Guinness sponsors Super Eagles

In demonstration of its support to bringing international sporting activities to sports loving Nigerians, Guinness Nigeria Plc, through its flagship brand, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (FES) announced its sponsorship of the Super Eagles to the Cup of African Nations (CAN) and the Federation of lnternational Football Associations (FIFA) competitions taking place in Angola and South Africa respectively.

The company's marketing director, Mr. Simon Breckon, made this announcement at the company's head quarter in Lagos recently. The event which was attended by top NFF members marked the third year running of the company's sponsorship of the national football team, Super Eagles. It should be noted that this third year sponsorship is attracting more money, as it surpassed the money committed by the company on the two previous occasions.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Simon Breckon said 'We have always been in the forefront of sponsoring sports generally in Nigeria, with deliberate emphasis on Football, which has always been the favourite of the consumers of our uniquely brewed Guinness Foreign Extra Stout that also has a great taste'.

To add further impetus and more impact to the importance Guinness placed on this sponsorship initiative, the company put a special programme in place, the Marketing Director added, 'Today, for the first time ever, we are revealing a limited edition of Guinness label, which will feature colours of the Nigerian football team. This new and distinctive label has been created specially to show support for the Super Eagles and the belief that together we can unite in the power of the Nigerian spirit as we enter the next stage of both the African Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.'

Also on this new label edition, Mr. Breckon, said 'The bottles of the Guinness stout featuring the limited edition label will be on sale in bars across Nigeria from December. Another interesting thing to note here is that it is the limited edition label that would change in Guinness, but the price and the much loved and distinctive roasted bitter taste, dark colour and special aroma of Guinness and the shape, size and design of the bottle will stay the same.

Guinness, Nigeria's number one stout, truly distinctive and a beer of substance for men of substance, which has been the official beer of the national team, will through its 'Power Of Naija' campaign actively demonstrate its support for and belief in the team and Nigeria by Featuring Guinness Ambassador, Nigeria's former international and skipper, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha goes to confirm that the brand recognizes the fact that whether the team is winning or losing, 11 men and 150 million Nigerians can always come together to believe in the Power Of the Nigerian spirit.

Also speaking at the occasion, Mr. Devlin Hainsworth said Guinness Nigeria would continue to unveil initiatives in support of Guinness Greatness Football Programme as well as sustain its participation in the broadcasts of English Premier League matches in Nigeria and across Africa in partnership with Guinness Greatness Ambassador, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, as well as The Super Eagles'

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Police officer arrested for murders

A police corporal who accidentally fired the shot that killed a fellow police constable and two others in Abuja has been arrested.

A police source told Daily Trust yesterday that Corporal Jabur Alexander was arrested on the orders of the Federal Capital Territory Police Commissioner Haruna John. The corporal will be investigated for firing shot that led to the death of Constable Umar Sama'ila and one Samaila Shuaibu.

Witnesses told Daily Trust yesterday three people were killed but a police source said yesterday only two people died.

The source said preliminary investigations indicated that the corporal accidentally pulled the trigger and has since the shooting developed mental health problems. The Corporal, who was attached to Paikon Kore Police Outpost near Gwagwalada, was trying to settle a matter involving the deceased constable and one Mohammed Sani who was said to have grabbed the constable by the collar.

The source said the shot fired killed two people including the constable and injured one. Meanwhile police authorities in Abuja have said the shooting was not intentional and the matter will be thoroughly investigated.

Daily Trust

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Amodu says Eagles need strong mentality to face World Cup opponents

Super Eagles coach,Shuabi Amodu has admitted that the national team need to build a strong mental capacity to overcome the challenges at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Amodu ,who was speaking at the Tom Tom interactive forum with Sports Editors in Lagos on Wednesday said that the team is one that is evolving from a gradual build up and has demonstrated a character that gives a lot of hope for the future.

"I can say that we have a team. The team is still evolving into a better squad. We may not have played the best of football but we have maintained a winning record which we can build on. It is not easy to play without losing. Sometimes we found some games difficult and most times we come up strong and win. There must be something good about this team.

"We can use the Nations Cup to prepare the team for the World Cup.

Amodu appealed to the media and Nigerians to be mindful of the way they criticis the team as it affects the psyche of the players and officials.

"I want to appeal to Nigerians to rally round the team. What we say and report about the team sometime tells of their psyche. I am confident we have a team. The players want to do this nation proud. But they need the strong mentality to confront the opponents at the World Cup. They need the support of everybody to achieve that.

Explaining the choice of Durban, for the pre-championship camping, Amodu said that the South African city was chosen ahead of Namibia which was an earlier choice because of the quality of facilities.

"We did not change the camping venue like that. We had Durban as plan B.

After we inspected the facilities in Namibia, we discovered that we may need to put the venue in right condition to suit us. We also considered the weather in Durban, it was almost the same with what we will meet in Angola and the facilities the same as where we will play. So it was a matter of making the best choice. This is why we dumped Namibia.

He further disclosed that the Nigeria Football) NFF) are considering the possibility of flying the team to Angola by a chartered flight.

"Our plan is to see if we can charter a flight to Angola for our first match against Egypt. I think we can do well. We need to believe in ourselves and remain focused, "he said.

Amodu revealed that the Eagles will play at least a friendly before the Nations Cup but added that it may not be a big team. He described it as a practice match.

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Federal Government to announce new minimum wage

The Federal Government yesterday said that a new wage regime for workers in the country will be unfolded next year, just as Nigerians await the full deregulation of the oil sector.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode, said this in Akure while speaking with newsmen at the laying of the Foundation of the N25million National Skill Acquisition Centre in Oba Ile area, Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Kayode, who had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, said the new minimum wage will put smiles on the faces of Nigerian workers.

According to him "The issue of Minimum wage is under process. The FG approved theJustice Alfa Belgore Panel which has Labour, employers and government as members.

"We have been divided into sub committees and have been working and it is for the committees to round off their assignments. I asked them to round off early next year so that we can move on.

The Minister said that "we want to change from minimum wage to living wage, that is a salary that can allow people to live a purposeful life. We also want to institutionalize it so that we do not need to be going round it every time.

Speaking on deregulation, the Minister said that "I do not think the fear of deregulation so to speak, is the cause of the current fuel scarcity.

"I think some people are playing games with the citizens of this country. The usual games they play at the end of every year and certain bottlenecks like the tanker drivers issue and distribution which had all been resolved.

"There is enough fuel to go round. That is why the Federal Government wants to implement a reform of the downstream sector in the first place. For the past 25 years, government has been trying to do this but for these bottlenecks. Now, Mr. President has said that he will do it.

"He will do it, not that he is not aware of some temporary hardship, but in the long run, it will be in the best interest of this country.

"The fuel shortage will actually end the moment we tidy up the conflict in the distribution process. There are lots of fuel on the high sea, depots and so on. Fuel is available, so why don't they distribute it properly.

"What we have decided at the Federal level is to implement the very urgent, massive programme for skill development and acquisition throughout Nigeria. This type of skill acquisition centre will be established all over the country.. It is a new programme to build on old ones.

"The essence is to make our people acquire additional skills, new skills that will make them employable. We have many people who are unemployed even graduates. Other than government work, what do you want somebody with a Ph.D to do? You have to additional skills

"We want to emphasize technical issues like mechatronics, technical training, welding technology, building technology and so on. Whatever you study in school or level of education, you have to key-in and acquire some skills which will enable you to be employable. ICT is also top on the agenda.

"We are doing this not only as ministry of labour, we have established synergies and partnership with other ministries. Our ICT programme for instance is being powered and funded through the NCC.

"The level of activities going on in Ondo State now also called for a proactive measure because the state has been producing too many graduates. The governor said his volunteer scheme was introduced to mop up the excess jobless youths in the state.

"We will also partner with the state government to ensure that this is done very quickly.

The Minister said that the Skill Acquisition project will cost about N25m and that seven of them exist in the country.

Earlier, at the Courtesy visit the Minister said that next year the Ministry and the state government would organize the first Ondo state Diplomatic Forum and that over fifty Ambassadors are expected to grace the occasion.

He promised to work with the governor despite belonging to different political parties for the development of the state and the people.

The Governor Dr Mimiko said that the state government would in the next four year employ over 5000 person under its Social Security Scheme launched few days ago in which 1000 Volunteers were engaged.

Dr Mimiko pointed out that the Social Security Scheme would be a model in the country.

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Policeman kills colleague and two others

A police constable on patrol in Abuja yesterday shot dead a police corporal and two other people after a quarrel.

A witness said the police constable collected a gun from the corporal to threaten a passenger who refused to obey his instruction in Dobi motor park, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

He accidently pulled the trigger, killing the corporal, the passenger and a motor park official. The witness said all the three died.

He said the passenger was carrying a gallon of palm oil and was about to board a commercial vehicle to his village before the quarrelling with the policeman.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Abuja DSP Moshood Jimoh confirmed the story and said the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police John Haruna has ordered the arrest of the killer police constable and directed investigation into the matter.

Jimoh said two people including the corporal were confirmed dead from a shot fired by the constable.

He said argument ensued between the deceased over an unknown issue and the police constable carrying a gun went to settle them and accidentally fired the gun.

He said there was no established intention for the shooting at the initial stage of the investigation, regarding it as "accidental discharge".

Daily Trust

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