Liverpool Beat West Ham, Return To Third Spot On EPL Table

May 14, 2017

Liverpool beat West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday to return to third place in the English Premier League, with striker Daniel Sturridge scoring his first goal since January.

Philippe Coutinho’s sublime pass on the half-hour mark cut open the Hammers defence and picked out an unmarked Sturridge who went around goalkeeper Adrian before slotting home.

The Brazilian then scored two of his own after the break before Divock Origi fired in a fourth to complete the Liverpool procession.

In a frenetic opening period, there were chances for both sides. But, as both teams settled down in the London sun, it was Liverpool’s Brazilian magician who turned up the gears and once again orchestrated a Liverpool victory.

The playmaker produced an exquisite pass from behind the halfway line for the opener as Sturridge evaded the offside trap and rolled home a tidy finish.

In spite of Liverpool’s dominance, West Ham could have however been level before the break had it not been for an astonishing miss by Andre Ayew.

They were then left to rue that mistake as the second half became a Liverpool procession orchestrated by playmaker Coutinho.

Georginio Wijnaldum’s thunderbolt pinged back off the bar and the Brazilian was the first to pounce.

He drove another shot home to make it three after a quick Liverpool counter-attack.

The Hammers woes were compounded when goalkeeper Adrian flapped at a high ball causing chaos in the box before Origi drilled in Liverpool’s fourth.

A win against Middlesbrough on the season’s final day will book Liverpool a Champions League spot in 2017/2018 season.

Liverpool were Champions League winners in the 2004/2005 season, beating AC Milan in the final in a penalty shootout by a score of 3–2, after 3-3 draw in regular time and extra time.

Liverpool’s unprecedented comeback gave rise to the final being known by LFC supporters as the Miracle of Istanbul, and is regarded as one of the greatest feats of the football club, and most thrilling finals in the history of the tournament. [myad]

Central Bank Determines To Sustain Forex Stability

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2017

In spite of a lull in Forex trading activities towards the end of last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured of its determination to sustain stability in the foreign exchange by continually making intervention in the inter-bank market.

Information reaching us indicated that the CBN had vowed not to allow the gains made by it recent in recent time to be frittered away by temporary setback.

It was learnt that the apex bank did not make major interventions all through the week ending May 12 because there was a surfeit of foreign exchange in the system, and that the bank would continue to make necessary interventions to ensure the stability of the naira.

It was further gathered that the windows established by the CBN for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as for investors and exporters were yielding the desired results by providing access to forex and easing pressure on the market.

Meanwhile, the apex bank’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor confirmed the development and said that the bank’s commitment to ensure that there is enough supply of forex to genuine customers to achieve the goal of forex rates convergence.

It will be recalled that the CBN since February 2017 has been involved in massive interventions in all segments of the interbank market to ensure liquidity and availability of forex. [myad]

Why We’re Working On New Welfare Package For Workers – Nigeria Export Processing Zones Boss

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2017

The Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Hon. Emmanuel Jime, has said that new welfare package is being worked out for the workers of the authority as a way of motivating them towards the realization of its mandate of spearheading the process of Nigeria’s industrialization.

Jime, who spoke in Calabar, Cross River State while addressing NEPZA staff at the weekend, said that the duty of marketing the Authority to the Nigeria and the international community was incumbent upon all staff, adding, however, that “only a well-motivated staff can key into the noble agenda.”

“There is a new welfare package coming, I want to assure you. And it is not too long from now. One of the first things I did upon assumption of office was to set up a high-powered, management panel to look at the issue of welfare, salaries, promotions as well as contract staff, and advise me accordingly.

“So, I am committed to staff welfare. From my experience in public life, it is my understanding that only a well-motivated staff can enable NEPZA to achieve its mandate, and, hence, drive Nigeria’s twin-agenda of economic diversification and industrial growth.

“So, I am suing for the cooperation of all staff of the authority. Wherever they may be, we need to be on the same page. I have come into office with a dream, a dream about NEPZA taking Nigeria to the next level, and I urge you to identify with the new vision. And since history belongs to dreamers, join me – let us dream together for our country.”

Jime said that his trip to Calabar was part of his fact-finding and familiarization visits to the Free Trade Zones in the country to see things for himself so as to enable him formulate policy from a position of first-hand information.

“China’s economic magic is anchored around its innovations in the FTZs. And this is why we must market the concept to all industry stakeholders so as to remove all misconceptions, close all gaps and do away with red tape so that our FTZs can attain the roles envisioned for them in the regulatory framework.

Earlier, staff of the Authority in Calabar had appealed to the new managing director to prioritize staff welfare, and bring it at par with other sister-agencies in the country as a way of boosting morale and productivity. [myad]

Group Calls On Nigerian Army To Keep An Eye On Boko Haram ‘Spokesman’ Salkida

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

A humanitarian organization under the aegis of Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC), in Jos, Plateau State, has called on the Nigerian Army to keep a close watch on a journalist, Ahmad Salkida, who it said, had turned himself into the spokesman of the dreaded Boko Haram.

The group, which expressed concern over a new Boko Haram video being promoted by “a supposed journalist, Ahmed Salkida,” asked security agencies move fast and stop him from threatening Nigerians, simply because he lost out in the negotiations that led to the recent release of 82 Chibok Girls.

According to the group, the recent video clips from Boko Haram is being promoted by Ahmad Salkida, “who claims to be a journalist and is hiding under the noble profession to justify his possession of this terrorist material and other activities against humanity.”

The Executive Director of SHAC, Dr. Leonard Pukat, in a statement, said that it had become apparent that the terrorists’ spokesman, Salkida is back to his old haunts and would do anything to seek relevance and ingratiate himself on the undiscerning.

“His old trick was to cause panic and drive spanners in the wheel of progress and it is apparent this has not changed. We learnt Salkida, who fed fat on phantom peace deals and fictional ceasefires under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, lost out in the negotiations that freed the Chibok girls and is now trying to reinvent himself by promoting the supposed new video.

“The previous ceasefire talks he had been part of turned out to be nothing but well choreographed performance by paid actors and international jobbers. His present outing is nothing short of this fraudulent arrangement.

“Even when coming from a known fraud, we call on the Nigerian Military and other security agencies to keep an eye on Salkida and his associates. Such persons, who were at one time or the other campaign coordinators for Boko Haram to get soft treatment, might have become desperate and eager to cause panic and apprehension in the minds of citizens who are going about their peaceful life.

“Authorities must however not treat the threats from Salkida and the actors in his video with levity as past experience have proven that they would do anything, including killing and maiming the innocent with bombs, to make the point about their relevance.

“The nation’s security agencies must therefore go after Boko Haram’s propaganda arm now before they have the time rebuild their scare infrastructure using the swapped prisoners as justification to terrorize Nigerians. Salkida’s point of view tallied smugly with the projections of some other notable collaborators and roles of such people in reviving the terror machinery must also be investigated.

“Nigeria’s military, which observes the highest rules of engagement possible, must henceforth take a cue from the so called superpowers of the world that do not take terrorists prisoner since experience has shown that such criminals do not relent until they are eliminated in battle. Any Boko Haram prisoner that was swapped for the Chibok Girls and goes back to fighting the Nigerian state deserves no soft treatment even if a thousand Salkidas campaign for such.” [myad]

We’ll Bomb Abuja – Boko Haram: You Are Lying – Nigerian Army

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

A Boko Haram insurgent who claimed to be one of the commanders in the terrorist group, Shuaibu Moni has threatened to launch attack on the Nigeria Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, even as the Nigerian Army dismissed such threat as a mere propaganda.

In video clips, obtained by a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, the purported Boko Haram commander claimed that more than five of them were released in exchange for the recently released 82 Chibok girls and quoted him as saying that they were set to launch fresh attacks in parts of the country, and that a bomb attack on Abuja was imminent.

However, in a statement today by the Director of Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, the Nigerian Army described the new video clips as propaganda and called on Nigerians to disregard the “empty threats” of the terrorists.

The Army described the claims by the Boko Haram group as boastful, spurious, out of tune with current realities and aimed at seeking relevance and attention.

The Army asked Nigerians to ignore the freed Boko Haram commander, adding: “we would like to assure the public that the Nigerian Army is totally committed to the Federal Government’s determined efforts of rescuing all abducted persons and peace in the country.

“We will not relent our determined efforts of clearing the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists as manifested through the ongoing clearance operations.”

The army called on Nigerians to shun the Boko Haram propaganda and show more support, cooperation and understanding with it so as to completely eliminate the group out of the country.

“We should not give in to terrorist’s propaganda and empty threats. We have come to a very critical stage of the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria that requires more patriotism and security consciousness by all and sundry.” [myad]

Crocodiles Devour Pastor Who Tried To Replicate Jesus By Walking On Water

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

A pastor whose name was given as Jonathan Mthethwa, was reportedly devoured and eaten up by three crocodiles when he tried to replicate Jesus Christ by walking on the crocodile infested river

The pastor, who was with the Saint of the Last Days Church, a local church in White River Mpumalanga, Zimbabwe, was said to have died today, Saturday morning, trying to demonstrate the biblical miracle to his congregants.

According to The Herald Zimbabwe, he drowned into the Crocodile River and was seen by his church members getting eaten by three crocodiles.

Deacon Nkosi, a member of the church, told the newspaper: “The pastor taught us about faith on Sunday last week. He promised he would demonstrate his faith to us today, but he unfortunately ended up drowning and getting eaten by three large crocodiles in front of us.

“We still don’t understand how this happened because he fasted and prayed the whole week.”

Pastor Mthethwa was said to have walked into the water and when he was 30 meters inside the river, attempted to ascend above the water so he can start walking, but the three crocodiles appeared from nowhere and started feasting on him.

Deacon Nkosi added: “they finished him in a couple of minutes. All that was left of him when they finished eating him is a pair of sandals and his underwear floating above the water.”

The country’s emergency agency, ER24 responded to the scene 30 minutes after, but upon arrival, there was not much they could do as the pastor was already dead. [myad]

Tertiary Education Trust Fund Boss Identifies Factors Hindering Smooth Administration Of Funds

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa has identified factors that have been hindering the smooth administration of the Fund to the nation’s universities and other higher institutions.

Dr. Baffa, who spoke to news men in Abuja today, Saturday, said that non-compliance with the Public Procurement Act of 2007, lack of knowledge of TETFund Intervention Guidelines and wrong Priorities by Benefiting Institutions are some of the negative factors.

He also identified common issues impeding access to the intervention funds by benefiting institutions to include undue delay of payment to contractors by some beneficiaries after receipt of first tranche of money from TETFund; refusal by some contractors to mobilize to site after receiving mobilization fees and; a general lack of information by the beneficiary institutions on how to effectively draw down this intervention, while most institutions do not have a Collection Development Policy (CDP) to guide their procurement of library holdings.

According to the TETFund boss, while it was observed that some of the scholars in the institutions were oblivious of the existence of this intervention thereby leading to poor access, many of the institutions had not fully accessed the intervention because of challenges of staffing, especially the newly established Universities.

He added that most times, proposals are submitted after the timeline which leads to the Conference being belated and therefore not approved.

He said also that about 98 percent of the benefiting institutions do not understand the utilization of the intervention and therefore could not access it, while scholars in some of the institutions on the receipt of funds for their Masters or Ph.D. studies overseas simply misappropriated the funds without going for further studies or, in collaboration with their institutions changed their countries of study without the approval of TETFund.

Dr. Baffa said that despite such negative factors, he is determined to continue to improve the quality of tertiary education in Nigeria and to make them globally competitive through execution of its mandates.

He said that, the Fund has resolved to place premium on regular and effective monitoring of projects embarked upon by the beneficiaries and ensure that there is accountability and value for money.

He noted that both the Access Clinic and Project proposal Defense, which held from 6^th March-26^th April 2017, afforded the Fund the opportunity to appreciate the challenges facing the institutions in implementing its interventions and to re-examine its processes with a view to re-focusing them for efficient and effective service delivery.
Dr. Baffa said that TETFund had also decided to institutionalize the Access Clinic and Project Proposal Defense as a yearly event in order to reduce to the barest minimum the challenges faced by the institutions in accessing their interventions. [myad]

UK Medical Practitioners Tribunal Bans Nigerian Surgeon From Practice For Misconduct

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

The United Kingdom Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), a disciplinary panel, has found a Nigerian born senior surgeon practicing in that country, 59 year old Dr. Lawal Haruna guilty of professional misconduct and has banned him from treating patients.

Dr. Lawal was found to have accidentally removed a woman’s ovary instead of her appendix in addition to botched up three operations over the course of two years. He reportedly removed the woman’s ovary because, he said, the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar ‘worm-like structures’ in the same area.

The woman who was simply referred to as Patient B, was treated by the Doctor when she was admitted for abdominal pain while he was working for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

The panel found out that during the operation, one of the woman’s ovaries was removed leaving her appendix – which was causing her great pain – in situ.

The tribunal heard how it was lucky she was not of child-bearing age as it could have affected her fertility.

Dr. Lawal Haruna botched up two further operations mistaking a lump of fat for an appendix in one case and a skin tag for a harmful lump in another.

Colleagues described the operations as poorly executed and ‘never events,’ even as Dr. Lawan Haruna who claimed to have 25 years experience, later dismissed the incidents as ‘trifling errors.’

He argued that the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar ‘worm-like structures which lie in a similar area.

The surgeon, who represented himself, told the Manchester hearing that he had ‘poor vision’ at the time he carried out the surgery, protested that it would be ‘harsh’ to strike him off. [myad]

Nigeria At Red Alert As Ebola Surfaces In Congo

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

With the announcement yesterday, Friday, by the World Health Organization (WHO), of the fresh outbreak of deadly Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria has risen to increase surveillance at all the entry points, especially, airport, from other countries.

The Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced, in reaction to the development, that adequate surveillance has been beefed up at the nation’s airports.

The airport authority’s Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu, said today, Saturday that though there is no direct flight from Congo to Nigeria but that all the preventive measures are being put in place at the airports to stem any possibility of reoccurrence in Nigeria.

She said that the Port Health officials are also at alert at all airports, and that the authority has also informed them of the need to increase surveillance.

“We don’t have direct flights from Congo; we only have from Rwanda but I want to assure members of the public that we still have all preventive measures in place at our airports.

“There are sanitizers at our arrivals with the scanning apparatus called Thermal scanners being installed by the Port Health Services.

“The scanners have camera monitors that display pictures aside the capturing of temperature. “Passengers still fill that form to ensure that everybody arriving in the country through our airports is not potential carriers of deadly diseases.

“The port health officials are always at alert and we will also inform them of the need to increase their surveillance. So, there is no cause for alarm.”

Nigeria experienced the Ebola virus in July, 2014 when a Liberian American, Patrick Sawyer, who had the disease flew from Liberia to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and died five days later.

In response, the Federal Government observed all of Sawyer’s contacts for signs of infection and increased surveillance at all entry points to the country. Nigeria was able to curtail the disease and was subsequently declared Ebola free by WHO.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, saying that at least one person had been confirmed dead due to the virus in the country’s north-east. [myad]

Federal Govt Moves Against Fake, Unregistered Companies: Issues Directive To MDAs

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2017

The Federal Government has issued directives to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to stop transacting business with companies and other corporate bodies that are not duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

A circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) said that the directive is aimed at protecting MDAs from entering contractual obligations with fake or unregistered companies, even as the Minister of Finance warned that payments for contracts by companies that do not comply with the requirements may not be considered.

A statement from the Director of information in the Ministry of Finance, Malam Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, said that for companies and other corporate bodies to qualify for business transactions with MDAs, their letterhead must bear the registration number as issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission with contact telephone numbers, valid e-mail address and official company address as well as the names and nationalities of directors of the company at the bottom of the letter heading. [myad]

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