Saturday, April 21, 2018

President Buhari arrives Abuja after CHOGM 2018

Local News

President Buhari arrives Abuja after CHOGM 2018

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President Muhammadu Buhari has left London for Abuja today, Saturday, April 21.
The president left Abuja on Monday, April 9 to for an official visit to British Prime Minister, Theresa May, as both leaders discussed Nigeria-British relations.
He also participated at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM), held from Wednesday, April 18 to Friday, April 20.
The Nigerian leader however suffered a public relations disaster while speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London.
While answering a question on what policies his government has put in place to engage young people in the turbulent northeast region, Buhari literally suggested Nigerian youths were a lazy bunch waiting for government's handouts.
His words: “A lot of Nigerian youths have not been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country and therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare and education free.”
The comments have sparked massive outrage on both the print and social media as many Nigerians accuse the president of de-marketing the country.
Since the comment was made, a hashtag on micro-blogging site, Twitter (#LazyNigerianYouth) has been trending with young Nigerians showing off what they do to make a living in disagreement with their leader's thoughts.
The president's spokespersons however insist he was quoted out of context.
The backlash as a result of the comment is yet to die down as the president arrives Abuja to a rather hostile young population at the moment.
Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment on NAIJ.com TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlJLkoo-mdQ
Source: Naija.ng

Baru urges parents to encourage daughters to take up engineering careers

General news

Baru urges parents to encourage daughters to take up engineering careers

by Jaikes





The Group Managing Director(GMD) of the  Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Makanti Baru, has advised parents to encourage their daughters to take up careers  in engineering.
‎Baru gave the advice on Saturday in Misau at the  inauguration  of the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN), programme title “Invent it, Build it”
‎He said gone were the days when  engineering was for the male children alone as female children could become engineers nowadays.
‎”Parents should raise the awareness on the  value of science and engineering careers among their daughters.
“Boys who study: Mathematics, Further Mathematicss, Chemistry, Biology and Physics in schools at present are more than girls.
‎”We need more girls  in the Sciences and I urge parents to give their daughters  all the necessary support and inspiration to study science subjects  in the primary and secondary schools.”
The NNPC boss advised parents to give ideas about  what science courses could  do to transform the society for the better to their children.
“Science education can accelerate development in the country. Small girls should be encouraged to study not only medicine but engineering as well,” he said.‎
‎Earlier,  the President of APWEN, Felicia Agubata said their mission was to stimulate women to achieve professional excellence as engineers and leaders.
‎”That is why we come to catch those girls young in Misau community through this our  maiden programme of “Invent it, built it,” she said. ‎
According to her, we are in Misau to showcase our intention of propagating the child-girl education, especially in sciences, right from the primary school.
‎”We want to serve as the catalyst for the advancement of women in the engineering profession toward national and global technology.
‎”APWEN has concluded arrangements to sponsor  10 girls from  Misau community from the primary school level  up to university level.
“APWEN  also plans to build and equip a model science laboratory for children at the Central Primary School Misau,” she said.
‎The president said the project was nurtured by APWEN supported by the NNPC to boost the girl-child career in engineering.
‎The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme is: “Inspiring the girl-child to take up the Sciences’’ with a view to pursuing a career in engineering. (NAN)Naijawapenews

Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham: Sanchez leads Devils to FA Cup final

Sport News

Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham: Sanchez leads Devils to FA Cup final

FA CUPBy: Jaikesshoesstores | 21/04/2018

Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham: Sanchez leads Devils to FA Cup final
Manchester United progressed to the final of the FA Cup after coming from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1 in one of the semi-finals played at Wembley on Saturday.
Dele Alli gave Spurs an early lead, before Alexis Sanchez levelled for the Red Devils later in the first half. Ander Herrera then scored what proved to be the winner in the second half as United edges closer to winning a trophy this season.
This was a game that started with a really high tempo, expectedly, seeing as it offers both side’s only avenue to a trophy this season. It was a game that saw both sides show decent amounts of intensity going forward, but it was Spurs who looked better on the offense.
That would prove true in the 11th minute when Alli met a perfect cross from Christian Eriksen deep inside the box and controlled it with a nice first touch. He produced a low shot into the middle of the goal to beat David De Gea. Spurs lead 1-0.
The interesting is, despite the decent intensity of the game, very little chances were being created and that was the case after Spurs took the lead, as there were no real chances created until the 24th minute. This was when Paul Pogba sent a superb cross into the box. Sanchez latched on to it and from close range planted a header inside the left post, leaving Michel Vorm beaten. He displayed his eye for goal there - excellent finish.
Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham: Sanchez leads Devils to FA Cup final
United were back in the game and it was looking really interesting at this point. With time swinging away and shortly before the break, a neat pass was well received by Pogba, who was lurking on the edge of the box and struck the ball towards the right post, but the goalkeeper made an incredible diving save to block his shot.
And in the second minute of the first half stoppage time, Spurs had a chance as a good touch by Eriksen saw him latch on to an accurate pass before attempting to threaten the goalkeeper with his long-range shot. Unluckily for him, his attempt only rattled the left post.
The second period started slightly slower than the first, but still, it was an entertaining start to the half but like the first, there were little or no chances being created in the opening exchanges.
The game would run through the 62nd minute before there was a real piece of action. Herrera took a great first touch to control a killer pass on the edge of the box and produced a low drive that goes into the middle of the goal. United take the lead here.
Marcus Rashford had a glorious opportunity to end the game late on, but his hesitation meant Eric Dier was on hand to clear the danger.

Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big

Sport News

Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big

FA CUPBy: Ayodeji Tunde | 21/04/2018

Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big
It has not been the best of seasons for Chelsea, but the torrid campaign can end on a high as the Blues are seeking FA Cup glory to compensate for their below-par performance in their quest to defend the Premier League title they won last time.
It is being suggested that Antonio Conte already has his bags packed and only waiting to exit Chelsea once the curtain drops on the season.
Whether true or false, Conte is bound to be highly respected if he signs out on a high with the FA Cup to add to his PL title won in his maiden season in charge of the Blues.
Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Burnley on Thursday night was full of surprises.
For a start, Conte chose to make six changes from the side that won 3-2 at Southampton on Saturday to make a mockery of the old maxim of never tinkering with a winning team.
Given the Italian's general reluctance to rotate his squad, the number of alterations raised a few eyebrows and seemed to indicate that his focus was firmly on Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Southampton rather than carrying on fighting for a top-four finish in the league.
Although understandable due to the gap to Tottenham (now five points), it still left a disappointing impression seeing that qualifying for the Champions League was, and is, still mathematically within Chelsea's reach. As it turned out, Conte was thoroughly vindicated by an excellent team performance.
The match saw Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata paired from the start for the first time and they caught the eye by dovetailing beautifully, a surprise to anyone who saw the disjointed last 10 minutes of the 3-1 defeat to Spurs earlier this month.
Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big
Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big
Their movement complemented each other startlingly well, despite them sharing similar characteristics, with Giroud showing that he has much better touch than had previously been supposed. All that was lacking was a goal from one of them, and although Morata will be frustrated that he failed to take any of his opportunities, the bigger picture was much more positive than his tantrum on the sidelines might have suggested.
On a broader perspective, the victory made it back-to-back wins for the Blues for the first time since December, a telling statistic that desperately needed rectifying.
That it came against the form team in the division was encouraging and even more gratifying was that Chelsea recovered from the shock concession of a freak goal to re-establish their authority and lead within a matter of minutes.
Dethroned champions, Chelsea ready to finish big
That strength of character had been sorely lacking in the past couple of months.
Chelsea should be buoyed and confident heading into the semi-final not least when reflecting on their past week.
Though the first hour at St Mary's last Saturday saw them deservedly behind, the manner of their victory will have given everyone a boost that will only have been enhanced by Thursday's result.
Conte has also seen the best that Southampton can offer while knowing that his team can improve further and will need to in order to guarantee a place in the final.
Given Chelsea's erratic season to date and subsequently dented egos, there should be no complacency anywhere within the squad.

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company given 4 weeks to address epileptic power supply

News

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company given 4 weeks to address epileptic power supply

The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, has been given four weeks ultimatum to comply and adhere strictly to the Nigeria Electricity Regulations Company, NERC, guidelines, the law that established them and business ethics to ensure stable power supply to its consumers.
After extensive deliberations at a tripartite meeting with Civil Society Organizations, stakeholders, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, the meeting agreed that, “KAEDCO should improve on its costumer services and its poor public relations.”
A communique issued and signed by the convener, Comrade Yusuf Smoke also noted, “All homes should be metered and charged appropriately, to avoid people paying for power they did not consume, which has been the trend.
“Transformers, poles, cables and all other installations needed to give adequate, safe and reliable power to home must be provided by KAEDCO as a mandate not consumers or government as it is made to look like.
“KAEDCO should hence forth evacuate all of the 8% power allotted to it to service the people of Kaduna.
“Community associations should encourage people to pay their light bills, guide electricity installations like transformers against vandalism and expose neighbours who bypass their meters.”
Though the management or representatives of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, were absent at the meeting after being duly informed, the meeting observed, “Refusal of KAEDCO to participate in the very important tripartite meeting and choose to instead participate in a football match at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium same day, was a clear indication that costumers are less important and they are running away from being exposed, therefore are responsible for shortchanging the people and the acute shortage of power supply to homes despite its availability.
Following the agitations of the people of Kaduna on the inadequacy of power supply despite the unprecedented increase in generation and transmission and its availability as noticed in Kebbi, Kano and other places, the meeting was organized to iron out areas of interest that could ensure mutual understanding for a better service delivery.
The issue of estimated billing system that does not consider whether or not costumers enjoy the power supply, suspicious hidden charges in the metering system, non provision of transformers, poles, wires and other installations needed to take power to homes while expecting people in the community to contribute money to buy were issues that were of importance that needed clarifications from KAEDCO.
The selling of prepaid meters to customers which is supposed to be for free and the poor costumer services experienced were equally part of the agitations by consumers that KAEDCO was to clarify.
The meeting was organized after the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, engaged the managements of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, and
Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, to seek answers on issues concerning epileptic power supply being experienced in Kaduna.

EKEDC sues 15 customers over energy theft

News

In Lagos

EKEDC sues 15 customers over energy theft

Pulse News Agency Local by NAN | 07:47 | 21.04.2018

EKEDC alleged that the customers stole energy by bypassing their meters.

Electricity companies appeal to FG to release N100bn subsidy  (Bizwatchnigeria)

No fewer than 15 residents of Victoria Garden City (VGC), Ajah, on Lagos-Epe Badagry Expressway are to prosecuted for their alleged involvement in energy theft,  Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) said on Friday.

EKEDC alleged that the customers stole energy by bypassing their meters.
The Managing Director, Mr Adeoye Fadeyibi, who disclosed this at a media briefing, said no effort would be spared in dealing with energy theft.
He said the VGC Estate used to be billed together as a single-customer using one meter.
Fadeyibi said following agitations by residents for individual metering and billing system, the company installed meters for houses few months ago.
 It was unfortunate that while the company was doing everything to respond to its customers’ demands and give them the very best in service delivery, some unscrupulous elements are out to thwart the efforts and aspirations of the company.
“The company is determined not to allow such people have their way in their illegal mission as all lawful means will be employed to bring them before the law to answer for their misdemeanour.
“The war against energy theft is yielding result as more and more culprits are being brought to book,” he said.
The EKEDC boss restated that there was no hiding place for energy thieves in the zone.

FCT Minister harps on importance of research in agricultural development

News  |  Nigeria  |  National  

FCT Minister harps on importance of research in agricultural development

By NAN |   21 April 2018   |   4:00 pm 

FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, on Saturday stressed the importance of research in attaining agricultural innovations and food security.Bello said this when he visited Dr Gbassey Tarawali, Head of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Abuja Station in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit was part of the minister’s tour to agricultural projects to assess their impact and ensure that they effectively meet the yearnings of the residents of the FCT.
He commended the institute for its intense research works, especially in the development of improved seed varieties and capacity building, which he said, had helped to boost agriculture in the FCT and Nigeria.

Bello reiterated the commitment of the administration to foster Public Private Partnership (PPP) towards repositioning the agricultural sector to an avenue for job creation.
The minister said the repositioning would also work toward providing the much-needed impetus for sustainable economic development of the country.
He assured that the FCTA, through its Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, will continue to work closely with the Institute.
“This is in order to provide the necessary governmental support from the administration towards addressing some of their challenges and ensuring smooth operations in the institute.
“The FCT Administration has already begun the implementation of various agricultural programmes aimed at bringing in youths to become active players in the agribusiness,’’ he said.
Bello called on the institute to come up with more training programmes in order to accommodate the ever-growing youth population in the FCT.
Earlier, the Head of station, Tarawali, had informed the minister that the agency was established in 1991 as an Agro-research institute to generates innovations in agriculture to meet the needs of farmers in the FCT.
The collaboration with the FCT, according to him, has since then grown from strength to strength with provision of not only improved crops that are disease-resistant, but also high-yielding.
The institute, he said, had introduced a youth development initiative which targeted NYSC youth corps members in the areas of training and mentorship.
He said that with the support of the FCT Agric Secretariat, trainees from the institute will be able to step down their knowledge to grassroots farmers in the rural communities.
The Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Nzekwe Ifeanyichukwu, commended the minister for the visit, which he said “is a testimony of the importance the administration attaches to the agricultural sector’’.
The minister was conducted round some of the facilities at the Institute which include the yam and cassava field, the yam barn, demonstration plots, fish ponds as well as the banana field

2019: How APC would hurt PDP – Makarfi

Politics News

2019: How APC would hurt PDP – Makarfi

A former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has revealed why the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has not merged with any other political party yet.
He said if the PDP is not careful going through the process of merging with other parties, it may result to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, hurting and sending the main opposition party into extinction.
He said the APC may end up shutting the PDP out of the 2019 elections.
Speaking in an interview with The Sun, Makarfi, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, said “Merger is a technical issue that…except if we simplify it by legislation.
“This government the way they work, if you play into their hands they will extinguish you because before you merge you have to dissolve as a political party and surrender your licenses.
“If you do that and government interferes with INEC and they don’t approve for you, even if you go to court it will take a long time. By that time maybe the elections are over.
“So you have to look at the kind of government you are having. If you are having an open, democratic government that does not interfere you can consider a lot of things.
“But when you are dealing with a set of people that are very vicious the way they approach things you have to be very careful what you adopt to the play towards 2019 otherwise you will fall into a trap and you may not be able to come out of it.”

Livescore: Latest FA Cup semi-final fixtures, results

Sport News

Livescore: Latest FA Cup semi-final fixtures, results


Three of the Premier League’s Big Six teams will be fighting for a place in this season’s FA Cup final this weekend.
With Manchester City having claimed the Premier League and Carabao Cup already, this is the only domestic title up for grabs.
On Saturday, Manchester United will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the first semi-final.
The second semi-final comes up on Sunday and sees Chelsea clash with relegation-threatened Southampton.
Both matches will be played at Wembley Stadium.
Saturday, April 21
17:15 Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday, April 22
15:00 Chelsea vs Southampton

Naka mayhem: Rghts group reveals implications of soldier’s murder

News

Naka mayhem: Rghts group reveals implications of soldier’s murder

As reactions continue to trail the killing of a soldier in Naka, Gwer LGA of Benue State, a rights group, Coalition of Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria, has pointed out that the incident poses grave danger to the security of residents of the state.
DAILY POST reports that no fewer than 20 houses were razed during the week after military men on reprisals attacked Naka community over the killing of their colleague by youths in the area.
The state government had through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Titus Zam, said the unfortunate incident was highly regrettable and condemnable.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Saturday, the rights group said the alleged murder of the soldier was a set back for global peace mission project
Marxwell Gowon esq, Executive Director of Coalition of Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria, in a statement issued and forwarded to DAILY POST, said the incident had revealed the grave danger such actions posed to the sustenance of peace and stability in the country.
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According to Gowon, “On Thursday April 19, 2018 youths in Naka killed a soldier, buried him in the bush and went away with his gun, leading to troops having to take steps to track down the killers.
“The Federal Government should sanction communities that embark on such barbaric acts against peace-keepers from any security organization, aide and humanitarian workers as this is not only condemnable but against international peace-keeping laws and conventions on armed conflicts.
“We call on the Nigerian Army not to be discouraged by the ingratitude of this community. The death of its personnel should not be allowed to distract it from the mission to restore peace in Benue State and other parts of the country.
“While the Coalition on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria continues to monitor the situation in Benue state and other areas across the country, we shall make a full report available on what transpired in that state after full investigation. It is therefore our stand that stakeholders take proactive steps to assure troops and peace agents across the world that it will not repeat itself again.”