Breaking news: Speakership: Court asked to disqualify Gbajabiamila over US indictment

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June 8, 2015

ABUJA- The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court is at the momen hearing an ex-parte motion seeking to disqualify Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila from emerging as the Speaker of the House of Representatives tomorrow.

Justice Abdul Kafarati is presiding over the suit which was lodged before the high court by the Registered Trustees of Social Justice and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative.

The group, in the suit filed pursuant to Order 26 Rule 8 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2009, is contending that Hon. Gbajabiamila is not morally fit to head the third arm of governance in Nigeria, alleging that he was previously ‎”convicted in the state of Georgia for unethical practices and was debarred as a lawyer for 36 months”.

Aside Gbajabiamila, the House of Representatives and the Attorney General of the Federation were equally cited as defendants in the matter.

The ex-parte motion is being argued on behalf of the group by Human Rights lawyer, Chief ‎Mike Ozehkome, SAN.

In a supporting affidavit ‎that was deposed to by one Alojie Nmerengira, the plaintiff told the court that its investigations revealed that Gbajabiamila was convicted by the Supreme Court of Georgia in 2007, even as it attached a copy of the order of the court as ‘Exhibit A’.

Nmerengira averred: “That I am the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the plaintiff organization by virtue of which I am very conversant with the facts deposed herein.

“That the 1st defendant is a member of the House of Representatives who nurses the ambition of becoming the Speaker of the House in the next Assembly. That the 2nd defendant is the constitution body created to carry ‎out legislative functions for the good governance and advancement of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That the 3rd defendant is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation that ensures the sue enforcement of our Laws so that the nation does not fall into the pit of lawlessness.

“That as a sensible and responsible organisation, my board deemed it proper that to achieve the objective of the organisation, that we ‎should intervene in public interest litigation in deserving situations.

“That few days ago it came to the public domain that the 1st defendant was a leading candidate to the position of the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“That my organisation, following the ‎wind of change that has pervaded the political environment in Nigeria, deemed it proper to carry out a background check on the leading candidates for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“That I discovered that the 1st defendant ‎was a lawyer and practiced in the United States of America, particularly in the state of Georgia.

“That upon further enquiry, I discovered that the 1st defendant was convicted in the state of Georgia for unethical practices and was debarred for ‎36 months. A copy of the order of the Supreme Court of Georgia to that effect is hereby attached and marked ‘Exhibit A’”.

Buhari, G7 leaders for talks on Boko Haram, economy

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 8, 2015

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President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Bavaria, Germany, clutching a wish-list for consideration by leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations.

The summit of the top industrialised nations started yesterday.

Top on the President’s list are Boko Haram and Nigeria’s economic cirisis.

Read also: Trump: G7 Meeting Has To Wait After November Polls

The summit is due to discuss militant threats from groups, such as Islamic State, with the leaders of Tunisia and Iraq, who, along with Nigeria, form part of an “outreach” group of non-G7 countries invited to the Summit.

Attending the Summit are United States President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, Canada’s Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Italian Prime Ministers Matteo Renzi.

Buhari will hold bilateral talks with Merkel and Harper on the sidelines of the Outreach Programme.

He is also expected to meet Obama, Hollande and Cameron in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the Elmau Castle today.

“He is in a group of seven other Heads of State who were called in as guests,” said presidential spokesman Garba Shehu.

“The international community is obviously acknowledging Nigeria’s significant role in global affairs, especially with the recent change in government,” Shehu added.

Also invited are: President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), President Macky Sall (Senegal), President Beji Caid Essebsi (Tunisia) and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (Ethiopia).

Read also: Insecurity: ‘Things Will Improve Very Soon’, Says Buhari

There are also Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi (Iraq); the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon; the Secretary-General of the OECD, Angel Gurria; the Managing Director of the IMF, Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guy Rider; and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

Buhari arrived in Munich, Germany at about 3.25 p.m. local time yesterday.

He was received by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner. The president was accompanied by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Army Chief Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Paul B. Lolo.

Last night the head of the Bavarian regional government hosted Buhari and the others to dinner.

Apart from Boko Haram and general insecurity, other issues on the wish list, which Buhari took along after consultations with members of his think-tank, include: economic reform, especially support on agriculture, SMEs and job creation; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in power supply and mass transit; electoral reforms ; collaboration on anti-corruption, including the strengthening of anti-graft agencies, good governance, including commitment to democracy, accountability and transparency; development assistance and peace in the sub-region.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Certainly, Boko Haram insurgency is one of the top issues on the wish-list of the President to the session of G-7. It is one of the reasons why Governor Kashim Shettima, is on the delegation to Germany.

“This will cover intelligence sharing on Boko Haram and ISIS on how to curtail terrorism in the sub-region. We also need sophisticated surveillance and preventive equipment to fight the scourge.

Buhari wants to put an end to arms and military hardware embargo on Nigeria by some G-7 nations, especially the United States.

“There is no point pretending, terrorism is trying to have roots in the sub-region and we need international collaboration to check the spread.”

The source added: “Without energy, no country can develop. So, President Buhari is seeking Foreign Direct Investment in power supply, mass transit and others to make life comfortable for Nigerians.

“The focus borders on the diversification of the nation’s sources of power supply. We are not tapping solar and wind energy. Most of our investments in power are on hydro-electricity.

“Therefore, Nigeria needs the support of the World Bank for interventions on SMEs and agriculture to promote mass job creation.”

Obama and Merkel held talks yesterday before the summit.

Russia is the target of European Union and US sanctions over its role in support of Ukrainian rebels.

Russia has been excluded from what was previously known as the G8, since the annexation of Crimea last year.

The West accuses Russia of sending military forces into eastern Ukraine to help the rebels – a charge echoed by analysts. Moscow denies this, saying any Russian soldiers there are volunteers.

As he arrived in the Bavarian Alps, Obama said G7 leaders would discuss “standing up to Russian aggression” in Ukraine.

The White House issued a statement after Mr Obama’s talks with Mrs Merkel, saying: “The duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia’s full implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

Germany, Britain and the US want an agreement to offer support to any EU member state tempted to withdraw backing for the sanctions on Moscow, which are hurting the Russian economy.

Last September’s Minsk accord, involving Russia, pro-Russian rebels and the Ukrainian government, included the establishment of a 30km (19-mile) buffer zone between the two sides.

But fighting has intensified in recent weeks. In the latest incident, two Ukrainian coastguards were injured when a blast ripped through their patrol boat in the port of Mariupol, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.

The European Union’s President of the Council of Ministers, Donald Tusk, signalled a toughening of sanctions in a statement at the G7.

“If anyone wants to start a debate about changing the sanctions regime, the discussion could only be about strengthening it.”

Cameron said he was hopeful that there would be a united front to ensure that sanctions were “rolled over” despite admitting that “sanctions are having an impact on all of us”.

EU sanctions are due to expire at the end of July.

UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond echoed concerns about wider Russian military pressure in an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

But, when asked if the US should redeploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, Mr Hammond said the West had a “delicate act to perform”.

“We’ve got to send a clear signal to Russia that we will not allow them to transgress our red lines. At the same time we have to recognise that the Russians do have a sense of being surrounded and under attack, and we don’t want to make unnecessary provocations.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia was not a threat and had “other things to worry about”.

He told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “Only an insane person and only in a dream can imagine that Russia would suddenly attack Nato.”

Mr Obama was greeted in the town of Kruen by Germany’s Chancellor Merkel.

The two leaders then sat down to a traditional Bavarian meal of sausages and beer in the sunshine.

Greece’s debt crisis and how to tackle global warming was also on the agenda.

Ahead of the G7 gathering, thousands of protesters marched in the nearby town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, sparking sporadic clashes with police.

Several marchers were taken to hospital with injuries, but the violence was minor compared to some previous summits.

IPMAN Plans to Import Fuel Without Subsidy Payment

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Hamilton Nwosa

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June 8, 2015

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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) at the weekend said it has started discussing with foreign partners to refine crude oil abroad and import Premium Motor Sprit (petrol) and Kerosene into the country.

It added that it has no intention to claim any subsidy payment from the Federal Government through the method.

IPMAN National Secretary Danladi Pasali, who spoke to reporters in Abuja, explained that should the Federal Government approve the intervention, it would be a temporal relief arrangement pending the improvement of the capacity of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC’s) refineries and the construction of greenfield refining entities.

Read also: Oil Crisis/OPEC+ Meeting: Anxiety As Prices Dip After Hitting $40 Per Barrel…

According to him, the initiative was developed by the association’s new executives to assist the present administration to reduce cost in subsidy payment at the same time meet products’ demand.

His words: “We urged the Buhari administration to support IPMAN in mobilising our foreign partners in importing petroleum products at no cost or without subsidies payment to government.

”We have done all our mathematics that through our new model of Crude Oil SWAP arrangement; we can wet the country with petrol and kerosene and still gain from the transactions,” Pasali said.

Nigeria is currently consuming about 35 million litres of PMS. But only 30 per cent of the amount can be refined by the four local refineries at full capacities.

The IPMAN secretary said the association in the long run will construct two brand new refineries in the country with 400,000 barrel refining capacity with Blue Oil International.

Read also: Anxiety As China Begins Major Trial of State-Run Digital Currency

He added that the Petroleum Marketers association’s National President Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo is in Lagos to monitor the distribution of the PMS to its members to stop its scarcity.

Pasali said with government’s cooperation, IPMAN members will stop fuel scarcity with their over 20,000 filling stations.

What Buhari wants from G7

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 8, 2015

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Breaking! Buhari Cancels Visit To Zamfara, Cites Poor Visibility

President Muhammadu Buhari is presenting a 9-point demands to The Group of Seven (G7), an informal bloc of industrialized countries of the world. He arrived Munich, Germany, yesterday, to honour the invitation of the G7.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement from Germany, said President Buhari was armed with the “wish list” of Nigeria in line with the demand of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries.

It will be recalled that immediately after Buhari’s victory at the presidential elections, the G7 requested the then President-elect to prepare a shopping list and come with it for their consideration in what is seen as an excellent goodwill gesture towards the new leader and the country.

Read also: France Gets New Prime Minister As Macron Appoints ‘Conservative’ Jean Castex

Malam Garba Shehu in the statement said top on the list of the requests President Buhari will tender before the G7 leaders is the problem of security.

He quoted the president as saying that “we have a problem which they know.”

He quoted the President as saying that he had used every opportunity at his disposal ahead of this meeting to discuss the country’s needs with specific reference to terrorism and development needs at person-to-person meetings and phone conversations with some of the G7 leaders.

According to him, apart from terrorism, the president will also need the support of the industrialized nations in the area of economy, infrastructure, power and energy, and corruption. Other areas the president is asking for G7 meeting’s assistance include increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), enhanced transparency in elections, environment and good governance.

President Buhari had announced that the leaders of the industrialized nations have shown a preparedness to work with Nigeria to help the country out of her problems.

Meeting with world leaders

President Buhari will hold meetings on the sidelines with the host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel; the French President, Francois Hollande; Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper; the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe and the World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.

On his arrival in Munich, President Buhari, who was accompanied by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; former Governor Babatunde Fashola, Gen. A. Dambazau (rtd.) and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul B. Lolo.was received by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner.

Read also: WHO Raises $8bn For Covid-19 Vaccine Without US Participation

The statement added that “before leaving Munich for home tomorrow, President Buhari will hold bilateral talks with the Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach Programme.

“He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, and other G-7 leaders in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the Elmau Castle.”

Other invited Heads of State and international institutions who will join President Buhari at the working session with G-7 leaders tomorrow at Elmau include President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.

Others are Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurria, the Managing Director of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International Labour Organistion, Mr. Guy Rider; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation are also scheduled to participate in today’s Outreach Session with G-7 leaders.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialized democracies comprising the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The group meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.

It will be recalled that after his victory, a letter of invitation to a meeting with the Group of seven (G7) countries in Europe and America was handed to him by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zenner.

Zenner, who was at the Defence House in Abuja to felicitate with Buhari on his electoral victory, said that the letter of invitation was officially written and signed by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to Buhari.

Speaking to Journalists, Zenner said: “I am here to congratulate the President-Elect, Gen. Buhari on his election and handed over to him the letter from the German Chancellor inviting him to Germany.

“We have a very deep and intense relationship with Nigeria and there are lot of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further such as in the area of economy, energy among others.

“We have a bi-national commission with Nigeria and we are one of the countries with which Nigeria has this Bi-National Commission and it covers the whole range of political, economic and security areas. There are many areas in which we can move further and deepen our very close cooperation”.

G7 United Against ‘Russian Aggression’, to Focus on Jihadists

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 8, 2015

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Obama Nominates John Kerry, Olajuwon, Others for Buhari’s Inauguration

World leaders at a G7 summit in Germany were on Monday set to present a united front against global security threats ranging from jihadist insurgencies to what US President Barack Obama condemned as “Russian aggression in Ukraine”.

While excluding Russian President Vladimir Putin for a third time, the Group of Seven leaders have invited others beyond the club of rich nations, including Iraq’s premier and Nigeria’s president, who are both battling deadly Islamist violence.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was scheduled to discuss the US-led campaign to help his country battle the Islamic State group who launched a lightning offensive a year ago and have snatched over a third of the country’s territory.

Read also: WHO Raises $8bn For Covid-19 Vaccine Without US Participation

Abadi will also get one-on-one time with Obama to discuss the Washington-led campaign to help Baghdad recover territory lost to Islamic State militants, whose self-proclaimed “caliphate” extends deep into neighbouring Syria.

The power summit, held in a tightly-secured resort in the Bavarian Alps, was also expected to hold talks on “foreign fighters” and the threat Islamist extremism poses to their countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Another visitor to the summit, Nigeria’s newly-elected President Muhammadu Buhari, was to put a “shopping list” to the G7 leaders, seeking help to fight an insurgency by Boko Haram Islamists blamed for 15,000 deaths since 2009.

Buhari has been tested with 11 separate attacks that have left at least 93 dead in the week he has been in the job.

– Sanctions against Russia –

The first day of the G7 was dominated by the Ukraine conflict, as Obama and the summit host, Chancellor Angela Merkel, urged the global community to stand firm against Moscow until it complies with a Ukraine ceasefire deal struck in the Belarussian capital Minsk.

“I expect that we should send a firm signal here. Not sanctions as an end to itself, but sanctions… to reach a target,” Merkel told ZDF television.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canada’s Stephen Harper on Saturday made a point of visiting Kiev on their way to the summit, to voice support for Ukraine’s embattled leaders, as a recent flare-up in fighting in the east has left at least 28 dead.

Read also: World Environment Day: Bayelsa Govt To Host Global Online Summit Friday

Although Putin has insisted that “there’s no need to be afraid of Russia”, the latest escalation has sparked fears that the hard-won ceasefire brokered by France and Germany four months ago could be derailed.

Another pressing problem has been the haggling between debt-hit Greece and its international creditors — the EU, ECB and IMF — and the fear that a messy default could lead to Greece exiting the eurozone, with unknown repercussions for the world economy.

The issue was expected to arise again when the G7 leaders meet another guest in their “outreach talks” Monday, the International Monetary Fund’s chief Christine Lagarde.

– Climate change, China’s ambitions –
Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, meanwhile, were expected to seek consensus with G7 counterparts on another burning issue threatening the world, climate change, ahead of a year-end United Nations summit in Paris.

The aim is to send a clear signal to push other nations participating in the Paris summit to commit to reducing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, which threaten to melt ice caps and glaciers, raise sea levels and bring more violent storms and floods.

“I think we will arrive at obtaining something satisfactory — both in terms of G7 engagements on ambitious targets and in terms of engaging on participation in financing,” said a French official.

Abe was expected to draw attention to a pressing regional issue — China’s assertions over most of the disputed South China Sea, where its territorial claims clash with those of several other nations.

Alarm is growing in Asia over Beijing’s reclamation works in the sea, and the United States has said China’s actions were “out of step” with international norms.

Citing unnamed sources, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper said the G7 would in their joint statement closing the summit express concern about unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea, while no country would be named in the communique.

Ahead of the summit, G7 foreign ministers in April said the situation in the East and South China Seas was of concern, particularly “any unilateral actions, such as large scale land reclamation, which change the status quo and increase tensions”.

Speaker: Gbajabiamila wins APC primaries, Monguno emerges deputy

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 6, 2015

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After three hours of voting, the outgoing Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila secured the nod of the All Progressives Congress (APC) members-elect to be the next Speaker.
He defeated Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who staged a walk-out with 18 members-elect.
Sensing danger, three of those who walked out later return to the venue of the shadow primaries.
The National Secretary of APC, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, said out of the 209 APC members-elect, 183 signed the attendance register, while 161 others voted at the straw poll, with about 22 others either abstaining or staging a walk-out.
Out of 161 votes, Gbajabiamila garnered 154 votes, Dogara got 3 and 4 votes were invalid.
On his part, Tahir Monguno scored 153 votes to emerge the sole candidate of the party for the position of Deputy Speaker.

Buhari’s anti-corruption war takes off

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 6, 2015

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new-diplomat default image

President Muham-madu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade appears to have taken off in earnest barely a week after assuming office with a stern warning to ministers not to dabble into approving payments for contractors.

The government came boldly yesterday with a clear policy directive asking only the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs not to abdicate their core functions to ministers who are political appointees but to do their jobs in strict compliance with the policy guidelines of the administration.

The Head of Service of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi, made the new position of the government known at a media briefing in Abuja.

According to the Head of Service of the Federation, the government wants to keep the political class away from issues of finance so that development of our country can be sustained.

He said: “If a minister travels out and payment is due, we cannot afford to wait for the ministers to come back before we pay.”

Findings by Saturday Vanguard revealed that the HoSF was compelled to make the clarifications following a clash between permanent secretaries of major Federal Government ministries and former ministers in the Jonathan government over the payment of contractors.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that most permanent secretaries and directors of accounts in the ministries and MDAs fell out with many of the immediate past ministers following their refusal to pay contractors favoured by them for jobs approved and awarded through the backdoor by the ministers in their last effort to make quick money out of the system.

The clash between a former minister and a serving permanent secretary is said to have degenerated into a near major scandal in one of the major Federal Government ministries in Abuja which deals with land and development of infrastructure.

The minister was reported to have hurriedly approved the award of many contracts for companies said to be close to him and later ordered the permanent secretary to pay the affected contractors, an order, which the civil servant bluntly turned down, thereby entering into the bad books of the former minister.

To reverse the trend as the Buhari government takes off, the HoSF, warned that henceforth, no permanent secretary should allow themselves to be misdirected by any minister in the award and payment for contracts.

Kifasi who cleared what he described as a misconception of political appointees to approve payment for contracts, made it clear that approval of payments for contracts are strictly the jurisdiction of accounting officers or directors of the various ministries.

The Head of Service, who was apparently in support of the refusal of permanent secretaries to pay contractors approved for payment by out-gone ministers, explained that both the Procurement Act and extant government circulars clearly define the roles of the civil servants relating to contract awards and payment.

Kifasi said, “The President has said that his administration will concentrate on policy issues and so we civil servants are re-directing our efforts and minds towards achieving or aligning with the president’s directive.

“Payments are normally approved by the accounting officers. In a parastatal, it is either the managing director or the director-general. In the ministry it is the permanent secretary and not the minster.

“In the procurement process, ministers do not approve either. It is the Ministerial Tenders Board that sits to consider and approve contracts within their approval threshold. If it is beyond the Board, it goes to the Federal Executive Council.

“The only thing a minister does is that he signs the council memo for the procurement that goes to the Federal Executive Council. For the Ministerial Tenders Board which is usually chaired by the Permanent Secretary; the Permanent Secretary sends his report and the minutes of the tenders board to the minister for his concurrence and endorsement. That is their role

“For instance, if ministers were asked to be approving payments, now that there are no ministers will work then stop? So it is actually a misinformation.”

Beyond finance, the HoSF warned civil servants that the warning by President Buhari for them to change their attitude to work should be taken seriously as lateness to work and other acts inimical to the service would not be tolerated any longer.

“Consequently, permanent secretaries, Directors, Chief executives of parastatals and agencies are to take appropriate steps to address this situation. All public servants are to note that measures as enshrined in the Public Service Rules will be enforced on erring officers,” Kifasi warned.

Dangote Opens 2.5m Mtpa Plant in Ethiopia

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 6, 2015

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With a prospect of about 7000 job opportunities in Ethiopia, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote yesterday opened his 2.5million mtpa cement plant with a charge on African leaders to make environment conducive for the growth of real sector as a sure way of creating jobs to reduce poverty in the continent.

Dangote, who was speaking shortly before the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Dessalegn cut the tape to inaugurate the plant said that achieving a real economic integration in Africa would require that Africans work together to ensure economic and political stability on the continent.

Dangote stressed the need for a genuine collaboration between the private sector and governments at all levels for the much needed real sector growth, noting that there must be deliberate efforts to encourage Africans, not just foreigners alone, to invest in Africa.Besides, he stated that conscious efforts must be made to break down the barriers and borders between countries so as to allow free flow of goods, services and people.

“Take for example, my company, the Dangote Cement is currently investing in 16 African countries, with plans to invest in many more over the next few years. There are a number of other successful pan-African brands today such as MTN, Shoprite and Ecobank. We need to encourage this trend to see more investments in Africa by Africans.

“Above all, there is the need to encourage the private sector to collaborate with governments across Africa, to address the issue of infrastructure deficit, which has plagued the continent for decades”, he advised.

Said he: “I believe that manufacturing, and not trading, is the best way to grow an economy. This event, which we are witnessing today, attests to the fact that we took the right decision when we decided to transit from trading in our home country, Nigeria, into manufacturing, in 1996.

“Dangote Cement is currently simultaneously setting up new cement plants and terminals across 16 African countries, including Ethiopia. This is in line with our long-term vision to become one of the world’s biggest cement producers. We envisage that by the time we complete all our ongoing African projects, we will be on track to achieving our target.”

Read also: Africa Turns To Sunshine To Meet Surging Power Demand

He explained that the various developmental projects, including the construction of the continent’s largest hydro-power dam, makes Ethiopia a beautiful bride to investors.

While commending the government and appreciating the country’s remarkable economic achievement, Dangote said that the favourable investment climate together with abundant raw materials and sustainable peace attracted him to invest in Ethiopia.

According to him, in addition to supplying 2.5 million metric tonnes of cement per annum to the market, Dangote Cement Plant has also created direct employment for about 2,000 people in the main plant operation and 5,000 indirect job opportunities.

Inaugurating the Dangote Cement Plant established with over 600 million USD direct investment in Muger Town, Prime Minister Hailemariam said Ethiopia representing a lucrative market, is a destination of choice for investors with a population of well over 95 million people and a growing middle class.
He said his government has been taking all the necessary measures to make the country suitable for foreign investment and adequately conducive for local investors.According to the Premier, with the government’s focus on harnessing the competitive and comparative economic advantages of the country, Ethiopia is ready to host more and more quality investments that leave a positive mark on its non-stopping development journey.

“I am hopeful that the continued interest and presence of self-made industrialists such as Alhaji Dangote in investment projects in Ethiopia’s diverse sectors and their successful experience can and should go a long way in encouraging local investment”, Hailemariam enthused.

Ethiopian Industry Minister, Ahmed Abetew said the importance of industry for sustainable development could not be over emphasized and that was why the government has accorded the sector a priority.

He expressed the hope that the involvement of Dangote in the cement industry in Ethiopia will play a significant role in cement production.

It would be recalled that the construction of the cement factory commenced in 2012. Lying on 134 hectares of land, the factory which has a capacity to produce 2.5 million tons of cement annually is constructed by Sinoma International Engineering, a giant Chinese construction firm.

Big Match Feature: Juve v Barca

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 6, 2015

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Two of European football’s great names meet in the 2014/15 Uefa Champions League final as Juventus and FC Barcelona face off at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Saturday.

Juventus, appearing in their first final in 12 years, are seeking a third European crown at the expense of a Barcelona side with their sights set on a fifth title – and fourth in the past decade.

For both coaches, victory in Berlin would be the icing on the cake of an already impressive debut season, Massimiliano Allegri having led his Juventus team to the Serie A title, with Luis Enrique achieving the same feat in Spain with Barça.

Indeed, having both also triumphed in their domestic cup finals, Barcelona or Juventus would complete a treble with victory in Berlin. In Barça’s case, it would be a record second after their success in 2008/09. In addition to that Barcelona side, previous treble winners are Celtic FC (1967), AFC Ajax (1972), PSV Eindhoven (1988), Manchester United FC (1999), FC Internazionale Milano (2010) and FC Bayern München (2013).

Final pedigree

Juventus

• For Juventus this is their eighth European Cup final. Their record is W2 L5:

1972/73 0-1 v AFC Ajax

1982/83 0-1 v Hamburger SV

1984/85 1-0 v Liverpool FC

1995/96 1-1 v AFC Ajax (4-2 pens)

1996/97 1-3 v Borussia Dortmund*

1997/98 0-1 v Real Madrid CF

2002/03 0-0 v AC Milan (2-3 pens)

*played at Munich’s Olympiastadion

Juve, SL Benfica and Bayern have all lost five European Cup finals; no side has suffered six defeats.

Juventus have also played in four Uefa Cup finals – winning three (1977, 1990, 1993) and losing one (1995) – as well as the 1984 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, which they won.

The Turin club’s squad features four players with Uefa Champions League final-winning experience: Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan 2003, 2007); Patrice Evra and Carlos Tévez (Manchester United FC 2008); Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid CF 2014).

A substitute in Madrid’s final victory 12 months ago, Morata could become the fourth player to appear in Uefa Champions League final victories in successive seasons for different clubs, after Marcel Desailly (Olympique de Marseille 1993, Milan 1994), Paulo Sousa (Juventus 1996, Dortmund 1997) and Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona 2009, Inter 2010).

A member of AS Monaco FC’s beaten finalists in 2004, Evra tasted defeat against Barcelona with United in both the 2009 and 2011 finals, with Tévez featuring in the 2009 game too.

Buffon is the sole survivor of Juventus’s last final appearance in 2003, when Pirlo was on the opposing sid

This is also Barcelona’s eighth European Cup final and their record is W4 L3:

1960/61 2-3 v SL Benfica

1985/86 0-0 v FC Steaua Bucuresti (0-2 pens)

1991/92 1-0 v UC Sampdoria (aet)

1993/94 0-4 v AC Milan

2005/06 2-1 v Arsenal FC

2008/09 2-0 v Manchester United FC

2010/11 3-1 v Manchester United FC

A scorer in Barcelona’s 2009 and 2011 victories, Lionel Messi could become the first player to find the net in three Uefa Champions League finals.

As well as facing Italy’s Sampdoria and Milan in European Cup finals, Barcelona also beat Samp 2-0 in the 1989 European Cup Winners’ Cup final.

In total Barcelona played in six Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup finals, winning in 1979, 1982, 1989 and 1997 and losing in 1969 and 1991. Luis Enrique was a member of their victorious 1997 side against Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona have eight survivors of their 2011 Uefa Champions League final team in their squad: Daniel Alves, Gerard Piqué, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Pedro Rodríguez and Lionel Messi. Adriano was an unused substitute.

Ivan Rakitic was man of the match for Sevilla FC in last season’s Uefa Europa League final.

Previous meetings

Juventus edged past Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate when the clubs met in the 2002/03 Uefa Champions League quarterfinals. After a 1-1 draw in Turin, Marcelo Zalayeta’s 114th-minute goal secured victory for Juve at the Camp Nou after Xavi had equalised a Pavel Nedved strike.

Luis Enrique played alongside Xavi in both of those ties, captaining Barcelona in the second leg. Buffon was in goal for Juventus.

Barcelona ended Juventus’s European Cup defence in the 1985/86 quarterfinals, winning 1-0 in Spain before a 1-1 draw in Turin where Michel Platini got the Bianconeri’s goal.

Five years later Barcelona came out on top in the sides’ 1990/91 European Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal, winning 3-1 at home before a 1-0 defeat in Italy.

Match Background

Juventus

Juventus reached the final by deposing holders Real Madrid CF with a 3-2 aggregate success in the last four. They are now looking to mark the 30th anniversary of their first European Cup triumph by reclaiming the trophy at the expense of another Spanish giant.

Allegri’s men are on a nine-game unbeaten run in the competition, keeping five clean sheets.

Barcelona are the third Spanish opponents for Juve in this campaign. In the group stage, they lost 1-0 at Club Atlético de Madrid before a 0-0 home draw.

The Italian side’s overall record against Spanish clubs is P44 W15 D11 L18.

Juve’s shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W3 L3:

2-3 v AC Milan, 2002/03 Uefa Champions League final

4-2 v AFC Ajax, 1995/96 Uefa Champions League final

1-3 v Real Madrid CF, 1986/87 European Cup second round

4-2 v Argentinos Juniors, 1985 European/South American Cup final

1-4 v Widzew Lódz, 1980/81 Uefa Cup second round

3-0 v AFC Ajax, 1977/78 European Cup quarterfinal

Barcelona

Barcelona are back in the final after a four-year absence, and booked their ticket to Berlin by beating FC Bayern München 5-3 on aggregate in the semifinals. Prior to their second-leg loss in Munich, they were on a nine-match winning streak in the competition.

Barcelona last faced Italian opponents in last term’s group stage, overcoming a Milan side coached by Allegri 3-1 at home after a 1-1 away draw.

The Spanish champions’ record against teams from Italy is P43 W22 D13 L8.

Messi has scored seven goals in his last five appearances against Serie A sides.

Barcelona’s shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W5 L1:

5-4 v KKS Lech Poznan, 1988/89 European Cup Winners’ Cup second round

0-2 v FC Steaua Bucuresti, 1985/86 European Cup final

5-4 v IFK Göteborg, 1985/86 European Cup semifinal

4-1 v RSC Anderlecht, 1978/79 European Cup Winners’ Cup second round

3-1 v Ipswich Town FC, 1977/78 Uefa Cup third round

5-4 v AZ Alkmaar, 1977/78 Uefa Cup second round

Coach and player links

As coach of Milan (2010–14), Allegri suffered Uefa Champions League elimination against Barcelona in two successive seasons, losing in the 2011/12 quarterfinals (1-3 agg) and the 2012/13 round of 16 (2-4 agg). His full record in eight games against the Blaugrana is W1 D3 L4.

As a player Luis Enrique was twice eliminated in the Uefa Champions League quarterfinals by Juventus, with Barcelona in 2002/03 and Real Madrid in 1995/96.

• As AS Roma coach in 2011/12, Luis Enrique faced Juventus three times. In Serie A he oversaw a 1-1 home draw – Giorgio Chiellini scoring for the Bianconeri – and a 4-0 away loss where Arturo Vidal (2), Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio scored. Roma also lost 3-0 in a Coppa Italia quarterfinal in Turin.

Luis Enrique also lost both meetings with Allegri’s Milan that season, going down 3-2 at home and 2-1 at San Siro.

Vidal helped eliminate holders Spain from the 2014 Fifa World Cup when his Chile team – also including Claudio Bravo – earned a 2-0 win over a Spanish side containing Jordi Alba, Pedro, Busquets and Iniesta.

Uruguay knocked out Italy at last year’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory in Natal; Luis Suárez, Cristian Rodríguez and Martín Cáceres (Uruguay); Buffon, Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli, Pirlo and the red-carded Claudio Marchisio (Italy) all featured.

Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué and Busquets converted spot kicks past Buffon as Spain beat Italy 7-6 on penalties in the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup semifinal. Pirlo scored for Italy, but Bonucci missed. Neymar also scored past Buffon in Brazil’s 4-2 group win over Italy earlier in the tournament.

Alba scored past Buffon in Spain’s 4-0 victory over Italy in the Uefa EURO 2012 final. Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta and Pedro were also in the Spain team – Fernando Llorente on the bench – while the Azzurri side included Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pirlo and Marchisio.

Stephan Lichtsteiner scored past Marc-André ter Stegen on the goalkeeper’s Germany debut in a 5-3 defeat by Switzerland in May 2012.

Piqué played with Evra and Tévez at Manchester United in 2007/08, while Tévez was a club-mate of Javier Mascherano with SC Corinthians Paulista (2005–06) and West Ham United FC (2006/07).

Cáceres played 13 Liga games for Barcelona in 2008/09. He made two Uefa Champions League appearances and was on the bench for that season’s final victory over Manchester United.

Cáceres and Rakitic were teammates at Sevilla between 2011 and 2012.

• Morata started one ‘Clásico’ against Barcelona – Madrid’s 2-1 home win in March 2013 – and also appeared as a substitute in Madrid’s 4-3 home loss the following season.

Llorente won just once in 20 meetings with Barcelona as an Athletic player, scoring three times.

Venue notes

• Pirlo and Buffon won the 2006 World Cup at the Olympiastadion, the former scoring the opening penalty in Italy’s 5-3 shoot-out triumph over France. Andrea Barzagli was an unused substitute for Italy.

• Berlin is the fourth German city to have hosted the European Cup final after Munich (1980, 1993, 1997, 2012), Gelsenkircken (2004) and Stuttgart (1959, 1988). A Spanish club, Real Madrid, won the first final staged in Germany, beating Stade de Reims 2-0 in Stuttgart in 1958/59.

Match facts

Juventus

Juventus clinched a fourth successive Italian title three days before their semifinal first leg against Real Madrid. Since the return match in Spain on 13 May, the Bianconeri have beaten Inter (2-1) and SSC Napoli (3-1) in Serie A and drawn with last-day opponents Hellas Verona FC (2-2).

For the second consecutive season, Juventus ended the campaign 17 points clear of runners-up Roma. Allegri’s men had the most prolific attack (72 goals scored) and the meanest defence (24 conceded).

Juventus are nine games unbeaten in all competitions.

Chiellini’s first club goal since 2 February 2014 drew Juventus level against SS Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on 20 May. Alessandro Matri’s extra-time winner sealed a 2-1 victory as the Turin side ended a two-decade wait for domestic cup glory.

The triumph was the Old Lady’s 10th in the competition, a record, and rubber-stamped the club’s third double.

Stefano Sturaro scored his first goal for Juventus in the defeat of Napoli on 23 May. Simone Pepe, who has struggled with injuries for two and a half years, rounded things off from the spot – his first goal since 11 April 2012.

Rested for the Coppa Italia decider, Buffon made the 900th competitive appearance of his career during the Napoli game, stopping a penalty from Lorenzo Insigne.

Tévez, who had a late spot kick saved against Verona, finished as Juve’s 20-goal top scorer in Serie A, two behind leading marksmen Luca Toni and Mauro Icardi.

On 25 May, Allegri received the Enzo Bearzot Award, the fifth edition of an accolade named in honour of Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning coach.

Cáceres (out since 5 March, ankle) is still sidelined. Barzagli suffered a thigh strain against Napoli and is a doubt for the final.

Chiellini has been ruled out of the Berlin final having suffered a calf injury in training on 3 June.

On 4 June, Juve signed 21-year-old forward Paulo Dybala from US Città di Palermo for a fee that could rise as high as €40m.

Barcelona

Xavi became the first player to make 150 Uefa Champions League appearances when he featured as a substitute in the semifinal second leg against Bayern.

Five days after that 3-2 loss in Germany, Barcelona wrapped up their 23rd Liga title by winning 1-0 at Atlético.

The Azulgrana surrendered a two-goal lead when drawing 2-2 against visitors RC Deportivo La Coruña on the last day of the Liga season. Having recovered from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since the 2014 World Cup, Thomas Vermaelen made his Barcelona debut, playing 61 minutes.

Barça won a record-extending 27th Copa del Rey on 30 May, completing the club’s sixth domestic double, by beating Athletic 3-1 at the Camp Nou. Messi opened and rounded off the scoring, while Neymar was also on target.

Messi, Neymar and Suárez have scored 120 goals between them in all competitions this term, surpassing the 118 Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuaín managed for Real Madrid in 2011/12.

Messi has scored 58 goals this season – 43 in the Liga, 10 in the Uefa Champions League and five in the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona announced on 2 June that they had reached an agreement with Alba to extend the left-back’s contract until summer 2020.

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach

We started the season with an important objective – to get to the quarterfinals. Now we’ve got to the final and we have to be winners. We need to take the last step; that’s always hard, especially in a Champions League final.

Messi, Neymar, Suárez, it’s the usual question since the semifinal – how do you stop them, how do you stop them? We need to be very skilled but we need to recognise we’re not going to draw; we need to score. How do you stop Barcelona? We need to think how to score. We need to be strong technically because they’re a technical team and attack is their best weapon so we need to be very, very aware of that.

We need to stay focused for 90 minutes, right until the end. We need to be mentally strong and turn things around because we’re second favourites to Barcelona. It’s a one-off match, no chance to play again, so we need to be fit. We are physically fine and the same goes for our mental strength. We need to be good against a great team but, like all teams, they do have faults and weaknesses.

One of the two teams will win a treble, either Juventus or Barcelona – hopefully us. We need to recognise this isn’t easy. It’s not easy to manage great teams, despite how it seems from the outside. Luis Enrique was a great manager at Roma; this is a new league and a new situation but even back then it was clear he was right in his ideas. My role as manager is trying to add value to a team who were already capable, improving them even more.

It should be a great game. As with all Champions League finals, we’ll need some luck and we’ll need to work for that.

We’re very sorry for what happened to Chiellini but I guess it was meant to be. We lost a player who had been great for us from the start of the season. Barzagli and Ogbonna are both fit; if Barzagli feels OK he’s going to play, otherwise it’s Ogbonna.

It’s important that we have an Italian team in the final. The last time was five years ago, in 2010 when Inter won. We can see the enthusiasm; most Italians are looking forward to seeing Juventus lift the cup. This is going to be something positive for our game.

Irrespective of the outcome, we’ve had an extraordinary season. Apart from the league title and the 10th Coppa Italia, which had been missing for 20 years, we have to consider the consolidation of the team in Europe, getting back among the top eight teams. That’s important for building momentum.

Luis Enrique, Barcelona coach

[Getting better] is a normal process throughout a season, especially bearing in mind this is my first season in charge. The team is now where it wants to be – with two trophies and the possibility of a third. We’re entering this game with great excitement and hopes of playing a great match so we can be better than our opponents.

Midfield is where the game takes shape, whether that’s attack or defence. We have to dominate both the offensive and the defensive side of things. We want to play our game – have the ball, create danger and minimise any opportunities for our opponents.

There is some euphoria among the fans and we’re delighted to see that – that feeling has been there for several months. As players and coaches, we’re focusing on this match with a great sense of seriousness and responsibility. We have to handle the occasion properly and make sure we have a good day so we can deal with such powerful opponents.

I imagine we’ll have more possession, we hope to spend more time in their half. We’ll have to play at a high level, it’s going to be a difficult match. Juve have a very similar style to ours, they also need the ball. They’re very good in defence, they’re very resourceful and that’s why they’re in the same position as us – they can win the treble too. We know Juve will want and they’re going to pressure us. Who will win depends on who adapts better to those situations.

We’ve scored lots of goals in the Champions League but we know finals are very different; there’s a lot of tension so we’ll have to block that out. The strikers have got all the headlines and that’s natural. To be here today, having already won those two trophies in Spain, the players know you need a squad – we wouldn’t have got here without our defenders too.

We have a unique set of players, a unique generation given the number of trophies Barcelona have won. I hope we see a great final, an open, exciting game – that would be great for football, and the better side would win. This is going to be one of the best matches you can watch – the champions of Italy and Spain. It’s going to be spectacular.

Possible line-ups

Juventus (ITA) : Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba; Vidal; Tévez, Morata.

Doubtful: Barzagli (thigh)

Out: Chiellini (calf), Cáceres (ankle), Asamoah* (knee), Rômulo* (thigh)

*Removed from the list in January

Full 22-man squad for Berlin (named Thursday)

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Marco Storari, Rubinho

Defenders: Angelo Ogbonna, Andrea Barzagli, Paolo De Ceglie, Leonardo Bonucci, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Patrice Evra

Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Simone Pepe, Claudio Marchisio, Simone Padoin, Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Stefano Sturaro, Roberto Pereyra

Forwards: Álvaro Morata, Carlos Tévez, Kingsley Coman, Fernando Llorente, Alessandro Matri

Team news

Giorgio Chiellini

The centre-back has been ruled out due to a calf injury sustained in training on Wednesday. The 30-year-old underwent a scan on Thursday which showed up a first-grade tear.

Andrea Barzagli

Barzagli has not played since suffering a thigh strain against SSC Napoli on 23 May but returned to regular training on Wednesday and was named in the squad on Thursday. He remains doubtful, though Chiellini’s absence means he is very likely to start if fit and he did train on Friday at the Olympiastadion.

Paul Pogba

Injured his ankle on 18 March and only returned on 9 May. He has since played a total of 255 minutes in Serie A and 89 in the Uefa Champions League. “Hopefully he will be at his peak in Berlin,” said Allegri.

Martín Cáceres

The versatile defender has been out since fracturing his ankle in March, at which point he was ruled out for the season.

Álvaro Morata

A second-half substitute in last season’s final, when he helped Real Madrid CF overcome Club Atlético de Madrid, the young forward is expected to start this time around. “I feel in great form physically,” he said.

Roberto Pereyra

He is not expected to start in Berlin, but attacking midfielder Pereyra is certainly among those hitting form. After scoring in Juve’s last two Serie A matches of the season, he will probably be involved.

FC Barcelona (ESP): Ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar.

Doubtful: none

Out: none

Team news

Andres Iniesta

The midfielder was taken off in the second half of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club, but although he missed training on Tuesday, he insisted: “Not playing on Saturday has never crossed my mind.” Should Barcelona triumph, the 31-year-old will join Clarence Seedorf as the only player to have won the Uefa Champions League four times.

Luis Suárez

The Uruguayan missed Barcelona’s final two league matches with a hamstring problem but returned to the starting line-up for the Copa del Rey final and played 78 minutes before being replaced by Pedro Rodríguez, providing the assist for Neymar’s goal. He is in line to play in his first European final.

Xavi Hernández

After 17 years, the midfield metronome is hoping his final outing for Barcelona before he joins al-Sadd SC in Qatar will bring him a 25th piece of silverware with the club. “This one is special because it’s my last game for Barcelona,” he said. “I want to lift that trophy and dedicate it to all of Barcelona.”

Ivan Rakitic

Man of the match as Sevilla FC won the 2014 Uefa Europa League final, this is the Croatian’s first Uefa Champions League decider. “I played in a European final last year, but this is different,” he said. “I will try to not think too much about it and try to prepare as well as possible.”

Lionel Messi

The Argentinian has played all but 23 minutes of Barcelona’s Uefa Champions League campaign and if he scores in Berlin he will become the first player to find the net in three Uefa Champions League finals, having registered in the 2009 and 2011 wins against Manchester United FC.

Tariq Aziz, Ex-Saddam Hussein Aide, Dies in Iraqi

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 5, 2015

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Tariq Aziz, known as the face of Saddam Hussein’s regime on the world stage for many years, has died in an Iraqi prison, officials say.

Aziz, 79, served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and was a close adviser to the former leader.

He was sentenced to death by the Iraqi Supreme Court in 2010 for the persecution of religious parties under Saddam’s rule but was never executed.

Read also: Obama to meet Iraq PM, Buhari on G7 summit sidelines – W. House

He surrendered to US troops in 2003 shortly after the fall of Baghdad.

Aziz, who was known for his black-rimmed glasses and love of cigars, first came to prominence while serving as foreign minister during the first Gulf War in 1991.

As a Christian in a mainly Sunni Muslim government, he was not considered a member of Saddam Hussein’s innermost circle.

A fluent English speaker, he played a vocal role before the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, meeting Pope John Paul II in the Vatican to call for peace.

But when Baghdad fell, his lack of influence was reflected in his lowly ranking as the eight of spades in the US military’s famous “deck of cards” used to identify the most-wanted players in Saddam’s regime.

Read also: Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Onyeama Is Now Covid-19 Negative

Tariq Aziz was one of the most visible of Saddam Hussein’s lieutenants and, it seems, one of the most loyal.

He frequently represented Iraq on the international stage, speaking fluent English and giving a monstrous regime an urbane, often charming face. And like Saddam, he was often seen puffing on fat Cuban cigars.

When Iraq found itself in dock, as it did after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990, it invariably fell to Tariq Aziz to explain Saddam’s actions to an exasperated world. He did it doggedly, often infuriatingly, for decades.

As an ethnic Chaldean from northern Iraq, he was also the only Christian member of Saddam’s entourage, which made him useful as an envoy for an secular regime. It also made him an outsider in Baghdad.

Western diplomats never doubted his loyalty to Saddam, but wondered how much he really knew about his master’s secrets.

White House: Obama To meet Iraq PM, Buhari

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 5, 2015

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US President Barack Obama will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on the sidelines of a weekend Group of Seven summit in Germany, the White House said Thursday.

The meeting will allow Obama to discuss the “situation on the ground and our effort to support Iraqi forces,” senior White House aide Ben Rhodes told reporters in a conference call ahead of Obama’s trip.

The United States is leading an international coalition that is conducting air strikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, while also helping to train Iraqi forces.

Read also: Trump: G7 Meeting Has To Wait After November Polls

But it suffered a major setback May 17 when IS fighters captured the city of Ramadi in Iraq’s Sunni heartland, after its defenders fled.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter publicly questioned the Iraqis’ will to fight, and the US strategy has come under scrutiny.

Abadi was invited to meet with the leaders of the world’s top industrialized powers when they meet Sunday and Monday at a chateau south of Munich.

Also invited were several African leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country and its largest economy.

Read also: Nigerians React As Mamman Daura Is Flown Abroad For Treatment

Mikel Obi To Quit Chelsea For Dubai

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 4, 2015

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Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Chelsea v Aston Villa - Stamford Bridge — John Mikel Obi, Chelsea

Talks for Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi to join Ghana skipper, Asamoah Gyan, at Al Ain in Dubai, will begin tomorrow, AfricanFootball.com has revealed.

AfricanFootball.com was first to report that Mikel is now considering his future away from Stamford Bridge after playing a bit role in the past two seasons with ‘The Blues’.

Mikel representatives will meet with Al Ain officials tomorrow to begin negotiations for a possible transfer from the English Premier League for the Nigeria star.

Read also: Mikel Obi Completes Move To Stoke City

“Mikel’s representatives will begin discussions with Al Ain on Friday in Dubai over a possible transfer,” a source disclosed to only AfricanFootball.com “The player has sanctioned the meeting and may even be part of it. It is now left to be seen what the club will put on the table for him.”

The Nigeria midfielder, who has been at Chelsea since 2006 and still has a contract with London club Chelsea till June 2017, wants to secure his future financially and so the decision to possibly move to the backwater league in the United Arab Emirates for several millions of petro-dollars.

On Tuesday, Mikel featured for Chelsea when they piped Sydney 1-0 in a friendly played in Australia. He played the entire 90 minutes.

Read also: Dubai Police: Why We Arrested Instagram Billionaire, Hushpuppi, Real Name, Age Revealed

U.S. urges stiffer opposition to Nkurunziza’s third term bid

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 3, 2015

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The U.S. has urged east African states to send high-level representatives to Burundi to reiterate their opposition to President Pierre Nkurunziza third term bid and to press for free and fair elections.

State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said the U.S. opposed Nkurunziza’s decision to run for another term.
His ambition is in breach of the Arusha agreement that brought an end to the country’s civil war in 2005.

“The United States … encourages high-level visits from Burundi’s neighbors to Burundi to reiterate the importance of upholding the Arusha Agreement.

“The U.S also encourage ensuring the conditions necessary for free, fair, and credible elections are in place,” Kirby said in a statement.

More than 11,000 Burundians—about one percent of the country’s population—have already fled across the border for fear violence will spread outside the capital.

Kirby said Washington supported the outcome of a summit of African leaders in Tanzania on Sunday which called for a delay of at least a month and a half in the poll.

The summit of the East African Community included Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, and was joined by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma.

Nkurunziza’s decision has triggered the worst crisis in the small African country since 2005. It has raised concerns his desire could reignite ethnic violence. His opponents say he is violating the constitution, while supporters say a constitutional court ruling allows him to run.

Port Harcourt Refinery Embarks on Rehabilitation Programme

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 3, 2015

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Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Limited, has unveiled plans to embark on rehabilitation project to meet local needs of petroleum product in the country.

The Managing Director of the company, Dr. Bafred Audu Enjugu, said last week in Port Harcourt, that the management of the company, with support of the parent Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), have embarked on rehabilitation of Area I which hosts the crude distillation unit (CDU) to pave way for simultaneous operations and upgrade of other units ahead of July when crude supply to the plant is expected to be restored.

Read also: NNPC Set To Unveil COVID-19 Tracing App

According to Enjugu, Area I of the refining complex is prioritised because of process sequence while the optimization units such as the Catalytic Reformation Unit (CRU) and the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) are to be rehabilitated subsequently. The later units, he said, further process initial output of the CDU to produce premium products used for blending primary products of CDU to achieve products of high octane rating.

Enjugu explained that the contract could not progress when Technimont submitted outrageous charges and failed to provide performance guarantee for the job.

Pointing at the strategic economic and security importance of the refineries, Enjugu said that NNPC cannot give up on the refineries, and thus decided to mobilize its retired and active workforce as well as credible indigenous contractors with reputation of performance to take the challenge.

“The people are eager to prove that the plant can be recovered to full capacity, and I can tell you nobody knows the plant half as much as those who have spent their lifetime running it and maintaining it,” he pointed out.

On the standard of work, Enjugu said that all the technicians deployed in the work are skill certified, adding that their knowledge, experience, discipline and perseverance would be brought to bear on the job.

“On standards, I can tell you that it is more difficult not to comply than to comply,” he stressed, adding that the plants have sufficient intelligent sensors that call attention to errors, omissions and faults.

No lost time on injury is expected during the rehabilitation project, he explained, pointing out that safety experts from sister refineries of NNPC at Warri and Kaduna have been mobilised to Port Harcourt to assist during the entire period of the work.

Read also: Gale of Sacks Sweeps Through NNPC

On the values to be created by the ongoing rehabilitation of the plants, Enjugu pointed out that the strategy has afforded Nigerians the first full opportunity to handle a significant scope of refinery rehabilitation in the country, explaining that success of indigenous technicians at the job would resonate across Africa.

The Executive Director in charge of Operations at the Company, Engr. V. A. Ugochukwu, explained that the refinery had concentrated on production of low value products in the past because units that optimize full value production were not available due to long period without required Turn-Around Maintenance.

He said the company’s operations and maintenance team has robust experience to bring the plants to full operations, to add maximum value to crude oil, and pump out premium products to the market.

Executive Director in charge of Services at the complex, Ralph Ugwu, stated that the rehabilitation project is receiving full host community support and has seen unprecedented staff enthusiasm in tackling such an intricate and complicated challenge.

According to him, the rehabilitation work is to be carried out by indigenous workforce without compromising standards, adding that the project model would give full expression to the targets and objectives of the highly applauded Nigerian Content policy which, he explained, has been very successful in the upstream sector of the petroleum industry.

Buhari Consults Nigerien, Chadian Leaders Today over Boko Haram

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 3, 2015

0

UK Warns Of Possible Terror Attacks In 12 Nigerian States

AS consultations continue on all political fronts for appointment of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief of Staff (COS) and others, President Muhammadu Buhari will fly out today to meet his Nigerien and Chadian counterparts.Service Chiefs had yesterday briefed him on the security situation in the country.

The President yesterday, also submitted a list of 15 advisers to the Senate, the upper chamber of the Federal legislature, which is due to be dissolved next week when the new National Assembly (NASS) will be inaugurated.The new NASS may not be proclaimed on Friday as expected.

The President’s visit to Niger and Chad is to sustain the co-operation and agreement Nigeria had initiated with her neighbours during former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The meeting with the security chiefs, it was learnt, was to enable them brief him on the security situation in the country which in the past 24 hours had been jolted by Boko Haram insurgents who struck yesterday, when a suicide bomber at about 11.15 a.m., detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the Maiduguri Cattle Market abattoir, killing 25 people and injuring more than 35 others.

Among the Service Chiefs present at the meeting coordinated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd) were the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase..

Emerging from the meeting which lasted for more than three hours, the Naval chief told reporters they used the opportunity to give the President comprehensive details of the security situation in the country and the level of successes so far recorded by the armed forces in their battle against the insurgents.

“Since he was inaugurated as the President of Nigeria and our Commander-in-chief, this is the first time that we have formally met to give him a general security briefing of the country.”

The CNS confirmed that the Armed Forces was putting structures in place to comply with the President’s directive at his inauguration that the command structure be relocated to Maiduguri, saying: “We are the ones to go back and work on it. Soon it will be carried out, it is a Presidential directive.

“On the Boko Haram issue, we told him of the level of successes being recorded and we want to maintain the tempo until the insurgents are routed.

“We are sustaining the tempo and the successes we have recorded so far, we want to continue to maintain that and if there is any suggested solutions that require amendments or alteration of what we’re doing, why not?

“All Nigerians should continue to support the military and provide us with necessary intelligence which should be reported to the police and the police will make it available to us.
15 Presidential Advisers .

In a letter dated June 2, 2015 and addressed to the Senate President, David Mark, the President said: “Pursuant to the provision of Section 151 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which confers on me, the power to appoint Special Advisers to assist me in the performance of my functions, I write to request for the kind consideration and approval of the Distinguished Members of the Senate of the Federal Republic to appoint 15 Special Advisers as prescribed in Section 151 (2-3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In a related development, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has written to Buhari to allow him nominate a competent candidate to fill the state’s ministerial slot.

Fayose’s letter dated May 31, 2015, said that if his request is granted by the President, he would nominate a worthy and competent Ekiti professional for appointment in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

“Should the request be favourably disposed to, I shall be happy to nominate a worthy and competent professional who can always oblige your Excellency and your cabinet the benefit of a second opinion in the serious business of governance.”

He noted that he wrote the letter based on the declaration made by the President that he would put the overall interest of the country above every other particularly political partisanship and biases.

The governor also hinted that his letter was on the strength of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 147 sub (2) and (3) which therefore state as follows: (2) Any appointment to the office of the Minister of the government of the Federation shall if the nomination of any such person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.

(3) Any appointment under sub- section (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provision of Section 15 (3) of this constitution provided that in giving effect to the provision aforesaid, the President shall appoint at least one minister from each state who shall be indigene of such state.

Fayose who stressed that Ekiti is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated state, added that in the spirit of an all inclusive government with capacity for national integration the President should accord him the honour and privilege to name the minister from Ekiti State.

He explained that his request was not new, saying that the late Chief Bola Ige who was the leader of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Abdukadri were appointed minister and special adviser respectively by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.

Swedish Publisher Re-Elected President of WAN-IFRA

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 3, 2015

0

Tomas Brunegård, former Chairman and CEO of the Stampen Media Group in Sweden, has been re-elected President of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) for a two-year term.

Michael Golden, Vice Chairman of The New York Times, was elected Vice President and is in line for the Presidency when Mr Brunegård’s term ends in June 2017.

They were elected by WAN-IFRA members on Tuesday during the organization’s World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and World Advertising Forum in Washington, D.C. More than 900 publishers, chief editors and other senior news executive are attending the events, which continue through Wednesday. The conferences can be followed on the conference blog or on Twitter, #wnc15 #editors15.

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During his initial two-year term, Mr Brunegård supported a host of new initiatives, including the organization’s new Global Alliance for Media Innovation, increased cooperation with media industry stakeholders including advertisers, broadcasters, and digital players, development of services in growing markets, and strengthening World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers’s role in Europe and in the Americas.

“The role of WAN-IFRA as a global, independent voice for press freedom is more important than ever,” said Mr Brunegård. “In many countries around the world, media are facing threats not only from censorship, attacks and surveillance, but also to their basic business models as well. This restricts their ability to carry out their societal role. And, more and more, these challenges occur not only under repressive regimes, but in democratic societies as well.”

Mr Brunegård is Vice Chairman of Skäreleja AB, the majority owner of Stampen Group, and is a Board member of Mentor Medier AS in Norway, Fojo Media Institute in Sweden and Swedish Radio AB. He was CEO and chairman of the Stampen Group from 1996 to 2014, chairman of the Swedish Media Association (TU) from 2008 to 2013, and has been WAN-IFRA President since 2013.

Mr Golden has been Vice Chairman of The New York Times and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since 1997. He served as president and chief operating officer of The New York Times Company Regional Media Group from 2009 to January 2012, and was publisher of the International Herald Tribune, now the International New York Times, from 2003 to 2008.

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Mr Golden is chairman of the board of directors for the International Center for Journalists, a non profit organization that raises journalism standards through training workshops, seminars, fellowships and international exchanges. Additionally, Mr. Golden serves on the boards of The Associated Press and the Newspaper Association of America.

Ten new members were also elected to the Board of WAN-IFRA: José Roberto Dutriz, Executive Chairman of Grupo Dutriz in El Salvador;Ricardo Hepp, President of the Chilean Newspaper Publishers Association (ANP); Michèle Leridon, Global News Director for Agence France-Presse, representing the news agencies; Markus Mair, CEO of Styria Media in Austria; Jose Manuel Lozano y Orus, Senior Advisor to Heraldo de Aragón in Spain; Geert-Jan van der Snoek, Chief Executive Officer of Telegraaf Media Group, representing NDP Nieuwsmedia in The Netherlands; Sture Bergman, President and CEO of Västerbottens-Kuriren Media in Sweden, Neo Momodu, Head of Corporate Affairs, Media 24, South Africa, Miguel Henrique Otero, editor and publisher of El Nacional, and Vice-President of the Venezuelan Publishers Association, and Gerald Grünberger, Managing Director of the Austrian Newspaper Association, representing Directors of Member Associations of WAN-IFRA.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore and India, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter Calls For Election To Appoint His Successor

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 2, 2015

0

FIFA President Sepp Blatter Calls For Election To Appoint His Successor

FIFA President Sepp Blatter will step down as head of world soccer’s governing body but only after the organization’s executive committee organizes a fresh vote “for the election of my successor,” he said Tuesday.

He did not say when the election would be held but said it should be as soon as possible and before the next World Congress in May 2016

Speaking in Zurich, Blatter said the reforms he has tried to implement over the years have not been enough.

“I have thoroughly thought about my presidency and the 40 years FIFA has played in my life. I love FIFA more than anything else and I only want to do the best. I decided to stand again for election for the good of football,” he sad, referring to his re-election Friday.

However, he said, his “mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody.”

Africa Gets Second Female President in Mauritius

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 2, 2015

0

The government of Mauritius on Monday designated Ameenah Gurib-Fakim as the Indian Ocean island nation’s new president, making her the first woman to hold the ceremonial position.

The appointment of Gurib-Fakim, an internationally-renowned scientist and biologist, is subject to parliament approval, due to take place on Thursday.

The opposition has said it will support her appointment, making the vote a mere formality.

Her inauguration is expected to take place on Friday, officials said.

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Gurib-Fakim, 56, will be the first female president of the island, which gained independence from Britain in 1968 and which replaced Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state in 1992.

Former president Kailash Purryag, who had been put in place by the previous government, stepped down as the island’s figurehead on Friday.

He had served as president since July 2012, when he was appointed by the island’s previous Labour party government of former premier Navin Ramgoolam.

The previous government had fought the elections on a platform of delivering constitutional reform — notably with a divisive proposal to strengthen presidential powers.

Ramgoolam himself had hoped to eventually run for the new, strengthened position. Since his election defeat Purryag has been seen as an unwanted figurehead, while Ramgoolam has been embroiled in corruption allegations that have shocked the country.

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Mauritius is one of the richest — and least corrupt — countries in Africa, a middle-income country of some 1.3 million people with a per capita GDP of just over $9,000 (7,200 euros).

Once dependent on sugar exports, the island has built up a strong outsourcing and financial services sector, and an important tourism industry.

60 Reforms Implemented To Diversify Nigeria’s Economy – Aganga

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 2, 2015

0

The former minister of industry, trade and investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, has said that over 60 reforms and 12 game- changing programmes were implemented within the last four years of former President Goodluck Jonathan administration to diversify the revenue base of the economy.

Aganga stated this while speaking at a send off dinner in his honour organised by the chief executive of parastatals under the ministry yesterday in Abuja.

The minister said that if the country were to continue on the path of industrialisation there was the need for the new administration to sustain the reforms.

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He said a discontinuance of the reforms would do the country no good as it would send a signal that the nation was still not ready for the diversification of the economy. He noted that other countries that relied solely on oil have been able to diversify their economy by aggressively implementing key reforms for at least eight to nine years.

“We have implemented more than 12 game changers and more than 60 reforms to enable us diversify the economy and the revenue resources of the government so that we will no longer rely on oil alone. So I would hope and pray that we continue strictly with the implementation of the industrial revolution plan. That is the only thing that will diversify the revenue sources of this country.

“Countries that rely only on one product that have successfully diversified have stayed on the same programme for eight to nine years. We need to keep to the same programme. The only thing I need to plead with the new administration is let’s to stay on this path for the next eight or nine years. We have set the pace with the reforms, all that is needed is continued implementation for the next eight to nine years,” he said.

The heads of parastatals who also spoke at the dinner said the minister had been able to transform the ministry to enviable heights.

For instance, the director-general, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs Dupe Atoki said, “He has encouraged us to move the bar of CPC forward towards protecting consumers and that is the traits of a good leader that will make you move forward to attain the height that you need to achieve.”

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In his contribution, the permanent secretary, Ambassador, Abdulkadir Musa, stated that the minister initiated what could be described as “Zero Oil Policies,” adding that the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP), would put Nigeria at a level where oil would become secondary.

“Aganga is a deliberate choice by the federal government to place square pegs in square holes and this has paid off very well,” he added.

UPDC revs construction on Abuja’s Pinnacle estate

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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June 2, 2015

0

AFTER one and half years of kick-starting a residential scheme in the heart of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, construction activities are nearing completion, as the developer, UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc, has increased pace of works to deliver its classic residential project, known as Pinnacle Estate.

The Pinnacle is a housing masterpiece located on 4,996 square meters on 1, River Potoka Close, Off Madeira Street in the prime area of Maitama, Abuja.

With its presence in an area with the most profitable value per square land area in Nigeria, Pinnacle residential project, provides a harmonious habitation lifestyle balance with a two-minute drive to the ever popular Maitama fruit market and commercial hub with notable banks domicile within the environ.

The premium development comprises of 27 luxury apartments made of 20 units of three-bedroom, four units of four-bedroom flats and two units of four-bedroom maisonnette and a unit of one bedroom apartment respectively. Roofing of the units had been completed, and work has moved to the finishing stages particularly the tiling and delivery is slated for September.

All the units are to have luxury finish and come equipped with fitted kitchens and air conditioners. The apartments are an excellent choice for growing families, a perfect getaway for retired couples, who desire a place to enjoy their retirement and a fantastic accommodation for those who desire five-star living in Abuja, said the developer. The estate alters an extremely secure environment with state of the art finishing, appliances and conveniences. It is designed as a totally private place to be.

The location is an exclusive part of the town, which is home to many foreign embassies in Nigeria. It is planned for the high-end echelon of society and business has the reputation of being very exclusive. It is also home to notable places such as Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Ministers’ Hill, The Dunes, and the Millennium Park among others. It is near enough to exclusive boutiques / shopping centres and yet lacking the hustle of city life.

The apartments are well planned and laid to make family living easy and comfortable. The furnishing and fittings are excellent. The Pinnacle is equipped to the tilt with state of the art facilities that provide comfort and convenience including gym, swimming pool and children’s playground. The estate is designed with beautiful landscape filled with ample trees and high vegetation, thus providing a calm environment with a serene ambience, healthy home and general wellbeing.

Recreational facilities at the estate include a fully fitted, stylishly designed, gym, pool and pool bar. Power for the estate will be generated from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company through a safe, compact, complete transformer, RMU and MD meter unit. There will also be two Caterpillar generators with 650 and 410 kva capacities to ensure power supply 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

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Final pedigree

This is also Barcelona’s eighth European Cup final and their record is W4 L3:

Previous meetings

Match Background

Venue notes

Match facts

Possible line-ups

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