The Nigerian Medical Association has distanced itself from the proposed strike by health workers in Nigeria over alleged breach of agreements with government.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its Chairman, Publicity and Publication Committee, Dr. Obitade Obimakinde, the association described the proposed strike as illegal and said, “The NMA will however wish to caution that issues which have been concluded in the past negotiations or supported by government circulars and memoranda should not be reinvented or distorted in this impasse.”
The organisation also called on security agencies to beef up security around hospitals and give maximum protection to doctors.
The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike following the expiration of their two weeks ultimatum.
Obimakinde informed Nigerians that doctors were not part of the planned withdrawal of services in hospitals nationwide by health workers
He said, “Medical doctors are reporting promptly and available at their duty posts. We are carrying out the responsibilities of saving lives as much as possible within the limits of available facilities and resources provided by the hospitals. We also call on the law enforcement agencies to intensively guarantee protection of doctors in the discharge of their legitimate duties.”
The workers had earlier handed the government a 15-day ultimatum with effect from February 3, 2016, to accede to their 10-point demand or risk nationwide strike.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state has said that his administration is working to ensure that the Blue Line of the Light Rail Project begins operations by December 2016.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the 5th Lagos Corporate Assembly, a forum for public-private sector engagement held at the Banquet Hall of Lagos House, Ikeja, while responding to questions from captains of industries and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), described allegations that construction work had stopped on the first phase of the project connecting Mile 2 to CMS as false.
According to him, his administration was also about to conclude the channelization of the waterways in Lagos to improve on water transportation so as to encourage investors and reduce the pressure on the road networks in the state. The governor also assured members of the OPS as well as would-be investors that the state is more than willing and ready to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive with the overall aim of improving on the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizens.
He said as part of measures to further improve on the creation of enabling environment for businesses to thrive, his administration was also in the process of establishing Lagos Micro Finance Bank, which would go a long way in providing succor for business owners.
Governor Ambode said that the government was also in the process of transforming the Kuramo beach into a World Trade Convention Centre, assuring that he was very much committed to showcasing the economic potentials of the state to the rest of the world.
Speaking on the strategy to drastically reduce traffic in Apapa and make life comfortable for people and businesses in the axis, Governor Ambode recalled the security tour he recently embarked upon to Ishawo and Oke-Oko creek in the suburb of Ikorodu where he met with military personnel carrying out the “Operation Awatse”, a joint military operation of all the security agencies to tackle the menace of pipeline vandalism in the Arepo axis.
“The idea is that when we open up the area and construct the Ishawo-Oke-Oko creek road to connect the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from there, we would have greatly reduced the traffic gridlock on the expressway and then finally put a stop to the activities of pipeline vandals so that we can begin to directly pump petroleum products from Atlas Cove in Apapa to Mosimi, and then the tankers will have no business to come to Lagos to lift product,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor, who spoke on several issues affecting businesses in the state, assured that he would work on perfecting a methodology for collection of rates, and that he would soon come up with a grand plan to permanently tackle the menace of touts.
On power, Governor Ambode said between now and 2017, he had an agenda to create clusters of Independent Power Projects (IPPs) across the state to improve on power generation and ensure 24hours power supply in Lagos.
Following the recent sack of about 13 vice chancellors from the newly established federal universities and the appointment of new ones, the Coalition of Civil Society Group, on Wednesday, in Abuja, constituted an obstruction to movement at the entrance of the National Assembly and the Ministry of Education.
The group protested over what it described as an illegal termination of the appointments of five of the vice chancellors whose tenures were yet to elapse.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, at the venue of the prostest, the president of the group, Etuk Bassey said the act was a breach of the provisions of the University Miscellaneous Provisions Act No. 11, 1993.
Etuk, who demanded the immediate sack of the Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said five out of the 13 sacked VCs were yet to exhaust their tenures, and as such, declared that they should be reinstated.
The civil society president, who also accused the minister of tribalism in the appointment of the new VCs, described this as an aberration to the Federal Character Act.
“Among the new vice chancellors, four professors are from Bayero University, Kano, two from UNIJOS, two from ABU and the rest are from Port-Harcourt, Owerri, Lafia, Kashere and Dutse, respectively, while the newly appointed chairperson of the University Governing Council including the vice chancellor are from Kano State.
“Is this not a clear violation of the Federal Character principle meant to engender unity in the country?,” he queried.
However, the protesters were denied access into the National Assembly by security operatives even as they waited endlessly to be addressed by relevant persons who never showed up.
The group carried placards with inscriptions like “Mallam Adamu Adamu must go now”, “Professors demand respect not embarrassment”, Mr President call your Minister of Education to order”, “We want due process in the education sector”, “Reinstate sacked chancellors now”, among others.
The Osogbo head office and four base stations of Globacom Communication in Osun State were yesterday shut down by the state government over unpaid tax amounting to N532 million. The exercise was carried out by the State Internal Revenue Service (OSIRS) led by its chairman/CEO, Mr. Dayo Oyebanji during a visit to the office.
According to Oyebanji, the action was aimed at ensuring remittance of all the outstanding tax due to the state, adding that the revenue agency had already secured a warrant of distress from the Osun State High Court against Globacom Company to carry out the closure.
He revealed that the revenue agency had tried all possible efforts to resolve the matter amicably in the last two years but Globacom had refused to yield to the calls of the agency.
Oyebanji added that the State House of Assembly had intervened in the matter by inviting Globacom, whose representatives promised to remit the outstanding tax liabilities within two weeks but did not fulfil the promises.
Plateau State government and the Centre for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering of the University of Jos have expressed willingness to partner with farmers in the state to boost food production in the country.
Speaking on the occasion of the 3rd Farmfair/workshop held at Bokkos local government area of Plateau state organised by the university and the state government, the vice chancellor of the institution , Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, who was represented by the director of centre, Prof. Timothy Namo said the fair is aimed at fostering a working relationship with farmers.
“ The fare is also to showcase to the world the rich bio-resource potentials of Plateau and help researchers to develop proposals aimed at tackling problems encountered by farmers.’’
He stressed that the centre is one of the six biotechnology centres of excellence established in each of the geo political zones by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA )in 2003.
“Our main objective is to ensure that biotechnology is profitably applied to governments stewardship such as assurance of high quality, health services, food security, environmental protection and safety.”
Nigerian are very social people and with the rise of social media, a majority of them now spend most for their time online. Whether at home, school, work or even while on the move Nigerians are constantly connected to the internet via their mobile phones, computers, tablets and smart gadgets. While completing tasks online has major pros, seeing as it is easier and faster than normal operations, it also has major cons as it makes one vulnerable to data theft and online scams.
In fact, rarely does a week go by without news of a hacking incident, or an online account being taken by pranksters. More than half of Nigerian adults have six or more password-protected accounts online, and because these passwords can be tricky and even hard to memorize, they resort to making it very short and easy, using the same password for multiple accounts or keeping them in their wallet for easy access. Such practices, however, expose them to the kinds of attacks being launched against websites today.
While there are no ways to completely eliminate these malicious threats and data theft, you can at least put a better lock on your online to ensure you do not become a victim. Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal offers 5 ways to help you get a hacker-proof password and stay one step ahead of the game while protecting your account.
Opt for a long and strong password
Passwords are harder to crack when they are long and graded “strong’. Normally, the recommended minimum for passwords is eight characters, but rather than stick to the minimum, work towards 13 characters or even 22. Though some accounts have limits for passwords, in such cases, ensure you reach the maximum. The longer your password, the harder it is to crack.
Different Passwords for different accounts
No matter how convenient it may seem, do not let yourself fall into the trap of using the same password for all your accounts. Doing so makes it easy for a hacker who succeeds in hacking one of your accounts access every other account you have. Use different pass words for different accounts. And if possible, use different user names while signing up as well. Choose a strong distinct password for each service, ensure that hackers cannot get access to other accounts that might share the same login information if any one service is cracked.
Go for obscurity
Stay away from names, nick names, dates, slangs and popular dictionary words. Strive to make your password completely obscure by using combinations of letters and numbers,as well as upper and lower case letters and symbols such as the exclamation mark and asterisk. Some online accounts may not allow certain symbols or ban you from using unusual characters t create passwords. In such cases, try to vary it as much as you can. A password like “RuHi joVa!go” is a lot safer than “ruhijovago”.
Use unrelated answers
Most accounts have password reminders which are questions that jug the memory in cases where the user cannot remember their password or are looking to change it. The questions which most times cannot be skipped asks questions which its answer serves as your password or to reminds you/gives a clue to what the password may be. Rather than set these “secret questions,” with easy hints for passwords, consider using saving answers that are completely unrelated to the question. That way, you are the only one who gets the clue when needed.
Use a Password Manager
There are so many password manager applications available online, look for one and use it to create and manage strong passwords for the Web or your smartphone. The password manager making it all easy as all you ever need to know and remember is the master password. The manager encrypts passwords and ensures your device can only be unlocked by that master password. Some passwords go past just generate passwords to helping you track new passwords, and audit existing passwords. There are a number of great options on Google Play.
The Nasarawa Geographic Information Service (NAGIS) is to map out land for the proposed mass housing scheme of the federal government.
Media aide to Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura, Ahmed Tukur, made this known on Tuesday in Lafia said that NAGIS will be engaged to work out the master plan for the land after the aerial survey of the proposed area to make it easy for the federal government to commence work immediately.
He said after the Governor took an aerial survey of the proposed lands around Mararaba in Karu local government, he said the state government will give federal government all the necessary support and assistance to ensure the success of the project.
He said Governor Al-Makura, who made the disclosure during a meeting with the management of Nasarawa Geographical Information Service (NAGIS) in their office in Mararaba area of Karu local government, added that the rapid population growth around the area necessitated the construction of a robust housing scheme.
‘‘Al-Makura said that the state government will collaborate with the federal government and identify lands suitable for the federal government mass housing project and contact the federal ministry of power, works and housing,’’ Tukur said.
This move was sequel to demand by the minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, that the state government make available land for the housing scheme.
The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has called for the use of Nigerian languages, as languages of instructions in schools to correct student’s poor performances.
Governor Ahmed made the statement when the national leadership of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), paid him a courtesy visit at the government house in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Wednesday.
The Governor noted that most students perform poorly in schools due to the use of English as language of instruction which hinders their interpretation of materials of instruction.
He, however, said that if concerted effort was not made, Nigerian languages would disappear especially if they were not languages of commerce and instruction.
“A number of dialects are virtually gone and other languages may go unless conscious efforts are made to promote and sustain them through commerce and instruction.”
He charged members of the NAL, as professors in the humanities, to be in the vanguard for the promotion of Nigerian languages, as languages of instruction and commerce.
Mr. Innocent Okafor has emerged the star prize winner of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited’s campaign tagged: ‘FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 2’, which came to an end on Wednesday.
The promotion which ran for six months, specifically between August 2015 and January 2016, was designed to give value to customers of the bank, while encouraging financial inclusion and savings culture.
At the end of the electronic selection exercise held at the three regions and 25 zones of the bank nationwide, three lucky customers were each rewarded with the star prize of N5 million, while three others won N1 million each. A total of 640 other account holders were rewarded with consolation prizes ranging from LED television sets, generating sets, decoders, tablets, smart phones and other consolation prizes.
Okafor won the star prize of N5 million at the Lagos/South-West Regional draw which took place at Matori in Lagos, while Odulawa Tolulope received N1 million.
At the Abuja/North Regional draw held in Abuja, Umaru Augustine emerged as the star prize winner of N5 million, just as Aikay and Franscisca Oduoza (a joint account) smiled home with N1 million. In the same vein, Eke Michael won N5 million at the South-East/South-South draw held in Enugu and Stella Taribi was rewarded with N1 million.
In his address at the ceremony in Lagos, FCMB’s Divisional Head, Retail Banking, Mr. Olu Akanmu, said with the grand finale of the draws held nationwide, the bank has fulfilled the promise it made to customers to reward those who participated and qualified in the promo and the three draws organised during the exercise.
“Beyond the various prizes that we provided to the winners, the fact that the promo has provided us with an opportunity to encourage savings culture, financial inclusion and empower our customers is very exciting.
“We have more positive offerings in various developmental stages for our customers. We therefore urge the general public to seize the opportunity of this promotion to commence a relationship with us so as to benefit from our various rewarding and empowering initiatives,” he stated.
While congratulating all the winners, the Divisional Head encouraged them to make wise use of their prizes, particularly the star prize winners, adding that, “they can invest meaningfully and we are ready to offer them free advice if they so wish.”
The country faces the risk of been thrown into a blackout in the near future if hike in electricity tariff is reversed, power distribution companies have said.
This is coming as NERC stated that it had not received any official communication from the National Assembly concerning the order to stop the implementation of the revised tariffs.
However, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors stated that the Senate intervention was capable of crumbling the power industry, arguing that the country risked future blackouts if it was forced to go back to the old tariff regime.
The investigation of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed fresh facts about the scale of corruption th.at might have been going on in the agency
These include payments of over N3bn on ‘questionable contracts’ and unexecuted projects between 2013 and 2015. Others are monies approved for over-inflated air tickets and non-executed foreign trips.
The EFCC had on Friday arrested the Managing Director of NAMA, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, and four other top officials of the agency in a raid that lasted over nine hours.
The other officials, who have since been taken to Abuja for further interrogation, are the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mrs. Clara Aliche; Acting Director of Procurement, Muyiwa Adegorite; General Manager (Finance), Nurudeen Segun Agbolade; and Project Manager, Felicia Agubata.
Reports say that the officials are helping to unravel how Abdulsalam and his predecessor allegedly signed off payments of over N3bn on ‘questionable contracts’ between 2013 and 2015.
EFCC lamented that the alarming and reckless manner with which, “the present and the immediate past chief executives of NAMA have acted in expending public resources is frightening.”
The Federal Road Safety Corps has announced that it was not going back on its plan to commence the enforcement of the installation of speed limiting device by commercial and haulage vehicles operators in Nigeria from April 1.
Sector Commander of the FRSC, Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Sunday Oghenekaro, who made this known while speaking to newsmen in Abuja, urged commercial motorists to install the device in their vehicles before April 1 when the agency would begin to arrest and prosecute defaulters.
But it had to be postponed due to pressure from stakeholders. It was also felt that the period was too close to the 2015 general elections.
The first rally was at Ojota New Garage in Lagos, which was attended by virtually all the transport unions with their national and state leaders.
The other event for corporate drivers and other motorists was held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, which provided an opportunity for more interaction among the stakeholders on how to ensure a smooth and effective implementation of the safety device project.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Rear Admiral Alison Madueke, the husband of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Rear Admiral Madueke was arrested on Wednesday morning in Abuja by operatives of the EFCC.
A source at the EFCC confirmed the arrest of the husband of the former Minister, saying he was quizzed for several hours for allegedly laundering over $600,000 through his personal accounts.
Although he has been released on administrative bail, the EFCC said he would return on Wednesday for more questioning.
Last year, Mrs Alison-Madueke was invited for questioning by the metropolitan police to answer questions bordering on alleged money laundering.
She had left Nigeria after the current administration took over power in May 2015.
Rear Admiral Madueke’s arrest is the latest in the series of arrests that have been made by the anti-graft agency since the anti-corruption war heightened after the current administration took over office.
2016 SUHD TVs with Quantum dot display are Samsung’s smartest, most advanced TVs ever, offering true-to-life picture quality and breath-taking design
Practical, thoughtful features in washing machine design and functionality lead the way to make consumers’ lives easier
Secure moisture levels and maximise refrigerator space with Samsung’s new Twin Cooling Plus™ technology
Samsung prioritises access to education, healthcare and skills for employability in Africa to help achieve continent’s Sustainable Development Goals
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled its product line-up for 2016 at its annual Samsung Africa Forum event. The company underlined the importance of innovation that makes a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives, showcasing its new bezel-less curved SUHD TVs with Quantum dot display, the industry-first Front Load Washer with AddWash™, and a range of refrigerators and freezers with Twin Cooling™ technology.
“Samsung has continuously worked to help people live smarter lives, and this year we have taken a huge step forward with our diverse products and services,” said Mr. Yoo Young Kim, CEO and President of Samsung Electronics, Africa Office. “We will continue to enhance consumers’ quality of life by listening to their needs and strengthening our ecosystem.”
The Next Generation of Home Entertainment
Samsung unveiled its spectacular new line-up of SUHD TVs that feature unparalleled picture quality with Quantum dot display; the world’s first bezel-less curved design, which is beautiful from every angle; and the smartest user experience that makes it easy for consumers to access all their entertainment content in one place.
Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs feature the world’s only cadmium-free, 10-bit Quantum dot display, offering the most true-to-life picture quality with stunning brightness, exceptional contrast and the most lifelike colours ever offered by Samsung. The future of display technology, Quantum dot display converts light into nearly any colour in the visible spectrum without distortion or compromising the brightness level, delivering the optimum viewing experience for consumers, regardless of the lighting environment.
This year, all of the Samsung SUHD TVs will feature the ability to provide a premium high dynamic range (HDR) experience, with 1,000 nit HDR minimum for a higher level of contrast between light and dark images. New Ultra Black™ technology also significantly reduces light reflection, further enhancing picture quality with minimal glare.
Built on the Tizen operating system (OS), Samsung’s 2016 Smart TVs make it easier for consumers to discover and access all their favourite content and services, from TV shows and movies, to games and programme information, all in one place. The new Samsung Smart TV eliminates the need to juggle multiple remote controls. The Samsung Smart TV will automatically recognise the type of set-top box, game console, OTT box or home theatre system that is connected to the TV. This allows users to control all of the external devices with the Smart Control remote — with no setup required.
Samsung also unveiled the latest additions to its audio product line-up, including the HW-K950 Soundbar, the company’s first to feature Dolby Atmos®, and the industry’s first soundbar package to include two Dolby Atmos®-enabled wireless rear speakers. The complete HW-K950 package delivers an incredible 5.1.4-channel sound.
Intelligent Digital Appliances Transform the Kitchen
Many consumers have dreamed of owning a spacious refrigerator that keeps food fresher longer so their weekly grocery shop goes further. It is a common disappointment to reach into the refrigerator to find that the fruits or vegetables have lost their natural moisture, even when kept in the vegetable drawer.
“The R&D team at Samsung worked hard to overcome this problem. Now consumers can keep food fresher, longer, with Samsung’s innovative Twin Cooling Plus™ technology,” says Sunil Gupta, Africa Regional Product Manager, Digital Appliances.
Samsung’s Twin Cooling Plus™ technology is a truly independent cooling system, preventing unpleasant smells from food moving between the fridge and freezer, ensuring the original flavour of ingredients stored in the freezer is perfectly preserved and odourless.
No air movement between the compartments also means the freezer stays completely frost-free, prolonging the shelf life and the flavour of its contents. It also prevents the build-up of ice, removing the need to defrost the freezer.
Thanks to the Twin Cooling Plus™ technology, consumers can enjoy flexibility with cooling storage depending on their needs. The true independent cooling system allows for turning the freezer into a fridge when required, or just turn off the fridge compartment when leaving home for a long vacation. The five modes are Freezer-Fridge, Energy Saving, Vacation, Fridge Max, and Mini mode.
Samsung today also launches an affordable range of refrigerators and freezers, designed especially for African consumers. These include the vertical freezer, the 180-litre top-mounted freezer, the 1-Door 110-litre fridge, and a chest freezer in the small size capacity of 150 litres.
Making the Washing Machine Work For You
Samsung recognises that in the rush to get laundry done on a frenzied weeknight or during a crazy weekend, a stray sock may simply get overlooked, so Samsung’s simple, practical response to that is to add the industry’s first “AddWash” door to its front load washer.
The Samsung Front Load Washer with AddWash™ has a distinctive access door that makes it convenient to add any item, such as a piece of forgotten laundry or extra detergent, in mid-cycle without needing to drain the washer and open the main washer door.
AddWash utilises a SuperSpeed feature, which finishes a load in less than an hour. It also features our EcoBubble technology, which premixes detergent with air and water, penetrating clothes 40 times faster than a normal mix of water and soap. It comes with an array of smart functions, making it easier for users to monitor and control wash cycles.
From gently caring for delicate fabrics, to advanced technologies that make detergent work harder, to a full load washed in as little as 30 minutes, Samsung’s Front Load Washer with AddWash can easily keep up with your family’s toughest laundry tasks.
Corporate Citizenship at the heart of business strategy
For the first time at Samsung Forum, Samsung will be showcasing its Corporate Citizenship initiatives in Africa.
Samsung will bolster its efforts in Africa in a bid to help the continent achieve its Sustainable Development Goals.
“As a global citizen, we felt it was important to use our technology to give back to society. We do this in four ways: by creating new learning opportunities so that young people can enjoy access to better education; by using our technical expertise to develop and provide access to new healthcare solutions; by supporting youth employment through vocational training and skills development; and by reducing our impact on the environment,” says Abey Tau, Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs Manager.
For more information on this press release, including photos related to the 2016 Samsung Africa Forum, download the event app at: www.sforum2016.com/afr.
The United States of America has deployed a team of military personnel who arrived Nigeria on Wednesday to train a battalion of Nigerian Army officers and soldiers on counter-terrorism and insurgency operations.
Speaking at the commencement of the training at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State on Wednesday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Enwistle, stressed the need for countries within the Lake Chad Basin to continue to work together in the fight against terrorism and insurgency within the region.
He stated that with the ongoing partnership between United States and Nigerian military in the areas of training of officers and soldiers, the war against the Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast was already yielding tremendous result as the insurgents had been largely defeated.
The US Ambassador also tasked the Nigerian government on improving the socio-economic development of the northeast that had been ravaged by Boko Haram attacks in order to secure a long term stability of the region.
On his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Owonishakin, said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to ensure that the Nigerian Armed Forces were adequately equipped to enable personnel fight terrorism and other security challenges confronting the nation.
He explained that the partnership between the US military and Nigeria’s Armed Forces was borne out of the commitment of the present administration in waging war against global terrorism and violent extremism.
General Owonishakin, however, urged the participants to use the training opportunity to improve their military skills and capacity.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, reminded the participants of the enormous security challenges facing Nigeria and the need for them to adapt with the new tactics to deal with the situation.
He also reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army towards strict observance of human rights and international humanitarian laws in the ongoing military effort to liberate the northeast from the Boko Haram terrorists.
The training which would last for 12 weeks, is designed to be conducted in three phases for troops of the 145 Battalion.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the number one television manufacturer worldwide for the past 10 years, today unveiled its spectacular new line-up of SUHD TVs at Samsung Forum 2016, ushering in a new decade of global TV leadership.
Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs offer unparalleled picture quality with Quantum dot display; the world’s first bezel-less curved design which is beautiful from every angle and the smartest user experience that makes it easy for consumers to access all their entertainment content in one place. In addition, Samsung showcased its new portfolio of audio products, including a groundbreaking new Soundbar featuring Dolby Atmos® technology.
“Our new SUHD TVs represent our singular focus on innovation that matters most to consumers, by providing the very best picture quality for the home,” said Corrie Labuschagne, Africa Regional Product Manager, Visual Display. “In 2016, we’re going beyond anything we’ve done before to offer a remarkable synergy of design, engineering and craftsmanship.”
Samsung SUHD TV with Quantum dot display: Unbeatable Picture Quality
Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs feature the world’s only cadmium-free, 10-bit Quantum dot display, offering the most true-to-life picture quality, with stunning brightness, exceptional contrast and the most lifelike colors ever offered by Samsung.
This year, all of the Samsung SUHD TVs will feature the ability to provide a premium high dynamic range (HDR) experience, with 1,000 nit HDR minimum for a higher level of contrast between light and dark images. New Ultra Black technology also significantly reduces light reflection, further enhancing picture quality with minimal glare. Inspired by nature, Ultra Black absorbs natural light the same way that a moth’s eye enables it to see better at night.
360 design for Unparalleled Immersion
Four years after introducing the first Curved TVs to the world, Samsung has designed the world’s first bezel-less Curved TV, the KS9500 SUHD TV, to provide a more immersive viewing experience.
With no bezel that normally functions as the border, the viewer’s attention is focused purely on what matters most – captivating content on the screen. In keeping with this design ethos, Samsung has sought to eliminate all unnecessary elements, even removing screws from the rear of the TV, to create an elegant product that is beautiful from every angle.
Unlimited, Seamless Entertainment through Single Access and Single Remote
Built on the Tizen operating system (OS), Samsung’s 2016 Smart TVs make it easier for consumers to discover and access all their favorite content and services, from TV and movies to program information, all in one place.
– New Smart Hub – The 2016 Smart Hub is designed to provide users with simple access to their favorite content all in one place. Live TV, over the top (OTT) and even the menu that appears on the home screen of the Samsung Smart TV allows users to access their favorite programs as soon as they turn on the TV. – Samsung Smart Control remote – The new Samsung Smart TV eliminates the need to juggle multiple remote controls. The Samsung Smart TV will automatically recognize the type of set-top box, game console, OTT box or home theater system that is connected to the TV. This allows users to control all of the external devices with the Smart Control remote — with no setup required. – Smart View – The Samsung Smart View mobile app allows users to share their favorite content instantly with their family. The upgraded Smart View is now available beyond Samsung Galaxy devices, supporting Android and iOS devices, as well as Window PCs. Popular apps and websites are all also Smart View enabled, so consumers can begin the entertainment experience right within the apps and services they enjoy most. – More access to content – Streaming UHD and TV shows from providers such as Showmax and Netflix and accessing apps such as YouTube has gotten even easier.
Winning innovation for Africa
As innovators in the field, Samsung is also launching the new Arica special TV which provides the best viewing experience.
This TV offers three unique features: firstly, an All Care protection against irregular and high voltage, lightning, humidity damage and damage caused by dust, insects and viruses. Secondly, Cleanview which will detect the source quality and removes broadcast interference, reduces digital noise and enhances color and contrast for the clearest possible video.
Thirdly, for the music lovers, the Sound Mirroring feature will come in handy. You can wirelessly connect with your mobile phone to transform your TV into a music station, so you can enjoy all your music content from your phone, on your powerful television speakers, although this feature will only available in DTT countries.
“We believe that in order to develop product solutions with our consumers, we must address the unique local needs in Africa. It is of highest importance for tailored innovation – we want to offer the best in picture quality, best in cinematic sound and a television that will withstand the harsh African climate,” adds Labuschagne.
Samsung & Dolby Atmos®: 3D Moving Audio, with Breathtaking Realism
Samsung’s new HW-K950 Soundbar is the company’s first to offer Dolby Atmos® Cinema Sound, and the industry’s first soundbar package to include two Dolby Atmos®-enabled wireless rear speakers. The complete HW-K950 package delivers incredible 5.1.4-channel sound. At just 2.1” high, the HW-K950’s slim and sleek design uses three forward-facing and two upwards-facing speakers to produce a rich, full sound that is big enough to fill the room, yet detailed enough to deliver realistic, cinematic sounds, from an arrow shooting across the room to a hummingbird flying overhead. The Soundbar also connects wirelessly to the subwoofer and to the forward and upward-facing rear speaker units, for a practical and seamless solution in any living room. This also means that ceiling-fitted speakers are not required for moving, 3D audio.
Facebook hosted a Women’s Safety roundtable in Kenya on February 10 with participants from NGOs, academia, women’s rights groups, and safety organisations from Kenya and across Sub-Saharan Africa to highlight how the community can work together to create a harassment-free online environment where everyone can feel safe to share and interact. The roundtable coincided with Safer Internet Day (February 9, 2016), a 100-country effort to make the Internet a better place for everyone who uses it.
The Kenyan roundtable was the first to be held around the world, with others to follow in Ireland, the Middle East, India and the US. The focus was on addressing the issues of online harassment of women.
“At Facebook, safety is at the centre of how we build products,” said Antigone Davis, Head of Global Safety for Facebook. “We have a community of nearly 1.6 billion people, and we work hard to develop our global policies that focus on safety, encouraging online respect, and honouring the cultural diversity of our platform. It is absolutely critical that we spend time with our partners around the world to listen and learn how we can do better as we develop our policies and educate people about how they can stay safe.”
“Facebook is an important way for people in Africa to connect and share, and we’re committed to working with our partners to ensure our community, especially women, feel safe when they use our platform,” said Ebele Okobi, Head of Public Policy Africa for Facebook. “This roundtable, our first in a global series, has proved invaluable to gaining insight to our approach in Kenya and across Sub-Sarahan Africa. We look forward to continuing the conversation in order to better reflect our community and develop the right policies.”
This year’s Safer Internet Day’s theme is Play Your Part for a Better Internet. Facebook is working with partners such as Watoto Watch in Kenya, SHIFT in Nigeria and J Initiative in Ghana to ensure the safety and education of their communities and address the needs of vulnerable people.
Thirty organisations were represented at the roundtable in Nairobi, including participants from NGOs, academia, women’s rights groups, and safety organisations. Representatives from the following organisations participated in the roundtable: S.K.I.R.T.S. (Socially Keen Individuals Redefining Tech Spaces, Women in Tech Africa, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), Her Zimbabwe, Digital Ubuntu, Hivos East Africa, Coalition On Violence Against Women (COVAW), Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), UN Habitat, iHub, NEST, Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Roshani Consultancy Services, Si Jeunesse Savait (SJS), Spinlet, Local Development Research Institute (LDRI), Research ICT Africa (RIA), Botswana Information Technology Society (BITS), International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), Misa Malawi, Isis Women International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE), Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Zambia Chapter, Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), OpenNet Africa initiative, Akili Dada, FRIDA The Young Feminist Fund and Safaricom.
African countries represented included Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, and Zambia.
MTN, in partnership with the MTN Solution Space and Jumia, are proud to announce the launch of the MTN Entrepreneurship Challenge powered by Jumia.
The Pan-African competition launching today, will be the first of its kind in Africa, bringing together over 1000 entrepreneurs, students and investors, to collaborate on ways to amplify and consolidate the continent’s entrepreneurs. Targeting more than 60 universities in 13 countries across Africa, the competition will challenge students to develop a unique digital application or smart solution that will solve a tangible problem faced on the continent.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Jumia to launch the entrepreneurship challenge. Africa is a continent of promise, and our aim with the MTN Solution Space has always been to help fulfil this promise by developing uniquely African solutions. We believe that the entrepreneurship challenge is a key element of this. The response and willingness from universities across Africa to collaborate on this initiative has been truly remarkable and certainly exemplifies the impact of collective efforts to foster entrepreneurship among our next generation of business leaders,” says Sarah-Anne Arnold, Manager of the MTN Solution Space.
MTN’s Group Chief Digital Officer, Herman Singh, says the company is proud to both sponsor and endorse the initiative.
“The Entrepreneurship Challenge is strongly aligned to MTN’s own entrepreneurial culture and history as well as our values as a business. We believe in the inspiration of new business leaders in Africa and their enablement to success will be key drivers for the future rapid evolution of a broader start-up culture on the continent. This is an environment already teeming with excellent potential and we hope to assist in accelerating its further growth and to raise MTN’s role in creating new businesses in Africa,” says Singh.
Applications for the first round of the multi-phased competition are open from today and will close on 27 March 2016. Aspiring entrepreneurs from participating universities can enter in teams by logging onto www.gsb.uct.ac.za/MTNECbyJumia. All applications will be judged by campus captains, who consist of successful entrepreneurs in their respective market. Shortlisted teams will then move on to a live pitching phase at their selected universities between 1-8 April 2016, after which the final five projects will be selected to move through to the Semi-Final.
The finalists will be announced on 16 April 2016, and as part of this achievement, the successful teams will get the opportunity to attend the Entrepreneurship festival, hosted at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business in South Africa on May 27 2016. The festival, aims to facilitate the collaboration of over a thousand attendees with prominent and innovative speakers and workshop experts from across the world. Finalists will have to pitch their business to a room of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, judges, investors and international media, after which the winner of the challenge will be announced.
The winner of the MTN Entrepreneurship Challenge powered by Jumia will win a cash prize of US $25 000 towards their start-up, and will also benefit from a yearlong partnership with Jumia, where they will have the opportunity to work from any of JUMIA’s offices across Africa. This will enable the winner to learn from, and be mentored by experienced and successful entrepreneurs in the JUMIA network. The winner will also have access to a Facebook Start Program to the value of US $15 000, which includes tools and services needed to build mobile applications. In addition, they will have the opportunity to work from the MTN Solution Space at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. The two runners-up will each receive US $5 000 towards their projects.
“Jumia is proud to unveil a new dimension of MTN partnership both aiming at promoting youth unemployment and fostering entrepreneurship. We take pride in building and harnessing potentials not only to create successful business leaders but also to ultimately improve the whole ecosystem through direct job creations. MTN EC by Jumia will propel young talents to feats across Africa by creating a seamless platform for teeming Africa youths to kick-start their projects; which is one of several key initiatives to give back to the community.” Commented Fatoumata Ba, Managing Director, Jumia Nigeria.
“This competition will contribute to building a stronger and more sustainable business environment across Africa. Its main goal is to boost and fuel African entrepreneurship by enabling young and smart entrepreneurs to kick off with their own projects. The key for us is to give full and adapted support to young talents, from funding to mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs,” says Bankole Cardoso, Head of Communications from Jumia.
For more information about the MTN Entrepreneurship Challenge powered by Jumia, visit the MTN Solution Space at www.gsb.uct.ac.za and Jumia at www.Jumia.com or visit their social media pages on Facebook: facebook.com/uctgsbsolutions. More information will also be available on Twitter at @uctgsbsolutions and @Africa_IG, where regular updates, articles and interviews will be shared.
While some people in Lagos have the natural gift of waking up full of energy and ready to face the day…there are some who need extra motivation and possibly pampering to accept the dawn of the new day.
If you are within the city and you find yourself registered to the camp of the unlucky for whom mornings are not pleasant, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking sitehas got some tips to make them more bearable.
Start Your Morning the Night Before
Many times, you may find mornings chaotic because you have so much to do and little time to do them. To save yourself the added stress, try to prepare for the next day the night before. There are a lot of things you can remove completely from your morning to-do list by completing them before you go to bed. Picking out your outfit for the day, sorting your office lunch, even putting bags in the car that you know you need for work are simple tasks to complete the night before, that way all you have to do is brush your teeth, take a bath, put on clothes and shoes, and you are out the door. When you are organized, you are less stressed.
Set Up Your Favorite Song as Your Alarm Tone
Almost everyone in Lagos sets the alarm for the next day before they sleep. Most people believe that an annoying alarm tone is the best move if you want the alarm to actually wake you up, but this may be the reason your mornings have been unbearable.
Rather than set up the alarm with the one sound you dread, try setting it with one of your favorite song. Just ensure the song you pick for the alarm is something fast and loud; R&B or blues would just lull you back to sleep. Using your favourite song as alarm tone does not just give you a good mood swing first thing in the morning, waking up and dancing to the rhythms of that song can refresh you up. You will feel less lethargic and will be pumped with enough positivity to face the rest of the morning.
Add Something Positiveto Your Morning Routine
Mornings are unbearable not necessarily because we have an unsatisfying sleep or were forced to wake up before we were ready to, they exist because we dread starting our day and dealing with intense commute in places like Lagos.
The thing is, mornings do not have to be all gloomy. Plan to do something pleasant and positive at the outset, something you can look forward to, it will make getting up and out of the house much more bearable. It could be something as simple making a playlist specifically for your morning routine, allowing yourself one glass of early morning juice, watching a funny clip on your phone, listening to an audio novel or devouring the one chunk of carb you allow yourself per day. The moment you can do something fun and get your mind in a positive place, the rest of the morning will not seem like such a chore as your mood will be brightened.
Give Yourself Transition Time
This sounds like a waste of time, but this actually has a solid impact on your entire day, not just morning. You need transition time between sleep and getting out the door. The moment you wake up, your brain literally starts to boot, so, you need to give it time to start up fully before bombarding it with new tasks for the day.
Wake up earlier, and get your blood pumping by doing some stretch or talking a walk round your apartment. Just five minutes of simple stretches can have a huge impact on you both physically and emotionally, throughout the day, it helps stimulate blood flow and kick-start circulation, a sure way to get yourself feeling more alert, faster. Also, taking the time to slowly move your muscles by walking can have beneficial effects on your heart, lungs, digestive system, and brain, and also brings a satisfying start to the day.
Take Out 1 Minute to Just Smile
Taking out 30 seconds to one minute to just smile is not weird. The act of smiling has a special way of making us happier. Taking out time to smile fills you with positive energy and keeps you optimistic for the rest of the morning and possibly day. Smile at yourself in the mirror for the set time, either immediately you wake up morning routine or just before you head out the door. And if the effect wears out and you start to feel negative energy during the day, consider top-up smile session.
Asset & Resource Management Company (ARM) Limited was established in 1994, and has evolved into a leading asset management firm in Nigeria with a focus on asset management across a broad asset class.
At ARM, our people are our main asset, and the quality of advice and solutions that they provide is the underlying reason that we are able to build and sustain lasting relationships. The quality and breadth of our client base speaks to the quality of our people.
We are recruiting to fill the position of:
Job Title: ARM Young Talent (Internship) Program 2016
Location: Lagos
Job Description
The ARM Young Talent Programme (AYTP) is designed to provide exemplary university students with the opportunity to develop an early career at ARM through exposure to meaningful assignments that offer opportunities to gain real-world experience.
It is our chosen way to influence the development of talent in our environment. The AYTP offers our interns good learning opportunities, via practical work experience prior to entry into the labour market or progression to further ones career. The AYTP allows ARM tackle some of the challenges relating to capacity building, by facilitating the creation and provision of possible employment opportunities for interns upon obtaining their University degree and completion of their internship programme with the firm. In addition to working with the best people in the industry, our interns are provided with comprehensive training in an environment which is geared towards learning, and are exposed to real life business projects, transactions and company initiatives.
At the end of the programme, our interns are also required to write a report and give a presentation on a project topic in order to assess their suitability. In addition to developing technical skills and experience, the AYTP provides interns the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills through networking with other interns, current employees and clients.
This is a great chance to get your career started at a leading investment management firm and gain some valuable work experience. Successful participation in our programs could invariably lead to full-time professional employment with the firm or an exclusive scholarship offer to study for a Post-graduate degree under our “Robert Akinjewe Scholarship Fund” Career Fulfillment.
Desired Skills and Experience
We seek high quality students from all disciplines that possess:
Great communication skills (both written and oral), analytical and logical reasoning skills
Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills
and are:
Collaborative
Able to think creatively and to be innovative
Able to work in a fast-paced challenging environment
Application Closing Date
This years program would begin on the 6th of June and end on the 15th of July, 2016.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send a copy of your resume/CV’s to:careers@arm.com.ng with ‘AYTP 2016 ‘ as the subject.
All applicants must:
Currently be enrolled at a recognized university
Have completed at least a year of your degree
Be on track for a 2:1 degree (or the equivalent)
Note: Shortlisted candidates based on select criteria will be contacted by HCM.
Key Points
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau has resigned after three years and 11 months in office.
General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation's Executive...
