Monday, 6 March 2017
Xenophobia: Tit-for-tat approach not solution – NIPR boss
By Ola Ajayi
Ibadan – NATIONAL President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Rotimi Oladele has said that the issue of xenophobic attacks in South Africa should be handled carefully noting that tit-for-tat approach is not the solution.
He said this in Ibadan after the first 2017 quarterly lecture organised by NIPR, Oyo State with the theme, “Public Relations practice yesterday, today and future: implications and challenges for practitioners in changing world of business and governance” which held at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan at the weekend.
According to him, with the enormous role that Nigeria played in the emancipation of blacks in South Africa, it is unfair that the people we fought for should pay us back in bad coin.
He said some of the South Africans who engaged in the unnecessary attacks must have lost touch with their history.
He said, “As far as Africa is concerned as a continent, Nigeria is a big brother and we have been paying prices of brotherhood for long. We spent our time, money and resources in dismantling apartheid.”
” We sponsored a lot of South Africans at tertiary levels in all our universities across the country. Our civil servants even donated money from their salaries in the 80s. But, South Africans of today who have lost touch with their past are now paying us back in bad coin.
But, that doesn’t mean we should use a tit-for-tat approach “.
Warning Niger Delta militants who had given a 30-day ultimatum for South Africans companies in Nigeria to move, the NIPR boss said the outcome of this threat would be counter productive.
He added that if we scared the companies out of the country, it would adverse effects on our labour market saying that 80-90 per cent of employees in these companies are Nigerians and if the companies are forced to leave, it means these people would be rendered jobless.
On challenges facing NIPR as a professional body, he, the Oyo State Chairman of NIPR, Mrs Tola Ajayi and the guest lecturer, Pa Adekunle Salu said funding, acceptability are main challenges of the institute.
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Recession: FG to unfold Economic Recovery strategy this week
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor
Abuja – Barring any unforeseen development, the Federal Government will this week unfold its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which is expected to outline how the country will get out of recession and attain stability and growth.
Competent Government sources confirmed to Vanguard last night that the long awaited economic plan, which was worked out by financial and economic experts in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Ministry of Finance, was ready and would be made public any time this week.
One of the sources, who described the ERGP as optimistic, said that President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to formally launch the document after it had been made public to show to doubting Nigerians that the present administration has been working round the clock to put things right in the overall interest of the nation.
“It is very likely that the ERGP will be posted on relevant government website on Tuesday this week and after that it will be formally launched by the President so that Nigerians can appreciate the work that has been done for them by the present administration,” one of the sources related to the work plan, said last night.
In the meantime, the Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, has hinted that the ERGP will be driven by Science, Technology and Innovation, with the youths being targeted to deliver its success.
Senator Udoma, who made the disclosure while playing host to the Country Representative of UNICEF, Mr Mohammed Malick Fall, in Abuja at the weekend, said government was working strategically to address the economic challenges of the country with appropriate attention focused on young people, who are the source of the country’s economic strength.
He said the ERGP, the country’s medium term plan was tailored in such a way that it will be driven largely by ideas and innovation, two areas in which young people have comparative advantage, particularly in high-tech perspectives that will urgently transform the economy.
He said the ERGP which has been concluded is expected to deliver on five key broad outcomes, namely: a stable macroeconomic environment, agricultural transformation and food security, sufficiency in energy (power and petroleum products), improved transportation infrastructure and industrialization focusing on small and medium scale enterprises.
The Plan envisages that by 2020, Nigeria would have made significant progress towards achieving structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy.
The Minister told the UNICEF delegation that the Federal Government was ever ready to collaborate and partner with development agencies that are in the country to assist in beneficial development programmes.
While acknowledging UNICEF’s assistance efforts, particularly in the areas of Health, Water, Sanitation and Youth Development, Senator Udoma encouraged the organization to always collaborate with his Ministry in its project plans to avoid overlaps with the efforts of other multilateral agencies and donor partners; and duplication of provisions in the country’s development plans.
UNICEF Country Representative, Mr Fall, said the organization would continue to engage with government on technical issues and as well as make available experiences from different parts of the world towards tackling challenges that fall within its assistance mandate areas.
He pointed out that policy dialogue, best practices, and experiences from other parts of the world have a better chance of solving challenges than the level of donor funding.
The Representative said UNICEF is more particular about water and sanitation challenges in its current approach to dealing with health matters because no matter the amount of focus on Health, if these two areas are not properly addressed, all the efforts would be worthless
He agreed to collaborate with the Ministry to ensure that there is an alignment of efforts in executing the agencies programmes for the benefit of the people
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Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Dollar firms on Fed rate hike talk, Trump promises spending boost…Read full details
PHOTO:AFP
The dollar firmed in Asia Wednesday after two top Federal Reserve officials suggested US interest rates could rise this month, while Donald Trump’s speech to Congress received a mixed response.
The greenback’s rally provided fresh impetus for Tokyo stocks, but regional equity markets were subdued despite forecast-beating readings on Chinese factory activity and Australian growth.
In Washington President Trump’s much-anticipated address to both houses of Congress was short on detail but provided enough to keep traders mainly upbeat.
The tycoon pledged $1.0 trillion in public-private infrastructure spending and “massive” tax cuts for the middle class, but he did not say how any of it would be paid for.
Ryuta Otsuka, a strategist at Toyo Securities in Tokyo, told Bloomberg News: “Investors are feeling relieved. Focus is shifting toward the Fed.”
And while Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at forex firm OANDA, said in a commentary that the address was “high on rhetoric and light on detail” and “a highly scripted damp squib”, he added that “it has become a case of no news is ever so slightly good news”.
But Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader, said in a note: “It was a bit of a disappointment in the sense that he did not put any more meat on the bones” of past promises.
World markets have surged since Trump’s November election victory on expectations his plans for infrastructure spending and tax cuts would fire up the world’s top economy.
However, his lack of clarity in recent weeks has led to some uncertainty, while there are also concerns the presidency has been enveloped with controversy that has caused division in the country.
The Nikkei in Tokyo ended 1.4 percent up as the dollar strengthened against the yen after the speech, helping exporters.
Investors were already shifting into the US unit after New York Fed president William Dudley said there was a strong case for borrowing costs to rise, while his San Francisco counterpart John Williams expects such a move to get “serious consideration” when the bank meets this month. Fed boss Janet Yellen is due to speak Friday.
Hong Kong was up 0.2 percent in the afternoon while Shanghai ended 0.2 percent higher and Singapore put on 0.7 percent.
However, Wellington, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta all turned lower.
And Sydney ended down 0.1 percent as traders brushed off news Australian growth hit 1.1 percent in the October-December quarter, averting a technical recession of two-straight quarters of contraction, thanks to a pick-up in exports and household spending.
There was little reaction to Chinese figures showing manufacturing activity grew more than expected last month.
The improvement in the purchasing managers index follows a series of upbeat readings from Beijing that suggest the world’s number two economy may have turned a corner after years of slowing growth.
– Key figures around 0700 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.4 percent at 19,393.54 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.2 percent at 23,783.74
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,246.93 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0555 from $1.0579
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2365 from $1.2381
Dollar/yen: UP at 113.51 yen from 112.75 yen
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: DOWN two cent at $53.99 per barrel
Oil – Brent North Sea: UP three cents at $56.54
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,812.24 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 7,263.44 (close)
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Monday, 13 February 2017
Plateau government pledges partnership with corporate organisations to boost sports, tourism…See full details
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has pledged the state government’s readiness to partner with corporate organisations to boost its sports and tourism sectors.
Lalong said this on Sunday in Jos at the closing ceremony of the maiden golf tournament of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC).
The governor said the two sectors had the potential to engage many youths and generate income for both the individual and the state.
He however pointed out that government alone would find it difficult to effectively develop sports and tourism.
“JEDC has set the pace for other companies to follow. We cannot continue to patronise companies without them (the companies) giving back to the society.
“I think the company studied my psychology and started with golf because they know that with golf I will be available.
“I urge them to go into areas like education and others and I want other companies to emulate them,” Lalong urged.
The governor who was one of the players in the tournament expressed satisfaction with the calibre of golfers who turned out to participate.
He said the state government would continue to provide the enabling environment for companies to invest in the state.
Lalong promised to make Rayfield Golf Course the centre of attraction for all golfers in the country and called on companies and individuals to assist him to make the course green.
Jirbo Verr, JEDC Executive Director Marketing, said the two-day tournament was one of the ways the company gives back to the society.
Verr said the company, apart from distributing electricity, also tries to boost socio-economic activities in their area of operations.
“We do more of these socio-economic activities which will have direct impact on the lives of the customers and the public in general.”
The executive director said the company would continue to do its best to ensure that customers enjoy the services of the company.
He, however, said the issue of poor power supply was a national problem which was beyond the powers of the company.
Verr said golfers who participated in the tournament were from the four states of the company’s coverage, such as Plateau, Benue, Bauchi and Gombe states.
Danjuma Auta, Captain of Rayfield Golf Course 1913, appreciated JEDC for staging the tournament at the oldest golf course in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Raphael Rwang emerged overall winner, after scoring 142 gross over 36 holes for a level par finish.
NAN also reports that the winner went home with a 42-inch plasma television, a trophy and prepaid meter.
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Sunday, 12 February 2017
Friday, 27 January 2017
NSCDC seals 4 private guards companies (Read full details)
The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Abdullahi Ibrahim, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Friday.
Ibrahim said that it had so far registered and licensed 34 guard companies in the state.
He said the corps sealed the companies because they did not fulfil the criteria required by law.
“We had five cases of conflict between the command and some of the private guards companies, who took us to court but we won at the end anyways.
“Private guard companies had continued to spring up in Maiduguri, offering employment to unskilled and unemployed youths.
“We will make sure that we intensify our monitoring and supervision of all beats manned by private guards companies to ensure that they are operating optimally,” he said.
According to him, the command has so far trained about 650 of them on surveillance, intelligence gathering and crime prevention techniques.”
NSCDC seals 4 private guards companies
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Thursday, 26 January 2017
Upset Coco not crying over spilt milk (Read full details)
Venus Williams of the US (L) shakes hands with Coco Vandeweghe of the US after winning their women's singles semi-final match on day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST /
Coco Vandeweghe revealed her crushing disappointment Thursday at missing out on her first Grand Slam final and said she still wasn’t satisfied despite reaching the Australian Open’s last four.
The unseeded American took a one-set lead before was sent packing by the vastly experienced Venus Williams, who rolled back the years to win their semi-final 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3.
Despite the loss, it was Vandeweghe’s best Grand Slam yet with wins over world number one Angelique Kerber, French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and 2014 semi-finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
“Straight after the match I was pretty upset. I had a feel-sorry-for myself moment,” the 25-year-old said, calling her loss from one set up a “missed opportunity”.
“But what made me feel a lot better was when my team came over when I was in the gym sitting by myself, they came over, gave me a big hug.
“Each and every one of them told me how proud they were of how I competed out there and everything like that.
“So that kind of picked me up and made the situation feel a lot better. But I was very disappointed and upset.”
Before her run to the semi-final in Melbourne, Vandeweghe had only ever been to one Grand Slam quarter-final before, at Wimbledon in 2015.
She had earned a reputation for inconsistency, finishing last season with a whimper as she lost seven of her last 10 matches.
But she has been in brilliant form so far this year with her booming serve and phenomenal groundstrokes suited to the fast and hard courts of the Australian Open.
Making the semi-finals has already surpassed the goal she set for 2017. She is also set to move up to 20 in the world from her current 35, another target for this year.
“I have to actually set two new goals for this year because I achieved two of them in this first tournament,” she said.
“I’m very happy with starting the year this way, putting validation to the hard work that I’ve put in the off-season, the sacrifices, all the good stuff like that.
“But, you know, at the same time I’m not satisfied. I mean, there’s a disappointment factor because I’m not satisfied. I think that’s a good thing.”
Vandeweghe also paid tribute to Williams, a Fed Cup team-mate who is through to her first Grand Slam final since 2009 at the age of 36.
“I think Venus is an unbelievable competitor. Putting age aside, age is just a number. For her to be the great champion that she is is a great accomplishment,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s 36 or 18 or anything like that. For me, I appreciate her as an athlete, as a competitor.”
Upset Coco not crying over spilt milk
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Upset Coco not crying over spilt milk
Venus Williams of the US (L) shakes hands with Coco Vandeweghe of the US after winning their women's singles semi-final match on day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST /
Coco Vandeweghe revealed her crushing disappointment Thursday at missing out on her first Grand Slam final and said she still wasn’t satisfied despite reaching the Australian Open’s last four.
The unseeded American took a one-set lead before was sent packing by the vastly experienced Venus Williams, who rolled back the years to win their semi-final 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3.
Despite the loss, it was Vandeweghe’s best Grand Slam yet with wins over world number one Angelique Kerber, French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and 2014 semi-finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
“Straight after the match I was pretty upset. I had a feel-sorry-for myself moment,” the 25-year-old said, calling her loss from one set up a “missed opportunity”.
“But what made me feel a lot better was when my team came over when I was in the gym sitting by myself, they came over, gave me a big hug.
“Each and every one of them told me how proud they were of how I competed out there and everything like that.
“So that kind of picked me up and made the situation feel a lot better. But I was very disappointed and upset.”
Before her run to the semi-final in Melbourne, Vandeweghe had only ever been to one Grand Slam quarter-final before, at Wimbledon in 2015.
She had earned a reputation for inconsistency, finishing last season with a whimper as she lost seven of her last 10 matches.
But she has been in brilliant form so far this year with her booming serve and phenomenal groundstrokes suited to the fast and hard courts of the Australian Open.
Making the semi-finals has already surpassed the goal she set for 2017. She is also set to move up to 20 in the world from her current 35, another target for this year.
“I have to actually set two new goals for this year because I achieved two of them in this first tournament,” she said.
“I’m very happy with starting the year this way, putting validation to the hard work that I’ve put in the off-season, the sacrifices, all the good stuff like that.
“But, you know, at the same time I’m not satisfied. I mean, there’s a disappointment factor because I’m not satisfied. I think that’s a good thing.”
Vandeweghe also paid tribute to Williams, a Fed Cup team-mate who is through to her first Grand Slam final since 2009 at the age of 36.
“I think Venus is an unbelievable competitor. Putting age aside, age is just a number. For her to be the great champion that she is is a great accomplishment,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s 36 or 18 or anything like that. For me, I appreciate her as an athlete, as a competitor.”
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