Learn from Ghanaian President, PDP tells Buhari

     

The Peoples Democratic Party  has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the benefit of his state visit to Ghana to draw lessons from his Ghanaian counterpart, President Nana Akufo-Addo on how to run a peaceful, united and economically vibrant nation.

   The party also criticised the President for offering to assist Ghana in her war against corruption, when his own administration allegedly “reeks heavily with corruption as evinced by the Transparency International report which exposed the fact that corruption has worsened in Nigeria under your watch.”

     The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary,  Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Wednesday, said the President and his handlers should have been embarrassed that while the President of Ghana paraded credentials of a robust economy and a peaceful nation, Nigeria, under the Buhari Presidency was plagued with economic recession and an upsurge of violence and daily bloodletting.

He said, “When President Buhari was reeling out President Akufo-Addo achievements in his one year in office; his ingenious approach to job creation; the farming-for-job initiative, the senior high school free education, one district-one factory project and one village-one dam initiative among others.

“We hope our dear President reflected on the fact that back home, his inept government had instead, wrecked our once robust economy, the reason he had nothing to present to the world at the ceremony.

Housemaid beats boss to a pulp in Lagos, steals money, property- By Okolo Vivian

      Doctors at the Lagos State University.       Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, are battling to save the life of a civil servant in the state, identified only as Mistura, after she was allegedly attacked by her maid in the Ejigbo area.

   PUNCH Metro learnt that Mistura had been in a coma since Monday, March 5, 2018, when she was attacked with blended pepper and a wine bottle by the maid, identified as Susan Samson.

Dear Atiku, No be by Black Panther O! -By Okolo Vivian

    

       Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, over the weekend, went to a cinema in Abuja to see the Marvel Cinematic Empire’s latest offering, Black Panther. According to 

     Twitterverse, Atiku became the cinema himself. In the spirit of Baba rere, Baba ke! with which he was heralded, Atiku paid for people’s cinema tickets. Relatively, the one with the perspicacity to use the social media to advantage and position himself as the “youth’s youth,” the former Vice President tweeted his appreciation of the film and wrote his reflection on the lessons Black Panther held for Nigerians. 
      Atiku is likely to run for the Presidency in 2019 and his activities that are being translated into social media showings are calibrated towards having a good outing in 2019. I have no problems with Atiku’s candidature although I believe that, by now, he should be Nigeria’s past tense and not jockeying for leadership roles anymore.

CBN must contain rising banking sector risks, says IMF-By Okolo Vivian

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   The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to contain rising banking risks in the country, while also commending the regulator for its recent decision to stop weak banks from paying dividends to shareholders.

     Against the backdrop of huge non-performing loans, which have weakened the capital base and asset quality of the country’s Deposit Money Banks, it also called on the apex bank to carry out an asset quality review in order to identify any potential capital need among the lenders.

   The call came in the IMF’s Article IV Consultation, an annual appraisal of a country’s economy, which was released in Washington DC, United States.

     The report came a few days after an IMF team completed its Article IV Consultation visit to Nigeria for 2018.

The IMF executive board assessment report read in part, “Directors stressed that rising banking sector risks should be contained. They welcomed the central bank’s commitment to help increase capital buffers by stopping dividend payments by weak banks.

“They called for an asset quality review to identify any potential capital need. They noted that an enhanced risk‑based banking supervision, strict enforcement of prudential requirements, and a revamped resolution framework would help contain risks.”

The proposed asset quality review by the IMF will help the CBN to determine if banks have made adequate provision for NPLs and that whether the loans are properly classified, according to experts

CBN must contain rising banking sector risks, says IMF-By Okolo Vivian

      The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to contain rising banking risks in the country, while also commending the regulator for its recent decision to stop weak banks from paying dividends to shareholders.

   Against the backdrop of huge non-performing loans, which have weakened the capital base and asset quality of the country’s Deposit Money Banks, it also called on the apex bank to carry out an asset quality review in order to identify any potential capital need among the lenders.

    The call came in the IMF’s Article IV Consultation, an annual appraisal of a country’s economy, which was released in Washington DC, United States.

   The report came a few days after an IMF team completed its Article IV Consultation visit to Nigeria for 2018.

     The IMF executive board assessment report read in part, “Directors stressed that rising banking sector risks should be contained. They welcomed the central bank’s commitment to help increase capital buffers by stopping dividend payments by weak banks.

     “They called for an asset quality review to identify any potential capital need. They noted that an enhanced risk‑based banking supervision, strict enforcement of prudential requirements, and a revamped resolution framework would help contain risks.”

     The proposed asset quality review by the IMF will help the CBN to determine if banks have made adequate provision for NPLs and that whether the loans are properly classified, according to experts

More Africans are coming to Nigeria for surgeries – UCH CMD-By Okolo Vivian

    

    The Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge, has said that the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State has fulfilled its mandate to train the best specialist doctors and health professionals in Nigeria.

    Alonge spoke on the various achievements of the teaching hospital during a walk organised as part of the activities to celebrate its 60th anniversary in Ibadan on Monday.

   The CMD also said the hospital was set to improve on its achievements and reverse medical tourism in the areas of neurosurgery, nuclear medicine, cardiac and orthopaedic surgery so as to encourage more Nigerians and Africans to seek medical treatment at the premier hospital.

     Wondering why many people still prefer to travel abroad for treatment, even as a majority of the medical services offered in foreign hospitals are available in the country, he urged Nigerians to trust their local hospitals.

    “We must know that many Africans are now coming to Nigeria for surgery and treatment. So, medical tourism is not only outward. We have attended to presidents, kings, ambassadors, technocrats and diplomats from different parts of Africa in the UCH. I vividly remember that the father of a former President of Gambia had treatment here.

     “People have come from the Gambia, Sierra Leone for treatment in the UCH. People are going to foreign hospitals not because Nigerian hospitals don’t have the facilities or the expertise, but because travelling abroad is an ego thing for them. Some Nigerians travel abroad because they get estacodes. I once offered to do a surgery that won’t take me more than 35 minutes, but the patient opted to travel abroad for it.

127 African youths get leadership training

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
A TOTAL of 127 youths from nine West African countries – Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone among others, who are currently participating in the 2018 Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)-enhanced leadership skills training and African youths generally, have been challenged to exploit their youthful energy and abilities to work towards a promising future for the African continent.
Prof. Philip Simpson, Director of the Ghana Institute of Manmagement and Public Administration, GIMPA, issued the challenge during an opening ceremony which marked the start of the 4th Nigerian cohort of the YALI programme facilitated by the YALI Regional Leadership Centre (RLC), Ghana in close partnership with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON, on Monday, February 26, 2018 at ASCON facility in Badagry, Lagos.
He said: “I wish to remind you that as young persons, you must draw upon your energy, drive and enthusiasm in a positive way. The evidence of your youthfulness is in your vitality and labour. “The future of the continent is in your hands and it is important to remember that. “You must remember that you are born Africans, you will remain Africans, you must not give up on Africa and you must raise the African cause.”
YALI is an intervention programme by the US Government to invest in the next generation of African leaders through support from the United States Agency for International Development USAID, MasterCard Foundation and other private sector partners.
Dr. Shola Safo-Duodu, the Director, YALI Regional Leadership Centre (RLC), disclosed that 5,000 entries were received upon the commencement of the 4th Nigerian cohort application while 2,140 people scaled through the application stage to the online interview and only 150 applicants were shortlisted after the interview.
According to her: “As part of our sustainability and making sure that many more people are trained, there is an online component developed to ensure selected participants have two weeks online work.
“We put 150 people on the online programme and only 127 completed it within the deadline. So, within the two weeks, they covered leadership, ethics and accountability, and contemporary issues affecting Africa.”
She explaind that the first three days of arrival will be spent recaping all the things that they learnt online while participants will spend ten days in their preselected specialisation trajectories and the last week will feature a simulation where real life case studies will be designed for which they would make presentations to determine what skills they have been able to acquire during the course.
Further, Shola said, “After they are finished here, we will pair them with a mentor who will work with them for a while. And for those who are young enough and without work experience, we will give them internship opportunities and for those who are working or do not need internship, they need to undertake a community service project and write a report.”

How television knowledge, movies stole youths’ reading culture – FVDI

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
Launches two books Saturday
By Oghenefego Obaebor
IN his quest to rekindle the passion for reading among youths, the Executive Director, Family Values Development Initiative, FVDI, Mr. Greg. Nwamadi has written two books that centre on redeeming the downward trend.
Speaking in Lagos during a press confrence held to unveil the books slated for launch Saturday, March 10, at the Golden Gate Chinese, Ikoyi, Nwamadi said: ‘’Our society’s inability to read, learn and assimilate adequate knowledge have not helped the youths.’’
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According to him, the decline came at a time of increasing media saturation. While positing that reading was not the only source of information, he, however, cautioned that the information derived from watching movies, television, listening to music and podcasts are not created equally.
He explained that the person reading a book and the person watching a movie adaptation think differently. ‘’The difference is the level of assimilation,’’ he said. He stated that promoting a good reading culture amongst our youth was one of FVDI’s cardinal agendas.
Stressing the importance of cultivating reading habit among youths, Nwamadi averred that reading helps our children to grasp concepts and think logically.
He said: ‘’At FVDI, we have assumed the moral responsibility of ensuring that the values that are the mainstay of traditional family systems are sustained. ‘’We support our work through publications and events, by promoting literary materials targeted at different categories of young people.
Requesting the presence of the public at the presentation of the two books, titled: Lush Garden in an Arid Land and Values for Future Leaders, Nwamadi said: Lush Garden in an Arid Land is a collection of poems on essential values for social development. “The publication is a response to our periodic youth programme.
The Values for Future Leaders targets different categories of young people, challenging the emergence of a better society.
“The other book, Legend of the Lost , is a fiction that looks into contemporary events that will eventually lead to the end of times saga.
“The plot builds up to reveal how environmental crisis and technology will play critical roles in the apocalypse. Both books will appeal to different categories of readers and help them make right decisions in their day-to-day life.”
He said the keynote address on the subject:
Technology and Values for Future Leaders , would be presented by Ambassador (Dr) Oyedokun A. Oyewole, president/chairman, Governing Council of the Institute of Information Management (IIM), just as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and the Real-sector, Mr. Dolapo Bright will give the keynote speech.

6 injured as hoodlums, hard currency dealers clash in Benin

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
BENIN— NO fewer than six persons, yesterday in Benin, sustained various degrees of injuries in a clash between hoodlums and some foreign currencies traders at the Ekiosa Market, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums made attempt to extort money from the traders, which the traders vehemently resisted.
The resistance, it was gathered, led to a fight between the suspected hoodlums and the traders, leaving about six persons severely injured.
One of the traders, whose money was stolen, Muhammad Basiru, said one of the hoodlums, named Osaze, has been coming to beg them for money, “but today, he invited some of his friends to come along with him to steal hard currencies market.”
Addressing newsmen on the incident, Alhaji Gbadamasi Saliu, Chairman, Hausa Community, Edo State, said he was in his office when he received a call that hoodlums have attacked some of his people that trade in hard currencies at the Ekiosa Market.
Saliu said though the amount of money stolen cannot be ascertained now, the situation has been brought under control by the security agencies deployed to the market.
Gbadamasi said no life was lost, but some of the traders were badly injured in their attempt to resist the hoodlums.
He thanked the security agencies for their prompt intervention.
Confirming the incident, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, said the Command was on top of the situation.

Electricity firms drag FG to court over N1 trn debt

 BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
•Accuse FG of unfair practices, refusal to pay for power generated
•Allege favouritism towards 2 coys in gas supply

LAGOS— The power crisis in the country may worsen as the Power Generation Companies in Nigeria, GENCOs, have dragged the Federal Government before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, over alleged preferential treatment to two of its competitors with intent to harm their business interests.
The GENCOs, which said members were on the verge of collapse over debts in excess of N1 trillion currently generate 80 per cent of the power consumed in Nigeria.
They accused the Federal Government of giving preferential treatment to Azura Power West Africa Limited and Accugas Limited to the detriment of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and the power sector as a whole.
In a suit filed by 13 GENCOs, the defendants are the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, NBET, Azura and Accugas.
The GENCOs, represented by Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (Mainstream), Transcorp Power Limited (Transcorp Power), Egbin Power Plc (Egbin) and Northsouth Power Company Limited (Northsouth), are arguing that the defendants, have continuously meted out unfair treatment to them, their investors and suppliers.
Specifically, the GENCOs stated that they had made huge sacrifices, bearing the excruciating burden of not being paid for electricity generated and sold to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, NBET Plc and are facing the threat of business failure as a result of their huge indebtedness to banks and financiers, which provided the foreign currency-denominated acquisition loans with which the power plants were acquired from the Federal Government.
They alleged that NBET has consistently defaulted in paying them for electricity generated and put on the national grid in breach of its contractual obligation, which required that the GENCOs be paid in full (100 per cent) not later than 45 days of invoice submission and upon delay in payment, be paid with interest at the agreed rate.
Implication
The GENCOs noted that failure to pay them has caused them to default in meeting their obligations to their lenders, O&M contractors, equipment manufacturers, service providers and other persons and entities.
The GENCOs put the total amount owed them for electricity supplied at approximately N800bn, adding that when interest is added, it amounted to over N1trillion.
They stated that the N701bn Payment Assurance Facility could have enabled government to pay for all electricity generated and supplied from January 2017 to December 2018.
The GENCOs are aggrieved that the Federal Government has not kept faith with payments from the N701bn facility as payment timelines are not clear, regular or consistent.
Specifically, they stated that only 80 per cent of invoiced amounts are paid whenever the Federal Government chooses to pay, with 90 per cent of gas supply invoices paid directly to gas suppliers out of the said 80 per cent payment, adding that whatever is left of any payment tranche was hardly sufficient for any meaningful activities of the GENCOs.
Hopelessness
The GENCOs stated that payments are insufficient, adding that the outstanding payments owed the GENCOs before the introduction of the N701bn Facility and the monthly shortfall payment of 20 per cent of invoices have continued to pile up without any clear idea of how these will be paid.
They disclosed that even though they appreciate the introduction of the N701 billion, it was neither a privilege nor a favour to them as they are entitled to full payment for electricity generated and supplied.
The GENCOs stated that they took loans from Nigerian banks with some of the banks leaning on international banking institutions to provide support for them.
They argued that it will be destructive and quite discouraging because, “these banks have empathised with us and the Federal Government in the last four years to realise that the Federal Government is supporting and paying new entrants in full with all risks covered without extending the same treatment to the GENCOs.”
They said they are in a dire situation, adding that notwithstanding their commitment to the development of the power sector, not addressing the issues raised in their letter and their demands would inevitably affect the GENCOs’ capacity to continue to generate electricity.
Fashola’s letter
The GENCOs attached, as exhibit, a letter they had sent to Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing on the various issues, including confirmation of a plan for 100 per cent payment of all outstanding indebtedness and interests due to the GENCOs for electricity supplied and ancillary services provided by them; 100 per cent payment (not 80 per cent payment) of all invoices to be submitted by GENCOs under the payment assurance programme and payment of all sums due as capacity charge to the GENCOs from 2013 till date.
The demands also included non-admission of any additional beneficiary into the N701bn assurance facility without corresponding increase in the facility amount, payment of the balance of N213bn from CBN Electricity Market Stabilization Fund, removal of all administrative bottlenecks delaying drawdown of payment assurance funds and provision of sovereign guarantee and/or partial risk guarantee for all payment obligations to GENCOs.
The GENCOs indicated that the suit became necessary as engagement with the minister, Fashola, did not yield fruits.
They are contending that the Federal Government and its agencies are duty bound to be fair, just and/or equitable in all their actions, dealings and directions as the same may relate or pertain to all actions, steps and/or directives given or enforced to the benefit or detriment of all persons and/or corporate entities engaged in the provision of power/and or electricity within the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to them, the ministry and agencies cannot lawfully and/or legally take any step, action or give any directives which have the effect of violating the legitimate expectations of the GENCOs to be treated equally, justly, fairly and reasonably as it relates to all policies and decisions which affect or have the possibility of affecting the business interest of the plaintiffs.
They want the court to restrain the government and its agencies from applying funds from the payment assurance facility for the payment of bills and invoices submitted by Azura and Accugas to NBET for payment/settlement.
The case, which came up before Binta Nyako on March 1, 2018 has been adjourned till April 16, 2018.
Skateholders react
Commenting on the development, Victoria Ibezim Ohaeri, Executive Director, Spaces for Change, disclosed in a telephone interview with Vanguard that the GENCOs have taken the right step to go to court at this time.
“I think the GENCOs have taken the right step to head to the court. Let the court decide or rule on the issues raised.
The former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Engr. Oladele Amoda, said the development showed that the sector is passing through a challenging phase.
He said: “All stakeholders, including the Federal Government, NERC, GENCOs, DISCOs and others should come together in order to rescue the sector from collapse. Indeed, if the allegations, especially unfair treatment against the GENCOs are true, something needs to be done urgently in order to tackle the liquidity and other problems that stare the sector in the face.”
Mr. Olusegun Joseph Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) stated that poor power supply has impacted negatively on the activities of manufacturers in the nation.
Ajayi-Kadir said many manufacturers incur huge costs in the process of generating their independent power.
He said the GENCOs and others should cooperate to solve the problems in order to improve power supply to all classes of consumers, including manufacturers.
However, a source in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, who preferred not to be named said “the poor state of the sector may hinder the execution of Federal Government’s Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) targeted at increasing power supply from 4,000mw to 6,000mw between 2017 and 2020.
“The government had emerged with the PSRP, a series of policy actions, operational, governance and financial interventions for implementation over the next five years to restore the financial viability of Nigeria’s power sector, improve transparency and service delivery, and reset the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) for future growth.
“The PSRP was intended to restore the sector’s financial viability; improve power supply reliability to meet growing demand; strengthen the sector’s institutional framework and increase transparency in the sector.
“It was also targeted at implementing clear policies that promote and encourage investor confidence in the sector; establish a contract-based electricity market and bring about financial interventions to fully fund historical and future sector deficits.
“The programme was also intended to fund future sector deficits from 2017 to 2021 and execute a plan to fund the required Electricity Market Support until tariffs attain cost recovery levels in the nation.”

Flying Eagles to invite 22 call-ups train in Abuja

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
   The Flying Eagles plan to still invite more players to training camp just as 22 call-ups have reported in Abuja ahead of an U20 AFCON eliminator against either Sierra Leone or Guinea Bissau in April..
   Newly appointed assistant coach Abubakar Bala has told SCORENigeria he is optimistic that only the best players would be selected.
“Training has begun and we have 22 players in camp. Eighteen players took part in training yesterday and the remaining four players joined in today’s training of which we had two sessions (morning and evening).
“I am very satisfied and we have a plan to qualify for the 2019 African Youth Championship having failed to qualify for the last edition.”
Certain names invited to the U-20 camp came with age cheating controversy but the assistant coach has moved to reassure Nigerians that everything is being done to ensure such is avoided and only players who are eligible get the chance.
   Coach Bala, while confirming he has an offer from NNL side Gombe United, insisted he has yet to sign a contract with the team.
“Yes the offer is on the table from Gombe United, but I am yet to make up my mind as I have not signed with the team,” he said.

With right leadership, Africa can eradicate poverty – Buhari

By OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
ABUJA – PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday in Accra, Ghana, said with the right leadership and implementation of public policies, Africa’s drive to eradicate poverty and entrench democracy is on course.
President Muhammadu Buhari at the Republic of Ghana 61st Independence Anniversary in Accra
President Buhari who stated this in his speech at Ghana’s 61st Independence anniversary celebration at the Independence Square in Accra, sought for partnership Nigeria and Ghana in tackling the menace of endemic corruption.
According to the statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President said that Nigeria and Ghana were benefitting immensely from leaders committed to improving their economies and tackling corruption.
Quoting one of the founding fathers of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah President Buhari said, “those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started”.
He further said, “No words can sum it up better as we are all familiar with our colonial era journey and its ups and downs. My tribute also goes to all those who have paid the supreme sacrifices in the cause of nation-building.”
He commended President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on his achievements in the first year in office, lauding his committed fight against corruption and the passing of the Special Prosecutors Bill into law.
He pledged Nigeria’s support to Ghana in the fight against corruption, noting that the menace of corruption had eaten into the fabrics of both societies.
He said, ‘‘From Nigeria, I have watched closely your achievements, ranging from your ingenious approach to creating jobs for the teeming youths through various initiatives, including the repositioning of agriculture for modern farming, ‘Farming for Jobs and Food’, Senior High School (SHS) free education, One-District-One-Factory, and One-Village-One-Dam as well as the improvement being recorded in the Republic’s macroeconomic indicators.
‘‘All these efforts, I am aware, have made Ghana to become a good destination for foreign direct investment just like Nigeria. Accept my congratulations.
‘‘I congratulate both the government and the Parliament for the quick passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act and its signing into law.
‘‘Your Excellency can be assured that you have a good partner in me as I look forward to any form of collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana in tackling the menace of endemic corruption.
‘‘Given all these public policies, it becomes reassuring that with the right leadership, Africa’s drives to eradicate poverty and to entrench democracy is on course.”
President Buhari, who was the special guest of honour at the ceremony, recounted the historic and cultural ties between Nigeria and Ghana, urging citizens of both countries to uphold the fraternal relations.
He said, ‘‘It is, therefore, my strong desire that we owe it as a duty to ensure that our good peoples continue to live in each other’s countries unhindered.
‘‘Our newly rejuvenated Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation has already provided us with good platform in resolving any differences while focusing on our main developmental objectives.”
Commenting on peace and security in West Africa, the President commended Akufo-Addo’s contribution to ensuring peace in neighbouring Togo.
He said, ‘‘Permit me to put on record, Ghana’s untiring efforts in brokering peace in Togo, by bringing all the warring parties to the negotiation table. I am appealing to the opposing parties in Togo to please come together and resolve their differences so that Togo will move forward.
‘‘In the same vein, I wish Nigeria and Ghana to continue to provide the impetus in realising the objectives and ideals of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to ensure security, peace and development of our region.
“Nigeria and Ghana share close cultural and historic ties, which have continued to shape our bilateral relations. Once again, I note with pride that our common colonial experience, as well as parallel socio-economic and political development and the patriotic vision of our leaders have helped greatly in shaping this unique relationship not only in West Africa sub-region but in our collaborative actions internationally.
“It is therefore my strong desire that we owe it as a duty to ensure that our good peoples continue to live in each other’s countries unhindered. Our newly rejuvenated Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation has already provided us with good platform in resolving any differences while focusing on our main developmental objectives.

BBNaija 2018: Big Brother house of sex or immorality?

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
   The third edition of Big Brother Naija reality show themed ‘double wahala’ has over the weeks been under intense criticism as viewers have continued to question the essence of the reality show.

   The show which is supposed to discover talents while entertaining viewers at the same time has become a shadow of itself as all it seems to portray is immorality and other socially unacceptable vices.
The housemates see no big deal in indulging in sexual activities live on TV.
The question most viewers have been asking is, “Have they forgotten that the show is being broadcast live on air?” However, while some of the housemates are bold to admit to having sex, others are in denial.
Miracle and Nina started making out in the first week of getting into the house and the pair shamelessly display it like it’s a norm.
Lolu and Anto have been accused of being sexually active with each other. The accusation came from their fellow housemate, Miracle, who claimed that some of the condoms provided by big brother were missing because some housemates other than him and Nina were having sex and he specifically mentioned Anto and Lolu.
   However, it is now certain that the duo are having sex which is actually not a surprise as Anto once told evicted housemate, Kbrule, that she is a grown woman and she has slept with quite a number of men.
During the week, Anto boldly told Lolu to have sex with her. In her words, “I want you to have sex with me, Lolu, I love having sex.” In fact, the duo are not ashamed of having sex on live TV as they now display condoms on the headrest of their bed, a move that has since attracted mixed reactions from fellow housemates and viewers.
   The latest couple to be caught in the sex scandal is Teddy A and Bambam. The duo were recently caught on camera having sex in the bathroom during their shower time. This latest development has attracted even more negative criticisms than that of Nina and Miracle, Anto and Lolu, Cee-C and Tobi or Alex and Leo.
Alex and Leo have been very discreet about their romance ever since it begun but they seem to have become bolder about it now. Alex who recently cried uncontrollably when Leo left her to chat with Miracle while she was engrossed kissing him, allowed Leo to openly finger her ‘woman’s’ while she moaned with pleasure.
As the weeks go by, the reality show continue to take interesting twists and turns but also continue to put the promotion of sex and immorality at the forefront and majority of its viewers continue to condemn it.

US rapper Rick Ross survives heart attack

ON March 7, 2018 9:55 AM / IN Music , News / BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
   On Friday, it was reported that rapper and music mogul Rick Ross was rushed to the hospital following a possible heart attack of complications from pneumonia.
   Ross had supposedly been found unresponsive in his home and was placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine (which is used to aid in heart and lung functions), though his friend Fat Trel denied that Ross was on “life support” and a family member claimed he hadn’t been hospitalized at all.
Now, TMZ is reporting that Ross has been released from the hospital and that he’s “receiving care at his residence.”
   Despite the denials about the severity of whatever was going on, TMZ maintains that Ross was having “respiratory issues” that “turned out to be heart-related.”
As noted by Entertainment Weekly, Ross has a history of seizures and had recently begun dieting and exercising more often in the last few years.

BlackBerry sues Facebook over messaging apps

                  BY OKOLO VIVIAN.                                 Telecommunications firm BlackBerry sued Facebook on Tuesday, accusing the American social media company of infringing on its patents for messaging apps.

                                BlackBerry-9720                                     BlackBerry is claiming infringement on patents it holds for message encryption and notifications, and is seeking an injunction as well as damages for lost profits, although no figure was given. Facebook and its wholly-owned services Instagram and WhatsApp are named as defendants in the lawsuit. “We have a lot of respect for Facebook and the value they’ve placed on messaging capabilities, some of which were invented by BlackBerry,” BlackBerry spokeswoman Sarah McKinney said in a statement. She said BlackBerry would like to partner with Facebrook “in our drive toward a securely connected future, and we continue to hold this door open to them.” “However, we have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies,” McKinney added. BlackBerry, after abandoning the manufacture of its once-popular smartphones, has refocused its core business on cybersecurity software and services.

FG committed to end varsity workers'strike-official

          BY OKOLO VIVIAN.                                                            The Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday said it was committed to end the on-going strike by the non-teaching labour unions in Nigeria universities. The Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mrs Priscilla Ihuoma, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Recall that the unions, comprising of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAATs) had on Dec. 4, 2017, embarked on an indefinite strike.

Mallam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education The unions, under the aegis of the Joint Actions Committee (JAC), are protesting the none implementation of an agreement they entered into with the Federal Government in 2009. They are also agitating the sharing formula of the N23 billion released by the federal government as part of the earned allowance of workers of federal universities across the country, among other issues. “Right now, the government is giving priority attention to the strike issue. “There is a process in place to bring an end to the lingering strike. “The National Assembly too has stepped into the matter. “With this development, we are sure that very soon, the entire issue will be resolved and normalcy restored,’’ Ihuoma told NAN.

GOV. OKOWA DECLARES DELTA STATE UNDER ATTACK.

BY OKOLO UNOAMAKA JESSICA
     Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Wednesday, raised alarm that the state is under siege as a result of attacks by suspected herdsmen.
    Governor Okowa made the disclosure at Isiokolo, Ethiope East in continuation of the town hall meetings across the state.

    The Governor, equally said that the state would not cede land to the establishment of cattle colonies, tasked the federal government to come out with definite policy that would help in curbing the attacks.
He said: “Unfortunately, in our state, we are in a siege but we are trying to manage it the best way possible.
“We have made a statement that that we would not support cattle colonies in Delta State became we believe that we do not have enough land for our farmers considering the fact that a lot of our land is already degraded from oil exploitation activities.
“We have raised these issues along with other states as we have no doubt that the clashes we have here is not limited to Delta State.

“We believe the Federal Government needs to work out a policy that would checkmate this and we are happy that the Vice President is currently leading a committee to look into this, but before then, we would continue to work with the state commissioner of police on how to look into the issues involved.”

Seplat, Unilever, others buoy NSE All-share index by 0.2%- By Izuegbi Nkechi Gift

    Seplat Petroleum traded higher at the end of yesterday’s transactions on the trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), to lead 25 others with 25.00 kobo to close at N785.oo per share.

    Following Seplat yesterday was Unilever, adding 5.50 kobo to close at N59.60 per share.

   Other gainers of yesterday’s transactions include: Flour Mills, Dangote Sugar, National Salt Company of Nigeria, which added 1.55 kobo, 1.05 kobo, and 0.70 kobo to close at N34.60, N22.50, and N24.50 per share respectively.

     However, Nestle emerged the day’s highest price loser, shedding 20.00 kobo to close at N1,380 per share, while Total followed with 4.00 kobo to close at N250.00 per share.Guarranty Trust Bank lost 0.85 kobo to close at N48.50 per share. Access Bank shed 0.30 kobo to close at N13.15 per share. Vitafoam dropped 0.14 kobo to close at N2.85 per share.

     Consequently, the All-share index, which measures the performance of listed firms’ rose by 95.84 points or 0.2 per cent from 43,513.93 recorded on Monday to 43,609.77. Also, market capitalisation increased by N34billion from N15.632trillion to N15.666trillion.

    Analysts stressed the need for investors to be more cautious, using dates, bids, offers and volume when taking decisions as they reshuffle portfolio to invest in some equities with strong fundamentals, high dividend yield and possibility of bonus.

     Specifically, the Chief Research Officer, Invest Data Consulting, Ambrose Omodion, said: “We must however note that market outlook for the coming months are dicey, this being a pre-election year in a market dominated by foreign and institutional investors. However, invest wisely, using dates, bids, offers, and volume when taking decisions.

Minister sets up panel on ‘missing’ IAAF $150,000 grant- By Izuegbi Nkechi Gift

    Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has set up a committee to unearth the circumstances surrounding the alleged disappearance of $150,000 grant, which world athletics ruling body (IAAF) sent to the Athletics Federations of Nigeria (AFN).

     IAAF reportedly paid the amount as part of its $15,000 annual grants to member federations for the year 2017, but the AFN erroneously received $150,000. According to reports, the IAAF accountants later discovered the error and subsequently asked AFN to refund the excess payment. But nobody in the federation seems to know what has become of the money.

     A board member of the AFN told The Guardian yesterday that the minister has set up a committee to look into it (the missing $150,000 grant)

   “The only thing I know for now is that the sports minister has set up a committee to look into the issue. I am not a member of the committee, so I won’t know when and how the committee is carrying out its work. But I am sure members of the committee must have met with the AFN Secretary General, Amaechi Akawo,” the board member stated.

     Another AFN board member hinted yesterday that the money was paid during the last administration before the Ibrahim Shehu Gusau-led board came into existence.

     “This IAAF $150,000 grant is not new to some of us. The transaction was carried out during the last administration before we came on board. It even got to a stage when the secretary (Akawo) was transferred from AFN, but some people mounted pressure on the sports minister to return him. That was how his letter of re-deployment was reversed,” the board member alleged yesterday

Alibaba, others headline launch of children’s books- By Izuegbi Nkechi Gift

    In a bid to totally eradicate illiteracy by 2030, inform young minds about Nigerian history and encourage family bonding, Clever Clogs Publishing has launched a book series to address these problems. Founder and Publisher, Clever Clogs Books, Olubunmi Aboderin, said the idea is to catch-them-young, infuse the right cultural values in children and also to stimulate healthy behaviour among family members.

      It was also a clever move by the publisher to co-opt popular comedian and actor, Alibaba (real name Atuyota Akpobome) to be part of the launch as a way to draw the attention of young ones to the beauty of books. Titles of the books launched include Diary of a Toddler, Tobi Visits the Conservatory, Tobi Learns to Swim, Tobi Bakes the Cake, Tobi Visits the Gallery, and Why Do You Wash Your Hands?

     “I don’t like what I read about our literacy rate,” the publisher, Aboderin, said. “Hence the need to improve our national literary rates whichever way possible. Reading has helped me develop my vocabulary and made me understand the world from different points of view. So, these books are my contribution to achieve 100 per cent literacy by 2030. They are for children at the elementary level to stimulate, encourage and attract them to read.

   “It teaches children about time, hygiene, family bonding and brings our cultural heritage to the limelight. Our parents are doing well in teaching culture, but more is expected of them to teach our children holistically rather than being particular about one tribe.”

PSG project called into question after latest European let-down- By Izuegbi Nkechi Gift

    After an honourable defeat to Barcelona on away goals in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013, Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi stated the club’s objective was to win the competition “in the next five years”.

     That deadline expired with Tuesday’s limp defeat to holders Real Madrid in the last 16, leaving the French side as far away from being European champions as at any point since Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought the club in 2011.

     For all their lavish spending, PSG have still not made it past the quarter-finals of the competition this decade, and there have now been consecutive exits in the last 16, the 5-2 aggregate loss to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real coming after a spectacular collapse saw them crash out in Barcelona a year ago.

  The strategy after that defeat was to commit to paying the two biggest transfer fees in football history last August to sign Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for a combined 402 million euros ($499 million), an attempt to buy immediate success on the biggest stage.

    It has not worked, with Neymar left watching Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes that sealed PSG’s fate from Brazil, where he is recovering from a foot operation.

    “All that for that”, was the headline on the front of sports daily L’Equipe on Wednesday, a reference mainly to the bold transfer strategy.

     “We believe in our players. We want to continue the project, with the two of them because they are the future of the club,” said Al-Khelaifi on Tuesday when asked if the club’s investment should be called into question.

     Seven years after QSI’s arrival, PSG have still managed to beat just three teams in the Champions League knockout stage: Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea.

     That is a damning statistic for a club with their means and ambitions.

     “We will continue, as much as patience allows, to build a team which can win in the future,” said coach Unai Emery on Tuesday.

    “When I came here I said I was sure this team can win the Champions League. But it’s a process.”

Neymar to stay, Emery out

    Soon to be out of contract, Emery will not be given another crack at the competition in Paris. The club will look for a new coach, and they will be tempted to go for a big name after the failure of the Emery experiment — the Spaniard won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla but has never won a Champions League knockout tie in six seasons of trying.

Investors worry over stagnation in prices of insurance stocks-By Izuegbu Nkechi Gift

   

   Worried about the free fall in the shares of insurance companies on the nation’s bourse, capital market investors have stressed the need for the industry regulator, and professional bodies to intensify efforts at mitigating the challenges causing the sub-optimal performance of the sector in Nigeria.

     The investors, who expressed dismay on the level at which their investment depreciates in value on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), called for a review of some laws regulating the affairs of the industry.

     According to them, a holistic review of industry laws as well as devising new ways to approach insurance in Nigeria, would enhance optimum efficiency in operations of the practitioners and forestall further stagnation in their share prices

  At the end of last week’s transactions, five insurance stocks recorded price depreciation. Specifically, Sovereign Trust Insurance led the losers’ chart with 20.83 per cent to close at N0.38 per share. Unic Diversified Holdings followed with 18.52 per cent to close at N0.22 per share.

     African Alliance Insurance shed 14.23 per cent to close at N0.36 per share. Royal Exchange dropped 11.43 per cent to close at N0.31 per share. Standard Alliance also lost 8.33 per cent to close at N0.44 per share.

     Furthermore, the investors argued that many listed insurance companies have poor corporate governance structures, noting that this poor management translates to non-payment of dividends mostly due to negative retained earnings.

    The insurance stocks capitalisation on the NSE dropped N6billion within a month following the implementation of the new pricing methodology.

     The NSE, on January 29, began the implementation of the one kobo rule from an initial floor of 50 kobo per share, meaning stocks can now trade at a minimum of one kobo per share.

    The new pricing rule will see the prices of over one third of the quoted companies falling to as low as one kobo after the initial floor price of 50 kobo was removed.

     The insurance stocks trading below 50 kobo are African Alliance Insurance, Cornerstone Insurance, Equity Assurance, Goldlink Insurance, Guinea Insurance, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance, Lasaco Insurance.

 

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    Others are Mutual Benefit Insurance, Niger Insurance, Prestige Assurance, Regency Assurance, Sovereign Trust Assurance, Standard Trust Assurance, Standard Alliance Insurance, Unic Diversified Holdings, and Unity Kapital Assurance.
      Despite its importance for economic development, the gross premium collected by insurance companies in Nigeria is about $1.9billion compared to the $3.8billion collected in South Africa.

Aviation minister, regulators meet over near-mishap incidences- By Izuegbu Nkechi Gift

   Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and senior officials of various regulatory agencies on Monday, till the wee hours of yesterday in Lagos, had an emergency meeting over one too many incidences in the air travel sector.

       The minister, in company of about 12 top officials of the aviation ministry in Abuja, visited various headquarters of the agencies to engage the heads and directors on issues bothering on safety.

      In a related development, Nigeria has retained the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Category One rating after a successful routine safety audit. By the rating, designated Nigerian airlines can make direct flight to U.S. and American Airlines can continue to fly to Nigeria.

    They first inspected airports in Enugu and Benin before arriving in Lagos, to meet with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

     Sources at the meeting told The Guardian that it was not unconnected with recent happenings in the sector, bothering on safety and public outcry.

     Meanwhile, the senate yesterday frowned at the component failures of most of the aircrafts operating within the country’s airspace and summoned Sirika.

     It also urged the ministry to direct all relevant agencies in the industry to conduct a maintenance and airworthiness audit on all commercial aircraft and training of personnel operating within the country’s airspace.

Edo APC follows trend, wins council poll in landslide- By Izuegbi Nkechi Gift

 

 

Governor of Edo state 

Recording the usual landslide victory over opposition political parties that have become the trend in local government election management in Nigeria, the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) in Edo scored 100 percent win in last weekend’s council poll in the state.

      Last Saturday’s local council poll in Edo State, which was won, as usual with ruling parties across the country, in a landslide manner by the All Progressives Congress (APC), has once again drawn attention to the management of election at the third tier of government in Nigeria.

      As it has been the case since the commencement of the current democratic dispensation, where ruling parties always win council elections with wide margins even when a viable and credible opposition is in place, the APC won all the 18 chairmanship and 192 councillorship seats in the exercise.

       Regarded by many as a strange phenomenon that cannot occur without official manipulation to either thwart the process or hound opposition out of the race, the unusual victories of ruling parties have been identified as a ploy by politicians not only to stifle democracy at the grassroots but also to ensure total control of the funds that should belong to council administration Proponents of local council autonomy, who are mainly council workers, have argued that hijacking of council administration, either through appointments of unelected officials or by landslide victories of ruling parties, have suppressed development at the third tier of government and defeated the expectations of the constitution on the role of local governments as the closest level of government to the people.

        The stiff opposition to the autonomy by many state governors and Houses of Assembly, who have rejected the clause in the on-going constitutional amendment process, are believed to be driven mainly by the selfish factors of partisan political control and unfettered access to council fund that statutorily come from the federation accounts thereby pushing the important aspect of grassroots development to the background