ERA/FoEN flag Minister’s comment on
UNEP
The
Environmental Rights Action / Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has
carpeted Environment Minister Hayija Hadiza Mailafiya for blaming the delay in
implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Assessment
on Ogoniland on the January 2012 protests over fuel subsidy removal.
The
groups described the statement credited to Hayija Hadiza Mailafiya as
far-fetched misleading and unacceptable.
Published in Nation Newspaper, Monday,
13th August, 2012
Ekiti, firm graduates 200 trainees
The
Ekiti State Government, in collaboration with Odu’a Investment Company Limited,
yesterday graduated 200 trainees under the Ekiti-Odu’a Skill Acquisition
Scheme.
The
graduates underwent skill acquisition in Electrical Wiring and Motor Rewinding;
Painting/Arts and Craft; Catering and Events Management; Carpentry and Joinery;
Fashion Designing; Auto Electronics and Mechanical Work; Computer
Hardware/Telephone Repairs Metal Fabrication and Welding.
Governor Kayode Fayemi urged the graduates to face their vocations. The
governor advised them to open their businesses in the rural communities to
spread development.
Published in Nation Newspaper, Monday,
13th August, 2012
FG releases N300bn for Capital
Projects
The Federal Government on Thursday released N300bn for capital
projects for the third quarter of the year.
The N300bn, according to the Minister of Finance, Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, brings the total release for capital projects so far to N704bn
under the 2012 national budget. She said this
at a media briefing in Abuja.
Published in Punch Newspaper,
Monday, 13th August, 2012
12 tertiary institutions in Nigeria
get N25b special impact fund
The
Federal Government has approved N25 billion for the 2012 Special High Impact
Programme Fund. Twelve tertiary institutions will benefit from the fund.
They
include: Moshood Abiola University, Lagos; The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Anambra
State University, Uli; Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE);
University of Calabar (UNICAL) and Delta State College of Education, Agbor.
Others
are Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero; The Federal
Polytechnic, Kauran Namoda; Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola;
Bauchi State College of Education, Azare; Benue State
University, Makurdi and
Federal Polytechnic, Nassarawa.
Published in Nation Newspaper, Monday,
13th August, 2012
Nigeria:
‘Cassava production to create over 1m jobs’
Cassava
production will create over one million jobs in the country, the Minister of
Agriculture Dr. Adesina Akinwumi has said. He was speaking in
Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi
State capital, where the
federal government’s agric programme, Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), was
inaugurated.
Akinwumi
who was represented by the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mbucho
Kreni, said the teeming youths in the state would be fully engaged in the
scheme.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Tuesday,
14th August, 2012
Oil firm announces winner of
environmental sustainability project
First
Hydrocarbon Nigeria Company Limited (FHN) has announced the winner of the best
Environmental Sustainability Project at the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
Challenge in Lagos.
The
competition marked the second year that FHN has sponsored the SIFE National Competition.
The team with the best Environmental Sustainability project was named as Bayero University,
Kano, which
involved in a truly relevant project that supports their local communities in
efforts to eradicate malaria, combat desertification and create jobs for
disadvantaged citizens through the cultivation and manipulation of the Neem
tree, which grows in abundance in the region.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Tuesday,
14th August, 2012
UNICEF urges stronger national
policies on breastfeeding
AS
part of measures to reduce high child deaths in developing countries, the
United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday called for stronger national
policies supporting breastfeeding.
UNICEF,
on the 20th anniversary of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), said strong national
policies supporting breastfeeding could prevent the deaths of around one
million children under five in the developing world each year.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Tuesday,
14th August, 2012
Nigeria: Minister
alerts on plots to deny farmers access to fertilizer
Minister
of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has warned farmers, particularly those in
the South – West to be wary of the new antics of those he referred to as
political ‘fertiliser merchants’.
He
added that the merchants were desperate to rob the farmers of having access to
the states’ and Federal Government subsidised fertiliser.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Wednesday,
15th August, 2012
48 firms to invest N170.5bn in Lagos FTZ
The
Lagos Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) has attracted investment commitments of over $1.1
billion from 48 local and foreign investors.
The
Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, who made this known at
the Lekki Free Zone Investment Forum and opening ceremony of the Eko 2012, at
the weekend, said that the investment would contribute significantly to the
development of the Nigeria Economy.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Wednesday,
15th August, 2012
Nigeria plans
new model in tackle climate change challenge
An
innovative model to support prospective analysis, planning of national and
regional development, especially on climate change issues may soon be
considered for adoption by stakeholders as a means of promoting open and
participatory debates on development issues
The
Director, Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr
Samuel Adejuwon recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan pushed for greener
economy at the just concluded UN Conference on Sustainable Development Summit
and re-affirmed government’s determination to crate greater employment
opportunities.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Wednesday,
15th August, 2012
Embrace alternative energy, save
environment – LASG
The
Lagos State Government on Monday urged residents to use alternative sources of
energy to address environmental challenges and reduce carbon emission
responsible for global warming.
Senior
Special Assistant to the Governor on Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Fouad
Animashaun, during the opening of the fourth Alternative Power Exhibition in Lagos, said science had
provided alternative options for sourcing energy without destroying the
environment.
Published in Punch Newspaper, Wednesday, 15th August, 2012
Diamond Bank secures IFC’s $70
million facility
The
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and
the Africa Capitalisation Fund, a private equity fund managed by IFC Asset
Management Company, has sealed a pact with Diamond Bank Plc to provide $70
million in convertible loans to the Nigerian financial institution.
IFC
Advisory Services will provide further assistance to help Diamond Bank enhance
its range of financial services for agricultural sector clients.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Thursday,
16th August, 2012
IITA, UI seek fresh collaboration
The
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the University
of Ibadan on Wednesday outlined areas
of possible collaboration in an attempt to improve Africa’s
fortunes.
According
to a statement by the IITA on Thursday, areas under consideration comprise the
capacity building, establishment of a biotechnology platform, soil health,
Geographical Information Science, fund raising for research, food and nutrition
and capacity building. IITA Director-General, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, said
during a courtesy visit to the university.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Thursday,
16th August, 2012
Sanofi partners government to tackle
diseases
As
part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to provide quality health
care system to Nigerians, Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company has partnered with
the Federal Ministry of Health to eradicate communicable and non communicable
diseases in the country.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Thursday,
16th August, 2012
NHRC tasks media on Human Rights Reportage
Following
its on-the-spot assessment of areas marked for demolition by the
governments of Rivers and Lagos States as well as the Federal Capital
Territory Authority (FCTA), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
mar release an interim report of its findings today.
Published in Guardian Newspaper Thursday,
16th August, 2012
Shell denies oil spill in Bayelsa
The Shell Petroleum
Development Company has denied reports of an oil spill at its Nembe three flow
station near Ewelesuo community, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Nembe Chairman of Oil
and Gas, Mr. Nengi James, told our correspondent that a major oil spill
occurred in the area midnight Tuesday.
Published in Punch Newspaper Thursday,
16th August, 2012
ExxonMobil is
investigating reports of an oil spill in Nigeria not far from the site of
one of its facilities, a spokesman confirmed.
A flyover of the area
along the coast of Akwa Ikom state has already been conducted by local
officials and the Nigerian joint venture of the US supermajor, company spokesperson
Nigel Cookey-Gam said in a statement on Wednesday.
Published in Punch Newspaper Thursday,
16th August, 2012
World Bank says Nigeria has the “Most Attractive” Investment
Environment in Africa
The World
Bank has described Nigeria’s
investment environment as the “most attractive” despite the current
infrastructure challenge facing it.
Marie
Francoise Marie-Nelly, Country Director, World Bank, Nigeria made this assertion yesterday at the
launch of the World Bank’s Investment Climate Assessment (ICA) report in Abuja.
She,
however, said there was need for the country to improve its business
environment in order to maximise the hugely untapped investment opportunities
that exist across the country.
Published in Guardian Newspaper, Friday,
17th August, 2012
Chinese firms to invest in Nigeria’s
Aerotropolis project, says minister
China
State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC), has indicated readiness
to invest in the development of Nigeria’s
aviation sector, especially the construction of Aerotropolis within the major
international airports in Nigeria.
Vice
President of the Corporation, Yu Zhende made the declaration at the
headquarters of the corporation in Beijing, China during a visit by the delegation from the Nigeria’s
ministry of aviation.
Published in National Mirror on
Friday, 16th August, 2012
FUTA supports Environmental
Protection
Authorities
of the Federal University of Technology, Akure on Wednesday pledged to lead the
campaign on environmental protection and sustainability in the country.
The
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, stated this in Akure
at the inauguration of the tree planting campaign, known as “FUTA Greening
2012″.
According
to him, the campaign, which would be done through knowledge transfer and high
quality environmental education, would not be limited to the university.
Published in Punch Newspaper, Friday, 16th August, 2012
Tourism Ministry committed to
Empowerment
The
Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr. Edem Duke, on Friday
reiterated the ministry’s commitment to the sustainability of economic empowerment
through art exhibition.
Duke,
who was represented by the Director of Culture in the ministry, Mr George Ufot,
said this in Abuja at the opening of a 10-day
Australian Art Exhibition in Nigeria.
The
theme of the exhibition was ‘Message Stick: Indigenous identity in urban Australia.’
Published in Punch Newspaper, Friday, 16th August, 2012
SERAP requests details of Spending on Maternal HealthCare
A group, Socio-Economic Rights and ccountability Project (SERAP), has requested the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, to provide within seven days, information on spending relating to maternal healthcare delivery and prevention in the country in the past fivr years.
SERAP, in the request dated August 13, 2012 and signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said it is concerned about what it described as worsening rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Published in Punch Newspaper, Friday, 16th August, 2012
Health inequities threaten MDG target
In recent times, the world is confronted with the challenge of addressing communicable diseases within the African continent. Non-communicable diseases have also continued to pose a huge problem. this, the World Health Organisation, (WHO) believes, has contributed to a rise in chronic diseases.
Published in BusinessDay Newspaper Friday,
17th August, 2012
Senate Committee
Warns Firms Aiding Oil Spills
Chairman, Senate Committee
on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, Thursday threatened to
recommend for any oil facility to be shut down if it is traced to the source of
oil spill.
Saraki in a statement
signed on behalf of the committee by his Special Assistant on Media and
Advocacy, Mr. Bamikole Omisore, warned that such oil facilities would not be
opened until a responsible party emerges to clean up, compensate and take
liability for the action.
Published in ThisDay Newspaper Friday,
17th August, 2012
