A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Popular Nigerian Rapper and Co-owner of Capital Hills Records, Tobechukwu Melvin Ejiofor better known as Illbliss, has caused a serious scene after he announced his retirement from music.
Illbliss
The rapper wrote an emotional message to his fans thanking them for staying with him all through the journey as he is about to face the next chapter of his life.
He wrote: "Thank you all for being with me through this amazing Musical Journey. Goodbye to the Game. I’m GONE, Next Chapter."
An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court in Isabo, on Thursday remanded a 30-year-old man, Samodi Olorodo, in prison custody over the alleged theft of 18 tubers of yam and a bunch of vegetables. The accused, who is of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to the one count-charge preferred against him. The Prosecutor, Insp. Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the offence was committed on Aug. 1 at about 10:00 a.m. in the Oke-Odo Area of Osiele, Abeokuta. Shonibare said the accused stole 18 tubers of yams valued at N10, 000 and a bunch of vegetables worth N50, property of one Mr Adeney Safiu. According to him, at about 10:00 a.m. when the complainant got to his store, he saw the accused person coming out from his store with the tubers of yam and a bunch of vegetables on his head. He was interrogated but he could not give a reasonable answer, which led to his arrest. The prosecutor noted that the offence contravened Sections 516, 383 and 390 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. The Magistrate, Mr Idowu Olayinka, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Ibara, to enable the police carry out more investigation. He adjourned the case to Oct. 5, for further hearing.
The President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr Frank Jacob, says in spite of the current economic recession in Nigeria, the country is still an attractive investor's destination.
Jacob made the statement in an interview in Abuja.
He said that the problem of Nigeria was that it practised a mono-product economy which solely depended on crude oil revenue.
Jacob said with the current drive by the Federal Government to diversify the nation's economy, the fight against corruption and insecurity, "I believe we will make progress.
"Nigeria's rating in the global economy is not that bad because Nigeria has a lot of untapped resources which, if harnessed, will add more value to its economy.
"Nigeria is still attractive investors' destination, with all its potentials, what we are suffering is because of our currency fluctuation which is a temporary setback.”
According to 2015 report of International Monetary Fund, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the South Africa was 301 billion Dollars at Rand's current exchange rate.
"While that of Nigeria is 296 billion dollars. The report noted that rand had gained more than 16 Per cent against U.S. currency since the start of 2016 while in contrast, Nigeria's Naira had lost more than a third of its value.
It added that Rand firmed more than a per cent against the dollar, to R13.29, adding that Nigeria and South Africa were facing recession, having contracted in the first quarter of the year.
Nigeria's economy shrank by 0.4 per cent while South Africa's GDP contracted by 0.2 per cent.
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has described as unfortunate, the murder of a seminarian in Ndiagu Attakwu Akegbe community in Nkanu West Local Government Area by suspected herdsmen.
Ugwuanyi, who rushed to the community on receipt of the report of the invasion of the community in the early hours of Thursday, said the government would no longer tolerate such barbaric attack on his people.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.
“This morning, I received the report of an attack by suspected herdsmen on Attakwu community during which a seminarian, Mr Lazarus Nwankwo, was killed and four others injured.
“Even though the police are still conducting investigations into the matter, I hasten to condemn this act as the government cannot tolerate the wanton destruction of lives anywhere in the state under any guise," he said.
Ugwuanyi said that he had summoned a meeting with the leadership of the herdsmen and security agencies to review the situation and determine the appropriate actions to be taken. “It is unfortunate that this incident is coming just days after the commission of inquiry into the killing at Nimbo submitted an interim report and is about to conclude its assignment.
“I wish to express our sympathies to the families of the deceased and assure them that the government would do everything to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book," he said. Ugwuanyi said that the government would continue to take adequate measures to ensure the protection of lives and property.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the Chairman of Attakwu Autonomous Community, Chief Ndubuisi Ogbodo said that the suspected herdsmen struck the community out of no justified provocation. Ogbodo said that one Lazarus Nwankwo from Imo, a final year student of Spiritan International School of Theology, was killed in the attack.
He said that a certain woman from the family of one Mr Ogbodo Nwarum had on Wednesday tried to stop some cattle from grazing on her farm located at the back of her house.
“When the woman saw the cattle grazing on her farm, she sounded a gong which scared the cattle away from the premises. “The herdsmen got furious and challenged her on why she scared their cattle and threatened to come back for her. “The herdsmen later came back in the early hours of Thursday and invaded their compound during which the pregnant woman and three other members of her household were attacked with machete," he said.
He said that the seminarian, who was a tenant in the compound, heard the shouts of the woman and her household and darted out to see what was happening but got killed. Ogbodo said that the other four victims got deadly machete cuts and were critically ill and were receiving treatment in two hospitals.
Residents of the community who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed their ordeal on their traditional ruler who allegedly collected money from the herdsmen and gave them a portion of their land to settle. They alleged that the traditional ruler was even given a contract by the herdsmen to grade the route leading to their settlement.
Reacting, the traditional ruler of the community, Chief Greg Ugwu, said that he knew nothing of the settlement of the herdsmen in the community. Ugwu said that the cattle breeders were already in the community before he was crowned as the traditional ruler, adding that he had no business with them.
The governor drove into the forest where the herdsmen lived but could not meet anyone as the entire settlement had been deserted.
Hillary Clinton will paint her White House rival Donald Trump as the candidate of the far right Thursday, claiming “a radical fringe” has taken over the Republican Party.Trump and Hillary
After releasing a hard-hitting ad that tethered Trump to the Ku Klux Klan, Clinton will use a speech in Reno, Nevada to argue he has brought racism to the political mainstream.
“From the start, Donald Trump has built his campaign on prejudice and paranoia,” Clinton will say, according to excerpts released by her campaign.
“He’s taking hate groups mainstream and helping a radical fringe take over one of America’s two major political parties.”
As Trump strives to temper his hardline anti-immigrant message in a bid to halt collapsing poll numbers, Clinton’s campaign has been at pains to remind voters of the New York tycoon’s more controversial views.
Trump has in the past described Mexicans as rapists and drug dealers, and vowed to round up illegal immigrants and build a wall on the southern border — for which he would make Mexico pay.
In New Hampshire on Thursday, Trump trashed Clinton’s claims about him and his supporters.
“She paints decent Americans as racists,” he said to angry jeers.
Clinton has accused “decent Americans who support this campaign, your campaign, of being racists, which we are not” he said to angry jeers from the crowd.
“It’s a tired, disgusting argument.”
Trump also accused Clinton of being behind a “vast criminal enterprise run out of the State Department,” suggesting that she had sold valuable access to those who donated to her family’s Clinton Foundation.
Gov. Nysom Wike of Rivers said his administration would not pay cash to kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers that surrendered their weapons.
The governor said this on Thursday in Port Harcourt at a stakeholders meeting on how peace could be restored in the state. The meeting was organised by the Rivers Police Command.
''Rivers State does not have the intention to give cash (pay) to repentant criminals; government will rehabilitate and empower them,'' he said. Represented by Mr Austine Tam-George, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Wike denied that cash was paid to the repentant criminals who surrendered their arms.
According the governor, the ex-criminals, who are being trained in various fields, would be empowered after the training programme. He said that with empowerment, the ex-criminals would earn legitimate income and live a more meaningful life.
Wike said the state had received N2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the establishment of small and medium scale businesses. He noted that business could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security.
Mr Francis Odesanya, the State Police Commissioner, assured that the command would mop up the large quantity of arms in circulation in the area. He lamented the killing of innocent persons with the arms, adding that stop and search exercise would be conducted at flash points to mop up the arms in the state.
Odesanya assured the meeting that the command would clamp down on kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists in the state. According to the police commissioner, a data base of known criminals would be established to clamp down on kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists in the state.
Mr Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, said the agency would continue to ensure that proper investigation was carried out before arresting and detaining suspects in its facilities. Magu said this while taking journalists on an inspection tour of the commission`s facilities on Thursday in Abuja.
The tour was organised by the EFCC to debunk reports in a section of the media that the commission tortures those in its custody. Magu said it has no reason to torture those in its detention facilities as was being speculated.
He said that the tour had become necessary to correct public negative perception of the commission and its operations, especially with regards to how those in its custody were being treated. Magu further added that contrary to public perception, the commission would not pick on any person until proper investigation and background check were carried out.
“We do not torture people as is being speculated, we do proper check on people before inviting them over,'' he said. Magu said that though the commission might not be perfect, its detention facilities "are the best in the country and stand out when compared to other such facilities in most West African countries".
He said the commission was, however, striving towards perfection, adding that it was working in the interest of the country and its people. He said the commission was open to constructive criticism, which would help it to make necessary corrections where necessary. Journalists were taken round the commission`s detention centre, medical laboratory and clinic. Some of those in the detention centre toldnewsmen that they were not being treated badly.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and other members of his cabinet, have visited the sleepy community of Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, which was thrown into mourning early Thursday morning, following the invasion by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes.
The attack left dead a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor and about four persons injured.
See photos below:
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State visits Ndiagu, Attakwu, Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of Enugu State, invaded on Thursday morning by over 50 Fulani Herdsmen armed with machetes. Slaughtered in the attack was a Catholic Seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – As part of measures to reform the justice sector, the Federal Government, on Thursday, barred the Nigerian Police Force from prosecuting criminal cases.
FG, which made its decision known through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the action was in line with the provision of section 106 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
Malami maintained that the ACJA has transferred to the Federal Ministry of Justice, the responsibility of prosecuting all criminal matters.
The AGF, in a statement signed by his media aide, Salihu Isah, said his Ministry had so far taken over about 8000 case files from Police for prosecution.IGP-Idris
However, he said there was need for the judiciary to be transparent in the use of its powers as enshrined in Section 6(6)(c) of the 1999 constitution, as amended.
He described as worrisome, the proliferation of counter judgments and orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction, saying it amounts to abuse of the judicial process
According to him, "Multiplicity of counter judgment and orders by the court of coordinate jurisdiction on the same matter does not encourage the desired confidence building in the judicial process".
He said the policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari was anchored on the fight against corruption, building a safer, secured nation and improving the economy that will provide answers to national interest questions that brought about the change.
He further explained that the anti-corruption fight was aimed at not only to arrest, investigate and prosecute criminals, but also preventing crimes from being committed through the rigorous application of extant laws and regulations in all strata of our national lives.
Malami said the administration of President Buhari has put Nigeria back in the book of records among comity of nations that abhor corruption and the ills it portends.
"On the international scene, there is no doubt that there is a greater global awareness on the part of international partners that Nigeria government now exhibits greater political will in its capacity to pursue and recover national assets abroad".
"We have therefore, begun to receive greater cooperation from all such foreign entities".
Besides, Malami disclosed that FG has signed an agreement with Swiss government that will engender the repatriation of about USD321 million back to the country.
"Recently, we signed MOU with Swiss Federation that will ensure the imminent repatriation of USD321 Million Nigeria funds in Switzerland. We are equally addressing, through a robust Mutual Legal Assistance Mechanism, the challenges which had hitherto tied down assets in excess of USD500 million in jurisdictions such as the United States , Jersey Islands and United Kingdom", he added.
He said Nigeria has equally signed critical agreements with United Arab Emirates in a “renewed fight against corruption and the re-invigorated efforts to repatriate home illicit funds”.
He said: "In January, we signed four critical agreements with the United Arab Emirates which is a favourite destination of Nigeria Funds to enable us commence long term cooperation to block and recover illicit funds in that jurisdiction".
Noting that imprisonment of looters of the national treasury may not serve as enough deterrent, the AGF, said the government has resolve to explore the option of ensuring that they are compelled to make restitution “through the dis-gorgement of the proceeds of crime within the ambits of law”.
"It has been long recognised by criminal justice stakeholders that mere imprisonment of guilty persons is not sufficient to repair the damage done to society by such persons.
"If society must be healed of the harmful effects of illicit property acquisition by the unscrupulous persons and institutions, then the law must compel them to make restitution through the disgorgement of the proceeds of crime in order to use such resources to provide critical services to the citizenry."
Malami explained that the absence of adequate legislation to prosecute and punish those that plunder our economy and plough back such funds, informed Buhari’s decision to re-transmit the Bill seeking to establish Proceeds of Crime Agency (POCA) back to the National Assembly for reconsideration and possible passage into law.
According to him, the bill, if passed, would ensure that there is coordination and proper management of assets recovered from those suspected or convicted of embezzling public funds.
He also stated that a Bill on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters which is expected to define and validate processes for mutual legal and symbiotic relationships with other countries on a predictable basis, has also been transmitted to the National Assembly.
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu, has assured the people of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state that the agenda of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is to create prosperity for the state.
Odubu who spoke at the APC ward campaign at in Ugo'niyekorhiomwon, said of elected as governor, Obaseki will not fall short of the people's expectations as he has worked with the government in developing the communities in the state.The Okaevbo of Urhonigbe, Chief Igie Aimuyo praying for Mr Godwin Obaseki, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State during the party’s campaign in Urhonigbe, Orhiomwon Local Government Area, Thursday
He urged the people to ignore the political gimmicks of the PDP as they are up to no good assuring the people of Orhionmwon that APC leaders in the area will ensure that the promises of the governorship candidate is brought to bear in the lives of everyone.
"Obaseki who is coming to take over from our governor, comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said he will provide stable electricity for you. He was able to do roads, he will fix the light. What you people will do is that since he is working for us, the vote in this entire area should all go to the APC. If you vote for the APC we will be with you to ensure they fulfill on their promises.
"The road in this area is the longest in Edo State, in those days it was not like this. Oshiomhole has worked, Obaseki that is coming will work more than him.
"You should not allow the PDP to tell you what they are not capable of, we (APC) are in this town and we will develop the area to the fullest," he said.
Speaking shortly before the ward to ward campaign of the APC in Orhionmwon, the Enogie of Ugo'niyekeorhiomwon, His Royal Highness Chief Edugie Ogierhiakhi Ogiugo, in company of the Enogie of Ugboko, HRH Solomon Ewemade and other top palace Chiefs, urged Obaseki to follow suit the development governor Adams Oshiomhole has done for the entire state.
He commended the governor for a job well done and prayed for him and the APC candidate.
On his part, the APC candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki promised to decongest the high traffic in the city by opening up new towns through infrastructural development and establishment of industries that will give every community in the state a sense of belonging.
Obaseki who seek the support of the traditional institution in the provision of security for investors that are ready to come and invest in various parts of the State.
He said, "The next state we are on to now is going to be of different challenges and that is why I have come here to solicit your support. The next phase is where we now begin to use the roads and schools to our development. We will post more teachers to our schools so that we can provide quality education but more importantly we need to expand the economy of our state and bring back our population.
"We have oil and gas around here it is now time to build new towns around us," he stated.
On his part, Governor Adams Oshiomhole says the state government will will immediately commence the reconstruction of dilapidated structures in two primary schools in the Local Government Area, namely, Adanako Primary School, Ugo and Idumogo Primary School, Urhonigbe, in continuation of the state policy of upgrading educational facilities for optimum teaching and learning.
Speaking at the APC governorship campaign rally at Adanako Primary School, Ugo, Governor Oshiomhole said, “my farewell gift to this Ugo, before I leave offtice, even before the election day, is I will reconstruct this dilapidated school building and put red roof. As for the already completed one, we will supply furniture by next week. Our children must sit comfortably on good chairs so that they won’t need to wash their school uniform every day. If the classroom and the floor are clean, school uniform won’t be dirty every day.”
He said, “The work that is yet to be done is much. As we speak, we are working at Iguododo Pimary School and many other places. In Orhionmwon, I think we have done about 25 schools. We worked in every ward. We have shown you our candidate. He has been working with us for the past eight years in this government. He knows what we have done and what we have not done. Godwin is your son. He knows how we have been working, and so, he must continue to do the work.”
At the APC rally at Idumogo Primary School, the Governor said, “Let me tell you what I mean by continuity and consolidation. We say this one so that people will not forget. Now, we are going to pull down this roof and raise the walls and put red roof, so that on the whole of this place, there is no more evidence of PDP. I will start it and Godwin will finish it. That is what we mean by continuity: continuity of red roofs, continuity of good roads, continuity of tap water and continuity of providing jobs for the youths and support for women.”
According to Oshiomhole, “The other one is that rubber plantation that has already been given to a new investor who will rebuild it, and we have given them additional land. I have already signed the certificate of occupancy so that they can return back to work. When it is working, youths will be employed and even women will be cooking for factory workers and money will circulate.”
Oshiomhole said, “If I am the Okakuo of Urhonigbe, and they don’t have light, that will be shameful. That is why I said since the Okakuo of Urhonigbe is the Governor, my people must get light. So, I have told the Okaevbo that Edo State Government will pay the twenty million naira for the electricity bill owed by Urhonigbe community. I have told the Okakuo of Urhomehe that we will talk to BEDC so that when we pay that money, they will restore light to Urhonigbe,"
With a population of over 1.3 billion people, Africa is the second largest continent in the world and the resurgence of consuming middle class has caught the attention of global OEM players who see attractive market for their range of smart phones in the continent.
Smart-phone users in Africa
Currently, there are about 127.5 million smartphone users on the African continent according to Michael Dearham, Vice President Media for StarTimes Group.
Burgeoning smart phone penetration
At first glance, the middle-east countries show an impressive smart phone penetration figures when pit against Africa's major smart phone markets but analysts have argued that percentage penetration figures do not always reflect the actual number of actual users in a market.
A clear instance will be the 2015 UAE smart phone penetration figure of 64.6 per cent only represents in human terms, 2.7 million smart phone users.
Compare the figure to Nigeria's smart phone user base for the same year and the difference is glaring, 23.1 million users (eMarketer).
He said: "We foresee a lot more smart phone users in Africa than in the middle-east by year 2035. Two main factors will influence the number of smart phone users in the market. One is the sheer size of the market and the second factor is the high influx of budget smart phone into markets in Africa."
Mid-range smart phones drive internet penetration in Africa
As competition gets stiffer, mobile makers entering the Africa markets hinge their entrant strategy around shipment of quality mid-range smart phones into the market.
A survey of market competition by TECNO revealed that one hundred dollar to two hundred dollar ($100-$200 dollar) range smart phones dominated mobile new entrants into the African market year-on-year.
"The competition in Africa mobile space is driving the ownership of smart phones up and it is has enormous socio-economic benefits to the continent as it deepens the telecoms value chain and also facilitate better learning through easy and accessible internet," reiterates TECNO Chief marketing officer Attai Oguche.
The TECNO brand in the span of a decade has become one of Africa's most successful mid-range smart phone brands with growing shipment of mid-range product lines such as TECNO BOOM J and TECNO CAMON series.
The mobile multinational began rolling out its flagship series, the Phantom sometime in 2013 and the high end product gained market acceptance. Fast track to two successive releases later and in fourth quarter 2015, the TECNO Phantom5 was released as one of pioneer octa-core processor smart phones to hit retail shelves in African markets.
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Saturday be in Kenya to attend a two-day sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI). This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the president's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.
The statement said that the summit was being organised by the Government of Japan, United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, United Nations Development Programme, African Union and the World Bank.
According to it, the summit will focus on promoting structural economic transformation through diversification and industrialisation, promoting resilient health system for quality life and promoting social stability for shared prosperity.
The statement said that during the conference, Buhari would participate in plenary sessions on TICAD in alignment with African Development, the Dialogue with the Private Sector and Global Launch of the Second Africa Human Development Report. It stated that the president would also hold a bilateral meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.
“No fewer than 35 African leaders are expected at the two-day high level summit which will also be attended by leading private sector companies from Japan. “This will be the first time TICAD is being held in Africa since its inception in 1993.
“Nigeria has played a prominent role at the forum aimed at forging international partnerships for Africa's transformation and prosperity through economic growth, agriculture and social stability,'' the statement said.
By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke ABUJA – DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has condemned in strong terms the Thursday dawn attack by suspected herdsmen on Attakwu, Akagbe Ugwu community, Enugu State, which left a Catholic Seminarian dead and four others injured.Ekweremadu
This was even as he commended the governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and security agencies for their gallantry in busting the robbery attack on Independence Layout, Enugu on Wednesday.
Ekweremadu, in a statement, Thursday, through his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said the incessant attacks on parts of the country by suspected herdsmen posed a grave threat to the peace, security, and economy of the country. He called on the Federal Government to take decisive steps to put a full stop to the ugly incidents.
He said: "This is another heartbreak, not only for Enugu State, but the nation in general; and whatever evil forces behind these reprehensible acts certainly do not wish the country well. It must not be condoned.
"The primary object of government is the welfare and security of the citizens. The Federal Government must take decisive steps to put a full stop to this wanton destruction of lives and property; and the security agencies must do everything humanly possible to ensure that the perpetrators of this act of wickedness in Akagbe-Ugwu do not go unpunished".
The Deputy President of the Senate condoled with the affected community and prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead.
On the thwarted robbery attack on Enugu, Senator Ekweremadu commended Governor Ugwuanyi for his demonstration of courage and concern as the Chief Security Officer of the State by physically rallying security forces to the robbery scene to ensure that it was foiled and the suspects arrested.
"Enugu is a peaceful place, and I salute the gallantry and efforts of Governor Ugwuanyi and the security agencies to ensure that it remains so", he stressed.
Marek Zmyslowsky is the founder and CEO of HotelOga, a mobile application designed to help hotels in Africa get and maximise their online presence. Zmyslowsky is not new to Africa hospitality industry.
Marek Zmyslowsky
Before HotelOga, he co-founded and managed one of Africa's largest online hotels booking company, Jovago.com, now Jumia Travel. In this interview with Vanguard, Zmyslowsky explains that HotelOga was built with a deep understanding of the African hospitality market and that the solution will redefine hotel management while addressing critical challenges of competition and technology within the sector. Exceprts.
How it works
Today, there are hundreds of online travel agents, OTAs in Nigeria. Hotels are connected to these OTAs but always having problems managing each booking from different websites. The HotelOga solution makes it possible for hotels to connect to these OTAs and over one million travel agents and handles them all for hotels that have signed up to the HotelOga app. The app gathers all bookings, emails, customer information and payments in one place. HotelOga also manages all commissions with all foreign agents with just one invoice in a local currency. Furthermore, HotelOga provides a simple hotel management system, a system that works even if a hotel is not connected to the internet and at no extra cost to the hotels. HotelOga also builds free websites for hotels and installs the HotelOga solution and trains the hotel's staff on how to use it.
"As a hotel, you normally will have to go to five different companies. One company will give you bookings like OTAs, another company provides software to manage OTAs, another company builds your website, and another company promotes you all over the world. What we have done is take all those services and package them into one company called HotelOga," said Zmyslowsky.
Building technology with local contents
According to him, the solution was inspired by the realisation that most technologies available for hotels in Africa were built by companies that lacked the requisite knowledge of the market.
"I noticed that available technology products in Africa are never built by companies which understood Africa. Our other understanding is that a typical hotel manager in Nigeria does not have the understanding of these technologies. Our hypothesis is that when you manage a hotel in Africa or in Nigeria, your priority will be to grow sales and then may be to optimise operations and increase your customer service. Depending on where the market is, the priorities can change. So I realised that many of the software companies available in the market for hospitality companies, always come to them and say they want to help them manage their hotels better. This may be in the form of allowing them to optimise operations, save time, hire less people, etc. But you as a hotel manager may say, my staff is cheap, I can hire more, just get me more bookings, and that immediately shows you they have different priorities," he said.
Free technology for hotels
In Nigeria today, to deploy efficient technology in a hotel, there are limited options available. As a hotel manager who want to have a technology in your hotel, you are either going to buy a very expensive software that will cost you millions of naira. This will require you acquiring a local server to make it work perfectly well even if you are in the middle of a desert. But if you do not have the cash flow, you may have to use web based solutions which are free and cheap. The only challenge is, you always have to be online. And in a country like Nigeria with epileptic power supply, this will hardly be the case because there are constant power cuts and the data network will not actually be working. Besides these options, there is nothing in between. That third option, in between, is what HotelOga proposes.
"We at HotelOga want to give technology to hotels for free. This is because we do not want to spend so much time explaining why this technology is great for you and that it makes sense for you to pay a flat fee for it every month. We believe that technology right now is eating the world, it is all over the place and it is cheap to build. So why would we charge money for it.
“What we do is that we go to hotel managers and we say to them, this technology will start getting more and more bookings; will you use it for free? The answer is usually yes. So at HotelOga, the only thing that differentiates us from what we have in the market is that whatever we give you, it is for free. It is our investment in your hotel. And we will make money only if you are making more money from online bookings, from growing sales. We are like diet consultants, we give you our advice for free but you will only pay if your body starts getting in a better shape. So, we tie our payment to your results," explained Zmyslowsky.
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award on Thursday after winning both last season’s Champions League and Euro 2016 with Portugal.
Ronaldo, 31, received the accolade for the second time in his career after finishing ahead of Real team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo poses with his trophy of Best Men’s player in Europe at the end of the UEFA Champions League Group stage draw ceremony, on August 25, 2016 in Monaco. AFP PHOTO
“I’m obviously delighted to receive this award, it’s been an incredible season. But these two other players deserve it as well,” said Ronaldo, who also won the prize in 2013-14.
Ronaldo struck the winning spot-kick as Real claimed a record 11th European Cup title, beating city rivals Atletico on penalties in May, before leading his country to Euro 2016 glory.
Ronaldo scored three goals en route to the final of the tournament to equal France’s Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in the European Championship finals.
The award was voted for by journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations.
Norway striker Ada Hegerberg won the women’s award, ahead of France’s Amandine Henry and Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany, after helping Lyon lift the Women’s Champions League trophy in addition to the French league and cup double.
Following the tip off by well meaning Nigerians, troops of 33 Brigade Nigerian Army, deployed at Forward Operation Base (FOB) Toro, Toro Local Government Area (LGA) of Bauchi State, Thursday, arrested 2 suspected kidnappers; Dayibu Abdullahi and Nasiru Adamu at Badiko village along Gumau road, Toro LGA, Bauchi State.
Army
A statement by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said the “Troops also recovered a bag containing the sum of Four Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand Naira (N439,000.00k) and some personal items from the suspects. Preliminary investigation shows that the amount was their share from a paid ransom of a recent kidnap incident.
“Similarly, another suspected kidnapper, Jibrin Dakam, was arrested same day at Magama, also in Toro LGA, by the troops. Preliminary investigation confirmed that he escaped from their den at Jenge following the military Operation FOREST KUNAMA at Lame-Burra Forest recently. It was further confirmed that he frequently supply alcohol and other stimulants to the kidnappers.
“In a related development, troops deployed at “Kano 2” checkpoint near Durum, in Bauchi LGA, of the same unit, also arrested a suspected armed bandit named Adamu Saleh who was found to be in possession of 8 rounds of 7.62mm (Special), 2 mobile telephone handsets and local charms.
“All the suspects are being interrogated further before their eventual handing over to other relevant security agencies.”
By Soni Daniel The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, arrested one Iwuchukwu Martin Uche for obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of $145, 000.Iwuchukwu-Uche
Uche, who claimed to be a military officer working for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, in Kabul, Afghanistan allegedly, collected the money from his victim, H. Uyen, a Viatnamese woman, after promising to marry her.
The suspect, who also claimed to be a property agent operating in Nigeria and Ghana, allegedly told the victim that he needed the money to procure some documents for the planned wedding.
The money was allegedly wired to the suspect's Diamond Bank account number: 0028998256.
A statement by the Spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspect would soon be charged to court.
The Governor of Lagos State Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday said the Federal Government has a critical role to play in addressing the fundamental structural challenges undermining sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the states of the federation, among which is unbundling the potentials of each of the federating units.L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, his Ogun and Kebbi State counterparts, Governors Ibikunle Amosun and Atiku Bagudu during the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series with the topic – Building the Economy of States: Challenge of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth, at the Umaru Musa Yar'dua Indoor Sports Hall, Muritala Square, Kaduna, on Thursday
Speaking in Kaduna at the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series organized by Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the theme: “Building The Economy of States: Challenge of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth,” Governor Ambode said the Federal Government must allow the states to develop the natural resources within their domain and create the necessary infrastructure that would attract investors.
Governor Ambode, who spoke on the Lagos experience of de-emphasizing reliance on oil, said Governors must also be encouraged to tap into multiple streams of income within their domain, especially with the Federal Government allowing the states to develop their potentials.
The Governor lamented the situation whereby Governors have power over the land in their domain but cannot tap into the resources under the land and even the water, saying that such must stop so that Governors can have power over both the land and resources underneath, thereby unbundling the potentials of the states.
“We need to start looking at some changes that we need to make within and among ourselves as a government irrespective of whether it is federal, state or local government – that will now unbundle the potentials of each state which is the cornerstone of the whole message we are talking about.
“There is a great need for all of us to decide once and for all to unbundle the potentials of each state; take the comparative advantages of each state and fuse them together for the needs of our people.
“Governors are the owners of the land in their states but underneath the land and even inside the water, the Federal Government is structured in a way that it controls those potentials. In a situation where the states are being spoon-fed, because I call the federation account more or less like spoon-feeding. The federal government collects total revenue on Value Added Tax (VAT) and various revenues on behalf of all of us and make us to come to Abuja and more or less share it to us as peanuts thereby not allowing us to reach our potentials as competitive states individually,” the Governor said.
While alluding to the fact that insignia of progressivism in Nigeria should be first seen in the APC states, Governor Ambode said all critical actors must work together in the common interest of the people.
He said: “There is just one economy in this country and so we need to first of all accept the fact that there is nothing like private sector as against public sector; there is nothing like Federal Government as against State Government. We are collaborating together to drive the economy of this country. So if that describes what Nigeria is and what it ought to be, we also want to say that government should be seen as an enabler; a platform that more or less creates the enabling environment for the public sector to thrive.
“If we see ourselves as messengers to allow enabling environment to thrive, that means that whatever it is that we are doing, we must do it in such a way that will allow that enabling environment so that commerce, industry and our people can feel that sense of inclusion and that is why all of us are here. We are making progress because we are there because of our people and if we are there because of our people, it is just those basic little things that our people need that we should go ahead and address.
“We all must be in one set and whatever that we are doing in terms of policy; what it is that we are doing in terms of what I now refer to as re-arrangement, we should now focus on people and then we should be people-friendly. And that is the only was we can create that inclusive growth,” he said.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-President Muhammadu Buhari has urged traditional rulers to support the efforts of the government in ending the crisis in the Niger Delta.
He made the request while in a meeting with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III who visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking with State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, Alaafin of Oyo said that discussions at the meeting resolved around the problems facing the country including the militancy in the Niger Delta and insurgency in the north.President Buhari receives in audience Alaafin of Oyo HRH Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III in Statehouse
“As a Nigerian and one of the topmost traditional rulers in the country, over the time, I sent a memorandum to the President which he acknowledged and he asked me to come and endorse those things I have written.
“I think it is time for me to use the proper channel to reach the President for suggestions and advice. Where he deserves commendation, I should also do that.
“Especially as it concerns the multi-dimensional problems Nigeria is facing; the Avengers and the bombing of oil installations, MEND, Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
“One major diplomatic point the President scored recently was the visit of the US Secretary of State, John Kerry. America does not usually send top officers for such visits if they have not used certain parameters to gauge the country’s performance.
“I have met with the President and offered some suggestions. We are losing huge resources to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Coming close to that is the infiltration of the militants in Lagos and Ikorodu where in the last three weeks, 10 landlords were massacred”, he said.
The traditional ruler thanked the government to restoring law and order in Ikorodu which was recently held hostage by militants.
“If they had successfully spread their activities to the South West, there would have been more destruction. Lagos is the economic heartbeat of the nation.
“The President listened attentively and he has asked me to pass the information to other traditional rulers in my domain to assist the government by giving advice because he is a good listener but that such advice should be put in writing so that he can then relate it to the problems affecting Nigeria”, he said.
Abuja – Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said Federal Government had obtained a 125-million-dollar loan from the World Bank to tackle fresh cases of polio and other health challenges in the country.
The minister made this known while briefing the Senate Committee on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases on Thursday in Abuja.
Adowole said that with approval of the National Assembly, 60 million dollars would be earmarked for polio, while the remaining 65 million dollars would be used for the procurement of vaccines.
He also disclosed that N10 billion had been released by the Federal Government from the 2016 budget to tackle the epidemic. While decrying the fresh outbreak, the minister said that about N30 billion would be required to tackle the menace.
He said that following the outbreak, no fewer than 800,000 children under the age of five years had been immunised in five local government areas in Borno.
He said the local government areas, which had a population of about one million people were Jere, Gwoza, Mafa, Maiduguri Municipality and Bama.
“The resurgence of polio is an unusual development and a major setback considering the investment of the international community, and the whole world was looking forward to celebrate Nigeria next year.
“I wasn't expecting polio as a challenge; I was expecting teenage pregnancy and other health challenges,'' he said. Adewole said the ministry was working with relevant stakeholders to search for more cases, adding that “we want to assume there could be many more of the cases, we are looking for more cases“.
He added that the ministry had flagged off response channels while the team monitoring and managing the disease was working to ensure that it was nipped in the bud.
According to him, the ministry will embark on six-round response programmes to immunize children under five in the whole of the country and neighbouring countries, to ensure that every potential child is immunized.
Adewole disclosed that 300 million doses of vaccine were required to be able to carry out immunization in the country to curtail the spread of the virus.
He, however, said that only 100 million doses of vaccine were on ground, adding that measures would be put in place to make up the required doses.
He stated that the ministry was toiling with the idea of administering injectable vaccines in view of its efficacy, particularly in Borno, rather than relying solely on oral vaccine.
The minister however said that plans to curb the disease could change depending on subsequent developments.
He also said that due to the security situation in the North-East, the medical team from the military had equally been deployed to assist experts from the ministry.
On recent case of Lassa fever that claimed the life of a medical doctor in Delta, the minister said that measures were being put in place to curb further spread.
He also disclosed that the ministry was working with relevant agencies to check Zika disease, which was already prominent in Brazil.
Chairman of the committee, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, urged the ministry to embark on more sensitisation and advocacy. He expressed displeasure with the ministry for not involving the legislature before now.
“If we didn't initiate this meeting, we would not have been carried along.
“ I expect that immediately you had this outbreak, you alert us and say areas we could collaborate with you to alert state assemblies for sensitisation,'' he said.
He pledged the committee's support to the ministry in tackling challenges in the health sector.
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