Nigeria slumps in FIFA ranking

Nigeria’s senior national team has dropped six places to 47th in the latest Fifa world ranking released on Thursday morning.

The African champions were adjudged the 41st best football playing team in the world according to the ranking released earlier in January.

Despite finishing in third position at the African Nations Championship in South Africa, Stephen Keshi men fell down the ladder in the monthly rituals by Fifa.

Cote d’Ivoire remain at the summit of African football with 841 points which put them in the 23rd position while CHAN runners up Ghana dropped 13 places to be ranked the 37th best team in the world and fourth in Africa.

Algeria moved to the second position on the continent after amassing 819 points which places them in the 26th spot in the world.

Spain, Germany and Argentina hold the first, second and third spots in the world respectively as 2014 Fifa World Cup hosts Brazil moved to the ninth spot in the world.

The next ranking will be released on March 13, 2014.

GOAL

President Goodluck Jonathan sacks ministers

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked four ministers, in the latest shake-up ahead of elections next year.

Outgoing Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, a close ally of the president, is the most high-profile sacking.

She has been embroiled in allegations of corruption, which she denies, after her ministry spent $1.5m (£1m) on two bullet-proof luxury cars.

Mr Jonathan's party is divided on whether he should seek re-election.

The governing People's Democratic Party (PDP) has been hit by a wave of defections to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC), which has cost the PDP its majority in the House of Representatives.

Several state governors have also switched sides.

Last month, Mr Jonathan also sacked all his military chiefs over their inability to end the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency in the north.

As well as Ms Oduah, Mr Jonathan also sacked the minister of police affairs, the minister of the Niger Delta, home to the country's huge oil wealth and the state minister of finance.

Correspondents say it is a surprise that he has replaced Ms Oduah, as she was instrumental in raising funds for his last election campaign.

BBC Hausa's Aliyu Tanko says the recent wave of sackings shows that President Jonathan wants to be surrounded by popular people, not those tainted by scandal, in case he decides to seek re-election.

He is also trying to exert his authority to address his image as someone who is being controlled by more powerful figures, our correspondent says.

Mr Jonathan has said that he would only serve one term after his election in 2011 but there is a widespread belief that his allies are preparing for him to stand for re-election.

BBC

Related story: President Goodluck Jonathan sacks military chiefs

President Goodluck Jonathan declares administration will leave a better Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that his administration will bequeath to Nigerians, a better Nigeria in all sectors than he met it when he assumed office.
He spoke yesterday at the launching of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEPED) at Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

According to the President, the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and the National Enterprise Development Programme will help to fast track the attainment of the goals of ensuring a strong economy and industrial base of the country.

He said the launch of the programmes were “targeted at transforming Nigerian businesses and changing the lives of the ordinary people. It will accelerate inclusive growth and job creation and save the drain on our reserve caused by importing what we can produce locally.

”The Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, the National Entreprise Development Programme will also increase the impetus for our national transformation agenda by ushering in a new era of value addition, enterprise development and indusrialisation. I sincerely believe that the Nigerian economy must be developed into one of the most elements of national transformation.

That is why we have been resolute in executing the Nigerian agenda for economic reform. Our track record in this regard is stronger every year. Just coming into office we have consolidated Nigeria’s fiscal position.
“We have launched the boldest transformation of the agricultural sector and we are well on the way to increasing Nigeria’s food production by 20 million tonnes per annum.

“We have fundamentally reorganise the power sector by privatising 11 distribution and four generating companies and bringing in private sector capital and expertise. We have upgraded faciities within the Nigerian Aviation sector to standards never seen before in this country and we have started rail services that had been dormant for over 20 years.

“Our road network have also received unprecedented attention and improvement in the last three years. It is our expectation that the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and the National Enterprise Development Programme will be major additions to these landmarks achievements,” the president said.

Describing the NIRP as the “the most ambitious industralisation programme ever pursued by our nation,” President Jonathan said the programme is aimed at accelerating investments in areas where “Nigeria’s comparative and competitive advantages can be better harnessed.”

He listed such areas as the processing of food and agricultural products, metals and solid mineral processing, adding that these sub sectors were prioritized because they will also generate jobs and tap into existing markets and demands in Nigeria.

“In each of these sectors we could become number one in Africa and in the top ten globally because of our competitive advantage,” the president said .
Jonathan added that the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan will also address the problem that has persistently limited manufacturers.

“It will build up industrial infrastructure, pioritise power for industrial use, reduce borrowing cost and mobilise funds to the real sector. The benefit of NIRP will boost the annual revenue earned by Nigerian manufacturers by up to N5 trillion per annum. We will leave Nigeria better than we met it,” the president said.

Vanguard

Video - Evicted residents of Badagry, Nigeria demand compensation

Tens of thousands of people whose homes were demolished allege mistake by police, who in turn say they own the land. The police say they own the land but those evicted say the police acted by mistake.

Related stories: Video - Homeless battle in Makoko

Video - Building a floating school in Makoko

Dangote Sugar boosting Nigeria's economy

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has disclosed the readiness of the federal government to partner with private sectors as panacea to achieving President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda.

The minister made the disclosure during a facility tour of the Savannah Sugar Company in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, adding that the federal government is poised to providing the enabling environment and adequate infrastructures for Nigeria's industries to thrive.

Aganga said he was in Numan to see the transformation drive being embarked by the Savannah Sugar company and according to him after the site seeing he has no option than to appreciate the Dangote Sugar Company for a job well done and its immense contribution towards the development of the country's wealth both in human and economic development.

He said the Sugar company has created presently 4100 job opportunities for Nigerians and is planing an expansion to Taraba states where it has acquired 50,000 hec tres of lands adding that the FG is collaborating with company to ensure that this dream is achieved .
The minister believed that before 2015 the Sugar company would create four hundred and eighty thousand employment opportunities for Nigerians.
.
Aganga revealed that he was surprised at the level of progress made by the company within a short period of time saying that with the development he
expects the economy of the area to be seriously revamped which will
serve as a precursor to solving youth restiveness in the area.

He expressed satisfaction and added that he was please with the remarkable progress made by the company which has even surpassed the benchmark required by the FG to seal a pack with the sugar company.

"I am delighted to say that Dangote Sugar Company is setting the pace
of industrialization in the country which entails their commitment in
hiring senior hands". He said.

He lauded the effort of Dangote Sugar Management whom he said through
diligence gave life to a company that was on the verge of liquidation
within a short time leading to the creation of about 4,100 direct jobs.

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of Dangote Sugar, Mr Graham Clark
during his remark said Savannah sugar has lived up to its billing in
discharging its social responsibility through building of schools,
housing estate and encouraging out grower scheme where thousands of
families were affected.

He said apart from that, the company has provided direct job
opportunities to the residents of its host communities whom serve as
the workforce of the company as according to him majority of people
working for company are members of its host community.

Clark said the company remains resolute at ensuring that the cardinal
objectives of the Federal Government in reforming the industrial
sector which will lead to massive job creation is pursued vigorously
which informed the company's drive to upgrade its operations.

This Day