Sabinews Daily Morning News Update for September 19, 2014
National News
Senate grills Jega on polling units
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega yesterday appeared before the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters to defend the creation additional 30,000 polling units.
INEC Chairman, who appeared before the Senate panel along with his commissioners, said the exercise was not done to favour any candidate, political party or any section of the country. Read more
Seized $9.3m: Senate Summons NSA, CDS, COAS
The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA) Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshall Alex Badeh and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah over the smuggled $9.3million seized by South African government.
The South African police had on Monday an Israeli and two others with $9.3million cash, allegedly meant for arms transaction. Read more
Mutiny: Agbakoba, Gen Ikponmwen seek review of sentence
Former President of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, yesterday, said that the decision of the Brig-Gen B.T. Ndiomu-led Court Martial, sentencing 12 soldiers to death for mutiny was unconstitutional, as the army was the investigator, prosecutor and judge, all rolled into one.
Similarly, former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig.Gen. Idada Ikponmwen, said it will be catastrophic for the country and the nation as a whole, if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to intervene urgently on the death sentence passed on 12 soldiers. Read more
Union Faults FG’S Planned Privatisation of Housing Estate Authority
The 2014 West Zonal Council retreat of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) was held yesterday in Benin City, with the union expressing its position on Federal government plan to privatize and downsize the Federal Housing Authority in the country.
The union’s position was made known by its President, Comrade Adelegan Solomon while delivering a keynote address at the retreat. Read more
FG advised on importance of electric transportation
The Federal Government has been advised to consider the introduction of Electric and Double Rider Bicycles into the Nigerian self-transportation sector as a way to relieve the effect of hectic transportation system on commuters.
This advice was given by the executive chairman of Honor’e Ven Limited, Mr Kola Onadipe, while addressing some marketers of the company, recently. Read more
How APC presidential candidate may emerge
IN recent times, the national headquarters of the leading opposition party in the country, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has become a beehive of activities. Most of the regular faces are not just members of the top echelon of the party. Hordes of other party faithful troop there to hold consultations and meetings all of which some party buffs claimed are meant to put the APC in good stead ahead the 2015 elections. Read more
Service chiefs, Soun, Osemawe, Oyegun, Omosexy, 292 others on national honours’ list
The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, other Service Chiefs are among the personalities to be conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) in the 2013/2014 National Honours’ Award.
The Service Chiefs are among the 305 Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, which President Goodluck Jonathan has approved for conferment of National Honours’ Award in various categories on September 29. Read more
Ebola Patients Buying Survivors’ Blood from Black Market, WHO Warns
As hospitals in different countries hit the hardest by the Ebola virus struggle to keep up, desperate patients are turning to the black market to buy blood from survivors of the virus, the World Health Organisation has warned.
CNN reports that the deadliest Ebola virus outbreak in history has killed at least 2,400 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the countries most affected by the virus. Read more
NASC approves five new commissions for NASS
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, on Thursday, announced the approval for the establishment of five new directorates and appointment of five respective secretaries to manage the directorates by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).
In a statement in Abuja on Thursday by Maikasuwa, he said the approvals were in compliance with the provisions of the National Assembly Service Commission Act 2014, which was recently passed by NASS and assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan. Read more
Sabinews News Update on Economy
Enterprise Bank: AMCON, Heritage Bank to Sign Share Purchase Agreement Today
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Heritage Bank Limited will today, sign a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) to pave way for the latter to acquire Enterprise Bank Limited. Read more
Nigerians imported N600bn vehicles in 2012 – Ndoma-Egba
The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, on Thursday said that Nigerians imported N600bn worth of automobiles in 2012.
Ndoma-Egba said this in his lead debate during the consideration of the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Bill. Read more
Making the New Auto Policy Work
It is an indubitable fact that the new auto policy of the federal government is good for the Nigerian economy. Besides boosting the economy through job creation, it will go a long way in ensuring that Nigeria depends less foreign countries in the production of vehicles. Read more
Monetary Policy: CBN May Retain 12% Interest Rate
Nigeria’s central bank is likely to leave monetary policy unchanged when it meets today (Friday), but will be more accommodative next year if the naira can hold firm ahead of an expected U.S. interest rate rise, economy analysts have predicted .
Some of Nigeria’s emerging market peers such as South Africa have already raised interest rates to boost demand for their currencies and halt rising inflation as the dollar has gained on the back of an improving U.S. economy. Read more
Poland to Improve on Existing $100m Trade Volume in Nigeria
The Polish Deputy Minister for Economy, Andrzej Dycha, has lamented the current $100 million trade volume between his country and Nigeria in 2013 with a promise to improve on it this year and beyond.
He made the promise in Abuja during his visit to the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, in his office. Read more
Sabinews News Update on Oil and Gas
Oil prices down in Asian trade
Oil prices edged lower in Asia on Friday under pressure from a supply glut and a strengthening US dollar, analysts said.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for October delivery fell 20 cents to $92.87 while Brent crude for November eased 15c to $97.55 in mid-morning trade. Read more
Reps angry with NNPC over comment
The House of Representatives joint Committees on Petroleum Up-Stream/Down-Stream and Gas Resources on Thursday expressed disappointment at a letter sent to them by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the effect that the strike embarked upon by oil workers is an internal matter of the corporation which is being handled internally.
Rising from a meeting to which the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Thalma Dawah, as well other parties involved in the industrial dispute, the lawmakers stated that the letter was an affront on the constitutional authority and integrity of the parliament. Read more
Oil: How AGIP-GE undermine NNPC/NAPIMS on local content
When President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content, NOGIC Act, popularly known as the Nigerian Content (NC) Act on April 22, 2010, he meant well for the nation. But since then, the dubious activities of some foreign transnational oil companies, no doubt, has continued to undermine both the Content Board and whatever good intentions the Act itself was originally set to achieve in the nation’s oil and gas sector. Read more
World News
Ebola team killed in cold blood in Guinea
Seven people who were part of a team sent to educate villagers in south-eastern Guinea about Ebola have been found dead after they were attacked by angry locals, the government said on Thursday.
The bodies were recovered from the septic tank of a primary school in the village of Wome, government spokesperson Albert Damantang Camara told AFP, adding that the victims were “killed in cold blood by the villagers”. Read more
Scotland rejects independence in referendum
Scotland will remain part of the United Kingdom — along with England, Wales and Northern Ireland — following a historic referendum vote.
A majority of voters rejected the possibility of Scotland breaking away and becoming an independent nation. Read more
Russia says Ukraine gas talks preliminarily agreed for September 26
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Russia, Ukraine and the European Union had preliminarily agreed to hold new talks on resolving a gas-pricing dispute between Russia and Ukraine on Sept. 26, Russian news agencies reported on Friday. Read more
Roadside bombs kills 5 UN peacekeepers in Mali
A roadside bomb in northern Mali killed five U.N. peacekeepers and wounded several others on Thursday, a spokesman said of the latest in a string of deadly attacks on the force.
A car carrying Chadian troops hit the explosive north of Aguel’hoc, which is near the embattled city of Kidal, said Olivier Salgado. Read more
Malaysia Airlines MH370 underwater hunt to resume
Crews will resume the underwater hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at the end of September, moving the search area further south than initially planned, a senior Australian official has announced.
The search had been due to start next week but the first of three ships that will scour a remote patch of the Indian Ocean for the plane that vanished in March needed some additional work done in Indonesia, said Martin Dolan of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Read more
Sabinews News Update on Energy
Blackout looms in Abuja, as lightening damages power equipment
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has explained that the power black out and load shedding in parts of Abuja metropolis, including Garki, Asokoro, Lugbe, Karu Keffi and environs was as a result of a fire incident which gutted the 60MVA, 132/33KV power transformer and the associated 33KV switch gears at the TCN substation, Apo.
According to TCN, the Apo station was gutted by fire ignited by direct lightening strike on Tuesday, September 16. Read more
Lafarge, World Bank sign deal for 260MW power plant
The International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the World Bank, and cement manufacturing giant, Lafarge Nigeria Limited, have signed a financing deal for the construction of a 260-megawatts power plant in Ewekoro, Ogun State.
The Deputy Director/Head of Media, Ministry of Power, Mr. Timothy Oyedeji, disclosed this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday. Read more
Oil Workers’ Strike Causes Drop in Electricity Generation to 3086MW
Nigeria’s overall electricity generation profile has dropped to about 3,086.10 megawatts (MW), owing to the ongoing strike by workers in the country’s oil and gas sector.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, yesterday confirmed that the industrial action embarked upon by the oil workers across the country was affecting gas supply to key thermal generation plants in the country, hence, the drop in power supply. Read more
Sabinews News Update on Sports
Hotel Threatens to Eject Falcons
The Nigeria Women National team, the Super Falcons could face the embarrassment of being ejected from its camp as the team prepares for the Africa Women Championship, following the failure of the Nigeria Football Federation to settle outstanding bills. The management of the Serob Legacy Hotel where the team is camping ahead of the AWC has reportedly given the NFF till the end of this week to make some payment or risk a forceful ejection of the team. Read more
Gunners Linked with Moves for Lugano and Yobo
Last season, Arsenal went through the entire campaign with just three central defenders. Per Mertesacker played 52 games, Laurent Koscielny played 49 games and the captain, Thomas Vermaelen, managed just 21 appearances, largely due to his injury layoffs. Luckily for the Gunners, both Koscielny and Mertesacker didn’t have any major injuries but their fatigue going into the new campaign was a concern bearing in mind that both players featured in the World Cup. While Koscielny and compatriots left Brazil at the quarterfinal stage, Mertesacker and his teammates went all the way to the final, beating Argentina to seal a victory for Germany. Read more
China’s Li Na announces her retirement from tennis
China’s Li Na, Asia’s only grand slam singles champion, announced her retirement from tennis on Friday, citing the effect of long-term injuries, especially her knees.
“It has been a difficult year, and I have had to face a lot of things, such as making the decision to end my professional tennis career,” Li said in a statement. Read more
NSA 2014: Okagbare, Enyeama top nomination list
The 2014 Nigerian Sports Award has entered the voting phase as the top three nominees for each of the different categories of the award have emerged.
Names of the top three nominees for all the categories of the award was unveiled at a press conference on Thursday by the organisers of the Award. Read more
Ubon Smashes Malian to Book S’final Spot
Nigeria’s Joseph Ubon exhibited a flawless display of tennis artistry yesterday as he defeated Yacouba Maiga of Mali 6-0, 6-0 to set up a semi-final meeting with top seed, Gueninle Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire at the ongoing 2014 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Circuit in Togo.
The third-seeded 17-year-old is the only Nigerian left in the Boys’ Singles and he showed that his winning of the first-phase of the tournament, remarkably without dropping a set, was no fluke wrapping up the one-sided contest in less than 45 minutes. Read more
Warri Set to Host NFF’s Extra-Ordinary Congress
Everything is now set to host the Extra-Ordinary General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Warri tomorrow.
Chairman of the Delta Football Association (DFA), Amaju Pinnick, confirmed that the oil city was ready to host the football chiefs at the meeting expected to offer roadmap for the administration of the game in the country. Read more
Nigeria Slips in FIFA Rankings again
Super Eagles poor run in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race has resulted in the slipping of Nigeria four places on the current FIFA Rankings for the month of September released yesterday. Nigeria is ranked sixth in Africa and 37th in the global standings.
Eagles were Africa’s third best and 33rd globally in the August rankings. Read more
