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
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has condoled with Mrs. Pauline Tallen, former Deputy Governor of Plateau state, over the death of her husband, Elder John KatkwapTallen, who died at 83.Aisha Buhari
Speaking when she visited the bereaved in Abuja on Tuesday , Mrs Buhari described the deceased as an elder statesman, whose contributions to national development would not be forgotten.
She also prayed God to repose his soul and give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Earlier in the day, the First lady also visited the home of Engr. BubaGaladima to offer condolences over the death of his son, AliyuBubaGaladima, who died in a road accident recently.
She described the death of the young man as very painful and prayed Almighty Allah to grant him access into paradise.
Mrs. Buhari was accompanied on the visits by wife of the Governor of Nasarawa state, Hajiya Mairo Tanko Almakura, wife of Zamfara state Governor, Asmaú Yari, wives of service chiefs and many others.
Keffi (Nasarawa State) – Some prospective candidates wanting to register for Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination have called on the board to address the poor internet services in purchasing Personal Identification Number (PIN) in banks.
A surveyed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Keffi, Akwanga and Lafia Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State on Tuesday showed that the prospective candidates found it difficult to log into the JAMB's website to get their PIN in banks since the commencement of the exercise on March 20.
The candidates, who spoke in an interview with NAN, expressed dissatisfaction with the poor internet service of the examination body and called for help.
They appealed for an urgent repair of the board's connectivity service to enable them register for the examination before the closing date of April 20.
They described this year's JAMB registration as frustrating and stressful.
Mr Francis Nangba, one of the JAMB candidates, said: "Since last week Monday, when I paid N5,500 for the examination form in the bank to get my PIN, after I have created my email address, I am yet to access my PIN as according to the bank, it was due to poor network.
"So, it is in view of this, I want to appeal to the authority concerned to speed up the JAMB registration processes to enable prospective candidates meet up with the registration deadline," he said.
Another candidate, Ms Gloria Audu, said she had completed the entire requirement but she was yet to collect her PIN from the JAMB's website due to the poor internet service.
"As you can see, look at the large crowd of candidates, some of us have been coming to the bank frequently but up till now, I am yet to receive my PIN number," she lamented.
On his part, Mr Israel Isaac, said: "Staff of the examination body had been telling us to come back every time to collect our PIN but when we come, they will say, come tomorrow.
"The internet connectivity has really caused a problem for us and we just pray that the poor network will be solved in due time,'' he said.
He also appealed to JAMB to find a lasting solution to the internet problem to enable them register before the scheduled date of the examination.
Reacting, the Zonal Acting Coordinator of JAMB in Lafia, Mr Moses Akobu, urged the prospective candidates to be patient, adding that the management of JAMB is on top of the situation to rectify the problem.
"The new e-vending system is error free, so the hitches in which candidates are facing is temporary, just within a few hours or days, the problem will be over," he assured.
Kylian Mbappe should resist the temptation to join Real Madrid at the end of the season if an offer arrives, according to Robert Pires.
Amid a breakout season at Monaco, Mbappe is reportedly one of the most sought-after talents in European football.
Mbappe
Having already rejected the opportunity to join Madrid's youth team in 2013, the 18-year-old is believed to again be a target for the LaLiga heavyweights, who are coached by former France star Zinedine Zidane.
But Pires has cautioned the exciting striker against leaving Ligue 1 at this stage of his burgeoning career.
"I think now for Mbappe, if I can give some advice to him, the most important thing is to stay in Monaco for a minimum of two seasons because he is young and he needs to play," Pires told Sky Sports. And you do not need to go to, say, Real Madrid, who are one of the best clubs in the world, but there is a lot of pressure.
"So maybe he needs to stay in Monaco and keep the stability. He is young and when you are young you need to play and being at Monaco is just perfect for him."
Mbappe has been likened by some to Thierry Henry, who starred for Arsenal, Barcelona and France after being converted from a winger to a central attacker by Arsene Wenger, who took him from Juventus to north London.
And while he is wary of increasing the pressure on the teenager, Pires acknowledged the similarities are unquestionable.
"He is very, very good," he said.
"Of course you can compare Mbappe and Henry, but I do not like [this comparison] as Thierry Henry was Thierry Henry.
"Mbappe is the same, though, as Henry, very similar, good quality and finishing, very fast, clever on the pitch."
Mbappe made his senior France debut off the bench in the World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg on Saturday.
Reports have emerged stating that Chelsea has identified Alexis Sanchez as their no.1 transfer target this summer. It appears that Chelsea manager Antonio Conte wants to recruit the Chilean talisman for the upcoming 2017/18 season.
Arsenal’s Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez vies with Bournemouth’s English defender Steve Cook (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium in London on November 27, 2016. AFP
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Conte has raised up transfer targets in a series of meetings with the club's owners. Technical director Michael Emenalo will be responsible for handling transfer negotiations in the summer. It's said that Alexis Sanchez and a left-sided centre-back will be the main priorities.
Chelsea are already on course to win the Premier League this season as they sit 10 points clear at the top of the table with only 10 games left. The coup of Alexis Sanchez would go a long way in ensuring the Blues retain the title next season too. However, Chelsea will face heavy competition for the signature of Alexis. It's also reported that Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Inter Milan are also considering taking the Chilean on board.
Inter Milan have recently been bought over by Chinese businessmen and are expected to spend big in the summer. They want to restore the glory days to the San Siro and think that Alexis Sánchez would be pivotal to that plan.
Sanchez's contract expires in 2018 and Arsène Wenger has already said that talks will resume at the end of the season. Alexis Sanchez is currently on £130,000/week but if reports in the Independent Newspaper are correct, he wants that to be almost doubled to £250,000 per week. This would make him the highest-paid player at the club, something Wenger seems to be resisting.
Eden Hazard, not Chelsea, will decide if he will move to Real Madrid this summer, according to former Real president Ramon Calderon.
Chelsea insist Hazard is happy at Stamford Bridge and is settled in London with his young family. He is under contract until June 2020.
But Real's perennial interest has resurfaced, with speculation again linking Hazard with a switch to the Bernabeu.
And Calderon reckons a player has the power to force through a move if that is his wish and Real would be prepared to pay a world record fee in the region of £100million.
Calderon told TalkSPORT's Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show: "Chelsea aren't a selling club, so it wouldn't be easy, but as always it would depend on the wishes of the player. If he wants to leave, he will leave – that's always the point.
"It's all about the player. The player must say, 'I want to leave and go to Real Madrid', and that will be the moment they start negotiating."
The Belgium playmaker has been rejuvenated under head coach Antonio Conte as the Blues have taken a 10-point lead with 10 Premier League games to go.
Conte has repeatedly said contracts and the future of his players will be discussed at the end of the season.
Hazard, who joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012, idolised Zinedine Zidane, now the Real head coach, when he was growing up.
He was linked with Real after Chelsea's 2014-15 title success, but his poor performances last term and Real's transfer embargo meant speculation subsided – until now.
Calderon added: "Chelsea will ask for a lot of money, I think that's what the situation will be at the end of the season.
"Chelsea knows quite well how much has been paid in the market over the last few years, with (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Gareth) Bale and (Paul) Pogba – £100million is now the bar.
"That bar has been set by those transfers, so I think that's how much a club like Chelsea would be asking for and the economy at Real Madrid is healthy – I don't think that wouldn't be a problem for them."
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also been linked with a switch to Real, while forward James Rodriguez and striker Alvaro Morata, who had a spell at Conte's former club Juventus, have been the subject of speculation over moves to Chelsea.
Nigeria could avoid playing friendlies in London from now on because of problems obtaining visas for staff and players, coach Gernot Rohr has said.Gernot Rohr
The Super Eagles played Senegal at non-league Barnet’s ground in north London last Friday, drawing 1-1, but a second scheduled match against Burkina Faso on Monday had to be called off.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said seven Burkinabe players failed to secure British entry visas.
Rohr said several of his players also found themselves unable to travel, including defenders Kingsley Madu, of Belgian side Zulte Waregem, and Musa Mohammed, who plays with Zeljeznicar Sarajevo.
The German coach said he will now suggest that friendlies and training camps be arranged on mainland Europe to avoid further difficulties as it was “too complicated to get visas” in Britain.
“I think it’s better to stay in Schengen, in Europe, than go to London where the people have problems. Even some players in our team couldn’t come, you know. They didn’t get the visa in time.”
Britain is not part of the Schengen zone, where there are no border controls between signatory countries and where international travellers require only a single visa for travel.
Currently, 26 European countries are part of the area.
Rohr told reporters in London on Monday night that Nigeria tried to find a last-minute replacement when it became clear the match would not go ahead against Burkina Faso.
Officials from Burkina Faso were reportedly told the application would be completed in Morocco, where the team was playing on Friday, as there was no British mission in Ouagadougou.
But the applications were still pending when the mission closed for the weekend.
Rohr, who has previously managed national sides Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso, has worked mainly with players based in mainland Europe since he took charge of Nigeria last year.
The former Bordeaux player and coach, who has also managed several European domestic sides, including Ajaccio, has said it costs less to do so and the facilities are better than in Nigeria.
Nigeria plan to set up a training camp in France in May and play a friendly against Corsica as part of preparations for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa in June.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The National Judicial Council, NJC, has cleared Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja of any wrongdoing in his verdicts relating to the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.Okon Abang
The Council, in a letter dated March 15 and signed by its Secretary, Mr. Danladi Halilu, dismissed allegations of gross misconduct that was levelled against the Judge by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led action of the party.
The legal body said it found no merit in the petition the group lodged against Justice Abang.
It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on July 29, 2016, declared the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the PDP illegal.
He held that the Committee was illegal considering that it was a product of a convention a faction of the party held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on May 21, 2016, in defiance of a subsisting court order that was made by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, which had stopped the said convention from holding.
Justice Abang went ahead and accorded recognition to the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff leadership of the party.
Meanwhile, dissatisfied with the decision of the court, Makarfi wrote a petition to the NJC dated August 25, 2016, in respect of suits Nos. FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016 and FHC/ABH/CS/464/2016.
He accused Justice Abang of assuming appellate powers by overriding the decision of another court of the sa coordinate jurisdiction.
After due consideration of the petition, the NJC in its letter with reference number NJC/ F.3/FHC 44/VII/55 stated: "At the end of deliberations, the council found that your petition finds no merit as there was no sufficient material before the NJC to infer that the judge sat on appeal over the decision of his brother judge of coordinate jurisdiction.
“The appeal therefore lacked merit and is subsequently dismissed”.
Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong has expressed sadness over the cancellation of Monday's friendly game against Burkina Faso in London.
Nigeria’s players William Ekong (L) and John Obi Mikel (R) celebrate after receiving their bronze medals during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADE
The Eagles played 1-1 with Senegal on March 23, but couldn't play against Burkina Faso in their second friendly game due to visa problems for the French-speaking country.
In spite the cancellation, Troost-Ekong who played 90 minutes against Senegal, however, stated that it was a memorable international week for the Super Eagles.
"Great international week with the team. Gutted our second game yesterday was cancelled.
"Always proud to wear the green -white -green colour," Troost-Ekong wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
Following the cancellation of the friendly game against Burkina Faso, there was a closed -door friendly on Monday between two teams, "A" and "B" formed from the Super Eagles squad at the Hive Stadium.
The game ended 1-1 with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring for Team A, while Olanrewaju Kayode was on target for Team B.
The players, who featured for Team A, included Ogenyi Onazi, Leon Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina (Chelsea), Elderson Echiejile and Daniel Akpeyi.
The players that made up Team B were Kenneth Omeruo, Tyronne Ebuehi, Chidozie Awaziem, Juwon Oshaniwa, Isaac Success, Ebere Eze (QPR), Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Shehu Abdullahi.
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor Zamfara State Governor and Nigerian Governors' Chairman, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, has asked Nigerians to rally behind President in his quest to fix Nigeria.
Yari said Nigerians should bury their religions, tribes, party differences and creed to support the President so as to be able to solve the myriads of challenges facing the nation, describing him as the most suitable hand to handle the nation's multi-faceted decaying structures.
The governor, who made the appeal at the 2017 National Preaching Session organised by Jama’atul Izalatul Bidi’a in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, said Buhari possesses the qualities of leadership Nigeria is looking for to find lasting solutions to the complex problems the nation was contending with following decades of misrule and economic vandalism.
Yari said, "We should continue to support and pray for his good health and success, so as to assist him in the derived to make Nigeria greater.
He pointed out that the current economic hardships being experienced in the country resulted from the misdeeds of the past leaders and urged Nigerians to team up with Buhari to right the wrongs of the past in the interest of the nation.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Executive Council has restructured its ministries and awarded contracts for the construction of more roads in the state to ease transportation.
A statement made available to Vanguard by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Ibrahim Dosara, said that the ministries affected were those of Education, Science and Technology, Housing, Land, Survey and Town Planning.
According to the statement, the Council presided over by Governor Yari, approved the merger of Ministry of Education with that of Science and Technical Education and the creation of the Ministry f Higher Education.
Similarly, the council approved the restructuring of the Ministry of Housing, Land, Survey and Town Planning into two separate ministries of Land and Survey and Housing and Town Planning.
"The Council also resolved to establish Meningitis Prevention and Control Emergency Committee, to be headed by Prof. Abdullahi Muhammad, the Secretary to State Government with Commissioners of Health, Environment, Finance and Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs as members.
After spending years alone, I finally found a man I care for and who cares for me. Our problem is my I8-year-old daughter. She's spent most of her secondary school years in boarding schools and has to be at home now she's trying to get intothe university. She doesn't get on at all with my man even though I confided in her how much he meant to me and solicited her support.
My man can't understand why I'm so soft on her because when my marriage ended seven years ago and my ex set up home with another woman, my two children stayed with their father.
My daughter was the one who decided to come back to stay with me and my man believes I should send her back to her dad if she continues to be difficult.
My man is toying with the possibility of relocating to his hometown where he has a very large farm to go into full-time farming.
He's counting the day my daughter gets into the university but as it is now, she has to wait a few more months as she didn't make her JAMB. Help!
Lara by e-mail.
Pear Lara,
I appreciate your wanting to keep your man, but life will not be tolerable while your daughter feels so displaced by him. Your marriage break-up seven years ago and her being farmed off to her dad for months would have felt agonisingly
long in the life of all l l-year-olds … She may be fearful of another 'me or him' dilemma, so your daughter's needs have to be on the front burner too.
She might be a big girl but she's still your child. If your man must relocate, then you need to negotiate a realistic date when you can be with him on a permanent basis – say three years when she's 21 and don't give her the impression you couldn't wait to see the back of her.
You can have a stem talk with her about behaviour that offends you but don't reject her.
Let your man know that your daughter is still part of the package, but that if he can be patient while you give this phase your best shot, you will still have plenty of time to be happy together wherever you both relocate to eventually.
By Ayo Onikoyi The Chief Executive Officer of Stanel Group, Stanley Uzochukwu, has revealed that his source of wisdom and success stories were traceable to his respect and cordial relationship with successful elders and captains of industries. He said through their wise counsels, he had broken grounds as a young man.
The Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist made the revelation in Ado Ekiti on the sideline of his courtesy visit to Ekiti born successful educationist and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Afe Babalola alongside with Dr. Cosmos Maduka, chairman/CEO, Coscharis Group.
"Many are in doubt and confused about the height I am attaining in my business, but the truth is that, meeting with successful and heavy weights like both of you in the economy of Nigeria remains my source of wisdom and success stories.
"Each time I meet with leaders in my business, I always have one or two things to learn and take to my business and it never failed me.
"This is why they shouldn't be tired of seeing me around. I am anxious and eager to be like them and like the father's prayer to his children, I hope they will all be happy to see me making progress in the society as a son who adheres to their valuable advice and mentorship."
In his speech, the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti , Prof Afe Babalola commended the effort of the duo for considering him worthy of such remarkable courtesy visit in his office.
He said he was particularly humbled by their august courtesy call, and thanking them for considering him worthy of the great honour.
Commending Stanley, he said his speech flowed through his vein like a blood stream. He said as a young man full of wisdom, he had no doubt he will soar higher.
He also commended Dr. Cosmos Maduka whom he said started as a school drop out at the age of nine. he said with his wisdom, he had been able to use an initial capital of Two Hundred Naira (N200) to build a business empires under Coscharis Group today.
I've been seeing a man who is 15 years older than I am for the past two years. I love him more than I ever thought was possible – but things have become very tough. We were friends for a couple of years before we started a relationship, so from the start I knew he was married. When we got together it was great from day one and it wasn't long before he told me he loved me and wanted to be with me.
But he kept on telling me that it could be years before he can leave his wife.
At first I thought he was making typical married man excuses, but a few months ago he told me the reason he couldn't just walk out was because his wife had breast cancer and that it was terminal.
I was shocked and couldn't believe he'd cheated on her at this time. The reason he's now told me about her illness was that his wife found out about us. She took him back and we split up and things got nasty between us.
Eventually, we started communicating again – but he wants us to be 'just friends' because he doesn't want to cause any more hurt to his dying wife. Now he won't tell me he loves me. I say it to him, but he says he just can't think about it.
It makes me feel so rejected. I'm sure his head is all over the place. He tells me he wants to be with me, but he won't say he loves me. He wants to have sex, but stay just friends. What should I do?
Rolake by e-mail.
Dear Rolake,
I've published your letter in full because I get letters like this all of the time and it is sad when 'the other woman' couldn't read between the lines when a philandering husband gives a lot of reasons why he couldn't leave his wife just yet
– when he knows he was having the time of his life stringing a gullible love-struck woman along. It is sad, but it happens all the time.
It's obvious this man wants to have his cake and eat it. If he's made a decision to stay with his wife, then he shouldn't be carrying on the way he is with you. No ifs, no buts. More importantly, you shouldn't allow yourself to be treated this way.
Make a clean break and do what he seems incapable of doing – moving on. You suspected what could happen when you knowingly started getting seriously involved with a married man. Cut your losses and look for a man who is free to show and tell you how much he loves you.
Former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who turns 65, today has enjoined Nigerian to patronise made in Nigerian goods.
Tinubu in his speech title Use What We Make, Make What We Use said ‘we must begin and end our pursuit of economic balance with the precious things this nation produces.’ L-R: former Vice President, Namadi Sambo; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Celebrant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Representative of tne President & Minister of Interior, Abdulrahaman Dambazzau; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai during the 9th Annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium with the theme Make It In Nigeria as part of activities marking Asiwaju's 65th birthday at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. USE WHAT WE MAKE, MAKE WHAT WE USE
It is more than gratifying to mark my birthday in this good way. To all of you – many who have traveled great distances – I am honored that you joined me today. Though the event banners speak my name, this gathering is not about me. It is about that which a people united in purpose must do to improve their beloved country.
We build the nation we seek by forcing ourselves to become that nation, day by day, step by difficult step. We do so by casting aside the prejudices of yesterday to forge a more just society where no Nigerian is held down because of his place of origin, his faith or social station. But where all have the chance to rise by dint of honest labor and constructive enterprise. This is as God intended us to be. We have no choice but to achieve this destiny.
Before we go further, I give special thanks to Vice President Osinbajo.
Leading a group of fellow commissioners who worked together during my time as governor of Lagos, Yemi and this creative group have turned this event into an annual reality.
Each year, they assemble creative minds to address the issues that stand in the way of our national greatness. As result, the colloquium gets better by the year.
In this and so much else, the VP has proven himself a true servant of the Nigerian people. While our dear President had to be away, the VP performed admirably as his loyal subordinate.
I applaud President Buhari. He meticulously followed our constitution in temporarily transferring the helm to the VP. As such, these two excellent men exemplified teamwork and the true meaning of unity of purpose.
A selfless leader, President Buhari set the stage by giving strategic policy direction. Showing himself equally selfless, our VP, as acting president, worked as the faithful arm of the President, diligently putting in action what President Buhari had directed him to do.
Two men of different backgrounds, faiths and professional experiences forged themselves into a team managing complex matters of governance in a seamless, smooth manner.
Try as critics might, they could not create any space between the President and his deputy. This is how things are when people are united in vision and purpose. As President Buhari and his VP have been, we all must become.
I have been told that I must utter some brief comments. Given that this event has rendered you a captive audience and that my birthday affords special privileges that disappear the next day, I will take undue advantage to give more than brief comments.
ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY
More than any hour in our recent history, Nigeria stands at a defining juncture. Our challenges are manifold and profound. But so are our collective abilities and talents. The balance will then tip in favor or against us as our commitment and political will to succeed dictate.
Today we must ask a most fundamental question: Is our our political economy structured for the benefit of man or have we reduced man to be subservient to the impersonal political economy?
The correct answer looms self evident. The political economy should be for the benefit of man. In reality, we do not first try to reshape the economy to realize optimal benefit for the people. Instead, we have been conditioned to demand that the people contort themselves to fit the dictates of what the economy is or what it isn't.
I reject this harsh path. It violates the tenets of morality and of sustainable economics itself.
We must begin and end our pursuit of economic balance with the precious things this nation produces.
You see, Nigeria is actually a prolific manufacturer. It has produced 170 million of the most adaptive, industrious economic units on earth.
I talk about our people. Our task is not to lament their great numbers but to reform the political economy in a manner that puts them to productive work.
The old model upon which this economy has so long sputtered, has crashed right before our eyes. We must retool ourselves. A new outlook is needed.
Even at the best of times and with the highest of oil prices, widespread poverty, gross inequality and high unemployment of man, machinery and material described our condition.
The decline in oil prices turned our extant economic model into rubble overnight. If we do nothing to reform it, we have done nothing less than enter into an economic suicide pact with ourselves.
Fortunately, the current government has begun the sometimes painful process of salvage and reform.
I offer a few personal insights, hoping they may be of some help in this vital economic reformation.
DIVERSIFICATION/INDUSTRIAL POLICY
No populous modern nation with a significant urban population has attained prosperity without creating an industrial base capable of employing great numbers of the urban population and of manufacturing goods for domestic consumption and export.
We must learn from England which barred the export of textile looms at dawn of the Industrial Revolution, from the high tariffs America imposed for over 150 years after its independence. From China which implemented a most comprehensive protectionist regime to become the world's most prolific manufacturer.
These three nations represent the past, present and immediate future of economic achievement.
Yet we depart from what has proven effective. The manuals of mainstream economics tell us not to do as these nations did. We oddly choose to believe falsehoods written in the books at the expense of the truth on the ground.
We must press forward with a national industrial policy fostering development of strategic industries that create jobs and spur further economic growth. As part of this plan, government should institute a policy of tax credits, subsidies and the insulation from the negative impact of imports critical for these sectors.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND POWER
Closely complementing the industrial plan, we need a national infrastructure plan. New structures need to be built and existing ones enhanced so that we enjoy a coherently planned and integrated infrastructural grid. A national economy cannot grow beyond the capacity of the infrastructure that serves it.
Of utmost importance, we must conquer the political and bureaucratic bottlenecks preventing affordable, reliable electrical power.
This impediment places us literally and figuratively in the dark regarding our economic condition.
The problems are not technical in nature as reliable electricity is a staple of economic life in nations less endowed than Nigeria.
We must persuade and convince those factors that currently impede our national quest for reliable power to move aside so that we can achieve this crucial precursor to economic vitality.
CREDIT, MORTGAGES AND INTEREST RATES
Modern economies are built on credit. However, credit for business investment and consumer spending is too costly in Nigeria to be of much help.
Consumer credit mechanisms must be more accessible to the average consumer. Prevailing custom still requires a consumer to purchase in one lump sum a house, a car, a refrigerator. This is oppressive. It defeats the average consumer and dampens economic activity.
Moreover, this systemic credit malpractice fosters corruption. Hardly any can save so much that they are able to pay for a house or car all at once. To acquire the lump sum amounts, decent people are tempted to do what they would not even consider if consumer credit was practically at hand.
We have to revamp our government-backed home mortgage system. Mortgage loan agencies need to be better funded, they must liberalize eligibility requirements so more people qualify and they should provide longer-term mortgages with manageable interest rates.
AGRICULTURAL REFORM
At last year's colloquium, we discussed a commodity exchange boards and futures markets to ensure minimum farm incomes and encourage production. We now need to summon the heart and courage to implement ideas that have consistently proven themselves in other countries. If we try, these measures will ably acquit themselves here.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, one additional thought shall suffice. Here I add a third part to this year's theme. Not only must we use what we make and make what we use. We must make what the world values.
A nation does itself better by manufacturing a good and affordable appliance or car than in cultivating a sublime mango or perfect banana. We must not allow our present comparative disadvantage in manufacturing to keep us from pursuing a tomorrow where that disadvantage is abolished. We stand at a moment where history will be made for better or worse. Consequently, we must use our creative insight to peer into tomorrow to see what the rest of the world may want to buy, then devote ourselves to making these products.
Neither Japan nor South Korea had significant iron ore deposits. Yet they built steel industries as the foundation for their impressive rise in car manufacturing.
Nigeria must act in similar fashion. We must remember nothing that another nation can do is beyond our grasp even if we do not currently have the thing in hand. This is the change that we can and must achieve.
The Senate, at the end of a closed-door session on Tuesday, resolved not to bow to any form of intimidation in the discharge of its constitutional duties.
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, who made this known at plenary, said the lawmakers deliberated on issues bordering on the integrity of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate.
Newsmen report that Saraki, who did not give details of the "intimidation" the institution is facing, said that the senate, at the executive session, resolved to defend its integrity.
"We cannot be intimidated from carrying out our constitutional duties at all times.
"Nothing will stop the National Assembly, especially the Senate, from performing its duties," he said.
Meanwhile, committees that were yet to submit reports of budget defense of the various MDAs were asked to do so by Thursday.
Saraki said at least 20 committees were yet to submit their reports.
The president of the senate warned that committees that failed to meet the deadline risked not being considered.
"If by Thursday, any committee did not send its report to the Appropriation Committee, we will have no alternative than to make do with what we have on ground.
"This is the last time I am making the announcement," he said.
Mr Tonye Yemoleigha, one of the four workers allegedly flogged by the General Manager of Glory FM in Bayelsa, Mr John Idumange says he is heading to court to seek redress.
The lingering labour dispute at the FM station operated by Bayelsa government reached a climax on February 22 when the General Manager reportedly flogged four union leaders at their duty posts.
The union leaders were allegedly flogged for organising workers for a strike.
Yemoleigha, the Chairman of the Radio Bayelsa chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Yenagoa on Tuesday that he had briefed his lawyer to sue for assault and defamation.
"After assaulting my colleagues and I with a cane, Idumange went on social media, precisely Facebook, posting my picture with the caption "face of a fraudulent NUJ chairman", Yemoleigha said.
He added that Idumange's Facebook comments had exposed his person to public ridicule and hatred as well as undermined his reputation.
"The courts are there to give us justice, so I will be there. My lawyer is taking care of everything and the process will soon commence", the union leader said.
Idumange had confirmed his flogging four staff members who are union leaders in self-defence and alleged that the unions were working against his reforms to reposition the broadcast station.
According to GM, at about 7.20 p.m. on February 22, the day RATTAWU and NUJ embarked on strike, I heard voices near my window.
"So I went out to see what was happening. I saw four persons, one of them a lady.
"I could recognise Tonye Yemoleigha, one of the union leaders, who was in white shirt. I asked why they were there after chasing away all the workers.
"Tonye stood up and asked if the compound belonged to me. At that point, I discovered he was ready for a fight but I did not bulge.
"He brought his hands near my eyes, so I blocked it. I had learnt Karate years back. One of them threw a chair at me and they all rushed to fight me.
"I looked and saw a stick; I had to fight back in self-defence. They could have beaten me up but my Karate skills rescued me", he said.
The unions and Idumange have been in a running battle since he assumed duty on Dec. 6, 2016 over what the NUJ and RATTAWU leaders described as abuse of authority, privilege and actions contrary to the Public Service Rules.
It will be recalled that Bayelsa House of Assembly and Chief of Staff, Mr Talford Ongoloto's efforts to broker peace on Jan. 18, failed.
The Civil Liberties Organisation, on March 15, concluded investigations into the industrial dispute with a call on Bayelsa Government to wade int the matter with a view to resolving it the dispute.
In 2013, China's president, Xi Jinping, proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (The Belt and Road). Essentially, the "Belt" includes countries situated on the original Silk Road through Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The "Road" is a complementary initiative aimed at investing and fostering collaboration in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Africa, through several contiguous bodies of water – the South China Sea, the South Pacific Ocean, and the wider Indian Ocean area."the Belt and Road" Initiative comprises more than physical connections.
It aims to create the world's largest platform for promoting Policy Coordination, Facilities Connectivity, Unimpeded Trade, Financial Integration and People-to-People Bond. Since then, the Initiative has made good progress in various cooperation and won warm response and active participation. More than 100 countries and international organizations have joined this Initiative, among which more than 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China, reaching a broad international consensus on the Belt and Road Initiative.
Africa has a natural and historical connection with the Initiative. In 15th century, Chinese Admiral Zheng He led a fleet of 300 ships to Africa, which has planted friendship seeds in the hearts of both Chinese and African people since then. With area of over 30 million square kilometers, 1.1 billion population (Youth accounts formore than 50%), 800 million hectares arable land, countless natural resources, Africa is unarguably an important pillar of the world economy.
Most African Countries endeavor to industrialize and diversify their economies, while China, after nearly 40-year reform and opening-up, has accumulated rich experience in industrialization and modernization.
The combination of Chinese capital, technology, market, enterprises, talents, rich experience in development and African abundant resources, huge demographic dividend, great market potential will have a great chance to make another miracle of development.
As the leading country of West Africa and one of the most powerful country in Africa, Nigeria is highly respectedand expected from all over the world, especially from China. We are strategic partners sharing with similar cultures, historical background and highly-complementary economies. The friendship has borne rich fruits covering almost all fields in recent years, but just as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his visit to Abuja in January: "Compared with the size, population and market of our two countries，our cooperation still have a large potential to be deepened". Considering the development strategies of our two countries are highly matched, the deepened cooperation has a great chance to spark chemical reaction and make our two countries greater.
After decades of years' excessive reliance on oil, the other industries of Nigeria are undergrown, and the large reserve of human resource is underused. Nigeria government is eager and working hard to diversify its economy as well as to train more talents who are able to shoulder the responsibility in this new era.
Meanwhile, China, through platform like Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)，the Belt and Road Initiativeand many other mechanisms, shows its strong willingness to share its experience and achieve common development with other countries.
With the late-starting advantage, Nigeria can introduce most advanced management, cutting-edge technology and experienced talents in all fields from China, thus avoiding detours China once took, and such late-starting advantage, together with the good governance, reform and opening-up policy and dedication of several generations' Chinese people, contributes to the China's development miracle. If China can achieve such miracle, so can Nigeria.
Under the sluggish world economy, we witnessed the downturn of the trade volume between China and Nigeria, but Chinese Investment in Nigeria grew by 27% last year. China has already invested or financed a total number of $22 billion projects here in Nigeria, another $23 billion projects are on-going.
Accompanying the investment, Chinese technology, management and experienced talents also flood into Nigeria, which greatly boost the diversification and development of Nigerian economy. The benefits from Chinese investment can be seen everywhere. I have been worked as Chinese Consul General in Lagos since July last year and already visited several states in my consular jurisdiction.
Save for the hospitality and kindness of Nigerian people, what impressed me most is the strong willingness and enthusiasm of local people to welcome Chinese investment, and they told me that the Chinese investment had become the pillar of local economy and made their hometown a better place, which I am so happy and proud to hear.
In my opinion, Nigeria has all the required qualities to become another world manufacturer, and China has the willingness and ability to help Nigeria realize its potential. China and Nigeria need to find a platform and mechanism to effectively conduct our cooperation, and this is the very role the Belt and Road Initiative plays.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos that from 14 to 15 May this Year, China will host in Beijing the Belt and Road Forum (BRF)for International Cooperation, which aims to discuss ways to boost cooperation, build cooperation platforms and share cooperation outcomes.
The forum will also explore ways to address problems facingglobal and regional economy, create fresh energy for pursuing interconnected development and make the Belt and Road initiative deliver greater benefits to the people of all countries, including Nigeria.
The BRF will be the highest-level forum under the Initiative since its launching over three years ago, and an important diplomatic event China will host this year.
Considering the economy, population and market of the the Belt and Road Initiative participating countries, the Forum will make great impact on world economy in the coming years. As an envoy to Nigeria, I look forward to working with Nigerian friends to more actively participate in the Initiative, and lay a more solid foundation and foster greater connectivity for world economic growth.
By Chinese Consul General in Lagos, H.E. Chao Xiaoliang
The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday saluted the ingenuity of National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, on his 65th birthday.
Bola Tinubu
Obasa extolled Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Musbau Razak.
Tinubu clocks 65 years on March 29.
He praised Tinubu for his determination, commitment and will to always succeed in spite of all odds.
The speaker, who described Tinubu as the architect of modern Lagos, said his ingenuity had turned the state around.
"The state once regarded as the dirtiest in the country has become, not only the cleanest, but has assumed a Mega City status.
"Tinubu is also a great leader of men and women, whose ability to discover talents and potential, has led to the discovery of great leaders.
"These leaders have turned out to become reference point in leadership and good governance in the present democratic dispensation in the country,'' he said.
According to him, Tinubu will continue to remain relevant and a reference point in the country's political landscape.
Obasa said that Tinubu's main concern had centered on the development of the country.
"His love for the common man knows no bound and his passion for the development and growth of this great country makes him arguably Nigeria's greatest politician of the present political dispensation," the speaker said.
The ninth annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium was held on Tuesday in Lagos to mark his birthday.
Five teenage girls at Unguwar Kaye of Tarasa in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State have been reported drawn on Tuesday in the Tafkin Madobiya, popularly known as Indian water.
The girls are out of 10 girls resident in the area that decided to go for a swim after collecting vegetables for their meals at River Rima banks.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Samaila Yombe, led top government officials to attend the funeral prayers and commiserate with the families of the deceased. Two of the deceased girls were from the same family.
The deceased were aged between 10 and 15 years.Some residents of the area expressed shock at the death of the teenage girls and prayed that no more lives would be lost in the river.
Former Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate has rejoined the Premier League club as first-team coach, the northeast side announced Tuesday.
Boro parted company with former manager Aitor Karanka earlier this month, with his assistant Steve Agnew promoted as they try to avoid relegation from English football’s lucrative top flight.
Jonathan Woodgate
Woodgate joins a new-look backroom staff that also includes former Scotland striker Joe Jordan.
“Jonathan is someone who we know very well, and who in turn knows this club inside and out,” Agnew told Middlesbrough’s website.
“He brings a wealth of experience from the highest level of the game, and he’s a fantastic character.
“We’re delighted to have him on board.”
Woodgate, an ex-England international, had two spells at boyhood club Boro in a career that also saw him play for Leeds, Newcastle, Real Madrid and Tottenham during a distinguished playing career.
Woodgate, 37, announced his retirement shortly after Middlesbrough won promotion to the Premier League in May 2016.
He has returned to the club before their key clash against relegation rivals Swansea on Sunday, which will be Agnew’s second match in charge.
Boro are currently five points from safety, but do have a game in hand on Swansea, with the Welsh club in the 17th place that is immediately above the relegation zone.
No comments:
Post a Comment