Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Isaiah Benjamin — Oct 9, 2014 |

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) an international non-profit organisation yesterday entered into partnership with another world’s leading company, Syngenta to boost the technological know-how of farmers and food production in Nigeria.

 

Speaking during the official signing of the agreement between the IITA and Syngenta at Shika Farms of the Ahmadu Bello University, the deputy director general for partnerships and capacity development, Dr. Kenton Dashiell said the joint efforts by both leading organisations will improve and promote cost effective production for maize, tomatoes, sweet pepper and cabbage and also increase yields and incomes from cultivating the crops.

 

The partnership he said is to identify, adapt and make available to Nigerian farmers high-yielding and superior maize and vegetable hybrids.

 

According to him, “We are working on six crops, maize, soyabean, cabbage, yam, cassava, plaintain, banana, and in each of these crops, we have programme to develop and improve varieties of hybrids towards the farmers.

 

“Under the agreement, variety trials will be conducted at IITA sites in Nigeria using Syngenta’s hybrid seeds for the selected crops, crop protection packages and standard crop production protocols.

 

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19:26

IITA, Syngenta Collaborate To Boost Food Production In Nigeria

Isaiah Benjamin — Oct 9, 2014 | The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) an international non-profit organisation yesterda...
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Banyana Banyana arrived safely in Windhoek for the 2014 African Women's Championship exuding high spirits and raring to go.

The team will be based at Safari Lodge in Windhoek for the duration of the tournament. They held their first training session in Namibia yesterday afternoon.

Banyana Banyana take-on Cameroon in the opening match of group B on Sunday, 12 October at the Independence Stadium.

"The team has settled well in Windhoek and we are looking forward to our opening game against Cameroon on Sunday, the ladies are excited. All the preparations we have been doing for the past nine weeks should result in good outcomes, starting with the match on Sunday," said Janine Van Wyk, Banyana Banyana captain.

Vera Pauw's charges are ready for a tough encounter at this year's tournament which will also be used as a World Cup qualifier. They are in the same group as their nemesis Ghana, together with Algeria.

Sasol Banyana Banyana went on a seven match unbeaten streak in their preparation friendly matches against neighbours Botswana, Tanzania, Cote d I'voire, Zambia and tournament hosts Namibia.


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19:16

South Africa/Namibia: Banyana Banyana Arrive in Namibia for African Women's Championship

Banyana Banyana arrived safely in Windhoek for the 2014 African Women's Championship exuding high spirits and raring to go. The team wil...
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain to Nigerians what Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo was doing on the plane that illegally ferried US$9.3million to South Africa, where Asari-Dokubo, another Nigerian and an Israeli were said to have been arrested.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said since the federal government has taken ownership of the funds by saying the national security adviser (NSA) issued the end-user certificate for the arms purchase, the same government ought to know the involvement of all those aboard the plane.

It said that the federal government has a lot of questions to answer on the whole deal, including whether Asari-Dokubo is the contractor or the end user, who he was procuring arms for and for what purpose.

APC said the questions became pertinent because even the NSA, who issued the end-user agreement for the purchase, does not and cannot purchase arms for any of the armed services.

“The service chiefs have separate budgets from the NSA for arms purchase. Under our Constitution, the NSA is an adviser and has no executive powers to deploy troops from any of the services or purchase arms for them.

“That the arms purported to be purchased from South Africa were ordered from the office of the NSA is nothing but a mere fabrication, and raises serious questions about the motive for the purchase.

“Nigerians will, therefore, like to know on whose behalf Asari-Dokubo was purchasing arms. This is very crucial because Asari-Dokubo has been threatening that Nigeria will not know peace if his benefactor, President Jonathan, is not re-elected. Therefore, Nigerians will like to know whether he has started stockpiling arms to make his threat a reality, since elections are due in a few months’ time.

“If these arms are meant to fight insurgency as the government has claimed, what is Asari-Dokubo’s business purchasing arms for the Nigerian military, if indeed they were for the military? Did it not occur to the Nigerian government that this man who once took arms against the state may not have jettisoned his sinister plan against the same state? Which country will ever allow a man who once carried arms against the state to now be purchasing arms for the same state? Even if it is true that he is purchasing the arms for the state, what prevents him from also using the opportunity to purchase arms for his own sinister motive? Could this be why Asari-Dokubo has been talking publicly and confidently, without official censure, that President Jonathan must be re-elected or Nigeria will not know peace again?’’ the party queried.

It further said, “In our press release on Tuesday, we again asked President Jonathan to come clean on the US$9.3 million and US$5.7 million deals. We also asked him to tell Nigerians the identity of the two Nigerians who were on the plane that illegally ferried the money to South Africa. Now that the Nigerians are known, and they are the president’s men, the story has taken a new dimension”.

APC said since those who claim to be fighting for Nigeria’s unity may actually be the ones working against it, and since those who lay claim to patriotism may actually be anything but patriotic, it is more urgent now than ever, for the National Assembly to take these cash-for-arms deals seriously, instead of dismissing the concerns of Nigerians on the basis of some rules as the House of Representatives has glibly done.

The party commended the media for keeping the story alive and for working hard to unearth the identity of the Nigerians aboard the ill-fated plane that illegally flew money into another country in violation of that country’s laws and all known tenets of decency.

It called on the media, in pursuance of its constitutional role of a watchdog, not to relent in exposing the circumstances surrounding the cash-for-arms deals, which have seriously embarrassed Nigeria in the comity of nations and which have the potential to threaten Nigeria’s unity, going by the latest revelations.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Asari-Dokubo has refuted claims that he was involved in the $9.3million arms deal in South Africa, stressing that the last time he entered South Africa was in 2002.

Asari-Dokubo was reacting to a call by the APC for the federal government to explain his presence in the plane that was impounded by the South African government.

A statement by APC’s national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, alleged that Asari was on the flight that carried the cash to South Africa.

Asari who reacted from Saudi Arabia where he is performing the 2014 Hajj said the “APC has reduced itself to a party of liars,” noting that the last time he visited South Africa was in 2002.

He said, “Can you enter any country without a visa? No person can enter any country without a visa. Presently, I am in Saudi Arabia performing my Hajj as the Amirul Hajj of Bayelsa State and this can be confirmed. I flew Flynass from Kaduna on the 27th. So, it is really a shame that Lai Mohammed who has defiled the name of Allah has become a pathological and award winning liar.

“Nobody enters any country without a visa and I have not been to South Africa since 2002. My passport is present. I flew Arik Airline from Lagos on the 27th and went to Kaduna where I flew Flynass Airline and came to Saudi Arabia.”


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18:47

$9.3m Scandal: APC Asks FG To Explain Asari-Dokubo’s Involvement

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain to Nigerians what Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo was doing on th...
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Two own goals also marked the day that started with El-Kanemi Warriors in an early kick-off throwing spanners in the works for continental ticket chasing Nasarawa United in a four goals thriller that saw the home side netting three and conceding one. Nasarawa were equally undone by a Seun Sogbeso own goal, the first of the two own goals recorded in the day's fixtures with Enyimba captain Chinedu Udoji providing the second in Aba when he gifted Sharks the lead.
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18:24

Nigeria: Glo League - Enyimba Fight Back to Drown Sharks 5-2

Two own goals also marked the day that started with El-Kanemi Warriors in an early kick-off throwing spanners in the works for continental t...
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Gen-Abdulsalami-Abubakar-and-governor-Kayode-Fayemi


Alo Abiola


Former Head of State, Gen Abdusalami Abubakar (Rtd), has pleaded with the Boko Haram insurgents to shealth their swords and dialogue with the federal government to put an end to the crisis rocking the nation.


Abubakar, whose administration returned the country to democratic rule in 1999 after his short stint as the military head of state , also advised politicians and the electorate to give peace a chance and be law abiding before, during and after the 2015 general elections.


He made the plea yesterday in Ado Ekiti while commissioning the administrative block and library of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti built by Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration.


While decrying the activities of the insurgents which has led to the death of thousands of innocent Nigerians in the northeastern part of the country the ex-military leader said, “As someone who was privileged to survive the civil war , and saw our country return to democracy, I am troubled by the challenges currently confronting our country.”


Also speaking at the event, Governor Fayemi said his administration’s huge investment in the health sector was aimed at banishing poverty from Ekiti, saying, “I have always believed in the age- long axiom that health is wealth.”


The introduction of social security scheme for the elderly according to him, was to back up to the free health mission, where over 500,000 people had benefited in the last four years, knowing full well that poor health condition could be caused by poverty.


Gen Abdusalami, who expressed sadness at the terror attack on the Nigerian nation, which he said has given the country a bad name among the comity of nations, said, “Never in history has our country been subjected to this kind of bloodletting and disrespect for the sanctity of human lives.”

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18:12

Abdulsalami Pleads With Insurgents, Seeks For Dialogue

Alo Abiola Former Head of State, Gen Abdusalami Abubakar (Rtd), has pleaded with the Boko Haram insurgents to shealth their swords and dial...
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National Human Rights Commission logo


Kunle Olasanmi — Oct 9, 2014 |


The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) plans to hold a special public hearing on the gruesome killing of peaceful Quds protesters by soldiers, in which 34 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria including three sons of Shaikh Zakzaky were killed, and over 100 others wounded.


A statement signed by the spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Usman and made available to newsmen said the commission told the leaders of the Islamic Movement that the public hearing is scheduled for November this year.


Chairman of the NHRC, Dr Chidi Odinkalu had during a recent visit to Shaikh Zakzaky promised to do all that is legally possible to see that justice is done and the culprits are brought to book.


Human rights groups across the world, both national and international, have expressed readiness to ensure justice is done in the extrajudicial killings of innocent people by Nigerian soldiers on July 25, 2014.


The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) had visited Nigeria where it conducted preliminary findings on “The Zaria Massacre and the Role of the Military”.


The commission had also last month invited Sheikh Zakzaky and another witness, Dr Musa Shu’aibu, a physician, for panel presentation but they were denied visa.


Sheikh Zakzaky and Dr Shu’aibu, however, addressed the panel via Skype, and the IHRC presented the proceedings to the UN Human Rights Group in Geneva same day.

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17:41

NHRC To Hold Public Hearing On Zaria Quds Day Killings

Kunle Olasanmi — Oct 9, 2014 | The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) plans to hold a special public hearing on the gruesome killing o...
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Gov Ramalan Yero


Midat Joseph — Oct 9, 2014 |


Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero yesterday declared his gubernatorial ambition ahead of the 2015 general elections under the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).


Governor Yero is the first sitting governorship to declare interest in seeking for re-election in 2015.


He submitted his letter of intention to contest the governorship seat amidst thousand of party faithful including members of the House of Assembly and members of the state executive council.


Yero who was at the Kaduna State secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party to formally handover the letter to the party chairman, Abubakar Haruna said the decision to contest was informed by pressure mounted on him by people to run.


According to him, he had to accept the clarion call because of the need to consolidate on the relative peace achieved in the state under his administration.


“I can’t say no to the wishes of the people when they called on me to contest. It would be a great disservice to them”, Yero stated.


In his remarks after receiving the letter from the governor, the party chairman said the party members are happy now that he has finally signified interest to contest.


Meanwhile, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has finally released 50 per cent of the 2013 Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds out of the total money accrued to the 23 local government areas of the state.

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17:36

Gov Yero Declares Guber Interest For 2015

Midat Joseph — Oct 9, 2014 | Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero yesterday declared his gubernatorial ambition ahead of the 2015 gen...
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