NiMet predicts sunny weather

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudiness and sunshine from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMets weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja predicted sunny and dry conditions over northern region throughout the forecast period on Monday.

According to it, North central region is envisaged to be sunny and dry as well. Partly cloudy skies with sunshine intervals are anticipated over the inland within the forecast hours.

The coastal cities however, are expected to be in partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with chances of few thunderstorms over Lagos, Ijebu, Akwa Ibom in the afternoon and evening hours, it said.

Sunny and dry conditions are anticipated over Rivers and the northern region throughout the forecast period on Tuesday.

According to NiMet, North central cities are also expected to experience sunny and dry conditions throughout the forecast hours.

Partly cloudy and sunny conditions are anticipated over the inland while partly cloudy to cloudy conditions should prevail over the coast during the morning hours.

There are chances of few thunderstorms over parts Cross River and Rivers state in the afternoon and evening period.

It forecasts dust haze conditions over River, Lagos, Ogun while envisaged sunny and hazy conditions over the North central region within the forecast period on Wednesday.

NiMet further forecast partly cloudy to sunny conditions over the inland cities throughout the forecast hours.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies are envisaged over coastal cities of the South throughout forecast period with chances of isolated thunderstorms over Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers during morning hours. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Chinese Flag

Youth
More 85 per cent of Chinese youth surveyed said that they were willing to be pillars of the country in the next 15 years, China Youth Daily reported said.

The China Youth Daily cited a recent survey among youth aged between 14 and 35.

More than 77 per cent of the respondents regard the public virtue of loving the motherland and the people as the most indispensable quality of pillars of the country, the newspaper said.

Hardworking with an unyielding spirit ranks second, accounting for about 74 per cent, and studying hard comes in third, with the percentage reaching more the 72 per cent, it added.

As a major force to achieve the countrys long-range objectives through the year 2035, young Chinese showed a strong sense of national identity, the survey found, saying that the average score on their recognition of the country on a 10-point scale is 9.44.

In addition, about 95.7 per cent of the surveyed expressed their pride in being Chinese, and 95.6 per cent said that it is the obligation and responsibility of youths to pay close attention to state affairs. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Harrison Arubu

A coalition of 22 Nigerian-American organisations has congratulated one of their own, Mr Adewale Adeyemo, on his nomination as the next U.S. Deputy Secretary of Treasury.

Nigerian-born Adeyemo, 39, was tapped for the role by President-elect Joe Biden on Dec. 1 and would be the first African-American deputy in the department, if confirmed.

The congratulatory message came in a statement issued by the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) on behalf of the others at the weekend.

OAN said Adeyemos success and accomplishments were a big deal and source of inspiration to members of the Nigerian community in the U.S.

The nominee has served the country in several capacities, including being the first President of the Obama Foundation and Deputy Chief of Staff to former Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew.

He served concurrently as Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economics and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council between 2015 and 2016 under the Obama administration.

OAN said that this year, the Nigerian-American community fought hard for equity at the table at all levels of government in the U.S., inspired by the qualification of its members.

As we celebrate the Biden-Harris victory, Adeyemos nomination has catalysed our hopes and aspirations.

We will continue to remain steadfast in identifying and mentoring the great talents in our midst, the group said.

It also highlighted the success of other Nigerian-Americans in the Nov. 3 U.S. general elections.

They are Mr Oye Owolewa, who is now the first Nigerian-American to be elected into the U.S. Congress to represent the District of Columbia in the House of Representatives.

Ms Esther Agbaje has also made history as the first American of Nigerian descent to be elected into the Minnesota State House of Representatives.

Another Nigerian, April Ademiluyi, won election as a Circuit Court Judge in Prince Georges County in Maryland.

This is just the beginning! We look forward to playing a more active role in influencing the trajectory of leadership composition in both local, state and national elections, the OAN added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Babagana Mohammed has vowed to get funding within a week for innovative ideas that would bring progress to Nigeria.

Mohammed made the pledge during the annual dinner/induction ceremony of new members organised by the Apapa Branch of the NSE in Lagos on Saturday night with the theme The Engipreneur: a Veritable Catalyst for the Future of Engineering in Nigeria.

The President called on engineers and all Nigerians to embrace vocational and innovative skills to be able to create wealth and turn the fortunes of the nation around.

He said that there were several funds meant for inventions sitting idle which he would help anyone or engineers with innovative skills to access.

People complain that there are no funding, but the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry funding are there, but you must come up with bankable proposals.

If you have any bankable innovative proposal approach me and I will give you the money within a week, he said.

Mohammed said that engineers were intelligent and were usually above average and so should profer solutions to societal problems and make a living out of it.

He said he was saddened by the situation where engineers being the best brains were roaming the streets in search of white collar jobs where in actual sense they should be innovative creating jobs.

Infrastructure deficit is huge in Nigeria and Africa eighty per cent of activities going on in this country is engineering based, please help me count how many engineers we have in Nigeria, tell me the number, why should we be poor?

Something is not adding up well, it is either we do not understand engineering or engineering does not understand us because poverty and engineering do not sleep in the same room.

This country belongs to all of us and we must put our heads together, you must use your fingers and work with it, it is not only engineers, everybody must get skills, it is important, he said.

He urged engineers working in multinational corporations to empower their colleagues and drive innovations, adding that, those in paid employment should also start small businesses.

He advised engineers and all Nigerians to embrace skill acquisition to take advantage of wealth creation opportunities.

He appealed to engineers to query projects to ensure things were done right in Nigeria, adding that, truthfulness was required to solve all issues of corruption in the infrastructure processing and delivery in Nigeria.

We must be truthful and ethical in all our dealings, we must tell ourselves and everyone the truth always, it does not matter who is involved, he said.

Earlier, the Guest Speaker Mr Adebanmbo Ademiluyi, Managing Director, Quaint Agencies Ltd, had advised the nations engineers to roll up their sleeves to take on practical jobs considered as dirty.

Ademiluyi warned against engineers imbibing the culture of taking up white collar jobs ignoring entrepreneurial opportunities which could make them employers of labour instead of job seekers.

He advised engineers to seek intervention funds, form conglomerates, and get requisite trainings and mentorships required to equip them to create new technologies to solve several society problems.

He listed the various obstacles to innovative ideas and how engineers could overcome them while enumerating several successful innovations by local engineers generating huge revenue.

The guest speaker also listed various small opportunities being overlooked by local engineers which were money spinning ventures to include block making, paving stones manufacturing, phone repair, electricals, among others.

Also, Mr Abolarinwa Akinola, CEO/MD Bloom Tech Infrastructural Ltd who was the special guest of honour urged engineers and inductees to be courageous and knowledgeable to excel and take opportunities.

You must be very bold, be sure of your self and be determined about what you can do or deliver, he said.

Apapa NSE Branch Chairman, Mr Christian Ufot while delivery his speech said that the topic was apt and thought provoking to address the issues of development in the nation.

Ufot congratulated the inductees whom he noted were lucky to be brought on board as members by the President of the association while urging engineers to practice tips that were delivered at the event.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika

By Yunus Yusuf

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has urged stakeholders to keep faith with the roadmap developed by the Federal Government, as the world marks the 2020 International Civil Aviation Day.

Sirika, in a statement by the ministrys Director, Public Affairs, James Odaudu on Monday, explained that the roadmap was developed to serve as a catalyst for comprehensive overhaul of the aviation industry in Nigeria.

This is to position the country as an air transportation hub within West and Central African sub-region.

The roadmap includes the establishment of a national carrier, establishment of a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility, the concession of some airports, establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company, amongst others, he said.

According to him, this will lay a solid and lasting foundation for Aviation development in the country.

Sirika also assured Nigerians that the implementation of the roadmap, in line with the theme of the ICAD, remained on course and that the results would become obvious in due course.

The minister also affirmed that safety and security had remained at the centre of government policies in the sector since the inception of the current administration.

He noted that governments efforts had been lauded by all, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).

Sirika appealed to all players within the industry to join hands with the government to ensure the realisation of the lofty objectives of the roadmap for the benefit of Nigerians and all users of the nations airspace.

The minister reaffirmed that Nigerias unalloyed commitment to the ideals of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other aviation bodies of which it was a member.

He noted that according to ICAO, after every five years, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, council established a special anniversary theme for the International Civil Aviation Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for International Civil Aviation Day 2020 is: Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development.

The council has decided to keep the same theme until the year 2023.

The International civil aviation day marks every Dec. 7, was established in 1994 as part of ICAOs 50th Anniversary activities.

The purpose of the International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of states.

Others are the unique role of ICAO in helping states to cooperate and realise a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

GTB

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

The shareholders of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) have approved the holding company (HoldCo) structure for the bank, as they expressed excitement over the benefits from the new structure.

The shareholders in a statement on Sunday gave the approval to transfer 29,431,179,224 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in the issued and paid-up share capital held by investors to Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc.

This, in exchange for the allotment of 29,431,179,224 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to the shareholders in the same proportion to their shareholding in the bank credited as fully paid without any further act or deed.

This came after a Court Ordered Meeting held on Friday, Dec.4, 2020.

Sir Sunny Nwosu, Founder, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), spoke on behalf of members.

He expressed excitement over the planned restructuring as the arrangement the bank had put in place was devoid of complexities usually known as share reconstruction.

We are excited about the development because we are going to get value as everything we have would be transferred to the holding company.

There will be no manipulation as a result of reconstruction that usually leads to fractional shares, he said.

Mr Boniface Okezie, President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, said: GTBank has over the years proven to be a force and leading initiator of revolutionary advancement and technology based development in the nations banking industry.

We look forward to the growth and advancement it is sure to bring into the new business areas it will be taking on with the Holdco structure.

The arrangement where all existing shares of the bank would be transferred entirely to the Holdco in the name of the beneficial owners is good, while the same number of units and percentage would be held in the new entity, is commendable, he added.

Also, Mr Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, GTBank Plc, spoke at the court ordered meeting.

He explained that going by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)s regulations which required the separation of commercial banking business from other financial services businesses, the bank was adopting a HoldCo structure.

Agbaje said: I am delighted over the approval by shareholders for the holding company.

And I assure them of a more rewarding future. The bank will not embark on any share reconstruction as the same number of shares they have with the bank will be maintained.

Under the new structure, existing shareholders of GTBank would be migrated to Guaranty Trust Holdings via a share-for-share exchange between the shareholders of GTBank and GTHoldings.

The overall strategy was to create an operating model that would profitably grow the banks presence in the market for commercial banking and non-banking financial services.

This is in order to achieve the aspiration to be the dominant financial services group, Agbaje explained. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Bala Mohammed Bauchi state Governor

By Ayinde Olaide

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has appealed to supporters of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to accept defeat in the Dass constituency by-election held in the state on Saturday.

The governor made the appeal in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media, Mr Mukhtar Gidado, in Bauchi on Sunday.

According to him, party members and supporters should accept the outcome of the election with dignity and in the spirit of sportsmanship.

While describing the PDPs loss at the election as the will of God, the governor urged party faithful not to be divided by what he called a temporary setback.

Mohammed said that the loss was a lesson for all, adding that that as warriors, both his government and the party needed to plan to regain their lost ground with chivalry, tactics and teamwork.

All praises and adoration belong to Allah. The loss of our party is a lesson for all of us, but no one is to be blamed.

Remember that we lost 21 House of Assembly seats and the Senate seats in 2019, but Allah gave us victory in the gubernatorial election.

Let us not play to the gallery by indulging in blame game, internal rancour, accusations and mistrust, he said.

The governor further appreciated all PDP members in the state for their support and contributions towards ensuring the success of his administration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on Sunday, declared Bala Lukshi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the by-election.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Ahmed Mohammed of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, had announced the result in Dass.

He said that the APC candidate polled 12,299 to defeat Lawal Wundi of PDP who scored 11,062 votes. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

We need visionary leaders to transform Nigeria Tinubu Vanguard

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The acting Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tinubu Vanguard, Alhaji AbdulQadri Mohammad, has called for the emergence of visionary leaders at all levels of government to transform Nigeria.

Mohammad made the call on Sunday in Abuja at the inauguration of the National Executive Committee and Board Of Trustees of the group.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that political parties and Nigeria as a country should embark on the process that would throw up visionary leaders.

Good leadership at all levels of government is key, that is why we need visionary leaders not only at federal level but also at state, local government and even ward levels to transform Nigeria.

This is the way to go, but if we have segregated against good leadership, we will always remain where we are, he said.

Mohammed said the inauguration of the NEC and BOT of the group was to mobilise Nigerians to have visionary leaders like Bola Tinubu step forward at the appropriate time for leadership.

Let me make this very clear, this is not a campaign, we are law abiding citizens and we know what the law says.

This is just an inauguration of our Executives, so that we can start to mobilise Nigerians, he added.

The acting BOT chairman commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his giant strides at laying the foundation for a better Nigeria.

Earlier, the Director-General, Tinubu Vanguard, Mr Benjamin Johnny, said the group would harness the strength of grassroots network and support base of progressive minds for a better Nigeria.

He said the group which was formed in January, now has presence in 36 states and FCT and the 774 local government areas.

We are now fully present in 36 states and the FCT, the 774 LGAs and all the wards, and I can assure you that after the inauguration of this NEC and BOT, that of states and wards will follow suit, he said.

Johnny described Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian and mobiliser of people for the greater good of Nigeria.

The human capacity of Asiwaju distinguishes him among his contemporaries, his greatness is not in his wealth, but in the number of men and women who became great through him, he added.

NAN reports that the event was witnessed by politicians and technocrats from all walks of life across the country.

Source: NAN News

APC logo

By Adekunle Williams

The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has hailed the All Progressive Congress (APC)s victory in the Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe Constituency II By-elections held on Saturday.

Obasa made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday.

The speaker declared that the partys victory in the just-held Senatorial and House of Assembly by-elections was proof that the party had many more victories ahead.

According to him, the by-elections is a test of the partys strength ahead of future elections.

Obasa said the victory had proven that the party in Lagos remained strong, united and had members and chieftains who continuously key into its goals and manifesto.

He commended the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, members of the Governors Advisory Council (GAC) and chieftains of the party for making the right choices at all times.

The speaker also commended the electorate for ensuring the victory of the party in the two by-elections.

The exercise by the electorate was a vote of confidence on the APC ahead of other parties.

The victory is also a vote of confidence on APC in Lagos. It shows there is something we are doing that we must not only sustain but continue to build on.

The APC in Lagos has always been a united body geared towards the attainment of a general goal making life better for the residents of the state and this we have done over the years.

The people of Lagos state appreciate us as a party and this is evident in the landslide victory of the two candidates in the election, Obasa said.

He challenged the newly elected APC candidates to see their victory as opportunities to bring government closer to their people and play strong roles in the advancement of the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

HIV/AIDS: Pharmacists council pledges enhanced participation in fight against virus

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says it will enhance participation in the fight against HIV/AIDS by enforcing regulatory practices governing drug administration and usage as it concerns managing the virus.

Mrs Anthonia Aruya, the Director, Inspection and Monitoring, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Sunday, as a reminder to the occasion of the 2020 World AIDS Day.

The day is annually celebrated on Dec. 1 since 1988 to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic, caused by the
spread of HIV infection and mourn those who died of the condition.

The theme for 2020 is Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact aimed at focusing more attention to
The HIV scourge, increase awareness and knowledge, as well as speak against stigma.

Aruya said that as a regulatory agency covering facilities and premises, institutions and various aspects of pharmacy practice, PCN was
actively involved in steps and actions taken at the level of Federal Ministry of Health, as well as collaborate with donor agencies in
managing the HIV/AIDS scourge.

She said that the enforcement of regulatory practices governing drug administration and usage regarding the management of HIV cases in the country was of utmost importance.

She explained that the measure was to streamline drug distribution value chain to promote availability of safe, effective and quality medicines, including the Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and relevant supplements.

She said we bring our contributions on the issue of drug administration and regulation, as well as enlightenment, among other collaborative efforts, aimed at checking the infection rate and management of the deadly virus.

The PCN drug regulatory and management activities are in fulfillment of its mandate stated in the PCN Act, Cap P17, LFN 2004.

Mr Chike Arisa, a Pharmacist based in Abakaliki, urged the federal and state governments to step up collaboration with donor agencies to ensure steady supply and provision of ARV drugs to manage infected persons.

He said the COVID-19 has relegated HIV/AIDS to the background, with too much attention given to the former, which has ravaged the world since December 2019.

It should however be observed and propagated with massive enlightenment that while many COVID-19 patients have been cured, people living with HIV can only manage and have to live with it for life, as it has no cure yet and has been killing people.

He urged relevant authorities to continue to propagate the preventive messages of HIV/AIDS alongside that of COVID-19.

Source: NAN News