BW offshore Nigeria is delighted to announce its Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme for four (4) Nigerian applicants intending to study select engineering courses at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The objective of the scheme is to provide financial support to Nigerians intending to further the education in courses that are relevant to the FPSO / Oil and Gas industry at the University.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Have gained full time post-graduate admission into the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
• Be a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and currently reside in Nigeria
• Have obtained a University degree in Engineering or Sciences from a Nigerian
• University with a minimum of 3.5/5.0 CGPA
• Be less than 30 years of age by 31/12/2019
• Display sound intellectual ability and leadership potential
• Have a valid Nigerian international passport
• Not have previously studied at a Post Graduate level
• Not be a beneficiary of any other scholarship or giant

The following courses qualify for award of scholarships at the NTNU:

• MSc Marine Technology
• MSc in Petroleum Engineering
• MSc in Petroleum Geosciences
• MSc in Natural Gas Technology

Method of Application

Interested and qualified candidates will be nominated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) following an assessment of the candidates academic qualifications and strength of each individual application.

All nominated candidates will be contacted directly by BW Offshore, using only official BW Offshore email address ([email protected]) and requested to submit the following documentation via email:

• Copy of NTNU Admission Letter
• Completed Scholarship Application Form
• Copy of data page of international passport
• Passport Photograph (white background; not older than three months).
• Court Affidavit in a case of any mismatch of name in any presented documentation.
• Academic/Work Reference from candidates Head of Department or Supervisor / Line Manager.
• Short Essay of no more than one A4 (8.5 x 11) page. Font Arial; Font size 11). The essay should address the following:
  • Why have you chosen Engineering as a career?
  • Why do you feel you are deserving of receiving the BW Offshore Scholarship?

Note

• Following the review of candidates documentation and essay, shortlisted candidates will be invited for a short online interview with a BW Offshore panel before the final decision is made.
• The scholarship will cover tuition fees accommodation and one economy return flight ticket from Nigeria to Norway and a contribution towards living expenses only.

Source: Scholarships And Aid

Forms of Procurement

There are 2 types of contracting environment that influences the way procurement is performed.

• Centralised Contracting Environment
  In this type of organisation, there is one procurement manager, one procurement department, who handles procurement on many projects, reports to the head of department of procurement. The project manager contacts him for help.

• Decentralised Contracting Environment
  In this type of organisation, a procurement manager is assigned to one project full time and reports directly to the project manager

What is make or buy analysis?

It is a measurement technique used to make decision toward making internally or buying externally. When using this tool, the project must often look past itself.

One of the main reasons to buy is to decrease risk to the project constraints. It is better to "make" if:-

• You hae an idle work plant

• You want to retain control

• The work involves proprietary information or procedures.

Always remember that with procurements:-

• Contracts require formality

• All product and project requirement for the procurement work should be specifically stated in the contract

• If it is not in the contract, it can only be done if a formal change is issued.

• Changes must be submitted and approved in writing

• Contracts should help diminish project risk

A concerned Nigerian, Miss Chika Nwachukwu has raised alarm on the poor condition of Nigerians detained in the Kaliti Prisons, Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital city, over allegations of possession of hard drugs and money laundering.

Nwachukwu, a native of Anambra State, and an international business tycoon who deals on clothing and fashion, said she was shocked when she recently discovered that over 150 Nigerians were presently languishing in the Ethiopian prison facility.

She lamented the condition of the Nigerian inmates, alleging that they were being fed a single meal of white rice once a day throughout the year.

The white rice, she claimed, does not come with the complementary sauce (stew), as the inmates are left to provide that for themselves if they wish to at least, enjoy the meal.

According to her, relatives of the inmates back home in Nigeria have been sending money for such complementary sauce, as well as other personal effects necessary for their upkeep over the years.

Nwachukwu said most of the inmates are still awaiting trial, adding that a few were convicted, not because they were actually guilty of the offense but for the lack of adequate legal representation.

“I am just a concerned Nigerian. I care about my fellow Nigerians a lot, though I am not a politician. I am a business woman. I import clothing and fashion accessories. I have travelled on pilgrimage and gone on business tours across the globe.

The predicament of Nigerian inmates at the Kaliti prison in Ethiopia is very worrisome. They are fed only on white rice day in, day out, without the complementary sauce. This has made most of them to fall ill and looking unhealthy.

Some of them have been in the prison for over a year, feeding on just white rice, once a day, if their relatives are unable to send them money for stew. On top of that, the prison security recently brutalized the inmates, leading them to declare hunger strike,” she alleged.

Nwachukwu is however worried that the inmates may continue to endure the harsh treatment as a result of what she described as the lack of commitment of the Nigerian government to free them from the foreign prison.

She said the governments of other African countries including Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, whose citizens were also trapped at the Kaliti prisons activated their foreign missions in Ethiopia to set their nationals free.

Nwachukwu admitted that officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Addis Ababa visited the prison in January, this year with a promise that the government would do everything possible to ensure their release and repatriation to Nigeria within three months.

She added that it’s been over five months since that visit and nothing positive was in sight with regard to freeing the inmates. She appealed to the Federal Government to step up its rescue efforts, adding that the inmates were “even willing to foot the bill for their return.” She further disclosed that in February, this year, the President of the Ethiopian Supreme Court was shocked by the alarming number of Nigerians incarcerated in the prison facility, when she visited, and was forced to ask if the Nigerian Embassy was aware of the situation.

Nwachukwu explained that from what she discovered, the Ethiopian government was willing to let the inmates go only if the appropriate Nigerian authorities would come forward to identify them.

Her words: “Many of them are awaiting trial while some have been convicted. As at January, officials from the Nigerian embassy visited them and made promises that they were going to return home in three months. Yet our government has not done anything about it. As a matter of fact, as we speak right now, the Ethiopian government is not unwilling to let the Nigerian people go, all they need is for the Nigerian government to come and identify her people.

So they cannot just let the people go except the authority comes to identify that they are citizens of Nigeria. The Nigerian embassy in Ethiopia has not done anything. President Muhammadu Buhari has to do something about this situation urgently,” she appealed.

She added that some of the inmates who have been convicted were willing to come to Nigeria and serve their prison terms, while those on the awaiting trial list were also willing to come back home and face the charges, if possible.

“But I must tell you that most of them maybe innocent of the allegations because for some of those facing drug and money laundering charges, there is no evidence linking them to such crimes. They have gone to court several times but no evidence to convict them, yet they are being held. It is quite unfortunate that some of them were intercepted while on transit to other countries,” she claimed.

MTN Nigeria says it’s being investigated by the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over a listing of shares on the stock exchange.

The Nigerian unit of MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s biggest wireless carrier, said in a statement Saturday that it wasn’t accused of any wrongdoing and is cooperating with the investigation.

The South African company listed its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on May 16 to comply with terms of a $1.5 billion settlement in 2015 with the Nigerian Communications Commission over unregistered phone lines on its network.

Since the listing, the stock has jumped 41 percent, closing at 140 naira per share on Friday, giving the company a market capitalization of 2.8 trillion naira, second only to Dangote Cement Plc.

The Lagos-based bourse said on May 21 that MTN’s shares weren’t available for buyers and urged the company to provide more of the stock for investors.

MTN is also in court challenging a $2 billion bill for alleged back taxes.

(Reuters/NAN) Bahrains Olympic womens marathon silver medallist Eunice Kirwa has been provisionally suspended after failing a doping test, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said in a statement.

Kenyan-born Kirwa, who switched allegiance to Bahrain in 2013 and finished second at the Rio Olympics in 2016, tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned blood-boosting hormone that improves endurance.

The AIU confirms (a) provisional suspension againstBahraini long-distance runner Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa for a violation of the IAAFs (International Association of Athletics Federations) Anti-Doping Rules, AIU said in a statement.

Kirwa becomes the second womens marathon podium finisher at Rio to test positive for the same substance after Kenyan gold medallist Jemima Sumgong, who was suspended for four years by her countrys anti-doping agency (ADAK) in 2017.

Sumgongs ban was doubled to eight years by the AIU after the IAAF found her guilty of providing false information while defending herself against the initial sanction, but was allowed to keep her gold medal as she tested positive in April 2017.

Source: NAN

By Emmanuel Afonne

Highly rated Flying Eagles young star Success Makanjuola has vowed to score and win the Man of the Match as a birthday gift for himself when Nigeria take on Qatar on Friday in Tychy, at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.

The Water FC of Abuja skillful Winger who is already attracting interests from top football clubs in Europe will turn 18 years on May 24, the same day the Flying Eagles are playing their first match at the World Cup.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria is drawn in Group D alongside Qatar, Ukraine and the U.S., but Makanjuola is optimistic the Flying would emerge as the best team from the group.

Its going to be a special day for me because Friday is my birthday and the only birthday gift I am praying to get is to score a goal in the game against Qatar and help my country pick up all three points in the game.

We know its not going to be easy but with the kind of preparations we have been making, the squad is confident that we can start the tournament on a winning note, and that will be the best birthday gift I can ever ask for, Makanjuola said.

The 18-year-old player is one of the hottest and much talked about player in the current Flying Eagles squad following his impressive display in the teams build up to the World Cup.

NAN reports that Nigeria is hoping to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the first time in Poland and Flying Eagles Coach Paul Aigbogun has emphasised the need for his boys to begin their campaign on a winning note against Qatar.

Nigeria last appeared at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, four years ago, where Coach Manu Garbas wards were ousted in the Round of 16 by Germany in Christchurch.

The best the Flying Eagles have gone was when they won bronze medal 34 years ago in the former Soviet Union, seven-time champions of the African continent. The team finished as runners-up on two occasions in 1989 and 1995.

Source: NAN

By Chukwuemeka Opara

The Ebonyi State Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, has set-up a 5-man committee to probe the emergence of Sen. Obinna Ogba, representing Ebonyi Central, and other contestants for the state Football Association (FA) elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the June 1 election, has been shrouded in controversy over the alleged monopolisation of the process by Ogba, who is the incumbent chairman and the Senate Committee Chairman on Sports.

Ogba according to sports ministry sources, has occupied the seat for more than 10 years.

Mr Charlse Akpuenika, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, who inaugurated the committee, expressed dismay that he and other states sports stakeholders were not aware of the processes which led to the emergence of delegates and other activities concerning the election.

The committee will be headed by the ministrys new Permanent Secretary, Mr Jonathan Okoronkwo and is empowered to invite Ogba and other contestants to the next meeting of sports stakeholders in the state.

The committee should review and brief the stakeholders, the processes used in electing delegates who will vote in the elections as none of the stakeholders is aware of the process.

You must conclude this assignment within 48 hours and reconvene a meeting of the stakeholders where all the contestants and delegates should be present.

None of the contestants is above the state ministry and anyone who wants to prove so will be told that no one is above the ministry, he said.

He said that the ministry will seek a postponement of the election from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) if all contending issues were not settled, adding that the state FA is not a one-man affair.

Desmond Ome, Secretary of the state FA, said that the holding of the state FA congress at the Salt Lake Hotel, owned by Ogba was not to manipulate the process as he was being accused-of.

The congress was held at Ogbas hotel due to security concerns, but I have insisted that the election be held at a neutral venue.

I did not alter or manipulate any delegate list as the congress is a structure existing in the state since 2015.

I am not being influenced by anybody and if the government which is my employer feels that I am the problem, it should recommend my withdrawal from the entire process, he said.

Emmanuel Utobo, Ebonyi Director of Sports noted that no information concerning the election was made available to the Sports Council or relevant stakeholders.

Hillary Obiesie, the State Sports Council Secretary faulted the documents presented by the FA secretary over the congress and election of delegates, noting that they did not emanate from the NFF.

He should inform us on the processes which led to the emergence of the delegates as we all know that it was manipulated and did not follow laid down rules, he said.

Ogba in his reaction when contacted by NAN, said that he will address the issue on his return to the state.

I will brief journalists on the issue on my return to state as it is important to make necessary clarifications.

Source: NAN

(Reuters/NAN) Valencia beat Barcelona 2-1 to win the Copa del Rey on Saturday, ending the Spanish champions four-year winning streak in the competition and denying them a domestic double.

Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo Moreno struck first-half goals to give Marcelinos dominant Valencia control of the final in Sevilles sweltering Benito Villamarin stadium.

Record 30-times Cup winners Barcelona struggled without injured duo Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele but Lionel Messi pulled the Catalans back into the game with a finish from close range.

Goncalo Guedes missed a gilt-edged chance in stoppage-time for Valencia but they held on to win their first major trophy since last lifting the Cup in 2008.

Source: NAN