight loss and healthy living. “Being obese or overweight exposes people to a lot of health-related issues. I advise every Nigerian to take healthy living seriously,” he added.

  • AFCON: Rohr not under pressure to field players

    AFCON: Rohr not under pressure to field players

    The Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, says he is not under pressure to field players for Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

    Rohr made the assertion on Thursday in Uyo while fielding questions from sports journalists during a pre-match briefing on the Super Eagles’ preparedness for the tournament.

    “Nobody is telling me how to work, I work independently with my assistants. There is no pressure on me to field any player.

    “We have good players from Nigeria in this team, I have some fine players. We have good players who can play well for this country,’’ Rohr said.

    He said that as a professional, he monitored the progress of players in their respective clubs and watched video clips of their performances.

    Rohr said that nobody gave him directives on how to coach and he was satisfied with the selection made so far with the assistance of his technical team.

    “No pressure on me, the team is open to all good players from Nigeria,’’ the coach said.

    Rohr said that his squad for Saturday’s match was a blend of young talented players with the experienced ones.

    He added that the team was in top form feeling very good just as the people of Uyo appreciated the Super Eagles playing in the town.

    Also, the Super Eagles’ Captain, Ogenyi Onazi, said the team’s objective in Uyo was to win the game and qualify for AFCON and the even the World Cup.

    “We want to do our own and make sure we win the match on Saturday,’’ Onazi said.

    “Definitely, we need the prayers of all Nigerians. We just want to let them know that it is not going to be easy.

    “We need your support, you should come out and support us to make sure we get the three points on Saturday.’’

    Contributing, an Akwa United FC player, Alhassan Ibrahim, who is one of home-based players in the team, said that he was excited about being in the national team.

    Ibrahim said that it was an honour for him to be selected to feature for Nigeria at the national level out of the three players invited by the coach.

    He lauded the cooperation he enjoyed from the experienced players since he joined the Eagles camp in Corsica and Paris.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bafana Bafana of South Africa had arrived in Uyo on Thursday afternoon for the match.

  • Super Eagles need more media support – Sanusi

    Super Eagles need more media support – Sanusi

    Mohammed Sanusi, the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Thursday appealed for media support for the Super Eagles as they resume their campaign for qualification for major events.

    Sanusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the media needed to report positive issues which could encourage the players and push them to winning ways.

    “The media stands between the players and fans but when the players realise that reports on them are only negative it discourages them.

    “When the players know that they are being supported at home, they will give their all in a match and that is what we all want to see,’’ he said.

    The General Secretary also advised the senior national team not to underrate any side in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles will take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo on Saturday in a Group A match of the 2019 AFCON Qualifiers.

  • UNDP pledges support for Peace Commission Bill passage

    UNDP pledges support for Peace Commission Bill passage

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged its support to the passage of the National Commission for Peace Reconciliation and Mediation Bill currently before the National Assembly.

    A statement by Dr. Godwin Ichimi, Program Officer to Sen. Shehu Sani, sponsor of the Bill, in Abuja on Wednesday said Senate Committee of Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters would organize a workshop with UNDP on the bill.

    The bill has passed second reading and has been slated for public hearing.

    According to statement, the workshop will be organised to ensure that the bill enjoyed the confidence and support of citizens through useful inputs by way of position papers, memoranda and presentations.

    It said that workshop had been slated for Monday and Tuesday and was intended to strengthen civic participation.

    It also stated that the workshop would provide opportunity for deepening the scope for conflict prevention, peace building and post-conflict reconstruction and provide framework for a more coordinated approach for promoting peace.

    “The specific objectives of the workshop are to galvanize the perspectives of various key stakeholders in Nigeria on what should be in the contents of the draft bill.

    “This will be done through position papers, memoranda and presentations at the workshop and public hearing.

    “The workshop will also help to collate and analyse the position papers and memoranda presented by key stakeholders in Nigeria.

    “It will also help to organise a forum to share experience on best practice, benefits, and challenges of similar commissions in Africa.

    “It will equally provide an opportunity for the stakeholders to interact with the members of Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and aggregate key issues, concerns, challenges about the Bill.

    “It will further elucidate the benefits of establishing a National Commission for Peace, Reconciliation and Mediation in Nigeria and make useful recommendations to improve on the draft bill.

    “The workshop will include presentations, plenary sessions and syndicate sessions where participants will consider sections of the bill vis-a-vis related Acts of Parliament in other countries particularly Ghana, Kenya and South Africa,” it stated.

    The statement noted that the bill, when passed, would be a bold and pragmatic step towards proffering sustainable and predictable responses to issues that result into conflict and violence in Nigeria.

    It further stated that participants would be drawn from socio-political groups, experts on Peace and Conflict Resolutions, civil society organizations, traditional rulers as well as federal and state governments.

  • AFCON Qualifiers: Mikel, Ighalo’s absence won’t make difference -Fuludu

    AFCON Qualifiers: Mikel, Ighalo’s absence won’t make difference -Fuludu

    A former international, Edema Fuludu, says the absence of Mikel Obi and Odion Ighalo will not make any difference in the Super Eagles formation when they play South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Sunday.

    The Eagles will host the South African national team at Uyo in the ongoing qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be staged by Cameroon.

    Fuludu, a member of the victorious 1994 AFCON squad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the coach, Genort Rohr, had reasons for not playing them.

    NAN reports that the captain of the team, Mikel, and striker Ighalo, will be missing in action in the qualifying match against Banana Banana of South Africa on June 11.

    “The truth is that whether they are present or not, the show must go on and it’s important that we don’t disrupt the current formation of the players.

    “They have won their matches back to back which has shown that they are making progress; the technical adviser has an approach to each match.

    “I’m sure there are still roles that they can play and also remembering that Mikel has an injury.

    “Contrary to speculations that the choice of the location of their clubs maybe a hindrance, everyone has a fair chance of playing in the team,’’ he said.

    Fuludu, a former central defender, said that one of the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) mandates to Rohtr Gohr is to ensure that the Super Eagles qualify for the Nations Cup.

    “How he chooses to go about the qualifiers is totally up to him to a large extent.

    “He has a target and in his projection, he must have been able to analyse the players that fit into his plans.

    “So, it’s totally up to him, their absence is not a snub whatsoever, we know they are experienced players, we can’t take that away from them,’’ he said.

    On his expectations, the former Manager of Warri Wolves FC, told NAN that the match won’t be a walk in the park.

    “The thing is that in as much as this match is crucial to us, we must tie all loose ends; there is no luxury for slips, we need to take our chances.

    “It’s key that they play as a team, also they should play according to instruction and they should use their discretion when necessary,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Group B of the competition consists of Nigeria, Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon.

  • South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa has entered recession for the first time in eight years, data from Statistics South Africa showed Tuesday.

    Data from Statistics South Africa in Pretoria showed the first quarter contraction was led by weak manufacturing and trade.

    The data showed that South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of 2017 after shrinking by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year

    The worst performing sector was trade, catering and accommodation, which contracted by 5.9 per cent, while manufacturing – one of the key sectors – fell by 3.7 per cent.

    Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Africa Economist Razia Khan said the “awful” data showed weakness where it was not expected.

    Analysts said the contraction suggested high unemployment and stagnant wages were dragging down South Africa’s long-resilient consumer sector.

    “The slowdown in first quarter was due to much worse results from usually stable consumer-facing sectors that had been the key drivers of growth in recent years,” Capital Economics Africa economist John Ashbourne said.

    Political instability, high unemployment and credit ratings downgrades have dented business and consumer confidence in South Africa and the rand extended its losses against the dollar, while government bonds also weakened.

    Pressure on President Jacob Zuma, including from within the ANC, has risen since a controversial cabinet reshuffle in March that led to downgrades to “junk” status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

    Zuma has denied any wrongdoing over the allegations.

    Corruption allegations escalated when local media reported this week on more than 100,000 leaked emails they say show inappropriate interference in lucrative tenders.

    “Our economy is now in tatters as a direct result of an ANC government which is corrupt to the core and has no plan for our economy,” Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance said.

    South Africa’s Treasury said it would work to finalise policies critical for boosting confidence and economic growth.

     

  • South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa has entered recession for the first time in eight years, data from Statistics South Africa showed on Tuesday.

    Data from Statistics South Africa in Pretoria showed the first quarter contraction was led by weak manufacturing and trade.

    The data showed that South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of 2017 after shrinking by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year

    The worst performing sector was trade, catering and accommodation, which contracted by 5.9 per cent, while manufacturing – one of the key sectors – fell by 3.7 per cent.

    Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Africa Economist Razia Khan said the “awful” data showed weakness where it was not expected.

    Analysts said the contraction suggested high unemployment and stagnant wages were dragging down South Africa’s long-resilient consumer sector.

    “The slowdown in first quarter was due to much worse results from usually stable consumer-facing sectors that had been the key drivers of growth in recent years,” Capital Economics Africa economist John Ashbourne said.

    Political instability, high unemployment and credit ratings downgrades have dented business and consumer confidence in South Africa and the rand extended its losses against the dollar, while government bonds also weakened.

    Pressure on President Jacob Zuma, including from within the ANC, has risen since a controversial cabinet reshuffle in March that led to downgrades to “junk” status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

    Zuma has denied any wrongdoing over the allegations.

    Corruption allegations escalated when local media reported this week on more than 100,000 leaked emails they say show inappropriate interference in lucrative tenders.

    “Our economy is now in tatters as a direct result of an ANC government which is corrupt to the core and has no plan for our economy,” Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance said.

    South Africa’s Treasury said it would work to finalise policies critical for boosting confidence and economic growth.

     

  • Battle of Uyo: No cause for alarm says Fuludu

    Battle of Uyo: No cause for alarm says Fuludu

     

    Former international Edema Fuludu has expressed optimism that the crop of players invited to camp for the Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa will do the needful in Uyo, come June 10.

    He poured cold water on fears in some quarters that absence of some regular players in the team could affect performance, noting that virtually all players who made it to the national team have shown from their performance that they deserve to be there and are ready to do the nation proud.

    He particularly frowned at continuous finger pointing at the goalkeeping area as one department that needs to be beefed up by some fans and analysts alike describing some fears as unfounded and unnecessary.

    “” I believe that there is not cause for alarm. We have a formidable team and those who have been invited are not entirely new they are players who have been playing and active. I strongly believe they will rise to the occasion.  I don’t really like it when people constantly dwell on the past like when you talk about the absence of Vincent Enyeama and Carl Ikeme. When one player is not there another player should fit in that is what football is all about.  You only worry when you don’t have a replacement when you have players who can fit in why the worry?”, he queried

    Super Eagles coach according to Fuludu is at liberty to invite and use anybody he likes to prosecute the qualifying matches standing between him and Russia 2018 on one hand and Cameroon 2019 on the other. “” “”He has a mandate to qualify the nation for Russia 2018 and his at liberty to use any player he deems good enough to help him deliver, “he submitted

    Eagles’ opponents Bafana Bafana are expected in the country Thursday ahead of the battle at the nest of Champions in Uyo on Saturday.

    The Eagles are heading into the match fresh from a 3-0 demolition of Hawks of Togo in a shape up friendly match in France. Leicester

    City forward Ahmed Musa who grabbed a brace in match and Manchester City ace Kelechi Iheanacho who scored the third goal, will no doubt will hoping to re-enact their super form in Uyo.

  • Van Niekerk wins 200 meters race at speedy Boston street meet

    Van Niekerk wins 200 meters race at speedy Boston street meet

    South African Wayde van Niekerk easily won a 200m straightaway race and fellow Olympians Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Tori Bowie clocked the fastest times ever in two other infrequent races at the Boston Games street meeting on Sunday.

    Van Niekerk, the 400m world record holder, cruised home in 19.84 seconds on an especially built elevated track on Boston’s Charles Street that enabled fans to watch up close.

    He defeated American BeeJay Lee by 0.33 seconds.

    “It was challenging,’’ Van Niekerk told reporters. “To be honest I thought I did a 400m. It was a bit tough.’’

    The Olympic 400m champion was tuning up to run both the 200 and 400 at August’s world championships in London.

    “I’ve still got a lot of work to do and have a lot of areas I need to look into,’’ he said. “But it was a positive win for me today.’’

    Bahamian Olympic women’s 400m gold medallist Miller-Uibo wiped out American Allyson Felix’s 200m straightaway world best with another runaway victory.

    She finished in 21.76 seconds in taking out Felix’s 2010 best of 22.55 seconds at the Manchester, England, street meet.

    Typically, 200m races are run around a bend and only those are recognised as world records.

    Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has the men’s record of 19.19secs and American Florence Griffith Joyner holds the women’s mark at 21.34.

    Bowie, a double sprint medallist at Rio, took down another Felix world best in the women’s 150m straightaway, running 16.30secs.

    Felix set the previous best of 16.36 at Manchester in 2013.

  • Rohr to drop three players for South Africa clash

    Rohr to drop three players for South Africa clash

    Three players from the Super Eagles team that defeated Togo 3-0 in  last friendly game are most likely going to lose their starting spot ,when the Eagles take on South Africa in Uyo later in the month.

    On Thursday the Super Eagles of Nigeria performed admirably well in the win over Togo, but still some players who did very well in the game could yet lose their spot in the team to players who are expected back in the team for the AFCON 2019 Qualifiers tie against South Africa.

    ” No one can tell you if this is the team that will start against South Africa because we have some of our senior players and regulars staging a comeback in the game. But you never can say”, a close aide of coach Gernot Rohr told Owngoalnigeria.com.

    ” At least three players will face real battle to hang on to their spot in the team, because we have our stand in captain Eddy Onazi returning as well as regular defender Kenneth Omeruo, so that may see some players who played against Togo lose their spot.

    ” Also Daniel Akpeyi will return, and it’s well known that in the absence of Carl Ikeme. Akpeyi automatically becomes our first choice, but like I said we wait for the coach to make the call, but three players like I mentioned have work to do to remain in the team”.