The Nation Newspaper

Tag: support

  • Wilson offers Efe Ambrose support

    Wilson offers Efe Ambrose support

    Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson has backed team-mate Efe Ambrose to recover from his horror show against Juventus.

    Ambrose, who rushed back from the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria to face Juventus, turned in a miserable display against the Italian champions as he was at fault for two goals and also missed a golden opportunity to score.

    However, Ambrose’s central defensive partner Wilson is confident the Nigerian will bounce back from his disappointment.

    “Efe’s a big boy,” said Wilson. “He’ll recover from it.

    “We all have situations like that and unfortunately Efe’s had it against Juventus.

    “Efe’s got great experience, he’s just won the Africa Cup of Nations and he’ll bounce back from it no problem.”

    Wilson admits he was not surprised by Celtic boss Neil Lennon’s decision to start Ambrose after revealing the defender looked fine in training on the morning of the game.

    “He trained with us on Tuesday morning and he seemed fine. He had a spring in his step,” added Ambrose.

    “The gaffer thought so, too, and that’s his job.

    “He started and I wasn’t surprised. I don’t think anyone was.”

  • Levante lands striker to support Martins

    Levante lands striker to support Martins

    Levante have secured a striker as intended this month, bringing in Robert Acquafresca from Bologna on a loan deal.

    Los Granotes were linked with moves for both Acquafresca and Henri Bienvenu this month in a bid to provide Obafemi Martins with more support at the Ciutat de Valencia.

    Whilst Bienvenu has opted for Real Zaragoza, Bologna’s 25-year-old Acquafresca has come to the Valencian outfit, as confirmed on Wednesday.

    Levante have signed the struggling striker, who has not scored from his limited seven appearances so far this season in Italy, until the end of the season.

    The Spaniards’ loan deal runs until June 30 and they do have an purchase option included to turn it into a permanent move. Acquafresca was presented to the local media on Thursday.

  • Kanu wants more support

    Kanu wants more support

    Former Nigeria captain Nwankwo Kanu has called for support for the Super Eagles ahead of their quarter-final match-up against Cote d’Ivoire.

    Kanu was at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium to see the team work their way past Ethiopia and says the Eagles need all the support from their fans.

    “Most average teams are lifted by the support of their fans,” he told KickOffNigeria.com. “I know a lot of people have written us off already, but this team will surprise people. I remember the same thing happened at the Nations Cup in 2004 when we were about to face Cameroon, but we ended up beating them 2-1. I believe in this team and the coach.”

    Kanu said the fans would have to do their part and not send negative energy to the team.

    “The boys need encouragement, and if they see that the fans are backing them to win, they will give more than their usual. But if we keep talking about how they will lose, how can the players raise their game when their own fans expect them to lose. Even if every other person says they will lose, let us as Nigerians believe in them.”

  • Rights Commission chief seeks support

    Rights Commission chief seeks support

    Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu is seeking Nigerians’ support in protecting human rights. Nigerians, he said, must have a stake in shaping the Commission.

    He said the Commission is “rather puny” in what it is or what it can accomplish, but can be more effective through inter-dependence with the other institutions of state in the executive, legislative and judicial arms.

    “Respectful collaboration with the other actors in the public space is imperative. When all is said and done, Nigeria belongs to Nigerians and all who live in this blessed land of ours.

    “The people of Nigeria must take a stake in shaping the Commission. Those of us on Council today are only instruments for this purpose for the duration of our tenure,” Odinkalu said.

    He spoke after the commission’s first council meeting. Eleven commissioners were in attendance, including the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice and of the Interior.

    The meeting was meant to introduce the Council to the Commission and its work and prepare it for the challenges it must confront.

    Odinka said: “It was a meeting to understand the lay of the land and set a tone and begin to build a team. The Commission has been in existence for just over a decade and a half. But we also have a new law which came into force in 2011. S

    “So, Council has to begin to work through how to translate that law in the life of the Commission. We began two important things: one is a process that will hopefully lead to the establishment of rules of procedure of the Commission under the current statutory context.

    “The other is a set of substantive briefings from key agencies in the safety, justice and security sectors with a view to better understanding the relationship of safety and security challenges we currently face and human rights in Nigeria.

    “We received some quite enlightening briefings. We also received and considered the report of the Executive Secretary of the Commission and his team of staff. Council also decided to undertake a retreat sometime before the end of this quarter.”

    Odinkalu said Nigerians should “cautiously” expect a Commission that is confident enough to be able to admit its shortcomings and invite help and partnership in fixing them but which is also able to do what it can towards a better Nigeria.

    The council also met with the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Mrs. Dupe Atoki.

     

  • Kwara govt pledges support for Utd to win laurels

    Kwara govt pledges support for Utd to win laurels

    The Kwara Government on Thursday pledged continued support for Kwara United FC of Ilorin to win laurels in the 2012/2013 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) season.

    The government restated its determination to give the Afonja Boys, as the team is fondly called by their fans, all that was required to enable it to excel in the new soccer season beginning in February.

    The club’s Media Officer, Ajide Olayioye, said in a statement in Ilorin that the new Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Ramat Adeshina-Abaya, made the pledge when she visited theclub’s secretariat.

    The statement said Adeshina-Abaya, who led other top ministry officials, promised to hold a closed door talk with the management board of the club to ensure that the team lacked nothing during the season. It quoted the commissioner as urging the board, coaches, players and staff of the club to live up to their billings as government expected a brilliant and result-oriented performance from the club.

    In his speech, Abdulganiyu Abdulkadir-Solagberu, the Vice Chairman of the club, commended the government for its financial and moral support.

    Abdulkadir-Solagberu also thanked the people of the state for their support and assured them that the club would contest for the league trophy. He called for government’s prompt attention to the team’s requests.

  • Why I support state police, by Amaechi

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said the country will be better policed, the people better secured and crime reduced, if the constitution allows states to have their own police.

    He spoke at the opening of the State Security and Technology Innovation Forum 2012 in Port Harcourt yesterday.

    “We are doing our best to secure the citizens. Our investment in security is very huge, that is why I am an apostle of state police, because if you give us state police, we will do far better,”he said.

    Amaechi urged the Federal Government to fund the police and provide them with the necessary facilities to enable them combat crime across the country.

    “The Federal Government must fund the police. It is not good enough to give them uniforms and they will be walking on the streets, in a community where you have robbers carrying AK-47 rifles.

    “The police are overwhelmed by the number of crimes committed in the country.

    “Police are not being properly funded in Nigeria. Even the man on the street knows.

    “No matter how you abuse the police, I do not believe that their reward is in heaven, like teachers. Every reward is here on earth. I will continue to pray for you (policemen) to get your reward.

    The governor also said the state has acquired two police security helicopters to provide 24 hours d security network across the state.

    Amaechi called for the collaboration between the government and the private sector to create employment for the citizens, which he explained would reduce the spate of crime in the society.

    “We must realise that one thing is necessary, government and the private sector must fight poverty, because if you don’t create employment, jobs for the citizens, they will create their own jobs, so if we collaborate, the more jobs we create, the lesser the spate of crime in our society.

    “So while we provide physical protection, we must also provide social protection, that is why we are pursuing free education, free healthcare, to reduce funding by parents on their children,” Amaechi added.

     

     

     

  • WEMA MD, others seek support for community poly

    WEMA MD, others seek support for community poly

    Managing Director of WEMA Bank Mr. Segun Oloketuyi, Executive Vice Chairman of Industrial and General Insurance company (IGI) Mr. Remi Olowude, and other dignitaries are rallying financial support for Igbajo Polytechnic. The institution is a private initiative by the Osun State town.

    They made the call at a fund raising dinner in Lagos, on Friday. Oloketuyi extolled Igbajo Polytechnic, its administration and the community it is situated. “The Igbajo Polytechnic initiative is the first of its kind in Nigeria and is still the only community polytechnic in Nigeria till date . . . Research has shown that an educated and literate workforce is important to the growth of any nation. The more the intellectual capital you have, the better your chances of successes. Communities that generate a wealth of intellect tend to produce better economic returns. Therefore the Igbajo Polytechnic initiative is an investment in economic future of the community,” he said.

    Olowude said: “For all lovers of good education, the establishment of Igbajo Polytechnic is a dream come true. The vision of the polytechnic is to become one of the foremost in the production of first rate graduates in the sciences, the arts, and technology blended with strong moral responsibility. Support for this institution is not limited to the rich, but should involve us all.”

    The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the polytechnic Chief Ade Fadahunsi said private higher institutions are confronting the challenges created by inadequacies of the public universities.He said it is necessary to explore avenues of funding to meet the huge cost of running Igbajo Polytechnic.”

    He implored corporate bodies, individual donors and international organisations to rise to the civic responsibility of helping to educate the Nigerian youth. He lauded the traditional head, Owa of Igbajo, and the Igbajo community for their commitment.

    Rector, Adedapo Oke spoke on the attainments of the institution. “We have 500 ordinary national diploma students. And since we will be expanding next year to include higher national diploma in our curriculum, I envisage that the population of students will increase to 600.”

  • Sambo assures Cross River flood victims of support

    VICE President Namadi Sambo has reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to take steps towards assuaging the pains caused by flooding in Cross River State.

    Speaking in Buanchor, a rural community in Boki Local Government Area, which recently suffered a devastating landslide from surrounding mountains that led to flooding in the area, Sambo said that the feelings in the Presidency about the devastation which occurred in July this year was deep regret and sympathy for the agrarian community which had lost substantial property including farms and houses.

    He lauded the state governor, Liyel Imoke, for his good leadership qualities which he said have created a good atmosphere for growth and development.

    Governor Liyel Imoke said that the presence of the Vice President in the community depicted the concern the Federal Government has for the people of Boki and Cross River in general.

    He used the opportunity to advice the people of the flood ravaged communities in the state to remain calm and patient, assuring that the state and federal governments would not abandon them.

     

  • Deloitte opens academy to support IFRS

    Deloitte opens academy to support IFRS

    Akintola Williams Deloitte has launched one of its most important projects to support its role in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with the unveiling of Deloitte IFRS Academy in Lagos.

    In a statement, the firm said the office would help trainees to appropriately apply IFRS to their various functions.

    Deloitte IFRS Leader and head of faculty, Uwadiae Oduware, said the academy will continue to run until IFRS is fully implemented in Nigeria. The Academy is the platform for finance professionals and graduates, executives and organisations in need of IFRS training and offers a blend of theory and practices to enable participants apply the standards, as well as the underlying concepts and principles.

    “Our approach to IFRS learning is interactive and is based on skills transfer. In drafting the training curriculum, we recognized that learning needs will vary based on individual’s role, knowledge level, experience and industry. We therefore designed four distinct programmes to meet the learning needs of various classes of people as follows,” Oduware said.

  • Jonathan reassures flood victims of govt support

    Jonathan reassures flood victims of govt support

    President Goodluck Jonathan has reassured flood victims of government’s support.

    Jonathan spoke yesterday while addressing flood victims in Gurin Village in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa.

    He said: “I am here to give you assurance that we will work with the state government to make sure that as you go back home you will be assisted to start your life again.

    “On behalf of the Government of Nigeria, I assure you that we will do our best.”

    The president said government was making all efforts to ensure that displaced people do not spend long period in camps.

    He said government agencies including, the Army Engineers, had been mobilised to tackle the situation.

    Governor Murtala Nyako commended the president for his show of concern by visiting the state, and said that the state government had set up 68 camps for displaced persons across the state.

    Nyako said many of the camps had been closed because the flood water had receded leaving only 30.

    He said his administration was planning a comprehensive package for farmers, who lost their crops, adding that they would be provided with early variety seeds of rice and maize that would mature in 60 days.

    “We have also ordered for irrigation pumps to be made available to the farmers,” Nyako said.

    The Chairman of Adamawa Flood Committee, Mr Kobis Thimnu, said the flood was the worst in the state since 1948.

    Thimnu said the flood was caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam in neighbouring Cameroon, as well as from the Dadin Kowa and Kiri Dams in Nigeria leading to loss of lives and property worth billion of naira.

    A spokesman of the flood victims, Mr Manasa Nagugun, commended government and other stakeholders, particularly NEMA, SEMA, Red Cross and UNICEF for the sustained concern and support to those affected by the flood.

    Nagugun called for a relief package in form of soft loans for the victims to go back to their normal lives and businesses.