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FG begins negotiations With MTN Over N780 Billion Fine

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BWN
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As part of the conditions of an out of court settlement agreement, the Federal Government is set to begin negotiations with MTN Nigeria on the payment of the N780 billion fine imposed on the telecom firm for its failure to deactivate unregistered Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) cards as directed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The government’s team, led by the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the MTN team led by former U.S Attorney General and Head of Covington & Burling LLP, Washington DC, Mr. Eric H. Holder, Jr. are expected to consider the merits and demerits of the terms of payment of the fine.

In a related development, the NCC yesterday confirmed Federal Government’s receipt of the sum of N50, 000,000,000 (Fifty Billion Naira only), towards settlement of the fine imposed on MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd by the Commission, and its withdrawal of Suit No FHC/1923/2015 – MTN vs. NCC & HAGF

According to a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, the official information to that effect was received by the commission from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, yesterday, February 29, 2016.

Ojobo explained that the amount is an unconditional good faith payment, on the basis that this sum would be applied towards eventual settlement agreement for payment of the fine imposed on the company by NCC, while the ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and the company reaches a final resolution.

Entries for Anzisha $100,000 Prize for Africa’s Youngest Entrepreneurs Now Open

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BWN
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The 6th Anzisha Prize (http://www.AnzishaPrize.org) application phase is now open, and the search is on to find 12 of Africa’s youngest, most innovative social and business entrepreneurs under the age of 22. Organisers are calling for more nominations from the public this year to ensure they discover the very best talent on the continent.

African Leadership Academy (ALA) and The MasterCard Foundation – co-hosts of the Anzisha Prize – are also excited to announce a significant increase in the support available to selected entrepreneurs over the next five years. Each of the 12 finalists will now receive a $7,500 USD fellowship package with the ALA’s Youth Entrepreneur Support Unit (YES-U) which includes the Anzisha Week boot camp, mentorship and consulting services, travel opportunities to network and business equipment.

In addition, a new $25,000 USD prize category has been created to recognize Anzisha Fellows who have created further social and economic value through their ventures by effectively leveraging the opportunities provided by the fellowship with ALA.

This brings the total prize pool to $100,000 USD annually, with the Grand Prize Winner taking home $25,000 USD, 1st Runner-up receiving $15,000 USD and 2nd Runner-up receiving $12,500 USD. The remaining nine finalists will receive $2,500 USD each.

“It is essential that we nurture young, African entrepreneurial talent if we want to see the economic gains we all hope for in the future,” says Koffi Assouan, Program Manager for the Anzisha Prize at The MasterCard Foundation. “Through the provision of leadership skills, access to finance and business networking opportunities, these young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to reach their full potential and to improve their lives and the lives of others.”

The prize is open to any African national under the age of 22 with an active project, social venture or for-profit business based on the continent. Judging criteria for the prize have been refined for 2016 to better represent the entrepreneurial talent that the Anzisha Prize wants to uncover and support. These criteria can be found in all application materials.

Applications will close on 15 April 2016, and the Anzisha Prize team wants to encourage nominations from teachers, parents and community members to identify talented young people. The Anzisha Prize is one of the most accessible and inclusive pan-African opportunities for youth. Application forms and information are available in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic, and the Anzisha Prize Tour team will visit key hubs across the continent and engage local media in every region. Both paper and electronic applications are accepted.

“The true impact of our work is only possible if we can find the top entrepreneurial potential wherever it may be,” comments Grace Kalisha, Manager of the Anzisha Program at African Leadership Academy, “If anyone out there has seen or heard of young people running amazing projects or businesses, we want to hear from you!”

Meet 2015 Grand Prize Winners Chris Kwekowe (http://www.apo.af/lH62DD), (Nigeria), Fabrice Alomo (http://www.apo.af/qqGtfx) (Cameroon) and Mabel Sugo (http://www.apo.af/wlBgUv) (Ghana) and be part of our story at AnzishaPrize.org or join our growing community on Facebook (fb.com/anzishaprize).

ICCO Named Overall Best International Association

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BWN
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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has been named Best International Association at the Association Excellence Awards.

ICCO won the award on Friday at London’s Hilton Bankside hotel, beating four other shortlisted associations including the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The Best International Association award was presented as a recognition of ICCO’s impressive achievement of its goals in 2015.

Francis Ingham MPRCA, ICCO Chief Executive said: “ICCO is in rude health – in fact, we’re in a stronger position than ever. We represent more consultancies and more associations than at any time in our history. Our services are better and more numerous than they’ve ever been. Our relations with other leading organisations such as AMEC have never been deeper.
“So I am delighted that this strength has been recognised by the Association Excellence Awards. I’m proud to agree that yes, ICCO is indeed the best international association in the world. And I’m honoured to be its Chief Executive.”

The judges said that “ICCO has worked hard to position itself at the centre of the industry and has a fantastic set of services and benefits. They launched a really exciting set of recent activities.” The award recognised the fact that ICCO achieved the following goals during 2015:

To grow ICCO’s membership, and increase turnover by 20% Three associations joined in 2014-2015: Canada, Nigeria and Kazakhstan. ICCO also launched its Direct Membership proposition and welcomed eight new consultancies and networks to the organisation. ICCO membership grew to 33 national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe, collectively representing 2,500 PR firms. ICCO turnover increased by 46%.

To increase engagement and influence with our existing national trade associations worldwide  ICCO set up committees where each country member is invited to contribute to set the agenda for the organisation. ICCO also built a new user-friendly website, and launched Global Women in PR, a new global networking organisation for senior women working in public relations.

To increase perception of ICCO as being central to the global PR industry ICCO became a sponsor of the Young PR Lions competition at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, to increase the awareness of young talent at the festival. ICCO also formed partnerships with Haymarket, publisher of PRWeek, and AMEC.

To bring more content, research and events to members  ICCO launched the World PR Report, in which it polls its member trade associations and gathers their opinions on a wide range of topics. ICCO also launched its PulseCheck, providing a quarterly update for members on global markets, and a revised and enlarged PR Professional’s Guide to Evaluation.

On the events side, ICCO launched the inaugural ICCO Global Awards in London at the Riverbank Plaza Hotel on Thursday 26th November 2015. Over 28 countries entered the Awards, which was attended by PR professionals from around the world.

ICCO also held the ICCO Global Summit in Milan, bringing together senior practitioners from public relations consultancies around the world, in conjunction with the Milan EXPO 2015. Read more http://www.iccopr.com/2016/02/icco-named-best-international-association-at-association-excellence-awards/

4 Simple Habits to Prevent your Computer from Running Slow

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BWN
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A slow computer can be very frustrating because it may result in unnecessary delays. Most of this delays may be traced to the user and the way they use their desktops. But if you want to make your computer run faster, you need to embrace some simple habits that will make this possible. Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking points you to four habits permanently put an end to slow computers.

Delete temporary files  

If you are always online, there is a possibility that your computer will be flooded with temporary files. This usually happens when a website is loading. This can make your system run at snail speed. You have to delete these files using disk cleanup because if you do not, the files will be stored in your computer.

Adjust Your Graphical user interface

This is by far the easiest and simplest method to speed up your computer which is optimizing your Graphical User Interface (GUI) for best performance. In Windows 10 open the File Explorer, right click this computer and go to  properties, advanced system settings, advanced tab, performance  and click OK.

make-computer-faster

Change up your Startup

If your system takes forever to  startup, it means there are certain programs that are initiating when you first turn on your device. You need to stop these programs. You do this by selecting the startup tab where you will find a list of startup menus. You can end some of the tasks that are irrelevant. This will accelerate your computer’s wake up time.

Use windows defender

Viruses seize every opportunity to take over your system. Aside from, harming your computer, it will make it super slow. You have to install anti-virus and in other cases, you have to format your system. You will lose important documents if you format your it. To prevent this, you have to install antivirus. One very reliable anti-virus you can use is  the Microsoft Windows  defender.

WrB Africa Gaming Event to Ignite Africa’s Gaming Potential

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BWN
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Africa’s gaming potential will be explored and celebrated at WrB Africa, taking place on 11-12 April at The Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Nigeria.

As part of the WrB Series run by Clarion Events, WrB Africa is the first ever summit dedicated to exploring the exciting opportunities and encouraging a regulatory framework that will produce a thriving and sustainable gaming industry in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 “We have launched WrB Africa for those seeking to unlock the huge potential of this region, but who may be unsure of the complexities of the regulatory environment. Perhaps they are already operating in one of the fast growing African regions but want to step up a level”, says Curtis Roach, senior conference producer on the event.

Delegates will be presented with a heavy-weight agenda and over 30 market-leading organisations to network with and to do business with, as well as the opportunity to learn directly from the leading companies based in East, West and Central Africa, in addition to the continent’s major regulators.

The speaker line-up includes a keynote session from Lanre Gbajabiamila, chief executive of the Lagos State Lottery Board (LSLB).

Other speakers include John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa, Tarimba Abbas, Director General of Tanzania Gaming Board, Edward Lalumbe, COO of the Gauteng Gambling Board and Matthias Jacek Wojdyla, Head of International Affairs at FIFA.

Gbajabiamila is optimistic about the continued growth of gambling in Lagos and Nigeria, with technology and the public’s appetite for sport among the driving forces.

“The Nigerian gaming industry is an evolving one and gradually expanding. More states and individuals are becoming more aware of the opportunities that exist in the industry in terms of entertainment, revenue and employment.

“We are really pleased to be associated with WrB Africa, it’s a great event that the market demands and I’m excited at the opportunities that it will create for the Sub-Saharan gaming industry.”

Rory Credland, Event Director added: “It will be fantastic to bring together so many people from across the globe to talk about responsible gambling and how we can help to create a sustainable future for one of the Gaming industry’s high-potential markets.”

WrB Africa is taking place at The Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria, from April 11th – 12th in Lagos, Nigeria. More information including the agenda, speaker list and booking details is available at http://Africa.WrBriefing.com

Bani Haddad Launches Aleph Hospitality in Bid to Accelerate Growth of African Hotel Landscape

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BWN
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Aleph Hospitality, a pioneering third-party hotel management company founded by industry veteran Bani Haddad and headquartered in Dubai, today marked its official launch with the unveiling of the company’s new website, alephhospitality.com.

In addition to providing prospective hotel owners and business partners with an overview of the company’s services, the site seeks to help demystify the concept of third-party management, which, despite being relatively little known in the region today, is widely tipped to fuel significant future expansion within the Middle East and African hotel industry.

An established model in the U.S. where in 2014 the top ten third-party management companies alone accounted for more than 260,000 rooms(1), third-party or ‘white label’ hotel management allows a hotel owner to appoint a specialist hotel management company to operate their hotel, in addition to taking a franchise from a major hotel company in order to secure an international brand above the door.

An alternative to the most prevalent asset management structures in the region today where hotels are typically operated by a hotel brand under management contract with an owner or are operated independently by the owners themselves, often without an international brand, third-party hotel management presents many benefits to both hotel companies and investors alike.

“By establishing a credible third-party hotel management solution for the Middle East and Africa, our aim is to open doors that were previously closed,” explains Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director, Aleph Hospitality. “We want to create opportunities both for hotel companies, by providing a trusted intermediary with whom they can grow their franchise portfolios, and for owners of hotels of all shapes and sizes who wish to benefit from a combination of dedicated operational support and the advantages of an internationally-renowned brand.”

Having already signed its first management contract and with its first hotel opening, the 116-room Best Western Addis Ababa, just three months away, Aleph Hospitality is already experiencing strong demand for its services.

“With some regional owners historically locked out of a market where management agreements were largely the preserve of upscale developments in established destinations, we truly see this as an exciting new beginning for the regional hotel landscape,” said Haddad.  “Hotel companies, consultants and owners that we’ve spoken to right across the region have all been extremely positive about the accelerated growth this model could bring.”

Founded by industry expert Bani Haddad, whose career history spans all aspects of hotel management and roles at major industry players including Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Wyndham Hotel Group and Disney, Aleph Hospitality’s name was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of the ancient Phoenicians, widely credited with revolutionising the way the world communicates through the development of the ‘Aleph-bet’, or alphabet.

International Basketball Players Arrive Nigeria for ABL Debut Season

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BWN
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International Basketball Players Arrive Nigeria for Abl Debut Season

All is set for the debut of the African Basketball League as top International Basketballers who will be featured throughout the season have arrived Nigeria for the league which tips off on 5th of March 2016 at the Landmark event centre.

Four cities in West Africa will play host to a hundred and twenty games in the first season; Lagos, Abijan, Dakar and Libreville. Lagos Islanders, Lagos Warriors and Stallions are the participating Nigerian teams.

The other Africa clubs that will participate in the league are Dakar Rapids from Senegal, Abidjan Ramblers from the Cote d’Ivoire and Izobe Basketball Club from Libreville.

The first game will see the Stallions playing at home against Dakar Rapids of Senegal on Saturday March 5th , the game will commence by 6.30pm at Landmark Event Centre.

Some key players to look out for during the season are Mark Hill, Kelechi Anuna, Melvin Baker, Akintunde Moses, amongst others.

Mark Hill:

NCAA+Basketball+Tournament+First+Round+Kansas+8yPp_mXrAW2l_copy[1] At 5’11, Mark Hill is a quick silver point guard who has the ability to lead his team, while being able to score at will anytime. He has an excellent foot speed and agility which makes a very good penetrator who can finish in traffic. Mark was most notedly the league’s MVP in Finland for the 2014/2015 season before he joined the Lagos Islanders.

 

Kelechi Anuna:

KC2_copy[1] Kelechi is a point guard for the Stallions, having also played for the Nigerian National Team in the past and more recently for the Slovakia League. Born and bred in the USA, Kelechi played basketball for his college Middle Tennessee State University before he played professionally. He has played in Top leagues in Tunisia, Slovakia, Dominican Republic, Egypt and Venezula.

Melvin Baker:

MEMPHIS, TN - DECEMBER 3: of the Memphis Tigers against of the Austin Peay Governors on December 3, 2011 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.(Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
MEMPHIS, TN – DECEMBER 3: of the Memphis Tigers against of the Austin Peay Governors on December 3, 2011 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.(Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

At an outstanding 6’7’ and 215 pounds, Melvin Baker is more than an able power forward, adept at blocking shooters who might be aiming for his team’s basket. He has played basketball across Europe, most noteably wining the championship in Helsinki Finland and winning the championship while averaging 17ppg and 8rpg.Melvin represents the Lagos Islanders.

Akintunde Moses:

Union_Bank_Stallion's_foreign_players_profile__copy[1]

Akin is a versatile, physical and athletic player with tremendous athleticism and strength which make him a powerful lead on the court. He is an excellent mid-range and 3-point shooter. Akin represents the Stallions.

As more professional basketball players arrive in Nigeria for what can be described as one of the greatest and most remarkable events in Africa, we hold on to our seats in anticipation of The African Basketball League Season premier.

Tickets are available on www.ablafrica.com, Wakanow offices and Select Union Bank branches.

The ABL is proudly supported by TRACE, Union Bank, Wakanow, Cornerstone Insurance, Landmark, THE BEAT 99.9FM and ASKY Airline.

Four Nigerian Airlines to Get IOSA Certification

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BWN
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 Dana Air, Overland, Air Peace, and Allied Air and Cargo Services are the four airlines that have taken steps to earn the much coveted international IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Certification in the industry.

 Tanja Grobotek , The IATA’s regional director for Africa, who disclosed this, also confirmed that the IOSA certifications have been obtained by Arik Air, FirstNation Airways, and Aero Contractors. He said that while Dana, Overland and Allied Air and Cargo Services are currently on the verge of securing the IOSA certification, Air Peace has done its last workshop and is about to be audited.

The IOSA certificate is issued to an airline after a successful assessment and demonstration of compliance to safety regulations as specified by the body. While commending the NCAA for a long-standing collaboration with the IATA on operational safety, its chief expressed optimism in seeing more airlines obtain the IOSA certification which will be a boost to the industry in Nigeria.

Senator Describes Current Fuel Scarcity As Artificially Induced

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BWN
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The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the upper chamber, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has attributed the current fuel scarcity in the country to the activities of saboteurs within Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and corrupt practices by depot managers.

Kashamu advised the Federal Government to centralise the allocation of petroleum products directly from the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, cutting off the depot managers, whom he alleged were partly responsible for the scarcity.

He said, “I believe that the current scarcity is artificially induced. There are allegations that even though the Federal Government has fixed the official rate at which fuel should be lifted, many of the depots sell above the amount.

“They ask the independent marketers to pay the government approved rate into the officially designated account and another difference of between N30 to N35 per litre into other private accounts or they simply collect cash.”

Nigeria Has No Business Importing Food – Buhari

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BWN
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President Muhammadu Buhari has said irrespective of divergent opinions of the populace, his administration is keeping the promises he made ahead of the March 28, 2015 presidential election. He also stated that given the arable land available in the country, Nigeria needed not to be importing food at all.

The President said, “Agriculture and solid minerals will mobilise youths for gainful employment. We have the capacity not to need to import food at all. But we need to also tackle infrastructure deficit in power, transportation, rail, road and in other areas.”

He recalled that his campaign was based on three issues, which are security, employment generation and anti-corruption, contending that he was keeping faith with the promises.

On the crash in the international crude oil prices, Bhari stated that Nigeria was blessed with vast arable land for agriculture, and rich deposit of solid minerals, which the businessmen could invest in and reap rich returns in a short time.

On behalf of the Qatari businessmen, the Vice Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muhammed Al Kuwari, said they would be interested in the finance, oil and gas, telecommunications, tourism, agriculture and food processing sectors, among others.

Move Over Smart Phones, Cars Are The New Mobile Payment Platform

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BWN
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Just when you thought you had heard the biggest mobile payment news, Honda goes and does one up. In a new bold move, Honda Automobiles in partnership with Visa, has announced plans to turn their cars into mobile wallets that can be used to pay for petrol and parking, much like your ATM card. This would definitely be a welcome development right now in Lagos, maybe it could help with the long queues?

In a demonstration made at the 2016 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company showed off a model app that would let drivers pay for fuel and parking right from the comfort of their cars. This app which can be accessed through the car’s dashboard, will alert the driver when they are running low on fuel and further direct them to the nearest petrol station to fill up. As soon as the car pulls up next to the pump, this app then calculates the cost of filling up the tank and lets the driver pay from the app and even purchase items from the convenience store at the station.

According to research firm, Gartner, there will be an estimated quarter of a billion connected vehicles on the road by 2020, which means people will in turn be handling a lot of transactions on their car’s dashboards.

Jim McCarthy, executive vice president of innovation and strategic partnerships for Visa in a news releasesaid, “the notion of transforming a car into a platform for payments is not as far off as some may think, and we have made a great deal of progress since first introducing the idea one year ago.” He further said, “Working with Honda to test these prototypes gets us another step closer toward commercial reality, which we think provides exciting opportunities to everyone who plays a role in the payments and automotive ecosystems.”

2015 in Nigeria saw the launch of different payment platforms like the PayAttitude and the PayWithCapture, both of which are challenging users to pay in different interesting ways. This Honda/Visa innovation would surely be welcome in offering users even more payment options.

Nigeria will obviously still have to wait awhile for this service to become available here as the company says they will be testing the fuel app concept in northern California and the parking app concept in New York City, both over a three-month period, starting this Spring.

Who knows though? Maybe local manufacturers like Innoson Motors can take the inspiration to launch something equally as daring. Zoto, the innovative new mobile payment company in Nigeria has already started releasing innovative services that offer users the options to handle online transactions more conveniently.

University Professor Accuses NUC Of Collecting Bribes To Accredit Courses

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BWN
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The Nigerian Academy of Science has accused some of the officials of the National Universities Commission, especially those who conduct accreditation in the nations’ universities of collecting bribes.

The NAS also accused the commission of allowing government’s interference in carrying out accreditation of courses in carrying out accreditation of courses in universities.

President of the association, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, who stated this while delivering a convocation lecture titled, “Building a New Generation University: Problems and Prospects”, at the University of Abuja, said the NUC has derailed from its mandate as a regulatory body of university education to become a tool of the government.

Calling on the commission to engage only people with integrity in carrying out accreditation, he stressed the need for a change of attitude by academics in the country.

The NAS President, who also lamented the use of an archaic benchmark by the commission in its accreditation operations, warned that Nigerian universities would continue to produce unemployable graduates if the trend was not reviewed.

Property Developer To Deliver 1.5 Million Affordable Homes

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BWN
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Following the shortfall in housing delivery in Nigeria, a Lagos – based property developer has set his sights on delivering a minimum of 1.5million affordable houses in its estate along the Ogun and Lagos states corridor, which is expected to compliment government’s efforts.

The projects are coming as a brainchild of Revolution Plus and nicknamed Royal Haven Garden Estates Mowe – Ofada and Ikorodu.  The Royal Haven Garden Mowe is a 100 acres project while its counterpart in Ikorodu sits on 50 acres of land. They also offer specified low-income housing designs of a room and parlour self-contained, two and three bedrooms apartments tagged Classic Royale, Deluxe Royale and Exotic Royale respectively.

Bamidele Onalaja said: “Mowe is the biggest we have in terms of size. It is worth over a billion naira, the same value as Ikorodu, a 50acre project, which means it is like half of Mowe. But because it is Lagos State while Mowe is Ogun State, the land costs as much as Mowe. So, by virtue of that the houses and land of our Ikorodu project are more expensive to buy. As such the cost of buying one plot of land in Ikorodu can as well buy one and a half in Mowe just because of location. Location is a major factor in real estates apparently,” he stated.

  “Our projection is to build like 250 units in each estate, we have started construction in both with the Okorodu project being the newer of the two – we started that one just two months ago, around December last year. So, we are starting construction very soon, but we have started construction in Mowe. We already have over 10 units completed and some of them fully paid for”,
While public response to the projects have been encouraging on a general note, it is especially so for the land.

“Maybe because it is cheaper. It is obviously more affordable for people to buy N600, 000 land more easily than to pay N2.5million or the full N6. 5million or N8.5million for the units depending on the location you go for. Our estates are secured with a deed of title and C of O. Some of our subscribers that are building right now can attest to it.

 “If anyone wants to make changes, we will factor it into the cost they have to pay, so they can have the option of dictating the finishing if they pay before we start construction. Before we start construction, you can tell us what you want so that we can do the calculation and you pay the difference”.

Saraki, Dogara Reject N10 Billion Official Quaters

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BWN
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Senate President,  Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, have rejected the N10 billion voted in the budget of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the building of their official quarters, saying that the cost for the buildings should instead be cut to N8 billion.

Saraki and Dogara also informed the chairmen of the Committees on FCT in both chambers to reflect the decision in their report to the Committees on Appropriation.

The two top lawmakers stated that in view of the economic situation in the country and the need for public officials to be frugal, building houses worth N6bn and N4bn respectively for them was insensitive, and as such the FCT ministry should scale down the cost of the projects or forget the idea until after their tenure.

The Senate President was living in his personal house in Maitama area of Abuja until a fire incident last year forced him to relocate to an official guest house while Dogara stays in rented apartment.

Rice Farmers in Bayelsa Seek Foreign Partners to Boost Production

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BWN
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The Bayelsa State chapter of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RFAN) has sought foreign partners to produce rice in commercial quantity in the state, following lack of funds and government’s apparent lukewarm disposition to farming.

The association’s chairman, Ezekiel-Simeon Ogbianko, revealed that the body had acquired over 40,000 hectares of land for rice farming.

 “We want to launch our website very soon, and we need international partners who are professionals in agriculture to come because the amount of land we acquired is enormous”.

Lassa Fever: Three Confirmed Dead in Kaduna

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BWN
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Lassa Fever

A pregnant woman and two health workers have been confirmed dead following the outbreak  of Lassa fever in Kaduna. The trio include a medical doctor who was undergoing his national youth service year as a corp and a community health nurse died at the Saint Louis Hospital in Zonkwa, area of Zango Kataf local government of the state.

The doctor and the nurse is said to have contacted the lassa fever disease after conducting an operation on a pregnant woman who later died of the same disease two weeks ago.

The state commissioner for health, Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok revealed that two weeks ago, there was a pregnant woman that visited the Saint Louis Hospital after she was referred from a clinic in Kamuru.

‘‘She was pregnant and an operation was conducted on her by the doctor and nurse. She subsequently died.”

“The two individuals that died were the people that actually attended to the pregnant woman. She died about two weeks ago. No one thought they would die like that after the woman. The woman died of lassa disease. She was buried properly. And it was after her death that symptoms of lassa started to show on the medical doctor and the community nurse,” he added.

NEMA Donates Food, Clothing Items To IDP Camps In Borno

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BWN
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The National Emergency Mamagement Agency (NEMA) on Monday delivered food and non-food materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno.

According to the NEMA North-East Information Officer, Mallam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the gesture was part of efforts by the agency to provide comfort to victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

“In continuation of efforts to provide relief to residents of liberated communities in Borno, Nema officials from the North-East Zonal Office and those of the Mobile Medical Team (MMT) delivered food and non food essential basic needs to Government Girls Secondary School, Beinishiek IDPs camp in Kaga in Kaga Local Government Area of the state.

“Before the presentation, the team met with Brig.-Gen. BA Raji, Commanding Officer, 29 Brigade Task Force of Nigerian Army, who is in charge of the satellite IDP camp.

“The Camp is hosting people from recently liberated communities around Beinishiek which include; Galangi ,Zakurari, Shettimari, Burma, Jalori, Shettimanuri and Walari.

“The team also conducted a need assessment to identify the medical supplies needed at the clinic set up by UNICEF to cater for women and children with a view to providing more capacity drug and consumables to the clinic to enable it to cater for all persons with medical issues at the camp,” he said.

Stakeholders Call For $300bn Investment On Infrastructure Development Across Africa

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BWN
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The Nigerian minister of communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Executive Director of the SMART Africa Programme, Dr Hamadoun Touré, and several leading information communications technology (ICT) players, have said that there is an investment need for infrastructure in Africa of about over $300 billion over the next 10 years if the continent is to reach its full potential.

The head of Ericsson’s region sub-Saharan Africa, Fredrik Jejdling, said, “Industries and society are transforming as a result of ICT, and the establishment of smart cities that are equipped to manage some of the most important needs in evolving cities, such as safety, transportation, and utilities, requires active collaboration between various stakeholders.”

Touré said, “The investment will not be charity, its business. Today, the continent has the highest return on investment. Governments are putting the right regulatory environments in place with regard to spectrum, licences and national broadband plans and, therefore, with the public partnership model that we are advocating, there is money to be made.”

Shittu shared the success of two initiatives that were having a positive impact on connecting Nigerians and bringing financial inclusion and accountability: the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as well as preloaded money cards that are now available, for example, to farmers. He further projected that 95 per cent of all transactions between the government and citizens by the end of 2017 will be online, and round the clock.

The growth of cities raises a range of social, economic and environmental challenges, putting pressure on infrastructure, natural systems and social structures. However, as the challenges of urbanization intersect with ICT-driven opportunities, solutions emerge with the potential to improve the lives of billions.

Electricity Tariff Hike: Court Reaffirms Order Restraining NERC

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BWN
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A federal high court in Lagos has re-affirmed the existing order restraining the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff pending the hearing and final determination of the suit filed by a lawyer and rights activist, Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi, over the issue.

Justice Mohammed Idris, asserted the position yesterday during a ruling on the objections of NERC against the contempt charge suit filed by the plaintiff.

Idris said: “Let me warn that when the disciplinary jurisdiction of this court is properly invoked, anyone who is found to have ignored the order of the court will be dealt with severely. The order of this court that parties in this suit should maintain the status quo remains valid and binding until it is set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 “The issue of disobedience to court’s order is one that affects the integrity of the court. There is a need for the court to assert its authority and deal with any issue that is capable of bringing it to disrepute. Those who intend to take the judicial system for a ride should think twice and those who have done so should retrace their steps, as the long arm of the law will catch up with them no matter how long it takes.”

The judge also set aside Form 49 and the motion for committal to prison filed against the defendants by the plaintiff.

 

1 Million Children Immunized Against Child-Killer Diseases In Sokoto

By
BWN
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Sokoto State government has immunised one million children against measles and other child-killer diseases across the state in the last three months. In its bid to improve quality, efficacy and storage of vaccines, the government said it would provide cold stores in rural areas to ensure children at the grass-roots level accessed vaccinated on time.

According to the state commissioner of Health, Dr. Shehu Kakale, renewed commitment by the government had resulted in reaching many remote locations for the administering of vaccines on children. However, stakeholders in the health sector have commended Sokoto government over the ‘Tambuwal Initiative’ in enhancing the work of health field officers in their localities.

“The Tambuwal Initiative came about after the Governor introduced new measures to boost immunisation and healthcare activities. These measures include setting aside two hours of his time every month to chair the meeting of the steering committee on immunisation in the state, directing top government functionaries, led by the Deputy Governor, to chair the bi-monthly meeting on polio,”’he said.

Kakale said even though there are cases of parents sceptical about having their children immunised, the number has reduced drastically, due to enlightenment campaigns and community dialogue embarked upon by the state government in collaboration with religious and traditional leaders.

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