FG Releases List Of Newly Banned Imports

FG Releases List Of Newly Banned Imports

By Unknown   15:32   No comments:

The Federal Government has banned the procurement and distribution of conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events such as Conferences and Seminars funded by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Salisu Dambatta.

It said President Buhari had approved the ban following recommendations by the Efficiency Unit.

It said the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, had forwarded the directive to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministers of Finance and Budget and National Planning, for implementation.Arccording to the statement, the ban was in continuation of the on-going cost-cutting and efficiency drive in the utilisation of public funds by the present administration.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that President Buhari had set up the Efficiency Unit to review all federal government’s overhead expenditure to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country.

The Minister of Finance, Head of Service of the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation and Director, Budget Office of the Federation are members of the Unit.

The Unit identified procurement as the area to begin the execution of its mandate of reducing overhead costs and wastage resources.

The Efficiency unit had already recorded success in cutting government overhead cost in areas such as travels, welfare, honorarium, sitting allowance, training, adverts and publicity as well as refreshments.

It had gone a step further to relocate some of federal government’s MDAs into recovered looted properties as ways to reduce overhead cost.

“The directive which is a recognition of the fact that in a period of lean financial resources unnecessary expenditure on overheads such souvenirs are luxuries that the government must eliminate.

“This will enable release of funds for infrastructure and services such as health and education that would have direct positive impact on the well being of the citizenry and promote economic development.

“The directive also contained specific guidelines that would reduce the cost of printing Invitation Cards, Programme of events, Brochures, Folders and Note Pads.

“Among the guidelines are that they should be in black and white and limited to only one page and in the case of Brochures they should be streamlined to contain only essential information,” it said.

Also, the statement said the printing of unnecessary publications and books of short shelf life which have no real value to the concerned public institutions or the citizens has also been banned.

“MDAs were encouraged to save costs by uploading such publications on their websites which has the added benefit of wider visibility,” it said

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Namibia Student Simon Petrus Invented Phone Which Does Not Use Airtime (Photos,Video)

Namibia Student Simon Petrus Invented Phone Which Does Not Use Airtime (Photos,Video)

By Unknown   09:09   No comments:

A Grade 12 learner in Namibia’s Ohagwena Region has invented a sim-less mobile phone that allows users to make free calls and watch one TV channel.

Simon Petrus, a pupil at Abraham Iyambo Senior Secondary School, created the phone using spares from a phone and television set.

Complete with a light bulb, fan and charger socket, the handset functions off power supplied through a radiator and is able to make calls to anywhere through the use of radio frequencies.

The invention, which is made up of a radio system, is attached to a box and also allows the user to view one TV channel on it.

He is also able to watch NBC1 TV on his box.

No stranger to the world of creation, Petrus is reported to have won a gold medal at national level last year for his invention of a two-in-one machine that works as both a seed drier and cooler.

The shy learner has admitted to working on his invention for two years through money provided by his unemployed parents.

Petrus claims that he invented the phone in the hopes that it would be successful and be able to be carried further.

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Stanlee Ohikhuare That 'Burnt Ani Iyoho On Set' Explains Why He Fooled The World

Stanlee Ohikhuare That 'Burnt Ani Iyoho On Set' Explains Why He Fooled The World

By Unknown   09:00   No comments:

72 hours after a video of actor Ani Iyoho burning in an alleged movie stunt gone wrong went viral, everyone is shocked to discover that the entire frenzy was the result of a perfectly planned, and well-executed publicity spin conceived by Nollywood director Stanlee Ohikhuare.

Explaining why he did it during a press conference, Stanlee says he believes the stunt would cause a remarkable change in the attitude and perception of fellow Nigerians and the world at large, towards
Nollywood's potentials.

That he did it to create film awareness and industry patronage via media engagement; utilizing the ever evolving social media platform to gain reach and peculiar attention to an entire industry.

He also added that Government intervention is needed to ensure that there's adequate funding to curb ugly occurrences like the one insinuated in the circulated video.

Press play to watch below and be amazed at how Nollywood director Stanlee Ohikhuare and his production team made that viral video that had Ani Iyoho burning without actually been burnt.

SEE VIDEO BELOW

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FCMB Bank Manager Commits Suicide In Front Of His Pastor In Lagos (photo)

FCMB Bank Manager Commits Suicide In Front Of His Pastor In Lagos (photo)

By Unknown   08:49   No comments:

FCMB Bank Manager Olisa Nwakoby Kills Himself In front Of His Pastor In Lekki Lagos Over N350Million Debt. Mr. Olisa Nwakoby, a manager at a second generation bank, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc on Friday evening shot himself dead in the presence of his Priest at the Lekki area of Lagos Island, Lagos State.
The father of a 10-year- old daughter was said to have taken his own life because of an incriminating huge loan transaction he approved in his bank.

Sources close to the family told ST at the weekend that the late Olisa was the approving officer for the loan which the beneficiary is no longer servicing and the bank was on the neck of Olisa to get the money back.

His late father, Chief Patrick Oguejiofor Nwakoby was a former chairman of First Bank of Niger Plc, a successfully lawyer , politician and a highly respected community leader before his death.

Fear over his integrity and the name of his family, which could be dented if his bank commences action against him over the loan, was too much for the vibrant banker to bear prompting him to shoot himself, our source said.

Our source did not say that there was suspicion of any foul play in the death of the banker, she also could not confirm the actual amount involved in the transaction, but she simply said “it was huge.” The case is being handled by homicide detectives attached to Area J Command, Lekki/Ajah. According to a police source.

The banks, on the fateful day he killed himself, went to meet his pastor. He told the pastor to tell his wife to take good care of his children, that what he would do in next few minutes would shock everyone. He was said to have later blown his brains out.

The source continued, “It was later discovered that he took money from the bank, N350million, and the money started creating problems for him. He killed himself.”

When the Lagos State Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmus, was contacted, her two lines were switched off. Olisa hails from Nkwelle Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government of Anambra State and he attended Abia State University, where he bagged a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, in Microbiology between 1990 and 1995.

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Tomato Price Drops From N25,000 To N800 Per Basket

Tomato Price Drops From N25,000 To N800 Per Basket

By Unknown   08:48   No comments:

A small basket of tomato, which sold for N25,000 in May, is now going for N800 in Kaduna. And, no, it is not a joke.

It had been all anger and pain for households as the price of tomatoes hit the roof across the country as a result of scarcity caused by tuta absoluta, also known as ‘tomatoc ebola’.

This affected the crop in most parts of the north-west, notably Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina and Kano states.

As a result, the basket prices jumped from the range of N800-N1200 to between N25,000 and N40,000 at the height of the crisis.

At the Line Dogo (Rail Line) tomatoes and vegetable market in Kaduna on Saturday, it was a beehive of activities.

Buyers could not believe their eyes as tomato prices had crashed to a two-month low.

Abass Mai Tumatur, chairman of the tomato sellers, told TheCable it was a “pleasant relief” for everyone as tomato is now available and in large quantities.


Mai Tumatur: Things are getting better

“Tomato scarcity is nothing new, but it was made worse this year  by the invasion of the moth,” he said.

He said the insects mutate more during the dry season but don’t survive during the rainy season.

“The rains coupled with the efforts of government have helped tremendously in making tomato available,” he said, praising the government for the “timely intervention”.

He assured the public that the fear is gone now “and hopefully for good”.

Farmers were left stranded and helpless as the moth ravaged their farms and left destruction across the farming community, making a pot of soup as expensive as gold.

Hotels and restaurants, in particular, faced a nightmare as the crisis also shot up the price of canned tomato paste.

Many were not aware of the reasons for the scarcity as frantic efforts were made to to address the situation.

Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna state governor, declared a state of emergency and dispatched officials to Kenya to find ways of tackling the ravaging insects.

The cost of the destruction in the state, according to el-Rufai, was close to N1 billion.

Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture and rural development, also commissioned experts to find solutions to the disease outbreak “as soon as possible”.

The insect originated from South America around 1912 and has spread to other parts of the world.

Reports suggest the insect came to Africa through Republic of Niger.

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