Dangote Foundation donates foodstuff to IDPs, less privileged in Abuja

The Dangote Foundation last Thursday donated food items worth several millions of naira to Internally Displaced Persons and other less privileged persons living in Abuja.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked Dangote for the gesture and promised to ensure that the products reached their intended targets.

The Minister was represented by the Acting Secretary, Social Development, Bolanle Irene Elegbede, who commended the president of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and the foundation for supporting the poor and vulnerable in Abuja.

Dangote Group was represented at the presentation by its  Director of Health and Nutrition, Dr. Azeez Oseni.

Oseni reaffirmed Dangote's commitment to the alleviation of poverty in Nigeria.

Among the beneficiaries of the philanthropic gesture were Abuja Children's Home, People with Disabilities Traders Union, Para Soccer Team FCT, Poorest of the Poor and Abuja Old Peoples Home which was represented by Dr Ifeyinwa Obegolu.

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Christian leaders mass in Abuja to ratify election of CAN President

400 Christian leaders from all over the country have converged in Abuja to ratify the election of Rev Samson Ayokunle as the 7th President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.

Those now in Abuja for the event include 50 delegates from each of the five federating blocs of CAN, 37 state chairmen, including the Federal Capital Authority, six zonal leaders and 10 national leaders.

The five blocs that make up CAN include; the Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, CPFN/PFN, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, OAIC, and the Tarrayya Ekkleiyoyin Kristi a Nigeria/Evangelical Church Winning All, TEKAN/ECWA.

Ayokunle will be ratified alongside his running mate, Prof. Joseph Otubu of the Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, MCCSW.

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Emir Sanusi steps out in N400k gold spiked fancy shoes

Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II attended an event recently in these fancy gold spiked shoes.

The exotic footwear is said to be worth about $1,400 or well over N400,000.

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Read Zenith Bank's statement denying funding Fayose's election

The management of Zenith Bank Plc has issued a statement denying that the bank bankrolled Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose's election.

Read the statement below.

The issue involved in this case has to do with investigation bordering on the account of the Governor of Ekiti State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The bank was never a party to the matter.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wrote to the bank, in the course of its investigation to make enquiries and also directed that the bank temporarily suspend operations on the account pending conclusion of investigations, which the bank complied with.
Zenith Bank did not fund the Governorship election of Ekiti State or indeed any other election in the country.
As a policy the bank does not make political donations or fund any political association or party.
Zenith Bank Plc as a foremost financial institution maintains a very cordial relationship with the Authorities of all its host states where it has business offices including Ekiti State.
The bank’s only branch in Ekiti State predates the assumption of office of the current Administration.
Moreover, the bank does not hold any business account of Ekiti State till date. There was therefore, no incentive to fund the election as alleged.
Zenith Bank Management would like to reassure and state that it will continue to conduct its business in line with best practices and extant banking laws and regulations.

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PMB's address at the handing over of Rio 2016 Team Nigeria

SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE OCCASION OF HANDING OVER OF TEAM NIGERIA ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS PARTICIPATING AT THE RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES TO THE NIGERIA OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE INVESTITURE OF MR. PRESIDENT AS GRAND PATRON OF NIGERIA OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, 19TH JULY, 2016, STATE HOUSE, ABUJA

Protocol
I am highly delighted to receive the cream of Nigerian sporting talents and their team officials that are set to do our nation proud at the 2016 Olympic Games, commencing from 5th to 21st August this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have been reliably updated on the outstanding performances of our athletes and teams, at their various qualifying championships, which have led to the qualification of a sizeable number of athletes who will fly our national flag at this premier global sporting occasion.
2.Nigeria has 49 qualified male athletes and 29 female athletes, giving us a total of 78 athletes in 10 sport disciplines.
3.It is therefore the honour of the Federal Government to officially unveil the qualified athletes of Team Nigeria to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
4.Aside the sports that we have qualified for the Olympic Games, I have equally been informed that our athletes have qualified athletes for the Paralympic Games, which comes up immediately after the Olympic Games in Brazil.
5.I therefore want to use this opportunity to personally congratulate all these worthy athletes on their qualifications for these Games, even in the face of daunting challenges in their preparations.
6.Let me equally assure you that the Federal Government is fully committed to our delegation’s successful participation in the Rio Olympic Games and will ensure that funds budgeted for the Games are released without further delay.
7.We are all aware of our nation’s dwindling revenue and the current global economic challenges. It is therefore imperative that funds provided for the Games are utilized judiciously. In this regard, any official who has no business at the Games should stay at home to cheer the team from here and if they must travel to the Olympics, they should do so at their own expense.
8.As the Federal Government formally hands over our athletes and officials for the Rio Olympics to the Nigeria Olympic Committee today, I want to charge all athletes and team officials going to the Olympic Games to be worthy ambassadors of our great country, both on the field of play and outside the sporting arena. The eyes of the global community are on you and as such, you should desist from acts that could dent the image of our great country, Nigeria.
9.You are very aware of recent doping allegations which cast aspersions not only on the individual athletes but on their home countries. Please keep Nigeria clean.
10. The menace of drug use in sports is threatening the core foundation of sports and has led to embarrassing situations as well as sanctions of some great sporting nations. I therefore urge you to keep the integrity of our nation intact by competing clean and fair at the Olympic Games.
11. Please bring as many medals back home as a result of your efforts and endeavour. But remember it is more important to compete and acquit your country as a fair sporting nation than to bring a pack of medals as a result of bending the rules and denying the Games of fair competition
12. Finally, let me assure you of the support of over 170 million sports-loving Nigerians who are solidly behind you as you depart to bring glory to our fatherland in Rio.
Therefore, Go for Gold in Rio!
Go Team Nigeria! Go!
I wish you all the best of luck.
Thank you.

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Nyanya Bus Terminus to be completed on schedule - FG

The Federal Government has assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory that the Nyanya Bus Terminus will be speedily completed to enhance human and vehicular traffic in the area.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Bello made the promise on Tuesday during an inspection tour of the project.

The bus terminus was destroyed by the Nyanya bombings of April 14, 2014 which left dozens of people dead and several vehicles burnt.
Bello also promised to deploy the necessary resources to ensure timely completion of the project.

“From what we have seen, construction work has gone on to about 60 per cent according to the contractors and our engineers.

“And as you can see, it is a very massive complex consisting of departure and arrival halls, a banking hall, garage for the basic maintenance of motor vehicles as well as commercial block.

“So from what I have seen, it is very important for us to deploy resources, human and material to make sure that the place is completed as quickly as possible,” he said.

The Minister also promised to address the omission of access roads in the original design of the project.

“For a complex of that nature, looking at the traffic, both human and vehicular, it is important to have a very clear cut entry and exit with a road that is well constructed to be able to carter for heavy duty vehicles.

“That is a challenge but we are going to look at that,” he said.

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Rio 2016 Olympics: Buhari receives team Nigeria (Photos)

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday afternoon received Nigeria's delegation to the Rio 2016 Olympics which begins next month in Brazil.

See photos.

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