Below are the headlines found on The Punch Online Newspaper for today, Thursday, 31 August, 2017.
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
The Mushin (Ilasamaja Ward C) Disciplinary Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State that heard a petition accusing a party chieftain, Dr. Muiz Banire, of anti-party activities, on Wednesday submitted its report, recommending his suspension. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the committee, on August 14, had conducted a hearing on the []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Tony Okafor, Awka Three foreign nationals have been arrested in Anambra State for having in their possession several numbers of Permanent Voter Cards allegedly issued to them by the Independent National Electoral Commission. It was gathered that voter cards were for the purpose of voting in the governorship election in the state scheduled for November []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Punch Editorial Board The upsurge in building collapse incidents currently being experienced in the country and the attendant loss of innocent lives demand a very strong response from the relevant government authorities to buck the ugly trend. There is a need also for well-trained building experts and professionals to weed out the quacks in their []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party says members of the state caretaker committees are not allowed to contest any executive position in the party in their states. It said the caretaker committees should work to build the party in their respective states and prepare the ground for its smooth running for the incoming executive []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja The Federal Government has commenced the payment of about N23bn promotion arrears and salary shortfall to civil servants. The development was confirmed by the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed, in Abuja on Wednesday, who said N13.2bn was for salary shortfall and N10bn for promotion arrears. The issue of promotion []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the contract for the engineering work of the Mambilla Hydro Electric Power Plant in Taraba State at a sum of $5.792bn. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi A new report released by the Accident Investigation Bureau has blamed the 2012 helicopter crash involving a Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of operations, Mr. John Haruna, and three others in the Kabong area of Jos, Plateau State, on pilot error. The report released on Wednesday stated that the medical certificate of []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Feyisayo Popoola The Lagos State Government says it plans to build 57 state-of-the-art computerised vehicle inspection service centres for testing vehicles before being issued road worthiness certificates. The General Manager of Lagos Computerised Vehicle Inspection Service, Mr. Segun Ogunnaike, who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director, Prince Segun Obayendo, at a forum in Lagos []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Ife Ogunfuwa examines the money-making potential in an independent sale rep career One of the challenges facing businesses across various sectors is the inability to sell their products or services. This problem is enormous for businesses that are unable to employ full-time marketers to handle their sales and marketing section. In most cases, the problem []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Femi Asu with agency report United States' authorities are investigating China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation over allegations that the state-controlled oil producer paid Nigerian officials about $100m worth of bribes to resolve a business dispute, according to people familiar with the probe. Investigators from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department are looking into []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Nike Popoola Your child might have some idea already of what a bank is and does from books or through television programmes. But if your son or daughter asks questions about banks, it might be time to set the record straight by opening a first savings account, according to www.nerdwallet.com. Opening an account provides a []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Oyetunji Abioye with agency report Access Bank Plc said on Wednesday it had booked a N4bn impairment on its loan to 9mobile, formerly known as Etisalat Nigeria. The Access Bank's Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe, said the bank had a direct exposure of N11bn to 9mobile, as well as an exposure of N35bn-N39bn to the []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Femi Asu Stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry are awaiting the integration of the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading facility in the country as the project nears completion. The Egina deepwater oil field is expected to achieve first oil in the fourth quarter of 2018, with a capacity to increase the nation's oil []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Success Nwogu, Ilorin Solar energy is the obvious solution to the present epileptic power supply problem in Nigeria, the Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, Dr. Nasiru Mohammed, has said. He noted that the country was witnessing slow progress in power generation which, according to him, is not adequate for the nation's industrial sector operation capacity. []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Femi Asu The President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, Mr. Nosa Ogieva-Okunbo, has called on the Federal Government to remove the Value Added Tax on Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas. Ogieva-Okunbo, who made the call during a courtesy visit to Nipco Plc, also stressed the need to reduce []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Everest Amaefule, Abuja The process of commercialising Nigerian Communications Satellite known as NigComSat-1R will gulp about N2bn, the Ministry of Communications has said. A media consultant to the Ministry of Communications, Tajudeen Kareem, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday, which also announced the appointment of three executive []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja Major industry stakeholders and some eminent Nigerians have identified the solid minerals sector as being strategic in the quest for a diversified economy in the country. Delegates, who participated in the recent symposium of The Osasu Show in Abuja, unanimously called for the urgent diversification of the economy. They noted that the []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Stanley Opara The stock market, on Wednesday, depreciated by N185bn following drops in the share prices of 31 companies. The Nigerian Stock Exchange market capitalisation fell to N12.280tn from N12.465tn, as the All-Share Index closed at 35,629.13 basis points from 36,165.93 basis points. A total of 239.906 million shares worth N2.929bn were traded in 4,371 []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
It doesn't matter how good your strategy is, if you're not skilled at what you do, that strategy won't take you very far. As Jason Fried and DHH have said, 'Many amateur golfers think they need expensive clubs. But it's the swing that matters, not the club. Give Tiger Woods a set of cheap clubs []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Banks offer savings accounts designed specifically for children. These accounts offer children an opportunity to learn about how banks work; they also make it easy for children to save money. You may begin to save money for your child using this type of account. However, you may want to switch your savings for college to []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Anna Okon The Nigerian Importers Integrity Association has urged the Federal Government to complete work on the Tin Can Island truck park as one of the measures to ease the gridlock on the Apapa access roads. The President of the association, Godwin Onyekachi, maintained that the solution to the gridlock was not in conversion of []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Anna Okon A stakeholder in the maritime industry and the President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs agents, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, has urged the Federal Government to implement the Customs and Excise law that grants waivers to importers whose goods are kept in the Customs custody from paying demurrage charges pending investigations or []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Anna Okon A vessel leasing firm and local operator in the maritime industry, C&I Leasing Plc, has commended the Federal Government for its commitment to developing local capacity in the maritime industry as well as the oil and gas sector. The Managing Director, C&I Leasing Plc, Mr. Andrew Otike-Odibi, gave this commendation during the inauguration []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
The President/Chairman of Council, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Prof. Segun Ajibola, says the high rate of interest charged by commercial banks is stifling business growth. As a result, he said the CIBN was already engaging with various stakeholders to work out modalities of providing an enabling environment for professionals with entrepreneurial mindset []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Germany's Allianz plans to pay $35m for 98 per cent stake in a Nigerian insurer, Ensure Insurance, in a push for growth in Africa, where many people are uninsured. Reuters, which reported this on Wednesday, said foreign insurers were banking on growing premiums as the continent began to develop its infrastructure, with the consumer class []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
The Federal Government has started reviewing the tax compliance records of all contractors who have received payments from the Federal Government and its various agencies in the last seven years. A statement said this followed the results of a sampling exercise conducted by the Ministry of Finance which found out that only less than 20 []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
More than 700 million email addresses and a number of passwords have been leaked in what could be the biggest spambot dump ever seen. The data dump is believed to have originated with a spambot called Onliner in the Netherlands. The information was leaked after cyber criminals allowed visitors to their servers to download their []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Etim Ekpimah, Uyo Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has said the national team were in confident mood ahead of their crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier against Cameroon on Friday in Uyo. The China-based midfielder, who is making a return to the squad, said he was back to guide the Eagles to next year's World Cup []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
OlalekanAdetayo, Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday announced cash rewards of N1m each for members of the women's national basketball team, D' Tigress, who won the 2017 FIBA Women's AfroBasket tournament in Mali and qualified for the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Spain. He also gave the team's officials N500, 000 each. Buhari []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Tana Aiyejina Officials of the Nigeria Football Federation are hopeful Chelsea right-back Ola Aina would be cleared on time by FIFA for the World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in Uyo on Friday. Aina was born in England to Nigerian parents and has represented England at U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 levels. But the 20-year-old, []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Idris Adesina African women's basketball champions D'Tigress have described their semifinal match against hosts Mali as the toughest of their eight matches at the 2017 FIBA Africa Championship for Women, saying they were afraid they could have lost the match to their West African rivals. Nigeria beat Mali 48-47 on their way to winning their []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Solomon Dalung, on Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari will 'at the appropriate time' receive and reward Nigerian athletes who had won laurels for the nation in different sports. Dalung disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after Buhari announced cash gifts of N1m and []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Idris Adesina The Round of 32 of the Aiteo Cup produced more upsets as three Nigeria Professional Football League clubs crashed out of the competition. Enugu Rangers, Abia Warriors and Lobi Stars were on Wednesday ousted from the competition by UNICEM Rovers, Ngwa United and Ekiti United respectively. However, other topflight sides ABS, Niger Tornadoes, []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Tana Aiyejina The Nigeria Football Federation are still in the dark over when the Indomitable Lions will arrive Uyo for their 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles on Friday. The African champions have kept their travel plans to themselves, with the Nigerian FA uncertain of when they would arrive the country. 'About 50 []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Nigeria senior national team players showed support for ill goalkeeper Carl Ikeme with a customised T-shirt during Wednesday's media parley. The 31-year-old has been Super Eagles first-choice since making his debut on September 5 against Tanzania but his place in Gernot Rohr's squad was dealt a blow when he was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi will miss Friday's World Cup qualifier against Cameroon with injury, coach Gernot Rohr said at the team's press conference held at the Ibom Meridien Hotel, Uyo on Wednesday. IkechukwuEzenwa from FC IfeanyiUbah, who captained Nigeria's Africa Nations Championship squad that eliminated Benin Republic penultimate weekend to qualify for next year's continental []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Germanys World Cup winner Benedikt Hoewedes completed a hastily arranged transfer to Italian champions Juventus on Wednesday after being stripped of the captaincy at Schalke. Juventus Football Club announces that Benedikt Hoewedes has signed on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy, the Italian giants announced on their website. Juve had earlier confirmed []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said on Wednesday he had rebuffed an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Paris Saint-Germain offered me five million euros ($6 million) plus two million in add-ons. I said to them Thanks and goodbye, De Laurentiis told Sky on the sidelines of the Venice Film Festival. Pepe []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been given a three-match ban after admitting a Football Association charge of violent conduct. Mitrovic appeared to catch West Hams Manuel Lanzini with an elbow during Newcastles 3-0 win on Saturday in an incident that was not seen by referee Neil Swarbrick or his assistants. The FAs disciplinary committee reviewed []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Niran Adedokun Has anyone noticed that rather than diminish, agitations for the restructuring Nigeria has grown in the aftermath of President Muhammadu Buhari's crossing 'our national red lines' speech penultimate Monday' It started with a reaction from the Southern Leaders Forum, a congregation of groups from the three zones of Southern Nigeria. The SLF, in []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Abimbola Adelakun These days, there are many articles on the phenomenon of hate speech in Nigeria, and curiously, they all seem to assume the meaning of hate speech is across the board. These op-eds editorialise on how to fight hate speech but stop short of telling the reader what it is. How does one fight []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Temilade Aruya The blatant disregard for the due process of the law being exhibited by all classes of people in our country is a cause for serious concern. Often, the law is twisted and circumvented by unscrupulous elements to suit their selfish goals. This is a dangerous trend that will birth nothing but chaos and []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
The erstwhile leader of secessionist Biafra, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was fully reconciled to the Nigerian state before his demise in 2011. He contested the presidential election of 2003 and could have been President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had he won that election. Equally significant and symbolic was the fact that Odumegwu-Ojukwu collected his []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Greg Odogwu When the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed, last week, that rodents had wrought plenty damage in President Muhammadu Buhari's Aso Rock office, he was just unconsciously reflecting the inbuilt culture of 'beggarlism' among the Nigerian ruling class; a syndrome not easily discerned, unless it comes []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Sesan Olufowobi The alleged award of landscaping and beautification of the Costain Roundabout Garden to a barbecue services company ' Topmost Suya and Asun Enterprises ' has been causing a buzz online with Nigerians calling for investigations into the award. Many commentators on different platforms described the contract as a fraud, saying it was a []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Samson Folarin A 25-year-old undergraduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, Chioma Pius, who was allegedly tortured by some policemen attached to the Rivers State Police Command, has identified the patrol team behind the attack. The victim, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, said the matter had also been taken to the Public []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Sesan Olufowobi The Lagos Police Command was thrown into confusion on Wednesday as two Commissioners of Police emerged in the command. Earlier in the day, it was gathered that Edgar Imohimi, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, had been appointed as the new Commissioner of Police to replace Fatai Owoseni, who had been in the position []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
John Charles and Umar Muhammed The Makurdi metropolis, Benue State, was again flooded on Wednesday after a five-hour downpour. It was gathered that the rain started around 12.24am and lasted till 5am, rendering thousands of residents homeless. The devastated areas are Zone 4, Wurukum, Gebade, Nyinma, Ghana, Naka Road, Wadatta Gboko Road and Media village []
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Akeem Lasisi As the news of the break-up continues to generate reactions, the Publisher of E247, Mr. Biodun Kupoluyi, who is close to the family of the king, has said that the importance of the monarch transcends the distraction that the marital issue represents. According to him, the Ooni has, in the one and a []
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