All Posts in "Day: July 8, 2021"

Fidelity Bank Promises Better Deal For SMEs

Fidelity Bank Plc Unveils SME Funding Connect {PHOTOS} – Brandage
Fidelity Bank Plc,has implored  Nigerians to  take advantage of its various SME targeted products and services in the country.
The commercial bank explained that the gesture was in line with its mission to bridge the  huge  capacity building gap and help SMEs in Nigeria build the necessary capacity for entrepreneurial success
The bank currently offers  packages  to position Nigerian SMEs for sustained business growth. These product offerings have resulted in tremendous success for the benefiting SMEs and also setting them up for sustainability.
Some of these products,  include, the Fidelity SME Academy and Fidelity SME Forum.
The bank said  the Fidelity SME Academy, is a platform where prospective and existing customers enjoy free capacity building support services such as tailored one-on-one virtual business advisory services and access to business management capacity building programs with alliance partners.
It added that the Fidelity SME Forum, is a 30-minute experience and knowledge sharing radio and Instagram Live programme aimed at empowering Nigerian entrepreneurs with knowledge, know-how and expertise that will enable them to build successful businesses. The programme currently airs on Inspiration FM 92.3 in Lagos on Tuesdays live at 6:30 AM, with a repeat broadcast on Thursdays at 6:30 PM on the same station.
The bank also provides SMEs with access linkages to outsourcing services providers and shared services platforms that cover services such as technology services, software applications, website design & development, network infrastructure, social media, bookkeeping, accounting & internal control services, HR services, payroll management service, audit services amongst others.
Some of these bespoke financing/loan products include, Fidelity EduLoan Offering (for schools), Fidelity Private Medical Support Scheme (for hospitals) and Fidelity Pharmacy Support Scheme (for pharmacies).
Others are the Commercial Support Short Term Loan (for traders), Traders Support Facility, Commercial Support Overdraft (CSO) and the Fidelity Distributors’ Finance Scheme (for distributors of Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies).
A beneficiary of the Fidelity Bank’s SME fund, Theophilus Nwankwo, who produces a wide range of plastic products in Lagos, said it was the bank that helped revive his business after a downturn.
 He recounts his experience and lessons learnt in his entrepreneurial journey. His business was forced to close after a large client placed a major order for his products.
Nwankwo said he needed a loan to purchase an advanced equipment to fulfil the large order, but it was 2020 and the country was still grappling with the economic recession occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fidelity Bank provided him with the funds he needed to keep his end of the bargain.
Nwankwo is one of many Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) struggling to stay afloat.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Banking&Finance 0
Court Orders Remand Of Accused In Prison Over Alleged False Publication Against Gen.Abdulsalam

A  Federal High Court Sitting in Minna,has ordered that two persons should be remanded in correctional facility  for publishing stories found to be injurious to the person of the former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Alhaji Abubakar.
Police Prosecutor, Jude Akaeze who presented four count charges against the defendants; Abdulkareem Ajibola and Anas Umar said they contravened Section 24 Sub-Section (1B) Cyber Cafe crime law.
Akaeze prayed for adjournment to enable him present witnesses to prove allegations against the two defendants.
Counsel to the defendants, Abdulkareem Abubakar,who  moved for the motion granting them bail,argued that the suspects have already stayed for one month in the Nigeria Correctional Centre and had pleaded not guilty to the four charges.
Justice Emeka Nwite,  urged defense counsel to apply for bail orally and ordered that the accused be remanded in correctional facility till the next  adjourned  date which was fixed for July 26th,this year.
The accused persons allegedly published and circulated on social media using their galaxy smartphones that former President, General Abdulsalam Abubakar was the owner of an helicopter and behind the supply of arms and other logistics to bandits terrorizing some communities in Niger state.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Law/Human Rights 0
 Supreme Court  Affirms Abiru’s Victory

The Supreme Court has  dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party which sought to disqualify Senator Adetokunbo Abiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from continuing to represent the Lagos East Senatorial District.
 Abiru won the last December 5 senatorial bye-election by a polling 89,204 votes against Gbadamosi’s 11,257 votes.In view of the outcome if the election, Gbadamosi and the PDP challenged Abiru’s eligibility to contest the election, raising, among others, allegations of double voter registration, residency and indigeneship.
After losing at the lower and appellate courts, the appellants headed to the Supreme Court to seek redress.
But,the apex court upheld the arguments of Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) for Mr Abiru and Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) for the APC that the appeal lacked merit.
Justice Adamu Jauro wrote the lead judgement, while the four other justices concurred.
The court also awarded the cost of N1million against the appellants – the PDP and its candidate Babatunde Gbadamosi – in favour of each of the respondents.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Politics 0
Police Arrest 28 Cult Members During Initiation in Delta

Police Nab 28 During Cult Initiation, Arrest Robbers In Delta | Sahara Reporters
Police Operatives in Delta State have arrested 28 young men while undergoing initiation to be members of Aiye Confraternity group in Ogume, Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe  disclosed  that the cult members were caught by the State anti cult unit (SACU) detectives, who were acting on intelligence report that there will be a cult initiation at a bush in Ogume community forest in Ukwuani LGA of Delta State by members of the Aiye confraternity group a.k.a black axe.
Edafe said  that the 28 suspects were rounded up by the police around 3:00am .
According to him, four of the suspects namely; Obanor osasuyi ‘m’ 24, Oliseh Onimichi ‘m’ age 27yrs, moses samuel ‘m’ age 18yrs and Olusola Ese ‘m’ age 18yrs had already began the process of initiation, but the timely intervention of the police, the initiation process could not be completed.
He said that two locally made single barrel guns, eight vehicles, six motorcycles and charms were recovered from the suspects.
Besides, members  of suspected cult groups were nabbed with ammunitions intercepted along Otokutu bridge Udu Warri axis of the state.
The suspects namely; Prince Onotanare ‘m’ 22yrs of Ekurude Warri, Gift Ogbeje ‘m’ 19yrs of Ekurude Warri, Lucky Egere ‘m’ 22yrs of No. 7 Old Egan road Orhowunho community, Charles Eungu ‘m’ 25yrs of opposite Ultimate Hotel Jeddo and Joshua Omatseye 22yrs of Ekurude Warri were apprehended by the Police Rapid Response Squad have arrested four suspected Armed robbers/cultist.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
Reps Rap Labour Ministry Over Poor Reporting Factory Accidents

The House of Representatives Committee on Safety, Standards and Regulations, has accused the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment of superintending over the under reporting of factory accidents in the country.
The committee gave its verdict at an interactive meeting with stakeholders, where it quizzed the  Department of Health and Safety of the ministry, which was responsible for inspecting factories in the country to ensure standards and safety of occupiers.
The committee observed that the department would have done better as an agency under the ministry, or even a Commission, hence, the resolve to present the department for upgrading to enhance effectiveness.
The committee noted that in a year, only 250 accidents were reported with only five prosecution entered by the department against defaulting organizations.
It further regretted that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the department, which stood at about N25million per annum, was very poor, because the department failed in its duties to comprehensively regulate the activities of factories and mete out adequate sanctions as required by law.
In her defence, the director of the department, Adogu Lauretta, said that they were still operating obselete laws which stipulated very low fees to be charged for certification and fines.
She emphasized  the need to have the factory Act and other laws amended, to bring activities in the sector to terms with today’s realities.
On the low number of prosecution, the director said that prosecution was the last option, as the processes ranged from caution to warning, prohibition from work, and where the organization adjusts to meet regulatory demands, there would be no needs for prosecution.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Labour/Human Resources 0
Bandits Kidnap 950 Nigerian Students In 7months-UN

UNICEF advocates protection, education for children – THE AUTHORITY NEWS
The United Nations Children Education Fund(UNICEF),says  that at least 950 students in Nigeria have been abducted from their schools by armed men since December.
It said over the past six weeks alone, nearly 500 children were abducted in four separate incidents across the central and northwest parts of the country.
It added:”Many of these children have not yet been returned. It is hard to fathom the pain and fear that their families and loved ones are suffering in their absence”
UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore,who disclosed these,also lamented that 150 children were reportedly abducted from a school in Kaduna State , Nigeria  on July 5th, marking the latest incidence in an alarming trend of attacks against children and abductions, including  students, in parts of West and Central Africa.
In a statement  by UNICEF’s  Communication Specialist, Samuel Kaalu,the group  expressed concern over the intensification of violent actions by non-state armed groups and conflict parties in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Niger, and Nigeria .
It added:“In the DRC, in the first quarter of 2021 alone, more than 3,400 violations against children such as recruitment to armed groups, abduction and killing were verified, representing 64 per cent of the total number of violations verified for the entire year of 2020.
“It is not enough to condemn these crimes, not when millions of children face a worsening protection crisis. Children living in these areas need concerted action to ensure that they can safely live, go to school or fetch water without fear of being attacked or taken from their families.
“This starts with non-state armed groups and all parties to conflict who are committing violations of children’s rights – they have a moral and legal obligation to immediately cease attacks against civilians, and to respect and protect civilians and civilian objects during any military operations. They should also not impede but facilitate the efforts of UNICEF and other humanitarian actors on the ground working to reach vulnerable children.
“The international community also has an important role to play. We need our donors to increase their contributions so that we can expand our work to reduce children’s vulnerabilities and increase their resilience to keep them safe from harm. These efforts include creating safe temporary learning environments for children in areas where schools have been closed because of insecurity, providing psychosocial support to children affected by violence, and supporting education on mine risk awareness.
“Every effort must be made to reverse the spiraling protection crisis for children as the region is on the brink of catastrophe”, the statement further reads.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in News 0
Bayelsa Varsity Shuts  Over Students’ Protest

Bayelsa Varsity Students Protest Against Imposition of Uniforms By Management
The Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) has shutdown of the school, following sustained demonstration by the students.
The announcement was contained in an official memo dated July 7, 2021 and signed by the Registrar of NDU, Mr Benjamin Joffa.
The students had on Monday commenced a two-day peaceful protest against decisions by the university authorities to introduce school uniforms, banning of Student Union Government activities and closure of fees portal for old students, among others.
They marched round the main campus at Amassoma chanting solidarity songs and demanding the cancellation of the decisions.
The  students  alleged that engineering students would pay as much as N30,000 each for their uniforms while students of other faculties would pay N20,000 each.
They called on Governor Douye Diri to sack the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo for his high-handedness and outrageous policies.
In a copy of the memo,the institution’s management said that academic activities had been suspended indefinitely.
It also asked all students to vacate the university campuses and its facilities not later than 3pm on Wednesday.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Education 0
Accident:FRSC  Partners  Companies On Vehicle Drivers Training 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Anambra State has emphasized the need  for partnership with private organizations to reduce road accidents on the nation’s highways.
The sector commander, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi said during a visit to WINCO Foam factory in Awka that such partnership would include training company drivers of articulated vehicles targeted at safer motoring environment.
He advised corporate bodies with up to 10 vehicles on the fleet to do proper documentation to avoid unnecessary embarrassment by Road Safety officials on the highways.
He reminded motorists of the need to always put their vehicles in order before plying the roads.
He said: “Your drivers will not only avoid being disturbed on the highway by Road Safety officials, but will arrive their destinations on time when their vehicles are properly documented.
“Some will wait until their papers are expired and the vehicles are impounded before they would go for renewal. That doesn’t speak good, especially for corporate organizations,” he said.
Irelewuyi appreciated the Management of the firm for its support to the Corps and called for sustenance.
Receiving Irelewuyi to the factory, the Managing Director, Dr Godwin Okafor appreciated the FRSC and appealed for assistance, especially in the area of easy movement of goods from its factories to various destinations.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Motoring 0
 Court Threatens To Deny LASIEC Access To INEC Registration 

Court threatens to deny LASIEC access to INEC voters register - Thetrumpet
A Lagos  Federal High Court,has threatened to deny the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) register for Lagos voters ahead of the July 24 chairmanship and council polls.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke gave LASIEC one week  to show cause why it should not grant a prayer by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant Raheem Rasaki Alani, seeking to restrain INEC from making the register for Lagos’ 20 Local Government Areas (LGA) available.
Justice Aneke made the ruling following Alani’s June 24 ex parte motion argued through his counsel Tope Alabi, seeking four reliefs.
Alani, a resident and registered voter in Agege LGA, is the Plaintiff/Applicant while INEC and LASIEC are the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/677/2021.
He argued in his affidavit of urgency that LASIEC ought to conduct the election in accordance with the “constitutionally-recognised” LGAs in Lagos, and not based on the 57 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the state, that it intends to use.
“I know that the 57 LCDAs wherein the 2nd defendant intends to conduct elections are a product of the unconstitutional Balkanisation of the 20 constitutionally-recognised LGAs in Lagos State,” he said.
He argued that the Balkanisation meant he and many others had been “unconstitutionally excluded from Agege LGA and put within the unconstitutionally created Orile-Agege LCDA,” and he would be denied the right to vote or be voted for, as well as be “robbed of voting to elect the chairman of Agege LGA or to be elected” its chairman.”
Alani prayed the court for an order restraining INEC from “giving, submitting and/or making” the register available to LASIEC for its use in the Chairmanship and Councillorship elections based on the 57 LGAs and LCDAs “or any other number of LGAs in excess of the 20 LGAs pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”
He also prayed for an order restraining INEC from giving LASIEC any logistical support for the elections based on the 57 LGAs and LCDAs.
He further sought an order stopping LASIEC from preparing for the polls based on the 57 LCDAs.
But, Justice Aneke ruled that: “Being an election matter and the process is ongoing, I shall give the defendant-respondent seven days within which the defendant shall show cause why the order should not be made against them”
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Law/Human Rights 0
NIMASA  Launches New Certificates Of Ship Registration

Jamoh discards Dakuku's Committee, introduces new ship registration regime
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The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has begun the issuance of new certificates of ship registration while simultaneously phasing out the old permits.
 The agency’s NIMASA’s Assistant Director, Public Relations,Edward Osagie,  quoted his boss,Dr.Bashir Jamoh,as explaining   that the move  is in a bid to ensure the utilisation of secured statutory certificates and prevent the entry of unseaworthy and sub-standard ships into the Nigerian flag.
He said:”We are restructuring the Nigerian Ship Registration Office to serve you more efficiently and effectively. We are determined to grow our national fleet and tonnage to an enviable height.We are committed to ensuring that our Ship Registry remains of International Standard and this is why we have enhanced our certificates with more security features that would stand the test of time. The all-encompassing process of issuance will ensure robust screening of vessels that would visit our waters.”
The new regulation, which took effect from July 1, involves the Certificate of Nigerian Registry, Provisional Certificate of Registry, Certificate of Nigerian Registry for Bareboat Chartered Vessel, Fishing Boat and Certificate of Cabotage Ship Registry for Wholly Owned Nigerian Vessel, among others.
“The Certificate of Cabotage Ship Registry for Bareboat Chartered Vessel; and Foreign Owned Vessels are also affected.
“Others are Certificate of Cabotage Ship Registry for Joint Venture Owned Vessel, Deletion Certificate, Bill of Sale and Transcript of Registry.
“The Certificate of Mortgage to Secure Account Current and Certificate of Freedom of Encumbrance have also been changed.
“All existing certificates issued by the Registrar of Ships before the commencement of the new regulation remain valid and should be carried on board vessels until their expiration. But vessel owners or Masters may apply for the reissuance of their existing certificates
“The Merchant Shipping Act, 2007 makes it mandatory for the Originals of Certificates of Registry to be carried on board vessels at all times.
The agency noted that issuance of these certificates is a fulfilment of Section 30 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 which provides, inter alia, that “the Registrar of Ships shall on completion of the registration of a ship, issue a certificate of registration in such form as may be approved by the agency”.
Online Editor by — July 8, 2021 in Maritime 0