Export-Import Bank of China Named in US$1Billion Corruption Scandal in Nigeria

Export-Import Bank of China Named in US$1Billion Corruption Scandal in Nigeria  

The House of Representatives of Nigeria has set up an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate the alleged misappropriation of $1.1billion loan secured from Export-Import Bank of China by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the Abuja light rail project of the Federal Capital Territory Administration with a budget of US$500 million; the National Security Development System being handled by Galaxy Backbone Plc for US$100 million and US$500 million for the reconstruction of four airport terminals. The airport terminals are Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Kano.

The committee investigating the N1.69trillion Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) contract scam is set to summon the immediate past transport minister, Alhaji Umar Idris, and two former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, and Bamanga Tukur, to explain their roles in the contract.

“The $841million loan secured from  Export-Import Bank of China and SURE-P were not properly documented as there was no board for almost two years and the ministry single handedly spearheaded the award of all the major contracts.

“The adhoc committee will ask all the stakeholders how come a contract that was so heavily funded could not be completed in 2013 the contract due date,” a House member preferring anonymity and privy to the investigations and planned summon disclosed yesterday.

Last Wednesday, the House resolved to investigate rail project rehabilitation from 2010 to 2014.

The resolution by the House followed a motion titled: “Need to Investigate the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Nigeria Railway Corporation on the Award of Contracts for Rehabilitation of Railway Tracks, Maintenance of Bridges and Procurement / Rehabilitation of Coaches and Locomotives From 2010 – 2014,” sponsored by Hon. Solomon Ahwinahwi.

“The level of performance with respect to the 463km Port-Harcourt – Markurdi rail track rehabilitation of the eastern line with the total sum of N19, 963, 752, 330 and out of which the NRC has paid N4, 017, 054, 841, 00, while SURE-P paid N5, 594, 021, 377 and only about 3km of ballast has been done with 400km left undone and the total money released so far is N9, 611, 076, 218.

“The Abuja – Kaduna rail project had 841 million US dollars as the project cost, out of which the China EXIM Bank provided a loan of 500 million US dollars with about 25 per cent of the project completed when the entire project was envisaged to be have been completed in 2014,” Ahwinahwi (Delta/PDP) reported in lead debates.

The lawmaker also said that the Lagos to Jebba track rehabilitation project was awarded at a contract sum of N12, 293. 390. 000 with the payments made so far at N11, 699. 999, 218 without any tangible work done adding that the same also goes for Jebba to Kano track rehabilitation which had a contract sum of N12, 169. 237. 337 with payments made to the tune of N10, 337. 023. 111.

He said that the investigation is important because with the huge funds sunk to upgrade the railway transport system there has been little to show for it as the locomotives and coaches running on the country’s tracks are still a relic of modern railway transport.

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Nigeria Among Top 40 countries in 2016 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index

Nigeria is ranked among the top 40 countries in the upcoming 2016 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index report from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited's (Deloitte Global) Global Consumer & Industrial Products Industry group and the US Council on Competitiveness (Council).

Current competitiveness				Competitiveness in five years
Rank	Country	2013 rank		Rank	Country
1	China	1		1	United States
2	United States	3		2	China
3	Germany	2		3	Germany
4	Japan	10		4	Japan
5	South Korea	5		5	India
6	United Kingdom	15		6	South Korea
7	Taiwan	6		7	Mexico
8	Mexico	12		8	United Kingdom
9	Canada	7		9	Taiwan
10	Singapore	9		10	Canada
11	India	4		11	Singapore
12	Switzerland	22		12	Vietnam
13	Sweden	21		13	Malaysia
14	Thailand	11		14	Thailand
15	Poland	14		15	Indonesia
16	Turkey	20		16	Poland
17	Malaysia	13		17	Turkey
18	Vietnam	18		18	Sweden
19	Indonesia	17		19	Switzerland
20	Netherlands	23		20	Czech Republic
21	Australia	16		21	Netherlands
22	France	25		22	Australia
23	Czech Republic	19		23	Brazil
24	Finland	-		24	Finland
25	Spain	33		25	South Africa
26	Belgium	27		26	France
27	South Africa	24		27	Spain
28	Italy	32		28	Romania
29	Brazil	8		29	Belgium
30	United Arab Emirates	30		30	Italy
31	Ireland	37		31	Ireland
32	Russia	28		32	Russia
33	Romania	29		33	United Arab Emirates
34	Saudi Arabia	34		34	Colombia
35	Portugal	35		35	Portugal
36	Colombia	31		36	Saudi Arabia
37	Egypt	36		37	Egypt
38	Nigeria	-		38	Nigeria
39	Argentina	26		39	Argentina
40	Greece	38		40	Greece

In addition to the country ranking, the report preview identified the top drivers of manufacturing competitiveness. Talent was the leading driver, with access to skilled workers widely seen by executives surveyed as the most important factor, followed closely by the cost of wages and materials. Productivity of the workforce rounded out the top three. The availability of a quality local supplier base was a distant fourth. Read more.

OTHER REPORTS 

• Posted at 16:11 WAT St. Kitts and Nevis Hon. Prime Minister Timothy Harris Announces Suspension of Syrians from Citizenship by Investment Program
• Posted at 14:30 WAT The National Coalition For Men (NCFM) Urges the Canadian Government to End Discrimination Against Male Refugees
• Posted at 14:00 WAT United States expected to lead as the top manufacturing nation by 2020, according to Deloitte report

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Madame Tussauds DC Honors Life And Legacy Of Nelson Mandela

Madame Tussauds DC Honors Life And Legacy Of Nelson Mandela
 
The Famed DC Attraction Welcomed the Figure of Nelson Mandela to the Nation's Capital with the help of the George Washington University

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Madame Tussauds Washington, DC today celebrated the life of Nelson Mandela by welcoming his wax figure to the nation's capital. To remember his life, honor his commitment to social and civil rights and recognize the two years since his tragic passing, his wax figure was placed next to the historic "Free Mandela" Sidewalk Slab located on the George Washington University's campus.

Mobile in Africa Launches Xiaomi in Nigeria with Mi4 and Redmi 2

Mr. Rutger-Jan Van Spaandonk, President of Mobile in Africa (MIA) Group on Wednesday introduced the phenomenal Xiaomi to Nigeria, the competitive biggest and largest market for smartphones in Africa .He demonstrated the awesome features of Xiaomi's Mi4 and Redmi 2 to the Nigerian press and few of the top bloggers invited by JSP Communications Limited of Nigeria and Canada to the executive press conference at the Lagos Sheraton in Ikeja. 

Mr. Rutger-Jan Van Spaandonk used AnTuTu to demonstrate the unique specifications of the smartphones of Xiaomi, currently the #1 smartphone maker in China and making the fastest selling smartphones in the world, outselling Apple, Samsung, BlackBerry and others. According to IDC, Xiaomi is now the third largest smartphone maker in the world followed by Lenovo and LG. At the end of December 2014, Xiaomi became the world’s most valuable technology start-up after it received US$1.1 billion funding from investors, making Xiaomi's valuation more than US$46 billion.

The Xiaomi Mi 4 and Xiaomi Redmi 2 Android smartphones are currently the fastest selling smartphones on Jumia..

World AIDS Day: Pre Marital Sex Has Tripled Cases of AIDS in Africa

Adolescents in Africa are having frequent premarital sex without condoms and tripled cases of AIDS, the top cause of death among adolescents in Africa according to the latest report from UN news center published by Nigerians Report Online on http://www.nigeriansreport.com/2015/11/aids-is-top-cause-of-death-among.html?m=1  

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Quantum Global Advisory Board Hosts Symposium of Female Entrepreneurism in Africa

 Symposium Speakers: Far left Bineta Diop (African Union Chairpersons special envoy for Women, Peace and Security and Executive Director of Femmes Africa Solidarité), second from left Andia Chakava (Co-founder of Alpha Africa Asset Managers), fourth from left Sophia Bekele (Founder of Yes2dotAfrica campaign) and third from right Rolake Akinkugbe (VP & Head Energy & Natural Resources of Lagos based investment bank, FBN Capital) 

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 30, 2015/APO (African Press Organization)/ --On 19 November 2015, Quantum Global (QuantumGlobal.ch)  played host to the group’s second Advisory Board Symposium during an event which reflected recent work conducted by both the African Union and G7 in looking at female empowerment. The high level moderated panel discussion addressed the impact, health and likely trajectory of female entrepreneurship in Africa and its impact on markets, civic society and the Continent’s overall leadership narrative.

The event, an important component of Quantum Global’s fledgling thought leadership programme, brought together an authoritative, all African female panel comprising Bineta Diop, the African Union Chairpersons special envoy for Women, Peace and Security and Executive Director of International NGO-Femmes Africa Solidarité-an organisation committed to promoting gender parity within Africa. Joining her on the panel was Sophia Bekele, successful international entrepreneur and named in New Africa Magazine as ``one of Top 50 African Trailblazers” and by Bloomberg as ‘’one of the two leading ladies in Africa’s ICT sector.” Accompanying them on the panel was Andia Chakava, a decorated and African female fund manager (one of the first in Kenya) and awarded one Africa’s Most Influential Women 2014 (Financial Services Category) by CEO Magazine.

The Symposium, expertly moderated by Rolake Akinkugbe, VP and Head Energy & Natural Resources of Lagos based investment bank, FBN Capital and a successful entrepreneur in her own right, tackled a raft of issues associated with the influence of female leadership at both micro and macro levels in African business and society as well as highlighting the challenges and the hurdles which remain in place for inspirational female leaders in African societies.

The Quantum Global thought leadership platform, characterised by the Advisory Board Symposia and other planned activities and events, reflects the group’s desire to engage with real life issues confronting its African partners, friends and clients. Under the auspices of Founder, Jean-Claude Bastos De Morais, the thought leadership platform will seek to make constructive and significant contributions to Africa’s developing success narrative through the provision of informed, expert and sympathetic discussion and debate associated with contemporary African narratives.

With planning already underway for the 3rd Advisory Board Symposium to take place in June 2016, the twice yearly Advisory Board Symposia will adopt a variety of formats each seeking to reach diverse professional and expert audiences tackling a variety of key contemporary African issues.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Quantum Global Group.

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March On Forward To A New Nigeria of Our Nigerian Dream.

Nkiruka!

Our future is greater than our past.
Runners who keep on looking back end up the last finishers in the race.
We look on ahead as we march on forward in the nation building of a New Nigeria of our Nigerian Dream.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
~ Hebrews 12:2King James Version (KJV)

Run with Perseverance
1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
◄ Hebrews 12:2 ►  

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AIDS is the Top Cause of Death Among Adolescents in Africa

AIDS is the Top Cause of Death Among Adolescents in Africa. Photo Credit: INQUISITOR.

 Adolescent deaths from AIDS have tripled since 2000, warns new UNICEF study

NEW YORK, 27 November 2015 / PRN Africa / -- The number of adolescent deaths from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years with 26 new infections occurring every hour, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced today and warned that “it is critical that young people who are HIV-positive have access to treatment, care and support.”

There Is A Sociopolitical Sickness Afflicting Majority Of Nigerians

There is a sociopolitical sickness afflicting majority of Nigerians from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich, but they are living in denial of their predicament.

If you are a good analyst of the comments posted daily on different topics on Nairaland, news reports and articles on Vanguard newspapers, The Punch newspapers and posts on Facebook and Twitter by majority of Nigerians online and use them to analyze the mental state of majority of the so called educated Nigerians, then you will know that something has gone wrong with them. The sociopolitical malaise of educated Nigerians is the reason why even a change of government has not changed their negative attitude to the appreciation of life beyond their greed and they cannot inspire or motivate the uneducated majority, because they are not good examples worthy of emulation.

It is very difficult these days to tell the difference between the informed and uninformed in Nigeria. And partisan politics in Nigeria is still as bad as the days of the violent First Republic. Nigerians are trapped in a vicious circle of fallacy and hypocrisy in religious bigotry and tribal bigotry. The calamity of it all is the hypocrisy of Nigerian churches led by those who have lost their way in the mission of the Great Commission and are making more noise than commonsense. They are just fishing in the troubled waters of the vicious circle. Outside the walls of their mega church buildings and private universities, it is back to business as usual and their lifestyles are not different from those they call "unbelievers". Their hypocrisy is awesome.

As I have said before, the delay in the appointment of ministers by the administration of the new ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) has not been justified, because with the exceptions of three of the ministers, the others are puppets of their political leaders. And three of them would fare better as state commissioners and not as ministers. Some of the appointments look like selections of a Student Union Government where posts are shared among buddies and not based on competence. The loudest "Alariwo" becomes the publicity secretary of the union just for knowing how to make noise on campus. I will advise that the government should send him on a special course at the European Commission, because his portfolio is more than that of mere publicist of an opposition party. Nigerian embassies have had the worst information and culture departments, because both ministers of foreign affairs and information and culture were clueless on the executive administration of our embassies. They should learn from the American and European embassies in Nigeria. The portfolio of a minister of information and culture is more than being an attack bulldog of the ruling party and making noise in the local press. Now millions of Nigerians are clapping hands for the ministers based on religion and tribe and not based on competence and if they are not checked, it would be business as usual from Lagos to Abuja and the vicious circle continues until the next general elections and the sociopolitical sickness afflicting majority of Nigerians will not be cured. And what is the solution?

The government needs a Marshall Plan and the model of an effective Marshall Plan can be seen from the United of America during the Great Depression or that of transformation of Singapore in the 1960s - 70s under Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew, which President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet can study and adapt for the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa. After the century of the emergence of the Asian Tigers, Nigeria can lead the emergence of the African Lions in the 21 century.  

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Mindshare Appointed in 60 Markets as Unilever Finalises Global Media Agency Review

LONDON, SINGAPORE and NEW YORK, November 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

WPP media agency Mindshare has been appointed by Unilever to 60 markets in its global media agency review.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151123/290080LOGO )

The review was held in line with Unilever company policy to evaluate media agency arrangements periodically.

Mindshare has been confirmed as Unilever's media agency partner in Europe, North America, South East Asia, South Asia and Africa.

Mindshare will operate for Unilever in:

    Europe: UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Macedonia, Kosovo and Turkey
    North America: US, Canada and Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago)
    Asia: Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
    Africa: South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, and Cote D'Ivoire).

Omnicom media agency PHD has been appointed as Unilever's media agency in Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

IPG media agency Initiative has been appointed as Unilever's media agency partner for Latin America and Greece.

Nick Emery, Global CEO Mindshare, said: "Unilever is not only one of the world's largest advertisers, it is one of the most progressive. It is a great privilege and also a great reflection on our teams that we now work with Unilever in 60 markets across all continents."

For further information on Mindshare please see: http://www.mindshareworld.com

For further information on Unilever please see: http://www.unilever.com

SOURCE Mindshare  

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