Airtel Hits 26.20 Million Subscribers In Nigeria

April 4, 2014

One of the leading telecommunication Service Providers, Airtel Nigeria Limited has hit 26.20 Million subscriber base as at the end of February 2014. This represents 21 per cent of the total number of subscribers in Nigeria during the period.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data shows that Airtel Nigeria Limited has moved up to the second place in terms of market share on the number of mobile subscribers on its network.
With the increase in its subscriber base, the telecoms company is now beleived to have displaced Globacom (Glo) in the second position. Glo now has 24.5 million subscribers or 20 per cent of market share.
MTN still retains its dominant number one position with a subscriber base of 57.2 million, representing 45 per cent of market share, while Etisalat’s subscriber base for the period stood at 18.12 million or 14 per cent of market share.
On internet subscribers, MTN also comes on top with 32.81 million data users on its network, followed by Glo with 14.91 million, Airtel occupies the third position with 9.65 million, while Etisalat has 6.11 million internet users.
According to the NCC, teledensity improved from 83.8 per cent in March 2013 to 92 per cent in February 2014.
The latest data also showed that by the end of February, the number of connected lines was 177.23 million, of which 129.02 million were active, as against 161.17 million connected lines and 117.28 million active users as at March 2013.
The installed capacity of all telecoms operators for the period stood at 247.77 million, with connected lines accounting for 177.23 million or 71.54 per cent, meaning there is leeway for 30 per cent growth in the market.
The data further revealed that GSM technology accounted for 97 per cent of market share of phone users, CDMA accounted for 1.86 per cent, while fixed technology accounted for a measly 0.28 per cent.
The data was indicative of the fact that CDMA and fixed lines are being edged out, with GSM taking complete control of telephony in the country.
Industry watchers said Airtel’s subscriber growth might have occurred as a result of the mobile number portability regime, as the operator performed better than Glo in the number of subscribers that moved to its network.
Airtel network received a net gain of 15,186 new subscribers from number porting, while Globacom lost 309 subscribers.
Since the sector’s deregulation 13 years ago, the growth of the telecoms industry has been massive.
Today, the sector is reputed to contribute about nine per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country.
The revolution in the sector commenced in 2001 when Econet Wireless Nigeria now Airtel, MTN Nigeria and the moribund M-Tel rolled out GSM services.
They were later to be joined by Globacom, which secured a second nation carrier licence in 2003, and Etisalat.

Legal Tussle: Sanusi Lamido Floors Federal Government

Greenbarge Reporters

April 3, 2014

Suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has won the next round in a legal battle he and Federal Government have gone into.

This followed the ruling of the Federal High Court in Lagos today, directing the police and DSS not to arresting him, in addition to ordering that his passport should be released immediately.

The court also awarded Sanusi N50 Million as exemplary damages.

Details later.

Eagles List: Keshi Calls The Bluff Of Nigeria Football Federation, Says He’s Not Ready Yet

Greenbarge Reporters

April 3, 2014

“I am not in a hurry to submit the list. I will only submit a list of 30 players when I am ready.” These were the words of head coach of the Super Eagles, Mr. Stephen Keshi .

He was responding to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which he said, is on his neck and even using wrong channel to communicate with him over the release of a provisional list for the pre-World Cup camp. The camp is scheduled to open in London on May 26, two days before a friendly match against Scotland at Craven Cottage.

The technical Committee of the NFF which met in Abuja last week is demanding for the immediate release of a 35-man list from the coach. But Keshi is insisting he is not in a hurry to release the provisional list, adding that he was being put under undue pressure by the technical committee..

The coach was said to have accused the NFF of not passing through the right channel as he has only been reading on the pages of newspapers that he was to submit a 35-man provisional list.

“First, the report was that I was to submit 40 names. Now I am hearing it is 35 players.”

The federation was hoping to announce this provisional list of 35 players for the World Cup by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, relations between Keshi and the federation became has been frosty since last week when Keshi was queried for attending a sponsor’s event in Lagos on the day he had an appointment with the technical committee.

He was also accused of embarking on an unapproved vacation in America.

Sources at the NFF disclosed last night that Keshi had also failed to reply to the issues raised in the query by the Chris Green-led committee.

After the May 28 friendly against Scotland, the Eagles will play two more friendly matches against USA and Greece in America before leaving for Brazil on June.11

Nigeria Government Pays N35 Billion To 283,000 Workers, Withholds Salary Of 1,000

Greenbarge Reporters

April 3, 2014

Nigerian’s Federal Government has announced the payment of N35 Billion as salaries to 283,000 federal civil servants in the month of March, even as it with-held the salaries of over 1,000 others.

Those, whose salaries are being with-held are said to be yet to comply with the directive for the upgrade of their account to the ten digits Nigerian Uniform Bank Account Number

The Accountant General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla in Abuja at a workshop on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, advised staff to make sure that they have the NUBAN, which is the major challenge the office is facing in paying workers.

The CBN had released the guidelines on NUBAN scheme in August 2010 to achieve a uniform numbering structure among all Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria within nine months.

NUBAN, according to the CBN, has the potential to resolve problems with electronic payments in Nigeria as many of them are related to specification of wrong beneficiary account numbers.

The initial deadline was June 1, 2011. This was extended by the CBN to June 1, 2012; and at the expiration of the date, it was further extended to July 1, 2013.

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation had last year stated that since NUBAN became fully operational on July 1, 2013, all members of staff of MDAs were supposed to have complied with it.

The Accountant General disclosed that that about 308 Ministries, Departments and Agencies were captured under the IPPIS platform.

The IPPIS is an innovation of the Federal Government that is meant to enhance planning and budgeting by making personnel cost to be based on actual verified figures and not estimates.

The AGF, who was represented by the Co-ordinator IPPIS, AGF office, Mrs. Fatima Mede said that the 283,000 staff that were paid salaries came from 308 Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government “which we currently have on the system.

“We are hopeful that by June, we should have all federal MDAs in the country on the IPPIS netrwork.”

Otunla said also that his office had commenced work on getting all Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of education and also Para-Military agencies on the IPPIS platform.

He said that the IPPIS would enable the government keep adequate tab of its recurrent expenditure.

They Have Started Manipulations, Confab Delegate Raises Alarm

Greenbarge Reporters

April 3, 2014

Spokesperson for the delegates that have disagreed on the mode of selecting Committee Chairmen at the ongoing National Conference, Abdulwaheed Omar has raised alarm that some powerful members of the Conference have already started manipulating some rules and orders in the Conference which, if the trend is allowed to continue may lead the Conference to derail from its objectives.

He said: “We are afraid if we go by this trend, only God knows what other things will be manipulated again in the same way. We are saying we have to practice democracy and we are demanding that this decision be reversed so that we will go back to the popular decision.”

Omar spoke to newsmen today at the venue of the Conference, against the background of the protests by some delegates over the decision of their principal officers to withdraw the power of committee members to select their chairmen and deputies.

Omar said that the move to thwart a decision already agreed by delegates is not acceptable, adding: “We are protesting against something that is being brought through the back door; the decision for the committee to select their chairmen and deputies at the committee level.

“This decision was concluded by delegates at the plenary, only for it to resurface through the Committee of 50, who are only mandated to talk about the voting pattern.

“The leadership of the conference is using the Committee of 50 to come up with something they were not originally mandated to discuss and we are saying this is the beginning of a dangerous pattern.”

He recalled that in 2005, it was the committees that selected their leaders and asked: “why will it be different this time?”

It would be recalled that on March 20, an amendment to the Rule was proposed at the conference that committee members should select their chairmen and deputy chairmen from among themselves.

Arguments for and against the proposal were canvassed by many delegates and when the conference Chairman, Retired Justice Idris Kutigi put it into a voice vote, the ‘ayes’ had it.

However, the leadership of the conference, on Monday, rescinded the power it gave the delegates to appoint their chairmen and vice chairmen at the committee level.

This followed a motion by Hon. Muhammed Kumalia (North-East) that the position taken on Order XII of the Draft Rules of Procedure be rescinded.

The Rule had proposed that the Chairman, in consultation with the Vice-chairman and the Secretary, should choose the committee chairmen and secretaries.

Jonathan Calls On Fellow African Leaders To Look For Sponsors Of Terrorists

Greenbarge Reporters

April 2, 2014

President Goodluck has asked leaders in Africa to collectively look for the sponsors and supporters of terror groups who have been posing serious security challenges to many countries in the continent.
The President is surprised and worried that the weapons of choice of these terror groups are not only the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), but also the rapid propelled grenades and surface-to-air missiles and asked: “where do they get these sophisticated weapons from?”
President Jonathan who addressed the 4th European Union-African Union Summit in Brussels, Belgium today, as the Chairman of the African Union Peace and Security Council, noted that the total value of what these terrorists possess as individuals, in terms of what they wear and where they live cannot buy assault rifles.
“We all have the collective responsibility to un-earth their sponsors and supporters who are determined to destabilize Africa. We should hold them responsible and accountable for their actions.”
President Jonathan said that the summit is taking place against the backdrop of significant Peace and Security challenges facing not only Africa but Europe and the rest of the world as well.
According to him, the linkages of terror groups have made it imperative for African leaders to be more proactive on the issue of Peace and Security. He suggested a holistic and integrated approach, saying that peace and development are two sides of the same coin.
President Jonathan said that Peace and Security Architecture need to be strengthened and the African Standby Force needs to be fully operationalised in the face of the new threats and challenges facing Africa.
“We need to give stronger impetus to capacity–building and logistical support to boost Africa’s capability and preparedness to take pre-emptive steps to contain conflict situations, quell violence and deal with the scourges of terrorism.
“There is need for renewed efforts to address the challenges at hand, in the context of our Partnership. The modest successes recorded in tackling the Peace and Security challenges confronting us notwithstanding, the fact remains that we may continue to fall short of the target of ridding Africa of conflicts if the nexus that exists between peace and development is not fully explored and developed.
“Our approaches must therefore be integrated while simultaneously addressing the socio-political factors that push countries to conflict, with their attendant humanitarian and socio-economic consequences.”
Over ninety delegations from different parts of the world are attending the summit which has as its theme: ‘investing in people, prosperity and peace.’
The summit is focusing on ways to deepen cooperation under the three areas identified in the theme.

Nigeria At Red-Alert On Dangerous Ebola Fever Outbreak

Greenbarge Reporters

April 2, 2014

Nigeria is now at red-alert over the dangerous Ebola fever outbreak that is reported to be ravagind some neighbouring African countries, the most hit being the Republic of Guinea.
“Nigeria is prepared right now to curtail any outbreak, particularly given reports that few countries on the west coast like Liberia, Sierra leone and Guinea have reported cases of Ebola fever and given our proximity to these countries. Nigeria is ready.”
Information minister, Labaran Maku who made these facts known while addressing newsmen after today’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that government is working on vaccines and medicines that would be used to quel such outbreak.
“So far, there is nothing like Ebola fever in Nigeria and council was reassured that every step has been taken to ready our country just in case infected persons come into the country from our neighboring countries which unfortunately have been reportedly affected.
“So, citizens are reassured again that there is no Ebola fever in the country and all the checks so far undertaken declared clearly that we don’t have it.”
Ebola fever is believed to share early symptoms with any number of other illnesses, ranging from a passing fever to malaria, cholera and meningitis. Between two and 21 days, infected people might have red eyes and a rash, or suddenly experience onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
Experts say that contagion can survive so long as the virus is in people’s blood and secretions, and with no vaccine or specialized treatment, victims must simply try to beat the disease with “intensive supportive care” to fight off near constant dehydration. They say that Ebola requires lab tests to confirm, and usually appears around tropical rainforests.
The first known incidents of the disease broke out in two places simultaneously in 1976, one in Nzara, Sudan, and the other in the village of Yambuku, near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola is one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind. It is among the group of five viruses with a case fatality ranging from 25-90% in humans.
Ebola infects humans through direct contact with a sick person’s (or animal’s) blood or bodily fluids, or through contact with contaminated objects (such as needles and bedsheets). The symptoms of the epidemic, at first, resemble those of a normal fever and spread quickly among family and friends caring for sick people, and then among medical staff who haven’t confirmed the cause of sickness.

Plan To Sack 1,050 Civil Servants: Group Warns Government Not To Try It

Greenbarge Reporters

April 2, 2014

Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria has warned the Nigeria’s federal government not to carry out its plan to sack 1,050 civil servants in the country.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had already formally announced that 1,050 civil servants, working illegally, would be retired in the next three weeks. He spoke at the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Public Service Commission.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria insisted that none of its members should be sacked on any excuse.

In a statement, signed by the union’s Secretary-General, Alade Lawal said: “the decision by the government to weed out those it alleged are working in the service unlawfully might be a smokescreen to sack innocent civil servants who have served the nation meritoriously for decades.”

Lawal urged the government to set up a committee to look into the allegation before any retrenchment could take place, adding: “we demand that no retirement in whatever form should take place until all the stakeholders, including the ASCSN verify the claim of government.

“The union wants to make it clear that if the government embarks on such anti-labour exercise without the trade unions participation in establishing the authenticity of its claim, industrial peace cannot be guaranteed.”

Imo, Abia States Spoil For War Over Alleged Blackmail

Greenbarge Reporters

April 2, 2014

Imo and Abia states of Nigeria are set for ‘war’ over an allegation that the Abia state governor, Theodor Orji blackmailed the government of Imo state, even as the Imo state government demanded an apology.

The Government of Imo State has formally accused Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State of blackmail and demanded an apology in respect of what it described as his unfounded allegation that the convoy of Senate President, David Mark was attacked when went to attend the burial of Chief John Anyaehie in Orlu.

Spokesman to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in a statement said that the government of Imo State had expected that after the Police and other security agencies in the country had confirmed that the convoy of the Senate President was neither attacked in Imo State nor did the incident happen within the state, the Abia State Governor, would have apologized to the Government of Imo State “over his uncomplimentary remarks and insinuations on the incident which the Imo State Government had considered as a blackmail,”

Onwuemeodo accused the Imo state governor of speaking in a hurry, adding that though such thing is human, but that “one had expected that he would have added fiber to the nation’s growing democracy if he had apologized to the Government and people of Imo state for talking in a manner that had given the impression that he had blackmailed the Government and people of the state, using the alleged attack on the senate president’s convoy as tool.

“Apologising to the Government and people of Imo state would not have done any damage to the image and office of the Abia State Governor, rather, the apology would have portrayed him as a humble and courageous leader, and it does not also show weakness but strength of character.

“The state government is worried that more than two weeks after the facts of the claimed attack on the convoy of the Senate President had been known and the fact that the incident didn’t even happen in Imo State, the Abia Governor would have done the most honourable thing, and that is, to apologize to the Government and people of Imo State.

“And having waited on the Abia Governor to do that before now, and that was not done, we then decided to draw his attention on the need to do that, to discourage such hasty utterances or actions against the state in future.

“Imo and Abia states are from ‘one womb’ and the Abia Governor would have called his brother Governor in Imo State on the matter in question to know whether such incident took place in his state or not before making hasty conclusion and hasty comments that were obviously designed to impugn on the Government and people of Imo State.”

UEFA Championship League: How Manchester United Force Bayern Munich To Draw

Greenbarge Reporters

April 2, 2014

Bayern Munich appeared confused when they walked off the pitch last night after a draw in the first leg of their quarter-final showdown with Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League played at the Old Trafford Stadium in the outskirts of Manchester.
It was a game in which they were picked to win, given the stuttering form of their opponents, and their own massive collection of talents. But after falling behind to a Nemanja Vidic header, it was a relief for them that they could even salvage a point at the end, with a fine finish from Bastian Shweisteinger, who later saw red in the closing stages of the match.
At the beginning of the game, after a containing an early United raid, Bayern settled into their domineering ball-passing rhythm, and pinned United down to inside their 18-yard box and just outside it for much of the first half. Phillip Lahm, Shweisteinger and Thomas Krool were very quick in their pressing game in the middle of the park, and quickly retrieved lost balls. They looked imperial and swaggering in their control of the game.
But United had a tactical ploy that they had worked on surely, and that was to allow Bayern have a lion share of possession, but making sure they didn’t have any meaningful sight on the goal David De Gea was manning. Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and Maroune Fellaini formed a triplet that patrolled the area just outside a back four that lacked their two first team full backs. At left back, Alex Buttner came in for suspended Patrice Evra, while Phill Jones was deputy for injured Raphael Da Silva.
After the quarter-final draws were made United knew that to stand a chance against Munich, they had to shed a lot of the scintillating attacking football they’ve been known for over the years. They had and still have to keep it very tight at the back, defending in large numbers, in no-nonsense blocs, and then try to exploit Bayern’s high line with sporadic bursts of speed and counter attacks. This was always the most pragmatic strategy against foes with better technique, greater confidence and looking like even a better side than the one that strolled to win the tournament last year.
With veterans Rio Ferdinand coordinating affairs in central defence, United players worked their socks off to starve the German attack of any meaningful chances. In fact, had Danny Welbeck not tried to be too clever, United would have had a perfect first half just a few minutes to the interval. A quick Wayne Rooney pass found the England international one-on-one with Bayern keeper Oliver Neuer. He elected to go for an extravagant chip which didn’t fool the keeper.
Watching United’s resilience at the back, how they put their bodies on the line to block ferocious bullets, how they doubled up on the marauding and nimble-footed duo of Bayern’s Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery when they had the ball in the flanks, and their overall ‘come and break us down’ attitude in the match, brought back memories of how Chelsea turned improbable to possible two years ago in the same competition, when they won it by adopting a stout defensive tactic against more fancied opponents, at a time their domestic English Premier League campaign was disintegrating (though in a mildly less severe fashion than United’s this season).
When Vidic headed in from a corner kick following a rare United attack, there was an air of deja vu about the match. Once again, heavy defensive approach was threatening to conquer the more attacking and ball-dominating team.
Though Bayern Munich got an equaliser with arguably their only real chance of the game when Schweisteinger blasted in just about 8 yards from United’s goal off a clever headed pass from substitute Mario Mandzukic, United’s players knew that the minimum requirement of having any hope of qualifying at the cauldron of Munich’s Allianz Arena was to not suffer a home loss. Bayern pressed for a killer punch, but United held firm till the end.
The Germans remain favourites to qualify still, especially with an away goal in their kitty, but getting a goal in Munich and defending with a little more doggedness might just see United through to the semis of the Champions League.
It must be noted, though, that defending as United did for most parts of the game can only be viewed as a default tactic for the Red Devils. The transition to a new manager in David Moyes and the other changes at the board level prior to this season has hit United so hard, that they now see trying to win the Champions League as something that must be achieved by any means legally necessary so they can remain amongst Europe’s elite.
It is hard to imagine United’s fans accepting to be so dominated at home in a Champions League game in the past or in the future. They like to pride themselves as having England’s finest side, and it would have been unthinkable for a manager to offer them a cowardly formation during better times. But these are no ordinary times for the Red Devils. They were expected to lose this match easily; such was the perceived gulf in strength between both teams. But United threw pride away in a way they didn’t do at home against local rivals Liverpool and Manchester City when they suffered embarrassing defeats by trying to play open attacking football with teams that were simply better than them. This time they defended for the most part with large numbers at home, and in the end they gained some pride back as their fans cheered their efforts and clapped them off after the hard earned draw against arguably the best clubside in the world.
Just after the game, Jason Le Mierre, a football journalist with the International Business Times, tweeted about Man United fans reaction after the game: “Shows how quickly diminished expectations can set in. Manchester United keeping a tie alive after first leg is seen as something to celebrate.” It was a sly dig that many United fans wouldn’t mind accepting, and if their darling team can pull off a shock in Munich by progressing to the semis, then their ‘celebration’ now would be better justified.

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