June 21, 2021 – Precise Post

Google earmarks $6m for female startups, entrepreneurs in Africa

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Stellamaris Ashinze Lagos – Google on Monday said it has renewed its commitment to support startups in Africa with a combined six million dollars funding to startups founders and female entrepreneurs in Africa. Nitin Gajria, Managing Director of Google Sub-Saharan Africa, said on Monday in statement that It was part of the ongoing plans to double down on supporting Black startup founders. Gajra said that the programme, in collaboration with the Tony Elumelu foundation, would provide seed capital to 500 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and selected Francophone countries. He said it would prepare them to navigate their businesses through the start-up and early growth phase. According to Gajra, as part of Google’s global commitment to support underserved communities, three million dollars was earmarked for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa. ‘’This fund, which is part of the company’s radical equity commitments announced in June 2020, will provide cash awards and hands-on support to 50 Black-led startups in Africa. ‘’Unlike most startup investments, it does not require founders to give up any equity in exchange for funding. ‘’Google …

Politics

Voter Registration: INEC to deploy 5,346 personnel to 2,673 centres

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Abuja – Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it would deploy 5,346 personnel to 2,673 registration centres for Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) resuming nationwide on June 28. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the declaration on Monday in Abuja at the presentation of INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) and online registration portal for the exercise at a meeting he held with media executives. IVED is an Android tablet to be used in place of the existing Data Capturing Machine used for CVR in previous exercises. Prof. Yakubu said that before now INEC had 1,446 registration centres where it registered 14. 2 million voters between 2017 and 2018. “Learning from the experience of what happened, we have now almost doubled the number of those centres. “Our hope is that unlike 14.2 million we registered in the previous exercise, we are targeting a minimum of 20 million registrants this time. It will take the number of registered voters to about 100 million,’’ Yakubu said. He said that majority of the 5,346 personnel to be deployed would be INEC officials, while …

News

Inclusive governance panacea to alleged marginalisation – Abaribe

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Stanley Nwanosike Enugu. – The Senator Representing Abia South Senatorial Zone, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, has advocated inclusive governance as panacea to alleged marginalisation being registered by ethnic nationalities in the country. Abaribe made the call on Monday in Enugu at the inauguration of Igbonine, a new Igbo socio-cultural organisation. Igbonine is an apolitical association of all Igbos in Nigeria and worldwide regardless of dialect, religion, socio-economic class and political ideology. The senate minority leader noted that the alleged unequal treatment of various people and segments that made up the country remained the root of the present political challenge of the country. “Luckily, it is not only the South-East or Igbos that feels alienated; but the cry of marginalisation is spread over the country. “They are only painting Igbos as only those complaining and causing trouble. “Our country is supposed to be an inclusive country, where fairness, equity and deliberate action to ensure every part of the country is duly represented and carried along,’’ he said. Abaribe noted that Igbos had invested in the unity, oneness and progress of the …

Business

Nigerian stock market resumes week with N54bn loss

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma Lagos – The Nigerian equities market began trading for the week on Monday still on negative mood with 0.27 per cent loss due to renewed profit taking. Specifically, the All-Share Index which opened for the week at 38,648.91 shed 103.61 points or 0.27 per cent to close at 38,545.30. Accordingly, month-to-date gain moderated to 0.3 per cent, while year-to-date loss increased to 4.3 per cent. In the same vein, the market capitalisation lost N54 billion or 0.27 per cent to close at N20.089 trillion from N20.143 trillion achieved on Friday. The market loss was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks, amongst which are Fidson Healthcare, Lasaco Assurance, Oando, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and Dangote Sugar Refinery. However, the market sentiment, as measured by market breadth, was positive with 18 gainers against 17 laggards. Meyer drove the gainers’ table in percentage terms with 8.77 per cent to close at 62k per share. Champion Breweries trailed with 6.06 per cent to close at N2.10, while Julius Berger improved by 4.71 per cent to close at N20 …

News

Pay Bayelsa Govt $951m derivative arrears – Court orders FG

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Abuja – The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered the Federal Government to pay 951 million dollars to the Bayelsa Government. The amount is the 13 per cent derivative sum due as arrears of revenue and payable to the Bayelsa government. Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the judgment, held that the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF), the sole defendant in the case, failed to enter his defence in the suit. Justice Ekwo ruled that the development made the court to declare the plaintiff’s case “unchanged.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ken Njemanze, SAN, filed the suit on behalf of the Bayelsa government. The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/175/2012 and filed on Feb. 12, urged the court to compel the AGF to pay five per cent of $50 billion recovered as additional revenue that accrued to the Nigerian government. The judge noted that where a person issues s letter of demand on another person upon outstanding facts, the person for whom the demand notice was issued must take steps to react to same. “Where the …

News

Students abduction may not cease until FG negotiates with bandits – Sheik Gumi

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Our Reporter Abuja – Prominent Islamic cleric and tutor, Sheik Gumi, has reiterated the call for the Federal government to negotiate with bandits to tackle the incessant abduction of school students across the nation. Gumi said the bandits kidnapping school pupils were disappointed that he negotiated with them without the involvement of the Federal Government. The cleric insisted that until the government engaged with the herdsmen, no school could be safe. He stated these during an interview with The PUNCH on efforts to rescue the kidnapped pupils of Tegina Islamic School, Niger State. The bandits had demanded N200m from the victims’ parents, which was later reduced to N150m. Gumi said despite efforts to get the pupils out, the bandits were adamant in their financial demand. He said, “But we are trying to talk sense to them that these are just innocent schoolchildren. We don’t even have any idea of the condition of the children. We are just saying these are young children trying to study and they did nothing, so why are you trying to take dirty money from …

Politics

Nasarawa lawmaker, David Maiyaki dumps PDP, joins APC

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Agency Report Lafia – Lawmaker representing Karu/ Gitata at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr David Maiyaki, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress ( APC). The speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi announced this while reading the defection letter during plenary in Lafia on Monday. Abdullahi, while congratulating the lawmaker for joining APC assured him of equal treatment with other members of the party. The speaker said that APC remained a party to beat in 2023 in the state. “You have taken a wise decision. I congratulate you for the step taken as you have taken the best step. I want to assure you of equal right with other members of the party. “We have caught another big fish, I want to assure you of our cooperation and supports to enable us succeed. “With the defection, we have completed 10 members from Western zone as APC lawmakers,” he said. Earlier, Maiyaki said he decided to join APC is in the best interest of the people of his constituency and the state at …

Politics

Start building bridges of unity – Bafarawa to political office holders

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

…Says Nigeria needs peace, unity above anything By Our Reporter Abuja (Precise Post) – Former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa has charged political office holders to start building bridges of unity to ensure positive development that would strengthen the confidence of the citizens in the democratic process. This is also as he has cautioned Nigerians, especially politicians not to allow political tension to mar the country’s national unity and cohesion. He added: “We should promote and sustain good governance by avoiding tendencies threatening our political journey as a nation.” Bafarawa, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) during the last general election said political office holders should concentrate on governance, to reduce tension and improve the quality of life of the people. The former governor said Nigerians must close ranks to create an atmosphere for peaceful coexistence across the country. He said: “Rather than having political cohesion through acceptable political practise, we tend to breed and encourage mistrust among diverse Nigerians. It has always caused tension, bringing mistrust and threat occasioned by calls for restructuring …

Sports

2022 World Cup: Qatar to allow only vaccinated fans entry to stadia

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Agency Report Berlin – Qatar wants to allow only vaccinated fans to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which it is set to host. “By the time of the World Cup, most countries in the world would have vaccinated their citizens,” Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz al-Thani was quoted as saying by state media on Sunday. “Due to the possibility that some countries will not be able to vaccinate all their citizens, Qatar will deny entry to stadiums to fans who do not have full vaccination protection against the coronavirus.” The 2022 World Cup is scheduled to start on Nov. 21. “We are currently negotiating with a company to provide one million doses of coronavirus vaccine for the immunisation of those coming to Qatar for the World Cup,” Sheikh Khalid said. “Our primary goal in vaccinating is to protect the public health of citizens and residents,” he added. World football governing body FIFA and Qatar World Cup organisers have not yet commented on the Prime Minister’s statements.(NAN)