CNN anchor Dr. Fareed Zakaria urges Nigeria to invest in education

CNN anchor Dr. Fareed Zakaria has called on Nigerian leaders to take charge of the country's future by investing in the educational sector to provide quality foundational education for children.

Zakaria who spoke on the theme, Africa's Political Economy: The Challenge of Leadership at the Airtel Night of Influence provided insights and analyses of African and Nigerian political economy for the distinguished audience of high net worth persons at the event at the Zinnia Hall of Eko Hotel & Suites.

The renowned journalist, international author and host of the popular Fareed Zakaria's GPS on CNN, observed that a focused investment in human capital development and building strong institutions to safe-guard society from human failings are important requirements for lifting developing nations out of the lowest levels of economic growth.

The cerebral TV anchorman also advised that rather than "subsidizing the present or buying votes, leaders should invest in education, invest in Infrastructure, invest in healthcare and invest in the future."

Citing Taiwan and South Korea, he further observed that although these countries do not have natural resources, they have emerged strong economies with impressive GDP growth rates because of their efforts in developing human capital and building strong institutions.

He also noted that the United States of America currently exports human capital in Liquefied Natural Gas and other areas because the country had invested in research, training and development in those areas.

Daily Trust

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Dana Airline resumes operations 6 months after crash

Dana Airlines will today conduct its inaugural flight to Abuja, six months after one of its aircraft got involved in a crash that killed all 153 passengers and crew on board and others on ground at Iju Ishaga, Lagos, on June 3, 2012.

Coming barely two weeks after the House of Representatives called for revocation of the airline's operating licence, the flight, expected to take off in Lagos at 9:45 a.m, would have on board some VIPs, journalists, stakeholders in the aviation sector and celebrities, including Nollywood stars.

The airline's spokesman, Tony Usidamen, who confirmed this, yesterday, said all arrangements had been concluded for a seamless flight.

Vanguard learnt that Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, had issued a resumption letter to the airline to recommence operation after series of investigation and test flights by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

Usidamen said the resumption came after necessary approval was received from the Federal Government.

He also confirmed that the airline's reservation system had been abuzz with intending passengers making their bookings, saying that explained the reason the flight would be real-time.

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revoked the company's operating licence, pending proper investigations into the cause of the crash.

In September 2012, the Federal Government reinstated the airline's licence and allowed it to resume, only with test flights.

In December 2012, NCAA issued a new Air Operators Certificate to Dana Air after it completed the necessary re-certification processes.

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Police arrest importer of fireworks that caused explosion in Lagos

Barely one week after the inferno that consumed parts of the famous Jankara market, at the Isale-Eko area of Lagos State, the Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it has arrested the owner and importer of the firecrackers which caused the fire.

This is just as two buildings including the one occupied by a newly wedded couple on Jones Street around Ebute West area of Lagos, were Wednesday razed by fire

The owner of the storage facility which housed the exploded firecrackers, Mr. Semilore Olalekan, was said to have been arrested as part of ongoing investigations into the fire.

However, police sources said the arrest might have been uncalled for since the suspect allegedly had the permission of the Police Anti-Bomb Unit and that of the office of the National Security Adviser.

The fire which happened on Wednesday last week had killed one person, left several others with varying degrees of injuries and razed over 20 buildings and a cars.

THISDAY gathered that part of the questions the importer is expected to answer is on why and how those explosives were brought into the country despite being a contraband item.

Although firecrackers are generally considered manifestly a contraband, they are usually available and used in cities and even rural areas during yuletide seasons.

But Gbolahan Moronfolu, the spokesman of the anti bomb unit explained that firecrackers can be imported when certified by the Inspector General of Police.

Olalekan who is currently being detained at Area A Command, Lion Building of the Lagos State Police Command, pending the aftermath of investigations, alleged that he has the permission of the police of import fire crackers.

Meanwhile, owners of structures and tenants of the 20 marked structures on Okoya and Ojo-Giwa streets in Lagos Island, site of the firecrackers explosion are now jittery over the probability of their properties not passing Non-Deformity Test on the marked structures.

Confirming the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said discreet investigation was ongoing.

She said: "The owner of the firecrackers has indeed been arrested and investigations are ongoing but it is too early to say on what grounds he would be charged to court."

This Day