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‘Postman’ Joshua vows to deliver victory over Ngannou

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‘Postman’ Joshua vows to deliver victory over Ngannou

Former world champion Anthony Joshua described himself as a “postman” who will deliver victory against Francis Ngannou in Friday’s heavyweight clash in Riyadh.

Joshua weighed in at 114.48kg (18st 02lbs) on Thursday with his Cameroonian opponent, a former UFC heavyweight champion, tipping the scales almost two stones heavier.

Ex-Mixed Martial Arts star Ngannou weighed in at 123.64kg (19st 47lbs), just slightly more than when he fought Tyson Fury in October in what was his maiden professional boxing bout.

“Official prediction? I deliver — I am the postman,” said 34-year-old Joshua at the weigh-in.

Ngannou, three years older than his British opponent, is the sentimental favourite to win Friday’s clash which has been dubbed “Knockout Chaos”.

As a child, Ngannou once laboured in a sand quarry for as little as $2 a day before arriving in France where he slept rough in a car park.

Against Fury in October, he sent the world champion crumbling to the canvas in just the third round before losing on a split decision.

“I have learnt a little bit from the last fight, the last camp, and leading up to this one, so I get a little bit of experience, but the mindset is still the same,” he said.

“This is just my second boxing match, even though I am taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing.

“I am the underdog, I am going out there to prove that you can be an underdog and stand your ground.”

The winner of Friday’s contest is expected to be in line to at some stage face either Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, who will fight for the undisputed heavyweight title on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.

“Sometimes it just makes me laugh a little bit, because we are going to fight in boxing rules, but what would happen if it was a ‘free’ fight under MMA rules?” added Ngannou.

“I would smoke this guy. I am the only one to go in their backyard, none of them can come in my backyard. I would take two of them at once.”

AFP

Tinubu works a lot, goes to bed 3 am — spokesperson

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Tinubu works a lot, goes to bed 3 am — spokesperson

Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale has praised President Bola Tinubu as a dedicated worker, describing him as a relentless “workaholic” who tirelessly devotes himself to the betterment of Nigeria.

Speaking with Chude Jideonwo in an interview shared on Thursday, Ngelale emphasised Tinubu’s commitment, revealing that the President consistently burns the midnight oil, often staying up until 2 am or 3 am, even on Sundays, to tackle the nation’s challenges.

He said, “I’m saying hang in there because I can see an end to this. I’m working with a man who I can personally vouch for because he’s going to bed at 2 am-3 am every single night, including Sundays.”

He continued, “He (Tinubu) wakes up at 7 am-8 am every morning including Sundays. Opening his files, working into the late nights when no one is there to say anything good or bad about him. He is doing the work.

“He is a workaholic, and he is doing it all to build a country that is reflective of a progressive and advanced country and prosperous society that he has envisioned, the same way he did in Lagos.

“I’m asking Nigerians to support the president, he means well.”

Ngelale’s comment about the president is reminiscent of Babatunde Fashola’s remark about him in April 2023.

While speaking on Channels TV, the former Governor of Lagos State, said Tinubu does his best work in the dead of the night.

Fashola, who worked under Tinubu as the chief of staff for four and a half years urged those working with the president to be prepared to be nocturnal.

 

Senate leader decries weak investment

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Senate leader decries weak investment

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Thursday, raised concern over weak investment in the capacity of women in Nigeria which according to him has hindered the possibility of achieving the fifth agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The fifth agenda of SDG is to “End all forms of discrimination against all females everywhere.”

Bamidele, in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in commemoration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, said despite being six years away from bridging the gap between men and women, Nigeria is still confronted with under-representation both in the corporate and public sectors.

He further lamented how women are victims of armed attacks in different parts of the country.

Bamidele, therefore, admitted that the National Assembly recognises that women’s inclusion in governance is pivotal to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria, adding that gender inclusiveness is at the core of the Revised Legislative Agenda of the 10th Senate.

He said, “Currently, as shown in the UNICEF statistics, Nigeria has no fewer than 18.5 million out-of-school children. More than 60% of them – approximately 10 million – are regrettably female. Also, at least 30.3% of girls in Nigeria are married before the age of 18 while 12.3% before the age of 15. Most of them are victims of armed attacks in different parts of the federation.

“As shown in recent data, women are under-represented in Nigeria’s political space. Women hold only 3.4% of federal legislative seats – four are 109 senators and 14 out of 360 members of the House of Representatives. Across all sectors, women’s inclusion is largely low in Nigeria whether in the corporate world or public sector.

“All these figures attest to weak investment in women and eclipse the possibility of achieving the fifth agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals, which mandates that world leaders invest in initiatives and programmes that bring about gender equality by 2030. 2030 is just six years away, and we are still confronted with ugly indices that remind us of the widening gap between men and women.”

He added, “At the National Assembly, we are conscious of the criticality of gender equality to our collective prosperity as a federation of 227 million. We also recognise that women’s inclusion in governance and decision-making is crucial to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria.

“This is at the core of the Revised Legislative Agenda of the 10th Senate, which in the main emphasises the exigency of accelerating Nigeria’s socio-economic growth through women inclusion.

“This was also a critical factor in the design and enactment of the 2024 Appropriation Act. And the legislation was structured to address critical issues undermining strategic inclusion of women in the process of decision-making, especially in business or government.”

Tinubu orders ministers to implement only research-driven policies

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Tinubu orders ministers to implement only research-driven policies

President Bola Tinubu has directed relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to ensure that the outcomes of research in science and technology are used to enrich policies that impact the real sector.

Tinubu issued the directive when he received the President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Ekanem Braide and the fellows of the Academy who paid him a courtesy visit at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this in a statement he signed Thursday titled, ‘President Tinubu directs ministers to ensure research outcomes guide policy formulation and execution across key sectors.’

Tinubu emphasised that his administration is advancing an all-encompassing approach to leveraging the capacity of Nigerians to innovate and create solutions from all spheres of human initiative across the public and private sectors, including farming, manufacturing, information technology, and academia.

He said, “The pathway to unlocking the potential of our national contribution to the global economy of tomorrow lies in what we do today.

“I am fully committed to the comprehensive integration of research, and the outcomes of research with the process of policy formulation and implementation in all fields of national endeavour.”

During his investiture as the Grand Patron of Science by the Academy, the President said the pace of change around the world, reflected in some national and global challenges, requires more reliance on research for solutions and actionable data, especially in health and education.

“The Minister of Education, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning are here.

“All the relevant ministries should sit up and ensure that science research guides process development in relevant areas of advantage.

“We must not fail to utilise research outcomes in the process of enriching our policies,” the President said.

In her remarks, Braide said a national research fund should be established as the country moves towards a knowledge-driven economy.

“Mr. President, we thank you for your support for a national research fund and we believe that this will go a long way in resolving our challenges and indeed, we can make quicker progress if we take advantage of the inputs of all Nigerians from the business community, the academia, and the public sector,” said Braide.

She listed some of the interventions and achievements of the Academy in improving the lives of Nigerians, advising that the nation’s 265 universities, 84 polytechnics, and 205 colleges of education be upscaled in science research infrastructure and funding.

The President also acknowledged Prof. Braide’s historic feat of emerging as the first female President of the Nigerian Academy of Science since its establishment in 1977.

Braide, alongside her Vice, Abubakar Sambo, Olatunde Farounmbi, amongst others, decorated the President as the Grand Patron of the Academy.

In attendance were, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono; the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.

Others were the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate; Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu among others.

Two pilots survive as NAF aircraft crashes during training

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Two pilots survive as NAF aircraft crashes during training

A trainer aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force on Thursday experienced a minor accident in Kaduna State.

The aircraft, a Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, was involved in a minor accident at about 2.35pm.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, the incident occurred while the pilots were returning from routine training.

He, however, said the two pilots escaped unhurt.

The statement read, “A Nigerian Air Force Super Mushshak trainer aircraft was involved in a minor mishap earlier today, March 7, 2024, at about 2.35 p.m. The accident, which occurred about 3.5 nautical miles from Kaduna Military Airfield, involved two pilots who were returning from a routine training flight. Luckily, both pilots came out of the crash unscathed.”

Gabkwet, however, said the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has ordered a probe into the incident.

He said, “The CAS has since directed a preliminary investigation to ascertain the immediate cause of the crash.”

Recent NAF aircraft crashes

According Online reports that between 2015 and December 2023, Nigeria suffered at least 17 military air crashes, leading to the deaths of many.

Some of the incidents include the crash that occurred in Port Harcourt in December 2023. A MI-35P helicopter belonging to the Air Force crash-landed, with five crew members sustaining injuries.

On August 14, 2023, a NAF aircraft was said to have departed Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed in a village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.

Also, in July 2023, an FT7-NI aircraft crashed in Makurdi; no deaths were recorded.

In addition, in February 2023, the Air Force recorded a crash after one of their jets lost its tyre mid-air and made an emergency landing at Lagos Airport on its belly. No death was equally recorded.

On February 22, 2021, seven NAF personnel on their way from Abuja to Minna, Niger State, to rescue the abducted students and workers of Government Science College, Kagara, died when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

Elon Musk may remove likes, reposts from X platform

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Elon Musk may remove likes, reposts from X platform

The Chief Executive Officer of X, Elon Musk, has said that he may remove likes and reposts from the X platform.

He disclosed this during his appearance at the Morgan Stanley technology, media, and telecom conference on Wednesday.

Musk revealed that his social media platform X is contemplating the removal of visible engagement metrics such as likes and reposts from posts.

As reported by Dailymail Online on Thursday, Musk added that X is also on track to secure approval for a money transmitter license in New York within the next few months.

Musk cited concerns about content clutter as a reason for considering the removal of likes and reposts while also noting the addition of view counts to each post since assuming control of the company.

X, formerly known as Twitter, aims to incorporate financial features into its platform, including the ability to facilitate payments between users. Securing licenses in various U.S. states is integral to realizing these features.

The issue of engagement metrics such as likes and reposts has been a source of contention for Musk since he acquired the company. Reports indicate that Musk exerted pressure on engineers to adjust algorithms to amplify the visibility of his posts, particularly following instances where his posts garnered less engagement than others, such as President Joe Biden’s tweet during the Super Bowl.

In response to concerns over privacy and user rights, Musk announced intentions to collect biometric data from users, including fingerprints, retinal scans, and voice and face recognition. However, plans to eliminate users’ ability to block others, which elicited widespread apprehension among X’s user base, did not come to fruition.

NCoS cooperative society offers soft loans to personnel

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NCoS cooperative society offers soft loans to personnel

The Nigeria Correctional Service Cooperative Society said it gave out soft loans to members to cushion the economic hardships bedeviling the country.

The General Manager of the Cooperative Society, Lydia Abraham, made this known at the 27th Annual General Meeting of the Correctional Service Multipurpose Cooperative Society held in Abuja on Thursday.

The increasing cost of living in the country sparked demonstrations as youths and women from various parts of the country took to the streets to voice their concerns, joined by the Nigerian Labour Congress to protest the economic challenge.

Abraham noted that the cooperative was aimed at enhancing the welfare of every staff of the NCoS while in active service, after retirement and upon demise.

She explained, “A large number of officers are retiring from the S
Service this year, 2024 requiring the payment of substantial amounts in terminal benefits.

“This situation limits the ability of COCOS to engage in other welfare packages for staff like the supply of rice and other food stuff, household items and granting of soft loans.

“COCOS has liaised and directed the Microfinance Banks to provide some of these services to Correctional officers. Henceforth, loans, supply of rice and land acquisition – will be done by the Banks. COCOS and the Banks have worked out the modalities for these services.”

She also noted that some beneficiaries of the staff housing scheme have completed their buildings, while majority are still paying for the land within the period of five years.

“The Staff housing scheme was flagged off on the 21st November 2020 with the acquisition of 160 plots of land at the KYC La Villa Diamante Housing Estate, Airport Road Abuja.

“The repayment period for the land is 5 years commencing from November 2020 and payments are still ongoing. Some beneficiaries have completed their buildings, others are under construction while majority are still paying for the land,” the General Manager added.

At the event, the Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa said its cooperative society was a reference point for other organizations.

Nababa noted, “Nigerian Correctional Service through the activities of COCOS has given a very good account of itself by way of addressing the basic welfare concerns of staff.

“Indeed, COCOS has remained one of the golden achievements of the Service. From a paltry deduction of ₦2:00 only, per staff in 1988, COCOS has today grown to be a phenomenal reference point for other organizations.”

The CG however urged the cooperative society to urgently come up with measures to reduce the economic hardships on members.

“However, given the state of the Nigerian economy and the attendant high cost of living, we have an urgent demand to think outside the box and come up with measures that will help bridge the prevailing economic gaps for our personnel.

“The need for them to be in the right frame of mind to concentrate on their duties rather than living under the pressure of trying to make ends meet, should drive us to passionately pursue this goal.

“It is only by so doing that the Cooperative will truly answer its name, of being a dependable shoulder to lean on, in time of need”, Nababa said.

Reps seek review of 2024 budget projections

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Reps seek review of 2024 budget projections

The House of Representatives has called for a review of the 2024 budget projections owing to the free fall of the naira in the past few months.

Rising from plenary session on Thursday, the lawmakers adopted a motion on a matter of public urgent importance titled, “Need to evaluate the implications of the current exchange rates on the 2024 national budget implementation to ensure a balanced budget and increase in the standard of living of Nigerians.”

The motion, moved by a member of the All Progressives Congress representing Kosofe Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Kafilat Ogbara, drew the attention of the House to the fluctuating exchange rate of the naira to the dollar since the passage of the N28.7trn 2024 budget by the National Assembly and the subsequent assent by President Bola Tinubu.

Moving the motion, Ogbara who doubles as the House Committee Chairman on Women Affairs and Social Development, noted that the initial proposal of the Federal Government on the 2024 budget based on a projected N800 to the dollar was no longer feasible.

The According reports that though the naira has witnessed improvement in value in the past few days, it exchanged for N1,488 to $1 in the official market on Thursday.

The lawmaker told her colleagues that there is a causal relationship between the exchange rate movements and macroeconomic aggregates such as inflation, fiscal deficits, and economic growth, adding that “the persistent fluctuation of the exchange rate trended with major economic variables such as inflation, Gross Domestic Product and fiscal deficit in Nigeria, presently.”

She also stated that when exchange rates change, the prices of imported goods will change in value, including domestic products that rely on imported parts and raw materials, stressing that “exchange rates also impact investment performance, interest rates, and inflation and can even extend to influence the job market and real estate sector.”

She further said, “The House is worried that the weighted Average Rate Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market hovers an average of $1 at N1, 488. 90, Pound at N1, 880. 1779, Euro at NI, 609. 35 and Swiss Franc at N1, 691.35 respectively.

“The House is worried that with the distortionary impact of the foreign exchange regime, the 2024 Appropriation Act would be difficult to implement due to foreign exchange volatility. Definitely, the exchange rates have already caused a major wide variance in personnel cost, recurrent expenditures and capital costs appropriated to the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”

Given these market fluctuations, Ogbara said it was incumbent on the National Assembly to review (amendments to) all the items that make up the 2024 Appropriation Act, Medium Term Expenditure Framework/Fiscal Strategy Paper, external borrowing Plan, foreign exchange market, and role of bureaucracy in budget implementation.

Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Appropriation and Finance to “Carry out a comprehensive assessment of the implications of the foreign exchange on the 2024 Appropriation Act and determine the method of alignment of the current foreign exchange with the approved national budget.”

It also tasked the committees to “Evaluate the prevailing exchange rates to understand the value of the foreign exchange in the local currency and how fluctuations impact the purchasing power and overall 2024 budgetary effectiveness.”

Other mandates of the committees are to “Examine the expected revenue the government anticipates from various sources, including taxes and other income streams and how these can help to gauge the financial resources available to meet budgetary demands; as well as “Review the outlined government spending plans across different sectors, adjust where necessary to ensure the budget remains realistic and achievable within the economic context considering priorities and essential areas.”

The committees have six weeks to report back to the House for further legislative actions.

Nigeria to establish lithium battery factory -Minister  

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Nigeria to establish lithium battery factory -Minister  

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish an indigenous lithium battery factory.

This move is designed to reduce Nigeria’s dependency on foreign production and foster the local manufacturing of vital energy storage components.

Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, announced this during an official visit to the Technology Incubation Centre in Agege, Lagos, on Thursday.

The minister’s tour included an inspection of the facilities at the hub, following an earlier visit to the Federal Institute of Industrial Research in Oshodi, Lagos.

Speaking with journalists, the minister said, “I just visited the Federal Institute of Industrial Research in Oshodi, Lagos, and now the Technology Incubation Centre in Agege. I’m observing a significant incubation of industrialists in this space.

“They’ve trained over 1,000 individuals—bringing them in, providing training, incubating them, and then facilitating their transition to their respective businesses. This process has resulted in the emergence of numerous millionaires,.”

The minister disclosed that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, there’s an acknowledgment that more needs to be accomplished.

He stated that all ministers are driven by the directive, emphasizing the need for heightened efforts across agencies and job creation.

“People should just cool down. In my ministry alone, considering the projects on the ground, people will have reasons to smile. For the first time in this country, we are establishing a lithium battery factory in Nigeria.

“No longer will other countries come, extract our raw lithium, manufacture it abroad, and then bring the finished products back here. We are putting a stop to that. Plans are underway to establish a lithium processing factory within Nigeria and a lithium repurposing factory. Very soon, Nigeria will start seeing results,” he added.

Various business groups, including the Nigeria Association of Small-Scale Industrialists and the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, were present during the official visit to Agege.

The minister revealed the President’s plans to establish a Research and Development Fund.

He clarified that the R&D Fund aims to support experts and individuals excelling in technology to advance their research, a crucial element for development.

Nnaji emphasized the pivotal role of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Nigeria’s economic development.

“With a president from the private sector, there’s a serious commitment to generating power, even leveraging solar energy. Just last week, during a visit to the Abuja Technology Village with the FCT Minister, we discussed transforming it into a global technology city, comparable to Silicon Valley,” he added.

The Director-General of the National Board for Technology Incubation, Patricia Chukwu, said the Technology Incubation Centre in Lagos stands as a testament to the commitment to nurturing and empowering bright minds in society.

Chukwu remarked that it serves as a hub where ideas flourish, dreams take shape, and innovations come to life.
She noted that technology plays a pivotal role in addressing pressing issues such as climate change, and health concerns, and enhancing digital connectivity.

“It is undeniable that in the swiftly changing landscape of today’s world, progress heavily relies on technological advancements.

“Whether in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, biotechnology, or blockchain, the potential is boundless. Yet, to actualize these opportunities fully, we must adopt a culture that champions innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship,” the DG stated.

Land disputes, cultism fuelling insecurity in Anambra

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Land disputes, cultism fuelling insecurity in Anambra

The Anambra State Truth, Peace and Justice Commission has stated that land disputes, organised crime and cultism are fuelling insecurity in the state.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, stated this on Thursday when he addressed journalists on the commission’s findings and recommendations in Anambra.

Odinkalu said it was wrong for insecurity in the South-East to be blamed on the Indigenous People of Biafra and herdsmen, adding that the insecurity was triggered by land-related issues and other crimes such as bunkering, cultism and other organised criminals fighting to control the resources.

He explained that these organised criminals keep militias that they use to eliminate any person standing in their way, noting that killings in the state predated IPOB and herders.

Soludo, had in June 2022, after three months in office as governor of Anambra, set up the commission and saddled it with the task of unravelling the circumstances behind insecurity which were at its peak in the South-East as of then.

The commission submitted its report to the state governor on Wednesday in the presence of members of the Anambra Executive Council, Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme.

Speaking further, Odinkalu said, “I am not saying there is no IPOB in Anambra. IPOB only exist at the boarders of Imo State and Anambra South. It might interest you to know that killings in the areas where there is no IPOB is higher than those areas there is IPOB.

“Whenever you hear of violence crime, we assumed it is IPOB. If you liquidate IPOB, will it solve the problem of insecurity? The answer is no. IPOB is a recent development and spill crime. The Eastern Security Network was launched in 2021 and before then there were a lot of kidnappings, killings in the state. Anambra is only state where many prominent persons were killed and nothing happened.

“Serious bunkering is taking place in Anambra and nothing is being done or say about the activities which are seriously fuelling killings and abductions in the state. Places like Ogbaru, Ayamelum and others that are by these coastal line engage in illegal drilling of oil and keeping boys to protect their businesses.

“These criminals controlling resources in the state are creating militias whom they equip with high caliber weapons to sustain their illegalities.

“A lot of people do not connect Anambra State with bunkering. Anambra is close to coastline. When some Americans were killed last time in Ogbaru, people said they were IPOB members, but IPOB is not in Ogbaru because they cannot survive there because of the economic interest of those in bunkering.

“If IPOB survives there, they will take over the business of bunkering and illegal oil mining. Those doing bunkering in Ogbaru will not allow IPOB to survive in Ogbaru just like it is not in the interest of cult group in Obosi to allow IPOB to survive in the area. If IPOB survives in Obosi, they will take over business of the organised criminals in the area.”

He stressed that what is happening in Anambra can be linked to cultism and criminal elements trying to control resources in the state and not really IPOB or herders as wrongly believed.

According to him, the highest killings in the state took place in Obosi, Ogbaru, Onitsha and Awka where there is no IPOB.

He said in the last few years, Obosi alone has buried over 150 youths below the 40 years killed in gang warfare, due to cultism and organized crimes and nothing has been done.

Odinkalu also said that another major cause of insecurity in Anambra is land-related issues, noting that the same organised gang sells land and uses cult groups to fight whoever is challenging them.

“When we met people in Obosi, the people were afraid to say anything because nobody is there to protect them. They are afraid because of the organised crime in the area. Infact the palace secretary of the Obosi traditional ruler, was confirmed to have been involved in a murder by a state High Court, yet he is still retained as palace secretary.

“This is to tell you what is happening in the state. We asked the traditional ruler to suspend him until a higher court clears him, but he has not done that. Most of the killings in the South-East are not done by herdsmen or IPOB, but are carried by Igbo men and women,” he said.

Odinkalu urged Soludo to implement the commission’s report and that the state government should not be afraid to implement the recommendations of any panel in the state.

He said he has confidence that the governor will implement the commission’s recommendations.

 

 

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