UNDP Predicts Greater Nigeria Post 2015 Elections

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><p>The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has allayed the fears of many Nigerians as regards the 2015 elections, saying the election is “a possible turning point for the best for Nigeria”.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Daouda Toure, who said this yesterday while on a courtesy visit to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, reassured Nigerians that the country would come out stronger from the elections.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“Since conflict is a part of every society, you have to begin to address it even before it starts: the culture of peace must be inculcated in the minds of our politicians before the elections.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“We are therefore delighted to be associated with this initiative by NIPSS to strengthen the capacity of political parties so they become key pillars of Nigeria’s democratic polity.”</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He said political parties constitute an essential pillar of a vibrant, well-established and resilient democracy.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“And woven into the democratic fabric of society, parties serve vital functions, including aggregating citizen interests, forming government and holding them accountable, developing and promoting policy positions and programmes, and grooming and selecting leadership. They are therefore needed to sustain democracy,” he said.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>According to him, “Democratic Governance Development (DGD) and NIPSS developed a curriculum to equip young party leaders with the fundamentals to drive a robust democratic engagement. It provides strategic techniques on how parties can become stronger institutions themselves.”</p><br /><br/><br /><p>On its part, NIPSS said as the foremost institute in West Africa and indeed Africa, it has taken it upon itself to strengthen the capacity of political parties with a view to bringing stability, national unity and meaningful participatory democracy to Nigeria’s political system.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The Director General of the institute, Professor Tijjani Muhammad Bande, while thanking UNDP for its immense support, revealed that the institute had trained about 200 political party officials, including chairmen, secretaries, treasurers, financial secretaries, women leaders, legal advisers and publicity secretaries at the national level, adding that the training would be extended to leaders at the state and ward levels before the 2015 elections.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Resource persons at the training included professors of impeccable records from diverse disciplines. They all promised to leave the participants with impacts that would change the fortune of politics in Nigeria.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>In the company of Toure on the visit were his wife, Mrs Toure, DGD Project Director, Dr. Mourtada Deme, and UNESCO Director, Professor Alidou Hassana, among others.</p><br /><br/><br />="left"><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /></div>

UNDP Predicts Greater Nigeria Post 2015 Elections

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has allayed the fears of many Nigerians as regards the 2015 elections, saying the election i...

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30 Vehicle Manufacturing Plants To Take Off Soon

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><p>The National Automotive Council on Tuesday said 30 vehicle manufacturing plants would soon commence operation in the country..</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The Director, Policy and Planning, Mr Lukman Mahmud, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He said the Federal Government was working toward facilitating the production of vehicle components at competitive prices through the Nigerian automotive industry and to create employment opportunities.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Mahmud explained that prior to the pronouncement of the National Automotive Industry Development Plan in 2013, Nigeria had 14 existing plants across the nation.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“The protection and incentives provided to the industry under the new policy persuaded 16 companies to establish assembly plants,” he said.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Mahmud added that the motor assembling companies would come in with complete and semi-knock-down vehicles.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He said Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Leyland, Fiat, Volkswagen and Mercedes were the complete Knock-down assembling plants that were forced to shut down due to the influx of imported cars or and second hand vehicles otherwise called “Tokunbo”.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Mahmud said the idea of Semi-Knock-Down and Complete Knock-Down import was to address the demand from the automobile market due to eventual hike on tariff and levy of imported fairly used cars.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The director said the policy made provision for high patronage from government and Credit Purchase Scheme.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He explained that under the credit purchase scheme, middle class Nigerians would buy cars at affordable prices and pay back within 36 to 46 months and at single digit interest.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He added that modalities were being worked out with all stakeholders in the sector to curtail smuggling of used cars.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Mahmud said that when stability was achieved and the demand from market met, the manufactures would buy the component parts locally.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“Plans are in top gear to revive the auto glass company in Ibadan, car seat company at Kaduna, Nocaco Auto Wires, exhaust pipes and many more parts and consumable producers in the country,” he said.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The director told NAN that the council had established material testing laboratory in Zaria, Kaduna State; components testing laboratory in Enugu and emission testing laboratory in Lagos.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“All these are to ensure that the components to be produced are of international standard,” he said.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Mahmud said that a critical element of the policy was under legislation at the National Assembly to avoid policy somersault and protection of the investors in the sector. [NAN]</p><br /><br/><br />="left"><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /></div>

30 Vehicle Manufacturing Plants To Take Off Soon

The National Automotive Council on Tuesday said 30 vehicle manufacturing plants would soon commence operation in the country.. The Director,...

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Jonathan Finally Meets Parents Of Abducted Chibok Girls, Vows To Rescue Them

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><p>President Goodluck Jonathan today assured parents of the girls abducted by militant Islamist group Boko Haram that the government is doing everything possible to secure their release.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“Anyone who gives you the impression that we are aloof and that we are not doing what we are supposed to do to get the girls out is not being truthful. Our commitment is not just to get the girls out, it is also to rout Boko Haram completely from Nigeria,” Jonathan told the parents.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>“But we are very, very mindful of the safety of the girls. We want to return them all alive to their parents,” he said.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Jonathan met the parents for the first time on Tuesday after girl-child education campaigner Malala Yousafzai visited Nigeria and met representatives from the community, including some of the parents.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Jonathan, who had being accused of handling the crisis badly had wanted to seize the opportunity of having some of the parents in Abuja to. convene a meeting, but they declined, saying it had been organised in a hurry, so there was not time to consult with all the parents.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Jonathan blamed the community’s stance on the #BringBackOurGirls campaign group, which he accused of playing politics and derailing the meeting.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>A total of 177 people – including 51 of the girls who managed to escape Boko Haram’s captivity – met President Jonathan, reports the BBC.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The paren<a href="http://ift.tt/1yXz2JS"><img alt="Chibok-Jona" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-230595" height="168" src="http://ift.tt/1o6DSAX" width="300"/> </a> ts left the meeting without showing emotion but some shook hands with the<br/><br /><br/><br />president, AP reports, adding that some of the escaped schoolgirls smiled for photographers after the meeting.</p><br /><br/><br />="left"><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /></div>

Jonathan Finally Meets Parents Of Abducted Chibok Girls, Vows To Rescue Them

President Goodluck Jonathan today assured parents of the girls abducted by militant Islamist group Boko Haram that the government is doing e...

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[PHOTOS]#surulere: P-Square 17years ago

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1ibJVhx"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full" data-recalc-dims="1" src="http://ift.tt/1ibJUdo" title="paul-okoye.jpg"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1owk4Xb"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full" data-recalc-dims="1" src="http://ift.tt/1ibJVhB" title="poverty-is-a-bastard-paul-okoye.PNG"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1ibJVhD"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full" data-recalc-dims="1" src="http://ift.tt/1ibJVhH" title="peter-okoye.jpg"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1owk3m8"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full" data-recalc-dims="1" src="http://ift.tt/1ibJUdu" title="thunder-fire-poverty-peter.PNG"/> </a> </p><br /><p>Wow! You guyz really need to taste the money! Haha</p><br /></div>

[PHOTOS]#surulere: P-Square 17years ago

Wow! You guyz really need to taste the money! Haha

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FG To Establish Trauma Counselling Centres In Jos Following Blasts

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><p>The federal government has said it will establish trauma counselling centres to aid survivors of the recent bomb blast that are passing through psychological torture.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Ministers of Water Resources and Women Affairs, Sarah Ochekpe and Hajiya Zainab Maina, who disclosed this while going round the hospitals in Jos to assess the conditions of the victims of the blast, said having seen the depression in the faces of victims and their loved ones, there was the need to set up such centres that will cater for their psychological needs.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Multiple bomb blasts had Tuesday rocked Jos, Plateau State, yesterday, claiming at least 118 lives and injuring several others.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Islamist sect group Boko Haram has been blamed for the blasts due to the pattern of attack.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The sect has been unleashing terror on the country since 2009, as it says it wants a Sharia state.</p><br /><br/><br />="left"><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /></div>

FG To Establish Trauma Counselling Centres In Jos Following Blasts

The federal government has said it will establish trauma counselling centres to aid survivors of the recent bomb blast that are passing thro...

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