The Nation Newspaper

Tag: unveil

  • Jega to unveil INEC’s 2015 plan Wednesday

    Jega to unveil INEC’s 2015 plan Wednesday

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, will on Wednesday unveil the commission’s Strategic Plan for 2015 elections and other programmes.

    As a prelude to the presentation, a retreat was held for top directors and administrative secretaries of the commission at the weekend in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. It was a closed-door session where the commission’s strategic plans on 2015 polls and other issues were ratified.

    It was learnt that political parties and civil society organisations were allowed to make input into the plan.

    According to findings, the Strategic Plan is expected to cover 2012 to 2016.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “INEC chairman will on Wednesday unveil the Strategic Plan through a public presentation. Before INEC arrived at the final copy, the draft was made available to critical stakeholders.

    “The Uyo meeting was called to keep all directors and administrative secretaries abreast of the final copy of the Strategic Plan.

    “In the plan, which will run from 2012 to 2016, the 2015 elections fall within that cycle. As the implementers of the plan, the retreat was also organised for the directors and administrative secretaries to enable them know the expectations of INEC management and how they can come up with ‘doable actions’.

    “The objectives of the Strategic Plan are to put a sound management in place, conduct credible and unassailable elections in 2015 and make INEC the best Electoral Management Body (EMB) in Africa.

    “With the plan, we hope INEC will be on a sound footing to organise free and fair elections. We decided to roll over the policy over an election cycle to 2016 to prove that the vision of the present management is to have a sustainable EMB for the nation.”

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman Mr Kayode Idowu confirmed the development to The Nation.

    He said: “All relevant stakeholders, such as the National Assembly and civil society organisations (CSOs), have made input into the Strategic Plan.

    “The target is to achieve the vision of the commission to become the best EMB in Africa.”

    Although the Strategic Plan was kept under wraps at press time, Prof Jega had hinted of the contents when he received a delegation of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in 2012 with 2015 poll as a priority.

    Jega said: “We are picking up for 2015. We have done a strategic plan as well as the reorganisation as we move towards the general elections in 2015. Hopefully, by the first week of December, we will have a stakeholders’ meeting to validate the strategic plan. This is because we are looking forward to being the best in Africa.”

  • Rangers to unveil new signings

    Rangers to unveil new signings

    Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Enugu Rangers will this week make public their new signings for the second half of the season.

    An official of the Flying Antelopes told futaa.com that the few signings made during the half season transfer window was geared towards reinforcing the team as they hope to challenge for both the League title and Federations Cup on the home front.

    “We have acquired some new players that we feel can help our ambition of ending our three decades trophy drought, by the course of the week, they will be unveiled,” the official stated.

    “Rangers have lost pace at the top of the table where Kano Pillars currently hold sway.”

    The Flying Antelopes finished as runners-up in the last campaign but are not willing to play second fiddle once more hence the decision to further bolster their squad for the crucial second half of the League.

  • Unveil oil block owners, Falana urges Fed Govt

    Unveil oil block owners, Falana urges Fed Govt

    Rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday urged the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to publish an up-to-date list of all individuals who have been allocated oil blocks.

    He said after the publication, the Goodluck Jonathan administration should cancel all oil blocks allocated to a few interest groups and vest them in the Federal Government in line with Section 44 of the Constitution.

    “In other words, oil and gas should be nationalised in the interest of the Nigerian people.

    “Instead of empowering either the President or the Minister of Petroleum Resources to dole out oil blocks to serving ministers, party members, personal friends and business partners, the National Assembly should ensure that all blocks are owned by the Federal Government in trust for the Nigerian people.

    “This demand accords with section 16(1) (c ) of the Constitution which states that the State shall ‘manage and operate the major sectors of the economy,’” Falana said in a statement.

    According to the lawyer, the list published last week following a Senate debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill was outdated and grossly misleading.

    Senator Ita Enang alleged that 83 per cent of Nigeria’s oil blocks are in the hands of Northerners. He spoke during the debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    Falana said the list contained only the names of those who were allocated oil blocks under the defunct military junta but not names of the other traders who have been allocated oil blocks by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government since 1999.

    Equally missing from the list, he said, are the names of multinational companies otherwise called “Oil majors” which control the share of the oil and gas industry.

    Falana said: “For instance, I have a suit pending at the Federal High Court against the Ministry of Petroleum Resources over the renewal of the expired 40-year old licences of three oil blocks (which produce 580,000 barrels of crude oil per day) for Mobil Producing last year for the sum of $600 million notwithstanding that a Chinese oil company had offered to pay $5.8 billion for the same oil blocks !

    “Apart from Mobil, there are about 17 other foreign oil companies which are the major key players in the oil industry while Nigerians are forced to operate in the marginal fields.

    “The said foreign companies or Oil Majors own 80 per cent of the oil blocks and as such they are completely in charge of the oil and gas industry.

    “Incidentally, the disclosure in the Senate last week coincided with the death of President Hugo Rafael Chavez of Venezuela who nationalised the oil industry which enabled his government to generate enough revenue to fund a comprehensive welfare programme for the hitherto improverished people of the Latin American country.

    “But the enomous commonwealth of the Nigerian people have been cornered by a few rent collectors and other members of the parasitic ruling class.

    “A few of them who raked billions of dollars from the illegal sale of the oil blocks have openly confessed that they do not know what to do with the huge fund! Because such wealth has been privatised Nigeria cannot, like Venezuela, meet the eight Millenium Development Goals by 2015.

    “In view of the confusion caused by the partial information released by the Senate last week the Ministry of Petroleum Resources should, without any further delay, publish an up-to-date list of all local individuals and foreigners who have been allocated oil blocks by the Federal Government.”

    Niger Delta Coalition demands oil blocs scrap, re-allocation

    Meanwhile, a Niger Delta group, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), urged the Federal Government to scrap ownership of all oil blocs.

    It said the government should begin at zero point to re-allocate them in the spirit of fairness and equity.

    “Oil blocs should now be allocated based on federal character principle since the nation is reluctant to give us either total control or make sure the Niger Delta gets what it deserves,” the group said at a press briefing in Lagos.

    Its Secretary-General, Mr Tony Uranta said: “Whilst we talk of derivative principle of 13 per cent to the Niger Delta, we must remember that over 60 per cent of the federal allocation to councils in Nigeria goes to the North.

  • Toyota to unveil new Generation Rav4

    Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) has promised to showcase the new Generation Rav4 soon.

    TNL Chairman Chief Michael Ade.Ojo said this during the Ninth Toyota Awards at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, last Thursday.

    Chief Ade.Ojo added that some new models in their line-up will also be launched this year.

    He said the introduction of key models into the market last year was successful.

    “While we increased our model portfolio by introducing the Fortuner in the fabric seats and leather seats versions, we also brought in the Hilux automatic transmissions to complement the Hilux model range. Similarly, the Avanza also underwent a full model change. All these are aimed at meeting the expectations and yearnings of our valued customers. It is a thing of joy to inform you that both models have since claimed top spots in their respective sub segments,” he said.

    The TNL boss said the company has expanded the scope of their operations to satisfy the customers through the completion of the first world class Body and Paint Training Centre in Lagos.

    According to him, the ultra-modern facility is a place where dealers’ technical staff will be receiving training on Body and Paints.

    Chief Ade.Ojo admitted that the company faced lots of challenges last year.

    He said: “The year began on a nervy note with the fuel subsidy crisis, followed by flood disasters in many parts of the country. Security and sundry fiscal challenges made the economic landscape quite unfriendly for smooth business operations. …By dint of hardwork and dedication, we managed to finish the race reasonably well.”

    He thanked their customers, dealers and motoring journalists for being active parts of the company’s success story over the years especially the year under review.

  • Kenya to unveil new coach for Nigeria today

    Kenya to unveil new coach for Nigeria today

    Kenya is now set to unveil the new handler for their senior national team Harambee Stars, as they prepare to take on Nigeria in the 2014 World Cup qualifier in Calabar on next month.

    Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is expected to announce the 27th Harambee Stars coach in Kenyan football history on Wednesday February 20, 2013.

    Adel Amrouche, Raymond Domenech, Milutin Srejovedic and Bobby Williamson are the shortlisted candidates according to the federation.

    The event will be held at the Boulevard hotel, beginning from 11am local time.

    FKF president Sam Nyamweya highlighted that they will be going for a low profile coach unlike the predecessor Henri Michel.

    “We will unveil a new coach but he is low profile and will be in charge of the team before they play Nigeria, he said on supersport.com.

    Kenya has been without a head coach since Michel quit in December and assistant Coach James Nandwa who’ll retain his post took over as stand-in coach.

    However, reports indicate that the former Burundi tactician, Amrouche, has been handed the job.

    The post fell vacant late last year after the controversial exit of French coach Henri Michel.

     

  • Stella Damasus and Daniel Ademinokan unveil fashion store

    Stella Damasus and Daniel Ademinokan unveil fashion store

    MOVIE Director, Daniel Ademinokan and Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus have strengthened their ties as both partners have unveiled a multi-million fashion store in Abuja called Code 55.

    Daniel explains how they got the name Code 55: “People say there is a mystery about me and they say the same thing about Stella. But trust me, may be you have to buy a decoder before you can decode who we are. For the 55, I was born 31 July and Stella is 24 April. If you add 31 and 24, you will get 55”, he said.

    It may interest you to know that Stella and Daniel are partners and both co-owner of Index Two Studios, a production company and their partnership is the birth of Unspoken, their first co-produced movie on the stable of Index Two Studios.

    Daniel said earlier this year, “Stella and I jointly own a production company called Index Two Studios. This is our first work together professionally but we’ve been friends like forever. We shot it in Douala, Senegal.

    This recent development will definitely be another talking point for close watchers and fans alike who have been watching both Stella and Daniel with keen interest especially when he (Daniel) and actress, Dories Simeon ceased to be husband and wife sometime last year.