Eid-El Maulud: FG Declares Monday Public Holiday

The federal government yesterday declared next public holiday to mark the Eid-El-Maulud celebration.

This was contained in a statement signed by the acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Muhamadu Maccido, on behalf of the Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd), in Abuja.

The minister enjoined all Muslim faithful and Ni
gerians in general to cooperate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari, as he works tirelessly to build a strong, united and peaceful nation.

Dambazau, also urged Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace across the nation, while calling on all to be patient and supportive of the present administration for the successful implementation of its programmes.

India Seeks to Import 11m Metric Tonnes of Nigerian Crude in 2017

Barely one month after the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, negotiated a $15 billion crude-for-cash swap deal with India that would see the Indian government making an upfront payment to Nigeria for crude purchases, Indian refiners have indicated interest in increasing Nigerian crude imports from nine million metric tonnes in 2016 (MMTPA) to 11 million metric tonnes in 2017.

By the terms of the deal, which are yet to be agreed, the $15 billion would be repaid on the basis of firm term crude contracts over some years and in consideration for Indian public sector (PSU) companies collaborating in the refining sector.

Other methods of repayment include: exploration and production activities on a government-to-government basis by Indian PSU companies, and long-term contracts for the supply of crude to Indian PSU companies from Nigeria.

Successful bidders for Nigeria’s crude oil term lifting contracts for 2017 will emerge by the middle of this month.

Indian refiners such as Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) currently have crude oil lifting contracts for 2016 with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

However, NNPC’s Group Executive Director, Refineries, Anibor Kragha, told S&P Global Platts in an interview on the sidelines of the Petrotech conference in New Delhi on Monday that the Indian state-run refiners were pushing for an increase in crude oil allocations from Nigeria.

“Three Indian companies said that they were looking for a combined total of 11 million metric tonnes in 2017 from nine million mt this year,” Kragha said.

About seven barrels of crude make one metric ton.

“Now what they will get is a balance between term contracts and (spot) sales contracts,” he added.

“We just came out of a meeting with key Indian oil companies and they are pushing to get incremental allocations for the term contracts. We explained to them that there needs to be a balance.

“Once Nigerian output recovers, it will increasingly look towards India as the major buyer of its crude. Indian demand is very positive for us. A vibrant Indian economy is good for us,” Kragha explained.

Under the crude term contracts, Nigeria exports around 1.17 million bpd of Nigerian crude, out of the 2.2 million bpd production that is sold by contract holders to end-users, refiners and other buyers.

The country’s production dropped in recent months to a 20-year low as a result of renewed militancy in the Niger Delta.

However, Kachikwu also told journalists on the sidelines of the New Delhi conference that the total production was around 1.9 million bpd, including 300,000 bpd of condensates.

Kragha said negotiations were ongoing and that if the deal is successful and Nigerian output recovers, the country would “increasingly look towards India” as the major buyer of its crude.

“Indian demand is very positive for us. A vibrant Indian economy is good for us,” he added.

In 2015-16, India imported nearly 23.7 million metric tonnes of crude (nearly 12 per cent of India’s overall imports) and over 2MMTPA of LNG from Nigeria.

Following the $15 billion negotiation, the two countries agreed to work on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate investments by India in the Nigerian oil and gas sector; specifically in areas such as the term contracts, participation of Indian companies in the refining sector, oil and gas marketing, upstream ventures, the development of gas infrastructure, and in the training of oil and gas personnel in Nigeria.

The MoU is expected to be firmed up this month during PETROTECH-2016.

According to a source from an Indian refiner, “Nigerian crude is a must have for most of our refineries, especially the older ones, which have been designed to run light sweet crude.

“Despite all the militancy issues, we still buy Nigerian crude, as our refineries need it. We will continue to buy Nigerian crude, but we want them to supply us with more,” he said.

India, which is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, has seen its gasoline and gasoil demand climb sharply over the past few years.

This has encouraged Indian refineries to buy more Nigerian crude. - The Guardian

Emefiele: Digital Financial Services Can Create Three Million Jobs by 2025

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele has said that increased adoption of Digital Financial Services (DFS) in Nigeria has the potential to create three million new jobs in Nigeria by 2025.

Also, for financial services providers, Emefiele said DFS has been estimated to reduce the cost of providing financial services by 80 to 90 per cent compared to the cost of a traditional bank branch.

Emefiele gave the advice in a keynote address he delivered at the 2016 BusinessDay Financial Inclusion Summit in Lagos yesterday. He also advised ministries, departments and agencies of governments as well as firms in the country to further digitise current cash payments.

He noted that the economy is presently going through a time of economic challenges, saying that Digital Financial Services have substantial potential to promote financial inclusion, increase productivity and support economic growth in our country.

Therefore, he urged all stakeholders to step up initiatives to successfully advance the movement in order to achieve the financial inclusion target by 2020 and boost economic growth in Nigeria.

“Digital financial services refer to financial services, such as payments, savings, loan or insurance products, which are provided through electronic platforms, such as mobile phones, the Internet, or electronic cards. Digital financial services can promote financial inclusion, because they are capable of dismantling the existing barriers to financial inclusion.

“One key barrier to financial inclusion, as defined in Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, is the remoteness of access to financial services. Several people do not use financial products because they live too far away from a physical financial access point such as bank branch, an insurance agent or ATM.

“Digital financial services transcend such physical barriers as they can be availed through virtual channels such as mobile phones, which today are ubiquitous. We have noted commendable innovations in the industry today, thereby financial institutions have begun to leverage the mobile platform to open accounts and conduct transactions, enabling existing clients and previously excluded population to access financial services in a more convenient manner.

“Digital financial services can also reduce other barriers to financial inclusion, such as high cost of transaction or transportation costs while also saving valuable travel time,” the CBN governor said.

Furthermore, Emefiele said DFS can also bring about substantial benefits for financial services providers, and can boost the country’s GDP significantly and more sustainably.

For instance, a McKinsey study postulated that digital financial services can increase Nigeria’s GDP by 12 percent or US$88 billion by the year 2025. - The Guardian

FG advises Nigerians to brace for telecom data price increase

Adebayo Shittu, communications Minister has asked Nigerians to brace for a price rise while making a case for telecom service providers, which according to the minister were operating under unfriendly business environment including lack of electricity and increasing security challenges.

But the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) said it intervened with an interim price floor for data services to avert a looming price war in the telecommunications sector.

The regulatory commission said it feared that the price war could eventually lead to a monopoly in the telecom industry that would force small operators to shut down.

It said that monopoly in the telecom sector could also push the country back to the days of NITEL – the troubled government-owned telco – to the detriment of small operators.

Prof. Umar Dambatta, NCC executive vice chairman stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Communications.’

The committee was mandated to investigate the proposed data tariff hike said to have been ordered by the NCC.

But the minister, said the reality was that telecom service providers are operating in an unfriendly business environment, including lack of electricity and increasing security challenges.

He said: “This is one area that I believe that we all must face the reality… If you look at the NCC law, it is positioned to reflect experiences, expertise and all of that and I want to believe that there must not be too many interventions in the activities of the NCC.

“I am a political office holder. I am not an expert, so I cannot venture to say whether they did wrong or right, except they say that the constitution has granted them the role of a supervisor of a direct regulatory authorities, particularly relating to the activities in the telecoms industry.

“The only area I feel they were deficient was in the area of communicating with the people of this country, particularly because of the sensitivity that has been imposed on Nigerians by the harsh economic situation.

“I know that if you want to make omelet you must break eggs. Unfortunately in this country, we fail to appreciate the transformation role that ICT has brought about in the lives of Nigerians.

“So, I am not supporting at this stage or not supporting the price increase with regards to the floor. But what I am saying is, these are technical issues whose decision must be taken having regard to all the factors that are important before a decision can be taken.- The Guardian

Angola awaits successor to long-ruling leader Dos Santos

Angola is expected to formally announce the end of President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos’ controversial 37-year rule Saturday, and name a successor to lead the ailing African oil-producing country.

News of the veteran leader’s impending retirement, announced on state radio on December 2, has made front page news in Angolan newspapers all week.

But the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in power since 1975, has officially remained silent on the matter.

On Saturday, on the 60th anniversary of its founding, the party is expected to confirm that Dos Santos, 74, will not seek another term as president in the 2017 party elections.

It will also likely announce that he will be succeeded as head of the party by his current defence minister, Joao Lourenco, 62.

Angola does not directly elect a president, but rather the leader of the winning party automatically becomes head of state.

In all likelihood, the retired general Lourenco will succeed Dos Santos -– one of the longest ruling leaders in Africa -– after the party elections next August.

The departure, announced in a closed-door meeting of the MPLA’s central committee last week, does not come as a complete surprise.

Dos Santos himself announced in March his intention to end his political career.

“President dos Santos had been planning to step down in 2018,” said Alex Vines, Africa program director at the British think tank Chatham House.

“But I think a combination of Angola’s economic conditions and less good health brought his plans forward.”

After years of spectacular growth thanks to an oil boom, like many crude-producing nations Angola has suffered a sudden downturn in the last two years due to a prolonged drop in oil prices.

Last week, national oil company Sonangol, managed by Dos Santos’ daughter Isabel, announced it would not be paying out dividends to the state this year -– a first for the country’s main source of foreign currency.

– ‘Nothing will change’ –
While it will be a new page in the history of Angola, the departure of the former Marxist guerilla fighter is unlikely to shake up the running of the country.

This is to the chagrin of critics who have been denouncing Dos Santos’ “dictatorship” for years.

“Nothing will change with people who, when they could have, didn’t dare –- whether out of fear or self-interest -– to make a difference,” said journalist William Tonnet, a critic of Dos Santos.

Expected successor Lourenco is an ex-artillery general who was trained in the former Soviet Union. He is seen as a true son of his party, as is interior minister Bornito de Sousa, who is expected to become his deputy.

“These are two apparatchiks, two pure products of the party who remain under its control,” said Benjamin Auge of the French Institute of International Relations.

“The room to manoeuvre will be extremely limited. They will defend the president’s record, without starting a revolution.”

However, Angola-watchers notice both men do not have ties to the oil industry, a sector considered to be closely guarded by the president’s family.

“Joao Lourenco is one of those rare leaders in the MPLA who hasn’t dirtied his hands in this corruption business,” said activist Nuno Alvaro Dala, who was recently convicted and then pardoned for an alleged coup attempt.

Some have suggested that Dos Santos’s retirement was purposefully instigated by a hostile faction within the MPLA.

The announcement could be “the expression of discontent within the party, particularly over the position of the president’s children,” said Didier Peclard, a professor at the University of Geneva.

“If that were the case, then hypothetically it could be a way of precipitating a transition.”

Award-winning journalist and writer Rafael Marques refuses to believe this, and disputes the idea of a more palatable faction within the inner circle of the MPLA.

“Angolans will move from one dictator to the next,” he said. “Change is not coming tomorrow.” - The Guardian

Ronaldo publishes details of 225m-euro income

Cristiano Ronaldo published his financial records on Thursday which showed the Real Madrid star declared income of more than 225 million euros in 2015 as he battled accusations of tax evasion.

An international consortium of media organisations claimed that a huge data leak involving 18 million documents showed the Portuguese skipper hid 150 million euros ($160 million) from image rights in the British Virgin Islands.

But the 31-year-old has released details of his income in 2015 which he had already passed on to the Spanish tax authorities.

The procedure, known as a ‘Model 720’ and which was apparently presented to tax chiefs in March, showed that Ronaldo earned 203.7 million euros outside of Spain and 23.5 million inside the country.

“This document confirms that Spain’s Tax Agency is knowledgeable of all of Cristiano Ronaldo’s assets and income. From now on, the player will not make any further statement on this subject,” said a statement released by his management company, Gestifute.

“As reported in recent days, the player has been aware of his tax obligations right away from the beginning of his professional career in all of the countries in which he has resided, and has not and has never had any issue with the tax authorities of any of those countries.

“This communication, which was not required by law, constitutes irrefutable proof that Cristiano Ronaldo and his representatives are in good faith and cooperate with the authorities in a spirit of transparency and compliance with legality.”

Earlier Thursday, Ronaldo seemingly resorting to a proverb to plead his innocence of any wrongdoing.

“You believe I am worried? He who owes nothing, fears nothing,” said the superstar after being approached by Portuguese TV station RTP to respond to the allegations after Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday, his club side also came out in his defence.

“Real Madrid demand the maximum respect for a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, whose behaviour has been exemplary during his entire time at our club,” Madrid said in a statement.

I have been a little bit frustrated, Moses confesses

Until four months ago, Victor Moses was the unwanted player in the Chelsea squad, with successive managers sending him out on loan rather than giving him the opportunity to prove his worth at the Bridge. But all that has changed with the arrival of Antonio Conte, who has ‘recreated’ the former Wigan man into a formidable asset to the club’s chase for the English Premiership title this term.

Moses joined Chelsea from Wigan in 2012 after a very productive season, but he spent much of that time on loan to other clubs, including Stoke, Liverpool and West Ham. And the Super Eagles’ forward yesterday admitted that he found his situation frustrating.

Speaking to Sport Magazine, Moses, who is now one of the first names in Conte’s matchday list, said of his loan days, “I’ve been a little bit frustrated, I’m not going to lie.

“You spend about a month-plus in the hotel before you find your own place to stay – stuff there kind of plays in your head, and obviously the kids have to go to another place, go to school.

“I’ve not actually had time to relax. When the season finishes, you have to move back to London again, and those kind of things play in a footballer’s head.”
Moses, who won the EPL Fans’ player of the month award for November, has been touted as one of the candidates for the player of the year award.

His profile has risen so suddenly that European giants, Barcelona, have shown interest in taking him to Nou Camp.
But the Nigerian has remained firmly determined to make the best use of his new lease of life in Chelsea.

He attributes his success in his new role as a wingback to help from some of his team mates, especially Cesar Aspilicueta.
According to Moses, “He understands it more than I do, so he’s constantly talking to me, making sure that I’m in the right place and that really helps me.” - The Guardian

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. But what about listening? What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none, right?

If you're like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. Do any of the following sound familiar?

"Oh, I know just how you feel. I felt the same way." "I had that same thing happen to me." "Let me tell you what I did in a similar situation."

Because you so often listen autobiographically, you tend to respond in one of four ways:

Evaluating:	You judge and then either agree or disagree.
Probing:	You ask questions from your own frame of reference.
Advising:	You give counsel, advice, and solutions to problems.
Interpreting:	You analyze others' motives and behaviors based on your own experiences.

You might be saying, "Hey, now wait a minute. I'm just trying to relate to the person by drawing on my own experiences. Is that so bad?" In some situations, autobiographical responses may be appropriate, such as when another person specifically asks for help from your point of view or when there is already a very high level of trust in the relationship.

NSE, EFCC stop N20m capital market fraud

The Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have succeeded in aborting a N20m fraud targeted at the estate of an investor in the market, the late Prof. David Osifo.

The development was contained in a letter by the deceased’s wife, Prof. Bola Osifo, to the NSE, commending the two organisations for helping the family to recover the sum of N20m being her late husband’s investment.

In the letter, she wrote, “On behalf of the Osifo family, we will like to thank the NSE for the dedicated effort in ensuring the stolen shares were reimbursed to my husband’s estate.”

The late professor had equity investment to the tune of N20, 176,852.19 in the capital market but was said to have been illegally appropriated by some fraudsters.

Upon the detection of the crime, the wife of the deceased contacted the NSE.

The Exchange, according to the statement, was said to have swung into action and collaborated with the EFCC to recover the sum in full.

The collaboration between the NSE and the EFCC to prevent and combat abuse and infractions by players in the capital market was said to have yielded fruit.

The NSE in October 4, 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EFCC to tackle market infractions and abuse. This partnership had successfully opened direct lines of communication and information sharing with the EFCC for reporting and investigations of incidents leading to a more proactive law enforcement and swift recovery of stolen securities.

To further protect investors, the NSE had set up the Investors Protectors Fund to compensate claimants for pecuniary losses suffered by them as a result of wrong doing by certain dealing member firms of the Exchange. The establishment of the IPF is pursuant to Section 197 of the Investment and Securities Act 2007. So far, 158 investors have been compensated

Speaking on the establishment of the IPF, the Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who is also a trustee of the IPF, described it as a milestone.

“This milestone gives me great pleasure as it affirms our commitment to the continuous development of initiatives that will bolster confidence in the capital market,” he said.

Our rice’ll be sold at N13,000/bag –Ambode

The Lagos State Government has pledged to make rice available to residents at a reduced cost of N13, 000 per 50kg bag.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, disclosed this on Thursday during the 2016 Agricultural Summit organised by the Agricultural Sectoral Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ambode, who spoke through his  Special Adviser on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon, said the state had entered into a partnership with Kebbi State Government to produce ‘Lake Rice’ which would be made available to consumers at N13,000 per bag in the coming weeks.

Speaking during the programme with theme ‘walking hand-in-hand to move agriculture forward,’ Amobode disclosed that his government had also established a department of  agribusiness in the Ministry of Agriculture, an agricultural trust fund and the first commodity exchange market in Nigeria.

In his opening remarks, the President, LCCI, Dr. Nike Akande noted that the agricultural sector was expected to play a pivotal role in the nation’s quest for diversification through increased non-oil earnings, job creation and foreign exchange earnings.

“These are needed to drive the economy towards the path of recovery from recession,” she said.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Akande noted that even after the recent rebasing of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, agriculture still accounted for a large share of its economic activities.

She urged the government to do more in terms of providing enabling business environment where private sector businesses could thrive, adding, “The development of a good rail network to facilitate the movement of agro produce to markets cannot be overemphasised.”

Suspected herdsmen behead graduate farmer in

A farmer, Ndubuisi Uzoma, has been beheaded in his farm at Iddo community along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja by assailants suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

The headless corpse of the university graduate was found in the pool of his blood last Sunday by his relations, who went in search of him when he failed to return from the farm.

The deceased’s elder sister, Chidimma Umeh, told Northern City News that Uzoma had earlier complained that he was having issues with Fulani herdsmen who grazed their cattle on his farm.

She stated that the young man stayed late in the farm in order to prevent the herdsmen from encroaching on his farm and destroying his crops.

Weeping profusely while talking to our correspondent, the bereaved woman lamented the loss of his brother, whom she said took to farming because he could not secure a job after graduating from the university.

“I lost my brother on Saturday, he left in the morning and till night, I didn’t see him and I told my husband about it. We went to his farm to search for him, that was when I saw blood and I shouted, ‘Jesus, my brother is gone.’ Look at my brother’s corpse, there is no head, it’s been cut off, they beheaded my brother,” she sobbed.

Chidimma said that the case was reported to the police but no arrests had been made.

She said, “They have killed my brother. We went to the police to report and my husband also visited the chief to inform him about it, but no one has been arrested.

“He was a graduate, he was engaging in farming because he could not secure a job. If he was working in the office, he wouldn’t have died like that.”

Corroborating his wife, Umeh said the deceased had always complained about the herdsmen who invaded his farm, noting that the dastardly act might have been perpetrated by them.

Umeh said, “On Saturday night when I came back from work around 11.30pm, because I closed late, l met my wife and son going out, she said they were going to look for her brother. I said maybe he was with some of his friends to watch football match on the television.

“Because the farm is far, we decided to go there the next day. At the farm, my wife saw blood and she shouted. We went to the police and we got a vehicle to evacuate the body to the mortuary. Ndubuisi didn’t have problem with anyone, he only complained about the encroachment on his farm by Fulani herdsmen and I believe they killed him.”

The District head of Iddo, Bello Seidu, confirmed the incident, saying such a thing had not happened in the area before.

The leader of the Igbo residents in the community, Sunday Chukwuneke, stated that he had lived in Iddo for a long time, noting that, that was the first time such a killing would occur.

“I never heard anything like this since I started living in Iddo. Many people called me about the incident and I visited his (Uzoma’s) relations and they said they didn’t have problem with anybody. They explained that he usually complained that Fulani people were encroaching on his farm, that is why he comes back late from the farm between 6:30 and 7pm. We went to the farm and we saw everything,” he narrated. - Punch

Tiwa Savage, Teebilz unite again

There is an indication that singer Tiwa Savage and her estranged husband, Tunji Balogun, may have decided to patch up the broken bits of their marriage and start again. The gossip mill is agog with a story that the couple has been making moves to reunite after a stormy breakup that generated so much noise in the mass media a couple of months ago.

Evidence that critics have been watching the celebrity couple closely emerged on Wednesday when a popular Nigerian blog reported that Tiwa and her husband had been attending a counselling clinic somewhere in Lagos. The report also insinuated that the couple were seen attending an event together on one occasion.

If this is true, it means that the celebrities must have made up their minds to push their differences aside and rekindle the spark in their relationship. This is by all means good news to many fans of the singer, who have privately wished for a development of this nature. - Punch

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 4: THINK WIN-WIN

Think Win-Win isn't about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It is a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration.

Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing--that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it's not fair, and I'm going to make sure you don't get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really?

Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good!

A person or organization that approaches conflicts with a win-win attitude possesses three vital character traits:

Integrity: sticking with your true feelings, values, and commitments

Maturity: expressing your ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others

Abundance Mentality: believing there is plenty for everyone

Many people think in terms of either/or: either you're nice or you're tough. Win-win requires that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that--to achieve that balance between courage and consideration--is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.

Call to Glory

Insurgency war won, Buratai declares

The insurgency war in the North East geo-political zone has been won by the country, according to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

He made the declaration yesterday in a speech at a conference on security challenges organised by the Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, noting that recent happenings were a rumbling of a dying group.

Represented by Brigadier General I.K. Ikpere, he assured the citizenry that the military was poised to combing the Sambisa Forest for the remnants of the terror group.

While acknowledging the escalation in armed conflicts between herdsmen and rural communities as well as other criminal acts, he noted that the threats require deeper understanding through rigorous academic and intellectual exercise. He stressed that it was only when the origin, nature, causes, manifestation and dimensions were understood that solutions could be proffered.

The state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, said for result, government at all levels must tackle the pervasive illiteracy and poverty in the land.

While lauding the military for the success story in the North East, he feared that the problem would not abate if the twin issues were not urgently addressed.

The vice chancellor, Professor Haruna Kaita, said it was the tradition of the institution to organise public lecture series biannually on burning issues with a view to educating, enlightening and sensitising the public, government officials and policy makers to happenings in the society.

In a related development, four policemen are on the brink of dismissal as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Adamawa State Police Command is currently probing the quartet for allegedly diverting bags of rice meant for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state.

Government misses budget target as Presidency shifts presentation date

The Federal Government may not be able to implement Budget 2017 from January 1 to December 31 next year again due to its failure to present it to the National Assembly on time to ensure its speedy passage.

In May this year while passing the 2016 spending plan, the National Assembly had expressed concern over poor budget implementation records over the years and attributed the development to late budget presentation by the government.

Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday, in a letter read to senators at the commencement of their session, said President Muhammadu Buhari had sought to present the document at 10:00.a.m. on December 14, 2016.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning Ministry, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma had assured Nigerians of a speedy action this time around to break the jinx, when the processes of the 2017 Budget began around August this year.

He had promised that latest October this year the plan would be with the National Assembly to give them enough time to work on it and pass it before the end of this year so as to commence implementation on January 1, thereby resetting the implementation calendar.

The current fiscal plan is expected to end in May 2017 up from the March extension limits of the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, the disagreement between the Senate and the Presidency with regard the 2017 to 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) remains unresolved.

Iheanacho up to speed as Man City, Celtic draw

Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho made a successful start to his spell as Sergio Aguero's stand-in by earning his team a 1-1 Champions League draw with Celtic on Tuesday.

Aguero's four-game domestic ban for getting sent off in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Chelsea means Iheanacho can look forward to a run of games in manager Pep Guardiola's first XI.

The 20-year-old Nigeria striker took his chance at the Etihad Stadium with an eighth-minute goal that cancelled out Celtic's opener, ironically scored by 19-year-old City loanee Patrick Roberts.

"There is no pressure on Kelechi Iheanacho. He just has to do his job," said Guardiola.

"I am so happy for the young players. We played well."

City had already secured a place in the last 16 and were guaranteed to finish below Group C winners Barcelona, while fourth-place Celtic already knew they had missed out on a Europa League berth.

"We were absolutely brilliant tonight in everything we did," said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, whose side held City to a 3-3 draw in September.

"We have grown in belief the more we have worked together. We are disappointed not to have won at least one of the games against City."

Roberts's goal means City have recorded just one clean sheet in their last 16 matches, but after the trauma of the loss to Chelsea, in which Fernandinho also saw red, this was a welcome return to normality.

With nothing riding on the game, Guardiola gave some playing time to young defenders Pablo Maffeo and Tosin Adarabioyo, but it was another City youngster who was the first to show.

Roberts, loaned to Celtic by City in February, embarrassed his parent club's defence, slipping past Gael Clichy from the right and sticking a left-foot shot past goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

- Guardiola rues penalty call -
Celtic had conceded the lead three times in September's draw at Celtic Park and history was to repeat itself here as City levelled within four minutes.

Nolito slid a pass down the inside-left channel for Iheanacho and he showed composure to guide a firm shot past Craig Gordon.

The sense that Guardiola was treating the game as an experiment was emphasised by his casual dress -- skinny jeans and sneakers -- as well as by City's novel 3-5-2 shape.

The system featured Pablo Zabaleta in midfield and he almost created a second goal with a sweeping pass that Iheanacho put wide.

Gordon was also required to palm away an improvised back-heel from Iheanacho, with Nolito's follow-up blocked.

But City looked patchy at the back and Moussa Dembele, scorer of a brace at Celtic Park, twice got in behind in the early stages.

Freed in turn by a sloppy Fernando back-pass and a neat James Forrest through ball, he was thwarted both times by Caballero, blazing wastefully wide of an open goal on the second occasion.

Despite losing Forrest to injury, Celtic made a bright start to the second half, with his replacement, Gary Mackay-Steven, curling a shot into Caballero's gloves.

Celtic threatened twice as the game approached its latter stages, Leigh Griffiths shooting wide and Caballero thwarting Mackay-Steven.

Leroy Sane curled a free-kick narrowly wide at the other end and might have won City a late penalty with a cross that struck Jozo Simunovic's hand, but Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic shook his head.

City were denied three penalties against Chelsea and Guardiola said: "Maybe one day we will get a penalty. Ask the referee. Every game it is like this." - The Guardian

Corps member, Ifedolapo died of kidney infections, says report

Oladepo Ifedapo Rachael, a corps member of the 2016 Batch ‘B’ died at the Kano orientation camp of renal sepsis occasioned by urinary tract infection, according to the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-General Suleiman Kazaure.

Kazaure and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung reiterated the government’s commitment to the safety of corps members while condoling with the families of those who lost their lives in camp.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday set up an ad-hoc panel to investigate the causes of the recent deaths of corps members in NYSC camps.

The committee is also mandated to invite the director general of the NYSC over the incident.

The decision of the House follows a motion raised by Olufemi Fakeye representing Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Boripe federal constituency of Osun State.

The lawmakers sought an insurance cover for every corps member participating in the scheme.

Elechi Chinyerum Nwenenda, Oladepo Ifedolapo Rachael and Asuquo Ukeme Monday died during the ongoing orientation in Bayelsa, Kano and Zamfara states.

However, the death of Ifedolapo, a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTH) had been generating controversy as some members of the public alleged negligence by the NYSC.

Presenting the report of the committee set up to unravel the immediate and remote cause of their deaths, the DG of NYSC attributed Ifedolapo’s death to her inability to disclose to officials the ailment she had been battling with before resuming at the camp.

“It is clear that the deceased had an ailment which she did not disclose. From the doctors’ report, the corps member died of renal sepsis occasioned by infection.

“Even to the untrained, kidney infections do not develop and degenerate to the level of mortality in three days (that is 27th to 29th November 2016),” he said.

Kazaure further explained: “The deceased first appeared at the camp clinic with complaints of headache and fever which she said she had been experiencing for two days. On examination the doctors on duty noticed rashes on her legs which she claimed started appearing as a result of her use of second-hand knickers she bought without first washing them.”

The DG added: “When doctors noticed increase in the rashes, by this time she had started vomiting, she was admitted at the camp clinic and treated with Drazamol injection and Piriton to soothe her body pains as she was already on malaria drugs.”

He added that the deceased was immediately referred to Gwarzo General Hospital for further treatment where the doctor concluded that she had kidney infection probably due to untreated urinary tract infection (UTI).

Kazaure explained that Ifedolapo died after she had been stabilised for the journey to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for immediate dialysis.

Nigeria spends $1 billion on outsourcing yearly

About $1billion (N305billion) is estimated to be spent annually on the Nigerian domestic Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) market, by both the public and the private sector, but less than two percent of this goes to local entities.

Outsourcing is a practice used by different companies to reduce costs by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ibrahim, noted that with such huge spend, BPO activities have the potential to contribute to pulling Nigeria out of the current challenges.

He added that with articulate planning and coordination by government, and effective participation by ITECs, significant progress can be made for Nigeria to share from the billions of dollars in the global outsourcing business.

This comes as the Chairman, Nigerian Association of Information Technology Enabled Outsourcing Companies, (NAITEOC), David Onu, proffered ways to crash data cost in the country.

Speaking at the annual conference of the association in Abuja, Monday, Onu said the cost of bandwidth in the country will crash if users connected to the different networks already in Nigeria in different data centres can localise the contents.

He noted that the cost of data is very high in Nigeria, adding that the reason the use of internet is expensive in the country is because most are using the data for either social media or email.

He said: “The social media accounts for about 60 percent and then email and the rest. Most of the emails are accessed servers outside Nigeria. It is just the same way you are in Abuja, and you want to send a mail to your friend in Abuja, but it has to go through the United States, US, or France first. That means you entered a plane to France and came back.

“But if the content is local, that is if we have tier-four data centres where the Google, Yahoo and the rest can reside their content locally, there is enough fibre already laid in the country.”

He continued: “For you to drive on the road, the road has to be accessible to you and affordable. Other countries of the world have made bandwidth available, affordable and sustainable, and we can do the same in Nigeria. It is just about being more intentional about it. The internet itself is as useful as the applications that run on it. Because we don’t have enough of internet applications running on it, so in a way, I can see what the operators are saying because the traffic that should run on it that will help them aggregate their cost are not there. So we advocate that more content should be put on the internet; we must start the localisation of contents.”

Onu stressed the need to build teir-3, and tier-4 data centres and address issues of security, redundancy and anything that would pose a danger for data to enable foreign content providers localise their contents. “Once they discover that you have these things in place, they will bring their content.”

According to him, “The internet millionaires and billionaires are not those who created the connectivity, it is those who have the applications like the Facebook and the Twitter so the more we can have contents, applications, that is where the value chain resides.”

He also stressed the need for partnership between government and the private sector and creating synergy to encourage the development of ICT infrastructure. - The Guardian

Stock market posted N660bn loss in November

The bearish trend in the Nigerian equities market persisted in the month of November, leaving investors with a combined loss of N660bn.

The market has largely suffered from declines in trade value and volumes for a good part of the year, thus weakening investors’ participation and the market turnover.

As of the last day of trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in October this year, the NSE market capitalisation closed at N9.349tn, while the All-Share Index was 27,220.09 basis points.

But data from the NSE showed that by November 30, which was the last day of trading for the month, the NSE capitalisation stood at N8.689tn, while the NSE ASI was 25,241.63 basis points.

This, therefore, means over seven per cent decline in the NSE market capitalisation and investors’ worth in the one-month period.

Between September 8 and November 8 this year, the equities market recorded a decline of N396bn, which represented a fall of 4.18 per cent of the shareholders’ fortunes in two months. On November 8, the NSE market capitalisation plunged by N180bn for the day at the close of trading on the floor of the Exchange.

For the third quarter, investors in the equities market lost N432bn of their fortunes compared to the second quarter of the year.

In the space of three months, the NSE market capitalisation had slid to N9.733tn from N10.165tn. The NSE All-Share Index as of June 30 was 29,597.79 basis points, while at the end of the third quarter on September 30, it stood at 28,335.40.

The President, Fund Managers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ore Sofekun, described the current state of the equities market as challenging for investors, adding that the prevailing economic recession was not helping the situation.

She called on investors to study trends in the market and make informed decisions if they were nursing a buy or sell consideration.

Sofekun also advised investors in the capital market to consider diversification of their investment portfolios to achieve a good spread of their investment risks.

The African Securities Exchanges Association recently urged all bourses on the continent to seek the elimination of capital gains tax on their securities and roll out new products like derivatives in the face of decreased interest from foreign and local investors.

Global funds, which sought African assets in the years up to 2015, have been cutting their holdings, due to the commodity price crash last year and the anticipated interest rates increase in the United States.

Adding to the challenge, economic growth in Africa this year is projected to be the slowest in two decades, reflected in bourses like the NSE, where daily volumes have shrunk by two-thirds to $10m, as foreign investors quit, put off by the slowdown and capital controls.

For instance, between September 28, 2015 and September 28, 2016, the NSE market capitalisation had dropped by N873bn from N10.572tn to N9.699tn; while the All-Share Index also fell to 28,236.23 basis points from 30,762.29 basis points.

There was also a significant drop in the volume of transactions in the market, as it dropped to 159.046 million from 266.652 million in the period. - Punch

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

To live a more balanced existence, you have to recognize that not doing everything that comes along is okay. There's no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is realizing that it's all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities.

Habit 1 says, "You're in charge. You're the creator." Being proactive is about choice. Habit 2 is the first, or mental, creation. Beginning with the End in Mind is about vision. Habit 3 is the second creation, the physical creation. This habit is where Habits 1 and 2 come together. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But that's not all it's about. Habit 3 is about life management as well--your purpose, values, roles, and priorities. What are "first things?" First things are those things you, personally, find of most worth. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established in Habit 2. 

TSA inflows cover government’s borrowings, CBN tells Sanusi

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday debunked its former Governor and now Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi’s II claim last week that the Federal Government, under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had overdrawn on its account with the apex Bank to the tune of N4.7 trillion. Supporting its defence with data, the CBN, also the banker to the government, insisted that government still had a net balance of over N1.19 trillion in its Treasury Single Account (TSA) and declared Sanusi’s claims as “totally false and wholly fabricated.” TSA is a financial policy introduced by the federal government in 2012, to consolidate all inflows from the country’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) by way of deposit into commercial banks, traceable into a single account at the CBNQuoting Section 38.2 of the CBN Act 2007, Sanusi had maintained that the Central Bank, a lender of last resort, had exceeded its lending limit to the government, a development he noted had weakened the credit worthiness of the country by the international community. Speaking at a policy monitoring dialogue hosted by Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, at in Abuja last week, Sanusi said the CBN’s lending to the government since Buhari came in had spiked from about N1.5 trillion to over N4.5 trillion. Sanusi also said: “The CBN-FGN relationship is no longer independent. In fact, one could argue their relationship has become unhealthy. CBN claims on the FGN now top N4.7 trillion equal to almost 50% of the FGN’s total domestic debt. This is a clear violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007 (Section 38.2), which caps advances to the FGN at 5% of last year’s revenues. Has CBN become the government’s. Source: Guardian

Nigeria’s economic challenge is reversible, says Emefiele

The fact that Nigeria is in a crucial point in its financial history notwithstanding, the situation has equally thrown up opportunities to future prosperity. Consequently, Nigerians have been advised to remain bold and persistent in trying new ideas and taking up opportunities in entrepreneurship to be part of the collective efforts to revive the economy. Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, made the observations in his keynote address at the quarterly meeting of the Association of Chief Audit Executives of the Banks, in Lagos, last weekend. Meanwhile, the bank’s chief has said that given the need to maintain good internal control, ethical practice, sound risk management, healthy and stress-free banks amid a challenging times, there would be constant policy initives for the industry. While admitting that money is scarce, price of oil, which is the major source of foreign exchange and government revenue, has significantly reduced, and may remain so for a long time, he called for fundamental changes in attitudes, orientations and practices. “Regrettably, because our economy is still largely import-dependent, this fuels the general rise in the prices of goods and services. Hence, there is a noticeable decline in the purchasing power of the people. “If well tackled, the current situation can pave the way to future prosperity. Where and when necessary, we must remain bold and persistent, and never afraid to try new ideas, as these are major requirements in a time of change. That is why I am confident that Nigeria will overcome our current challenges. “Change is the categorical imperative of the moment. It applies to CBN as the nation’s lender of last resort and the banking sector regulator; it applies to banks and other financial institutions; and even, change is required from the public that we all serve,” he said. Represented. Source: Guardian

How I Recovered Completely from High Blood Pressure without Chemical Drug

In the 29th of March, 2014, I was just lying down in my lobby reading a novel meant for my niece ‘purple Hibiscus’ for relaxation since I rarely had time during week days for such leisure. All of a sudden, letters were becoming blurred. I could not see the letters very well and I also felt a very sharp pain in my chest, accompanied with a severe headache and shortness of breath. The headache was more like a migraine. My niece saw the level of my discomfort and enquired to know what was wrong with me and I told her to quickly consult our family doctor. She narrated to the doctor how I was feeling. When the doctor arrived, the chest pain had subsided a bit, but I was still feeling feverish and headache.

THE DIAGNOSISWhen the doctor arrived, he examined my BP using sphygmomanometer and it read 160/100. He told me that was abnormal and that I was at the stage two of high blood pressure. I began to wonder what the possible cause could be because I was four months pregnant and that got me really worried. I was scared of losing my life and not being able to protect the unborn baby. The doctor prescribed some medications almost immediately and warned me to desist from certain foods and habit. He asked me not to eat food such as canned foods, fatty foods, whole milk, doughnut, red meat, table salt, less caffeine, alcohol and a whole lot. It was then I sensed how miserable my life was turning into, because those werethe foods I could easily lay my hands on at the lunch hours at work. I continued with my medication and tried as much as possible to do away with junks and fats. On the 16th of June 2014, I lost my dad and I couldn’t bear the loss because I love him so much, my condition worsened and by then my BP read 170/100. The doctor warned that there is high tendency that I will suffer from postpartrum psychosis if I should put to bed in this condition. Source: The Nation

Your role in preventing miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth and preterm explained (3)

This is the concluding part of last week’s article. Another method of family planning is the use of condoms by both men and women. It’s safe and helps to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Condom is available in most pharmacies and shops without the need for prescriptions. Hormones, such as the daily pill can also be used too. Two or three monthly injections are other choices. Devices, such as intra-uterine devices, are another effective method of contraception. In a stable couple that had completed their children, vasectomy by the man or Fallopian tube ligation by the woman are effective permanent contraceptive methods. The choice of contraception method will depend on the age of the user, the urgency, reason for the contraception as well as any need to address any other illness in the man or woman. The reader will recall that in Part 1 of this series; we discussed the differences between miscarriage and deliberate termination of unwanted pregnancy or abortion either as therapeutic abortion or termination for non-medical reason. In this article, we will look at Miscarriage, what causes it and how to deal with it as well as how to prevent miscarriage. Unlike abortion that is intentional, miscarriage is a desirable pregnancy that could not continue to viability. The experience causes extreme distress to the woman and the male partner.  It’s even more painful if the pregnancy is one that has been sought for some time otherwise called “precious pregnancy”. What causes miscarriage? Age: Maternal age and number of previous miscarriages are two risk factors for a further miscarriage. As the mother ages, her eggs (oocytes are also aging). Therefore, aging oocytes (eggs) are candidates for a pregnancy at the risk of being miscarried. As we shall see below, the advancing age is not to say that miscarriage does not occur in younger women. It does. The risk of miscarriage is highest among couples where the woman’s age is greater than 35 and the man is over 40. Also, one miscarriage begets another miscarriage. The risk of a further miscarriage increases after each successive pregnancy loss. Combined with advancing age, the outlook for the woman worsens if there had been previous miscarriages.  Maternal cigarette smoking and caffeine consumption have been associated with an. Source: The Nation