Is this for real - Arsene Wenger Tipped To Replace Zidane At Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid in shock departure days after winning third successive Champions League making room for the club to ponder on whom to hire as replacement.

Arsene Wenger is the bookmakers favourite to replace Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid boss.

Real are on the hunt for a new manager after Zidane announced he would leave the club.

The Frenchman won the Champions League for a third successive season as his side beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev on Saturday but he has decided to step down.

Wenger meanwhile left Arsenal at the end of last season, after nearly 22 years as manager. Wenger has however insisted he has no plans to retire and has emerged as the surprise 3/1 favourite with many bookmakers.

The bookies meanwhile believe his main rival for the job will be his former north London rival Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentinian has been linked with the Real top job for some time but has recently signed a new deal at Tottenham.

Pochettino is yet to win a major trophy which could work against him but the former Espanyol boss has been praised for his approach and for promoting young talent.

He made suggestions towards the end of the season that he could depart Tottenham but his fresh five-year deal makes that unlikely given just how much compensation Real would have to pay.

READ ALSO: Zidane steps down as Manager

Real Madrid Set To Announce Tottenham’s Pochettino As New Manager

Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez has identified Zinedine Zidane’s replacement.

Perez reportedly wants Tottenham boss, Mauricio Pochettino to replace the Frenchman who announced his resignation from the club on Thursday morning.

The 45-year-old called an unexpected press conference, where he broke the news of his decision to quit.

Spanish news outlet, Don Balon, reports that Tottenham’s Pochettino is set to be Zidane’s replacement, adding that he could be announced as the new Real boss in the coming days.

Real will contact Tottenham in the coming days to open talks over signing of Pochettino.

Speaking about his decision to quit Real, Zidane said, “I spoke to him [Perez] to explain a little what I was thinking at the moment.

“First for me, the squad, the club I think it’s a bit of a weird moment but an important one that is good for everyone.

“What I think is that this team needs to continue winning but I think it needs a change, a different voice, another methodology and that’s why I took this decision.

“I love this club and the president who gave me the chance to play for this club and manage the club of my dreams.

“But everything changes and that’s why I’ve taken the decision to leave.

“After doing three years, it’s the right decision. I understand, and what I can do is thank the fans not only as a coach but as a player they have always supported me.

“I have a special love for this fanbase. I thank you all for your support and there are difficult times when there are whistles but that is part of this club.

“I think at times the players need it, when you have a difficult time you have to front up occasionally. When the fans spur us on, that’s important.”

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Zidane Steps Down As Manager Of Real Madrid After Winning Champions League!

Zinedine Zidane confirms he is stepping down as Real Madrid boss, five days after leading them to a third straight Champions League triumph, claiming the club needs “a different voice”.

Zidane told a news conference that “everything changes” and “that’s why I took this decision”.

He leaves having guided the Spanish club to three successive Champions League titles and one La Liga success since taking over in January 2016.

“I love this club,” he added.

“What I think is that this team needs to continue winning but I think it needs a change, a different voice, another methodology. And that’s why I took this decision.”

Zidane, 45, took over after Rafael Benitez was sacked and was in charge for 149 games. He steered Real to 104 wins and 29 draws, and had 69.8% win rate.

He said in February that he would walk away if he felt “there is nothing more to give”.

However, the timing of his announcement still came as a shock just days after Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in the Champions League final.

READ ALSO: Arsene Wenger reveals how Arsenal can win the Premier leaque next season

Did You Know: 6 Million People Die From Smoking Globally Every Year?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) latest data says that smoking is responsible for the death of about six million people across the world each year with many of the deaths occurring prematurely.

According to the report, no fewer that 1.1 billion people are smokers in the world today, the same number as at the turn of the century.

WHO’s ‘Global Report on Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Smoking 2000-2025’, coincided with World No Tobacco Day 2018 observed every May 31.

The report states: “Tobacco is the only legal drug that kills many of its users when used exactly as intended by manufacturers.

“WHO has estimated that tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) is currently responsible for the death of about six million people across the world each year with many of the deaths occurring prematurely.

“This total includes about 600,000 people that are also estimated to die from the effects of second-hand smoking.

“Although often associated with ill-health, disability and death from non-communicable chronic diseases, tobacco smoking is also associated with an increased risk of death from communicable diseases’’.

The global health agency, in the report by health experts, said spreading the message that tobacco caused deadly illnesses such as heart disease and stroke helped prevent “needless” loss of life.

WHO warned that tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke were “major causes” of cardiovascular disease, contributing to three million deaths annually.

It said lack of awareness about the risks of tobacco use was most common in low and middle-income countries.

The report said in China, more than six out of 10 people were unaware that smoking could cause a heart attack while in India and Indonesia, more than half of all adults did not know that the habit could lead to a stroke.

Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director, Department for the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases at WHO, said tobacco use was falling globally but it still killed more than seven million people a year.

“Progress is uneven in protecting consumers from the tobacco industry,’’ Bettcher said.

He explained that higher income countries were making “faster progress” than their poorer counterparts at protecting consumers, partly owing to stronger regulations.

“In spite of the apparent lack of progress in tackling the total number of smokers, the report highlighted that only one in five people smoked today, compared to more than one in four, 18 years ago.

“The decline was masked by the world’s growing population.’’

On efforts to encourage people to quit, the UN health expert warned that only around 12 per cent countries were on track to meet global targets to reduce by one-third the number of people dying from non-communicable diseases by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

In a bid to promote a healthy heart, the WHO wanted every one of its 194 Member States to implement a series of increasingly strict tobacco control measures.

These include making indoor public and workplaces smoke-free and insisting that tobacco packaging carries warnings that demonstrate the health risks for users.

“The good news is that these deaths are preventable and we know what needs to be done,’’ Bettcher said.

He named Ireland and Uruguay as countries that had achieved the highest level of tobacco control before, adding that since 2007, the number of people around the world to have benefited from these measures has more than quadrupled, from one billion to five billion. (NAN)

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Don’t Run Against Me, Buhari Tells Youths As He Signs Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday advised Nigerian youths to postpone their presidential ambitions till after 2019.

Buhari, who has declared his interest in seeking re-election during the 2019 elections, gave the advice shortly after signing Not-Too-Young-to-Run Bill into law at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He described the bill as a landmark law, noting that the bill showed that the youth can achieve anything they conceive if they work hard at it.

The new law lowers the constitutional age limits for aspirants to presidential and legislative positions in the country, as clamoured for by a majority of young Nigerians.

It reduces the age qualification for the office of the President from 40 years to 30 years; House of Representatives from 30 to 25; and State House of Assembly from 30 to 25.

The signing took place at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Villa, in the presence of the NTYTR group of under-35 young Nigerians drawn from across the country, led by Mr Samson Itodo.

In his remarks after signing the law, Buhari canvassed for an additional amendment to reduce the age limits for aspiring governors and senators, which was proposed but not reflected in the final bill he had just signed into law.

He said the signing of the bill was not the end of the journey but the beginning of more work to be done to get younger persons into government.

READ ALSO: President Buhari advises Nigerian youths on what to do

The Only Nigerian University Currently Among Top 1000 In The World

The only Nigerian university to rank among the top 1000 in the world has been revealed in this new report.

According to a report by PM News, the University of Ibadan (UI) is the only Nigerian university to rank among the top 1,000 universities in the world.

The premier Nigerian university is ranked 991st worldwide, and 14th in Africa, according to the 2018/19 edition of the global rankings released on Monday by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR).

Apart from UI, no other Nigerian university is listed in the CWUR’s global ranking.

Seven universities from South Africa, four from Egypt, and one each from Uganda and Tunisia are also in the list.

Harvard University, United States, for the seventh year in a row, has been ranked as the top global university by the CWUR.

Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in the U.S, are ranked second and third respectively.

University of Cambridge, U.K, is ranked fourth, while the University of Oxford, also in the U.K, is ranked fifth.

Among the top 10 universities are University of California, Berkeley, U.S (sixth); Princeton University, U.S (seventh); Columbia University, U.S (eighth); California Institute of Technology, U.S (ninth); and the University of Chicago, U.S (10th).

The U.S leads with 213 universities in the top 1000, followed by China (108), the United Kingdom (62), France (58), and Japan (56).

Germany (54), Italy (45), Spain (38), South Korea (35), and Canada (28) round up the top 10 countries.

In total, 61 countries have representatives in the top 1000.

“CWUR’s rankings grade universities on seven factors without relying on surveys and university data submissions: quality of teaching, alumni employment, quality of faculty, research output, quality publications, influence, and citations,” CWUR said in a press statement.

“The methodology has been enhanced this year, with research now accounting for 70 percent of the total score.”

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Is This A Secondary School Or A University That Offers Bsc. Degree – Crawford University Students Blow Out

Students of crawford university has called their school a secondary school that offers Bsc degree due to the following occurrences in the school.

On Wednesday, 30th of May 2018, there was a dispute between a student and a porter in the female hostel.

It was gathered that although there was an incident where another student was slapped by a porter but it was not reported, it was only addressed by some specific individuals.

However, this girl went on behalf of the students to tell the porters that there was no water in the hostel.

One of the hostel porters responded by asking the student to leave but she refused to which infuriated her.

This led to the porter making use of a broom to beat her which left several marks on the student’s arm.

This led to an uproar in the female hostel as students came out to protest the action.

It started with a little gathering but later became uncontrollable as noises grew louder.

Another porter, Wura, asked the students if they didn’t have mothers at home thereby making matters worse.

Upon hearing that, the students got angrier while security officers tried to calm the atmosphere but this was to no avail.

The assistant DSA, Mr Taiwo Oyeneye together with Mr Ogunwa also tried talking to the students but it ended in futility.

The uproar came to a cease when the Vice Chancellor stepped into the hostel with his officers.

This brought about great joy and students kept chanting, “she must go”.

He assured the students that adequate measures would be taken and took with him five other students to hear their grievances on behalf of the Students and yet till now weve not heard anything neither was any action taken

Before this time, a 200 level student was assaulted by the security officials on Sunday and was still given immediate suspension indefinitely. This might be one of the reasons why the uproar was that much.

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Ex-Taraba Governor Jailed 14 Years For Fraud

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced a former Taraba State governor, Jolly Nyame, to 14 years in prison without an option of fine.

Mr Nyame was found guilty of 27 out of 41 counts of alleged diversion of public funds while he served as governor of Taraba State.

He was charged by EFCC for allegedly diverting N1.64 billion while he served as governor between 1999 to 2007.

The judge sentenced the defendant to four different terms in prison, after finding him guilty of receiving gratification, obtaining public funds without due consideration, criminal breach of trust and gratification.

The various sentences include a time of prison for two, five, seven and 14 years respectively.

The judge Adebukola Banjoko however noted that the terms are expected to run concurrently, meaning he would serve 14 years in jail unless the conviction is upturned by a higher court.

In the lengthy judgement that lasted over four hours, the judge narrated how several witnesses brought to court by both parties corroborated the allegation of fraud against the defendant.

The EFCC presented various witnesses who alluded to the fact that Mr Nyame approved the diversion of various funds amounting to over N345 million to a company, Saman global, within five weeks in 2005, among other allegations.

The court held that Nyame is guilty of over half of the charges. According to the judge, Adebukola Bankole, the actions of the perpetrators under the watch of the ex-governor can be likened to the story of Alibaba and the 40 thieves.

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Expert: How to protect your smartphone from hackers

Mr Nosa Igiebor, a Mobile Engineer with Microsoft Nigeria, has advised Smartphone users to familiarise themselves with security features in their phones to safeguard them against hackers or theft.

Igiebor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that users should also visit the official Android website to learn more about their phones and the security features in them.

A mobile engineer develops and builds software applications for mobile devices; some can also specialise in Android or Internal Operating Systems (IOS) applications.

“Cyber-criminals are increasingly targeting your mobile device because it contains valuable data such as banking passwords and usernames, e-commerce and social media log-ins, and personal information that can be used in identity theft scams.

“ The good news is that a few simple best practices can safeguard your data against the most common cyber-threats, including malware, phishing and hacking.

“There are a few simple steps users can take to improve Smartphone security,’’ he said.

The expert urged Smartphone owners to always lock their phones using a pin, saying “it is simple, safe and reliable and remains the best way to safeguard devices when not in use.’’

“The biggest mobile security risk is the loss or theft of one’s Smartphone and in such a case it is better to prevent a thief from accessing personal data such as social media, online banking details or by making unexpected calls from the lost phone.

“It is better to lock our mobile devices with a code or fingerprint recognition,’’ he said.

Igiebor discouraged phone users from downloading applications from unofficial websites but should stick to getting apps from an official store such as the Google Play Store.

“All Android apps undergo rigorous security testing before appearing in the Google Play Store. That means it is rare for a third party app to make its way onto the Google Play Store which has not been through security checks.

“Phone users can also install an antivirus app for extra peace of mind. There are some good, free of charge offerings like Avast Mobile Security Antivirus, as well as affordable paid-for apps from the likes of Trend Micro and Norton Mobile Security.

“Google’s own Google Play Protect does a good job of scanning your device and keeping it clear of malware and you can also install a third-party antivirus app that identifies known threats and prevents them from compromising your device or data,‘’ he said.

The expert also advised phone users to turn off wireless connections when not in use and to be wary of online log-ins.

“Turn off wireless connections that you’re not using such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

“This will not only stop hackers from accessing data on your phone, it will also help you conserve battery life,’’ he said.

According to him, the Android Smartphone is designed to be secure and includes many features to protect user’s personal information from thieves and scammers.

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Samsung to pay Apple $533 million for design theft

A US federal court jury has ordered Samsung to pay Apple $533 million for copying iPhone design features in a patent case dating back seven years.

Jurors tacked on an additional $5 million in damages for a pair of patented functions. The award appeared to be a bit of a victory for Apple, which had argued in court that design was essential to the iPhone.

The case was keenly watched as a precedent for whether design is so important that it could actually be considered the “article of design” even in a product as complex as a smartphone.

“We don’t think it is supported by the evidence,” Samsung attorney John Quinn told US District Court Judge Lucy Koh after the verdict was read in her courtroom in Silicon Valley on Thursday.

“We have every concern about the determinations about the article of manufacture.”

Quinn declined an offer by the judge to send jurors back for further deliberation, saying Samsung would pursue post-trial motions to address its concerns about the verdict.

Juror Christine Calderon said the panel agreed that one of the design patents — the grid of colored icons — did represent the whole phone, while the other two at issue in the trial were seen as the display assembly that gave the iPhone its look.

She compared it to the Mona Lisa: “you use the paint, but it is not the article of manufacture.”

“I had to really think about it,” the 26-year-old Calderon, a technical writer, said after Koh dismissed the jury.

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President Buhari: Federal government disburses N42 billion UBE matching grant to 26 states, FCT

The Federal Government has disbursed N42.2 billion Universal Basic Education (UBE) Matching Grant to 26 States and the FCT to ensure proper funding at the country’s basic education level.

President Muhammadu Buhari made this known in a nationwide broadcast to mark the 19th anniversary of Nigeria’s nascent democracy and the 3rd anniversary of his administration in Abuja on Tuesday.

He announced that N851.5 million Special Education Grant was also disbursed to 23 states and private providers of Special Education, and N2.2 billion Teachers Professional Development Fund to 33 States and the FCT.

He reassured that the APC-led federal government would continue to support the implementation of various initiatives aimed at improving the quality of basic education delivery in the country.

He further observed that the education sector especially at tertiary level had continued to witness expansion in order to improve access to higher education by millions of youths in Nigeria.

“Over the last three years, Government has approved the establishment of one new Federal Polytechnic, granted licenses for the establishment of four State and 14 private-owned Universities as well as 12 private Polytechnics,’’ he added.

The president said the federal government had continued to support fiscal sustainability at the sub-national governments through the implementation of the Budget Support Facility which was accompanied by the 22-point Fiscal Sustainability Plan.

He stated that bailout funds were made available to States to ease their fiscal challenges and other obligations including payment of salaries.

He added that 73 Ecological Fund projects for the control of gully erosion in different communities across all geopolitical zones had been completed in the last three years and were undergoing commissioning.

Besides, the president disclosed that 53 other projects were ongoing, saying that the execution of these projects had generated 357 skilled jobs and 1,350 unskilled jobs during this period.

Buhari saluted Nigerian women for their contributions to economic growth and development of the country.

He said: “It is pertinent to also make mention of the immeasurable contributions of the Nigerian woman to national development and advancement of democracy, over the last three years.

“The government and people appreciate you all as mothers of our great country.

“My dear country men and women, as we all celebrate our democratic experience, let us resolve to avoid hatred and intolerance; we can only achieve our objectives in an atmosphere of harmony and peaceful co-existence.’’

The president expressed optimism that the up-coming months would usher the nation into another season of general elections.

He, therefore, urged all citizens to conduct themselves at both wards and constituency levels with the utmost sense of fairness, justice and peaceful co-existence to ensure not only hitch-free elections, but also a credible and violence free process.

“In few days to come, I will be joined by many promising young Nigerians to sign into law the `Not Too Young to Run’ Bill,’’ the president said.

READ ALSO: We are going to tackle unemployment, and creat jobs for the youths

US Based Nigerian Big Boy Arrested & Jailed Over N290m Internet Scam

Samson Olugbenga Oyekunle aka Evertipsysmiley, a 34-year-old Nigerian man who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to prison for his involvement in numerous Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes. Samson Olugbenga Oyekunle pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud Oct, 6, 2017.

Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon ordered Oyekunle to serve 63 months in federal prison. He initially came to the United States on a student visa, but not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face deportation proceedings following his sentence.

At the hearing today, a victim spoke before the court as to how this case has devastatingly affected him and his law practice. Judge Harmon further ordered Oyekunle to pay restitution to the victims he defrauded.

BEC fraud is a sophisticated fraud targeting businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising legitimate business e-mail accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds.

The front end fraud of these BEC schemes originates from international locations.

The fraudsters will use the method most commonly associated with their victim’s normal business practices and make victims believe the emails are coming from a legitimate source.

Others, such as Oyekunle, working within the conspiracy open bank accounts with counterfeit passports that are being funded with fraudulent BEC wire transfers. These domestic bank accounts are a crucial component of the fraud scheme being a success.

From on or about Jan. 1, 2016, through February 2, 2017, Samson Oyekunle was involved in numerous BEC schemes. Co-conspirators, working outside the United States, caused funds obtained through a variety of BEC schemes to be wire transferred into the various bank accounts Oyekunle fraudulently opened.

Oyekunle would open bank these bank accounts in or around the Houston area with counterfeit passports in order to facilitate fraud payments into these accounts. Oyekunle opened numerous bank accounts at several financial institutions including Chase Bank, Bank of America, Capital One Bank, First National Bank of Texas, and Wells Fargo Bank.

A total of 30 fraudulent wire transfers totaling $823,765 were taken from victims across the United States under false pretenses and were deposited into these accounts.

Oyekunle has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

READ ALSO: Full text of President Buhari speech on Democracy Day

Democracy Day - Read Full Text Of President Buhari`s Speech

Address By Muhammadu Buhari, President Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria In Commemoration Of The 2018 Democracy Day Celebration, Tuesday, 29th May, 2018.

My Dear Nigerians!

Today marks the 19th year of our nascent democracy and the 3rd Anniversary of this administration. I am thankful to Almighty God for bringing us thus far. This administration came at a time that Nigerians needed Change, the Change we promised and the Change we continue to deliver. We have faced a lot of challenges on this journey and Nigerians have stood by us in achieving the three cardinal points of this administration namely; Security, Corruption and the Economy.

The commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day is a celebration of freedom, a salute to the resilience and determination of Nigerians and a recommitment by Government to keep its promise to lead Nigeria into a new era of justice and prosperity.

Public safety and security remains the primary duty of this Government. Before this Administration came into being 3 years ago, Boko Haram held large areas of land spanning several Local Governments in the North East.

Today, the capacity of the insurgents has been degraded leading to the re-establishment of authority of government and the release of captives including, happily, 106 Chibok and 104 Dapchi girls, and over 16,000 other persons held by the Boko Haram.

In order to minimize the impact of the insurgency on Internally Displaced Persons, Government has established secure IDP Camps and has improved the mechanism for the distribution of basic aid, foods and essential commodities using various strategies in collaboration with local and international Organizations.

Efforts are in process for resettlement of IDPs in their home communities by providing schools, hospitals, clinics, water and sanitation to facilitate a quick return to economic activities. Government is similarly implementing de-radicalization and rehabilitation programmes to facilitate sustainable peace and development.

The unfortunate incidences of kidnappings, herdsmen and farmers clashes in several communities which have led to high number of fatalities and loss of properties across the country is being addressed and the identified culprits and their sponsors shall be made to face the full wrath of the law. All the three tiers of Government are presently engaged with communities and religious organizations to restore peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

I want to commend members of the Multinational Joint Task Force drawn from Niger, Benin, Chad, Cameroon and our own country in collaboration with the International Community who are assisting in the fight against insurgency in the North East. I also commend the gallantry of members of our Armed Forces and other security agencies that have continued to provide security for lives and properties across the country. State and Local traditional authorities are helping with much needed intelligence in this fight against insurgency.

This administration is pained over the grievous loss of lives and properties occasioned by the carnage of insurgency and other forms of criminality in the country. I wish to assure Nigerians that we will not rest until all criminal elements and their sponsors are brought to justice. Government is boosting the capacity of our security agencies through recruitment of more personnel, training and procurement of modern equipment, enhancement of intelligence gathering as well as boosting their morale in the face of daunting challenges.

The Niger Delta Region has enjoyed relative peace through social inclusiveness and cooperation of the Elders and the good people of the region. Government is committed to implementing the comprehensive peace, security and development plan for the region. The environmental clean-up of the region which commenced with the launch in Bodo, Ogoni in June 2016 is progressing satisfactorily. Furthermore, farming assets are being revived and investors in cocoa and palm oil plantations are showing serious interest.

The second primary object of this Administration is to fight corruption headlong. Like I have always said, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will destroy the country. Three years into this Administration, Nigerians and the international community have begun to applaud our policies and determination to fight corruption. We are more than ever before determined to win this war, however hard the road is. I, therefore, appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians to continue to support us in this fight.

Various policy measures already put in place to stem the tide of corrupt practices are yielding remarkable results. Some of these key reform policies include:

The Treasury Single Account (TSA) has realized Billions of Naira being saved from maintenance fee payable to banks. N200 Billion has also been saved from elimination of ghost workers in public service.

The Whistle-Blowing Policy has helped to recover over N500 Billion.

The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit set up with a mandate to validate controls, assess risks, prune personnel costs, ensure compliance with Public Financial Management reforms has helped to identify and remove over 52,000 ghost workers from the Federal Government MDAs Payroll;

The Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) aimed at expanding tax education and awareness has offered the opportunity for tax defaulters to regularise their status in order to enjoy the amnesty of forgiveness on overdue interest, penalties and the assurance of non-prosecution or subject to tax investigations.

The Sovereign Wealth Fund project portfolio has been expanded with an injection of US$650 million so as to strengthen its investment in local infrastructure, power, health, re-construction of Abuja-Kano road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, East West Road (Section V) and the Mambilla Hydro-electric Power project as well as the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge.

The fight against corruption through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has resulted in recoveries of Billions of Naira, as well as forfeiture of various forms of assets. This alongside other efforts has improved Nigeria’s international image and regional cooperation.

We have retained the services of one of the world’s leading assets tracing firms to investigate and trace assets globally. This is in addition to the exploitation of provisions of existing Treaties, Conventions as well as Bilateral Agreements with Multilateral bodies and Nations. Nigeria has also signed Mutual Legal Assistance Agreements to ensure that there is no hiding place for fugitives.

This Administration has therefore focused on revamping the ailing economy it inherited in 2015. In 2016, Government executed an expansionary budget and developed the Strategic Implementation Plan. For the first time, 30% of the budget was earmarked for capital expenditure which represents an upward review when compared with the 2015 budget. The SIP was followed by the development of a comprehensive medium term plan – the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017 – 2020.

The broad strategic objectives of the ERGP were to; Restore and sustain economic growth; Build a globally competitive economy; and Invest in our people. The implementation of the ERGP has started yielding results. The National Bureau of Statistics reports that the economy grew by 1.95% in 1st quarter 2018, which is a good performance when viewed against -0.91 in 1st quarter 2017 and -0.67% in 1st quarter 2016 respectively.

Our foreign reserve has improved significantly to 47.5 billion USD as of May, 2018 as against 29.6 billion USD in 2015. The inflationary rate has consistently declined every month since January, 2017.

Recently, Government conducted Focus Labs in three key sectors of the Economy namely, Agriculture & Transport, Manufacturing and Processing as well as Power and Gas. These have yielded significant prospects for investments and Job creation to the tune of US$ 22.5 billion with a potential for creating more than 500,000 jobs by 2020. These investment generation initiatives are expected to increase capital inflows in the form of foreign direct investment. There is a high prospect that the cumulative investments from this first phase of the Labs will hit US$39.2 billion by 2025.

Under agriculture, Nigeria continues to pursue a strategic food security programme built around self-sufficiency and minimization of import dependency. As a result, rice importation from other countries has been cut down by 90% which has a direct impact on foreign reserves.

The Social Investment Programmes (SIP) has been created as a means to graduating our citizens from poverty through capacity building, investment and direct support. The major strategic objective is to restore livelihood, economic opportunities and sustenance for the poor across the country. The SIP programmes and projects include:

Home Grown School Feeding Programme – About 8.2 million pupils are currently being fed from 24 States of the Federation with over 75,000 Catering Staff engaged under the programme.

The Conditional Cash Transfer has so far recorded over 297,000 caregivers and being trained by 2,495 Community Facilitators in 21 states. Less privileged Nigerians are now being paid N5,000 monthly stipend in 9 pilot States of Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Osun and Oyo. Eventually the scheme will cover all the 36 states of the federation including the FCT.

Under the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme – About 264,269 loans had been disbursed to 4,822 societies in the 36 States and FCT, while another 370,635 are awaiting release of funds.

N-Power Job creation Scheme – is targeted at providing jobs for unemployed young graduates and has so far recruited 200,000 youths while the next batch of 300,000 have been selected, verified and would soon be deployed across the 36 States and the FCT. Furthermore, 20,000 non-graduate volunteers have also been selected to kick off the N-Build programme in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria.

In the area of power generation, Nigerians from all parts of the country continue to report better power supply and less use of generators. This underscores the effectiveness of the methodical plan to deliver incremental and uninterrupted power supply to our homes, markets, offices and factories.

The country achieved 5, 222.3 MW representing the highest peak of power generated onto the national grid and delivered to customers in December, 2017. With new facilities, repairs and rehabilitations by Government and private investors, generation capability now exceeds 7,500 MW.

This Administration is committed to lawful interventions to ensure the operators of the distribution business live up to expectations especially in the areas of distribution capacity, service delivery, collection efficiency, and metering to eliminate contentious estimated billing.

The Transportation Sector continues to undergo a series of reforms in order to sustain the international best practices and ensure safety and security. The nation’s major airports have witnessed reconstruction of runways, installation of navigational equipment and new international terminals due for commissioning in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Enugu. Bilateral Air Services Agreements between Nigeria and the Governments of other countries will significantly open up new flight routes.

As a result of strict regulatory and compliance policies, Nigeria retained her Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 status, after a routine international audit. Recently, a new Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility with capacity for aircraft C-checks and other comprehensive levels of maintenance was established in Lagos. This would save the country an estimated $90m annually.

Giant strides have been recorded over the past three years to improve road transport infrastructure in all geopolitical zones of the country.

The Railway Sector has also received tremendous attention as this Administration is committed to the goal of linking all State capitals in the Federation by rail network to ease the movement of goods and passengers.

The Education Sector especially at tertiary level has continued to witness expansion in order to improve access to higher education by millions of youths in Nigeria. Over the last three years, Government has approved the establishment of 1 new Federal Polytechnic, granted licenses for the establishment of 4 State and 14 private-owned Universities as well as 12 private Polytechnics.

Government has also continued to support the implementation of various initiatives aimed at improving the quality of Basic Education delivery. Thus, it has ensured proper funding at the Basic Education level with the disbursement of N42.2 billion UBE Matching Grant to 26 States and the FCT, N851.5 million Special Education Grant disbursed to 23 States and private providers of Special Education and N2.2 billion Teachers Professional Development Fund to 33 States and the FCT.

The Federal Government has continued to support fiscal sustainability at the sub-national governments through the implementation of the Budget Support Facility which was accompanied by the 22- point Fiscal Sustainability Plan. Thus, bailouts funds were made available to States to ease their fiscal challenges and other obligations including payment of salaries.

In addition, a total of 73 Ecological Fund projects for the control of gully erosion in different communities across all geopolitical zones have been completed in the last three years and are undergoing commissioning while 53 other projects are ongoing. The execution of these projects has generated 357 skilled jobs and 1,350 unskilled jobs during this period.

It is pertinent to also make mention of the immeasurable contributions of the Nigerian woman to national development and advancement of democracy, over the last three years. The government and people appreciate you all as mothers of our great country.

My dear country men and women, as we all celebrate our democratic experience, let us resolve to avoid hatred and intolerance; we can only achieve our objectives in an atmosphere of harmony and peaceful co-existence.

Finally, the upcoming months will usher us into another season of general elections. Let me use this opportunity to urge us all to conduct ourselves, our wards and our constituencies with the utmost sense of fairness, justice and peaceful co-existence such that we will have not only hitch-free elections but also a credible and violence-free process.

In few days to come, I will be joined by many promising young Nigerians to sign into law the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill

I thank you for your attention.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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We Are Going To Tackle Unemployment, And Create Jobs For Youths – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday opened up on what his administration has put in place to create millions of job for unemployed Nigerians.

While speaking during his Democracy Day speech aired to mark the third year anniversary of his administration Tuesday morning, President Muhammadu Buhari, said his administration has put measures in place to create job opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians in the coming years.

The President explained that in a bid to create jobs and facilitate investment, the government recently conducted focus labs in three key sectors of the economy which include Agriculture and Transport, Manufacturing and Processing as well as Power and Gas.

He said; “These have yielded significant prospects for investments and Job creation to the tune of US$ 22.5 billion with a potential for creating more than 500,000 jobs by 2020.

“These investment generation initiatives are expected to increase capital inflows in the form of foreign direct investment. There is a high prospect that the cumulative investments from this first phase of the Labs will hit US$39.2 billion by 2025.”

President Buhari said under agriculture, Nigeria continues to pursue a strategic food security programme built around self-sufficiency and minimization of import dependency.

He said; “As a result, rice importation from other countries has been cut down by 90 percent which has a direct impact on foreign reserves.”

On capacity building, he said the Social Investment Programmes (SIP) has been created as a means to graduating citizens from poverty through capacity building, investment and direct support.

He noted that the major strategic objective is to restore livelihood, economic opportunities and sustenance for the poor across the country.

Under the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, he said, about 8.2 million pupils are currently being fed from 24 States of the Federation with over 75,000 Catering Staff engaged under the programme.

He said; “The Conditional Cash Transfer has so far recorded over 297,000 caregivers and being trained by 2,495 Community Facilitators in 21 states.

“Less privileged Nigerians are now being paid N5,000 monthly stipend in 9 pilot States of Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Osun and Oyo. Eventually, the scheme will cover all the 36 states of the federation including the FCT.

“Under the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme – About 264,269 loans had been disbursed to 4,822 societies in the 36 States and FCT, while another 370,635 are awaiting the release of funds.”

The president disclosed that the N-Power Job creation Scheme is targeted at providing jobs for unemployed young graduates and has so far recruited 200,000 youths while the next batch of 300,000 has been selected, verified and would soon be deployed across the 36 States and the FCT.

“Furthermore, 20,000 non-graduate volunteers have also been selected to kick off the N-Build programme in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria,” he noted.

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BREAKING! Barcelona Overtake Real Madrid As Europe’s Top Club (See New Data)

Real Madrid might have won a 13th European Cup but they have been overtaken by rivals and La Liga victors Barcelona as the continent’s top club, according to new data.

In a European club ranking list compiled by sports data company Gracenote, Liverpool – who were beaten by Real in Saturday’s Champions League final – move up eight places to 11th.

Premier League champions Manchester City are England’s highest ranked side at number three, with Tottenham in ninth and Manchester United 10th.

The rankings are produced from results over the past four seasons, but the most recent campaign carries a weight of about two-thirds.

Chelsea dropped five places to 12 after the defence of their Premier League title ended with them finishing fifth, although they did win the FA Cup.

Arsenal were sixth in the Premier League and dropped from 11th to 15th – sandwiched between Sevilla and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Huddersfield Town were the biggest movers after achieving top-flight safety as they moved up from 232nd to 171st, while Burnley, who will be playing in next season’s Europa League after finishing seventh, rose from 116th to 68th.

The biggest decline came from Stoke City as their relegation to the Championship saw them go from 83rd to 115th.

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Ecobank Named Africa’s Best & Most Innovative Retail Bank

Ecobank has won two major awards at the African Banker’s prestigious ceremony held at the Paradise Hotel in Busan, South Korea.

The bank was named Best Retail Bank in Africa after impressing judges with the strides it has made to leverage digital financial services and an enhanced service model, to be the retail bank of choice.

The ever improving feature set of the truly revolutionary Ecobank Mobile App, which has now been downloaded by more than 5 million people, took the prize for Innovation in Banking, thanks to the way it has redefined borderless and inclusive banking, along with several other transformative innovations designed to deliver financial services to all.

Commenting on the double award win, Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Banker said: “Ecobank has had a game changing year in so many ways and their approach to embracing technology and putting it at the centre of their growth strategy has obviously paid dividends.”

Ade Ayeyemi, Group CEO of Ecobank said: “It gives all of us at Ecobank great pride to be recognised as not only the Best Retail Bank in Africa, but also the Most Innovative.

This is further proof that we are on the right track in our quest to be the bank of choice for middle Africa. We will continue to ensure that we are at the forefront of harnessing state-of-the-art technology to provide our customers with accessible and affordable banking services.”

Ecobank is committed to providing the range of financial products and services that meet the day-to-day banking, transactional and investment needs of all Africans.

Ecobank enjoyed a 40% increase in customer numbers during 2017 and the bank aims to serve 100 million customers by the end of 2020.

The Ecobank Mobile App aims to deliver real convenience to customers and with its removal of barriers to entry, at affordable price points, is an integral part of Ecobank’s strategy.

It is the first unified banking application across 33 countries and enables customers to do their banking activities where and when they want, 24/7 and 365 days a year, conveniently on their mobile phones.

It allows transactions in 18 different currencies and in four languages (English, French, Portuguese and Spanish).

The app includes the multi-featured digital payment solution, Ecobank Pay, which enables customers of any bank to pay for goods or services.

It unifies all of Ecobank’s digital payment offerings for internet payments, paying bills and airtime top-ups by mobile.

Patrick Akinwuntan, Group Executive, Consumer Banking said: “Ecobank represents more possibilities for every African.

Our Ecobank Mobile App, Xpress Account, Ecobank Pay, Xpress Points and Rapidtransfer are fast becoming top-of- mind consumer banking brands that represent convenience, affordability and instant fulfillment to our customers across Africa and in the diaspora.”

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