Arsenal’s Ozil to miss Bayern clash…See full details

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Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil reacts during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen football match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal in Munich, southern Germany, on February 15, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Christof STACHE

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil will miss Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Bayern Munich after illness, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said.

Ozil was absent from Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday and although the German star has returned to training, Wenger doesn’t believe he is ready to face Bayern.

Losing the World Cup winner for the Emirates Stadium showdown is another blow for Arsenal, who face the daunting task of having to overturn a 5-1 deficit from the first leg.

“Ozil is not in the squad. He was sick and he was out the whole of last week,” Wenger said.

“He had only one session yesterday. I don’t think he is ready physically to be in the squad.

“He should be ready for the weekend (for the FA Cup quarter-final against Lincoln).”

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FG, NASS to review moribund maritime laws, regulations (Read full details)

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has called for the support of the National Assembly in reviewing and amending many moribund laws and regulations guiding the management and operations of the maritime sector.

Amaechi made the call on Friday in Lagos at the opening of a two-day retreat organised by the House Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways, the Federal Ministry of Transportation and its agencies.

“Such reviews and amendments would make the maritime sector not only relevant but also capable of handling current challenges and developments in the industry,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes him as saying.

The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari.

He said that in this respect, some state governments had enacted legislations which were in conflict with the powers conferred on the Federal Government for the management and operations of ports and the inland waterways.

Amaechi said the ministry required the support of members of the Committees in the House of Representatives and the National Assembly for adequate allocation of annual budgets to implement maritime projects and programmes.

To grapple with the current challenges, and development in the maritime sector, the minister said the lawmakers needed to have a fair knowledge of the operations and management of the maritime sector.

“This is also why we are not only happy with the selected topics for discussion at this retreat but are equally happy with the pedigree of personalities of presenters and discussants chosen to handle the various topics,’’ NAN quotes Amaechi as saying.

According to him, the ministry, with the agencies, see the retreat as an opportunity to further deepen the existing good relations between the Ministry and the National Assembly, particularly the House Committees in charge of the maritime sector.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara, in a message to the retreat said he was aware of the very important Transport Sector Reform Bill pending before the National Assembly.

The speaker said, “These Bills include: the Port and Harbour, Nigerian Railway Corporation Act Amendment, NBIWA Act Amendment, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Act, and the National Transport Commission.’’

He said that the Bills were all vigorously processed for passage into laws as part of the legislative agenda of the eight Assembly of the House of Representatives and as a veritable tool to get our economy out of recession.

Dogara said he was also aware of the international maritime conventions of which Nigeria was a signatory and which were in the National Assembly for ratification /domestication.

“We undertake to work cooperatively with the executive for speedy domestication of these treaties so that Nigeria could maximise the gains of these international legislations,’’ NAN quotes the speaker as saying.

Dogara also proposed an Annual Maritime Seminar for legislators to be organised in partnership with the National Assembly.

He commended Mr President for the giant strides he had made in the Transport sector within such a short time, especially in the rehabilitation and revitalisation of the rail infrastructure as disclosed by oversight reports.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Committee on Ports, Harbour and Waterways, Rep. Patrick Asadu, emphasised the reservation of the

House of Representatives on non-observance and compliance with the letters of agreements, concession terms and contractual obligations duly entered into on behalf of the government by various agencies of government in the maritime sector.

Asadu said, “The issue of none or low implementation of budgets by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and low revenue generation will be key factors in subsequent appropriations for our MDAs.’’

“To agencies that do well, shall more be given in our budgeting exercises,’’ NAN quotes him as saying.

“The committee shall vigorously employ all legislative powers at her disposal to ensure compliance with the terms of those agreements with private sector organisations both local and foreign.

“It can no longer be business as usual when we know the huge revenue and better service delivery achievable if these are observed.

“It is now Nigeria first, more than ever before,’’ NAN quotes hi as saying.

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Nigeria’s inflation rate hits 18.72% (Read full details)

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The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation increased by 18.72 per cent (year-on-year) in January from 18.55 percent recorded in December 2016.

The CPI, which measures the average change over time in prices of goods and services consumed by people for a day-to-day living is 0.17 percent points higher from the points recorded in December.

A report released by the NBS in Abuja on Wednesday noted that increases recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the Headline Index.

“Communication, Restaurants and Hotels again recorded the slowest pace of growth in January, growing at 5.1 per cent and 8.4 per cent (year-on-year) respectively.

“However, the faster pace of growth in headline inflation, year -on- year, were bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, potatoes, yams and other tubers as well as and wine and spirits.

Also, clothing materials and accessories, electricity, cooking gas, liquid and solid fuels, motor cars and maintenance, vehicle spare parts and fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, passenger transport by road.’’

On a month on month basis, the report stated that headline inflation was driven by passenger transport by air, fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment and liquid fuels. The report also stated that the headline inflation was driven by cooking gas, oils and fats, fruits, Mike cheese and eggs, fish, meat and bread as well as cereals.

“The Food Index increased by 17.82 percent (year-on-year) in January, up by 0.43 percent points from rate recorded in December 2016 (17.39) per cent.

“During the month, all major food sub-indexes increased, with Soft Drinks recording the slowest pace of increase at 7.8 per cent(year on year).

“Price movements recorded by All items less farm produce or Core sub-index rose by 17.90 per cent (year-on-year) in January, down by 0.20 per cent points from rates recorded in December 2016 (18.10) per cent.

“During the month, the highest increases were seen in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, Education and Transport growing at 27.2, 21.0 and 17.2 per cent respectively.’’

On a month-on-month basis, the report further stated that the Headline index increased albeit, at a slower pace in January 2017.

It stated that the index increased by 1.01 per cent points in January, 0.05 percent points from 1.06 percent rate recorded in December 2016.

“It should be noted that the Headline Index is made up of the Core Index and Farm Produce items. As Processed Foods are included in both the Core and Food sub-indices; this implies that these sub-indices are not mutually-exclusive.’’

Meanwhile, the report stated that Urban index rose by 20.31 percent (year-on-year) in January from 20.12 percent recorded in December, and the Rural index increased by 17.34 percent in January from 17.20 percent in December.

“On month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.03 percent in January from 1.08 percent recorded in December, while the rural index rose by 1.00 percent in January from 1.04 percent in December,’’ it stated.

The construction of the CPI combines economic theory, sampling and other statistical techniques using data from other surveys to produce a weighted measure of average price changes in the Nigerian economy. Key in the construction of the price index is the selection of the market basket of goods and services.

Every month, 10,534 informants spread across the country provide price data for the computation of the CPI and the market items currently comprise of 740 goods and services regularly priced.

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Nainggolan rescues Roma after Dzeko penalty woe

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Roma's Bosnian forward Edin Dzeko (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match FC Crotone vs AS Roma on February 12, 2017 at the Ezio Scida Stadium, in Crotone.<br />CARLO HERMANN / AFP

Radja Nainggolan came to the rescue after another Edin Dzeko penalty miss as Roma kept the pressure on Serie A leaders Juventus with a hard-fought 2-0 win at plucky Crotone on Sunday.

Roma’s 17th win of the campaign moved Luciano Spalletti’s men back up to second spot to close the gap to four points, although Juventus can restore their seven-point lead with a win at Cagliari in Sunday’s late game.

Napoli sit third two points further off the pace following a 2-0 win over Genoa on Friday.

With the return of Mohamed Salah from the African Nations Cup duty with beaten finalists Egypt, Spalletti left Roma icon Francesco Totti at home for the trip to Crotone.

But it took less than 20 minutes for Totti’s absence, and his clinical penalty-taking, to be felt.

Roma won a soft penalty when Salah tumbled under a nudge from Gian Marco Ferrari, and Crotone’s fans probably felt justice had been done when Dzeko stepped up to fire a soft effort wide of the near post.

Dzeko has taken two penalties in Serie A this season, and missed both.

Crotone, who have never been out of the bottom three all season, kept the game ticking over, Aleksander Tonev replying to a Salah header that sailed a metre over with a snapshot that forced Wojciech Szczesny into action.

But Roma broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time, Salah setting up Nainggolan inside the area for the Belgian to beat Alex Cordaz with a bobbling, angled shot from 12 yards.

Crotone were in uproar after referee Carmine Russo blew the whistle for half-time without any extra time, as they were preparing a free kick.

The Calabrians were angered again just before the hour when Diego Falcinelli saw his goal chalked off for offside.

But before then, Roma had hit the woodwork twice, Dzeko’s deflected shot clipping the bar before a header from Federico Fazio came off the post.

Spalletti’s men put the match beyond doubt in the 77th minute, Dzeko making amends for his earlier blunder by firing first-time past Cordaz at the back post from Salah’s well-earned cutback.

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