#Job Openings in a Manufacturing Company in Lagos

[tomorrowusa]

Trump solicited about $1 billion from Big Oil at a fundraising conclave at Mar-a-Lago in return for future favorable treatment — if their filthy lucre helps him return to the Oval Office.

We lost four years fighting climate change during the previous Trump administration. A second term would do the planet grievous harm.

It's necessary to alert everybody concerned about the future of Earth of the danger of a second Trump presidency.

A new Washington Post report that Trump made explicit policy promises to a roomful of Big Oil executives—while urging them to raise $1 billion for his campaign—is a powerful story in part because it wrecks what’s left of that mystique. In case you didn’t already know this, it shows yet again that if Trump has employed that aforementioned knowledge of elite corruption and self-dealing to any ends in his public career, it’s chiefly to benefit himself. That counter narrative is a story that Democrats have a big opportunity to tell—if they seize on this news effectively. How might they do that? For starters, the revelations seem to cry out for more scrutiny from Congress. Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has been presiding over hearings into the oil industry as chair of the Budget Committee, says it’s “highly likely” that the committee will examine the new revelations. [ ... ]

As the Post reports, an oil company executive at the gathering, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort last month, complained about environmental regulations under the Biden administration. Then this happened: Trump’s response stunned several of the executives in the room overlooking the ocean: You all are wealthy enough, he said, that you should raise $1 billion to return me to the White House. At the dinner, he vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Biden’s environmental rules and policies and stop new ones from being enacted, according to people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation. Giving $1 billion would be a “deal,” Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid thanks to him, according to the people. Obviously industries have long donated to politicians in both parties in hopes of governance that takes their interests into account, and they explicitly lobby for this as well. But in this case, Trump may have made detailed, concrete promises while simultaneously soliciting a precise amount in campaign contributions.

Just a mention that Tumblr formatting won't permit indentations inside indentations. As a substitute, I used red to depict double indentation.

Anyway...

For instance, the Post reports, Trump vowed to scrap Biden’s ban on permits for new liquefied natural gas exports “on the first day.” He also promised to overturn new tailpipe emission limits designed to encourage the transition to electric vehicles, and he dangled more leases for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, “a priority that several of the executives raised.” “The phrase that instantly came to mind as I was reading the story was ‘quid pro quo,’” Whitehouse told me. He also pointed to a new Politico report that oil industry officials are drawing up executive orders for Trump to sign as president. “Put those things together and it starts to look mighty damn corrupt,” Whitehouse said.

Trump may just be a pile of orange flab with a porcine mouth and bad hair, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be taken seriously. Among many other bad things, Trump is a figurehead for Big Oil. Oil companies are already busy composing executive orders for Trump to sign.

If elected, Trump would throw into reverse our transition to a decarbonized future, one that’s creating untold numbers of manufacturing jobs—including in the very places that Trump has attacked Democratic elites for supposedly abandoning—all in exchange for mega-checks from chortling fat cats right out of the most garish of Gilded Age cartoons. For good measure, some of that loot could help Trump secure elite impunity for his own corruption and alleged crimes. We can’t say we weren’t warned. Trump has told us all this himself.

Progressives toying with third party temptations need to be set right: The only way to defeat Donald Trump is to vote for Joe Biden.

There will NEVER be a President RFK Jr., a President Jill Stein, or a President Cornel West. Such vanity candidates are usually little more than eccentric freaks. The last time a non-Democrat or non-Republican was elected president was 1848. But with American democracy and the future of the planet at stake, self-indulgence at the ballot box this year could lead directly to dystopia.

[jobng]

Why Choose a Recruitment Company in Lagos, Nigeria?

Introduction: In a bustling metropolis like Lagos, Nigeria, where opportunities abound and competition is fierce, finding the right job can be challenging. However, with the assistance of a reputable recruitment company, navigating the job market becomes significantly easier. In this article, we'll explore the reasons why individuals should consider partnering with a recruitment agency in Lagos, Nigeria, focusing on the abundance of job opportunities, the convenience they offer, and the expertise they provide.

Expansive Network of Job Opportunities: Lagos, often referred to as the economic hub of Nigeria, is home to a diverse range of industries, including finance, technology, manufacturing, and entertainment. A reputable recruitment company in Lagos boasts an extensive network of connections with various businesses across these sectors. This network gives job seekers access to a wide array of job opportunities that may not be advertised through traditional channels. By tapping into the recruitment agency's network, candidates increase their chances of finding positions that align with their skills, qualifications, and career aspirations.

Specialization in "Jobs in Lagos Nigeria": Recruitment agencies in Lagos specialize in understanding the local job market dynamics, including specific industry trends, skill requirements, and employer preferences. Whether you're seeking employment in the fast-paced tech startups of Yaba or the corporate offices of Victoria Island, a recruitment company familiar with "Jobs in Lagos Nigeria" can provide tailored assistance. These agencies often have dedicated teams focused on different sectors, ensuring that candidates receive personalized guidance and support throughout the job search process.

Job Vacancies in Lagos

Access to Exclusive Job Vacancies: One of the significant advantages of partnering with a recruitment company in Lagos is gaining access to exclusive job vacancies. Employers often rely on recruitment agencies to fill critical positions swiftly and discreetly. As a result, many job openings are shared exclusively with these agencies before being publicly advertised. By registering with a reputable recruitment firm, candidates can be among the first to learn about such opportunities, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.

Streamlined Application Process: Navigating the job market can be time-consuming and overwhelming, especially for individuals juggling multiple responsibilities. Recruitment agencies streamline the application process by acting as intermediaries between candidates and employers. They assist job seekers with crafting professional resumes, preparing for interviews, and negotiating job offers. Additionally, recruitment companies often use advanced technology and applicant tracking systems to match candidates with suitable job opportunities efficiently. This streamlined approach saves candidates valuable time and ensures that their applications receive proper consideration from employers.

Expert Guidance and Support: Job hunting can be a daunting task, particularly for recent graduates or individuals transitioning between careers. Recruitment agencies in Lagos offer expert guidance and support at every stage of the job search journey. Their experienced recruiters provide valuable insights into market trends, salary expectations, and in-demand skills, empowering candidates to make informed decisions about their careers. Furthermore, recruitment consultants offer personalized advice tailored to each candidate's unique strengths and career goals, helping them stand out in a competitive job market.

Conclusion: In conclusion, choosing a recruitment company in Lagos, Nigeria, can significantly enhance your job search experience and increase your chances of securing meaningful employment. With their expansive networks, specialized expertise, and personalized support, recruitment agencies play a vital role in connecting job seekers with rewarding career opportunities in Lagos' dynamic marketplace. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, partnering with a reputable recruitment firm can expedite your job search process and pave the way for long-term career success.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 11, 2021

Heather Cox Richardson

Congress has been on break since March 29, and tomorrow members will go back to Washington, D.C., to resume work. The next weeks are going to be busy for the lawmakers, not least because the political ground in America appears to be shifting.

In the two weeks the lawmakers have been back in their districts, a lot has happened. The Biden administration released the American Jobs Plan on March 31, calling for a $2 trillion investment in infrastructure. The plan includes traditional items like railroads and bridges and roads; it also uses a modern, expansive definition of infrastructure, including support for our electrical grid, green energy, and clean water delivery, as well as the construction of high-speed broadband to all Americans. The plan also defines childcare and eldercare as infrastructure issues, an important redefinition that will not only help more women regain a foothold in the economy, but will also help to replace manufacturing jobs as a key stabilizer of middle-class America. The administration is selling the infrastructure plan, in part, by emphasizing that it will create jobs (hence “American Jobs Plan” rather than something like “American Infrastructure Act”).

President Biden has proposed paying for the plan by raising the corporate tax from 21% to 28% (it was 35% before Trump’s 2017 tax cut) and by increasing the global minimum tax from 13% to 21% (so that companies cannot stash profits in low-tax countries). He has also proposed saving money by ending the federal tax breaks for fossil fuel companies and by putting teeth in the enforcement of tax laws against corporations who have skated without paying taxes in the past.

The president also put together a blue-ribbon, bipartisan commission to look at the question of adjusting the Supreme Court to the modern era. While people are focusing on the question of whether the number of justices on the Supreme Court should be increased—it has held at 9 since 1869, even as three more circuits have been added—the commission is also looking at “the length of service and turnover of justices on the Court.” It is only very recently that justices grimly held onto a Supreme Court appointment until death; the positions used to turn over with some frequency. The commission is an astonishingly distinguished group of scholars, lawyers, and judges.

Nonetheless, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed the establishment of the commission displayed “open disdain for judicial independence.” And yet, the Supreme Court itself undermined his position in favor of a nonpartisan judiciary late Friday night. It issued an unsigned opinion in which the court decided, by a vote of 5-4, that state restrictions on private religious gatherings during the pandemic infringed on people’s First Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the minority.

Biden has also asked Congress to take on the issue of gun control, after yet more mass shootings in the country. And overshadowing all is the Democrat’s demand for the passage of voting rights legislation that would protect voting, end gerrymandering, and curb the influence of big money in U.S. elections.

While the legislative world has been rocking, so has the world of the Republicans. The party is torn between the Trump wing and the business wing, and in the course of the past few weeks, that rift has widened and destabilized.

On March 25, Georgia passed a sweeping new voting restriction law. Legislators argued that they were simply trying to combat voter fraud, but the law, in fact, significantly restricts voting hours and mail-in voting, as well as turning over the mechanics of elections to partisan committees. The Georgia law came after a similar set of restrictions in Iowa; other states, including Texas, are following suit.

But this attack on voting rights is not playing well with the corporate leaders who, in the past, tended to stand with the Republicans. Leaders from more than 170 corporations condemned the new Georgia law, saying, “We stand in solidarity with voters 一 and with the Black executives and leaders at the helm of this movement 一 in our nonpartisan commitment to equality and democracy. If our government is going to work for all of us, each of us must have equal freedom to vote and elections must reflect the will of voters.” Major League Baseball grabbed headlines when it decided to move this summer’s All-Star game out of the state.

Following the corporate pushback over the Georgia law, the leader of the business Republican faction, Mitch McConnell, said that it was “stupid” for corporations to weigh in on divisive political issues, although he specified he was “not talking about political contributions.” Republican lawmakers have said that corporations should not take political stances, a position that sits uneasily with the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, which said that corporate donations to political candidates were a form of political speech and could not be limited by the government. The so-called “Citizens United” decision opened up a flood of corporate money into our political system.

Yesterday, more than 100 corporate executives met over Zoom to figure out how to deal with the voter suppression measures coming out of Republican legislatures. They discussed that political unrest is bad for business (this is very true-- one of the key reasons the American South had insufficient capital investment after the Civil War was that investors could not be sure their money wouldn’t disappear during social unrest) and are calling for corporations to continue to take a stand against voter restrictions, including by withholding money from Republican candidates.

This puts the Republicans in a bad spot. The insistence of state Republican legislators that they must protect against voter fraud reflects their determination to cling—without evidence—to the argument Trump lost the election only because the Democrats cheated. This is not true and has been thoroughly debunked. But, having sold their voters this Big Lie, they now need to follow through.

And yet, backing Trump right now is a dicey proposition. Since the lawmakers have been in Washington, D.C., more and more information has come out about key Trump supporter Republican Matthew Gaetz (R-FL), who is alleged to be involved in a number of shady deals in Florida, including—allegedly—being party to moving underaged girls across state lines for sex. While Gaetz insists he is a victim of “leaks and… lies,” it is notable that only Trump Republican Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have come to his defense. Others are remaining gingerly silent, which has only permitted the story to snowball.

Trump himself continues to make trouble for the party. He continues to raise money for his own coffers and last month demanded that the Republican National Committee stop using his name or picture on fundraising materials. It appeared he was reconciling with the party when he agreed to give a speech at the end of the RNC’s donor summit.

Instead, on Saturday night, at an invitation-only meeting of top donors at Mar-a-Lago, the former president’s Florida resort, Trump abandoned his scheduled calls for unity and instead used a speech to the attendees to reiterate that the 2020 election was stolen from him and to attack party members whom he considers insufficiently loyal, including Mitch McConnell.

Meanwhile, there were “White Lives Matter” rallies planned by neo-Nazis and Proud Boys for today in cities across the country to promote white nationalism and, as one organizer said, make “the whole world tremble.” But, in the end, virtually no one showed up. With the Justice Department indicting the January 6 insurrectionists and popular voices turning against the forces Trump encouraged, the angry Trump base appears to be going underground.

So, in the face of remarkably popular Democratic proposals to rebuild the country-- proposals that will kill the central principle of the Republican Party since the time of President Ronald Reagan that the government must get out of the economy—Republicans are split between their voting base, which wants Trumpian voter restrictions, and their donor base, which recognizes that those restrictions will destabilize the country.

The spring is going to see a remarkable game of political chess.

—-

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[officialopaleye]

A lot of people keep asking what a Free Trade Zone is, well in this post I will clarify what a Free Trade Zone means and also tell you key things you don’t know about Lekki Free Trade Zone.

A Free Trade Zone is an area within which goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and re-exported .

It is a region where a group of countries have agreed to reduce or eliminate trade barriers, the basic objective being to enhance foreign exchange earnings, develop export-oriented industries and generate employment opportunities for the host country.

Lekki Free Trade Zone covers a total area of about 155 square kilometres in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area, southeast of Lagos, Nigeria, about 50km from the city center.

This zone has been designed to become a new Lagos and has been granted a series of preferential policies and incentives, and designated as a special economic zone inside Nigeria.

Lekki Free Trade Zone will provide an ideal platform to open up diverse market for all investors and enterprises in the world. It will be a unique landmark of the future development of Lagos state and Nigeria as a whole.

Number 2: JOINT VENTURE PARTNERSHIP.

Lekki Free Trade Zone Is a joint venture partnership established in May 2006 pursuant to the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act (NEPZA).

The LFZDC comprises a consortium of Chinese Companies by the name China-Africa Lekki Investment Ltd (CALIL) with 60% stakes and Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited (LWIL) owned by the Lagos State Government holding 40% stakes.

Lekki Free Trade Zone is a major catalyst for the development of Lagos state brought about by a collaboration of the Chinese and Nigerian governments.

Currently, the zone is under the management of Lekki Free Zone Development Company (LFZDC).

Number 3: HISTORY MAKING.

It is no longer news that the Lekki Free Trade Zone is the first private free trade zone in Nigeria and the biggest in the whole of West Africa.

Number 4: THE FRONTIER OF TOMORROW’S ENTERPRISE.

Lekki Free Trade Zone is going to become the leading hub and major driver of the Nigerian economy and West Africa as a whole by the time all the infrastructure that is planned starts operation.

5: FAST ATTRACTING INVESTORS.

Lekki Free Trade Zone is Facing the Atlantic Ocean in the south and bordering with Lekki Lagoon in the north, which makes it easy to access the Western African market of about 300 million population and the European and USA market with a population of about 600 million.

6: LEKKI FREE TRADE ZONE IS THE FASTEST GROWING ZONE.

7: THE BIGGEST JOB CREATION ZONE IN WEST AFRICA.

Just imagine how many people will be coming into the zone both within and outside the country, you can only see this as an opportunity if you are smart.

With the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the New International Airport, Dangote Oil Refinery, Pan Atlantic University, St Augustine University, Eleganza Industrial City, different beach resorts, the proposed 4th Mainland bridge, and other amazing infrastructure, it is obvious that an investment in land around Ibeju Lekki especially in areas along the Lekki Free Trade Zone will reap massive returns few years from now.

So, whether you are buying land for residential / commercial purpose or to resell when the price comes up, you are on the right track.

We have different secured estates in Ibeju - Lekki you can choose from

Don’t make the mistake of not owning a piece of property in Ibeju Lekki

CALL /WhatsApp 09020490000 || 09012968302 ||08036333495

LETS HELP YOU SECURE YOUR FUTURE!!!

[thetens-blog1]

Vacancies at Riddle Technologies Limited, May 2017

Vacancies at Riddle Technologies Limited, May 2017

Vacancies at Riddle Technologies Limited, May 2017 Riddle Technologies Limited – We carefully study our client needs, and deploy a suitable solution using latest Technology. The carefully balanced combination of knowledge of the local conditions, the innovative approach to security issues and the working experience in partnership, enhances our capabilities to effectively manage projects We are…

[robertreich]

New Year’s Update for Trump Voters

Almost one year in, it’s time for another update for Trump voters on his election promises:

1. He told you he’d cut your taxes, and that the super-rich like him would pay more. You bought it. But his new tax law does the opposite. By 2027, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, the richest 1 percent will have got 83 percent of the tax cut and the richest 0.1 percent, 60 percent of it. But more than half of all Americans — 53 percent — will pay more in taxes. As Trump told his wealthy friends at Mar-a-Lago just days after the tax bill became law, "You all just got a lot richer."

2. He promised to close “special interest loopholes that have been so good for Wall Street investors but unfair to American workers,” especially the notorious “carried interest” loophole for private-equity, hedge fund, and real estate partners. You bought it. But the new tax law keeps the “carried interest” loophole.

3. He told you he’d repeal Obamacare and replace it with something “beautiful.” You bought it. But he didn’t repeal and he didn’t replace. (Just as well: His plan would have knocked at least 23 million off health insurance, including many of you.) Instead, he’s doing what he can to cut it back and replace it with nothing. The new tax law will result in 13 million people losing health coverage, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

4. He told you he’d invest $1 trillion in our nation’ crumbling infrastructure. You bought it. But after his giant tax cut for corporations and millionaires, there’s no money left for infrastructure.

5. He said he’d clean the Washington swamp. You bought it. But he’s brought into his administration more billionaires, CEOs, and Wall Street moguls than in any administration in history, to make laws that will enrich their businesses, and he’s filled departments and agencies with former lobbyists, lawyers and consultants who are crafting new policies for the same industries they recently worked for.

6. He said he’d use his business experience to whip the White House into shape. You bought it. But he has created the most dysfunctional, back-stabbing White House in modern history, and has already fired and replaced so many assistants (one of them hired and fired in a little more than a week) that people there barely know who’s in charge of what.

7. He told you he’d “bring down drug prices” by making deals with drug companies. You bought it. But now the White House says that promise is “inoperative.”

8. He promised "a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections." You bought it. But foreign lobbyists are still raising money for American elections.

9. He told you “I’m not going to cut Social Security like every other Republican and I’m not going to cut Medicare or Medicaid.” You bought it. But he and House Speaker Paul Ryan are already planning such cuts in order to deal with the ballooning deficit created, in part, by the new tax law for corporations and the rich.

10. He promised “six weeks of paid maternity leave to any mother with a newborn child whose employer does not provide the benefit.” You bought it. But the giant tax cut for corporations and the rich doesn’t leave any money for this.

11. He said that on Day One he’d label China a “currency manipulator.” You bought it. But then he met with China’s president Xi Jinping and declared "China is not a currency manipulator.” Ever since then, Trump has been cozying up to Xi.

12. He said he wouldn’t bomb Syria. You bought it. But then he bombed Syria.

13. He said he’d build a “wall” across the southern border. You believed him. But there’s no money for that, either. Chief of staff John Kelly says it is “unlikely that we will build a wall, a physical barrier, from sea to shining sea.”

14. He promised that the many women who accused him of sexual misconduct “will be sued after the election is over.” You bought it. He hasn’t sued them, presumably because he doesn’t want the truth to come out. 

15. He said he would not be a president who took vacations. “I would not be a president that takes time off,” he promised, and he called Barack Obama “the vacationer-in-Chief." You bought it. But since becoming President he has spent nearly 25 percent of his days at one of his golf properties for some portion of the day, according to Golf News Network, at a cost to taxpayers of over $77 million. That’s already more taxpayer money on vacations than Obama cost in the first 3 years of his presidency. Not to mention all the money taxpayers are spending protecting his family, including his two sons who travel all over the world on Trump business.

16. He said he’d force companies to keep jobs in America, and that there would be “consequences” for companies that shipped jobs abroad. You believed him. But despite their promises, Carrier, Ford, GM, and the rest have continued to ship jobs to Mexico and China. Carrier (a division of United Technologies) has moved ahead with plans to send 1,000 jobs at its Indiana plant to Mexico. Notwithstanding, the federal government has rewarded United Technologies with 15 new contracts since Trump's inauguration. Last year, Microsoft opened a new factory in Wilsonville, Oregon, that was supposed to herald a new era in domestic tech manufacturing. But in July, the company announced it was closing the plant. More than 100 workers and contractors will lose their jobs when production shifts to China. GE is sending jobs to Canada. IBM is sending them to Costa Rica, Egypt, Argentina, and Brazil. There have been no “consequences” for sending all these jobs overseas.

17. He promised to revive the struggling coal industry and "bring back thousands" of lost mining jobs. You bought it. But coal jobs continue to disappear. Since Trump’s victory, at least 6 plants that relied on coal have closed or announced they will close. Another 40 are projected to close during the president’s four-year term. Utilities continue to switch to natural gas instead of coal.

18. He promised to protect steel workers. But according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, which tracks shipments, steel imports were 19.4 percent higher in the first 10 months of 2017 than in the same period last year. That import surge has hurt American steel workers, who were already struggling against a glut of cheap Chinese steel. For example, ArcelorMittal just announced it will soon lay off 150 of its 207 steel workers at its plant in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

19. He said he’d make America safer. You believed him. But according to Mass Shooting Tracker, there have been 377 mass shootings so far this year, including 58 people killed and hundreds injured at a concert in Las Vegas, and 26 churchgoers killed and 20 injured at a church in Texas. Trump refuses to consider any gun controls.

20. He said he’d release his taxes. “I’m under a routine audit and it'll be released, and as soon as the audit is finished it will be released," he promised during the campaign. He hasn’t released his taxes.

[sageglobalresponse]

Prof. Osinbajo is one of the leading Presidential aspirants of the APC. The ruling party will at the Convention elect its flagbearer for the 2023 presidential elections.

The VP spoke just before President Muhammadu Buhari delivered his speech.

Below are the full remarks of the Vice President at the APC Special Convention.

REMARKS DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) SPECIAL CONVENTION FOR ITS PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY, AT THE EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA, ON TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 7TH, 2022.

PROTOCOLS

First, let me begin on a solemn note. I join you and the good people of Ondo State in mourning the victims, men, women and children, of the heinous and dastardly terrorist act that took place at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, and other victims of terrorism across the country. I pray that the Lord God Almighty will comfort their families, and that we will never see a repeat of these heinous acts in our nation again.

I’m deeply honoured to stand before you today and to share this platform with 22 other exceptional members of our great party who, today, vie for the preferment of the Presidential candidate of our great party, the APC.

Like most of us here, I am a Nigerian. I was born here. My parents were born here. I went to primary, secondary school and university here. I have worked here all my life. This country has afforded me most of the education and opportunities and the world view that I have. I have seen and experienced the great prospects of Nigeria. I know that it is possible for us to have a world class educational system; it is possible to have world class healthcare system for all Nigerians.

It is possible to establish a technology economy here in Nigeria; it is possible to establish a bitumen processing industry in Ondo, gold processing in Zamfara and Osun, and exploit and process the finest precious metals and stones in the world in Benue, in Plateau and most of the North central states. We can exploit oil and gas in the Niger Delta and South East and now even in Bauchi and Gombe States.

It is possible to manufacture our vehicles in Nnewi. Already, Innoson Motors, they are doing great things there. We can open up steel plants in Kogi, establish Africa’s largest industrial city between Ogun and Lagos. We can establish the biggest gas and petrochemical plants in the world in the Niger Delta; we can sell fertilizer to Africa as we already have one of the largest plants in the world, the Dangote refinery. We can sell shoes to the world— already the Aba Shoe Cluster in Abia State sells over a million pairs of footwear every week to the rest of Africa.

We can manufacture our weapons, ammunitions locally, DICON in Kaduna is already manufacturing munitions, and Proforce, a Nigerian company, is making armoured mobile platforms here in Nigeria.

We can build drones, helicopters and planes. Our Air Force is already manufacturing air platforms. And God helping us, in two decades, we can become the first nation on earth to send a team of all black team of astronauts to the moon. We have the talent, the resources and the resourcefulness to be one of the world’s leading economies. We have the guts and the confidence to beat the world. We can run an open, honest and transparent government; we can ensure the rule of law, we can secure our nation from terrorism, we can provide good paying jobs for millions of young people.

In this decade, we can lift 100 million people out of poverty, we can give all women equal education, equal opportunities, and we can establish a comprehensive social welfare programme for the poor and vulnerable. And fortunately, we are not starting from zero; we have already in this administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, we have begun the most ambitious infrastructure investment in the history of our country. We have revolutionized Agriculture.

Since 2015, young Nigerians have established 6 unicorns, technology companies each worth over a billion dollars. Everything we can imagine or dream is within our reach. All that is left is for us to make the right decision tonight.

And so, we stand today on the threshold of history. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, so much depends on so few of us. Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (2,322) delegates will decide the future of our children and their own children; 2,322 persons will decide the fortunes of Africa’s largest economy and the largest population of black people on earth; 2,322 people. What an awesome responsibility, what an incredible moral burden. The future of our children compels us, compels all of you who are distinguished delegates to vote right tonight.

We are a religious nation; we believe in the power of prayer. We all pray for a country that is peaceful and prosperous. But God allows us by our votes to show him whether we mean the prayers we pray or not. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in. So, our dear delegates, when you vote tonight, know that your vote carries the answer to your prayers for the future of our children, for the future of our country.

Over the past several weeks, I have traversed the length and breadth of this country; I have engage with you, the delegates, and members of our great party. We have had deep and wide-ranging conversations on the issues that are most important to us all as a nation. You have told me your hopes, your fears and dreams. We have reasoned together on the future of our country.

I have also served for seven years, by the grace of God, as Vice President. While at the side of President Muhammadu Buhari, I have seen firsthand the nuances and complexities of the challenges that confront us as a nation. One thing is certain— our circumstances will not afford the next leader of our country any time to learn on the job. In discharging my duties as Vice President for the past seven years, I have been prepared in the profound ways for the task that lies ahead, and I will be ready from day one.

It is for these reasons that I, Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo, by the grace of God, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, present myself to you, our distinguished delegates, for your consideration as the presidential candidate of our great party, the APC.

God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Released by:

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity

Office of the Vice President

8th June, 2022

[xtruss]

Sly As A Fox: How Wilbur Ross Slipped Out Of Scandal And Back Into Business

— Dan Alexander, Senior editor at Forbes, covering Donald Trump's business | April 21, 2021

Fresh off a years-long ethics investigation, Trump’s commerce secretary is back in business with a new SPAC—which he created while still in office.

ON JANUARY 19, 2021, while still serving as the U.S. secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross set up a new company in the Cayman Islands. The business had no operations, but it did have big plans. It was a special purpose acquisition company, or a SPAC, which would allow Ross to raise more than $300 million from investors.

If you are surprised that a cabinet member might set up such a company while still technically in office—Ross’ term didn’t end until the next day, January 20—then you might need an introduction to the former commerce secretary. Three former colleagues have accused Wilbur Ross of taking or stealing their private equity interests. In 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission fined his firm, WL Ross & Co., for allegedly breaking laws that prohibit misleading investors and defrauding clients. While in office, he issued false statements, held ethically dubious meetings and engaged in suspiciously timed trading.

But Ross has a knack for slipping out of scandals. He settled the cases with his former colleagues, signing confidentiality clauses to keep the troubles under wraps. Six months after his firm settled with the SEC, he abandoned it for Washington. He managed to operate in government for years, even as his office apparently lied about the existence of a commerce department investigation, then brushed aside its findings when they finally came out in December 2020.

Ross is now back in business, having found a new set of people willing to trust him—just as he always has. “Wilbur, to me, was the master negotiator,” Ross’ former right-hand man, David Storper, explained in a 2019 interview. “Because he could end up picking somebody’s pocket across the table, but they would also end up thanking him for it.”

LIKE DONALD TRUMP, Ross is not just a ruthless negotiator but also a relentless self-promoter. For years, Ross apparently fibbed about the size of his fortune, fooling the world—and some of his own investors—into thinking he had more money than he really did. The ruse unraveled in 2017 after Ross joined the government and filed a financial disclosure report, showing fewer assets than he had previously claimed to own. Rather than fess up to being a mere centimillionaire, Ross doubled down on the myth that he was a billionaire, describing a major asset transfer to family members that did not happen. Those comments sparked additional concerns about whether Ross had disclosed all his assets to federal authorities. On November 13, 2017, a half dozen Senate Democrats wrote a letter to the inspector general of the commerce department, requesting an investigation.

A week later, the investigation began. According to internal notes kept by the inspector general’s team, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, “the Secretary” received a verbal “courtesy notice” just days later. In public, Ross’ team played it cool, acting oblivious to the probe. “We have not been notified, nor are we aware, of a formal investigation by the inspector general,” a spokesperson for the commerce secretary told Forbes in December 2017, nearly a month after the probe began. The inspector general’s office did not refute that statement, sticking to its internal practice of neither confirming nor denying the existence of an ongoing investigation.

President-elect Donald Trump and investor Wilbur Ross shake hands following their meeting at Trump International Golf Club, November 20, 2016 in Bedminster Township, New Jersey. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Other standard practices inside the inspector general’s office fell by the wayside. Inspectors general often take a hands-off approach to investigations, delegating staffing and regular oversight duties to professional bureaucrats in their office. In this case, President Trump had recently nominated the head of the investigative division, Mark Greenblatt, to serve as inspector general of another agency. In an unusual move, Greenblatt, whose nomination was still pending, recused himself from the politically charged Ross investigation. In a second unusual move, Inspector General Peggy Gustafson then inserted herself into his role. “That is what, to me, made the hair on the back of my neck stand up,” says someone inside Gustafson’s office at the time. “I think she wanted to slow-roll it. I think she wanted control of it at all times so she could manipulate the outcome.”

But the allegations against Ross kept mounting. Investigative reporting revealed that Ross had meetings with the CEOs of Chevron, Boeing and railcar manufacturer Greenbrier at the same time he or his wife held interests in those companies. He told federal officials that he divested investments in Air Lease, Invesco and BankUnited, even though he still had stakes in those firms. He worked on trade deals with China, while remaining in business alongside the Chinese government. He even opened a short interest in a gas company tied to Vladimir Putin, after a New York Times reporter contacted him about an upcoming story on Ross’ connections to the business.

It wasn’t until March 2019, nearly 16 months after the investigation began, that the inspector general issued her first subpoena. In October that year, her team finally interviewed Ross. The investigators had a partial draft of their final report in December 2019 and predicted it would be ready for the inspector general to review by February 2020. But it remained buried inside the office until December 2020. When it finally became public, three years after the start of the investigation and a month after the election, few people paid attention. By that point, Biden had been elected, Ross would soon be out of his government job—and the country was more focused on President Trump’s potential power grab than Wilbur Ross’ ethics issues.

“Three years is a very long time, particularly if the investigative interviews were basically concluded after two years,” says Walter Shaub, who once served as the top ethics official in the executive branch. “It certainly creates the appearance of an inspector general delaying an investigation out of fear of retaliation in a year when the president went after other inspectors general.”

First contacted about these concerns in January, Gustafson’s office initially told Forbes it would make a member of the investigative team available for an interview. When the time for the interview came, though, the inspector general’s office rescinded the offer, saying the agent had changed his mind. Gustafson instead responded in writing, confirming that she oversaw the Ross investigation but saying she did not slow-roll it. The Ross probe eventually concluded that the commerce secretary broke federal rules by failing to avoid the appearance of ethical and legal breaches but cleared him of more serious charges.

Ross took a victory lap. “I am pleased that the inspector general’s report puts to rest any notion that I violated the conflict-of-interest statutes,” he said in a statement, later adding that “I have always been and will remain committed to adhering to the highest standard of ethics in the discharge of my duties.”

His actions indicated otherwise. A month later, Ross incorporated the SPAC while still in office—a parting shot at ethics norms on his way out the door. In another statement, his office acted like that was no big deal either: “Mr. Ross took 20 minutes to create this SPAC one day before he resigned.”

IT WAS NOT a forgone conclusion that Ross would dive back into business after leaving the government. At 83 years old, with an estimated fortune of $600 million, other people in his position would have called it a career and spent their final years relaxing by the water in Palm Beach. But the former commerce secretary wanted to get back in the hunt.

He understood the concept of Wall Street’s buzziest trend, SPACs, having launched one in 2014, years before they became ubiquitous in the finance world. SPACs work like this: Managers list a shell entity in an initial public offering, raising a big pile of money that trades like a stock. Generally the managers grab a 20% stake in the entity at the outset, then spend up to two years looking for a private company with which they can merge their publicly traded pile of money. When they find a business, they tell the original investors. Those investors can then ask for their money back or stick around to get a stake in the target company. The two entities merge, allowing the target company to begin trading publicly, with its stock going up or down depending on how well it performs.

Wilbur Ross, Hilary Geary Ross, Melania Trump, Donald Trump, Judith Giuliani and Rudy Giuliani attend the Andrea Bocelli concert at The Mar-a-Lago Club on February 28, 2010 in Palm Beach, Florida. Lucien Capehart/Getty Images

Ross’ earlier SPAC raised about $500 million in 2014 but almost didn’t complete a merger, which would have forced Ross and his partners to swallow the costs of searching for a company to buy. With just a couple of days left in his two-year-long search period, Ross pounced on a chemicals distributor named Nexeo Solutions Holdings. Many of the investors didn’t want anything to do with it, so they elected to redeem their original investment. That sucked about $300 million out of the entity, most of the $500 million it raised at the start.

To plug the hole, Ross and his partners then had to give part of their 20% stake to other investors who, in exchange, promised to hang onto their shares and buy new ones.

When the dust cleared, Ross and his team walked away with nearly 7.1 million shares of the merged company, for which they had paid an average of $3.01 apiece. Not bad considering that Ross’ initial investors had paid $10 to get one share and one warrant.

In February 2017, Ross resigned his position as chairman of Nexeo to become secretary of commerce. Those who got in at $10 couldn’t have been happy a month and a half later when, with the shares trading at $8.84 and the warrants priced at 69 cents, Ross dumped his personal stake for an estimated $44 million. A nice payday, especially for a guy whose remaining original investors had lost 5% of their money over three years (while the S&P 500 had climbed 20%).

Ross is now in position to repeat the trick, following the same cynical playbook that he—and plenty of others like him on Wall Street—have used to pad their wallets. Ross’ team has already grabbed a 20% interest in the new SPAC, paying next to nothing for it. Ross seems to have set himself up to skim smaller, almost trivial sums on top of that. A March prospectus showed that the SPAC would be paying “an affiliate” of the sponsor $10,000 a month for office space, secretarial and administrative services. The document specifically states that the payments include the cost for maintaining headquarters at 1 Pelican Way in Palm Beach, which appears to be Ross’ personal home. When asked about this, Ross said the SPAC would not pay rent but would cover incremental costs.

Given that the SPAC has no real business yet, it’s mostly just a bet on the team, which includes Ross, two of his old private equity colleagues, a couple of former underlings at the commerce department, a British lord who served on the board of Ross’ previous SPAC and Larry Kudlow, the TV talking head that Trump tapped to be director of the National Economic Council. Ross serves as chairman and, lest there be any confusion of who is in charge, the SPAC’s ticker symbol is “ROSS.”

That branding might help draw some Trump fans, but it probably won’t appeal to those who know Ross’ recent track record. After a well-timed rollup of the steel industry in the early 2000s, which propelled his first two funds to amazing returns, Ross hasn’t fared so well. His third major fund, which dates to 2005, lost investors an average of 5.3% of their money annually. His firm’s fourth significant fund, which started in 2007, returned a decent 7.3%. Its fifth, which began in 2011, returned just 1.6% despite operating through the longest bull market in American history.

“When you think about that type of a guy coming to market and then still trading on his name to get this done, it just kind of blows your mind that it’s even possible,” says one former WL Ross investor. “It’s a total joke. I’ve never trusted the guy. I don’t have any faith that that guy can generate any sort of outsized performance.”

The recent popularity of SPACs could make it even harder for Ross to generate high returns, since he’ll now be competing with a crowd of others looking for similarly structured deals.

IPO investors may be having second thoughts about putting their money with an ethically challenged, recently struggling manager. But they do have a way out. Ross’ original investors can redeem their shares at the time of the merger, just as so many did in his previous SPAC. The more people who demand their money back this time, the more Ross will presumably have to replace to complete the merger. The more money he needs, the more deals he might have to strike to entice new investors. He and his partners could theoretically end up having to forfeit most of the 20% stake they grabbed at the outset.

Or put it another way, if everyone flees, then the fox—who has always seemed to find more prey—will finally be left without a feast.

[opportunitywow]

Nigerian Bottling Company Limited Technical Trainee Programme 2021/2022 for young Nigerians.

Application Deadline: July 13th 2021

At Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (A member of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company), you can cultivate your career in a challenging and dynamic environment. NBC is the largest manufacturer and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks in the world selling more than 1 billion drinks a day. NBC will provide you an enabling environment to unlock your full potential; we are a future-focused company that is known and respected throughout the world.

The Programme Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, wishes to admit qualified young Nigerians of sound character and learning potential to undertake an intensive eighteen-months Training Programme in Lagos on Technical Skills Development in the following areas:

Basic Bottling Process   

Industrial Mechatronics

Automation and Process Control Engineering

Machine Shop Operation

General Fittings and Welding

Utility Maintenance and Operations

Entry Requirements Candidates must possess the following qualifications among others:

Minimum of Lower Credit in Ordinary National Diploma (OND) issued by Nigerian Polytechnic in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering not earlier than 2020

Industrial experience, for example Industrial Attachment, will be an added advantage

Interested candidates should be open to work in any part of the country where our plants are located.

Benefits

– Successful candidates will enjoy a monthly stipend (not salary) for the entire duration of the program. It is a non-residential training at our Technical Training Centre located in Ikeja, Lagos. Trainees will be exposed to classroom, hands-on sessions, and on-the-job training experience in Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd Plant in Ikeja, Lagos State.

– On successful completion of the training program, trainees will receive internal certificates of participation and may be offered permanent employment as Technicians or Technical Operators with the company.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited Technical Trainee Programme 2021/2022

Previous articleIrish Aid/SFI SDG Challenge 2021

Next articleIslamic Development Bank (IsDB) Internship Program Quarter 3 for Graduate Students.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3yCtpoP via IFTTT

[thisdaynews]

Unlock Nigeria’s gas potential for economic development — Dangote tells FG

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/unlock-nigerias-gas-potential-for-economic-development-dangote-tells-fg/

Unlock Nigeria’s gas potential for economic development — Dangote tells FG

The Federal Government has been urged to deploy new strategy to unlock the potentials and maximize the use of the country’s available vast natural gas resources to improve the nation’s economy.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Mr. Devakumar Edwin said there was the need to find ways to exploit and utilize Nigeria’s natural gas resources to impact positively on the nation’s economy. Edwin, who was on a panel at a session of Bussinessday Newspaper’s Energy Series 2020 Virtual Conference with the theme:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

“Gas Market Development – the Opportunities, Drivers and Challenges,” emphasized the necessity for managers of the nation’s oil and gas sector to adding value to natural gas in order to transform Nigeria from exporter of raw materials to exporter of finished products. According to him, adding value to natural gas would strengthen the petrochemical industry, thus making it possible for the country to change from exporting raw materials to value-add products supplier. “In the same vein, it will boost the economy and solve the ‘hydra – headed’ problem of unemployment in Nigeria with its multiplier employment effect”, he stated. “The industry uses varieties of hydrocarbon feedstock from refinery and natural gas. One of the problems facing the industry is lack of reliable feedstock supplies.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

“Nigeria has the potential to be a major petrochemicals producer. With proven gas reserves, not much has been accomplished with respect to the effective exploitation and utilization of this resource as most of the nation’s natural gas production has been liquefied for export. “In sub-Saharan Africa, we produce raw materials and export to other countries. Our products are refined or manufactured and exported back into the continent. Really, the raw materials are taken out and value added and brought back to the continent.” “Nigeria has done well in respect to the reduction of gas flaring to almost 10 per cent and exporting natural gas to generate revenue.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

“But, our focus at Dangote is how to add value to the natural gas. After all, this Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) that is being imported by various countries is used as fixed stock. They use this natural gas to generate power, fuel and as feedstock.

The value-added products are thereby exported to Nigeria. “If you look at petrochemicals, we import almost all our petrochemicals into the country. Fertilizer, is also being imported into the country. So, if we focus on adding value to natural gas that we produce in the country and export the finished products, be it fertilizer, petrochemicals, our export revenue will be much larger.” Edwin disclosed that Dangote Industries’ focus is to add value to the country’s gas resources through Dangote Subsea Gas Pipeline Project, which is expected to unlock significant gas supply for industrial activities and considerably reduce flaring in Nigeria.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Enumerating benefits of the pipeline project, the company stated: “The pipeline project will make gas readily available for commercial use; nullify the need for future gas import; lead to diversification of Nigeria’s economy; increase government revenue (and meet demand for domestic petrochemical products); ensure an increase in Forex from exports, and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.” He explained that the gas pipeline will help feed the Fertilizer plant, connect the Niger Delta to the Lekki free trade zone (LFTZ) in Lagos and also capture flared gases from offshore platforms in Nigeria to be monetized. Enumerating benefits of the pipeline project to Nigeria economy, he stated:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

“The pipeline project will make gas readily available for commercial use; nullify the need for future gas import; lead to diversification of Nigeria’s economy; increase government revenue (and meet demand for domestic petrochemical products); ensure an increase in Forex from exports, and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.” The series was earlier declared opened by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Silva who stated all efforts being put in place by the government through provision of infrastructure meant to deepening the gas sub-sector of the oil and gas industry. He also cited the renew efforts being made to ensure the Petroleum Industry Bill is passed without further delay.

sources:Vanguard News Nigeria.

[jaeyloaded]

Nine Key Highlights Of Buhari’s Democracy Day Speech

President Muhammadu Buhari addressed Nigerians on 12 June the Democracy Day. It was his third national broadcast since his administration designated the day as a public day. He spoke on various achievements of his administration. P.M.News hereby gives nine key highlights of the achievements and plans:

Grow what you eat, eat what you grow President Buhari believes agriculture remains the key to Nigeria’s economic diversification strategy. And he is focused on making the sector the pillar of Nigeria’s economy. In his broadcast, he says that the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative programme will continue to deliver significant quantities of affordable and high-quality fertilizers to Nigerian farmers. Government is also revamping the cotton, textile and garment sector via a CBN Textile Revival Intervention Fund that would considerably reduce foreign exchange spent on cotton and other textile imports. Through the food security initiative, the Buhari administration is promoting “Grow What We Eat” and “Eat What We Grow”. Ajaokuta steel plant Buhari delivered one sentence on this embarrassing project waiting for completion since 1976. He said his government has directed the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant based on Government-to-Government financing and a Public-Private Sector financing. What he did not repeat was that the Russian government is working with the Africa Import and Export Bank, to pool funds in excess of $1.4bn to revive the steel plant designed and built by the Russian Steel Company, TyazhpromExport. Buhari brokered the new deal with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during his visit to Russia in October 2019. Power sector Again just like steel, the Power Sector remains a mirage for Nigerians. Buhari says in the broadcast that his government is executing some critical projects through the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme. Some of the projects under execution are the Alaoji to Onitsha, Delta Power Station to Benin and Kaduna to Kano; the 330kv DC 62km line between Birnin Kebbi and Kamba; the Lagos/Ogun Transmission Infrastructure Project; the Abuja Transmission Ring Scheme; and Northern Corridor Transmission Project. Then Buhari speaks on the Siemens angle: the agreement with the German conglomerate is that it will transmit and distribute a total of 11,000 Megawatts by 2023, to serve Nigeria’s electricity needs. Roads, Rail, water transport Buhari certainly wants to be remembered that his administration revamped and developed Nigeria’s infrastructure. He says his government is growing the stock and quality of Nigeria’s roads, rail, air and water transport infrastructure. “Through the SUKUK-Funded Road Projects, a total of 412km of the targeted 643km road projects have been completed, representing 64%. The Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund projects are also progressing very well. On the 2nd Niger Bridge, piling work has been completed and the approach roads are being constructed. 48% of work on this bridge has been achieved. “We have constructed 102km of the 376km Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Road, representing 38%, and the 42.9km Obajana – Kabba Road is 87.03% complete. “We are extending and upgrading our railway network too. We are introducing more locomotives, coaches and wagons for the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line. “The Central Ajaokuta – Itakpe – Warri Line has been completed and is being extended from Itakpe to Abuja on one end and from Warri Town to Warri Port on the other. “The Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line is 90% completed and would be extended to the Lagos Port which would help address the long-standing grid-lock at the Apapa port. “The Kano – Maradi Single Track Standard Gauge Railway, Coastal Railway Project and Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Standard Gauge Railway, with its associated branch lines running through the South Eastern and Gombe States, industrial park and Bonny Deep Sea Port are all ready for concessioning. First Bidding for marginal oil fields Buhari, as Nigeria’s oil minister was thrilled to announce that for the first time in over ten years, Nigeria is conducting bidding process for 57 Marginal Oil Fields to increase revenue and increase the participation of Nigerian companies in oil and exploration and production business. “We continue to grow local content in other areas of the oil and gas sector with the disbursement of funds from the $200 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund to indigenous manufacturers and service providers. Insurgency and Banditry President Buhari promised to enthrone security in Nigeria five years ago. But insurgency has not ended, what with the killing of 81 villagers in Gubio LG of Borno this week. Banditry, kidnapping, other forms of criminality are rising across the nation. Buhari says the security issues are being accorded appropriate priorities and the men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have considerably downgraded such threats across all geo-political zones. He reiterated again that all the Local Governments that were taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have long been recovered and are now occupied by indigenes of these areas who were hitherto forced to seek a living in areas far from their ancestral homes. “The total collapse of the economies of these areas, which constituted a threat to our food security, has also been reversed with the gradual recovery of farming and other economic activities”, he says. He then apologised for the recent sporadic incidents with tragic loss of lives in Katsina and Borno States as a result of criminals taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions. “Security Agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice”, he promised.. COVID-19 and national response Expectedly Buhari devoted a considerable part of his address on the raging COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon that has disrupted the entire world this year. “Fellow Nigerians, the year 2020 has been like none other”, Buhari says. “In January 2020, the COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The number of global infections has risen from less than 80,000 shared between China and eighteen other countries to over 7 million spread over 216 countries and on all continents. “Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19 on February 27th 2020 and within the first 100 days, I have had cause to address the nation on three occasions within one month, which underscores the gravity of this pandemic. “There is no doubt that this pandemic has affected the global economy and all known socio-economic systems. It has also brought grief and pain to families that have lost their loved ones. Like many Nigerians, I feel the grief and pain not only as your President but also as someone who has lost a close member of my staff and some relatives and friends. “The impact of the pandemic has disrupted our economic system and to ensure its functioning while still addressing the spread, the Federal Government put in place a number of various non-pharmaceutical measures to slow down the spread of the virus, in addition to a progressive re-opening of the economy. “As part of the strategy to create jobs in reducing the effect of COVID-19 on our youths, I directed the employment of 774, 000 Nigerians. These youths will be engaged in Special Public Works Programme aimed at cushioning the effects of economic downturn. Each of the 774 local government areas in the country will be allotted 1,000 slots. I am pleased to report that this programme has commenced. “I am confident that the steps being taken by the PTF would result in flattening the COVID-19 curve. I, therefore, implore all Nigerians to abide by the approved guidelines and protocols. There is hope for us all if we take individual and collective responsibility. “Government is determined to turn this COVID-19 challenge into a motivation to action by building a nation-wide public health care system that will help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for any future outbreak. “Already, we have begun to look inward and I charge our inventors, researchers and scientists to come up with solutions to cure COVID-19”, he says. Anti-corruption moves Government has continued to implement accountability and transparent policies through the Open Government Partnership and the transparency portal on financial transactions. “Similarly, we have strengthened auditing and accountability mechanisms so as to ensure that rules and regulations are followed strictly. “Anti-Corruption Agencies have secured more than 1,400 convictions and also recovered funds in excess of N800 billion. These monies are being ploughed into development and infrastructure projects”. Cost of governance The Public Service of Nigeria remains the bedrock for the formulation and implementation of policies, programmes and projects in the country. This accounts for why it continues to evolve especially as new socio-economic challenges emerge for Government to address. In the face of dwindling resources and rising cost of governance, I have authorised that the White Paper on the Rationalisation of Government Parastatals and Agencies be reviewed for implementation. Read the full article

[upshotre]

Dangote Cement in Tanzania now runs on gas turbines

…As coy sells 4.7million tons across African plants in six months Management of Dangote Cement has revealed that its Pan African sales increased by 2.7 per cent to nearly 4.7 million tons for the six month ended on June 30th 2019. To the delight of its investors, the company also revealed that its Tanzania Plants now runs on gas turbines, just as sales volumes from its Senegal Plants are more than 100% of its rated capacity. All in all, these surely are good signs of better days ahead for the company’s investors. It would be recalled that the company paid a whopping N272.6 billion as dividends to its shareholders last financial year, translating to N16 per 50kobo share,, an increase of52.4 per cent against total dividend of N178.9 billion or N10.50 per share paid by the company for 2017 financial year. Chairman of the company, Aliko Dangote had recently said its cement terminals in Lagos State and Onne, Rivers, would be concluded before the end of 2019, as a way of further improving its market share.  He promised that the terminals, which were delayed by equipment suppliers, would rake in about $700 million in foreign exchange through cement exportation to sub-Saharan Africa. He said the company would be opening export facilities within the terminals to export clinker and cement to its existing facilities both in Cameroun and other African countries. According to him: “Later in 2019, we will open export facilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt that will enable us export clinker initially to our grinding facility in Cameroun and then to new grinding plans we are building in West Africa…Not only will these generate useful foreign currency for Dangote Cement to support other expansion projects outside of Nigeria, they will also help to increase the output of our Nigerian plants,” he said. He further revealed that the company would be exporting cements through the terminals to Ghana, Cameroun, Sierra Leone and Congo, among others and as such make Nigeria the biggest exporter of cement in sub-Saharan Africa. Noting that the project will improve job creation and increase prosperity of the country, he said the company’s capacity will also increase on the completion of the terminals. Dangote Cement is Africa's leading cement producer with nearly 46Mta capacity across ten countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. A fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer, it has a production capacity of 29.25Mta in Nigeria. Its Obajana plant in Kogi state, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 13.25Mta of capacity across four lines; its Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined capacity of 12Mta, while its Gboko plant in Benue state has 4Mta. Through its recent investments, Dangote Cement has eliminated Nigeria's dependence on imported cement and has transformed the nation into a net exporter, serving neighbouring countries that lack the limestone necessary for cement manufacturing.

Read the full article

[thetens-blog1]

Current Jobs at BrainGain International Limited in Lagos, Nigeria 2017

Current Jobs at BrainGain International Limited in Lagos, Nigeria 2017

Current Jobs at BrainGain International Limited in Lagos, Nigeria 2017 BrainGain International Limited, is an enterprise set up to enhance the basic educational proficiency of African Children (in Mathematics and English Language) by granting them access to enormous variety of books and mathematical audio-visuals. The company is in its Ikeja, GRA office conveniently warehousing several Books that…

[jobsnigeriarank]

Latest Career Vacancy Drivers in Nigeria April 2017

Latest Career Vacancy Drivers in Nigeria April 2017

Career Vacancy Drivers at a Reputable Plastic Manufacturing Company in Nigeria April 2017   Job Opening : Drivers at a Reputable Plastic Manufacturing Company   Job Description : Job Employment Drivers at a Reputable Plastic Manufacturing Company A reputable Plastic manufacturing company, is recruiting suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below: Job Title: Driver Location: Lagos…

[michaelwalshblog-blog]

Donald Trump advances controversial pipelines: ‘I am to a large extent an environmentalist’ but ‘it’s out of control’

President Donald Trump described himself as “an environmentalist” on the same morning that he signed two executive actions to advance the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, which have been strongly opposed by environmentalists.

Trump made the claim during a Tuesday morning meeting while vowing to dismantle government regulations that are intended to preserve clean air and water. He was talking to chief executives from the three largest U.S. automobile manufacturers: Ford, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors.

“I am to a large extent an environmentalist. I believe in it, but it’s out of control,” Trump said. Before taking office, he ridiculed climate change science as a hoax invented by the Chinese to handicap American industry.

During the on-camera meeting, the new president vowed to follow through on his campaign promises of slashing regulations, reducing taxes and returning manufacturing jobs to the U.S.

“We’re bringing manufacturing back to the United States big league. We’re reducing taxes substantially and we’re reducing unnecessary regulations. And we want regulations, but we want real regulations that mean something,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments aligned with his commitment to bolstering the fossil fuel industry. His self-identification as an environmentalist appears — to others bearing the label — disingenuous at best.

Flanked by General Motors CEO Mary Barra (L) and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne (R), U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a meeting with U.S. auto industry CEOs at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

“Any claim from Trump that he is an environmentalist is an outright lie,” Cassady Craighill, a spokesperson for Greenpeace, told Yahoo News. “We will not allow Trump to gaslight this country or muddy the waters with ‘alternative facts.’”

Rhea Suh, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, “Another day, another alternative fact from the President.”

“He has done nothing to manifest genuine concern for the environment. He has done a tremendous amount, however — in a very short time — to show that his presidency will create unprecedented risks for our air, water, wildlife and public health,” Suh said in a statement to Yahoo News.

The announcement Tuesday morning that Trump was signing executive orders to move forward with the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines is a devastating blow to the Native-American tribes and environmentalists who had protested the projects for months.

On Monday, the White House reportedly sent a letter ordering the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Administration and Resources Management to freeze all contracts and grants. The EPA awards billions of dollars each year to fund environmental research and cleanups every year.

“Basically no money moving anywhere until they can take a look,” an anonymous EPA staffer told Reuters.

President Donald Trump tosses his folder on the table before the start of a meeting with automobile leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017. From left are, GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford Motors CEO Mark Fields, the president and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO and Sergio Marchionne. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

Trump has also alarmed environmentalists with some of his cabinet picks, including ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt has a history of opposing EPA regulations through lawsuits. Trump vowed to remove the U.S. from the historic Paris Agreement and to overturn former President Barack Obama’s Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule.

“Trump has been in the Oval Office less than a week, and he has already deleted all mentions of climate change from the White House website and signed executive orders to revitalize the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines,” Craighill said.

Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, said Trump is living up to environmentalists’ fears about his administration. He said Trump is “encouraging dirty, dangerous tar sands development” over safe and economically viable clean energy alternatives.

“The Keystone pipeline was rejected because it was not in the country’s interest, and the environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline was ordered because of the threats it poses to the Standing Rock Sioux. Nothing has changed. These pipelines were a bad idea then and they’re a bad idea now,” Brune said. “Simply put, Donald Trump is who we thought he is: a person who will sell off Americans’ property and Tribal rights, clean air, and safe water to corporate polluters.”

Tiernan Sittenfeld, the senior vice president of Government Affairs for the League of Conservation Voters, said in a statement that no amount of “alternative facts” can change that the pipelines are harmful to communities living along the routes or protecting clean air and safe drinking water.

“With this disgraceful anti-climate, anti-clean water, pro-polluter action coming on the heels of scrubbing the White House website of important climate change information and removing the Council on Environmental Quality website altogether, the Trump administration could not be off to a worse start when it comes to the environment and public health,” Sittenfeld said. “Rest assured, we will be there to fight them at every step of the way.”

Graphiq

Trump had invested in Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), the natural gas company developing the Dakota Access Pipeline, which is routed to cross a river along a sacred tribal burial ground within a mile of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Trump’s team said he sold his entire stake in the company but Sierra Club countered that he has not provided proof of divestment.

During the auto-manufacturing meeting, Trump said he’s pushing to open many factories within the United States for a variety of industries — not just producing cars. He said though he’s pleased that the process will create construction jobs, his primary focus is long-term employment.

The president said he would make the entire manufacturing process much simpler for auto companies and anyone else who wants to do business in the U.S. so that the business climate changes from “very inhospitable to extremely hospitable.” The celebrity businessman said he has friends who cannot build within the U.S. because they cannot secure an “environmental permit” concerning “something that nobody ever heard of before.”

“And it’s absolutely crazy,” Trump continued. “And we’re going to make a short process and we’re going to either give you your permits or we’re not going to give you your permits, but you’re going to know quickly¬ and generally speaking we’re going to be giving you the permits.”

Craighill said that Trump might one day acknowledge the overwhelming scientific consensus that anthropogenic climate change is a serious threat and requires immediate action, but she is not counting on it.

“The day may come that Trump finally understands the gravity of climate change when rising seas impact Mar-a-Lago,” she said, “but we won’t hold our breath.”

WeatherDB | Graphiq

Read more from Yahoo News:

In Trump’s inaugural speech, a demand for unity and loyalty

Presidential speechwriters survey the carnage

Protesters throng Trump inauguration route and face off with police

[chachacorner]

Medical Sales Representative at Tyonex Nigeria Limited (2 Openings)

Medical Sales Representative at Tyonex Nigeria Limited (2 Openings)

Medical Sales Representative at Tyonex Nigeria Limited (2 Openings)

Tyonex Nigeria Limited is a group of registered companies, with an operational base throughout Nigeria and Corporate Head Offices in Lagos, Nigeria. Established in September 1997, Tyonex is a member of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Marketing Companies in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below: Job Title:…