An Arik Airline aircraft today, made and emergency landing in Accra, Ghana with members of the Nigeria’s Under-23 African Champion on board.
Information had it that the aircraft, which was heading to Gambia where the nation’s Olympic team members were to undertake the final preparation ahead African U23 Championship, developed unexpected technical difficulties.
Members of the team and the aircraft crew are said to have been stranded in Accra, even as a senior official of the team thanked God for His mercy in saving the aircraft from crashing.
“Thank God for His goodness and mercies. We escaped plane crash on our way to Gambia. The pilot had to make an emergency landing in Accra. We are still in Accra. Stranded.
The team is likely to depart Accra later after the Nigeria Football Federation might have arranged new travel plans . [myad]
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the largest telecommunication network operator in Africa, MTN, Phuthuma Nhleko has since arrived in Nigeria to engage the authorities in negotiations to save the company from over N1 Trillion penalty which the country’s telecommunication regulator slammed on it.
The fine, due to be paid tomorrow, Monday, was imposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission after the mobile giant failed to deactivate 5.2 million improperly registered SIM cards.
The company’s spokesperson, Chris Maroleng, confirmed Nhleko’s Nigeria visit but could not shed any light on when he was expected to return to South Africa.
“With regard to Mr Nhleko, he is in Nigeria and has travelled there as part of the continued engagements with our operations in that country. Our position is that we continue to be engaged with the authority in Nigeria.”
Nhleko took over the reins at MTN following the sudden resignation of Sifiso Dabengwa as chief executive on Monday, citing “the most unfortunate prevailing circumstances occurring at MTN Nigeria” as the reason for his departure.
Nhleko’s visit to Nigeria comes amid reports that a section of telecoms subscribers – part of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (Natcoms) in Nigeria – filed a lawsuit against the commission over the fine it imposed on MTN Nigeria.
According to reports, Natcoms wants the Federal High Court in Nigeria to stop the commission from imposing the fine on MTN and to “compel the commission to account for all the monies it has collected as fines from telecoms operators since 2002, and to pay such monies to subscribers as compensation for poor service quality”.
The return of Nhleko, who stepped down as MTN group CEO in March 2011 to make way for Dabengwa, saw an immediate impact on the company’s share price, which rose 1.4 percent on Monday after sagging by nearly 20 percent in the week prior to his appointment.
The Public Investment Corporation (PIC), one of the biggest shareholders in MTN, this week said it expected other executives to face the axe for the Nigeria debacle.
It issued the following statement: “While the PIC acknowledges that Mr Dabengwa’s resignation is the noble thing to do in the current circumstances, the PIC is of the view that a lot more people need to take collective responsibility for the fine that was imposed on MTN Nigeria for alleged failure to comply with regulatory requirements in that country.”
The corporation, which handles pensions for government employees, questioned how MTN’s board of directors had exercised its fiduciary duties and also why the company’s risk and compliance function did not foresee that noncompliance could lead to a penalty. [myad]
The most important problem in Mathematics, 156 years old Riemann Hypothesis, has been successfully solved by Nigeria Scholar, Dr. Opeyemi Enoch.
Dr. Enoch who teaches at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) is the fourth genius to solve one of the seven Millennium Problems in Mathematics.
The Kogi State-born mathematician had, before now, worked on mathematical models and structures for generating electricity from sound, thunder and Oceanic bodies.
The Riemann Zeta Hypothesis is one of the seven Millennium problems set forth by the Clay Mathematics Institute with a million Dollar reward for each solved problem for the past 16 years.
A statement from the awarding institution, Dr. Enoch had first investigated and then established the claims of Riemann and went on to Consider and to correct the misconceptions that were communicated by Mathematicians in the past generations, paving way for his solutions and proofs to be established.
“He also showed how other problems of this kind can be formulated and obtained the matrix that Hilbert and Poly predicted will give these undiscovered solutions. He revealed how these solutions are applicable in cryptography, quantum information science and in quantum computers.”
Dr. Enoch had previously designed a Prototype of a silo for peasant farmers and also discovered a scientific technique for detecting and tracking someone on an evil mission. [myad]
Marketing Manager of Pfizer, Consumer Health, Sue Cartwright has said that the company would not start up the construction of a plant in Nigeria but would rather ship its finished products from Europe and other regions to the country.
“All of the manufacturing of Centrum is done within Pfizer plants which are based either in the U.S. China or Europe we don’t have the possibility of starting up new plants at this stage because the bulk and the infrastructure is not available for us at Pfizer because we are bringing in from a veritable plant within Europe which is on Italy so we won’t be setting up a new plant.”
“In terms of the investment that we are bringing into Nigeria, it is very much more from a sales and marketing operation to be able to support the pharmacists. Before the pharmacists were bringing the products in themselves in large containers and they were carrying huge risks when they were bringing it in because of if anything goes wrong with the products when they pile too much stock.”
Cartwright told newsmen that the company is partnering the pharmacists to be able to survive the most consistent supply of products so that it would not be forced to buy huge volumes at a time “because we are importing the products into the market for them.
“We have brought a range of five different variants into the Nigerian which are all NAFDAC approved. The ranges are for different ages and different lifestyle choices. Based on age it is something that is needed for pregnancy or for extra people. We have one for adults, one for over 50, one for children and then pregnancy one and one for extra adults.” [myad]
Anambra state government has put a lie to the claim by the immediate past administration of Mr. Peter Obi that he left N75 billion liquid cash in the coffers of the state government while leaving office 19 months ago but that the actual amount in the coffers was N9 billion. The former governor had claimed while taking his exit after two terms in office that he kept N75 billion in government coffers for his successor, Chief Willie Obiano. The claim became controversial when some officials of the present Obiano administration tried to dispute it late last year in hushed voices. But at a media briefing on Saturday inside the conference room of the government house in Awka, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu flanked by other members of the State Executive Council (SEC) said that the Obi administration as at March 2014 upon handover had approximately a cash balance of N9.0 billion left in the coffers, while local and foreign investments, refunds and bank balances stood at N75.0 billion. [myad]
Pope Francis has lamented what he called the “inhuman” attacks on a string of Paris venues which left at least 128 people dead, saying: “I am shaken, I don’t understand these things, done by human beings.
Francis, who reacted to the attacks said he was “shaken,” adding… There cannot be justification, religious or human. It’s inhuman.”
An emotional pontiff said during a telephone interview with TG2000 television added: “I am with all those with suffer, and with France, which I love so much.”
Earlier, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi addressed concerns about safety for pilgrims heading to Rome for the “Holy Year of Mercy,” designated by the Pope, which is due to start on November 8.
Millions of Christians are expected to travel to the Holy See.
“These murderers, possessed by a crazed hatred, are justly called terrorists because they want to spread terror,” Lombadi said. “If we let ourselves be scared, they will have attained their main objective,” he said, calling on followers to show “courage and resist the temptation of fear.” [myad]
Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has expressed disappointment in the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, now Emir of Kano, for declaring that $20 billion was missing from the nation’s treasury.
Madueke, who is recuperating from a surgery in London and reacting to the allegation that she stole Nigerian money when she was minister, said: “If there is one issue I must pursue in this world it is the biggest lie of this money. How can $20billion disappear just like that? Where did it disappear to? Is it possible that such an amount would not be traceable? This is more painful coming from someone I considered a good friend who should appreciate the gravity of such allegation. I challenge anyone to come forward with facts showing that I stole government or public money. I’ve never stolen Nigeria’s money…”
The former minister who spoke in an interview with The Boss newspaper, insisted that she was never involved in any financial impropriety during her tenure as minister.
“Rather, I worked hard to halt the rampant business of round-tripping. When I brought in Reginald Stanley to clean up the place, I requested for a list of the defaulters. There were about 92 of them and I made sure we sanctioned them. You can imagine the threat to my life but I was ready to defend the economic interests of my country. In fact, we were able to reduce the oil subsidy by about half. No one has applauded our effort.
“There were those who said the then Governor of Central Bank must have been angry at me because of the way the Presidency treated him. In all honesty, he was being blocked from seeing the President by some of Oga’s people (presidential aides) but it had nothing to do with me. I was the one who even told Oga about the development and Oga said he would meet him in London on one of his trips. Unfortunately my boss fell ill and was rushed to King Edward Hospital and the meeting was aborted.”
“Sanusi and I had been friends. There was no way I would have done anything bad to him. He even came to my house to inform me about his interest in heading the African Development Bank and we discussed for about two hours. I promised to support him and I spoke to Oga about it. We were together on the Reconciliation Committee that looked into the accounts of NNPC. Yes there were gaps but not on the alarming scale being circulated. Markafi (former Governor of Kaduna State) did a thorough job. You know he is a very sound accountant.”
What about the allegations that she owns choice properties everywhere?
“It is so sad that anyone could say such about me. Let me say something to you, I live with my husband in the same house we’ve lived since we married in 1999. Ask anyone who knows us. Our house in Abuja was bought in 2007 by my husband and as an architect and lover of interior décor I did it up to our own taste. It is not over the top because I have good taste and appreciate bargains. I shop in regular shops like B & Q to do up all the places where I live. Anyone who tells you I have houses anywhere should feel free to publish them. That was how they said I bought an expensive property in Vienna. I went to court and I won the case. I never saw the house before except in picture. The house I stay in London is rented. As a woman I love to look good. Some of my dresses and jewelleries are often dumped on me by those I buy from and I pay them when I can” [myad]
Nigeria army has assured the people in the western part of the country not to lose sleep over the news making the rounds that members of the dreaded Boko Haram are planning to launch attacks in the region.
“The Armed Forces is using this medium to appeal to the good citizens of Nigeria, particularly in the western part of the country not to lose sleep over the unfounded and fictitious reports and to go about their normal and legitimate businesses as the Defence Head Quarter and other security agencies are monitoring the situation with all seriousness.”
A statement issued by Colonel Rabe Abubakar, Acting Director Defence Information said there is no truth whatsoever in the stories in some section of the media that Boko Haram was planning to attack some south western states of the country, adding that the story was not only baseless but lacks substance in its entirety, hence should be disregarded.
“Of more worrisome is the claim that the terrorists have infiltrated the western states. The military and other security agencies have made tremendous successes in degrading and decimating the terrorists who are now in disarray having lost their centre of gravity, camps and their source of logistics. It would be unthinkable to raise these unfounded rumours of Boko Haram terrorist planning attack in not only the west but any other part of the country for that matter.
“The coordination and synergy between the military and other security services which led to the arrest of some ring leaders of the terrorists in some states is instructive to their incapability to wage any coordinated attack.
“However, the general public is requested to always be wary of suspicious individuals or groups in their localities and to report such to security agencies for prompt action as this war is Nigeria versus Boko Haram terrorists hence requires collective contribution of all Nigerians for timely ending of this terrorism.” [myad]
Nollywood actress, Christabel Egbenya, has accused her colleagues of thriving on gossips which is why she said that she cannot make friends them.
The actress, who came into limelight with her role in the movie, ‘Room 202’, said what some of them do when they are not on location is to hang around and gossip about others which according to her, ‘is not nice.’
Christabel also lamented that hanging around journalists tend to bring one down and certain things which are not true will be said about a person.
“In the industry, when you start having a lot of friends, it brings you down, your name will get damaged and gossips will be flying.
“Gossip is the in-thing in Nollywood, apart from acting; so I like to stay on my own, when it’s time to work, we go and work. When I don’t have a job, I go back to my house and think of other things to do.”
She added that as an actress, she plans to get married some day and have a good home and as such, will not like her name to be dragged into the mud.
“If I have money and want to chill somewhere, I do that. I don’t really have time for all those coming together with other actors, sit down and gossip, because I have a future outside the industry. I plan to get married one day and have children.
“So, I like to protect my image, I don’t want all those dirty things,” she said, stating that she tries to avoid a lot of things.”
A Catholic Priest in Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has described those agitating and protesting for a Biafra nation as “evil.” Mbaka who spoke today in Enugu during a sermon at his weekly Adoration Ministry asked youths in the South East and South South to go back to their business as the protest could lead to their death. “Locking up your shops and disrupting economic activities will not add any naira to your pocket. “Whatever grievance you have could be resolved through dialogue.” Father Mbaka lambasted those leaders that were behind the agitation and protests, saying that they should use their children for the struggle. Mbaka commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing ministers from the zone and assigning them with good portfolios. “President Buhari’s action has proven that the South East has not been marginalized. I would have reacted if no minister emerged from the zone.” He said that the five states in the zone had minister each as prescribed by the Nigerian constitution as well as other key security and protocol officers that serve under the president and his wife. The reverend father attributed the recent free health screening initiative by the Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, in Enugu to her love for the people of the region. He blamed the Igbo leaders for not living up to the expectations of the people in the area, adding that past governors and National Assembly members failed woefully in discharging their mandates. “President Buhari is not the cause of poor roads, unemployment and other decay infrastructures in the South East. We should blame our leaders. Most of the roads had been awarded, but our leaders squandered the fund. Even the university teaching hospital in Enugu is a no-go-area and our leaders are not concerned about it.” Mbaka called on the new Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to use his office to employ youths in the zone, adding that it would stop what he called another Boko Haram in the South East, if not curtailed. He praised Buhari’s war against corruption, saying that it had enthroned due process and sanity in governance. The cleric, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the President as he had good plans for the country. [myad]
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
An Arik Airline aircraft today, made and emergency landing in Accra, Ghana with members of the Nigeria’s Under-23 African Champion on board.
Nollywood actress, Christabel Egbenya, has accused her colleagues of thriving on gossips which is why she said that she cannot make friends them.
