How We Grew Our Turnover By 37 Percent, NASCON Boss, Yemisi Narrates

May 23, 2024

The Chairperson of the NASCON Allied Industries Plc, Yemisi Ayeni has told shareholders how the company grew a turnover by 37 percent “amidst the challenges in 2023.”
She said, at the company’s 2023 Annual General (AGM) Meeting in Lagos that the Company was able to achieve commendable operational performance because the strategic initiatives and proactive measures of the gladiators.

According to her, such attitude had “enabled us to grow in value and profitability.”
“Our turnover for the financial year ended December 31, 2023, grew 37 percent to N80.8 billion, marking a significant increase from the previous year. Profit after Tax also saw an impressive growth of 151 percent to N13.7 billion, reflecting our commitment to operational efficiency and excellence.”
Speaking on the plans ahead, Ayeni said: “as we look ahead, NASCON remains focused on its commitment to health, safety, and environmental sustainability. Despite ongoing challenges in the global and national landscape, we are optimistic about the prospects of our company.
“The Board and Management are steadfast in our dedication to driving continued growth and innovation while maintaining a steadfast commitment to our stakeholders and communities.”
This was even as the Managing Director of NASCON, Thabo Mabe said that in 2023, the company faced significant business challenges amid Nigeria’s economic challenges, characterised by deteriorating macroeconomic indicators compared to the previous year.
He said that despite the formidable challenges faced in 2023, NASCON remained steadfast in its commitment to stakeholders, prioritising their well-being and maintaining integrity and compliance in all endeavours.
“in positioning NASCON for sustained growth while maintaining profitability, we have outlined a multifaceted strategy that leverages our strengths, embraces innovation, and prioritises efficiency.
“By identifying emerging trends and consumer preferences, we can capitalise on untapped opportunities for growth while mitigating risks associated with market saturation.
“Through continuous process optimisation and strategic resource allocation, we seek to enhance productivity and reduce costs, thereby bolstering our bottom line and ensuring long-term sustainability. Also, strategic partnerships and collaborations play a pivotal role in our growth strategy.
“By forging alliances with industry peers, suppliers, distributors, and other stakeholders, we can access new markets, technologies and resources that complement our core competencies.
“Through mutually beneficial partnerships, we can accelerate market expansion, drive innovation, and unlock new revenue streams.
“By aligning our strategic initiatives with our mission and vision, we aim to create sustainable value for all stakeholders while contributing to economic development of the communities in which we operate.”
The shareholders commended the management and board of NASCON for the performance and bonus declared during the financial year review. They approved and authorised the Directors to capitalise such sufficient sums from the amount available for distribution, to members in the proportion of one new ordinary share of 50 kobo for every 50 existing ordinary shares of 50 kobo.
Speaking on behalf of shareholders, Mrs. Shopeju said: “we commended the management for the company performance in 2023. The bonus declared is commendable also.”
She advised the Company to do more in 2924, saying: “going forward we expect better dividends in 2024 and robust bottom line for the Company.”

Nigeria May Return To Old National Anthem Of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” Reps Passes Bill On It

Greenbarge Reporters

May 23, 2024

Nigeria is likely to soon return to the old national anthem of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the House of Representatives has deliberated and passed what is called “National Anthem Bill.”
The House, today, May 23, passed the bill seeking to alter the National Anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The bill, which was sponsored by the House Leader, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, sought to revert the Nigeria National Anthem from “Arise O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” the previous anthem used during the post-independence period from 1960 to 1978.
Titled: “A Bill for an Act to provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria and for Related Matters (HB. 1470),” the bill among other provisions, stipulates that the second stanza of the “Arise O Compatriots” anthem shall be formally recognised as the national prayer to be recited at all state functions.
The bill makes it mandatory for all Primary and Secondary Schools to incorporate the new National Anthem as part of civic education and organise pupils and students to learn it.
The bill underscores the imperative of comprehensive civic education to engender a renewed sense of patriotism and dedication to the principles espoused by the nation’s founding fathers.
This, development, according to a statement by the Spokesman and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi Jr. occurred during the plenary session of the House, which was presided over by Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the Deputy Speaker.
The statement said that after the deliberations, the bill passed through its first, second and third readings in the House.

Kano Assembly Passes Bill Sacking Emir Of Kano, Abrogating All Emirates

Greenbarge Reporters

May 23, 2024

The Kano State House of Assembly has passed Kano emirates council law (repeal bill) 2024 abrogating all the five emirates, including that of the Emir of Kano.
The bill, which scaled third reading, making all offices established under the repealed law have been set aside by the new bill.
In the bill, all district heads elevated or appointed under the repealed law are to revert to their previous positions.
The Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, was sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing the Dala Constituency, Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa.
The law which created five new emirates was first assented to by ex-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on December 5, 2019.

Police Whisk Online Newspaper Editor, Madu, Away In Gestapo Style

Greenbarge Reporters

May 23, 2024

Policemen reportedly storm the residence of the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Globalupfront online Newspaper, Madu Onuorah, yesterday, May 22, whisking him away in a gestapo style.

About ten fully-armed policemen stormed his residence in Lugbe, Abuja, in two Sienna buses at about 6pm.
He was taken away in the presence of his wife and children who fruitlessly demanded from the police why they were arresting the head of the family.
The police seized his phones, thereby completely cutting him off from communication with people, including his family members.
Information reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper said that Onuorah was not allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was whisked away to the Lugbe police station by the stern looking operatives.
It was learnt that the policemen who arrested him are not of the Lugbe Police Station, but simply dumped him at the Station and left no traces for friends and family members to reach them.
Meanwhile, the Management of Globalupfront online Newspapers has confirmed the arrest of its boss, saying: “the Police should release Mr. Madu Onuorah immediately and unconditionally.
“That Mr. Onuorah is an experienced Journalist, former Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, former Managing-Director of The AUTHORITY Newspaper, who operates within the ambit of the law.
“That anybody who has any issue against Mr. Onuorah should approach the law court and not turn the Nigerian Police into a Gestapo outfit that bullies a man in the presence of his wife and children.
“That any second Mr. Onuorah spends in police custody constitutes a serious infringement against his fundamental rights and a continuation of the assault on freedom of expression that has become frequent occurrence in Nigeria recently.”

Labour Now Settles For N500,000 As Minimum Wage; Nigerian Govt Insists on N54,000

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

Organised labour unions in Nigeria have now reduced their demand for a new National Minimum Wage from N615,000 to N500,000, even as the federal government stands its ground on N54,000.
Information reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper said that the unions made their new position at the ongoing Tripartite Committee meeting on the National Minimum Wage in Abuja today, May 22.
It was learnt that the labour leaders reduced their demands so as to ensure a speedy conclusion of negotiation on new national minimum wage.
It was further learnt that the government team is adamant, insisting on the N54,000 offer, complaining of non-availability of fund and the inability of the private sector to pay.
A source hinted that the private sector has made an additional N3,000 taking up its offer to N57,000 from the initial N54,000.
“Labour has been requested to shift in response to the Government. They complied and came down to N500,000.
“The Government has agreed that NLC is using evidence-based presentation. But they argue that eight states are not paying or not fully implementing the 2019 minimum wage.
“The Government is talking of non-availability of funds. They are also talking about the inability of the private sector to pay.”
The source said that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was present at the meeting.
”The Imo State Governor has stepped in. He is not a member of the committee but it is good that there is at least a governor, as the six governors in the committee have been regularly absent.”
Source: Vanguard.

Years After, Cloud Of Injustice Still Hangs Over Ogoni Land, Group Laments

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

The people of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State under the canopy of Ogoni Beyond Oil and Politics (BOP), have lamented that years after their struggle, cloud of injustice is still hanging over Ogoni land.
The group insisted on the government putting an end to all forms of environmental, social and political injustice against them.
The Convener of BOP, Mene Kadilo Kabari, during an event to mark the 30 years of murder of the four Ogoni Chiefs: Chiefs Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage and Samuel Orage, asked the federal government to set up a committee to carry out proper burial rite for all the Ogoni leaders who were killed in the course of their quest for justice for Ogoni people.
He said that BOP is a project aimed at uniting the leaders of Ogoni in the interest of the development of the oil rich area.
In an address titled: ‘Three Decades after Toeing the Path of Self-Destruction, Ogonis must Think Beyond Oil and Politics to Reunite and Rebuild Ogoniland,’ Kabari regretted the disunity among the ruling class in the area.
He called the people of Ogoni to de-emphasise politics and oil and give attention to other sources of livelihood, adding that too much dependence on oil and politics has only hampered development in Ogoni caused more disunity in Ogoni. The Mene stated that the killing of the four prominent Ogoni leaders that led to other killings worsened the socio-economic and politically marginalisation of the Ogoni people, adding that till date the n of
“this anniversary once again calls for sober reflection on where we were, where we are and where we ought to be in the actualisation of the hopes and aspirations of our forebears that culminated in a struggle for which they lived and died.
“It is saddening however to note in all honesty that we are a far cry from the lofty dreams of our great leaders who lost their lives in the Ogoni struggle.
“It is therefore the position of members of the B.O.P Ogoni project, that Ogonis far and near must go back to the drawing board, reflect on the struggle that was developed around the tripod of environmental, social and political injustices, which still stares us all in our faces.
“The social stigma of a disunited people, whose leaders were gruesomely murdered first by themselves and, then by the state leaving behind a nightmare of failure from the Ogoni bill of rights to even producing a Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker or Chief Judge of Ogoni extraction since the creation of Rivers State is indeed a darkling plain which requires concerted efforts of all and sundry to change the narrative in every front.”
Kabari called on the federal government to set up a committee that would organise a proper burial for the Ogoni leaders who were murdered in their quest for justice for their people and grant pardon to late Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight others. He also urged politicians of Ogoni extraction to work together to end the age long political marginalisation, even as he tasked the FG for a holistic review of the ongoing implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland and demanded a quick completion of the Centre for Excellence and its conversion to a University for Environment.

Go And Bury Your Mother, Come Back In 2 Weeks – Court Gives Bail To Top Cop, Kyari

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

An Abuja Federal High Court has granted former Commander of Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari two weeks bail to enable him to go and bury his mother.
The court asked the top cop to return on Friday, May 31 to continue with his application for bail proper.
Abba Kyari is standing trial for drug-related offences, filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The former IRT boss was arrested on February 14, 2022 by the NDLEA.

Peter Obi Accuses Federal Government Of Financial Indiscipline

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

The Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 Presidential election, Peter Obi, has accused the federal government, under the All Progressives Congress (APC), of financial Indiscipline.
He expressed sadness with the federal government’s financial recklessness and misplacement of priorities in the allocation of funds.
“It is time for us to stop this financial indiscipline and embrace financial discipline by prioritising the allocation of resources to the critical areas of human and national development.”
Peter Obi was quoted by his spokesperson, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, to have deplored the continued deployment of public resources to nonessential areas of development.
He said that despite the poor and embarrassing position of Nigeria in the global average in school enrolment, the government is budgeting a paltry N1 billion for the construction of hostels in 12 tertiary institutions while N10 billion is going for building of car parks and recreational facilities.
“As the giant of Africa which we are, I remain concerned about our fiscal indiscipline as a nation.
“Imagine the situation in our education sector where the global average of secondary school enrolment is above 80 percent, but Nigeria is 28 percent.
“The global average of tertiary school enrolment is above 55 percent, while Nigeria is less than 15 percent. Yet, our budget for the National Assembly car parks is N6 billion. The budget for the National Assembly recreational facilities is N4 billion.
“Approved for the construction of hostels in 12 tertiary institutions is just N1 billion.”

Convene APC NEC Or Face Legal Action, Ex National Vice Chairman Tells Ganduje

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

A former national vice chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman has asked the national chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to convene the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) and other relevant bodies of the party within 16 days or face legal action.
In a letter, dated May 21, 2024, and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC chieftain wanted the President to intervene by compelling Ganduje to convene such meetings.
The letter, which was made available to newsmen today, May 22 in Abuja, were copied to Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen; Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, and Ganduje.
The letter reads in part: “l am compelled to kindly draw Your Excellency’s attention that as it is, our party is operating almost blindly without recourse to provisions of the APC Constitution. Meetings of organs as specified by relevant provisions of the APC Constitution are not taking place.
“Decisions, which established organs of the party are expected to take, are being taken by individual leaders outside those organs. One of the critical organs, the Board of Trustees, which is renamed National Advisory Council has not been inaugurated since the formation of the APC in July 2013.
“With such reality, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has appropriated the powers of all organs and in its name the National Chairman is taking discretionary decisions.
“With such reality, many of the decisions taken not only violate sections of the APC Constitution but also undermine Sections 221 — 229 of Part Il of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended as well as the Electoral Act 2022.
“I want to kindly demand that every necessary initiative should be started between now May 21, 2024 and June 7, 2024 to activate all organs of the APC in line with the extant provisions of the party’s constitution.
“Failure to do that will compel me as a patriotic Nigerian and loyal party member who has paid his dues to seek legal redress. Democracy is meaningless without functional political parties.”
The various organs of the APC that have not met since Ganduje assumed office on August 3, 2023, are the National Executive Committee (NEC) which is the second highest decision-making organ, after the national convention; National Caucus and the National Advisory Council, also called the Board of Trustees (BoT).

INEC Has No Hand In Shabby Local Govt Elections Across Nigeria, Prof Mahmood Protests

Greenbarge Reporters

May 22, 2024

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood has formally protested against misinformation making the rounds that the Commission has been the one responsible for the shabby elections being conducted in local governments across the country.
He complained that many Nigerians mistake the SIECs for INEC.

“Indeed, even some of the stakeholders, including candidates for Local Government elections, call them State INEC.”
Professor Mahmood, who spoke when the executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions (FOSIECOM) paid him a visit in his office today, May 22, said that both INEC and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) are separate entities created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“The conduct of Local Government elections is fundamental to the proper functioning of our democracy. In fact, Sections 153 and 197 of the Constitution establish INEC and SIECs as two distinct and independent bodies with powers under the Third Schedule Part I (F)(14-15) and Part II (B)[3-4] to organise, undertake and supervise elections.
“While SIECs are responsible for the conduct of Local Government elections for Chairmen and Councillors, INEC conducts all other executive and legislative polls from presidential and governorship to national and State legislative elections.
“Our mandates are therefore clearly defined by the Constitution. “However, INEC is also empowered by Section 98 of the Electoral Act 2022 to conduct Local Government or Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
INEC boss regretted that the conduct of Local Government elections in virtually all the States of the Federation, by SIECs has become mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties.
“It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections. State Governors should allow the SIECs to have greater capacity for independent action.
“Many of the SIECs have no functional offices in the Local Government Areas in their States and cannot recruit their own permanent staff.
“In some States, the SIECs are either not properly constituted, have no security of tenure or their critical functions have been taken over by government officials. “Some SIECs are only constituted on the eve of elections and dissolved thereafter.
“They are also severely under-resourced to the extent that some of them rely on INEC even for basic facilities such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles.”
He said that the situation has forced INEC to reconsider some aspects of its relationship with the SIECs.
“Our support is now largely restricted to the voters’ register as provided by the Constitution.
“INEC cannot shoulder its own extensive responsibilities and at the same time extend almost limitless support to other independent electoral commissions for elections outside our mandate across the country from our lean Federal budget.
“INEC is not unaware of the ongoing discussions about the future of elections for the 774 Local Government Chairmen as well as Councillors representing the 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria.
“However, under the extant law, the 36 SIECs are responsible for the election of 768 Local Government Chairmen and 8,747 Councillors, making a total of 9,515 constituencies. INEC conducts elections for the 68 constituencies in the FCT made up of 6 Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councillors, including bye-elections as they arise.
“It has been our earnest hope that the elections conducted by INEC in the FCT will provide a model for Local Government elections across the country.
“In spite of the challenges encountered, there has been a progressive improvement in the conduct of the Area Council Elections in the FCT.
“There is security of tenure for Chairmen and Councillors which is now four years.
“There are no caretaker committees as elections are held regularly. There is plurality in electoral outcomes as no single party has ever won elections in all the constituencies in the Area Councils.
“Happily, the Electoral Act 2022 that now governs the conduct of national and Area Council elections also applies to Local Government elections nationwide.
“This has been made possible by the efforts of INEC arising from earlier discussions with FOSIECOM on the imperative of a model law to govern the conduct of Local Government elections across the country.”
Professor Mahmood appealed to FOSIECOM to take the bull by the horns, saying that while there are legal and financial constraints to their operations, they should know that their independence does not draw from statutory or financial provisions alone.
“The courage with which you discharge your obligation to protect the integrity and credibility of elections is the most important determinant of success.
“There are no shortcuts to the discharge of this enormous responsibility.”
He reassured the State electoral bodies that INEC will continue to work with them to push the boundaries of electoral reform.
“Working together, we should continue to explore all avenues under the law to improve the conduct of Local Government Elections in Nigeria.
“However, you should always bear in mind that INEC and other stakeholders can only help you, but there must be a determination on your part to do the needful.”
The Chairman of FOSIECOM, Chief Barrister Jossy Chibundu Eze who is also the Chairman of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, led other Executive Members of the Forum on the visit to the INEC.

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