| Job Title | Project Accountant |
| Department: | Network Group |
| Location: | Lagos |
| Job Description: | •Reconcile all Network Group (NWG) Capex transactions with Fixed Asset and Capital Program Group Project Support Office. •Prepare NWG project and budget forecasts, ensuring timely commitment and capitalization of NWG projects. •Monitor NWG transactions and liabilities, ensuring adequate and accurate record through accruals/provisions on a monthly basis. •Prepare impairment update, asset utilization report and provide financial report on OPEX on a monthly basis to aid management decisions. •Carry out periodic review of all OPEX related processes, ensuring conformity with MTN Quality Assurance. •Update NWG contract database, ensuring availability of records for audit purposes. •Oversee prompt resolution of all customer queries. •Organize quarterly suppliers’ forum to update and gather feedbacks from suppliers. |
| Job Conditions: | General MTNN working conditions Extra working hours may be required |
| Reporting To: | Manager, NWG Finance |
| Required Skills: | •B.Sc. Accounting or in a related area of study. •ICAN or International Equivalent (CIMA;ACCA). •At least 4 years working experience in finance or related function including: •Financial modeling and planning •Data mining & professional report writing •Telecommunications experience will be added advantage |
| Employment Status : | Permanent |
| Qualification: | .B.Sc. Accounting or in a related area of study .At least 4 years working experience in finance or related function including: ICAN or International Equivalent (CIMA;ACCA) |
This vacancy expires on 11/12/2012 Click Here to Apply: http://careers.mtnonline.com/mtncareers/loginuser.asp | |
Monday, 5 November 2012
Job Vacancy: Project Accountant @ MTN Lagos
Job Vancancy: Senior Nigerian Content Officer @ Gibles Nigeria Ltd
Job Reference Code: GLN-SNCOW-03
Jobs Summary
Responsible
for coordinating the activities of the Oil and Gas Industry on a daily
basis, (especially with NAPIMS, DPR, NCD, NIPEX, NCCF, NNPC or any new
Government body to be created, International Oil Companies (IOC) in
Nigeria, National Oil Companies (NOC)) and exploring all opportunities
that Nigeria Contract bill provides for the purpose of getting contract
opportunities.
A
university degree or HND is required with a major in social sciences,
sciences or engineering preferred. Candidate must be resident in Warri,
Delta State.
Job Responsibilities of Nigerian Content Officer
- · Seek business opportunities and be pro-active in generating new businesses.
- · Coordinate the development and provision of new businesses.
- · Provide support in collecting information related to the industry that would benefit company organization and clients.
- · Follow up on a daily basis required project or tendering information.
- · Understand the IOC/NOC and our clients, their business, their strategy and their needs.
- · Understand and work hand in hand with Engineers for prequalification requirements.
- · Be able to liaise with clients in preparing prequalification/technical/commercial packages.
- · Understand and work with the company Engineers in preparing Nigerian Content Plan.
- · Identify potential new clients or areas of opportunity through Company Clients strengths and Competitors weaknesses.
- · Have clear understanding of organizational protocol for all companies and Governmental and Non Governmental Bodies having direct and indirect influence on the implementation of Company strategies.
- · Perform other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned.
Skills/Qualification Required
- · A good grade in any social sciences, science, or engineering discipline.
- · 3-5 years experience in oil and gas industry.
- · 2-4 years experience as a Nigerian Content Officer.
- · Good leadership skill, team work and project management skills.
- · Problem solving, initiative and negotiation skills.
- · Good formal presentation skills and sense of judgment.
- · Good knowledge of Nigeria Content Bill.
- · Strong quantitative skills such as statistics and data analysis skill.
- · Good reasoning, communication, multi-tasking and organizational skills.
- · Ability to plan and delegate
Please
note that the job title and reference code are to be quoted in full in
the appropriate column. Any application that does not adhere to the
application guidelines on each field will be cancelled. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Multiple applications will be disqualified. Applications must be received within two weeks (2 wks) from the date of this publication.
157/205
Jakpa Road, Effurun Warri,
Delta State
Nigeria
+ 2348071053262, +2347033144438
+2348052097111, + 2348087125742
info@giblesng.com, giblesnigltd@giblesng.com, giblesnigltd@yahoo.com
Application Deadline: November 15, 2012
Delta State
Nigeria
+ 2348071053262, +2347033144438
+2348052097111, + 2348087125742
info@giblesng.com, giblesnigltd@giblesng.com, giblesnigltd@yahoo.com
Application Deadline: November 15, 2012
News: Armed Policemen Fighting Each Other While Civilians Watch Helplessly.
The lack of trust between the citizens and members of the Nigeria
Police Force has compounded the security challenges in the country, as
the NPF is regarded as one of the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria.
Before
now, the Police Force was seen as a place for the not-too-good, and
even today some families would never willingly allow their children to
join the NPF, especially because of the reputation Nigerians have come
to know them for over the years.
While there are indeed disciplined men and women in the Force, bad eggs have crept in and sullied the image of the police, many of whom are still destroying that already mangled reputation.
The lack of professionalism has engulfed the police so much so that hardly a day passes without one hearing of the involvement of a member of the police force in one form of crime or the other.
If they are not accused of extra-judicial killing, it will be bribery or aiding and abetting crimes.
The most recent is policemen’s involvement in armed robbery attacks. Though this has been going on for several years, the number of armed robbery attacks which involved policemen has reached an alarming level; and this is all across the nation.
On 16 October this year a traditional ruler alleged that a serving senior police officer was among the robbers who went on a shooting spree during which 23 people were killed in Dogon Dawa village, Kaduna State, north central Nigeria.
Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari, who made the allegation said that the deadly robbers launched a pre-dawn attack on the village, apparently to free four of their colleagues who were arrested and detained by vigilantes a few days earlier. The armed robbers killed the village head, one of his sons, some villagers as well as nine worshipers coming out of a mosque.
Mai Gwari spoke when he received visiting Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division, the state Police Commissioner and the Director of State Security Service (SSS).
He alleged that a police officer his people knew very well led the team of armed robbers to Dogon Dawa, and urged authorities to arrest and prosecute him.
He was quoted to have said: “Since I made my statement in public and before the governor and other security chiefs, I know what I am saying. The police officer, who my people and the armed robbers call OC, led the gang that massacred my people.”
The enraged ruler also alleged that the said policeman attempted to stop the arrest of the four suspected armed robbers when the Dogon Dawa vigilante team went to pick them up.
It was not the first time that police officers would be involved in robbery but this particular incident attracted international attention because many lives were lost while the police, who were supposed to protect lives and property, were said to be behind the killings.
The traditional ruler also alleged that when the gang of armed men invaded the community, it was the OC that led and showed the robbers the places to attack.
“This is why I would personally ensure that the man is investigated,” the Emir fumed.
Following the revelation, the Zaria Area Command of the Police Force ordered the arrest and detention of the police officer in question.
However, the Emir of Birnin Gwari said he was sure that the officer was not in detention; he said he suspected that the erring officer may have been transferred to another command.
But the Kaduna State Police Commissioner Olufemi Adenaike or the Command’s spokesman DSP Aminu Lawal are yet to respond to the Emir’s allegation.
Cases of police involvement in robbery operations have been on the rise, which makes people ask how these criminals find their way into the police force.
In the last few years, recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force has become a contentious issue as people say if one pays a certain amount of money, he could be recruited. While the truth or otherwise of this has not been ascertained, certain matters need to be looked into and deductions made.
On 4 October, the Nigeria Police College, Kaduna was reported to have told journalists that it had found a robbery suspect among recruits undergoing training in the college.
The Commandant of the college, Alhaji Sanusi Rufai, told newsmen in Kaduna that the suspect was named by suspected members of his gang after they were arrested by the police in Abuja.
The commandant said details of the suspect’s identity were forwarded to the college, and he was arrested and transferred to the appropriate police unit for investigation.
Rufai said the suspect was among 25 recruits the college disqualified for various inadequacies identified during training.
The commandant said some of the students were found to have presented forged school results, others had criminal records, “while some were withdrawn based on health grounds.”
He added: “Some of the recruits have sight or hearing challenges, while a few others did not attend the schools whose certificates they presented.”
Rufai said the college would continue to screen unfit persons out to ensure that only those with knowledge and good character were allowed to train as policemen and women.
As at the time of the discovery, more than 4,000 recruit constables were currently undergoing a 15-month basic training at the college. The discovery was just in Kaduna. Nigeria also has Police colleges in Maiduguri, Borno State; Oji, Enugu State and Ikeja, Lagos State.
One can imagine how many people of shady character have found their way into the Police Force. Deductive reasoning says up to five per cent of new recruits may be of dubious character, which will eventually rub off on another 20 per cent when they eventually get posted to cities, towns and villages.
This raises the issue of what kind of people are being recruited into the force, how the recruitment is carried out and the criteria for recruiting policemen.
Though the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, affirmed in an interview recently that police officers are not a collection of angels and that the force has continued to fish out the bad ones and dismissed them. He noted that the force does not have to do a DNA test for a new entrant, but when the force discovers any deviant behaviour, neccessary steps are always taken.
Mba added that in some cases it is usually too late to trace such deviant behaviour because such a person would have grown in the service and become a senior officer. By then, the damage has been done.
It is obvious that there are no mechanisms in place to weed out criminals who join the force, hence they have continued to commit crimes even while in uniform. The only available means is the screening which is mainly guess work; even then a very high number of people of questionable character find their way into the force.
Our checks traced this problem to the fact that the police have not imbibed a tradition of discipline in the way of recruiting people into the force. Some of the problems include nepotism and bribery. Prospective recruits have been known to bribe their way into the police force, and officers at the recruitment centres cannot swear they don’t know this.
These crooked men eventually get into police uniform, they engage in all forms of criminality— renting out their guns to armed robbers, providing information to robbers, intimidating people, helping land speculators grab other people’s land, mounting illegal road blocks, helping smugglers by escorting their goods and actually robbing people at gun point, among many others. It is therefore not surprising that some policemen and even officers have been caught or linked to many crimes.
It was widely suspected that policemen were involved in the recent robbery incident in Lagos, during which some police officers and civilians lost their lives.
Further checks revealed that recruitment is no longer based on merit, if it had ever been. It is whom you know and how much you can afford. By implication, all manner of unqualified people are enrolled while credible people do not get recruited.
According to police sources who did not want their names in print for obvious reasons, “the rot in recruitment exercise begins when the forms are made available to candidates.
“Those who are qualified are disqualified during the screening exercise and all kinds of people are brought in through the quota system, after a specific amount has been paid through an agent.
“Again, top officers in the force and influential people in the society send the names of their candidates.”
“Most people that come through these ways are usually deviants and criminal-minded young men and women whose relations consider them a thorn in their fresh and push them out to the police to enable them have peace in their homes, families and communities,” the police source added.
But Mba denied the claim that police is a dumping ground for deviants. He said majority of officers have reputation, integrity and are well educated to help imbibe professionalism into the force. He noted that the few bad ones are gradually being shown the way out.
Armed policemen fighting each other right in the middle of the road, while civilians watch helplessly.
While there are indeed disciplined men and women in the Force, bad eggs have crept in and sullied the image of the police, many of whom are still destroying that already mangled reputation.
The lack of professionalism has engulfed the police so much so that hardly a day passes without one hearing of the involvement of a member of the police force in one form of crime or the other.
If they are not accused of extra-judicial killing, it will be bribery or aiding and abetting crimes.
The most recent is policemen’s involvement in armed robbery attacks. Though this has been going on for several years, the number of armed robbery attacks which involved policemen has reached an alarming level; and this is all across the nation.
On 16 October this year a traditional ruler alleged that a serving senior police officer was among the robbers who went on a shooting spree during which 23 people were killed in Dogon Dawa village, Kaduna State, north central Nigeria.
Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari, who made the allegation said that the deadly robbers launched a pre-dawn attack on the village, apparently to free four of their colleagues who were arrested and detained by vigilantes a few days earlier. The armed robbers killed the village head, one of his sons, some villagers as well as nine worshipers coming out of a mosque.
Mai Gwari spoke when he received visiting Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division, the state Police Commissioner and the Director of State Security Service (SSS).
He alleged that a police officer his people knew very well led the team of armed robbers to Dogon Dawa, and urged authorities to arrest and prosecute him.
He was quoted to have said: “Since I made my statement in public and before the governor and other security chiefs, I know what I am saying. The police officer, who my people and the armed robbers call OC, led the gang that massacred my people.”
The enraged ruler also alleged that the said policeman attempted to stop the arrest of the four suspected armed robbers when the Dogon Dawa vigilante team went to pick them up.
It was not the first time that police officers would be involved in robbery but this particular incident attracted international attention because many lives were lost while the police, who were supposed to protect lives and property, were said to be behind the killings.
The traditional ruler also alleged that when the gang of armed men invaded the community, it was the OC that led and showed the robbers the places to attack.
“This is why I would personally ensure that the man is investigated,” the Emir fumed.
Following the revelation, the Zaria Area Command of the Police Force ordered the arrest and detention of the police officer in question.
However, the Emir of Birnin Gwari said he was sure that the officer was not in detention; he said he suspected that the erring officer may have been transferred to another command.
But the Kaduna State Police Commissioner Olufemi Adenaike or the Command’s spokesman DSP Aminu Lawal are yet to respond to the Emir’s allegation.
Cases of police involvement in robbery operations have been on the rise, which makes people ask how these criminals find their way into the police force.
In the last few years, recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force has become a contentious issue as people say if one pays a certain amount of money, he could be recruited. While the truth or otherwise of this has not been ascertained, certain matters need to be looked into and deductions made.
On 4 October, the Nigeria Police College, Kaduna was reported to have told journalists that it had found a robbery suspect among recruits undergoing training in the college.
The Commandant of the college, Alhaji Sanusi Rufai, told newsmen in Kaduna that the suspect was named by suspected members of his gang after they were arrested by the police in Abuja.
The commandant said details of the suspect’s identity were forwarded to the college, and he was arrested and transferred to the appropriate police unit for investigation.
Rufai said the suspect was among 25 recruits the college disqualified for various inadequacies identified during training.
The commandant said some of the students were found to have presented forged school results, others had criminal records, “while some were withdrawn based on health grounds.”
He added: “Some of the recruits have sight or hearing challenges, while a few others did not attend the schools whose certificates they presented.”
Rufai said the college would continue to screen unfit persons out to ensure that only those with knowledge and good character were allowed to train as policemen and women.
As at the time of the discovery, more than 4,000 recruit constables were currently undergoing a 15-month basic training at the college. The discovery was just in Kaduna. Nigeria also has Police colleges in Maiduguri, Borno State; Oji, Enugu State and Ikeja, Lagos State.
One can imagine how many people of shady character have found their way into the Police Force. Deductive reasoning says up to five per cent of new recruits may be of dubious character, which will eventually rub off on another 20 per cent when they eventually get posted to cities, towns and villages.
This raises the issue of what kind of people are being recruited into the force, how the recruitment is carried out and the criteria for recruiting policemen.
Though the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, affirmed in an interview recently that police officers are not a collection of angels and that the force has continued to fish out the bad ones and dismissed them. He noted that the force does not have to do a DNA test for a new entrant, but when the force discovers any deviant behaviour, neccessary steps are always taken.
Mba added that in some cases it is usually too late to trace such deviant behaviour because such a person would have grown in the service and become a senior officer. By then, the damage has been done.
It is obvious that there are no mechanisms in place to weed out criminals who join the force, hence they have continued to commit crimes even while in uniform. The only available means is the screening which is mainly guess work; even then a very high number of people of questionable character find their way into the force.
Our checks traced this problem to the fact that the police have not imbibed a tradition of discipline in the way of recruiting people into the force. Some of the problems include nepotism and bribery. Prospective recruits have been known to bribe their way into the police force, and officers at the recruitment centres cannot swear they don’t know this.
These crooked men eventually get into police uniform, they engage in all forms of criminality— renting out their guns to armed robbers, providing information to robbers, intimidating people, helping land speculators grab other people’s land, mounting illegal road blocks, helping smugglers by escorting their goods and actually robbing people at gun point, among many others. It is therefore not surprising that some policemen and even officers have been caught or linked to many crimes.
It was widely suspected that policemen were involved in the recent robbery incident in Lagos, during which some police officers and civilians lost their lives.
Further checks revealed that recruitment is no longer based on merit, if it had ever been. It is whom you know and how much you can afford. By implication, all manner of unqualified people are enrolled while credible people do not get recruited.
According to police sources who did not want their names in print for obvious reasons, “the rot in recruitment exercise begins when the forms are made available to candidates.
“Those who are qualified are disqualified during the screening exercise and all kinds of people are brought in through the quota system, after a specific amount has been paid through an agent.
“Again, top officers in the force and influential people in the society send the names of their candidates.”
“Most people that come through these ways are usually deviants and criminal-minded young men and women whose relations consider them a thorn in their fresh and push them out to the police to enable them have peace in their homes, families and communities,” the police source added.
But Mba denied the claim that police is a dumping ground for deviants. He said majority of officers have reputation, integrity and are well educated to help imbibe professionalism into the force. He noted that the few bad ones are gradually being shown the way out.
News: 500 Rice Mills Imported by Borno Government.
The Borno government said on Sunday that it would import 500 rice
mills from Thailand as part of efforts to boost rice production in the
state.
Gov. Kashim Shettima, who disclosed this in Maiduguri while interacting with newsmen, said the mills would be distributed to farmers’ cooperative associations to improve the quality of local rice production in the state.
He said the state government had signed an agreement for the supply of the mills.
“A delegation of Borno government visited Thailand recently as part of a trip to explore areas of collaboration with different countries in their areas of specialisation.
“While in Thailand, we made orders for the supply of 500 rice mills. I believe some of the items will start arriving in the state in a very short while,’’ Shettima said.
The governor said that the government was working towards setting up mini-irrigation schemes in each of the 27 local government areas of the state.
“Borno has lots of potential in agriculture; we are trying to harness these potential by creating mini- irrigation schemes in all the local government areas.
“We are also looking at the possibilities of creating farm settlements across the state to further harness our agriculture potential,’’ he said.
Shettima explained that the objective was to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
“Our goal is to provide jobs for our teeming unemployed youths who are roaming the streets without anything to do.
“We are also trying to fight endemic poverty among our people which has reached an alarming level,’’ he said.
The governor also said that the government had acquired 87 mobile clinics and 30 ambulances from the U.S. to boost its healthcare delivery systems.
“These facilities are going to be distributed across the state to ensure even spread,’’ he said, adding that government was also working on plans to construct 2,500 additional housing units in Maiduguri for the increasing population.
“In a couple of days, we will begin work at the construction site of the new 2,500 housing units in Maiduguri. The idea is to provide decent accommodation to inhabitants of the city,’’ he said.
He said that construction of the houses was necessitated by the fact that more than 70 per cent of inhabitants of the city resided in substandard accommodation.
“It is shocking to note that about 70 per cent of the people living in Maiduguri are residing in sub- standard accommodation.
“We are trying to address the problem by constructing decent and affordable accommodation for the people,’’ he said.
Gov. Kashim Shettima, who disclosed this in Maiduguri while interacting with newsmen, said the mills would be distributed to farmers’ cooperative associations to improve the quality of local rice production in the state.
He said the state government had signed an agreement for the supply of the mills.
“A delegation of Borno government visited Thailand recently as part of a trip to explore areas of collaboration with different countries in their areas of specialisation.
“While in Thailand, we made orders for the supply of 500 rice mills. I believe some of the items will start arriving in the state in a very short while,’’ Shettima said.
The governor said that the government was working towards setting up mini-irrigation schemes in each of the 27 local government areas of the state.
“Borno has lots of potential in agriculture; we are trying to harness these potential by creating mini- irrigation schemes in all the local government areas.
“We are also looking at the possibilities of creating farm settlements across the state to further harness our agriculture potential,’’ he said.
Shettima explained that the objective was to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
“Our goal is to provide jobs for our teeming unemployed youths who are roaming the streets without anything to do.
“We are also trying to fight endemic poverty among our people which has reached an alarming level,’’ he said.
The governor also said that the government had acquired 87 mobile clinics and 30 ambulances from the U.S. to boost its healthcare delivery systems.
“These facilities are going to be distributed across the state to ensure even spread,’’ he said, adding that government was also working on plans to construct 2,500 additional housing units in Maiduguri for the increasing population.
“In a couple of days, we will begin work at the construction site of the new 2,500 housing units in Maiduguri. The idea is to provide decent accommodation to inhabitants of the city,’’ he said.
He said that construction of the houses was necessitated by the fact that more than 70 per cent of inhabitants of the city resided in substandard accommodation.
“It is shocking to note that about 70 per cent of the people living in Maiduguri are residing in sub- standard accommodation.
“We are trying to address the problem by constructing decent and affordable accommodation for the people,’’ he said.
Job Vacancy: Executive Chef @ Hotel in Wuse,Abuja
The doors of a brand new hospitality outfit (hotel) located in the
Wuse district of Abuja, is about to be thrown open, and the operator
requires relevant employees to come on board as
Position: Executive Chef (CODE: KITCHEN 008)
Requirements:
If you want to be a member of the workforce, please send in your hand-written application enclosing your bio-data and photocopies of your credentials to
The Recruitment Officer
Shop A, 15 Bobsar Plaza
Opposite Assemblies of God Church
Area 11 Garki Abuja
or by email to
JHRecruitment@yahoo.com
Please indicate the unit code on the left corner of your CV if applying through e-mail
Closing Date: November 6th, 2012
Position: Executive Chef (CODE: KITCHEN 008)
Requirements:
- Related work experience in similar role.
If you want to be a member of the workforce, please send in your hand-written application enclosing your bio-data and photocopies of your credentials to
The Recruitment Officer
Shop A, 15 Bobsar Plaza
Opposite Assemblies of God Church
Area 11 Garki Abuja
or by email to
JHRecruitment@yahoo.com
Please indicate the unit code on the left corner of your CV if applying through e-mail
Closing Date: November 6th, 2012
Job Vacancy: Process Audit Managers @ Dangote Group
Dangote Group is a leading conglomerate in Nigeria with diversified and fully integrated interest across a range of industrial sectors. In line with its continuous expansion programme, Dangote Cement is seeks to recruit qualified, skilful and talented personnel for the following vacancies in its depot operation in the following State/Regions:- Lagos & Ogun, South West, South-South, South-East, North- Central, North-East, North-West regions
Position: Process Audit Managers
Requirements:
- Candidates should possess a HND, BSc, MSc/MBA.
- At least 10 years post qualification experience with at least 5 years in warehouse depot operations.
- Excellent skills and knowledge of SAP or other ERP software as well as professional certificate in Supply Chain Management/Logistics will be an added advantage.
Please send your application indicating the job no and region of interest with a detailed CV along with photocopies of educational qualifications and testimonials establishing your experience, passport size photograph and phone number by email within 7 days from the date of this publication to
hr@dangotecement.com
Closing Date: November 6th, 2012
News:25 Gunmen Arrested In Kano
The police command in Kano State on Sunday, arrested 25 suspected gunmen over the killing of a policeman in Kano on Saturday.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, confirmed the arrest at a news conference in Kano on Sunday.
Idris said that the gunmen attacked the policeman at Unguwa Uku area in the metropolis during the monthly environmental sanitation on Saturday.
The monthly environmental sanitation, which was supposed to have been held on Oct. 27 was shifted to Nov. 3 because of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
The deceased police officer was cleaning his environment when the suspected gunmen, on a motorcycle opened fire on him.
The gunmen were said to have shot severally in the air after killing their target before fleeing the area. (NAN)
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, confirmed the arrest at a news conference in Kano on Sunday.
Idris said that the gunmen attacked the policeman at Unguwa Uku area in the metropolis during the monthly environmental sanitation on Saturday.
The monthly environmental sanitation, which was supposed to have been held on Oct. 27 was shifted to Nov. 3 because of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
The deceased police officer was cleaning his environment when the suspected gunmen, on a motorcycle opened fire on him.
The gunmen were said to have shot severally in the air after killing their target before fleeing the area. (NAN)
Saturday, 3 November 2012
News: Opeifa Says Okada Is Not restrict On All The Road
A trip to the National Orthopedic hospital, Igbobi, Lagos will reveal
a pathetic situation of victims of Okada accidents. Destinies altered
as many on clutches cried in pain as a result of severe orthopedic
injuries, while others with spinal cord injuries groan helplessly on
wheel chairs.
Before the October 20 government restriction of Okada on highways in Lagos, about 65-70 percent of accident victims who have varying degrees of bone injuries were said to have been caused by Okada accidents.
Many also believe that the fly-on attitude of the operators especially on the highways constitute grave danger to the lives of other road users just as they were seen to flout traffic rules at every point.
But not many see the decision of government to restrict the operations of Okada especially on the highways as a welcome development.
While some argue that it will further compound the problem of
movement of people from one point to another bearing in mind the
inadequate public transportation system especially when commuting from
the highways to the hinterlands; others opined that it will further
worsen the problem of unemployment as many of them will be thrown out of
jobs. Others on the other hand see the government approach from the
perspective of ensuring safety and sanity on the roads.
Reacting to some of these views, the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa said the decision was taken by the people of Lagos. “Everyday, the traffic situation in Lagos keep rising and we all the time stressed the security facilities in the state.
The people of the state keep telling us that the traffic and safety situation are not getting any better with the Okadas still on the road. On September 5, after the signing the traffic bill into law, we had an agreement with the unions of Okada where they requested for three things. One, that we should delay the implementation time, a review of some of the roads; and a request to meet the Governor.”
He explained that the roads on which Okada have been restricted are all major highways, the dual carriage roads and some single lane roads in the list of the 475 roads. According to him, “these are the roads we have adequate transport system.
Some were added by the Local government authorities. So, it is not that the executive sat and took the decision, it was in collaboration with the CDAs, the Local Government authorities, and when it got to the House of Assembly, they also took out some and added some.
So, what we have is a collective agreement of the views of the people of Lagos. We also indicated that in all these roads, should there be a situation, where there is lack of public transportation, the Hon Commissioner should review,” he stated.
Opeifa opined that Okada has since remained unregulated simply because it had never been part of the public transportation system. “It arose as a result of social economic issues. It started with Babangida administration and since then it remained unregulated. Akwa Ibom state tried to regulate it, designing helmets, jackets, but they later stopped it.”
Contrary to the claim of outright ban of Okada in Lagos, the transport Commissioner stated that it was not an outright ban, it was a restriction. “We have not banned motorcycle out rightly; we have only restricted them on 475 out of 9,100 roads.
It means it is just about 6 per cent of roads in Lagos are restricted. These are dual carriage roads, major roads and other roads we have public transportation system. Reeling out some of the roads, he noted that Ikorodu road, Mile 12, Ojota, Mobalaji Bank Anthony, Awolowo road, Ogunlana drive, Adeniran Ogunsanya, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge, are unsafe for Okada operations. “…aside the fact that there is public transportation on these roads, they are not safe for a vehicle that is not protected.
Motorcycle is not protected. If somebody touches you while on motion, you may fall and that may be fatal. We don’t want any more deaths on our roads. If we can prevent it, why not do that,” he explained.
Harping on safety, he said: “I doubt if there is any family who has not had injury as a result of Okada or any one whose friend or acquaintance has not had Okada accident.”
One of the arguments by the Okada operators is that they were used for the election and dumped thereafter, distributing helmets to them before the April 2011 election.
Reacting to this, the commissioner said: “Giving helmet is what we hold as a social responsibility and there are a lot of companies that we have encouraged to give them helmet. It is meant towards ensuring that they are safe when operating. And that is what section 3 of this law says.
So, we have not done anything strange in January to April 2011. So, if you need to do the business, you must be encouraged to operate safely,” he stated.
He wondered why the hullabaloo on the government step towards ensuring safety of people in the state when some other states have tried it and outrightly banned it. “Some states like Kwara, Delta, Rivers state including FCT, have all done it.
While these states were banning them, they came down to Lagos and we did not say,’ no, don’t operate. What we said is that there must have to be restriction. We have not banned okada but we have only restricted their operations.
I know no one will like to have his child on motor bike on the highway. It is unsafe and unreliable,” he noted.
On the problem of inadequate public transportation which could have assuaged the pains of movement from one place to another, the Commissioner analysed thus: “We have over 7000 yellow buses on Lagos roads, we also have 1500 Bus Rapid Transport, by our calculation, they pick about 1.5million people moving at a time.
This occurs at the rush hour between 7am and 9am, after then, many of them go to Ojuelegba, Oshodi, Ojota to park. So, we don’t have to keep increasing the number of buses. It depends on the demand and supply theory.
And even in the rush hour, people move in one direction and vehicle most times will not want to come back empty. So, we have to apply what is called special redistribution of resources.
You will not get to equilibrium. Let me give you this analysis, if you leave for Marina, through the busiest road in Lagos which is 3rd Mainland bridge, because it moves, it takes you about one hour from Ikeja to Victorial Island. When you are coming back around 4:45pm, it will take you about 45 minutes.
You will go through traffic at four points and spend about 5 minutes at each point and to you it looks like three hours. I have tried it several times. Each time I tried it, I call the traffic radio. The issue is that we are too much in a hurry.”
He agrees that lack of training is part of the reasons why Okada operators consistently flout traffic rules. He insisted that the manufacturers of the okada never intended it for passenger movement, adding: “regardless of the training they had, the urge to make more money set in, so, they become aggressive.
That is why you always see them always in a hurry.” and that is why on some of the busiest roads like Allen, we have restricted them.
They requested for an extension of time for them to fully comply with the law. The second thing they asked for was a review of the road, asking to be allowed on single carriage roads, (inside the neighbourhood) pending the time they will finally find their way out; while their third request was that they wanted to see the governor.
On the issue of extension, on September 5, we meet every Friday, until October 20 and on the roads, we asked them to go and study the roads and pick the ones they want and come back to us. So far only the Alimosho branch signaled interest asking for Abaranje and Iliyasu roads.
They also requested to meet with the governor, and they all met him except one of them, ANACOWA. And the rest said they were more convinced why they should leave the road.
The organised Okada group was not involved. There are two unions – Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, (RETREAN) and NURTW. There are other ones who are not recognised and yet they collect dues. You cannot collect dues when you are not a trade union under the Trade Union Act.
So, some of them stayed away out of power struggle. The one led by one Aliyu, ANACOWA is not recognised, he is not known in Lagos, he is not even known in Abuja where he claims he has authority to operate in Lagos.”
“When the governor met with them, we gave them the option of agriculture where we train graduates for one year, and at the end of the training, we provide them land and we give them money.
The third session training is currently going on. We also gave them the option of skill acquisition. We have 17 skill acquisition centres in Lagos.
Then the third option is the micro finance, we have gotten some few ones who have shown interest already. We told them to go back to their union, and introduce these things and come back with the list of interested persons, we will train them and set them up,” he explained.
On the enforcement of the law and seized bikes, he said, it is not true that bikes seized were crushed. “That is not true, no bike was crushed. The law is clear on this matter and we are going to do what the law says.”
Before the October 20 government restriction of Okada on highways in Lagos, about 65-70 percent of accident victims who have varying degrees of bone injuries were said to have been caused by Okada accidents.
Many also believe that the fly-on attitude of the operators especially on the highways constitute grave danger to the lives of other road users just as they were seen to flout traffic rules at every point.
But not many see the decision of government to restrict the operations of Okada especially on the highways as a welcome development.
Mr. Kayode Opeifa, Commissioner for Transport and Gov Fashola
Reacting to some of these views, the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa said the decision was taken by the people of Lagos. “Everyday, the traffic situation in Lagos keep rising and we all the time stressed the security facilities in the state.
The people of the state keep telling us that the traffic and safety situation are not getting any better with the Okadas still on the road. On September 5, after the signing the traffic bill into law, we had an agreement with the unions of Okada where they requested for three things. One, that we should delay the implementation time, a review of some of the roads; and a request to meet the Governor.”
He explained that the roads on which Okada have been restricted are all major highways, the dual carriage roads and some single lane roads in the list of the 475 roads. According to him, “these are the roads we have adequate transport system.
Some were added by the Local government authorities. So, it is not that the executive sat and took the decision, it was in collaboration with the CDAs, the Local Government authorities, and when it got to the House of Assembly, they also took out some and added some.
So, what we have is a collective agreement of the views of the people of Lagos. We also indicated that in all these roads, should there be a situation, where there is lack of public transportation, the Hon Commissioner should review,” he stated.
Opeifa opined that Okada has since remained unregulated simply because it had never been part of the public transportation system. “It arose as a result of social economic issues. It started with Babangida administration and since then it remained unregulated. Akwa Ibom state tried to regulate it, designing helmets, jackets, but they later stopped it.”
Contrary to the claim of outright ban of Okada in Lagos, the transport Commissioner stated that it was not an outright ban, it was a restriction. “We have not banned motorcycle out rightly; we have only restricted them on 475 out of 9,100 roads.
It means it is just about 6 per cent of roads in Lagos are restricted. These are dual carriage roads, major roads and other roads we have public transportation system. Reeling out some of the roads, he noted that Ikorodu road, Mile 12, Ojota, Mobalaji Bank Anthony, Awolowo road, Ogunlana drive, Adeniran Ogunsanya, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge, are unsafe for Okada operations. “…aside the fact that there is public transportation on these roads, they are not safe for a vehicle that is not protected.
Motorcycle is not protected. If somebody touches you while on motion, you may fall and that may be fatal. We don’t want any more deaths on our roads. If we can prevent it, why not do that,” he explained.
Harping on safety, he said: “I doubt if there is any family who has not had injury as a result of Okada or any one whose friend or acquaintance has not had Okada accident.”
One of the arguments by the Okada operators is that they were used for the election and dumped thereafter, distributing helmets to them before the April 2011 election.
Reacting to this, the commissioner said: “Giving helmet is what we hold as a social responsibility and there are a lot of companies that we have encouraged to give them helmet. It is meant towards ensuring that they are safe when operating. And that is what section 3 of this law says.
So, we have not done anything strange in January to April 2011. So, if you need to do the business, you must be encouraged to operate safely,” he stated.
He wondered why the hullabaloo on the government step towards ensuring safety of people in the state when some other states have tried it and outrightly banned it. “Some states like Kwara, Delta, Rivers state including FCT, have all done it.
While these states were banning them, they came down to Lagos and we did not say,’ no, don’t operate. What we said is that there must have to be restriction. We have not banned okada but we have only restricted their operations.
I know no one will like to have his child on motor bike on the highway. It is unsafe and unreliable,” he noted.
On the problem of inadequate public transportation which could have assuaged the pains of movement from one place to another, the Commissioner analysed thus: “We have over 7000 yellow buses on Lagos roads, we also have 1500 Bus Rapid Transport, by our calculation, they pick about 1.5million people moving at a time.
This occurs at the rush hour between 7am and 9am, after then, many of them go to Ojuelegba, Oshodi, Ojota to park. So, we don’t have to keep increasing the number of buses. It depends on the demand and supply theory.
And even in the rush hour, people move in one direction and vehicle most times will not want to come back empty. So, we have to apply what is called special redistribution of resources.
You will not get to equilibrium. Let me give you this analysis, if you leave for Marina, through the busiest road in Lagos which is 3rd Mainland bridge, because it moves, it takes you about one hour from Ikeja to Victorial Island. When you are coming back around 4:45pm, it will take you about 45 minutes.
You will go through traffic at four points and spend about 5 minutes at each point and to you it looks like three hours. I have tried it several times. Each time I tried it, I call the traffic radio. The issue is that we are too much in a hurry.”
He agrees that lack of training is part of the reasons why Okada operators consistently flout traffic rules. He insisted that the manufacturers of the okada never intended it for passenger movement, adding: “regardless of the training they had, the urge to make more money set in, so, they become aggressive.
That is why you always see them always in a hurry.” and that is why on some of the busiest roads like Allen, we have restricted them.
They requested for an extension of time for them to fully comply with the law. The second thing they asked for was a review of the road, asking to be allowed on single carriage roads, (inside the neighbourhood) pending the time they will finally find their way out; while their third request was that they wanted to see the governor.
On the issue of extension, on September 5, we meet every Friday, until October 20 and on the roads, we asked them to go and study the roads and pick the ones they want and come back to us. So far only the Alimosho branch signaled interest asking for Abaranje and Iliyasu roads.
They also requested to meet with the governor, and they all met him except one of them, ANACOWA. And the rest said they were more convinced why they should leave the road.
The organised Okada group was not involved. There are two unions – Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, (RETREAN) and NURTW. There are other ones who are not recognised and yet they collect dues. You cannot collect dues when you are not a trade union under the Trade Union Act.
So, some of them stayed away out of power struggle. The one led by one Aliyu, ANACOWA is not recognised, he is not known in Lagos, he is not even known in Abuja where he claims he has authority to operate in Lagos.”
“When the governor met with them, we gave them the option of agriculture where we train graduates for one year, and at the end of the training, we provide them land and we give them money.
The third session training is currently going on. We also gave them the option of skill acquisition. We have 17 skill acquisition centres in Lagos.
Then the third option is the micro finance, we have gotten some few ones who have shown interest already. We told them to go back to their union, and introduce these things and come back with the list of interested persons, we will train them and set them up,” he explained.
On the enforcement of the law and seized bikes, he said, it is not true that bikes seized were crushed. “That is not true, no bike was crushed. The law is clear on this matter and we are going to do what the law says.”
News: 3yrs-old Girl Found Dead In School Toilet
A three-year old girl identified as Imiefan Omokaro
was on Thursday afternoon found dead in the toilet of her school, known
as Kingdom Heritage Model School along Sapele road in Benin City.
She was said to have fallen into a bucket half filled with water.
A source said a teacher who found the little girl at the toilet raised alarm and the girl was taken to the Winners Chapel Church, owners of the school, where pastors engaged in marathon prayers to revive the girl.
It was learnt that when the mother of the child came to the school to pick her daughter, the teacher said they were looking for the child.
The source said it was after two hours that the child was taken to a hospital where a nurse on duty confirmed her dead.
Father of the girl who gave his name as Omokaro Jolly said he dropped his daughter at school hale and healthy and was surprised that the school authorities could not tell him what happened to his daughter.
He said his wife called him at about 3:45 to inform him that their daughter was missing and when he got to the school, he was asked to go to the hospital where he saw his child stone dead.
.According to him, “When I dropped my daughter in school, she said I should come and pick her up so that I can buy her chocolate but I can’t see my daughter now.”
The matter was reported at the Etete Police Station and it was learnt that the class teacher and two nannies have been arrested.
”I can’t brought a baby to school and they expect me to collect a lifeless baby. It is their responsibility to tell me what happened to my baby”.
The wife, Mrs. Osarogue who was in tears said, “I went to the school and asked where is my love. Nobody answered me. I asked the aunty, she told that my daughter went to the toilet.”
The matter was reported at the Etete Police Station and it was learnt that the class teacher and two nannies have been arrested.
She was said to have fallen into a bucket half filled with water.
A source said a teacher who found the little girl at the toilet raised alarm and the girl was taken to the Winners Chapel Church, owners of the school, where pastors engaged in marathon prayers to revive the girl.
It was learnt that when the mother of the child came to the school to pick her daughter, the teacher said they were looking for the child.
The source said it was after two hours that the child was taken to a hospital where a nurse on duty confirmed her dead.
Father of the girl who gave his name as Omokaro Jolly said he dropped his daughter at school hale and healthy and was surprised that the school authorities could not tell him what happened to his daughter.
He said his wife called him at about 3:45 to inform him that their daughter was missing and when he got to the school, he was asked to go to the hospital where he saw his child stone dead.
.According to him, “When I dropped my daughter in school, she said I should come and pick her up so that I can buy her chocolate but I can’t see my daughter now.”
The matter was reported at the Etete Police Station and it was learnt that the class teacher and two nannies have been arrested.
”I can’t brought a baby to school and they expect me to collect a lifeless baby. It is their responsibility to tell me what happened to my baby”.
The wife, Mrs. Osarogue who was in tears said, “I went to the school and asked where is my love. Nobody answered me. I asked the aunty, she told that my daughter went to the toilet.”
The matter was reported at the Etete Police Station and it was learnt that the class teacher and two nannies have been arrested.
Sports: Great Footballer Messi Is Now A Father.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi announced Friday the birth of his
first child, Thiago, although the club say he will still play on
Saturday .
Messi’s partner, Antonella Roccuzzo, delivered their son at the Dexeus hospital about 700 metres (less than half a mile) from Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.
“Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son was born and thanks to God for this gift! Thanks to my family for the support! A hug to everyone,” the 25-year-old Argentine said on his Facebook page.
Messi had permission to miss football training in the morning “for a personal matter” on the eve of Barcelona’s home game against Celta de Vigo, Barcelona said in an online statement.
But coach Tito Vilanova said the Argentine is still expected to play at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
“In principle he will be there for the game. It does not change anything that he has not trained for one day, it’s not important,” Vilanova told a news conference.
In an interview published this week, Messi said he will not be pushing Thiago to lace up his football boots as a career.
“He should be whatever he wants to be,” Messi told Spain’s top selling daily Marca.
“When he grows up he will get to know what he wants and what he chooses will be fine for me, for his mother and for everyone.”
Thiago’s arrival caps and no doubt overwhelms a string of good news for Messi in the past week.
The football wonder picked up the Golden Boot award on Monday for scoring 50 goals last season and he is favoured this year to win his fourth Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best footballer.
Last weekend he also scored his 300th career goal.
Messi’s partner, Antonella Roccuzzo, delivered their son at the Dexeus hospital about 700 metres (less than half a mile) from Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.
“Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son was born and thanks to God for this gift! Thanks to my family for the support! A hug to everyone,” the 25-year-old Argentine said on his Facebook page.
Messi had permission to miss football training in the morning “for a personal matter” on the eve of Barcelona’s home game against Celta de Vigo, Barcelona said in an online statement.
But coach Tito Vilanova said the Argentine is still expected to play at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
“In principle he will be there for the game. It does not change anything that he has not trained for one day, it’s not important,” Vilanova told a news conference.
In an interview published this week, Messi said he will not be pushing Thiago to lace up his football boots as a career.
“He should be whatever he wants to be,” Messi told Spain’s top selling daily Marca.
“When he grows up he will get to know what he wants and what he chooses will be fine for me, for his mother and for everyone.”
Thiago’s arrival caps and no doubt overwhelms a string of good news for Messi in the past week.
The football wonder picked up the Golden Boot award on Monday for scoring 50 goals last season and he is favoured this year to win his fourth Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best footballer.
Last weekend he also scored his 300th career goal.
Friday, 2 November 2012
News: Dangote Has Been Rated The 62nd Richest Man In The World
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group of
Companies, Mr. Aliko Dangote has been rated the 62nd richest man in the
world with a net worth of $13.5 billion.
According to a report by Bloomberg tagged, ‘The World’s 200 Richest People,’ Dangote is said to be richer than Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, Rupert Murdoch, CEO and founder of News Corporation, Giorgio Armani, founder of Armani designs who were stated as having net worths of $10.7 billion, $10.4 billion and $7.8 billion respectively.
In the report, Mexico’s Carlos Slim, Chairman, America Movil SAB
Emeritus, emerged the richest, with a net worth of $77.5 billion,
followed by the founder of Microsoft Company Bill Gates who has a net
worth of $64.4 billion, while the chairman of Inditex SA, Amancio
Ortega, with a net worth of $53.6 billion made the third position.
Others on the top ten list include: Warren Buffett with a net worth of $48.4 billion; Ingvar Kamprad $41.8 billion; Charles Koch, $38.6 billion; David Koch, $38.6 billion; Larry Ellison, $37.2 billion; Christy Walton, $30.5 billion, and Jim Walton with a net worth of $29.3 billion.
However the founder of Facebook Zuckerberg, is ranked 88th on the list, while the owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, is ranked 51 with a Net worth of $14.7 billion and Sunil Mittal the owner of Bharti Airtel with a net worth of $6.2 billion is ranked 182nd on the list.
On the bottom list are: Walter Faria with a Net worth of $6.1 billion; Leonid Fedun, with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Terry Gou with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Richard LeFrak with a net worth of$6.0 billion; Miuccia Prada Bianchi with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Ivan Glasenberg with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Silvio Berlusconi with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Jeffery Hildebrand with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Shiv Nadar with a net worth of $5.9 billion; Steve Schwarzman with a net worth of $5.8 billion and John Sall with a net worth of $5.8 billion.
Alhaji Dangote, MFR, GCON, born 10th April 1957 in Kano, Nigeria, is a self-made business magnate of the Dangote Group, with an estimated net worth of $13.5 billion.
Born into a wealthy Hausa-Muslim family, his mother Mariya Sanusi Dantata was the granddaughter of legendary Hausa businessman Alhassan Dantata, and his father Mohammed Dangote was Dantata’s business associate.
Dangote had an early interest in business: “I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets [sugar boxes] and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so interested in business, even at that time.” he said during an interview.
He attended the Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt where he studied business,and later returned to Nigeria to work with his uncle Sanusi Abdulkadir Dantata who eventually gave him a business loan of N500,000 when he was just 21 years old.
The Dangote Group, originally a small trading firm founded in 1977, is now a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.
Dangote’s businesses include food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria: it is the major sugar supplier to the country’s soft drink companies, breweries, and confectioners.
Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to Nigeria’s largest industrial group including: Dangote Sugar Refinery,, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour amongst others.
Today, Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria and Dangote Sugar Refinery is the main supplier (70 per cent of the market) to the country’s soft drinks companies, breweries and confectioners.
It is the largest refinery in Africa and the third largest in the world producing 800,000 tonnes of sugar annually. Dangote Group also owns salt factories and flour mills and is a major importer of rice, fish, pasta, cement and fertilizer. The company also exports cotton, cashew nuts, cocoa, sesame seed and ginger to several countries.
Dangote Group also has major investments in real estate, banking, transport, textiles and oil and gas. It employs over 11,000 people and is the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.
According to a report by Bloomberg tagged, ‘The World’s 200 Richest People,’ Dangote is said to be richer than Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, Rupert Murdoch, CEO and founder of News Corporation, Giorgio Armani, founder of Armani designs who were stated as having net worths of $10.7 billion, $10.4 billion and $7.8 billion respectively.
Dangote
Others on the top ten list include: Warren Buffett with a net worth of $48.4 billion; Ingvar Kamprad $41.8 billion; Charles Koch, $38.6 billion; David Koch, $38.6 billion; Larry Ellison, $37.2 billion; Christy Walton, $30.5 billion, and Jim Walton with a net worth of $29.3 billion.
However the founder of Facebook Zuckerberg, is ranked 88th on the list, while the owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, is ranked 51 with a Net worth of $14.7 billion and Sunil Mittal the owner of Bharti Airtel with a net worth of $6.2 billion is ranked 182nd on the list.
On the bottom list are: Walter Faria with a Net worth of $6.1 billion; Leonid Fedun, with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Terry Gou with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Richard LeFrak with a net worth of$6.0 billion; Miuccia Prada Bianchi with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Ivan Glasenberg with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Silvio Berlusconi with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Jeffery Hildebrand with a net worth of $6.0 billion; Shiv Nadar with a net worth of $5.9 billion; Steve Schwarzman with a net worth of $5.8 billion and John Sall with a net worth of $5.8 billion.
Alhaji Dangote, MFR, GCON, born 10th April 1957 in Kano, Nigeria, is a self-made business magnate of the Dangote Group, with an estimated net worth of $13.5 billion.
Born into a wealthy Hausa-Muslim family, his mother Mariya Sanusi Dantata was the granddaughter of legendary Hausa businessman Alhassan Dantata, and his father Mohammed Dangote was Dantata’s business associate.
Dangote had an early interest in business: “I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets [sugar boxes] and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so interested in business, even at that time.” he said during an interview.
He attended the Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt where he studied business,and later returned to Nigeria to work with his uncle Sanusi Abdulkadir Dantata who eventually gave him a business loan of N500,000 when he was just 21 years old.
The Dangote Group, originally a small trading firm founded in 1977, is now a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.
Dangote’s businesses include food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria: it is the major sugar supplier to the country’s soft drink companies, breweries, and confectioners.
Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to Nigeria’s largest industrial group including: Dangote Sugar Refinery,, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour amongst others.
Today, Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria and Dangote Sugar Refinery is the main supplier (70 per cent of the market) to the country’s soft drinks companies, breweries and confectioners.
It is the largest refinery in Africa and the third largest in the world producing 800,000 tonnes of sugar annually. Dangote Group also owns salt factories and flour mills and is a major importer of rice, fish, pasta, cement and fertilizer. The company also exports cotton, cashew nuts, cocoa, sesame seed and ginger to several countries.
Dangote Group also has major investments in real estate, banking, transport, textiles and oil and gas. It employs over 11,000 people and is the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.
News: New Airtel Nigeria, CEO Is Now Segun Ogunsanya.
Nairobi-Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications services
provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today
announced the appointment of Segun Ogunsanya as the Chief Executive
Officer of Airtel Networks Ltd, Nigeria (“Airtel Nigeria”).
Mr. Ogunsanya, who will be responsible for defining and delivering the business strategy and providing overall leadership for Airtel Nigeria, will report to Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and Joint MD, Bharti Airtel. The appointment is effective November 26, 2012.
He takes over from Rajan Swaroop, who has successfully led operations at Airtel Nigeria for the past two years. Rajan will be appointed as Non-Executive Director on the Board of Airtel Nigeria following the completion of the transition process and will continue to work closely with the Airtel Nigeria leadership team.
Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman, Airtel Nigeria, said of the appointment: “I am pleased at the appointment of Mr. Ogunsanya as the Chief Executive Officer and look forward to working with him towards making Airtel the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians. It is our resolve to continue building a robust pipeline of local talents in Nigeria as part of Bharti Airtel’s Africa Leadership Initiative. I have been impressed by the outstanding leadership qualities of Mr. Swaroop who has laid a solid foundation, during his tenure, for the long term growth of our business. I wish him success as he moves on in the Group.”
Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Manoj Kohli, said, “I am delighted to have Segun on board and am confident that his rich and diverse experience will add immense value to our operations in Nigeria. Segun’s appointment underlines Bharti Airtel’s commitment to promoting African talent and building a world-class leadership team. I wish him the very best in his new role and would also thank Rajan for his immense contribution to Airtel Nigeria.”
Mr. Ogunsanya brings with him over 24 years of rich industry experience across multiple geographies, organisations and diverse sectors such as Coca Cola, Banking and Arthur Anderson. His last assignment was with The Coca-Cola Company, where he started his career in Finance and gradually transitioned into senior leadership roles with the various bottling operations of The Coca-Cola Company across diverse markets and countries in Africa. In his last stint, as the Managing Director and CEO of Nigerian Bottling Company, he was responsible for over $1bn revenue operations.
A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from University of Ife, Nigeria.
Mr. Ogunsanya, who will be responsible for defining and delivering the business strategy and providing overall leadership for Airtel Nigeria, will report to Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and Joint MD, Bharti Airtel. The appointment is effective November 26, 2012.
He takes over from Rajan Swaroop, who has successfully led operations at Airtel Nigeria for the past two years. Rajan will be appointed as Non-Executive Director on the Board of Airtel Nigeria following the completion of the transition process and will continue to work closely with the Airtel Nigeria leadership team.
Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman, Airtel Nigeria, said of the appointment: “I am pleased at the appointment of Mr. Ogunsanya as the Chief Executive Officer and look forward to working with him towards making Airtel the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians. It is our resolve to continue building a robust pipeline of local talents in Nigeria as part of Bharti Airtel’s Africa Leadership Initiative. I have been impressed by the outstanding leadership qualities of Mr. Swaroop who has laid a solid foundation, during his tenure, for the long term growth of our business. I wish him success as he moves on in the Group.”
Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Manoj Kohli, said, “I am delighted to have Segun on board and am confident that his rich and diverse experience will add immense value to our operations in Nigeria. Segun’s appointment underlines Bharti Airtel’s commitment to promoting African talent and building a world-class leadership team. I wish him the very best in his new role and would also thank Rajan for his immense contribution to Airtel Nigeria.”
Mr. Ogunsanya brings with him over 24 years of rich industry experience across multiple geographies, organisations and diverse sectors such as Coca Cola, Banking and Arthur Anderson. His last assignment was with The Coca-Cola Company, where he started his career in Finance and gradually transitioned into senior leadership roles with the various bottling operations of The Coca-Cola Company across diverse markets and countries in Africa. In his last stint, as the Managing Director and CEO of Nigerian Bottling Company, he was responsible for over $1bn revenue operations.
A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from University of Ife, Nigeria.
News: About 40 Men Killed In Maiduguri by JTF Say Residents
Nigerian soldiers shot dead dozens of young men in an embattled
northeastern city during raids in four areas considered strongholds of a
radical Islamist group, residents and a morgue attendant told AFP
Friday.
Residents of Maiduguri, the home base of Boko Haram Islamists, said the troops who swarmed late Thursday ordered males in their teens and early 20s to separate from others in the neighbourhood.
In the Kalari area, they told the young men “to lie face down on the ground,” then asked the rest to look away.
“All we heard were gunshots. They shot them on the spot,” said the elderly resident, who did not want to be named.
“They did the same in three other neighbourhoods. We went to the morgue to collect the bodies and we found 48 in all.”
A resident of the city’s Gwange area told AFP that the alleged massacre was “like a movie scene.”
The troops “picked young men from their homes and were shooting them dead before everyone and took the bodies away to the hospital. I have never seen something like this,” he said, also requesting that his name be withheld.
The Sabon Lamba and Gomboru neighbourhoods were also said to have been raided.
A morgue attendant at the Maiduguri General Hospital said they “received 39 bodies yesterday which were brought in by soldiers. They all have fresh gunshot wounds.”
A military source declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by AFP, saying only that if such killings had taken place, they were “unjustified”.
Maiduguri is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency which is estimated to have left 2,800 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.
Amnesty International has charged Nigeria’s security forces with committing massive rights violations, including summary executions, in the campaign to crush the Islamists.
In its report released Thursday, the rights group documented a series of alleged extra-judicial killings by the military and police in Maiduguri.
The military dismissed Amnesty’s allegations and has consistently denied similar reports in the past, but residents have on several occasions accused soldiers of firing indiscriminately on unarmed people, often following attacks on its personnel.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with an estimated 160 million people, where most in the north are Muslim. The south is predominately Christian.
Boko Haram has struck most often in the northeast, but its attacks have stretched across the broader north and down to central Nigeria.
In addition to the security forces, Christians, government officials, and other symbols of authority have been targetted.
Residents of Maiduguri, the home base of Boko Haram Islamists, said the troops who swarmed late Thursday ordered males in their teens and early 20s to separate from others in the neighbourhood.
In the Kalari area, they told the young men “to lie face down on the ground,” then asked the rest to look away.
“All we heard were gunshots. They shot them on the spot,” said the elderly resident, who did not want to be named.
“They did the same in three other neighbourhoods. We went to the morgue to collect the bodies and we found 48 in all.”
A resident of the city’s Gwange area told AFP that the alleged massacre was “like a movie scene.”
The troops “picked young men from their homes and were shooting them dead before everyone and took the bodies away to the hospital. I have never seen something like this,” he said, also requesting that his name be withheld.
The Sabon Lamba and Gomboru neighbourhoods were also said to have been raided.
A morgue attendant at the Maiduguri General Hospital said they “received 39 bodies yesterday which were brought in by soldiers. They all have fresh gunshot wounds.”
A military source declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by AFP, saying only that if such killings had taken place, they were “unjustified”.
Maiduguri is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency which is estimated to have left 2,800 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.
Amnesty International has charged Nigeria’s security forces with committing massive rights violations, including summary executions, in the campaign to crush the Islamists.
In its report released Thursday, the rights group documented a series of alleged extra-judicial killings by the military and police in Maiduguri.
The military dismissed Amnesty’s allegations and has consistently denied similar reports in the past, but residents have on several occasions accused soldiers of firing indiscriminately on unarmed people, often following attacks on its personnel.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with an estimated 160 million people, where most in the north are Muslim. The south is predominately Christian.
Boko Haram has struck most often in the northeast, but its attacks have stretched across the broader north and down to central Nigeria.
In addition to the security forces, Christians, government officials, and other symbols of authority have been targetted.
News: A Retired Nigerian General Killed By Gunmen
A retired Nigerian general, Mohammed Shuwa, who was a key figure in
the 1960s civil war, was on Friday shot dead by unknown gunmen at his
home in the restive northeastern city of Maiduguri, the military said.
“Four men initially thought to be his visitors… entered his house and opened fire on the general and his guests.
One of the guests died on the spot while the general died on the way” to the hospital, said Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa.
In an interview at his home in May, Shuwa told AFP that he could potentially be targetted by Boko Haram Islamists who have carried out scores of attacks in the city, which is considered their home base.
It was not clear who killed the general, but the shooting resembled those previously carried out by the Islamists who have repeatedly targetted prominent local figures.
Residents and a morgue official said soldiers killed dozens of young men late Thursday during operations in four Maiduguri neighbourhoods, including Shuwa’s home area of Gwange.
Boko Haram has previously carried out targetted killings following military raids.
Shuwa, 79, was a top adviser to Yakubu Gowon, the former military head of state who led Nigeria during the 1967-70 Biafra civil war that left more than one million dead, including many from starvation.
He also served as a senior leader in the 1975-76 junta of Murtala Mohammed.
Mohammed Shuwa
One of the guests died on the spot while the general died on the way” to the hospital, said Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa.
In an interview at his home in May, Shuwa told AFP that he could potentially be targetted by Boko Haram Islamists who have carried out scores of attacks in the city, which is considered their home base.
It was not clear who killed the general, but the shooting resembled those previously carried out by the Islamists who have repeatedly targetted prominent local figures.
Residents and a morgue official said soldiers killed dozens of young men late Thursday during operations in four Maiduguri neighbourhoods, including Shuwa’s home area of Gwange.
Boko Haram has previously carried out targetted killings following military raids.
Shuwa, 79, was a top adviser to Yakubu Gowon, the former military head of state who led Nigeria during the 1967-70 Biafra civil war that left more than one million dead, including many from starvation.
He also served as a senior leader in the 1975-76 junta of Murtala Mohammed.
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Nollywood actor Leg Amputated due to illness.
The veteran actor was said to have sustained some kind of injury last year, and because he didn't take proper care of it, it led to serious infection that became hard to treat. The injury was said to have degenerated to a sore and because Mr Eneh was diabetic, it refused to heal. He spent three months at the hospital before he was advised to amputate the leg before the infection spread to other parts of his body.
The amputation took place on Wednesday October 24th after all efforts to save the leg was unsuccessful. Pete Eneh is said to be dealing with it well.
News: two policemen killed by Gunmen.
Unidentified gunmen suspected to be armed robbers driving in a jeep
allegedly opened fire on three policemen killing two of them along
Azikoro-Agbura road in the outskirts of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State
capital.
The third policeman was seriously injured and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre where doctors are battling to save his life.
We learnt that the slain policemen, a corporal and a sergeant were until their death serving with the state command.
Though details of the incident which occurred Wednesday night were sketch, sources told Vanguard that the policemen on sighting the reckless manner the driver of the jeep was driving decided to stop it.
The driver of the jeep was said to have slowed down when its occupants opened fire on the policemen who died on the spot before speeding off through the Ogbia road.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer, Fidelis Odunna, DSP, confirmed the incident.
He said the assailant operating in a black jeep opened fire on the unsuspecting officers at the Agbura roundabout Wednesday night.
The police image maker said the command will leave no stone unturned in unraveling the perpetrators of the dastardly act just as a serious manhunt had began.
Odunna said: “The police is on the trail of the robbers and would track them down,” and urged members of the public not to panic as the command was on top of the situation.”
The third policeman was seriously injured and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre where doctors are battling to save his life.
We learnt that the slain policemen, a corporal and a sergeant were until their death serving with the state command.
Though details of the incident which occurred Wednesday night were sketch, sources told Vanguard that the policemen on sighting the reckless manner the driver of the jeep was driving decided to stop it.
The driver of the jeep was said to have slowed down when its occupants opened fire on the policemen who died on the spot before speeding off through the Ogbia road.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer, Fidelis Odunna, DSP, confirmed the incident.
He said the assailant operating in a black jeep opened fire on the unsuspecting officers at the Agbura roundabout Wednesday night.
The police image maker said the command will leave no stone unturned in unraveling the perpetrators of the dastardly act just as a serious manhunt had began.
Odunna said: “The police is on the trail of the robbers and would track them down,” and urged members of the public not to panic as the command was on top of the situation.”
News: First Bank Plc seals By Edo Board of Internal Revenue.
HUNDREDS of customers of First Bank Plc in Benin City, Edo State,
yesterday went home disappointed as they could not access their
accounts, following the sealing of the bank’s branches by Edo State
Board of Internal Revenue, BIR, over alleged tax default.
Vanguard gathered that virtually all branches of the bank in Benin metropolis were affected as those at Ugbowo, Uselu, Ring Road, Akpakpava, Ikpoba Slope, Ikpoba Hill and Agbor Road were all sealed off on the order of the State Board of Internal Revenue.
Workers of the bank were seen gathered in groups at their various branches discussing the matter, just as they declined to entertain questions from newsmen on the issue.
However, customers in one of the branches who could not make withdrawal or savings ,vented their anger on the workers.
At press time, the bank’s alleged indebtedness to the state government could not be ascertained as calls made to the mobile phone of Executive Director of the Board of Internal Revenue, Chief Oseni Elamah, for confirmation were unanswered.
Vanguard gathered that virtually all branches of the bank in Benin metropolis were affected as those at Ugbowo, Uselu, Ring Road, Akpakpava, Ikpoba Slope, Ikpoba Hill and Agbor Road were all sealed off on the order of the State Board of Internal Revenue.
Workers of the bank were seen gathered in groups at their various branches discussing the matter, just as they declined to entertain questions from newsmen on the issue.
However, customers in one of the branches who could not make withdrawal or savings ,vented their anger on the workers.
At press time, the bank’s alleged indebtedness to the state government could not be ascertained as calls made to the mobile phone of Executive Director of the Board of Internal Revenue, Chief Oseni Elamah, for confirmation were unanswered.
News: New York subway rolls again.
The toll of death and suffering from superstorm Sandy mounted on
Thursday even as New York struggled back to life, with the first subway
trains rolling in four days.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sandy killed at least 37 people in the city and the number was likely to mount. At least 85 people have now been reported dead across the 15 states hit by the hurricane on Monday night.
Fuel shortages led to long lines of cars at filling stations in many states and the country faced a storm bill of tens of billions of dollars.
More bodies are being found as police and fire-fighters continue “their lifesaving mission, going block-by-block and door-to-door in the areas devastated by the hurricane,” Bloomberg said.
With about 650,000 people still without power in New York, Bloomberg
said the city would start handing out food and water and that National
Guard and police would go into high-rise buildings to help the elderly.
The Con-Edison power company said that some New Yorkers would have to wait until November 11 before electricity is restored.
National Guard troops helped rescue people trapped in flooded homes across the Hudson River from New York in Hoboken. They had rescued 2,000 people in New Jersey in two days, Defense Department spokesman George Little said.
Hoboken authorities estimated on Wednesday that 20,000 people were stuck in their homes and high-wheel military trucks were brought in to reach stricken houses and apartment blocks.
The floodwaters receded slowly, leaving behind desolation. A yacht, thrown up by the storm, blocked one street near the Hoboken ferry terminal.
New Jersey, which President Barack Obama visited on Wednesday, emerged as the state with the most widespread destruction.
At least 12 people were reported dead in the state, and many isolated districts were still being searched.
Some 1.8 million people in New Jersey were still without electricity three days after the storm and fuel shortages were becoming critical, with huge queues of cars at the rare gas stations open in the state.
About half of gas stations in New Jersey and the New York region had closed down becasue of power cuts or fuel shortages, officials said.
But the first subway trains brought some cheer to New York City.
A skeleton service started just before dawn and trains were quickly packed. Trains were to be free on Thursday and Friday. “It is not comfortable but it is a huge relief to get moving again,” said commuter Dave Stetman.
On Wednesday, in a bid to avoid gridlock, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that until Friday cars entering Manhattan must carry at least three people. Police set up checkpoints at bridges and turned back hundreds of cars.
Con Edison said that more than 200,000 Manhattan customers blacked out by an explosion at a sub-station would have power by Saturday morning.
But it said 100,000 cases of trees and other objects bringing down power lines had been reported, so full city-wide electricity restoration would take until November 11.
Some heartbreaking stories have emerged from the storm.
Two brothers, aged two and four, were swept from their mother’s arms in the floods as the family tried to escape the rising seas in Staten Island in the New York suburbs.
Glenda Moore’s car became stuck in the water and she was carrying the boys to seek help when they were swept away, the New York Post said. Police said they were still looking for the boys, Connor aged four and Brandon aged two.
Others victims were electrocuted or drowned in flooded basements. A growing number of people were killed by poisoning from the fumes given off by diesel generators put into use since the storm.
The Shell oil company said that Sandy triggered an oil spill in the waters off New York and said clean up efforts were under way.
The US Coast Guard, which is overseeing the clean-up, said refinery operator Motiva had estimated up to 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel had leaked from the plant at Sewaren, New Jersey.
Hurricane Sandy brought devastation throughout the Caribbean before hitting the United States and Canada. The overall death is now at least 157.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sandy killed at least 37 people in the city and the number was likely to mount. At least 85 people have now been reported dead across the 15 states hit by the hurricane on Monday night.
Fuel shortages led to long lines of cars at filling stations in many states and the country faced a storm bill of tens of billions of dollars.
More bodies are being found as police and fire-fighters continue “their lifesaving mission, going block-by-block and door-to-door in the areas devastated by the hurricane,” Bloomberg said.
NEW
YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: People exit a Metro-North train arriving in
Grand Central Terminal during the morning rush on November 1, 2012 in
New York City. Some trains are back up and running into Grand Central
following shutdowns in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Subway train
service in the city is back in a limited capacity, but with much of
lower Manhattan still with out power, trains are not running there and
busses are replacing them. AFP
The Con-Edison power company said that some New Yorkers would have to wait until November 11 before electricity is restored.
National Guard troops helped rescue people trapped in flooded homes across the Hudson River from New York in Hoboken. They had rescued 2,000 people in New Jersey in two days, Defense Department spokesman George Little said.
Hoboken authorities estimated on Wednesday that 20,000 people were stuck in their homes and high-wheel military trucks were brought in to reach stricken houses and apartment blocks.
The floodwaters receded slowly, leaving behind desolation. A yacht, thrown up by the storm, blocked one street near the Hoboken ferry terminal.
New Jersey, which President Barack Obama visited on Wednesday, emerged as the state with the most widespread destruction.
At least 12 people were reported dead in the state, and many isolated districts were still being searched.
Some 1.8 million people in New Jersey were still without electricity three days after the storm and fuel shortages were becoming critical, with huge queues of cars at the rare gas stations open in the state.
About half of gas stations in New Jersey and the New York region had closed down becasue of power cuts or fuel shortages, officials said.
But the first subway trains brought some cheer to New York City.
A skeleton service started just before dawn and trains were quickly packed. Trains were to be free on Thursday and Friday. “It is not comfortable but it is a huge relief to get moving again,” said commuter Dave Stetman.
On Wednesday, in a bid to avoid gridlock, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that until Friday cars entering Manhattan must carry at least three people. Police set up checkpoints at bridges and turned back hundreds of cars.
Con Edison said that more than 200,000 Manhattan customers blacked out by an explosion at a sub-station would have power by Saturday morning.
But it said 100,000 cases of trees and other objects bringing down power lines had been reported, so full city-wide electricity restoration would take until November 11.
Some heartbreaking stories have emerged from the storm.
Two brothers, aged two and four, were swept from their mother’s arms in the floods as the family tried to escape the rising seas in Staten Island in the New York suburbs.
Glenda Moore’s car became stuck in the water and she was carrying the boys to seek help when they were swept away, the New York Post said. Police said they were still looking for the boys, Connor aged four and Brandon aged two.
Others victims were electrocuted or drowned in flooded basements. A growing number of people were killed by poisoning from the fumes given off by diesel generators put into use since the storm.
The Shell oil company said that Sandy triggered an oil spill in the waters off New York and said clean up efforts were under way.
The US Coast Guard, which is overseeing the clean-up, said refinery operator Motiva had estimated up to 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel had leaked from the plant at Sewaren, New Jersey.
Hurricane Sandy brought devastation throughout the Caribbean before hitting the United States and Canada. The overall death is now at least 157.
News: finish race vantage Obama
The U.S. presidential race remains a dead heat five days to Election
Day but most Americans think President Barack Obama will defeat
Republican Mitt Romney, according to a Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll
released on Tuesday.
Obama leads Romney among likely voters by 47 percent to 46 percent, a statistically insignificant margin, the online survey found. Neither candidate has held a clear lead since early October.
But 53 percent of all registered voters predicted Obama would win the November 6 election, while only 29 percent said Romney would be the victor. A majority also said that they expected Obama to win their state.A new New York Times/CBS News poll indicates that Obama and Romney are headed for one of the tightest and most unpredictable presidential poll finishes of all time. It indicates Obama has 48% and Romney 47%. But another poll, this time by ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll gives it to Romney 48% and Obama 47%.
Most political pundits insist that in the light of this tightness, the so-called “swing states” (states that are not conclusively for either candidates) such as Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Oregon, would need close monitoring, as justified by last-minute campaign stampede efforts by both camps in these states.
These were the latest polls for the Swing States published on Tuesday, October 30th 2012:
Colorado: Obama, 48%; Romney 45% (Project New America)
Florida: Romney, 48%; Obama 47% (Newsmax/Zogby)
Florida: Obama, 47%; Romney 47% (Survey USA)
North Carolina: Romney 50%; Obama 45% (Survey USA)
Ohio: Obama, 50%; Romney (Newsmax/Zogby)
Ohio: Obama 49%; Romney 46% (Survey USA)
Ohio: Obama 48%; Romney 45% (Project New America)
Virginia: Obama, 48%; Romney 47% (Newsmax/Zogby
Oregon: Obama, 47%, Romney 41% (Elway).
*Blogger, Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire summarises the emerging trend and observes as follows:
“Greg Sergent ran through the latest polling averages and finds President Obama leading in Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and Iowa, while Mitt Romney leads in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. The race is essentially tied in Colorado and New Hampshire.
“For the sake of argument, let us give the tied states to Romney. Here’s the basic state of things: if you give Romney all the states where he is leading or tied in the averages – Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado and New Hampshire, he is still short of 270 (electoral votes). Meanwhile if you give Obama just the states where he leads in the averages he wins re-election”.
Obama leads Romney among likely voters by 47 percent to 46 percent, a statistically insignificant margin, the online survey found. Neither candidate has held a clear lead since early October.
But 53 percent of all registered voters predicted Obama would win the November 6 election, while only 29 percent said Romney would be the victor. A majority also said that they expected Obama to win their state.A new New York Times/CBS News poll indicates that Obama and Romney are headed for one of the tightest and most unpredictable presidential poll finishes of all time. It indicates Obama has 48% and Romney 47%. But another poll, this time by ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll gives it to Romney 48% and Obama 47%.
Most political pundits insist that in the light of this tightness, the so-called “swing states” (states that are not conclusively for either candidates) such as Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Oregon, would need close monitoring, as justified by last-minute campaign stampede efforts by both camps in these states.
These were the latest polls for the Swing States published on Tuesday, October 30th 2012:
Colorado: Obama, 48%; Romney 45% (Project New America)
Florida: Romney, 48%; Obama 47% (Newsmax/Zogby)
Florida: Obama, 47%; Romney 47% (Survey USA)
North Carolina: Romney 50%; Obama 45% (Survey USA)
Ohio: Obama, 50%; Romney (Newsmax/Zogby)
Ohio: Obama 49%; Romney 46% (Survey USA)
Ohio: Obama 48%; Romney 45% (Project New America)
Virginia: Obama, 48%; Romney 47% (Newsmax/Zogby
Oregon: Obama, 47%, Romney 41% (Elway).
*Blogger, Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire summarises the emerging trend and observes as follows:
“Greg Sergent ran through the latest polling averages and finds President Obama leading in Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and Iowa, while Mitt Romney leads in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. The race is essentially tied in Colorado and New Hampshire.
“For the sake of argument, let us give the tied states to Romney. Here’s the basic state of things: if you give Romney all the states where he is leading or tied in the averages – Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado and New Hampshire, he is still short of 270 (electoral votes). Meanwhile if you give Obama just the states where he leads in the averages he wins re-election”.
News: A dead baby was found abandoned.
A dead baby was found abandoned by an unknown person behind the
Medical Students Hostel on Moore Road Calabar near the Office of the
Wife of Cross River State Governor.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health/ NGO and Special Projects, Dr. Regina Ejemot-Nwadiaro, said her attention was drawn to the incident by an anonymous caller and when she got to the scene and confirmed the story, she immediately called the Calabar Urban Development Authority, CUDA, who quickly responded to the call and subsequently alerted the Police.
She condemned the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act which she described as callous, inhuman and outright wickedness.
She intimated that for the past five years the wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, has been championing the stamping out of teenage pregnancy and child abandonment in the state through her project, Mothers Against Child Abandonment, MACA. “It is thus, disheartening that in spite of the consistent efforts by Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke and the MACA team, people could still dump babies,” she wondered.
The Dr. Ejemot-Nwadiaro stated that the main goal of MACA is to prevent teenage pregnancy and child abandonment and ultimately to save lives. She called on the public to avail themselves of the services MACA provides and reiterated that MACA’s ultimate goal is to contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals, especially as it concerns child and maternal mortality.
She stated that Mrs. Imoke also initiated the Calabar Carnival Queen, CCQ, as the face of MACA which goes on advocacy/sensitization visits to secondary schools the state, preaching abstinence from pre-marital sex and building their confidence. MACA also has trained counselors and a 24-hour helpline for people that may wish to make further enquires, give information or obtain assistance.
The Executive Secretary of CUDA, Gabriel Egari confirmed the incident and promised to incident the case with the Police as well as get clearance before his office could evacuate and bury the dead baby.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health/ NGO and Special Projects, Dr. Regina Ejemot-Nwadiaro, said her attention was drawn to the incident by an anonymous caller and when she got to the scene and confirmed the story, she immediately called the Calabar Urban Development Authority, CUDA, who quickly responded to the call and subsequently alerted the Police.
She condemned the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act which she described as callous, inhuman and outright wickedness.
She intimated that for the past five years the wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, has been championing the stamping out of teenage pregnancy and child abandonment in the state through her project, Mothers Against Child Abandonment, MACA. “It is thus, disheartening that in spite of the consistent efforts by Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke and the MACA team, people could still dump babies,” she wondered.
The Dr. Ejemot-Nwadiaro stated that the main goal of MACA is to prevent teenage pregnancy and child abandonment and ultimately to save lives. She called on the public to avail themselves of the services MACA provides and reiterated that MACA’s ultimate goal is to contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals, especially as it concerns child and maternal mortality.
She stated that Mrs. Imoke also initiated the Calabar Carnival Queen, CCQ, as the face of MACA which goes on advocacy/sensitization visits to secondary schools the state, preaching abstinence from pre-marital sex and building their confidence. MACA also has trained counselors and a 24-hour helpline for people that may wish to make further enquires, give information or obtain assistance.
The Executive Secretary of CUDA, Gabriel Egari confirmed the incident and promised to incident the case with the Police as well as get clearance before his office could evacuate and bury the dead baby.
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