inclusion of sports in institutions course outline

Coach recommends inclusion of sports in institutions course outline

Osita Egwim, a former national coach of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), has suggested that tertiary institutions should include sports in their course outlines.

Egwim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos that such an opportunity would encourage students who aspire to build their sporting careers to do so alongside their degree programmes.

“It is usually said that sports and academics can go together, but the environment should be set and be extended to our tertiary institutions to make it practicable.

“Most undergraduates who were doing one sport or the other before they got admissions into higher institutions, no longer get involved in it and it’s a big setback to our sports development.

“But I believe that when different sports are included in schools and departmental course outline, the interested ones will grab the opportunity to combine sports with academics,” he said.

He added that it was only those who had their choice-sport background and training that usually go the extra-mile to come for training, in order to be in form.

According to him, martial art sports are dynamic and require regular training in order for the athlete to be conversant with competition rules as introduced by international regulatory body.

Egwim, a taekwondo coach in the coaching department of the University of Ibadan (UI), added that such an opportunity would help to meaningfully engage the students during school sessions.

“Students in higher institutions who combine their academics with sports are always busy because they programme themselves and have little or no time for the unnecessary.

“They can participate in competitions within or outside the schools to boost their ranking and probably make little money, receive awards or gift items, just because they are in form,” he added.

The coach added that the coaching crew was ready to cooperate with the school authorities, as they would take cognisance of the academic calendar in the preparation of training schedule for interested students. (NAN)

Uju Valarie Ubatu, is a graduate of computer science, She is very vast on internet research and has a zeal for acquiring information from as many sources as possible.She loves to travel, meet people and watch programmes on TV.

“It is usually said that sports and academics can go together, but the environment should be set and be extended to our tertiary institutions to make it practicable. “Most undergraduates who were doing one sport or the other before they got admissions into higher institutions, no longer get involved in it and it’s a big setback to our sports development.     “But I believe that when different sports are included in schools and departmental course outline, the interested ones will grab the opportunity to combine sports with academics,” he said

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CNN, BBC Predict The Future Of MMM Nigeria

The ‘Russian-made’ Ponzi scheme called MMM Nigeria has become not only popular in the West Africa country but also across the ocean as the international media has beamed its searchlight on what is now regarded as Nigeria’s biggest money-double scheme ever.

From their reports, the international media present a very bleak view of what the future holds for MMM Nigeria and other Ponzi schemes.

First to do a report on MMM Nigeria and others is respected British news daily Independent, which wrote that the Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM) is spreading like wildfire in Africa despite failing in Zimbabwe.

First to do a report on MMM Nigeria and others is respected British news daily Independent, which wrote that the Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM) is spreading like wildfire in Africa despite failing in Zimbabwe.

Independent UK takes a look at MMM Nigeria and others

It reported that MMM Nigeria continued to claim it was a legal entity even though the Central Bank of Nigeria declared it as not being so.

It noted also that founder of the scheme Sergey Mavrodi went on the run after the scheme first failed in Europe in the late 1990s, causing participants to lose around $100million and also went on the run again, earlier this (April precisely) after another scheme of his, Republic of Bitcoin, failed.

It wrapped up its report with the revelation that South African banks had, as at when the report was written in September, already shutting down accounts linked to the MMM scheme.

For CNN which wrote its own report after the freezing of MMM scheme on Tuesday, December 13, the bone of contention was the ‘meteoric rise of the MMM Nigeria’ and how it all went to hell.

CNN says a host of factors helped the rise of MMM Nigeria which led to over 3 million people joining the scheme

It noted that the scheme was actually launched in Nigeria in November 2015 but became very popular in 2016. It noted further that despite government warnings against the scheme, Nigerians went ahead to keep putting their funds into the Ponzi scheme.

Unemployment also played a part in the rise of MMM as fresh graduates and the unemployed turned to the scheme to ‘keep body and soul together’. It noted also that some religious leaders also helped to confer legitimacy on MMM Nigeria by allowing it to be preached from the pulpit by some members who are participants in the scheme.

The BBC predicts a dark future for MMM Nigeria even after January 2017

In the BBC’s report, the theme is all about the big question ‘Will money frozen in the scheme ever be returned?’ It noted that Mavrodi was jailed for four years in Russia after the scheme lost families savings of up to $100million. He was released in 2007 and not long after started to present the scheme in Africa.

It reports that while it is unclear if people will ever get back their invested money which has been frozen in the scheme, BBC noted that for sure, many people will lose their funds.

It ended its report with the doomsday prediction that “Even if MMM reopens in January as it claims, it is likely that the scheme would collapse at some point

From their reports, the international media present a very bleak view of what the future holds for MMM Nigeria and other Ponzi schemes. It noted also that founder of the scheme Sergey Mavrodi went on the run after the scheme first failed in Europe in the late 1990s, causing participants to lose around $100million and also went on the run again, earlier this (April precisely) after another scheme of his, Republic of Bitcoin, failed. It wrapped up its report with the revelation that South African banks had, as at when the report was written in September, already shutting down accounts linked to the MMM scheme.


 

Breaking: First Lady Aisha allegedly visits Buhari in London

First Lady Aisha allegedly visits Buhari in London

Another set of pictures have emerged showing the First Lady, Aisha to have allegedly visited the President, Muhammadu Buhari in London.

In the pictures, being the third showing Buhari since he left the country for London on a 10 days working leave, show Mr. President in a very good health wearing an ash-coloured turtleneck sweatshirt and took a pose with his wife, Aisha.

Recall that two days ago, a second picture of Mr. President had emerged, dispelling rumours of his death. In the second picture, the Governor of Ogun state, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun was seen to have visited the President.

Recall also that further days ago, a first picture of Buhari had also emerged when the rumour mills were churning out several speculations that the President was critically ill and might have even died of the illness. In the picture, President Buhari was seen relaxing and watching Channels’s news programme on the goings-on in Nigeria from his London base.

This third set of photos have finally proven that Mr. President is indeed in good health and very much alive.



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In the pictures, being the third showing Buhari since he left the country for London on a 10 days working leave, show Mr. President in a very good health wearing an ash-coloured turtleneck sweatshirt and took a pose with his wife, Aisha. Recall that two days ago, a second picture of Mr. President had emerged, dispelling rumours of his death. In the second picture, the Governor of Ogun state, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun was seen to have visited the President.


 

Trump, in Meeting, Urges Automakers to Build in United States

President Trump met on Tuesday with the chief executives of the three Detroit automakers and urged them to build new factories in the United States, and he vowed to change environmental regulations to encourage the creation of jobs.

The tenor of the White House meeting appeared far more cooperative than adversarial, despite the president"s repeated criticisms of automakers in recent weeks for building cars in Mexico for sale in the American market.

Mr. Trump stuck to the "America First" theme of his new administration, and he challenged executives of the automakers - General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler - to add jobs and production in exchange for more favorable regulations and tax policies.

"It"s the long-term jobs we are looking for," Mr. Trump said in televised comments before the meeting with the chief executives - Mary T. Barra from G.M., Mark Fields of Ford and Sergio Marchionne from Fiat Chrysler.

Earlier in the day, the president made plain his interest in increasing auto jobs in a Twitter post. "I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here," he wrote.

It is a provocative challenge for the Detroit companies, which have each added more than 25,000 jobs in the United States since the recession, when auto sales collapsed, and G.M. and Chrysler both went bankrupt and needed government bailouts to survive.

But with the American market coming off a record sales year of 17.5 million vehicles and car companies reporting big profits, the Detroit executives sounded eager to participate in the Trump administration"s pro-business agenda.

After the meeting, Mr. Fields said Ford was excited to participate in "a renaissance in American manufacturing," and Ms. Barra said the industry could benefit from cooperating with Washington.

"There"s a large opportunity in working together as an industry with the government," she said.

Mr. Marchionne said in a statement, "We look forward to working with President Trump and members of Congress to strengthen American manufacturing."

The meeting was notable in that foreign automakers such as Toyota and Honda were not invited, although factories owned by European and Asian companies account for about 40 percent of the vehicles assembled in the United States.

It also left open the question of how much more production capacity G.M., Ford and Fiat Chrysler can effectively add in the United States - particularly if consumer demand levels off or drops.

While the Detroit companies have significantly increased employment since 2009, the resurgence came only after extensive restructuring had shuttered dozens of excess plants to cut costs.

All three Detroit automakers have already pledged to add jobs and billions of dollars in new American investment after Mr. Trump publicly attacked G.M., Ford and Toyota for investing in Mexico. Ford, in particular, reversed course by canceling plans for a new $1.6 billion Mexican factory.

In his remarks just before the meeting, the president said automakers were "not being singled out" in his efforts to increase jobs in the United States and prevent more American investment in other countries.

Rather, he promised to change the prevailing business climate in the United States "from truly inhospitable to extremely hospitable," and to streamline the regulatory approval process for new manufacturing operations.

Automakers in general have been supportive of less stringent fuel-economy rules than were enacted under the Obama administration. And while Mr. Trump declared himself "an environmentalist" at the meeting on Tuesday, he called current regulations "out of control."

 

Victor Moses Back On Form After Challenging Three Years

Victor Moses’ career at Stamford Bridge may have once been a laughing matter, but, no opponents seem to be able to stop the Nigerian-born winger from having fun in his Chelsea shirt now. The next opponents the Nigeria international will face are Crystal Palace, where he was given his professional debut at the tender age of sixteen back in 2007. Yet, similar to Chelsea themselves this Premier League season, Moses has managed to build up a strong momentum that the Eagles are likely going to find difficult to halt.

Purchased in 2012 from Wigan for £9 million, Moses made his first league start for Chelsea just two months ago at Hull, after waiting for a grand total of 1239 days to play for the Blues. It has been a struggle for the 25-year-old, who has been on three season-long loans to Liverpool, West Ham and Stoke over the past three years of his career. The lack of faith in his abilities from Chelsea and former boss Jose Mourinho undoubtedly affected his personality, however, he is now back on top form with the Blues and probably leaving Mourinho regretting his decision to put the winger on loan after Moses has shown that he is a key player in Chelsea’s 10-game winning streak this season, a far cry from their substandard performance under the former manager.

Former Chelsea and Nigeria International teammate Mikel John Obi told Standard Sport that this is the happiest he has seen Moses at the club. He says that you can ‘really notice the change’ in the 25-year-old on the training ground, and he’s no longer quiet and reserved but rather making jokes, having a laugh, and finally getting to know his fellow Blues a little better. Apparently, Obi’s advice to Moses was to ‘be a man, stay and fight for your place’ when he was sent on loan, but the Nigeria International said that his friend ‘had his own agenda’ and went on loan anyway, something that his teammate said he respected. However, this year, he seemed ‘fed up’ of being on loan and decided that it was time to compete for his rightful spot.

Naturally, the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte this summer has been hugely influential in getting Moses on the pitch at Stanford Bridge.The Italian’s decision to switch Moses to the right wing position in a 3-4-3 formation may have shocked everybody in the Premier League and beyond, however, the move has certainly paid off nicely, with Chelsea currently in a safe position at number one on the Premier League table and favourites to win with all the best bookmakers at Bookmaker Ratings. Moses has heaped praise on his new boss, saying that by showing faith in him, Conte has managed to restore the player’s confidence after a tough three years.

It seems that the admiration is mutual, too, with Conte reporting that he is ‘pleased to have’ Moses on the team. The Italian apparently approached the Nigerian player during pre-season, before telling him that he wasn’t going anywhere as Conte ‘believed in him’, a move which would turn out to be one of the best decisions made by the new Stanford Bridge boss. Moses said that Conte motivates the whole team to work hard and do well for him, praising the way that he reacts and encourages his team from the touchline. He gives a lot of credit to his new boss for his success so far this season, saying that Conte is ‘always in his ear’ making sure that he’s doing the right thing.

 

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Trump Will Call for a Pentagon Plan to Hit ISIS Harder, Officials Say

The directive to identify new ways to hasten the demise of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has been widely anticipated by military commanders, who have begun drafting classified options to increase the pressure on the militant group, especially in Raqqa and Mosul, the stronghold in Iraq.

Work on the directive was described by several current and former officials who are close to the White House and who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the administration"s internal deliberations. The White House had no comment.

The man charged with overseeing this re-examination of American defense is Mr. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps four-star general who commanded American forces in the Middle East and will be working in partnership with Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The men have known each other for years and Mr. Mattis used to be General Dunford"s commanding officer while in the Marines.

Mr. Mattis will face multiple challenges. As an emissary to longstanding allies in Asia and Europe, he has staked out a position as the Trump administration"s reassurer-in-chief.

One of Mr. Mattis"s first moves as defense secretary was to phone the NATO secretary general to assure him that he strongly supported the alliance that Mr. Trump has criticized as "obsolete." Mr. Mattis will fly to Asia next week on a trip to allay concerns in Japan and South Korea that the United States might abandon longstanding commitments to their security.

A week after that, Mr. Mattis is expected to make another reassurance trip - this one to Europe - to meet with counterparts at NATO in Brussels and then at a security conference in Munich.

Lawmakers and even some members of the military are hoping that Mr. Mattis can also serve as a counterweight on some of the new administration"s more hard-line positions. In a classified operations center at one Special Operations headquarters, a photo of Mr. Mattis is taped to a board with various captions written underneath. On Thursday morning, the caption read: "Watch over us."

During his first visit to the Pentagon, Mr. Trump will conduct a ceremonial swearing-in of Mr. Mattis and is expected to sign the new directives and have a short meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During his first visit to the Pentagon, Mr. Trump will conduct a ceremonial swearing-in of Mr. Mattis and is expected to sign the new directives and have a short meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Mattis appear to have some positive chemistry. They were seen chatting warmly on the reviewing stand during the inaugural parade. The new commander-in-chief relishes referring to "Mad Dog" Mattis at every opportunity, even though the retired general does not like that nickname and insists it is no more than a media invention.

And while they agree on the need for more military spending, some of the defense secretary"s views are at odds with his new boss, including his skepticism of Russia"s intentions, his traditional support for allies and flat opposition to the use of torture in interrogating terrorists.

The day before Mr. Mattis came to work at the Defense Department, he issued a statement to the Pentagon work force that cast the United States as a bulwark of the international order and the guardian of important alliances. In contrast to the "America First" oratory emanating from the White House, Mr. Mattis vowed that the Pentagon would work "for an America that remains a steady beacon of hope for all mankind."

"General Mattis is prepared to give the president the best advice he can as secretary of defense even if it"s not something the president wants to hear," said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, who spoke to Mr. Mattis on Tuesday. "The question is, how long can he do that if he"s not being responded to."

Crafting a plan to step up the fight against the Islamic State is the most urgent task facing Mr. Mattis. When President Barack Obama left office, half of Mosul remained in the hands of the militants. Tens of thousands of American-backed Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters were closing in on Raqqa, but there was no agreement on which force should seize the capital itself.

The potential options include expanding the use of American Special Operations forces, raising the troop ceilings on United States forces in Iraq and Syria and having the White House delegate more authorities to the Pentagon and its commanders in the field, to speed up decision-making.

A difficult decision also confronts the Pentagon on whether to risk alienating Turkey by arming the Syrian Kurds for the Raqqa battle, or whether to cobble together a more diverse force that could include Turkish troops, Turkish backed opposition groups and perhaps even elements of the Army"s 82nd Airborne Division, as well as Apache helicopters and artillery. Turkey considers the Syrian Kurds terrorists and has been trying to forge closer ties with the Trump administration.

Expanding the American military will also pose challenges because of the soaring cost of some key weapons programs and the ambitious scope of the buildup Mr. Trump is seeking. As the steward of the Pentagon"s nearly $600 billion annual budget, Mr. Mattis will face tough choices, as it seems unlikely that the additional spending Mr. Trump plans for the armed forces can pay for all of the ambitious programs he has promised.

During the campaign, Mr. Trump called for a Navy of 350 ships, up from the current fleet of 272, and to expand the Army to 540,000 troops, an increase of about 65,000. The Air Force and Marines would also grow.

Funding such a military building would be costly. While the Pentagon has yet to outline its spending under the new administration, a paper by Senator John McCain, who heads the Armed Services Committee and is advocating a similar buildup, calls for spending $430 billion more than is currently planned, for the next five years.

Other directives in the works could affect the military. Mr. Trump told ABC News on Wednesday that he would "absolutely do safe zones" in Syria for refugees fleeing the violence there. A draft executive order obtained by The New York Times calls for Mr. Mattis, along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, to produce a plan within 90 days for safe zones in Syria.

Other directives in the works could affect the military. Mr. Trump told ABC News on Wednesday that he would "absolutely do safe zones" in Syria for refugees fleeing the violence there. A draft executive order obtained by The New York Times calls for Mr. Mattis, along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, to produce a plan within 90 days for safe zones in Syria.

In the past, American military officials have warned that such a move would escalate the American involvement in the war in Syria, something the Obama administration staunchly opposed.

Military experts are looking to see who will join Mr. Mattis"s team at the Pentagon - and how many are picked by the new defense secretary himself. Mr. Mattis"s chief of staff will be Kevin M. Sweeney, a retired rear admiral whom Mr. Mattis has known for years. His senior military assistant will be Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller, who previously served as the top operations officer at Central Command when Mr. Mattis was in charge there.

Source NewYorkTimes

Nigerias Senate President Denies Plot to Take Over Presidency

The head of Nigeria’s Senate has quashed rumors that he is plotting to take over the presidency while Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is out of the country.

Bukola Saraki, the president of the upper house of the Nigerian National Assembly, holds the third-highest political office in the West African country, behind Buhari and his Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Buhari, 74, left Nigeria on January 19 for a vacation in the U.K, where he would undergo "routine medical checkups," according to his spokesman Femi Adesina. Osinbajo has been the acting president while Buhari is on vacation.

Nigeria"s Senate President Bukola Saraki (left) Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (center) and King of Morocco Mohammed VI (right) pray at the Nigerian National Mosque in Abuja, December 2, 2016. Saraki has denied he is trying to take over the presidency while Buhari is out of the country. PHILIP OJISUA/AFP/Getty

Saraki issued a statement Wednesday on his website addressing social media speculation that he had held a meeting with Osinbajo and other Nigerian governors in a bid to force Osinbajo to vacate the role of acting president.

“My first initial reaction was to ignore this empty rumour but after being inundated with calls from across the country and abroad, it became necessary for me to make clarifications from our own end,” Saraki said in the statement.

“Such suggestions as contained in the speculation can only bring ill will, disunity and crisis to the country, and I therefore advise the sponsors to desist immediately.”

The Nigerian presidency has also been dismissive of the reports. The political adviser to President Buhari, Babafemi Ojudu, said Wednesday that the story “is simply not true” and urged media outlets not to be “purveyors of fake news,” Nigeria’s Premium Times reported.

Saraki, 54, is a member of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress and a former governor of the western Kwara state. He is currently facing trial on multiple charges of false declaration of assets, which he denies. Nigeria’s Attorney General filed the charges in September 2015 but the trial has suffered multiple delays.

Though his advisers have stressed that Buhari is in rude health, the trip is the second time in less than a year that the Nigerian president has undergone medical treatment in the U.K. During a June 2016 trip to London, Buhari sought specialist treatment for an ear infection, angering medical professionals who felt that the president should have patronized the Nigerian health system.

Nigeria’s Information Minister Lai Mohammed has urged the country’s population to disregard “subversive messages” being circulated via social media and text messages, claiming that the president is unwell.

“There is no iota of truth in the messages being circulated on the health of the president, who is hale and hearty, and the purported emergency meeting of the State Governors in Abuja or anywhere,” said Mohammed in a statement reported by Reuters on Thursday.

Buhari is expected to return to work on February 6, according to his spokesman Adesina.

The head of Nigeria’s Senate has quashed rumors that he is plotting to take over the presidency while Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is out of the country. Osinbajo has been the acting president while Buhari is on vacation. Saraki has denied he is trying to take over the presidency while Buhari is out of the country.

Rumors have abounded since President Buhari went on vacation to the U.K.

 

Watford sign Niang on loan from AC Milan

Watford signed AC Milan forward M"Baye Niang on loan for the rest of the season on Thursday as boss Walter Mazzarri looks to rejuvenate his spluttering side.

The 22-year-old Frenchman, who can play wide or up front, could make his debut in Sunday"s FA Cup fourth-round tie at third-tier Millwall.

Niang arrives at Vicarage Road with the chance to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Niang became the second-youngest scorer in AC Milan history when he netted in a Coppa Italia tie aged 17 years and 350 days in December 2012.

 

Nigeria"s Attorney General, Budget Office give contradictory figures on looted funds

Two top officials of the federal government have provided contradictory figures on the looted funds already recovered by the federal government.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration has made the recovery of looted funds, as well as prosecution of culprits, one of the focus of its anti-corruption war.

While the Director General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, said in December that N72 billion had already been recovered, the Attorney-General of the Federation said on Thursday that N15 billion and $10.5 million (about N3.2 billion), making a total of N18.2 billion, had so far been recovered.

The difference between the two provided figures is over N50 billion and the larger sum was first stated, removing any possibility that the latter figure was an update on the earlier one. It is possible that the figure provided by the attorney general represents only that of the justice ministry while that of the budget office represents that of the others, or of all ministries, departments and agencies; but that distinction was not made by the officials.

Mr. Akabueze made his disclosure while answering questions at the public presentation of the 2017 budget proposals at the State House, Abuja, on December 19.

He said N72 billion of the money had already been recovered, and the targeted N258 billion would be used to partly fund the 2017 budget, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.

“We are projecting N258.6 billion looted funds to be part of the revenue to finance 2017 budget,” Mr. Akabueze said.

“Also to be included in budget financing is $320 million, which is N97.6 billion recovered Abacha loots expected from the Swiss government.

“The balance of N90 billion will be from other expected recovery loots which are now at advance stages,’’ he said.

On Thursday, Mr. Malami disclosed his figure in Abuja when the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters visited the ministry on its oversight function to appraise the 2016 budget performance of the ministry.

“Let me put it on record that the Federal Ministry of Justice has equally significantly recorded success in the recovery drive as it relates to the looted funds,” he was quoted as saying by the News Agency of Nigeria.

“In that regard and direction, over N15 billion has been recovered by the ministry and $10.5 million was equally recovered in that direction,” Mr. Malami said.

None of the two federal officials provided a detailed breakdown of the looted funds including from whom and when.

The justice minister said that exclusive of the recoveries, the revenue profile of his ministry as at December 31, 2016, was N12.4 million.

He said this was generated from sale of journals, renting of part of the headquarters building to commercial entities, use of its conference hall, tender fees and sale of un-serviceable items.

He added that the total expenditure profile of the ministry within the same period was N3.7 billion, including personnel and non-regular allowances.

The chief law officer of the country said that the ministry, by virtue of its mandate, was in a vantage position to articulate and implement the present administration’s broad policy objectives in four major priority areas.

“The anti-corruption campaign, the recovery of stolen national assets, the rule of law component of the anti-terrorism war and the institutionalisation of law and order in all aspects of national life,” he said.

On Nigeria’s non-membership of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, Mr. Malami explained that it will take the collaboration of both the executive and the legislature to scale all the hurdles.

“Among some of the demands required to become a member are the passing of the Money Laundering Act, Proceeds of Crime Act and Autonomy of the Financial Task Force.

“All these bills are still pending before the legislature and have not been passed, so we need to work together to get Nigeria registered.’’

The Chairman of the Committee, David Umaru (APC-Niger) said the 2016 budget was fraught with challenges but noted that the ministry and its parastatals were able to make judicious use of it.

He said the committee was not oblivious of the recent economic challenges in the country and was already preparing for the 2017 budget defence.

Mr. Umaru said the committee would work in consultation with the executive, particularly the justice ministry, to ensure that the budget was passed so as to address the economic situation in the country.

He added that the committee was also working to ensure that all bills necessary to make the work of the ministry and its parastatals easier were been looked into with a view to passing them soon.

A member of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu) decried Nigeria’s non-membership of the FATF.

According to Mr. Utazi, as a country that really wants to fight corruption, if we are on the FATF, it will help us to recover some of the stolen assets.

“Nigeria is not a member of FATF, this is a very important membership which we have not yet gotten and this can help us recover stolen assets since it is one of its core mandates.’’

He lamented that office of the attorneys-general always put in applications for membership every year but failed to follow it through.

The lawmaker said that the shuttle diplomacy Nigeria was engaging in would not yield much without a membership of the FATF as no other member would give Nigeria support unless it was registered.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that N3.9 billion was appropriated for the main ministry in the 2016 budget with overhead cost taking over N1.7 billion.

Two top officials of the federal government have provided contradictory figures on the looted funds already recovered by the federal government. The difference between the two provided figures is over N50 billion and the larger sum was first stated, removing any possibility that the latter figure was an update on the earlier one. It is possible that the figure provided by the attorney general represents only that of the justice ministry while that of the budget office represents that of the others, or of all ministries, departments and agencies; but that distinction was not made by the officials.

Hold Buhari responsible for Nigerias woes Ezeife

Former Governor of Anambra State and ex-Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has told Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible for the spate of unrests in the country especially in the South East geo-political zone with his unguarded utterances.

Ezeife made the assertion in his keynote address as chairman of The Authority newspaper awards ceremony, in Abuja. He warned that if the injustice of marginalisation of the region persists, the entity called Nigeria will be under serious threat.

In his words: “What is Obasanjo’s motive in promoting Igbo President in 2019? It is simply for the survival of Nigeria. The problem of justice and marginalisation has been major sources of conflict between ethnic groups and regions of the country.

“As Obasanjo stated, it was part of his resolve for a just and fair country that made him to work for the emergence of a South South President. On the Ogun front, his home own front, he is advocating now for a governor from Ogun West because they have never produces any governor because of peace and justice. I do not dispute Bishop Akinsho’s assertion about Obasanjo is a special gift for Nigeria.

“If injustice and marginalisation done to the South East of Nigeria persist, then Biafra is a physical political entity. The Biafra as a physical political entity becomes inevitable and one Nigeria sizes to exist. Our people cannot leave without honour as it is now in Nigeria.

“That is why Ndigbo has the highest rate of suicide during the slave trade. They say life without honour is not worth living nor are we still rejected as we do feel now in Nigeria and continue to remain in Nigeria much longer,” he said.

Similarly, Constitutional Lawyer and Human Right Activist, Chief Mike Ozehkhome, who was the Keynote Speaker on the theme True Federalism, argued that the entity called Nigeria is eating under a faulty tripod of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, stressing that: “We have been suffering from the fate of the barbers chair, movement without motion.”

“Ignoring the other ethnic groups especially the so called minority ethnic group will make us continue to experience ethnic violence in the country. There is great injustice in the country. We have 392 ethnic groups in Nigeria and 350 languages not only the faulty tripod of Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo,” he quipped.

Those in attendance include the Deputy Governor of Rivers State who represented the Governor, Nyesom Wike, reps of the Enugu State governor, former governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Dino Melaye, among others.

Ezeife made the assertion in his keynote address as chairman of The Authority newspaper awards ceremony, in Abuja. In his words: “What is Obasanjo’s motive in promoting Igbo President in 2019? The problem of justice and marginalisation has been major sources of conflict between ethnic groups and regions of the country.

Former Governor of Anambra State and ex-Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has told Nigerians to hold President

 

South East should have a go at Nigerias Presidency, says Obasanjo - - tvenews

 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday gave a tacit nod for the South-East geopolitical zone to produce the nation’s President.

He, however, described this position as purely his personal view.

In the same vein, he noted that in the interest of justice and fairness, the Ogun West Senatorial District in Ogun State should be given the chance to produce the next governor of the state.

The former President said this when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, visited him at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta for a special New Year service in his honour.

While declaring that his submissions were his personal view, he pointed  out that the problem of justice and marginalisation had been a major source of conflicts between ethnic and regional divisions in the country.

He said it was part of his resolve for a just and fair country that made him to work for the emergence of a South-South President in 2009.

He said, “But, irrespective of the thinking of the people ahead of the 2019 (elections), I personally think that the South-East should have a go at the Presidency too.

“The same is happening here. If Ijebu and Egba have produced the governor, it is only fair and just to allow the Yewa or Ogun West to also produce governor. Or else, one day, they will also stand up and take up arms against this injustice against them. That is my personal position on this.”

He said, “My findings so far show that everyone is talking from the position of strength. People are not talking from knowledge of what they know and this is not helping. We must be able to dump all our sentiments to overcome the challenges.

“Just like other cases of injustice around us, we need peace; it is only peace with justice that can solve all these crises. Genuine peace is what everyone is craving for and this can only come when there is justice.”

The state Chairman of CAN, Bishop Tunde Akinsanya, described Obasanjo as a special gift to Nigeria and the entire world considering his exploits and fatherly role so far.

The CAN boss commended the former President for facilitating the building of the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, hinting that his administration was also working on similar project in the state.

The CAN boss commended the former President for facilitating the building of the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, hinting that his administration was also working on similar project in the state.

While calling for the support of Obasanjo in actualising the project in the state, he also used the opportunity to congratulate the ex-President on his forthcoming 80th birthday celebration.

He, however, described this position as purely his personal view. In the same vein, he noted that in the interest of justice and fairness, the Ogun West Senatorial District in Ogun State should be given the chance to produce the next governor of the state. The district is the only one that has yet to produce a governor since the creation of the state in 1976.

Samuel Awoyinfa, Abeokuta Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday gave a tacit nod for the South-East geopolitical zone to produce the nation’s President. He, however, described this position as purely his personal view. In the same vein, he noted that in the interest of justice and fairness, the Ogun West Senatorial District in Ogun State …

 

Guinness Nigerias shareholders approve N40b rights issue - Tvenews

 

Shareholders of Guinness Nigeria Plc on Tuesday approved the plan by the company to raise N40 billion in new equity funds.

At the extra-ordinary general meeting in Lagos, shareholders approved the board of directors’ plan to undertake a rights issue of some N40 billion and passed other resolutions authorising the directors to take all necessary actions for the success of the new supplementary issue.

Rights issue is usually offered to existing shareholders at considerable discount to the fair value of the shares. The shares will be allotted to shareholders on the basis of existing shareholdings.

The company had announced at the end of 2016 its intention to offer a rights issue as part of plans to optimize its balance sheet and improve its financial flexibility.

Speaking at the meeting, Babatunde Savage, Chairman, Guinness Nigeria Plc, noted that Guinness Nigeria has been in the country for over 60 years during which it has continued to add significant economic and social value to Nigeria and Nigerians.

“We believe this rights issue will positively impact on the financial performance of Guinness Nigeria and help mitigate the impact of increasing finance costs in what continues to be a challenging economic environment in Nigeria. I call on all my fellow shareholders to take this opportunity and support the company’s objectives,” Savage said.

Read also: Guinness Nigeria’s shareholders meet on N40b rights issue

Also speaking at the meeting, Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc said that the company has good fundamentals and potentials for the future.

“This rights issue in combination with our productivity and cost optimization drive will help provide the fuel to continue to build this business for Nigeria and Nigerians,” Ndegwa said.

Guinness Nigeria, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, was established in 1960 and shareholders base of over 70, 000 local and international shareholders.

Guinness Nigeria last year became the first total beverage company when it acquired rights to distribute international premium spirits like Johnnie Walker and Baileys in Nigeria in January 2016 and later commissioned a spirits line for locally manufactured spirits at its Benin plant in November.

This week, the company is also expected to release its first half results for the 6-month period ended 30 December 2016.

This week, the company is also expected to release its first half results for the 6-month period ended 30 December 2016.

Shareholders of Guinness Nigeria Plc on Tuesday approved the plan by the company to raise N40 billion in new equity funds. At the extra-ordinary general meeting in Lagos, shareholders approved the board of directors’ plan to undertake a rights issue of some N40 billion and passed other resolutions authorising the directors to take all necessary actions for the success of the new supplementary issue. Rights issue is usually offered to existing shareholders at considerable discount to the fair value of the shares.


 

Trump vows federal intervention to quell Chicago gun violence - Tvenews

WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to bring federal intervention to bear in Chicago to quell the "carnage" of gun violence plaguing America"s third-largest city unless local officials can curb the murder rate on their own.

Trump appeared to be seizing on a story published by the Chicago Tribune on Monday reporting at least 228 people shot in the city so far this year, up 5.5 percent from the same period last January, with at least 42 homicides to date, an increase of 23.5 percent.

A Chicago Police Department spokesman, Frank Giancamilli, disputed the Tribune"s numbers, saying there were 182 shootings in the city from Jan. 1 to Jan. 23, "which is exactly flat from last year." He said homicides have numbered 38 year to date, compared with 33 for this time in 2016.

Still, the Tribune said its latest figures put the city on track to exceed last January"s 50 homicides, the most for that month in at least 16 years. Chicago"s homicide toll for 2016 as a whole reached 762 killings, the most in 20 years.

"If Chicago doesn"t fix the horrible "carnage" going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!" the president said in a Twitter post.

It was not clear what Trump meant by "the Feds," or what kind of unilateral government intervention he could order to address the issue.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson responded by saying he was "more than willing to work" in partnership with U.S. law enforcement and to help "boost federal prosecution rates for gun crimes in Chicago."

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson said in a Twitter post: "We need a plan, not a threat. We need jobs, not jails."

Urban violence, drug trafficking and poverty were recurring themes in Trump"s campaign appearances, and he periodically has cited Chicago as an example of rising inner city crime, which ticked up nationally in 2016 after a two-decade decline.

Speaking in his inauguration address about drugs and crime that "have stolen too many lives," Trump declared: "This American carnage stops right here and stops right now."

Chicago, with a population of 2.7 million, posted more shootings and homicides last year than any other U.S. city, according to FBI and Chicago police data, and its murder clearance rate, a measure of solved and closed cases, is one of the country"s lowest.

On Jan. 2, Trump tweeted about Chicago"s effort to lower its murder rate, saying: "If Mayor can"t do it he must ask for Federal help!"

A spokesman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to Trump"s Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, said then that the mayor welcomed the prospect of working with Trump and that the two men had previously spoken together on the issue.

(Additional reporting by Timothy McLaughlin in Chicago and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Sandra Maler and Michael Perry)

Trump appeared to be seizing on a story published by the Chicago Tribune on Monday reporting at least 228 people shot in the city so far this year, up 5.5 percent from the same period last January, with at least 42 homicides to date, an increase of 23.5 percent. Still, the Tribune said its latest figures put the city on track to exceed last January"s 50 homicides, the most for that month in at least 16 years. Chicago"s homicide toll for 2016 as a whole reached 762 killings, the most in 20 years.


 

Trump orders Mexican border barricade, bans citizens of 6 countries from US [See List] - Tvenews

Trump orders Mexican border barricade, bans citizens of 6 countries from US [See List]

President Donald Trump has ordered that the erection of wall along the US-Mexico border begin Wednesday.

He said this yesterday as he unveiled his actions on border and national security.

He has indicated temporary ban on immigration from Muslim countries deemed a ‘threat to national security’.

Trump will also sign other domestic immigration enforcement measures that will include targeting sanctuary cities that decline to prosecute undocumented aliens.

The president posted a tweet on Tuesday evening signaling that major announcements were in the offing.

‘Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow (Wenesday)’, Trump tweeted.

‘Among many other things, we will build the wall!’

The new Trump directives will also stop most refugees including those from Syria coming to America while vetting processes are reviewed.

The one exception is religious minorities fleeing persecution – which would apply to Christians fleeing Syria and other Muslim majority countries.

In total the 6 immediate actions are as follows: Release of funds toward the construction of a wall along the southern border; Target so-called ‘sanctuary’ cities that decline to prosecute undocumented aliens; Institute a four-month freeze on admission of all refugees.

Others are Temporarily ban nationals from Muslim-majority countries that are ‘terror prone’; Halt visas to people from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen; Grant exceptions to Christians and other minorities fleeing Muslim persecution.

President Donald Trump has ordered that the erection of wall along the US-Mexico border begin Wednesday. He said this yesterday as he unveiled his actions on border and national security. Trump will also sign other domestic immigration enforcement measures that will include targeting sanctuary cities that decline to prosecute undocumented aliens.

 

The Fulani Republic of Nigeria (Part 2) By Femi Fani-Kayode

Clearly something has gone horribly wrong and this reinforces my belief that the amalgamation of the northern and southern regions of Nigeria in 1914 was not just a mistake but a demonically-inspired, craftily- contrived and premeditated satanic conspiracy by the British to destroy the greatness and enormous human potentials of the people of the south and the Middle Belt of Nigeria.

I do not believe in and neither do I respect a man-made, artificial, hybrid, mongrel-state like Nigeria which has forcefully lumped my people together with those that are inherently fascistic and racist, that are culturally and historically inferior, that are intellectually defective and that are nothing more than genocidal maniacs, ethnic vagabonds, wandering herdsmen, cow-loving jihadists and Islamic fundamentalists.

We have nothing in common with them physically, spiritually, culturally, historically and genetically. We are indigenous black Africans but they are not. They come from Berber, Taurag and Futan Jalon stòck. They are not and were never from here and neither were they ever part of us.

And neither was there ever one Nigeria in the true sense of the word. That erroneous misconception and misguided notion is nothing but a monumental fraud.

I am an Ife before being a Nigerian. I am a Yoruba before being a Nigerian. I am a southerner before being a Nigerian. I am a Christian before being a Nigerian.

And unlike others I am not prepared to sacrifice my ethnic identity and nationaliy or my religious faith on the alter of a servile, cowering and slavish puppet-state called Nigeria.

I consider those in the international community that seek to compel me and my people, the good people of the south and the Middle Belt, to stay in a united Nigeria where we are nothing but canon-fodder for Islamist terrorists, sport for Janjaweed herdsmen and food for Haramite dogs as nothing but globalist slime.

I consider those from outside our shores that expect us to remain in this debilitating and traumatising zoo and madhouse called Nigeria where we have been systematically reduced to grovelling quislings and shivering slaves as nothing but closet-islamists and neo-imperialist scum.

They have an Obama mindset.  They believe in espousing and accomodating evil and in sleeping with the enemy. They believe in light and darkness merging together as one and in darkness contaminating and overwhelming the light.

They believe in the spreading of death, disease, destruction, suffering, persecution, poverty, barreness, corruption, evil, heartlessness, decay and terror.

I am very different. I have a Trump mindset. I believe in helping my friends and fighting my enemies. I believe in calling a spade a spade. I believe that the essence and purpose of light is not to cohabit with darkness but to identify it, expose it, drive it out and destroy it.

I believe in life, goodness, mecy, justice, charity, love, kindness, courage, faith and a Living God that protects His own and showers His children with peace, blessings, joy, prosperity and abundance.

I believe that radical Islam and those that seek to conquer and subjugate my people by assimilation and the acquisition of political power in the name of ethnic superiority should not be pampered and espoused but rather should be confronted, resisted and destroyed.

Nigeria needs to be restructured or broken. And it is left to us, the real leaders that are prepared to stand up and speak truth to power and that are ready to offer ourselves as the voice of the voiceless, to do it.

We must be bold. We must be strong. We must be brave. We must take our destiny into our own hands.

We must resist the devil and the evil and set ourselves free. The Yoruba deserve better. The Igbo deserve better. The Niger Deltans deserve better. The Mid-Westerners deserve better.

The Middle Belters deserve better. The Christians of the north deserve better. We ALL deserve better.

Better we deserve and, whether our collective oppressors and adversaries accept it or not, one way or the other, better we shall get.

The bottom line is this: our country cannot be described as the Federal Republic of Nigeria but rather the Fulani Republic of Nigeria.

And as long as this remains the case she must either be quickly restructured and given a new name or she must be broken up and carved into two or more pieces. No-one was born to be a slave and no-one was born to rule. May God help and deliver us.

In response to Part 1 of this contribution, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, a well respected columnist with the Guardian newspaper and one of the most respected and insightful journalists in Nigeria, said the following:

“Sir, I share your pains. But this endless lamentations shall take us nowhere. The Israelis understand so well the Islamic mindset which seeks what it does not or cannot give. The Arabs want always to thrive on their own terms in the West and elsewhere yet in their enclave a man cannot do as little as renounce Islam for Christianity. Butchering of humans is not an exclusive occupation of one group against another group. If nothing including government intervention is able to stop the butchering of Southerners and Christians in Nigeria by the Fulanis, and since self preservation is not negotiable, I suggest those being butchered should adopt counter-butchering as a defence policy until reason prevails. It is a well known fact that Islam does not spread by persuasion but by conquest and that is not going to change in this generation. From its tiny location in Medina, Islam conquered Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa and substantial part of Asia. The Jihadist entered Europe and in fact occupied Spain for centuries before they were disloged. But it wasn’t so in Turkey where Christianity was obliterated and Islam established. Mordern day Turkey was part of the Eastern Roman Empire with headquarters in Constantinople (Istanbul). It was founded by Emperor Constantine who marked the turning point in the history of Christianity. Today Turkey from where most of the acts of Apostle Paul were derived is all Islam. The Armenians were butchered by the Ottoman army in a brutal quest to obliterate centuries of Christian tradition in Turkey. I even hear that the special cannon equivalent of today’s large-impact bomb with which the Sultan sacked Constantinopole was produced by a Burgarian. As it is, Europe, the Americas and Asia as they are today are not open to further Islamic conquest. The only open and soft field remain Christian nations or enclaves in Africa. The earlier we understand this and prepare for ceaseless jihads the better for us. Issues in the Islamic doctrine are hardly determined by engagement; everything is settled with the sword. When the terror is balanced, perhaps there may be peace. It calls for eternal vigilance not only in the sense of endless advocacy but more in terms of specific action plans to put up a formidable military resistance against the sustained carnage. Just my thoughts sir”.

I wholeheartedly concur with Ogbodo’s observations. Not only has he spoken the truth and hit the nail on the head but he has also spoken the minds of millions.

It is time for those that enjoy to butcher others at the drop of a hat to be reminded of the fact that they do not have a monopoly of violence.

It is time for those that enjoy to butcher others at the drop of a hat to be reminded of the fact that they do not have a monopoly of violence.

Yet despite all the horror that is being inflicted upon our people by the jihadists and ethnic supremacists in our midst all is not lost.

Comforting were the words of President Donald  J. Trump, the new leader of the free world, at his inauguration on 20th January. He said,

“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and UNITE the civilized world against RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM which we will ERADICATE from THE FACE OF THE EARTH….. ……There should be NO FEAR. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement. And most importantly, we will be PROTECTED BY GOD.”

These words bring hope and give strength. They are deeply encouraging. We needed to hear them and the lifeline and inspiration that they offer now more than ever before.

This is especially so in view of the fact that no less than 14 young pro-Biafran IPOB members were shot dead in the streets of Port Harcourt on January 20th by the Fulani President of the Fulani Republic of Nigeria’s security forces simply because they dared to take part in a solidarity rally and peaceful celebration of President Trump’s inauguration. They were murdered simply because they supported Trump.

Their blood, together with the blood of the 808 Christians that were butchered by the government-sponsored and protected radical islamist Janjaweed Fulani militias in the sanctity of their homes in Southern Kafanchan on Christmas eve and Christmas day, will not be shed in vain.

It will cry to God in Heaven for vengeance and it  will speak death and destruction into the ranks and lives of our collective oppressors and those that seek to enslave us and keep us in bondage forever. Thus sayest the Spirit of the Lord and that is the counsel and decree of the Ancient of Days.

Permit me to conclude this contribution with an aside. I write the most painful and bitter truths that few dare to write because I do not know tomorrow.

I write what others dare not to write because when my maker calls me home what will I say to Him if I fail to impart the profound knowledge and deep insight that He gave me. What will I do or say when He asks me what I did with the deep secrets and hidden and mystical truths that he asked me to share with my fellow men when I was in the land of the living.

That is why I write: that God will not judge me or decree and declare me a worthless coward before the Hosts of Heaven when my time comes.

I write every essay as if it were my last knowing that those who despise and deny truth and who hate me with a perfect hatred wish me dead or silenced.

Yet even if and when I fall my words will linger and continue to speak powerfully into history and eternity.

Posterity will judge between me and my traducers and I will be vindicated and proved right in the end.

For these are not my words but the words of the Holy Spirit that resides in me and that guides me.

I do not believe in and neither do I respect a man-made, artificial, hybrid, mongrel-state like Nigeria which has forcefully lumped my people together with those that are inherently fascistic and racist, that are culturally and historically inferior, that are intellectually defective and that are nothing more than genocidal maniacs, ethnic vagabonds, wandering herdsmen, cow-loving jihadists and Islamic fundamentalists. We have nothing in common with them physically, spiritually, culturally, historically and genetically. We are indigenous black Africans but they are not.

Clearly something has gone horribly wrong and this reinforces my belief that the amalgamation of the northern and southern regions..

 

Nigeria"s aviation sector hits turbulence - tvenews

Nigeria"s aviation sector hits turbulence, Nigeria may consider itself a regional aviation hub but years of mismanagement and now recession have blighted domestic airline operations, making delays and cancellations the norm.

Industry experts say the sector needs a fundamental overhaul, pointing to opaque management practices, rampant corruption and risks for passengers from security and dilapidated infrastructure.

Arik Air, which has a 60 percent share of domestic flights and is the country’s biggest private carrier, has found itself increasingly in the firing line of disgruntled passengers.

Earlier this month, irate passengers beat up one of its executives at Lagos international airport after the third consecutive cancellation of their flight to Johannesburg.

In December, Arik operations were grounded by a 24-hour strike by employees demanding the payment of seven months arrears in salary.

There was no response from Arik when asked to comment on the situation by AFP.

Other domestic operators are struggling. Aero Contractors, the second biggest carrier, stopped services for four months at the end of last year because of “serious financial difficulties”.

For John Ojikutu, an aviation security consultant, most Nigerian airlines run their businesses like a grocery store.

“They just want to make profit,” he told AFP.

“They just want to make profit,” he told AFP.

The result is airlines in Nigeria generally have a short life span: in 35 years more than 40 operators have gone bust, including Nigeria Airways, which collapsed in 2003.

– Dollar shortage –

Ojikutu said the airlines are heavily in debt and “taking advantage” of the country.

“People are… operating without paying the fuel marketers, without paying their staff, without paying for the services they’re given (insurance, maintenance),” he said.

“If they are not making profit, the question is what do they really do with all this money?… They are selling tickets every day.

“As long as we don’t have a strong, credible, independent regulatory agency we cannot have a viable aviation industry in this country.”

In their defence, the airlines blame a lack of foreign currency that has left them unable to pay fuel suppliers or, in some cases, landing charges at airports outside Nigeria.

Nigeria is one of Africa’s main oil producers but is forced to export crude and import petroleum products because of a lack of domestic refining capacity.

The fall in the price of crude on international markets has seen the naira currency lose value against the dollar and Nigerian banks no longer have enough liquidity.

Foreign airlines such as United and Iberia have stopped flights to Nigeria because of difficulties in repatriating profits in dollars.

In September last year, members of the House of Representatives asked the government to declare a state of emergency in the aviation sector, saying 160,000 jobs were at risk.

– Airport closure –

Two years ago, the Nigerian state got on the board of several airlines, including Arik and Aero, through its Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.

But according to Ojikutu, no serious audit has been carried out to evaluate the real financial situation of the companies.

“Funders and banks may have been too lenient in granting credit to Nigerian airlines for excessive expansion on the basis that somehow government (or AMCON) will step in to protect banks from failing due to non-performing loans to airlines,” added Joachim Vermooten, an expert in transport economics at the University Johannesburg.

Another major challenge is upgrading ageing infrastructure which cannot handle the millions of passengers who now travel every day through Nigerian airports.

From early March for example, the airport in Abuja will close for six weeks for major resurfacing work on the only runway serving the federal capital.

The runway, which was built in 1982 with a life span of 20 years, is now “completely gone” and “unsafe for operation”, according to the aviation minister Hadi Sirika.

“The entire structure of the runway has failed,” he has said.

Passengers for Abuja will have to land at Kaduna, some 200 kilometres to the north, and transit to the capital by bus on a road known for frequent kidnappings.

The airport closure is the talk of Abuja, underlining not just Nigeria’s reliance on air transport but the lack of a viable alternative.

Nigeria may consider itself a regional aviation hub but years of mismanagement and now recession have blighted domestic airline operations, making delays and cancellations the norm. Industry experts say the sector needs a fundamental overhaul, pointing to opaque management practices, rampant corruption and risks for passengers from security and dilapidated infrastructure. Arik Air, which has a 60 percent share of domestic flights and is the country’s biggest private carrier, has found itself increasingly in the firing line of disgruntled passengers.

Nigeria wasnt created by chance or error, saysObasanjo - tvenews

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, paid a visit to ex President Olusegun Obasanjo at his country home in Ibogun-Olaogun village, Ifo local government area of Ogun State.

Jonathan arrived Ibogun in company of former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki and other close aides at exactly 11.58 a.m, quickly went into a private meeting with Obasanjo, which lasted for almost two hours.

Emerging from the private meeting, however, Obasanjo, who did not disclose the details of the parley, while briefing reporters, tasked world leaders to learn from his own exemplary leadership style and that of Jonathan.

He remarked that Nigeria was neither created by error nor by chance and urged Nigerians, especially leaders to continue working together for the success of the country.

“Nigeria is a good country and we must never be tired of lifting the country up to the height that God has created it to be.” Obasanjo noted. He stated further that “God has created it to be and God did not make a mistake when He put all of us together and if He doesn’t want us to be together, no power in the world would have made us come together”.

Obasanjo implored Jonathan to contribute his own quota to the development of Nigeria and African continent at large. “I believe that not only Nigeria, West Africa and Africa and indeed the world will continue to tap into our experiences, our wisdom. And I hope and pray that when the call is made to you, you will be more than ready to put your experience, the lessons you have learnt into the service of this country, for Africa and indeed for humanity in general.

“I have said to you (Jonathan) before and I will say again that there are plenty of opportunities out there, within the country, within West Africa, within Africa and indeed in the larger world where people will want you to make contributions.

Former President Jonathan, however, declined to speak to journalists on the essence of the visit and meeting with Obasanjo, insisting “it was a private visit”.

In his brief remark, Turaki expressed his delight and appreciated Obasanjo for extending his hand of fellowship to Jonathan as well as his consistent guidance.

He remarked that Nigeria was neither created by error nor by chance and urged Nigerians, especially leaders to continue working together for the success of the country. “Nigeria is a good country and we must never be tired of lifting the country up to the height that God has created it to be.” Obasanjo noted. He stated further that “God has created it to be and God did not make a mistake when He put all of us together and if He doesn’t want us to be together, no power in the world would have made us come together”.

your comment is welcomed...

 

 

Trump takes charge: 45th president vowing "robust" first 100 days - tvenews

The moment Donald Trump swears the oath of office and lifts his hand from the Bible as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, the clock begins on his first 100 days.

And within hours, the man who campaigned as an outsider vowing to shake up Washington will have his chance to start rolling back his predecessor"s legacy while forging his own.

The president-elect is set to take the oath shortly before noon, after spending Thursday meeting with supporters and getting his team in place. Incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer would not give specific details about the extent and timing of Trump"s promised actions to turn back some of President Obama"s policies -- but he promised a "robust" start.

"Make no mistake, we’re ready to go on Day One," he said Thursday. Spicer said earlier that Trump has a "few" executive actions, "probably in the area of four to five, that we"re looking at on Friday."

From there, Trump will be under pressure to begin working on his 100 days bucket list, which he detailed in a speech delivered in Gettysburg, Pa., last October.

Trump"s "Contract with the American Voter" outlines his plans for the “kind of change that only arrives once in a lifetime” -- including 18 major action items. Based on that contract, here"s some of the more significant changes the 45th president could have in store for America:

Health Care

Trump wants to "fully" repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it -- with what, is not yet entirely clear. His campaign plan called for using "Health Savings Accounts," and allowing insurance to be bought across state lines. Trump says he"s still working out the details and will soon have a new proposal, which based on recent interviews also could include taking on the pharmaceutical industry.

Immigration

Trump has vowed to cancel "all federal funding" for so-called sanctuary cities as he moves to toughen immigration enforcement. He"s vowed to "begin removing" the "criminal illegal immigrants" from the country at the start of his term, and to suspend immigration from "terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur."

Trump also promised to work with Congress to introduce a so-called "End Illegal Immigration Act," which would seek a range of changes including setting a two-year minimum federal prison sentence for illegaly re-entering the country after a prior deportation. The legislation, according to his campaign document, also would "fully" fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall, with the understanding that Mexico would reimburse the money -- something Mexican politicians say they won"t do.

Trump also could move to turn back some of Obama"s executive actions that gave a deportation reprieve to some illegal immigrants.

Government Reform

Trump has vowed a set of ethics measures as part of his "drain the swamp" mantra.

While Democrats have accused Trump of not living up to that pledge given the connections of some of his Cabinet nominees, he set ambitious targets during the campaign. This included a constitutional amendment to set term limits on members of Congress; a hiring freeze on federal employees; a requirement that any new regulation be offset by the elimination of two existing regulations; a five-year ban on White House officials becoming lobbyists after leaving government; and a permanent ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.

American Workers

Trump talked tough on trade even before he was a candidate, and is vowing to turn those words into action in the White House.

He has said he"d direct his Treasury secretary to label China a currency manipulator; remove restrictions on American energy production; allow projects like the Keystone pipeline to move forward; and direct certain U.N. funding toward American infrastructure projects.

Trump also said he"d work with Congress on legislation meant to grow the economy 4 percent per year and create at least 25 million jobs. The package would include tax reforms, trade reforms and regulatory relief, as well as help for the energy industry. On taxes, his campaign vowed to cut the number of tax brackets from seven to three and lower the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent.

Further Trump says he"d establish tariffs to discourage companies from offshoring.

Expectations

Trump would hardly be alone in turning back some of his predecessor"s policies.

According to the website FiveThirtyEight, Obama signed 19 new executive orders and reversed nine of the orders signed by President George W. Bush in his first 100 days. Eight years earlier, Bush signed 11 new executive orders and revoked 4 Clinton-era actions.

The 100-day benchmark dates back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who came into office in 1933 and unleashed a flurry of activity. Over the course of 105 days, Congress passed 76 bills – far exceeding current trends.

By contrast, statistics compiled by Govtrack show just seven bills were passed during George W. Bush’s first 100 days in 2001, and 11 in Obama’s in 2009.

“I am not sure it is as relevant as it once was in this age of new media and increased partisanship. The historical comparison to FDR is not a good gauge since he came into office at a time of national crisis with Democratic control of Congress and a mandate to act,” said Karlyn Bowman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Jason Grumet, president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, agrees that the measure is out of step with current legislative and political realities.

“The whole idea of 100-day agenda is fundamentally at odds with the political reality of 2017 and actually has the potential to undermine the presidency if [Trump] chooses to run roughshod over the Congress,” he told FoxNews.com.

The 100 days may not be important in historical terms, but it is important in setting a tone.

“While Trump needs to get off to a clean start and take quick, decisive action, I think he would be well-advised to break his agenda into three parts – a hundred hours, weeks and months,” said Bill Whalen, a research fellow with the Hoover Institution.

In the meantime, Whalen suggests the new administration address the issues most important to his base – repealing ObamaCare and the Supreme Court.

A Politico/Harvard University poll found Trump voters rank ObamaCare as their top priority. However, it is only the second priority for the general public.

Several political and policy obstacles lie in the administration’s path starting with the confirmation of Rep. Tom Price as secretary of Health and Human Services, noted Paul Howard, director of health policy at the Manhattan Institute.

“The good thing is that the last administration has left behind a lot of administrative flexibility to lay the groundwork for repealing ObamaCare, but it is crucial they get Price confirmed and get some victories behind him,” he said.

According to Howard, if the intention is to simultaneously repeal and replace the law, Trump will need to cut some deals with moderate Democrats to avoid the mistake Obama made in passing it.

“The president has wide latitude to act on trade issues, so one of the significant early questions will be how willing Congress will be to accept his authority on trade,” Grumet said.

The moment Donald Trump swears the oath of office and lifts his hand from the Bible as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, the clock begins on his first 100 days. Eight years earlier, Bush signed 11 new executive orders and revoked 4 Clinton-era actions. The 100-day benchmark dates back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who came into office in 1933 and unleashed a flurry of activity.

Bitcoin, Altcoins Set To Capitalize on Central Bank of Nigeria Blockchain Moves - tvenews

A circular from the Central Bank of Nigeria speaks of the committee that will produce the policies for blockchain regulation in Nigeria, and operational framework for instituting a domestic cryptocurrency in Nigeria.

Supposedly reactionary Nigerian financial regulators have suddenly begun to pay attention to the cryptocurrency industry. Multiple publications from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released recently, stress the use of Blockchain in the country.

Most recent among these publications is a circular from the CBN to commercial banks requesting nominations of representatives to the committee that will produce the policies and guidelines that will guide Blockchain regulation in Nigeria, and also generate the operational framework for instituting a domestic cryptocurrency in Nigeria.

According to the circular, Blockchain technology is gradually becoming a pervasive platform in the conduct of modern payments. It has presented itself to the world of payments by giving strong value propositions around security, digitalization and trust.

There have been mixed reactions from citizens towards this sudden interest by the Nigerian financial system regulators.

Considering the present crisis rocking the system, which appears to have overwhelmed the capacity of the key players within, Olukunle Taiwo, PRO at the Cryptographic Development Initiative of Nigeria (CDIN), thinks that these agencies are only being political with their recent moves.

Taiwo says that what is unfolding is simply a struggle for relevance and a quest to appeal to the confidence of the citizens which have been long lost.

Taiwo says:

“The CBN is only trying to be politically relevant. At the moment, they are all about impressing the public whose confidence they have lost by their inability to navigate the country out of recession.”

The CEO of Hyperchain Technologies, Chigozie Ononiwu, holds a more optimistic opinion with regards to the development.

Ononiwu tells Cointelegraph that the recent interest and news media reports attributed to SEC and CBN is a blessing in disguise to Blockchain, Bitcoin and Altcoin adoption by the mainstream. Ononiwu says that their actions are offering the public the opportunity to acquire an insight into the mindset of the government and monetary regulation authorities.

According to Ononiwu, the government is concerned that Bitcoin/Altcoins are being used to siphon stolen money in and out of Nigeria. They want the public to self-regulate by putting in place AML/KYC compliance mechanisms to mitigate against corrupt practices, he says. As for the CBN’s letter to the banks, it is, in his opinion, an indirect endorsement of all things Blockchain. They have realized the inevitable crowning of Blockchain as the backbone for all future technologies.

Ononiwu concludes:

A circular from the Central Bank of Nigeria speaks of the committee that will produce the policies for blockchain regulation in Nigeria, and operational framework for instituting a domestic cryptocurrency in Nigeria.

 

11 dead as police, Nigerian army allegedly shoot unarmed Biafrans celebrating Trump"s inauguration in Rivers - tvnews

Reports reaching Tvnews.com indicates that the Nigerian police and army allegedly shot unarmed Biafrans celebrating the inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state.

According to reports, the media and publicity ‎secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, alleged that no fewer than 11 members of the pro-Biafra group have been shot dead by security operatives.

“They have attacked our people; 11 have been confirmed dead, many others have bullet wounds”, he claimed in the statement," he said.

He alleged that the attack was carried out by the police, the army and the Department of State Services.

A twitter user Anioke Collins, said Biafrians were been shot by police officers at Igwuocha area of the state.

It was reported earlier that pro-Biafra supporters took to the street in the Port Harcourt to march in solidarity to Trump.

Biafra supporters have always expressed their support for Trump hoping he will help them achieve the actualization for Biafra.

See photos below:

Recall that members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) visited Trump tower in New York to commence the "Biafra For Trump Solidarity Rally".

They also passed a message concerning the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, their leader and the director of Radio Biafra who remains in custody since the middle of October 2015.

He alleged that the attack was carried out by the police, the army and the Department of State Services. A twitter user Anioke Collins, said Biafrians were been shot by police officers at Igwuocha area of the state. It was reported earlier that pro-Biafra supporters took to the street in the Port Harcourt to march in solidarity to Trump.

Inter Milan agree fee with Roma for Gunners target Kostas Manolas? - tvenews

Arsenal will reportedly miss out on Roma defender Kostas Manolas with Inter Milan agreeing a fee for the player.

That is according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who say a £36.3million switch is set to go through in the summer, meaning the Gunners and Manchester United will fail to land the stopper.

Manolas" agent confirmed last week that Roma had rejected a £34.6million approach from Arsenal last summer but that the 25-year-old would leave his current club at the end of this campaign.

The centre-half as made 22 appearances so far this term.

Former Arsenal hitman Emmanuel Adebayor believes his old side are too reliant on star duo Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

The Chile and German stars have become the two key men at the Emirates since their respective arrivals from Spanish football and are leading Arsene Wenger"s side in their title challenge this season, writes Mirror Football"s Alex Richards.

“Arsenal have a good team but if Sanchez gets injured I don’t know who they’ve got," Adebayor told The Guardian.

"If you look at Chelsea, when Hazard gets injured they’ve got Willian; if Willian gets injured they can still play Moses further forward.

"Arsenal’s problem is that today they are just Ozil and Sanchez. If one of them gets injured, it is a problem.”

Carl Jenkinson"s move to Crystal Palace is OFF.

Arsenal full back Jenkinson was keen to make the switch to link up again with Sam Allardyce after having a successful loan spell under him at West Ham, writes Mirror Football"s John Cross.

But Palace pulled the plug as they could not agree terms or a deal with Arsenal which was a major disappointment for Jenkinson.

Palace"s wage structure appears to be causing problems in their attempts to sign players as Allardyce has been left frustrated in getting deals over the line.

Arsenal will reportedly miss out on Roma defender Kostas Manolas with Inter Milan agreeing a fee for the player. That is according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who say a £36.3million switch is set to go through in the summer, meaning the Gunners and Manchester United will fail to land the stopper. Manolas" agent confirmed last week that Roma had rejected a £34.6million approach from Arsenal last summer but that the 25-year-old would leave his current club at the end of this campaign.

Jonathan not invited to Trumps inauguration, says aide - tvenews

Former Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has not been invited to the inauguration of new United States President Donald Trump taking place on Friday, his media adviser said in a statement.

According to  Mr Ikechukwu Eze, reports in the social media that the former President has been invited for the inauguration ceremony in Washington were patently false.

Eze said further: “It may interest you to know that the office of the former president did not receive any invitation to Trump’s inauguration, and we are wondering why that should now be a matter for debate online.”

“Its news to us that former President Jonathan was invited for Trump’s inauguration by the US government. I spoke with the former president today and he is in Nigeria and has no intention of travelling to the US or any other country for that matter”.

He added that “all that you hear or read in the social media is not correct. The former president was not invited by anybody for the ceremony”.

According to  Mr Ikechukwu Eze, reports in the social media that the former President has been invited for the inauguration ceremony in Washington were patently false. I spoke with the former president today and he is in Nigeria and has no intention of travelling to the US or any other country for that matter”. He added that “all that you hear or read in the social media is not correct.

 

Sport News: Worse Start For John Obi Mikel In His New Club - tvenews

John Obi Mikel made his debut for Tianjin TEDA on Wednesday, in their 2-1 friendly defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach U23 at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.

Wearing jersey no. 10, the midfielder was unable to rescue Jaime Pacheco’s men from bowing to the German youth side in the friendly encounter.

Zhou Tong got TEDA’s lone strike as Mikel was replaced in the second half alongside debutant, Wang Dong and Zhou Liao and Goodley.

The Nigeria international left Chelsea on a free transfer, having been allowed to depart the Stamford Bridge after failing to make an impression on the first team under Antonio Conte.

TEDA continue their winter training in Tianjin as they step up preparation for the new season having placed 11th in the Chinese Super League with 36 points from 30 games.

The Super Eagles midfielder could not rescue the Tianjin Tigers on his maiden appearance since joining from Chelsea. Wearing jersey no. 10, the midfielder was unable to rescue Jaime Pacheco’s men from bowing to the German youth side in the friendly encounter.

 

source GQ234.com

Wenger concerned by Chinese spending power - tvenews

Wenger is currently locked in talks with Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez as the pair reportedly seek parity with the best-paid players in the Premier League.

The Arsenal manager is hoping for successful resolutions to those contract stand-offs, but he believes the money on offer in the China Super League may persuade the Premier League"s star names to ask for even bigger pay packets to stay in England.

Two of his former Chelsea team-mates, Oscar and John Obi Mikel, have already moved to Super League outfits, while former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez became the highest-earning player in the world when he joined Shanghai Shenhua in December.

"That"s the danger, that the Chinese offers become the benchmark for Europe," Wenger said on Thursday when asked if the money on offer in China could complicate negotiations with top players.

"You cannot compete with that but I still think that, when you"re a footballer, the first thing is that you want to play against the best players in the best teams.

"Of course it"s a worry but it happened in Europe before. It also happens when you"re at a smaller club.

"Sometimes we had periods where we could not financially compete with the bigger clubs who took our players away from us. It can happen inside the country."

Despite his fears, Wenger is confident most leading players would want the prestige of playing Europe"s superpowers rather than uproot for financial gains in the much less heralded Chinese league.

"My thought is that when you want to be a football player, your first aspiration is to play in the best league, against the best players," he said.

"That has to be the first target, after that when you are a professional football player you want to combine the fact you can play in the best league, against the best players, for the maximum amount of money.

"I think that combination is the best in England at the moment, so I don"t see why the players should leave the English Premier League.

"But China has moved forward, tries to promote football and I"m happy that football becomes very popular in China, but I still think most of the players, of the big players, will stay in Europe at the moment."

 

Neymar"s five-a-side tourney debuts in Nigeria - Tvenews

A five-a-side tournament named after football star, Neymar Jnr., will debut in Nigeria in March this year, the organisers have said.

The unique competition, which was launched by Neymar in December 2015 in Brazil, will be kicking off for the first time in Africa and aims to attract the nation"s most talented street footballers.
The 2017 qualification rounds will be held across 10 locations, with two days of group stage qualifications before a final knock-out round for the top scoring teams. Games are quick, fast paced, and each team will get to play at least twice in the group stages.

An online site, www.neymarjrsfive.com has been created to facilitate the processes. With free registration, demand is high, and total teams allowed into the tournament are limited. This means teams need to register online to guarantee their spot or show up on day 1 at 9.00 a.m. to register in person at their selected qualification location.

Nigeria"s national champions will be flown out to play in the world final in July in Brazil, all-expense paid. The best scorer would also get an opportunity to have trials with ABS FC of Ilorin, one of the sponsors of the Neymar Jr"s five. Other sponsors of the competition in Nigeria are Snickers, while Red Bull is the official partner worldwide.

More than 65,000 players from 47 countries signed up to play in the first year of Neymar Jr"s Five and the organizers say this year promises to be even bigger. This year"s tournament is open to teams of five to seven players, aged 16 to 25, and for the first time, two over-aged players are allowed on the squad.

Two substitutions are to be made by groups and there"s no gender discrimination, which means both male and female players can make up a team. No goalkeeper is allowed, as no player can obstruct the goal with his or her hands nor venture inside the goal zone.

The teams will set out in the hope of making it all the way from the qualifiers, to their national final and on to the World Final in July 2017, at the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr in Praia Grande, Brazil.

source Guardians ng

Donald Trump"s Cabinet is complete: No Latinos for the first time since 1989 - Tvenews

This is our look at President-elect Donald Trump"s transition and the outgoing Obama administration:

Donald Trump’s preferred Cabinet is now complete — and it’s the least diverse by any president, Republican or Democrat, since the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan. It’s also the first since 1989 not to include a Latino member.

Overwhelmingly, Trump’s Cabinet is white and male. The 15 formal slots include one African American man, secretary of Housing and Urban Development-designate Ben Carson; an Asian American woman, secretary of Transportation-designate Elaine Chao; and a white woman, Betsy DeVos, Trump"s pick to run the Department of Education.

All Cabinet selections must be confirmed by the Senate.

Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday that the absence of Latinos in the high ranks of Trump’s administration — following a campaign in which the president-elect was often critical of them — should not be considered a breach of his promise to represent all Americans.

“He is here to serve all,” Spicer said.

“He is here to serve all,” Spicer said.

“The number one thing that I think Americans should focus on, is he hiring the best and the brightest? Is he hiring people who are committed to enacting real change, respecting taxpayers, bringing about an agenda that will create jobs, lift up wages?"

He said Trump’s administration will include “diversity in gender and diversity in thinking and a diversity of ideology. So, it’s not just about, you know, skin color or ethnic heritage.”

Asked whether he meant to imply that no Latino candidate made the cut as among the “best and the brightest”, Spicer sharply retorted: “That’s not what I said.”

He added that other jobs remained to be filled: “I caution you to stay tuned.”

Trump’s Thursday designation of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as secretary of Agriculture completed his Cabinet selections.

At least one Latino, former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, interviewed for the job. On Wednesday night, he tweeted a picture from the lobby of the Trump International hotel a few blocks from the White House of “a beautiful bottle of Trump Sparkling Wine.”

Donald Trump’s preferred Cabinet is now complete — and it’s the least diverse by any president, Republican or Democrat, since the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan. It’s also the first since 1989 not to include a Latino member. Overwhelmingly, Trump’s Cabinet is white and male.

source LA Times