By Oluwakemi Ishola 

Mr Raji Adebayo, the Oyo State Correspondent of Daily Independent Newspaper has emerged winner of the Adesoji/Oyo SWAN Table Tennis Championship.

Adebayo emerged winner of the championship after defeating Ike Yusuf of Yesma Radio in the finals which took place Saturday evening at the Nigeria Union of Journalist(NUJ) press centre in Ibadan.

The tournament organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria(SWAN), Oyo State Chapter was sponsored by Dr Tayo Adesoji, the Chairman, Oyo State Table Tennis Association.

The participants in the championship were drawn from among sports writers and On Air Personalities (OAPs) in the state.

Adebayo had emerged victorious after defeating Yusuf, who recently won the MVP OAPs Table Tennis Tournament, 11-9 and 14-12 in two sets respectively.

The duo of Adebayo and Yusuf had advanced to the finals, having defeated Paul Alaziri of 32FM and Niyi Alebiosu, the SWAN Chairman respectively in the semi-finals.

However, Yusuf had earlier in the quarter-finals bundled out the Oyo NUJ Secretary, Sola Oladapo in a tension-soaked encounter that could be described as the best game of the tournament.

In his remarks, Adesoji, who sponsored the tournament, lauded the turnout at the two-day event.

Adesoji, who was represented by Commander Ademola Ajibike, appreciated all the participants, promising the tournament would be held annually.

He promised to donate table tennis board to Oyo SWAN, encouraging participants to continue engaging in sporting activities for their fitness.

Chief Waheed Ekun, a former National Table Tennis Champion who was a guest at the event, promised to donate table tennis kits.

Ambassador Romoke Ayinde, the Chief Executive Officer of Kayrom Lee Gym and Fitness Centre, eulogized the organisers and sponsor of the competition.

Ayinde, who commended the participants, urged sports writers and presenters in the state to embrace unity.

Earlier, Alebiosu thanked Adesoji and Ayinde for their supports which he said was responsible for the success of the competition.

He assured that the association would continue to promote sporting activities in the state, promising to ensure the tournament was held annually.

The winner, runner-up and the two third placed players, Alebiosu as well as Alaziri went home with different prizes.

Also, Mrs Yinka Bode-Are the only female participants in the tournament, was rewarded for participating in the men dominated event as a mark of encouragement.

It would be recalled that the closing ceremony was attended by Mr Gboyega Makinde, the General Manager, Oyo State Sports Council and veteran sports journalist, Mr Ade Somefun.

Also present are the NUJ Chairman, Mr Ademola Babalola, represented by the NUJ Treasurer, Mr Akeem Abas and Mrs Jadesola Ajibola, the State Chairperson of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ)

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki sprung into an early lead Sunday morning as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) started to announce results of polls conducted across the state on Saturday.

As expected, Obaseki’s closest challenger is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The results of 13 local governments have already been announced by the electoral commission with Obaseki clinching 11.

Five local governments’ results are still yet to be released.

PDP is now leading with over 50,000 votes.

1. IGUEBEN LG
APC – 5,199
PDP – 7,870

2. ESAN CENTRAL
APC – 6,719
PDP – 10,794

3. ESAN NORTH-EAST
APC – 6,555
PDP – 13,579

4. Esan South-East LGA
APC – 9,237
PDP – 10,565

5. Uhumnwode LG
APC: 5,972
PDP: 10,022

6. Ikpoba Okha LGA
PDP: 41, 030
APC: 18, 218

7. Owan East LGA
APC: 19,295
PDP: 14,762

8. Esan West LGA
APC – 7,189
PDP – 17,433

7. Egor LGA
APC: 10, 202
PDP: 27, 621

10. Etsako-West LGA (Oshiomole’s LG)
APC – 26,140
PDP – 17,959

11. Ovia North-East
APC – 9,907
PDP – 16,987

12. Owan West
APC – 11,193
PDP – 11,485

By Oluwakemi Ishola

INEC’s Collation Committee has started announcing the official results of the Edo Governorship election from all local governments.

See some of the results announced so far

Igueben LG (as announced by INEC)

APC – 5199
PDP – 7870

Esan North-East (as announced by INEC)

APC – 6,556
PDP – 13,579

Esan Central (as announced by INEC)

APC – 6,719
PDP – 10,694

Final Results from Owan East LGA

APC: 19,295
PDP: 14,762

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, the Federal Government has included Emirates Airlines in the list of airlines not allowed to operate in Nigeria.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, confirmed this via his Twitter handle on Friday.

The PTF sub-committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France/KLM ban.

“The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines’s situation was reviewed and they are consequently included in the list of those not approved, with effect from Monday the 21st September 2020,” Sirika tweeted

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has instructed telecommunication companies to henceforth roll over subscriber’s unused data to his/her subsequent data subscription.

This was disclosed in a statement signed on Thursday by the agency’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Adinde.

According to the statement, the agency reached the conclusion during its bi-annual meeting with Senior Executives of telecommunication companies on complaints management.

The meeting which was held (for the first time) virtually focused on consumer relations and complaint management processes.

Adinde revealed that the NCC and the telecom service providers at the meeting agreed that the compensation policy should be revisited and complied with always to ensure full compliance with the new Complaint Categories and Service Level Agreement (CC/SLA) consented to by the NCC and the service providers.

“Additionally, it was decided that the Commission and telecom service providers will hold follow-up discussions on “Fair Usage Policy” on unlimited data bundles/data rollover, in order to provide a clearer explanation and a better understanding of the processes and procedures of the policy for the benefit of the consumers.

“The Commission hereby wishes to restate that its direction of June 2018 to service providers to commence implementation of data rollover from 26 June 2018, remains in force.

“In other words, a subscriber’s unused data must be rolled over to his/her subsequent data subscription. Therefore, the Commission urges service providers to continue to inform and educate subscribers on the procedures and processes for data rollover,” the statement read in part.

Service providers also agreed to ensure that senior-level customer relations officers support their respective complaints management teams, to resolve complaints that were not resolved to the satisfaction of the consumers when such complaints were first reported.

The service providers also promised to ensure that complaints are resolved in both the letter and spirit of the recently-reviewed Service Level Agreement (SLA).

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has disbursed N7,700,000 (Seven Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Nauru) to ten beneficiaries in Oyo State under its Home Renovation Loan programme. The bank management says it has voted over N2billion on five Housing Estates in Oyo State.

FMBN’s Zonal Manager, Engr. Fashina Abiodun, disclosed this on Thursday in Ibadan while presenting cheques to 10 beneficiaries drawn from Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Oyo State Cocoa Development Unit, Water Corporation of Oyo State and LA Fayette Micro Finance Bank Ltd, under the bank’s home renovation loan scheme.

According to Engr. Fashina, “the FMBN launched one of the most ambitious housing delivery programmes in this country, the National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme in collaboration with the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association. It is a programme to deliver affordable houses to Nigerian workers in every state of the federation. As we speak, the bank has the mandate to build 200 housing units in each six geopolitical zones of the country including Lagos and Abuja; the pilot projects have commenced in earnest in some zones”

Engr. Fashina further said the bank is funding 502 housing units with over N2billion across Oyo State.

Speaking at a cheque presentation ceremony, which was held at Agodi State Secretariat Ibadan, the FMBN’s Branch Manager in the state, Mr. Sotounwa Olusegun enlightened the public about the Home Renovation Loans. “This programme is one of the several products of the bank, aimed at ensuring that contributors to the NHF benefit from the scheme. The FMBN Home Renovation Loan was created for the purpose of renovating existing structures” he said.

Governor Seyi Makinde was represented by the State Head of Service – Mrs. Amidat Ololade Agboola, ommended hanked the a Federal Mortgage Nigeria for the collaboration with Oyo State Government to provide affordable housing to Oyo State civil servants in the low and medium income bracket and we hope for more partnership with the bank on these issues.

Engr. Makinde in his speech said that Oyo State Government since the inception of his administration had moved to resolve the housing deficit, eliminate the high cost and systemic bottlenecks to title perfection and Governor’s consent to mortgage transactions. “This administration has also done an upward review of housing loan from a maximum of Two Million Naira to a maximum of Three Million Naira for the civil/public servants of which many have benefited from this magnanimity” he said.

The Governor noted that the documentation of properties has been made easy under his administration through the Home Owner Charter, putting value on properties and making enumeration of properties very easy for the government.

“The State Government has also launched the platform and digitized the process of obtaining certificate of occupancy. Civil servants and members of the general public who apply for C of O can now receive it within sixty (60) days of application. With this scheme, property owners can now easily use their use their properties as collateral for any financial transaction as well as having their documentation on digital database of the ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development for ease of confirmation and transfer”.

“This administration has approved the enrollment of Oyo State civil/public service into the into the Federal Housing Scheme being operated by the Federal Mortgage Bank. Hence, civil/public servants who are interested can apply to be beneficiaries of this scheme. This we believe will also go a long way in complementing the efforts of the State Government” he concluded.

The FMBN Home Renovation Loans included Mr. Olayiwola Michael Adeyemi from LAUTECH teaching hospital – Ogbomoso, who received N1,000,000; Mr. Opadijo Olutunji from LAUTECH teaching hospital – Ogbomoso, who received N1,000,000; Mr. Olawoyin Olagbemiro D. from LAUTECH teaching hospital – Ogbomoso, who received N800,000.

Mr. Oyeranmi Akinloye O. from LAUTECH teaching hospital – Ogbomoso, received N800,000; Mrs. Makinde Faith Adekemi from LAUTECH teaching hospital – Ogbomoso, received N500,000. Mrs. Agboola Florence Oladunke from Water Corporation of Oyo State received N700,000; Mr. Akere Adio Oladele Sikiru from Water Corporation of Oyo State received N600,000; Mr. Adisa Emmanuel from Oyo State Cocoa Development Unit received N500,000; Mrs. Ajiboye AnuOluwapo O. from LA Fayette Micro Finance Bank Ltd. received N800,000 and Mr. Funsho Ogunsanwo from LA Fayette Micro Finance Bank Ltd. received N1,000,000.

Present at the symbolic cheque presentation were top officials of the FMBN, the Oyo State Commissioner Establishment – Prof Daud Kehinde Shangodoyin was represented by Alhaja Osatade, Oyo State Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC/JNC) – Com. Emmanuel Olusola Ogundiran; Oyo State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) – Comrade Kayode Martins; State Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) – Com. Ibrahim Mohammed; State Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC) – Com. Mayowa Falegbe. Mr. Kehinde Ibrahim Olajide represented Clerk of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Olabamso Olusegun from Ministry of Establishment.

One of the beneficiaries who spoke to journalists, Mr. Olayiwola Michael expressed gratitude for the gesture. Olayiwola, who received a cheque for N1 million, said that he did not expect that his aspiration for having his own house would come to a reality.