Source-Reuters Chad will send a large number of troops to neighboring Cameroon to help it fight increasing incursions from Boko Haram Islamist militants attacking from Nigeria, the Central African nation’s president said on Thursday. The announcement by President Paul Biya did not specify how many troops Chad will send, but comes a day after the Chadian government said it will actively help Cameroon fight Boko Haram militants. Chad President Idriss Deby Itno “has decided to send a large contingent of Chadian armed forces to help the Cameroonian Armed Forces facing…repeated attacks from the Boko Haram terrorist sect,” Biya said in…
Author: orientalnewsng
Source-Associated Press As Islamic militants from Boko Haram step up attacks in Nigeria that have led to the slaughter of more civilians, there is increasing talk that international military action, possibly including a multinational force, may be needed to help crush the insurgency in Africa’s most populous country. The debate has taken on new urgency since Jan. 3, when Boko Haram extremists swept into the northeastern town of Baga in Borno state, overran a military base and, according to witnesses, killed hundreds of civilians in the days that followed. It was one of the most…
Source-ACSS President Barack Obama’s former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, spells out the dangers facing Nigeria in the coming month and calls on the U.S., Britain and the European Union to be more openly and actively engaged in working with Abuja to navigate the difficult period the country is going through. Nigeria is awash with serious problems which are not likely to go away soon. Africa’s largest and most important country is going through an extraordinarily difficult and dangerous period that could over the next two months see an already high level of violence spike even…
By Yemisi Izuora The Nigerian Insurance industry in a bold move to retain capacity in Oil & gas underwriting, curb capital flight and grow the local market in energy and allied risks underwriting has inaugurated the Technical Management Board of the Energy and Allied Risks Insurance Pool of Nigeria (EAIPN). The Pool which was inaugurated by the commissioner for insurance Fola Daniel in Abuja is being promoted by member companies of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA). Daniel elated the move congratulated the Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association, Mr. Godwin Wiggle for bringing to fruition his desire for a pool…
By Yemisi izuora Less than one month to the 2015 general elections, the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has advised politicians to take up insurance especially at this crucial electioneering period, citing cases of recent attacks within the political circles. The President of the council, Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu disclosed this through a statement by the council’s Public Relation Manager, Mr. Dele Ayelose noted that the election period is characterised by high level exposure to diverse human and material risks that could be mitigated if the political class facto in insurance into their plans. The council also commiserated…
Joseph Bakare/Ijeoma Agudosi The Federal Government is planning the construction of three 25 megawatts gas turbines at Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) to improve production. According to a statement by NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ohi Alegbe in Abuja today the gas turbines will be installed and operated by an independent power producer, to boost productivity through uninterrupted power supply at the refinery. It stated that the turbines to be installed had the capacity to generate 72 megawatts of power, exceeding the amount of megawatts required by PHRC. “The arrangement with the independent power producers…
Chinedu Byron Izuora-Abuja The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo today in Abuja announced the readiness of the Federal Government to inaugurate over one million prepayment electricity meters to reduce the metering gap across the country. Nebo who gave this indication at a town hall meeting with stakeholders, organised by the ministry, said that the intervention was to help electricity distribution companies, in which government had 40 per cent share, to reduce the metering gap. The minister noted that Government still owns 40 per cent of the DISCOs and government is still maintaining its counterpart funding adding that a mechanism…
Yemisi Izuora An economic analyst who is also the Senior Consultant/Chief Executive Officer, RTC Advisory Services Limited, Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje has counseled the federal government on the urgent need to devise policies and incentives that would promote the non-oil exports in Nigeria, as a way to stabilise the economy in the face of the present challenges. Agbaje who gave the advise at forum organised by the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN titled: “Review of 2014 and Projections for 2015,”), in Lagos today, said the country though has achieved significant diversification in terms of local production and consumption, but…
Yemisi Izuora Arik Air said it is resuming flight services to Cotonou, Benin Republic and Douala, Cameroon which it suspended last year in response to Ebola warning. Arik Air will be operating four weekly flights from Lagos to Cotonou and Douala on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays when services is respored. Outbound flight departs Lagos at 11:15 am (local time) and arrives in Cotonou at 11:45 am (local time). The flight leaves Cotonou later at 12:30 pm (local time) to arrive in Douala at 2:00 pm (local time). From Douala, the inbound flight departs at 2:45 pm (local time) and…
Yemisi Izuora The federal government has said that new industrial and automotive cluster zones would be established in various parts of the country to enhance rapid economic development. The government is also targeting $68.1bn fresh Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from eight newly licensed free zones. Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority Gbenga Kuye who made these disclosures said the enhanced efficiency of the agency has helped to fast-track approvals for zones, based on the new checklist and methodology put in place for assessing requests. Kuye said the investments attracted already, and the incoming ones that had been…