BREAKING: Former Health Minister, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, is dead.

Nigeria’s former Health Minister, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, is dead.
His death was announced early Monday morning (today), but a press release by his family, signed by Dr. Babajide Osotimehin, put the date of his demise as Sunday, June 4, 2017.
Until his death, Prof. Osotimehin was the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, a post he assumed on January 1, 2011, sequel to his appointment on November 19, 2010 for a four-year term.
He was reappointed on August 21, 2014 for another four-year term that would have ended in 2018.
Osotimehin was born February 6, 1949, in Ogun State.
As the UNFPA’s executive director, Osotimehin was the organisation’s fourth Executive Director, and hel
Before his UN job, Osotimehin had served as the nation’s health minister between December 17, 2008 and March 17, 2010 when then Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.
As health minister, Osotimehin was preceded in office by Dr. Adenike Grange, and he was succeeded by Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.
Osotimehin attended Igbobi College between 1966 and 1971, and later studied medicine at the University of Ibadan. He obtained a doctorate in medicine from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, in 1979.
d the rank of Under-Secretary General of the United Nations.
Osotimehin was the Director-General of the Nigerian National Agency for the Control of AIDS, a post he left to become the health minister.
As the chairman of the National Action Committee on AID, he oversaw the development of systems that, today, manage more than $1bn donor fund towards the elimination of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
He also served as the Project Manager for the World-Bank assisted HIV/AIDS Programme Development Project from 2002–2008, during which he achieved great success.
While he was at the UNFPA, Osotimehin’s interests included issues relating to youth and gender within the context of reproductive health and rights.
His focus were the young people, as he believed that youth participation in the society was very important.
He once famously said, “We need to ensure that young people of both genders have equal participation, not only in reproductive rights and health, but also within society and in the economy.”

Olaiya's body arrirves Tuesday, to be laid to rest at Ebony Vaults Ikoyi

All things being equal, baring any unforeseen snag of any kind, the remains of very much loved late actress and mother of 2, Moji Olaiya would arrive, Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.

On that same day, a memorial and artiste night in her honour would be held at the Blue Roof event place at LTV 8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, starting from 4pm.

Those to attend are adviced to wear black corporate outfits. She would be committed to mother earth at the Ebony Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, Lagos the very next day which is Wednesday, June 7, 2017.

According to the information passed across by the person in charge of media/publicity team of the burial committee, Mr. Yomi Fabiyi, the late actress's body would arrive the country in company with her 3months old baby, who she had only given birth to in February in Canada.

 T-shirts for the burial are said to be available at ₦1500 each.

Bola Ahmed's TVC sacks 145 workers, mounts security at gate

The management of Television Continental has sacked 145 workers across the country.
The news was announced on Friday.

Television Continental is owned by former Lagos State governor and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu.
Following the mass lay-off of staff members, the medium have installed heavy security officers comprising of both police and bouncers at the front gate, report says.


The affected employees were said to have been invited to the head office of the TV station in Lagos, where they learnt of their retrenchment.
Reports said the mass retrenchment was due to the economic meltdown, and it is being rumoured that the TV station may be rested for its inability to break even, financially.
Prominent broadcasters were said to be among those sacked on Friday.

Tight race as UK heads for poll

Labour is closing the gap with Tories and now stands just three points from Theresa May’s party, a new YouGov poll shows.
The poll, commissioned by The Times, found the Conservative lead had slipped dramatically in recent weeks and is now within the margin of error.
The figures show the Conservatives on 42 points with Labour close behind on 39.
The poll points to a remarkable change in fortunes for the Tories, which had a 24-point lead over Labour when the snap general election was called in April.

Ms May has struggled in recent weeks after she was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over plans to reform social care in the party’s manifesto.
The party said elderly people who needed care will be able to put off paying for it until after their deaths so they could potentially stay in their own home for as long as possible.
But critics said this would unfairly penalise people who suffer a slow decline from illnesses like dementia, over people who die suddenly and can then leave their estate to their children.
Ms May has faced criticism for refusing to to engage with voters, especially after she declined to take part in televised debates.
During the debate, Green party leader Caroline Lucas said: “You don’t call a general election and say it is the most important election in her lifetime and then not even be bothered to debate the issues at hand.”
She added: “I think the first rule of leadership is to show up.”

The YouGov poll also shows Ms May’s personal appeal over Jeremy Corbyn is slipping.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja Completes Upgrade of Executive Floors

...............Guests laud all-new Executive Floors and Lounge

 
Transcorp Hilton Abuja today announced the reopening of its Executive Floors and Lounge following the completion of the renovation of the floors. The reopening of the highly coveted floors marks a milestone in the on-going $100 million renovation project of the 5-star hotel.

The Executive Floor rooms and suites, redesigned by award-winning Swedish interior designer, Living Designs, have been upgraded with an extra touch of luxury to the furnishing, fixtures and equipment. The design and furnishing concept, strong, bold and fresh with a certain softness, harmony and com­fort, is inspired by the resilient Nigerian spirit.

In order to enhance the Guest experience in every aspect, the all-new rooms have been fitted with the latest amenities and technology, including high definition interactive television and a dock that instantly transforms mobile phone into a sound syste

Valentine Ozigbo, Managing Director/CEO, Transcorp Hotels Plc, while speaking on the reopening said, “Our guests have grown to expect nothing less than the very best from us. That includes the pinnacle of customer service, overall comfort, and a level of aesthetical appeal rivalled by no other hotel in Nigeria. The complete overhaul of the Executive Floor and Lounge is a testament to our commitment to delivering extraordinary experience to our guests. ”

According to Etienne Gailliez, General Manager, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, "The renovation is more than just an upgrade of a physical hotel. It is a complete overhaul of the experience. If you are one of many guests that already enjoyed what the Transcorp Hilton Abuja had to offer, you are in for a pleasant surprise when you revisit our new executive floors."

The all-new executive floors will continue to deliver exclusive experience to the Guests with the introduction of access control to the Floor and Lounge.

Tony O. Elumelu CON, Chairman Transcorp Plc, while sharing his first impression of the new Executive Floors said, “I am extremely proud of the commitment and attention to detail our team put into getting the job done. Our well-travelled and discerning guests will quickly come to realize that Transcorp Hilton Abuja is delivering a quality that can rival any other 5-star hotel anywhere in the world. We are committed to upgrading the hotel’s facilities and services to meet the expectations of our guests.”

The unveiling of the new Executive Floors at Transcorp Hilton Abuja is only one phase of the on-going $100 million renovation project. All 667 rooms and suites will be upgraded innovatively and aesthetically with a variety of new features. The restaurants and bars are being redesigned for an upgraded experience in the hotel’s food & beverage offering.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

For nearly a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has been proudly welcoming the world's travelers. With 570 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts provides the foundation for memorable travel experiences and values every guest who walks through its doors. As the flagship brand of Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to set the standard for hospitality, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests' evolving needs. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a part of the award-winning Hilton Honors program. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Begin your journey at www.hilton.com and learn more about the brand by visiting news.hilton.com or following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

m. Everything has been put in place to ensure the ultimate comfort of the Guests. 

Jonathan govt’s bad spending habit caused recession, says Soludo

A former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has attributed the prevailing economic woes facing Nigeria to the wrong choice of economic policies by the government.
Soludo disclosed this while speaking at an international conference organised by the Department of Business Administration of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra State.
The theme was: Managing a recessionary economy: Options for Nigeria.
The major cause of the recession the country is facing, Soludo said, is as a result of what he called “bad habit of borrowing” at a period the country was in boom.

He blamed the past administration for plunging the economy into a glitch, saying the government did not act on time to save the situation.
Soludo, a professor of Econometrics, criticised the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, which, he said, stifled the economy further because it channelled public sector funds to the CBN.
He expressed optimism on the possibility of the country coming out of the recession. He said managing a recessionary economy did not require rocket science, noting that Nigeria could overcome the current economic setback faster if the government put in place appropriate policies.
He said: “Huge spending by government was one of the ways of solving the economic problem, but two wrong steps by the current government ruined that opportunity. They brought in the TSA and channelled funds into one account that did not allow spending. They also fixed the price of foreign exchange. These are things you do not do when a country is in economic crisis.”
The former CBN boss stressed that the recession was sown by the last administration but became obvious one year into the tenure of the present government. He said it would not have degenerated but for the inability of policymakers to rise to the challenge.
He said the recession happened because the Goodluck Jonathan administration failed to save earnings from crude oil sale when there was unprecedented boom in oil prices.

He said: “Poor ideas transcended over superior ideas, and we went into recession which was slightly avoidable. That is why academics must be alive to their responsibility of nudging us to reality. If you borrow at a time of boom, what will you do in a time of lack? Even my grandmother in the village knows this.
“At the same time, when we had boom, we had unprecedented unemployment. The problem with Nigeria’s policymakers is that once oil goes up, we take it that it will remain so, and we continue to spend. But once there is a shock and oil prices go down, we just think it is temporary and we start borrowing. Nigeria can be fixed, and what it takes to fix Nigeria is not rocket science.” Soludo hailed the government’s diversification policy, saying it would save the economy beyond oil and also save it from shocks induced by vagaries of the international oil market.
He also called for fiscal federalism to help the states and local governments live beyond “running to the centre for their sustainability”.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Joseph Ahaneku, said the theme captured the economic challenges confronting the country, which, he said, built up through decades of sub-optimal management of the material and human resources.
The VC said the conference was incisive in analysing the country’s economic woes and formulating the possible ways forward. He praised the department for organising the event in line with the school’s tradition of generating academic discourses to proffer solutions to issues of national and international concern.

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Lagos gets Presidency’s nod to reconstruct airport road

Lagos State government yesterday confirmed approval from the Federal Government to reconstruct the Airport Road from Oshodi.
Confirming the approval in a statement by the Secretary to State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode acknowledged the effort and intervention of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
It said Prof Osinbajo has granted permission to the state to start work on the project.
The statement reads: “We are very appreciative of the good gesture of His Excellency, the Acting President, for acceding to our request which is not only very timely but a very heartwarming one. Posterity will never forget this genuine developmental action.”

The governor also described the approval as a 50th birthday gift to the people of Lagos State, describing it as a further demonstration of the determination of the present administration to ensure the effectiveness of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business. The Order was signed last Thursday by the Acting President.
The statement also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing an enabling environment to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.
According to the governor, an upgraded access to the International Airport- the gateway to the nation’s commercial nerve centre – will attract new investments.
The governor had in March, alledged that the Federal Government, through the ministry of Works, was frustrating the state’s effort to reconstruct the road.
Ambode had said: “The road linking Oshodi to the International Airport, you would all agree with me is a national embarrassment. In the spirit of the regeneration and urbanisation that this administration has set out to achieve, we believe strongly that the image that is exhumed by the decadence of that road must be repaired and we took it upon ourselves to appropriate in the 2017 budget that the House of Assembly should approve the total reconstruction of the Airport Road from Oshodi to the International Airport.
“The state currently has a design of 10 lanes to come from Oshodi to the International Airport with interchange and flyover that would drop you towards the Local Airport.

“The contractor is already set to go and everything as I said, has been completed and we already have the cash, but alas! we are having challenges with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. This is a Federal and not a state road. The Federal Ministry of Works believes that they should do the road, but they have not been able to do it all these years past.
“I just want to appeal to the Federal Ministry of Works, to let go or reimburse us with whatever it is that they are owing us and even if they are not willing to pay us now, we have the money to do it. It is a national disgrace and we would not be part of it. We would like to do it as part of the celebration of Lagos at 50,” Governor Ambode had said then.
In its reaction, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works & Housing said the delay in granting the request of Lagos State was because the Memorandum conveying the Lagos government request of which was already before the Federal Executive Council (FEC), was yet to reach completion stage.
It said: “The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Ministry has presented the Memorandum conveying the request of the Lagos State Government to the Federal Executive Council as was done with a similar request by the Kaduna State Government in 2016.
“Due to the fact that two of the roads also connect Ogun State, the FEC could not reach an immediate decision on them because it requested the input of the other state government affected.”

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