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
Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, today, assumes duty as its new General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA),
CNL is the operator of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (the NNPC/CNL JV) joint venture.
Mr. Brikinn replaced Mr. Deji Haastrup, who recently retired from the company after 21 years of service to the company and it's Corporation.
According to the Chairman and Managing Director, CNL, Mr. Clay Neff, "Esimaje was appointed to the position based on his demonstrated leadership, breadth of experience and proven ability to build effective relationships with our key stakeholders."
Esimaje Brikinn
Mr. Brikinn received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology Akure in 1989 and a Master's degree in Production Engineering (Industrial Engineering option) from the University of Benin in 1993. He also holds a certificate in Sustainable Environmental Management from the College of Natural Resources of the University of California, Berkeley.
He joined Chevron Nigeria on April 1, 1996 as an Operator Trainee for the Escravos Gas Project and moved to the Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) department in year 2000 as a Field Public Affairs Representative, interfacing with community stakeholders in support of field operations and capital projects.
Within PGPA, he has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in Nigeria and the United States in the course of his career. These include: Community Engagement Representative, Government Affairs Representative, Community Engagement Coordinator, Social Performance Advisor, Manager Social Performance and Planning and Area Manager, PGPA West.
As Area Manager, he provided leadership in planning and executing Company's strategies for stakeholder engagement, social investment and social issues plus risk management in support of Chevron's operations and capital projects in the Niger Delta.
Lagos – Nigeria plans to sell N95 billion (302 million dollars) worth of bonds on Dec. 14, its last debt auction for the year, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said on Tuesday.
The office said it would sell N35 billion of a bond maturing in 2036; N25 billion of paper maturing in 2026 and N35 billion of debt maturing in 2021, using the Dutch auction system.
Results of the auction are expected to be released on the following day.
All the bonds on offer are reopenings of previous issues.
Africa's biggest economy issues sovereign bonds monthly to support the local bond market, create a benchmark for corporate issuance and fund its budget deficit. (one dollar= N315.00) (Reuters/NAN
By Chris Ochayi ABUJA – The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Monday, called on Nigerians to discountenance the rumours making rounds that the Corps has distributed arms to its officers and men, saying it has no plan to include arms bearing as part of operations at the moment.
The FRSC in a statement issued in Abuja also urged Nigerians, especially the motoring public to disregard such claims as there is no basis of truth in it.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has issued a statement to dissociate itself from the rumours making rounds that the Corps has distributed arms to its Officers and Men, and calls on Nigerians to disregard such claims as there is no basis of truth in it.
The FRSC claimed that its Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi was misquoted when he decried the number of his staff that were killed by errant motorists avoiding arrests, which he said would have been avoided if the Corps were to bear arms.
He further stressed that even though the Operatives of the Corps have undergone regular arms training at different intervals from 1992, and more recently too, the Corps has no plan to include it as a part of the operations at the moment.Boboye Oyeyemi
With reference to the amendment of the FRSC Establishment Acts of 2007, which permits road traffic managers to bear arms in the same manner other sister agencies do, the statement noted that it has never been the priority of the Corps under the leadership of past and present Corps Marshals to implement it.
He concluded that it was pictures of Officials of the Corps that had undergone arms training that the same mediums misquoting the Corps Marshal are using to support the claim that the Corps now bears arms.
The Corps Marshal used the opportunity to call on motorists to obey traffic regulations and desist from harming operatives of the Corps who are only out to ensure that road crashes are reduced drastically.
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane insists the European champions aren’t prepared to settle for second place behind Borussia Dortmund in Champions League Group F despite the potential for an easier last 16 tie.
Madrid need to beat the German giants at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday to secure top spot and the second leg of their last 16 clash at home.
However, given Real can’t face Barcelona or Atletico Madrid even if they do finish second, as clubs from the same country are kept apart, winning the group could prove more dangerous with Bayern Munich or Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City potential opponents.
“We’re only thinking about winning. We’re not going to look at or think about other things,” said the Frenchman, who led Madrid to their 11th European Cup in his first season in charge in May.
“We want to finish top of the group.”
Real extended an unbeaten run stretching back to April to 33 games thanks to Sergio Ramos’s stoppage time equaliser at Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday to maintain a six-point lead over Barca at the top of La Liga.
Indeed, Real remain on course for five trophies this season having already pocketed the European Super Cup and with the Club World Cup to come in Japan later this month.Zidane
– ‘Still hungry’ –
“You have to highlight the side’s work rate,” added Zidane.
“Each player is very professional, they all work very hard, they are experienced but still hungry. They’ve won a lot but they still want to win more and more.”
However, despite the stellar start to his coaching career in line with his feats as one of the greatest players of his generation, Zidane remains humble enough to admit luck has been on his side during a rollercoaster ride in 2016.
“It’s true I’m lucky. I do what I love everyday. I have the luck to be at this great club,” he added.
“But it is not just luck, it is the hard work and passion for what I do that helps. I love football.”
Madrid received a double injury boost as Alvaro Morata and Toni Kroos returned to training on Tuesday leaving just Gareth Bale as Zidane’s only absentee.
By contrast, Dortmund suffered a double blow as Mario Goetze didn’t travel to the Spanish capital, whilst Marco Reus is doubtful due to a cold.
Reus missed the 2-2 draw with Madrid back in September, but has been a consistent thorn in Real’s side in six previous meetings since 2012.
Dortmund’s top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will also be out to impress.
The African Player of the Year has never hidden his desire to one day sign for Real and fulfil a promise he made to his Spanish grandfather before he passed away two years ago.
“In any moment he can make the difference,” said Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel.
“I believe it is normal he wants to play for Real Madrid at some point. I think all the best players want to play with the best teams in the world and Real Madrid are without doubt one of the best.
“Tomorrow there is always pressure to play in the Bernabeu and to play for first in the group. Auba likes pressure, he needs that pressure.”
And Tuchel believes the benefit from beating Madrid to top spot in the group will come from the confidence in deposing the European champions rather than an easier tie in the last 16.
“The confidence of winning or drawing here at this level, this atmosphere, that is the value of winning group,” he added.
“It is not an advantage for the next round from my point of view.”
Gov. Willy Obiano of Anambra on Tuesday welcomed the launch of the "Exercise Python Dance" by the Nigerian Army in the state and urged the people to cooperate with army in sustaining the relative peace in Anambra.
"They are not Army of occupation as being labelled by some people, especially on the online media.
"Nobody will be molested," Obiano told the people but warned criminal elements to steer clear of the state as the exercise would not be friendly to them.
Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State
He recalled that when he took over the mantle of leadership of the state, there was insecurity, making many indigenes to stay away from the state.
The governor, however, noted that the trend had been reversed with the task force he had set up to deal with the situation, adding that incidents of kidnapping and other forms of criminality had been checked in the state.
In a remark at the launch, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the exercise was a training programme like others launched in other parts of the country.
Buratai stressed that the exercise was part of the Army's constitutional responsibility to aid civil authority in maintaining internal security.
He warned that those who would want to disrupt the peace of the state would have themselves to blame.
…Tasks Public Service On Innovative Ideas Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday justified the massive investment of his administration on improvement of educational infrastructure and upgrade of curriculum to meet current realities, saying that education remains one of the critical tools to combat poverty and secure a better future for the State.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Ikeja after swearing-in a new Permanent Secretary and Tutor General for Education District Six, Mrs. Olabisi Olufunmilayo Onadipe, said the massive investment on education architecture and continues empowering and equipping of teachers were all in a bid to raise the next generation of Lagosians who will be ready to take on the challenges of the future.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with the new Permanent Secretary/Tutor-General District VI, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Olabisi Onadipe (left) and her husband, Mr. Akogun Kola Onadipe during the swearing-in of Permanent Secretary at the EXCO Chambers, Lagos House, Ikeja, on Tuesday, December 6, 2016.
While alluding to the fact that the State Government placed high emphasis on education, Governor Ambode charged the new appointee to see her appointment as very critical to the future progress of the State, and as such, she must add value not only to the present administration and the public service, but the State.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with the new Permanent Secretary/Tutor-General District VI, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Olabisi Onadipe (left) and her husband, Mr. Akogun Kola Onadipe during the swearing-in of Permanent Secretary at the EXCO Chambers, Lagos House, Ikeja, on Tuesday, December 6, 2016.
The Governor said the public service, as a vital institution primarily responsible for policy implementation, has been given a pride of place, and recalled that since inception of the present administration, a lot of attention had been given to appointment of only officers with credible record of performance into leadership positions.
He said no matter how good a policy is, its effectiveness in terms of achieving the desired impact would only be determined by the competence and commitment of those charged with the responsibility of implementation, a development the Governor said called for the need for greater sense of dedication.
According to Governor Ambode, "A lot of attention is given to ensuring that only officers with credible record of performance are appointed into leadership position in the public service. The global rating of Lagos State requires that only the best hands must be engaged to drive the key sectors of the State economy. This is the only way we can guaranty effective and efficient service delivery and synergy between the public and the private sector.
"I therefore use this opportunity to demand greater sense of commitment and responsibility from the leadership and the entire workforce in the State public service. You must be open minded and ready to embrace new and innovative ideas that are consistent with global practices."
Responding, the new Permanent Secretary thanked Governor Ambode for the confidence reposed in her, and expressed her readiness to discharge her duties effectively and efficiently.
The management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, Tuesday, said it has launched a campaign against vandalism and illegal activities aimed at ensuring adequate power delivery across its business network.
In a statement by its Head, Communications, Emeka Ezeh, and made available to Vanguard, the company stated that the development has been on the rise, despite numerous safety measures it put in place.
Part of such campaign, he said, included, "an aggressive public safety awareness campaign that involved interactive radio shows across the South-East States, as well as town hall meetings to educate and sensitise the general public on these high risk activities that are capable of terminating lives.
"EEDC has also completed plans to take this campaign to churches and schools (both secondary and tertiary institutions).
"As a responsible organisation, we are committed to safety as well as maintenance of safe environment within its network, and have procured adequate grounding equipment, operating rods and appropriate personal protective equipment worth millions of Naira for use by its staff, knowing the high risk involved in its day to day operations.
"EEDC has recently recruited additional qualified safety officers across its district offices to enhance the monitoring of activities within its network and to further ensure the safety of its workplace and network."
The company, however, reiterated its commitment in ensuring safety and values to the lives of its staff and customers.
Bothered by the dearth of potable drinking water faced by residents of Kedum, Kaani ward, in Ogoni community of Rivers State., the MMM-Nigeria', a community of mutual financial aid and donations, Port Harcourt chapter, Sunday, commissioned a borehole in the community, saying it’s its own little way of ameliorating the plights of residents in Kedum area and other neighbouring communities.
Member of the MMM-Nigeria, Port-Harcourt chapter during the commissioning of the Bore-Hole project in Ogoni, Rivers State.
A Guider in the 'MMM Community', Ndukwe Joseph Ndukwe, said the project was motivated by the desire of the group to affect the society positively especially now the country is faced with excruciating recession induced hunger and poverty.
“That is what defines us as a community of people providing financial help to each other on the principle of gratuitous, benevolence and reciprocity,” Ndukwe stated.
Present at the commissioning of the project were the MMM Nigeria, PH chapter number one man,Abiye Johnson (100k+ Guider); Nonso Onwuneme (100k+ Guider), other MMM Guiders participants, Kedum community leaders and members of the community who could not hide their joy.
It will be recalled that in June this year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, launched the "Clean-Up of Ogoniland" at Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. Ogoni-land.
However, since flag-off, the project had experienced hiccups.
But the MMM-Nigeria Port Harcourt, in less than a month constructed and handed-over the borehole to members of the Ogoni community.
The community head, who could not hide his joy, stated that when some delegates from MMM visited him and informed him of the project they intend bringing to their community and that they needed a land space for the project to be done, he was thinking that it was normal political promises but to his greatest surprise after three days, the work started and did not last up to a month to be completed.
The European Union on Tuesday approved Microsoft’s mega buyout of the professional networking site LinkedIn, provided the US tech giant meets commitments to allow fair competition.
The European Commission, the EU executive, said it approved the merger after Microsoft offered promises, including leaving personal computer manufacturers and distributors free not to install LinkedIn on Windows operating systems.
“The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of LinkedIn by Microsoft,” the commission said.
Microsoft’s $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn was announced in June, the biggest-ever deal for a social media company.
“Today’s decision ensures that Europeans will continue to enjoy a freedom of choice between professional social networks,” EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said.
Data has increasingly become a major driver for big acquisitions in the digital world, including the blockbuster buyout of messaging service WhatsApp by Facebook in 2014 that was waved through at the EU by Vestager’s predecessor.
By Kingsley Omonobi Abuja – The Police Service Commission said Tuesday that it has concluded the recruitment of some Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force.
This is in fulfillment of the directive of Mr. President, at a Security Summit in Abuja last year where he announced the federal government's decision to inject 10,000 police men into the Force.
The Commission in a statement signed by Ikechukwu Ani, head of Public Relations said "PSC has conclusively completed the recruitment of the General duty applicants made up of 500 Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP), 500 Cadet Inspectors and, 7,500 Constables.
"It has also concluded the recruitment of 80 per cent of 1,500 specialists expected to be recruited into the Force and have shortlisted applicants who applied for some disciplines that require further professional/expert interview.
"These include engineering, laboratory scientists and technicians and community health officers. Date for the interview will soon be communicated to the shortlisted candidates.
Continuing the statement said, "The Recruitment exercise was based on merit, Federal Character and geographical spread and all the successful candidates went through the processes put in place for the exercise.
"These include State screening which involved the screening of the credentials of the candidates and physical screening such as height, sight, chest etc.
"The Commission in accordance with extant rules and its guidelines placed advertisements in several National Dailies inviting suitably qualified candidates. The adverts ran for six weeks from April 1st to May 13th, 2016.
"At the end of the six weeks period, a total of 911,438 applications comprising 262,462 applicants for Cadet ASPs, 211,832 applicants for Cadet Inspectors and 437,144 applicants for Constables were received electronically.
"A total of 338,250 applicants were later shortlisted also electronically and invited for screening at the State Commands of the Nigeria Police Force.
"This figure was made up of 44,684 shortlisted for Cadet ASPs, 87,736 for Cadet Inspectors and 205,830 for Constables.
"This process was followed through from Command to Zone and finally the National level where the successful candidates were selected.
"All through the recruitment exercise, the Commission was guided by its enabling law, recruitment guidelines and the Federal Character Principles as enshrined in both the Constitution and the Federal Character Act."
Meanwhile, the PSC said the names of successful applicants have been uploaded in the Commission's website, and the Nigeria Police Force website,
I am Evelyn, a lagos Based housewife and I have a very special issue that needs to be dealt with urgently, it is about to ruin my marriage of over 8 years. I and my husband had a very beautiful life together, but that was until two years into our marriage, just after we had our first and only child.`
Danny as I fondly call him had lost his job then and would not have me work, he said it was his duty to provide for his family and believed that our child would need all my attention.
I used to be a marketer at one of the leading banks, while he worked with an oil firm but was retrenched due to certain unclear circumstances.
The quest for a job took a toll on my husband because we had debts to offset, so many bills left unpaid.
During that period, Danny will go out very early only to come back very late at night. The time spent however, did not reflect on our economic status.
We were not begging but we could tell that the family was digging too deep into its reserves. After about a year and no serious job forthcoming, Danny decided he would go into a business of his own.
He started a business with the little we had saved over the years, he gave it his all, time, body and soul.
Danny could be very determined and that was the spirit he put into the business, however, it was our home that suffered the brunt.
Gradually I began to feel the detachment from him, he was more connected with making the business boom, there was little or no time for me and my little boy.
Our sex life was almost dead and when we did have anything intimate it was shabby at best.
He gave numerous excuses of why his performance had drastically come to an all time low, from business thoughts to the Lagos stress that is always tied to the ever present gridlocks for no just cause.
I cried severally because i was starved not just of both love and s/.ex, perhaps you might think I am vain but please don't judge me till you have walked a mile in my shoes.
Danny could not hold his own for even five minutes, no sooner than he gets in and the milk is spilt. He said he had tried several things but they just don't work.
For months and then over a year, things continued the same way. After a while, I gave up totally, resigning to fate.
Good thing is, the business started to grown miraculously, but the more it grew, the distant my husband became from me.
There was no day without a meeting, the weekends were spent virtually at his business place, only on rare occasions did I and my son go visiting there.
I was idle, and perhaps that was the avenue for certain things to happen, things I am not so proud to mention.
The most crazy of all that I began to indulge in, is basically living on socio-media. While I bore my heart in subtle Tweets and Facebook posts, I wore a hypocritical look on Instagram. My photos bearing faked smiles, hid my inner torment, but there was this guy who could read between the lines, he introduced himself to me as George.
He was about 10 years younger than myself and twenty years younger than my husband. But he was smart and witty, I was caught off-guard.
George made me pour my heart to him in such a way that I felt exposed, and before I could blink, we were dating.
From internet chats we advanced to calls and texts, before I knew it, I was inviting this young man into my matrimonial home.
He was young but George sure did know how to treat a lady, there was never a boring moment with him, as his wits exuded effortlessly.
Soon I was almost forgetting that I had a husband, it was more like living with yet another flat mate, as all we did whenever my husband got back from work was brief chats (boring) and off to bed.
Whenever he got into his room to sleep, I got talking with George under the guise of staying with my tender son. We would do all sorts of crazy stuffs over the phone and I felt like a teenager again.
Please don’t blame me at all as my body is not a stone. The first day I and George made love, it stirred a wild passion in me and I could not get enough of him. I would invite him over on certain weekends, we would meet up at his place on other days. One faithful day after making fun I used woman trick to know what he is using to satisfied me for 40 minutes with his big rod because I won’t lie to you I always scream ‘is enough, please am satisfied’ but this guy rod doesn’t get tired.
Thank God George revealed his secret to me and I quickly try to find George’s big rod and 40 minutes performance secret. Immediately I got it, I dropped George because I still love my husband and I believe that he can do better too with this secret. Click Here For the secret https://goo.gl/brLgCG (Read Testimonials Of Other Men)
Few days after, my husband birthday came up and I presented him a gift. You care to know the kind of gift that I presented to my husband?
Hmm! I presented George big rod and 40 minutes performance secret, my husband asked me what it is though and I explained to him that my friend’s husband is using it to satisfied her and that is the secret of their happy home. https://goo.gl/brLgCG
My husband applied the secret gift same day, we made love that night and his performance was improved a little bit because i enjoyed it though.https://goo.gl/brLgCG
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By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – As against the hue and cry trailing the social intervention programme where 200,000 jobless graduates had been engaged by the federal government, the Presidency Tuesday said it has appointed 36 focal persons across the federation.
The clarification was sequel to the concerns raised by some local government councils especially in Lagos State that they were not aware of the programme.
Similarly, some applicants had also cried out about the inaccessibility of the web portal of the job otherwise called N-Power.
The Presidency which spoke through the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Laolu Akande, advised the applicants to look for the focal persons in their states for proper guidance rather than going to the local government councils.
“Lagos State like all the 36 states of the Federation has appointed a focal persons for the N-Power programme. It is the Lagos State Focal person that is in charge of deployment. Why not ask the focal person who knows rather than asking local govts?
It is the State that will deploy to local govts.
“We have met with all Focal persons appointed by the states/FCT and we know they are busy working on the deployment. FG is ready to pay once the states deploy.
“And those selected should be paid this month-Dec. In some states, the Govs picked Commisioners as focal persons, and in some cases the Govs picked Special Advisers or Assistants. We know some states have started deploying indeed”, Akande said.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says it will soon pay players and officials of the Super Falcons all their entitlements for winning the Africa Women's Cup of Nations (AWCON).
A statement by NFF's Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, quoted the Federation's General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, as saying the money for this was however not available at the moment.
"The Federation is not happy about owing players and coaches. But it can only continue to seek their understanding and those of hoteliers and travel agents, as well as its management and staff until the situation improves.
"There is no gainsaying in the fact that there is a severe economic challenge in the country now and all organisations, whether government or private, are feeling the pinch. But, it is not government's doing.
"We know we have financial commitment to the players and officials of Super Falcons, and we have not at any time stated otherwise. But the money is not readily available at the moment.
"I appeal to them to understand the situation of the Federation, to understand the situation of the country at the present and exercise patience.
Super Falcons in Cameroon
"We will pay them all monies they are being owed as soon as we receive same from government, just as we paid the national under-17 team's players and officials who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile last year, after the tournament.
"Just as we paid coach Samson Siasia's wages as soon as we had the funds after the Olympics.''
Sanusi also recalled that the Super Eagles were owed monies for the match against Tanzania and were paid when funds for that match were made available by government.
"We still owe the Super Eagles for the matches against Zambia and Algeria, but the memos have gone to government and are being looked at.
"But we must commend the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, who has been energetically pushing the cases of the various national teams.
"We have sent the memo for the Women Africa Cup of Nations in October and it is being processed as we speak."
Sanusi stated that NFF had meanwhile embarked on an aggressive drive to find a permanent solution to the issue of owing players and coaches.
He also stated that corporate players were now listening to the NFF's leadership and the Federation's finances would soon improve.
"We are also working to get monies outstanding from former sponsors of the national teams, to complement what we are expecting from government.
"In relation to all these, we are in the process of sorting out our TSA domiciliary accounts so that we can receive our due grants from FIFA and CAF, including the $80,000 prize money from the AWCON, once it is available.''
The NFF General Secretary also appealed to media representatives to understand the plight of the Federation, and temper their write-ups with some understanding.
"This morning, I was reading a report that the Federation is yet to pay the Super Falcons one kobo. That is not correct.
'"While the team was in Cameroon, the NFF sourced for money from one of our sponsors and paid the players N500,000 each and also paid the technical crew and backroom staff.
"Our friends in the media should make the effort to clarify whatever information they have before going to press.''
While applauding the Falcons for their tenacity and total dedication to duty in Cameroon in spite of low morale, Sanusi confirmed that a reception would soon be held for them.
"NFF is waiting for word from government to know when the African champions will be hosted to a state reception.
"The reception for the senior women national team is out of our hands. We are waiting on the Federal Government and as soon as we have confirmation of the date, we will inform the players and officials to regroup in Abuja," he stated.
The Falcons won the 10th AWCON on Saturday in Yaounde by beating hosts Cameroon 1-0 for their eighth continental title.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has appealed to state traffic agencies to place road safety above revenue generation in their operations.
Oyeyemi made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he declared open the maiden meeting with Heads of State Traffic Management Agencies.
He said while fines were necessary to curtail road traffic excesses , it should not be the main priority.
Boboye Oyeyemi
He said the UN Decade of Action 2011-2020 for road safety demanded that member countries provided a direction toward achieving the vision for road safety using the safe system approach, and not otherwise.
The corps marshal said that all over the world, road safety was a shared responsibility and Nigeria could not afford to jettison it.
He said this was why it became was necessary for states to establish their own traffic agencies.
He said that out of the 36 states of the federation, 16 states had established traffic management agencies through the enactment of appropriate laws by their respective Houses of Assembly.
Oyeyemi said the meeting was aimed at activating the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) which was Nigeria's response to UN decade of Action and to measure Nigeria's capacity to deliver on road safety.
He said the overall objective of NRSS was to establish an integrated national approach toward reducing incessant occurrence of deaths and serious injuries as well as damage to property as a result of crashes.
"The NRSS document recognised that road safety is multi-faceted and therefore, outlined the responsibilities of various tiers of government and public and private sectors.
"It sought to harmonise the different road safety efforts by emphasising the vison, goal, purpose, output as well as the initiatives for road safety management in Nigeria.
"The FRSC, even with its powers to operate on all roads of the federation, has consistently advocated for joint ownership of road safety by all Nigerians and for the states to give desired direction within their domains,''he said.
The corps marshal also called for the harmonisation of all road traffic offences in the country under the National Road Traffic Regulations and adoption of the offender's register to have a uniform offences regulation.
"Synergy is crucial to effective road safety administration without which the nation's roads would degenerate into anarchy.
"I urge all state traffic agencies to respond promptly and tow broken down vehicles from the roads to avoid accidents and to always help in complementing the effort of FRSC,'' he said.
Responding, Mr Mohammed Zarewa, Managing Director, Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) , commended the FRSC for initiating the meeting.
Zarewa said this would give the agencies an avenue to brainstorm on traffic challenges.
He appealed to the FRSC to make the meeting a quarterly event so as to equip states with more information and training to further strengthen traffic in their domains while curbing crashes.
Also speaking, Mr Chris Olakpe, CEO, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), urged traffic agents to be friendly and approachable.
Olakpe also urged state governments to collaborate on the highways in order to meet up with traffic challenges in their states.
He said that Lagos would collaborate with Ogun so as to ease traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. (NAN)
By Henry Umoru ABUJA- STRONG indications have emerged that the controversial Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIB) would soon be passed as the Senate has concluded plans to hold a public hearing on it Wednesday.
The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIB) passed second reading on Tuesday, November 1st, 2016.
The PIB governance legislation, which has been stalled in successive Assemblies, has reached its fastest stage in 16 years.
When passed, it would set the stage for the breaking up of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into two commercial entities which will be limited by shares.
The two entities will be known as the National Petroleum Company and the National Assets Management Company.
The Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN) said unless proactive steps were taken, more than 50 minority languages in the country might become extinct in a few years.
President of the association, Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche, disclosed this in Jos on Tuesday at the ongoing five-day annual conference of LAN holding at University of Jos.
Ohiri-Aniche, who was represented by Prof. Harrison Adeniye, spoke of the urgent need to revive moribund minority languages because of their importance to the cultural good of the country.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to "reawaken" the national language policy to prevent the minority languages from going extinct.
"Let me use this opportunity to advise the Federal Government on the need to reawaken the national language policy project which is moribund already.
"There is also an urgent need to establish language centers to prevent possible extinction of most minority languages in the country," he said.
The LAN president stated that the establishment of the centres to teach local languages will help revive some languages already extinct.
"We would like to use this opportunity to remind you, sir of the promise made on behalf of the university to establish the centre for minority languages in your institution.
"We know this centre when established will go a long way in documenting and revitalizing well over fifty languages, most of which are moribund," he said.
He urged parents to always speak to their children in their local dialects to enable them to speak in the tongues.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Sebastian Maimako, charged the association to revive moribund Nigeria minority languages.
Maimako, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Tor Iorapuu, said the use of local parlance among Nigerians had decreased.
According to him, linguists have what it takes to address the "unfortunate" situation of language and cultural decline in the country.
He said, "I enjoin you as teachers, scholars and professional researchers in the academic discipline of linguistics as well as in other related areas of language studies to deliberate and fashion out viable means of readdressing the inadequacies relating to the documentation and revitalisation of minority languages in Nigeria."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 29th LAN national conference attracted participants from tertiary institutions across the country in a bid to find sustainable ways to prevent minority languages from dying. (NAN)
By Joseph Undu As residents of Lagos and Ogun States travelling along Lagos –Ibadan expressway groan everyday over hectic traffic on the road, the Assistant Inspector of Police, zone 2, Kayode Aderanti have assured of free flow traffic on the road during yuletide.
Aderanti who went on inspection tour of the ongoing construction work on the road alongside the Commissioner of Police Ogun State, CP. A. Iliyasu, Operation Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, M.O Olapade, Controller of Works Ogun State, Engr. Poppla Olukayode and many other top security personnel said it has become expedient for both agencies of government to synergies to ensure that people who would be travelling to various destinations across Nigeria during this yuletide season do not have any hiccups on the way.
He said: "We are here on the instruction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, and Ibrahim Idris to carry out a comprehensive assessment of all the security challenges on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and to see how the road network was getting ready for use during the Yuletide. "You will recall that in the past few weeks the gridlock on this expressway has resulted to traffic accidents and insecurity. Because of the over 30 million people in Lagos and thousands of vehicles that would be travelling on this road, it is our duty to ensure that people going out of Ogun and Lagos have a smooth and easy ride."
"We are going to do this in synergy with other relevant state and federal government security agencies such as FRSC and the Federal Ministry of Works. We want to adopt cooperation and togetherness to solve this problem. The police will provide adequate security to both the contractors and the FRSC and would ensure that our men are deployed in a way that anybody driving through this way will feel safe.
"We would provide the kind of security that even the contractors would be willing to work in the night." He said. The AIG also visited Julius Berger Construction Company Plc and R.C.C, the companies handling the project where the Health and Safety Manager of Julius Berger, Mr. Philip Geddes said the Lagos-Ibadan and Sagamu Interchange would be opened in the next two weeks.
According to him: "The company was working tirelessly to ensure that the roads and the bridge were ready for use by the public before Yuletide. We are constantly working to ensure this happens. We have towed vehicles and we have security agents on ground to ensure all these are possible,'' he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would deploy 10,294 staff to conclude the re-run National and State Assembly elections in Rivers scheduled for Saturday.
INEC which stated this in its daily bulletin issued on Tuesday in Abuja that 14 categories of staff would be deployed to make up the 10,294 figure.
The categories according to the commission, will include three Returning Officers for the three Senatorial Districts (DC); eight Returning Officers for Federal Constituencies (FC) and 10 Returning officers for State Constituencies (SC).
INEC added that the categories include 23 Local Government Areas (Collation Officers; 221 Registration Area (RA), Collation Officers; 57 Collation Officers (for Collation only at RAs and 231 Supervisory Presiding Officers.
Also to be deployed it said were 1,840 Presiding Officers; 6,609 Assistant Presiding Officers (I, II and III) and 661 Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs).
Others are 363 Reserve APOs; 21 Constituency Supervisors; 24 LGA Supervisors and 223 RA Supervisors.
The elections will take place across 21 constituencies which include three senatorial districts; eight federal constituencies; and 10 state constituencies.
The three senatorial districts are Rivers East Senatorial District; Rivers West and Rivers South-East.
The eight Federal Constituencies are; Akuku-Toru/Asari Toru; Degema/Bonny; Okrika/Ogu-Bolo; Etche/Omuma; Ikwere/Emohua; Khana Gokana; Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo and Opobo/Nkoro/Andoni.
The Bulleting said that State Constituencies where election would also hold were Eleme, Gokana, Asari-Toru I, Asari-Toru II, Andoni, Khana II, Etche II, Ikwere, Bonny and Degema.
The elections were, however, disrupted by violence as a result of which they were suspended on March 19.
As at the time of the suspension of the elections, the exercise was at different stages.
The elections had been concluded in some constituencies with the declaration of results and return of winners by the respective returning officers.
In some areas, collation had been concluded but no declaration or return made.
In yet some other areas, voting had been concluded and collation was on-going but yet to be concluded.
In some places, voting had been concluded but collation yet to commence, while in some other places, there was no voting among other challenges.
Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday returned to the negative with indices shedding 0.28 per cent amid loses by major equities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that market capitalisation lost N25 billion or 0.28 per cent to close at N8.831 trillion compared with N8.856 trillion posted on Monday.
In the same vein, the All-Share Index which opened at 25,743. 03 shed 71.8 points or 0.28 per cent to close at 25,671.23.
NAN also reports that Nestle, one of the most capitalised equity on the NSE led the losers' table, dropping by N10 to close at N805 per share.
It was trailed by Guinness with a loss of N4.01 to close at N76.32 and Dangote Cement dipped N1.84 to close at N158.16 per share.
Nigeria Breweries was down by N1 to close at N144, while Cadbury depreciated by 15k to close at N11.15 per share.
On the other hand, Total led the gainers' table, growing by N28.29 to close at N304.44 per share.
Forte Oil followed with a gain of N7.36 to close at N79.30 and Flour Mills gained 49k to close at N18.99 per share.
NASCON added 30k to close at N6.95, while Port Land Paint increased by 18k to close at N2.08 per share.
In spite of the drop posted by the market indicators, the volume of shares traded closed higher as investors staked N2.49 billion on 189.41 million shares transacted in 2,894 deals.
This was in contrast with a turnover of 175.06 million shares valued at N3.14 billion traded in 3,048 deals on Monday.
Diamond Bank was the toast of investors with 66.55 million shares worth N57.85 million.
FCMB Group came second with an account of 26.15 million shares valued at N26.16 million and GT Bank sold 13.87 million shares worth N320.42 million.
FBN Holdings transacted 13.40 million shares valued at N44.42 million, while NEM Insurance traded 12.36 million shares worth N8.79 million. (NAN)
The Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis has called on the Federal and state governments to ensure improved coordination and synergy for the well being of the Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East.
Sen. Shehu Sani, Chairman, the Chairman of the committee, made the call on Tuesday at a public hearing in Abuja.
He said that the synergy became necessary to make life comfortable for the IDPs.
Sani said, " The suffering of the IDPs was not as a result of lack of funds, donations or lack of empathy.
"It is due to lack of coordination and synergy in the laudable initiatives of humanitarian crisis management by both state and federal governments.''
"The lack of coordination can be seen in the executive's intervention initiatives,'' the said.
He noted that the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative was designed to integrate all actors and actions of humanitarian crisis management into one coordinated national roadmap.
He, however, observed that it had been operating independently from yet another committee.
Sani decried that IDPs were faced with multiple challenges, including lack of food, shelter and clothing and sexual abuse among women and diversion of humanitarian materials by "some unscrupulous agents of devils."
He, however, noted with delight that international donor agencies were scaling up their humanitarian responses to the starving and malnourished children in the North-East.
Declaring the session open, President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki also stressed the need by stakeholders to strengthen humanitarian response coordination to ensure life-saving assistance to about 5 million people.
The Deputy Senate President, Sen.Ike Ekweremadu, represented the Saraki at the occasion.
Saraki, was represented by said that it was time for government to give a clear directive on which organisation was supposed to be the lead agency to coordinate the response to the ongoing crisis.
"Currently, there are two agencies the international community has been told to liaise with for the purposes of coordination.
"This is not a sustainable or functional solution. I hope government can move expeditiously to harmonise the necessary efforts with international partners," Saraki said.
He said that with lean resources and as responsible representatives of the people, the legislators must ensure that the resources set aside for the improvement of the life of the IDPs were judiciously applied. (NAN)
