Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has conceded he could be out of a job if results do not improve but said he tries not to pay too much attention to speculation over his future.

Spurs have made a poor start to the season with three wins in nine Premier League games so far and head into Tuesdays Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade at the bottom of Group B.

Tottenham began their European campaign with a draw at Olympiacos before being comprehensively beaten 7-2 in London by Bayern Munich. They were also held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-of-the-table Watford in the Premier League at the weekend.

Our performance is not as good as we can deliver, Pochettino told reporters. Of course we need to improve. On the other side there are all of the rumours that happen at any club when you dont win but it doesnt mean theyre true.

I understand this business. Im 47 why do you think I dont have grey hair? Because I dont pay attention to any of this. I only pay attention that we need to improve our performances.

If we dont improve our performance, what is going to be the result? Its always the same in football and you are thinking the same as me.

The Argentine, who is contracted to Tottenham until 2023, has transformed the club since taking over in 2014, turning them into regular Champions League contenders.

He led Spurs to the Champions League final last season, where they lost to Liverpool, but said he was not surprised by his position being called into question after a few poor games.

That is football, Im not surprised. Its normal, Pochettino said. Football is always about winning today and tomorrow. What happens yesterday is gone and we apply this philosophy here.

You need to think about winning today and tomorrow If I think too much ahead and I dont win, then these rumours dont surprise me.

Source: NAN

(Reuters/NAN) Liverpool have condemned a graphic racist banner unfurled by fans before the start of their Champions League Group E clash away at Racing Genk on Wednesday.

The banner, displayed in an area populated by travelling fans, depicted Liverpools Belgian striker Divock Origis head on a naked body, alongside the Champions League trophy.

In a statement released shortly before kick-off, Liverpool said they had acted swiftly to have the banner removed, saying it perpetuated a racist stereotype.

This is completely unacceptable, a club statement said.

Liverpool Football Club condemns the offensive banner displayed in our section of the ground, prior to kick-off.

We acted swiftly to have the banner removed and we are now working with the local authorities and stadium team in Genk to identify those responsible.

Any subsequent action will be taken in keeping with our sanctions process. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has charged Nigerias Golden Eaglets to display the Nigerian spirit and win the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil for a record sixth time.

The minister gave the charge on Friday in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

I watched their final training here (in Abuja) before they left for Brazil and I told them the only option is winning. And that is justified by the fact that they are five times world champions.

What I also saw on display was encouraging. I saw talented football players that can compete with any other team in the world.

All I can say is that Nigerians are solidly behind this team, we believe they can bring glory to our country; and as they compete for the sixth title, we expect they will win the World Cup because they are indeed champions, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 18th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup will hold in Brazil from Oct. 26 to Nov. 17.

Nigeria are the most successful team in the history of the event with five wins (in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015) and three runners-up medals.

The Manu Garba-tutored boys are in group B alongside Hungary, Ecuador and Australia. They will face Hungary in their opening match on Saturday.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Police has arrested one Isiaka Ayobami of No. 2, Ayo Ijaiye Street, Isheri, Lagos, for forcefully seizing a one-year-old girl, Aishat Isiaka, from her mother and hitting her on the ground.

DSP Bala Elkana, Lagos Public Relations Officer, in a statement released to newsmen on Sunday, said that the babys head was shattered and that she died on the spot.

Elkana said that the father of the deceased, Alhaji Garuba Isiaka, of No. 7, Ayo Ijaiye Street, had earlier reported at Isheri Police Station about the crime by the suspect.

It was gathered that the man forcefully seized his daughter from the mother and hit her on the ground, shattering her head.

The suspect was almost lynched by angry mobs from the area, if not for the timely intervention of the police. He will be charged to court for murder, Elkana said.

Source: NAN

In this interview with some Nigeria journalists on the sidelines of the just-ended s in Washington DC, the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, shares his vision for Africa, and some interventions by the bank to prepare the continent and its people for the digital future. Harrison Arubu was there for the News Agency of Nigeria. Excerpts:

We are supporting women. I think when Africa gets the issue of women right, it will get everything right. And so there is the issue of access of women to financing that we provide through Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA). This will help to mobilise billion for businesses for women on the continent.

The other one is that we actually supported another fund which is called the Alethia Identity Fund, which has just closed at million and that is to support growth capital for the businesses for women. So in other words, the small, medium and the large businesses for women are what we are supporting. Finally, I will like to see financial institutions in Africa being held fully accountable when it comes to financing women.

And so the bank will be launching what we call the Women Financing Index for Africa in which all financial institutions in Africa will be rated based on their lending to women. So, both in terms of the volume of lending, in terms of the terms of lending and in terms of the development impact of their lending for women. So, those who lend more to women will get more resources from us at a discounted rate from us, so you can lend more and have more impact for women.

So, we are focused massively on how we can drive investments for women. Thats a big issue for us, just to give you an update on that. We raised million from the G7 leaders when I was in Biarritz with President Macron. It was great.

Let me just say more generally as a bigger issue, when it comes to driving green growth on the continent. I believe that achieving green growth on the continent is not an externally imposed issue, it is in Africas interest to actually have green growth, to have clean air, clean water and to grow in an environment where people have good quality of life.

And so, you can have GDP growth but if you are having GDP growth in which its occurring huge amount of emissions, pollution of water, of air, its not improving the life of anybody. So, anybody telling me in any part of the world that my GDP is growing, that is not my concern. My question is: is at what cost? What does it mean for the lives of people?

So, for us at the Bank we are very big on renewable energy. Today, we have doubled climate finance as an institution from billion to billion by 2025. Secondly, about 50 per cent of our climate financing is on climate adaptation. Because, you see a lot of draught, you see a lot of floods, you see all of these extreme weather patterns that are happening. So, we are actually doing a lot of that to support countries to adopt to climate change.

The other thing of course is that we have just launched an initiative which is called Desert to Power, meant to provide universal access to electricity all across the 11 countries in the Sahelean Zone of West and Central Africa.

The Sahelean Zone has the least access to electricity, but it also has the highest problems in terms of migration towards Europe. It also has the highest problem in terms of insecurity and fragility, and the highest challenge in terms of fertility rate. If you look at the birth rate in Niger, for example, that has almost 0.8 percent of rural access rate for electricity, the fertility rate is 7.2 per woman, which is one of the highest in the world. So, there is a direct correlation or association between not having electricity and rising fertility rate.

(Cuts in) So, they thrive in darkness.

Yes, they get busy with other things.

(General laughter)

It has its own consequences.

What we have done is that we are leading this effort that will provide electricity for 250 million people across the 11 countries and 90 million of those will be through off-grid systems because of the sparse populations there. It is our biggest effort, and its going to be the worlds largest solar zone. We are not just talking about it.

We have started in Burkina Faso with a project called Yellen Rural Electrification Project which is a solar-based project we are doing with Agence Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD), the French Agency for Development. We also have another one weve done in Chad that is called Djameya Solar Power Plant Project. We have in Mali and other places as well.

And of course this will include northern Nigeria because we are working on a 1,000 megawatts solar power project that is going to be in Jigawa. So we take the whole of the Sahelean part of that.

Just to conclude on that, we have launched something thats called the Green Based Loan Facility, a million facility that will allow us to support countries that want to move out of dependency on coal or other fossil based energy sources towards renewable energy, so that we are able to provide you financing at a cheaper cost to be able to make that transition.

It is open for any country that wants to have access to it. It is that you must have a bankable project that can use it and you will meet all the conditions that the bank will normally require, but it is an open thing for any of the countries willing and interested in doing it, even the private sector by the way.

The issue for us with climate finance is we build climate finance into our projects. For example, if you take the case I just mentioned to you now, we are supporting the development of a thousand megawatts of solar that is going to be in the Jigawa area, which is huge for us. We provided as well for the evacuation of power in Nigeria with the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

We provided them with million that can support the evacuation of power and that is a big problem in Nigeria because of the liquidity crisis that is in the energy sector. We have also provided support to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) so it can meet some of its own payment requirements to those supplying them with gas.

The other thing that we are doing obviously that is linked to climate in Nigeria is in the north of Nigeria where we have put about million into the north east area project, because a lot of the challenges we are facing are linked to climate: population growth, urbanisation, climate and environmental degradation. So, some of the challenges you find, the fragility you find in that part of the country comes from that. Thats why we built climate finance into our financing in the sector.

Source: NAN

By Isaiah Eka

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has called for improved funding for the Nigerian Army to meet with the current challenges in the fight against insurgency in the country.

He made the call at the opening of the 12th Biennial Training Conference of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps in Uyo, on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buratai was represented by the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham.

He said that the current funding for the army was inadequate in view of the roles it was playing in the internal security of the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was Expanding Roles of the Nigerian Army in Internal Security Operations: Funding Imperatives.

He said that the public sector financial reforms, such as cashless policy, treasury single account and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS), had prevented leakages in the sector.

The army chief said that some of the policies would affect the optimal performance of the army and its core competencies, if not well managed.

The Nigerian Army will continue to ensure prudence and accountability in the utilisation of available resources.

To this end, I authorised the establishment of Directorate of Audit and Financial Management (DAFM), which reports directly to my office.

The essence is to ensure judicious application of all appropriated funds disbursed to the Nigerian army formations and units.

The DAFM has supported the army in deriving value for money in its financial transactions and application of funds, he said.

Buratai said that the army had devised new strategies to combat insurgents in the country.

He stressed the need for the personnel to continue to be loyal to constituted authority and submit themselves to civil rule.

In the discharge of this duty, I had charged all personnel to remain committed to the global best practices by strict adherence to the rules of engagement and code of conduct, the army chief said.

He added that in spite of the daunting challenges of the operations, the army had maintained a rugged determination to turn the tide against insurgents.

Buratai said that the army finance corps remained central to the performance and effectiveness of the service during operations and peace times.

Earlier, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom said that government alone could not fund the demands of the military.

Udom, who was represented by Mr Akan Okon, the state Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport, said that the private sector must be brought in to assist in the funding of the operations of the army.

He commended the army for its role in curbing the insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges confronting the nation.

In his address, the Chief of Account and Budget (Army), Maj.-Gen. Adekola Bakare, said that the theme was chosen to enunciate the challenges posed by inadequate funding of the army operations.

Bakare said that the conference would afford participants the opportunity to conduct a detailed appraisal of the current policies and procedures.

He said that this was geared towards repositioning the corps to provide transparent and efficient services to the army.

NAN reports that the conference was a forum for capacity building in the finance corps to enhance human capital development. (NAN)

Source: NAN

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Monday in a book of condolences for the 39 people found dead in a truck on Oct. 23 that the whole nation was shocked by the tragedy.

The whole nation and indeed the world has been shocked by this tragedy, and the cruelty of the fate that has been suffered by innocent people, who were hoping for a better life in this country, Johnson said.

We mourn those who have lost their lives. our thoughts are with their families far away, he wrote.

In condemning the callousness of those responsible for this crime we in the government of the United Kingdom resolve to do everything in our power to bring the perpetrators to justice. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

The Lagos State Government says it will tackle the menace of unauthorised real estate practitioners across the state.

The Special Adviser (SA) to the Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said this in a statement in Lagos on Monday.

Benson-Awoyinka said that the state government had planned a stakeholders forum for real estate practitioners, aimed at tackling the menace.

She said that the one-day stakeholders engagement slated for Wednesday, had as its theme Lagos Real Estate: Achieving 21st Century Compliance.

The special adviser said that the theme of the forum showed that the state government was making frantic efforts to eradicate the dubious practices of some real estate practitioners in the state.

According to her, the forum will help restore sanity and orderliness to the housing sector.

Benson-Awoyinka said that a legal approach alone might not be enough to solve the problem of fraud in the real estate business in the state, without the commitment of all the stakeholders.

She, however, said that the present administration was determined to ensure conducive environment for seamless operation within the sector.

I implore the real estate/agency businesses to cooperate with the state government, so that the state as a smart city would be made investors haven, not only in Africa, but the world at large, she said.

The SA called on all interested stakeholders across the state to register for attendance through the link: http://lasretrad.eventrite.com free of charge. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, said the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) allowed standing of passengers in trains along the Abuja-Kaduna railway to enable it accommodate the surge.

Amaechi, during the monthly inspections of the Lagos Ibadan railway project, told newsmen that insecurity made travelling unbearable for Nigerians.

He however, assured Nigerians that more coaches would be provided before the end of December to accommodate the surge of passengers at the rail stations.

The reason why we allowed standing on the Abuja-Kaduna is because insecurity has made it unbearable for passengers.

Even if the coaches arrive in second week of December, you dont know how long it will take to be cleared from the seaport.

Once it is cleared from the seaport, it may take one or two days to get here.We will struggle to make sure that before Christmas it happens.

But even if it does not happen, this one will be available, the only problem with this is that we will insist on 24 passengers on each coach, making it 48 for the two.

Once we get the next 10 coaches we are sending to Kaduna, the situation where passengers stand inside our coaches will be reduced.

Although it will not solve the problem of addressing the 3,700 passengers but at least it will reduce who stand.

According to the Minister, the present coach along the Abuja-Kaduna route can take a sitting capacity of about 1000 passengers but carry 3700 passengers daily.

He noted that the 10 additional coaches would go along way at reducing the pressure along the route.
Amaechi reiterated the importance of railway, adding that it would helpe the economy to grow.

He said:You dont make money in railways, it is the economy that grows. So you dont focus on how much you will make but on how much impact you will have on the economy.(NAN)

Source: NAN

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