Author: Akpan Akata

The solution to tackling the unemployment crisis in the world, particularly in the developing countries like Nigeria, is likely to be found in the unexpected sectors. This is so because a new International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates tends to show that self-employment, micro and small enterprises play a far more important role in providing jobs than previously believed. Data gathered in 99 countries found that the so-called ‘small economic units’ together account for 70 per cent of total employment, making them by far the most important drivers of employment.The findings have “highly relevant” implications for policies and programmes on job…

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Over 4 million people die each year from exposure to cooking stove smoke, making household air pollution the fourth biggest health risk in the world, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) which made this known also pointed out that it is highly toxic for the environment. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organisation with a membership of 164 national standards bodies. Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant international standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges. ISO has developed a number of international standards to support new technologies and solutions for…

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Though the global merchandise trade grew by three percent last year, just above the 2.9 percent rise in world Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the same timeframe, this was however, substantially less than the 4.6 percent growth observed in 2017. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) puts this loss of momentum in part down to growing trade tensions and historically-high trade restriction levels. These facts are taken from the WTO’s World Trade Statistical Review 2019, a 176-page document exploring the latest trends concerning world trade, with analysis of both trade in goods and services and performance of front running players. WTO has…

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An international owner, operator and manager of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, GasLog Ltd. and its subsidiaries last week reported their financial results for the three-month period which ended on June 30. Highlights: Delivery of the GasLog Warsaw on July 31, 2019, a 180,000 cubic meter Mark III Flex Plus carrier with low pressure dual fuel two-stroke propulsion. The vessel was immediately delivered into a new charter with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere Energy Inc. for the period prior to the commencement of her long-term charter with a subsidiary of Endesa S.A. in May 2021. *Closed a follow-on issue of…

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While East Coast ports are currently taking a larger share of the import container trade, the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) has said that the volume of business in the trans-Pacific trade lane has remained weak due to the US-China trade war. IANA’s estimates of intermodal container activity underscore the deepening of the freight recession that railroads and trucking companies saw in the 2019 second quarter as container volumes fell 3.8 percent from the year earlier period to 4.56 million, compared to a 1.5 percent drop in container volumes during the second quarter, IANA said. While Intermodal struggled in…

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At a high-level Africa Food Security Leadership Dialogue hosted by the Government of Rwanda in Kigali, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank, participants said resilience must be boosted in Africa in response to climate change. . FAO’s Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo, said ‘’farmers have always been innovators. What they need are policies that protect them and increase their resilience to climate change. They need access to information, technology, and investment, and they should be brought to the conversation on…

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The global trade in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has continued its upward climb with an expected 7.4 percent growth next year, going by a Clarksons Research forecast. Clarksons Research is respected worldwide as the most authoritative provider of data and intelligence for global shipping. According to them, ‘’global trade in LNG continues its strong growth phase, with an expected 8.4% growth in 2019 and 7.4% in 2020 (11.5% and 12.3% by tonne miles). The researchers pointed out that the recent export growth has been dominated by Australia and the US, while China has driven import growth (60% of import growth…

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Iran has sent a strong message to the United Kingdom (UK), warning the new British premier, Boris Johnson, that they will not compromise in their interest in the oil-rich Gulf. After Johnson beat his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, in a party vote on Tuesday,  the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, ‘’I congratulate my former counterpart, @BorisJohnson on becoming UK PM’’, adding,  ‘’Iran does not seek confrontation. But we have 1500 miles of Gulf coastline. These are our waters and we will protect them.’’ Iran’s top diplomat however, warned Britain against ‘’implementing the ploys of the B team’’, in a…

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All top players of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari’s party who subverted the controversial 2019 elections by acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption have been barred from entering the United States of America. The US on Tuesday announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerian politicians who were allegedly responsible for undermining the democratic process during the elections. This implies that Washington DC has declared those implicated, some of them top functionaries of the Buhari administration, personae non gratae. This is the plural of the Latin term, Persona non grata. It literally means an unwelcome person. It is a…

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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), an interventionist agency that has been on the spot in recent weeks, is currently struggling to free itself from the unbearable weight of some meddlesome politicians. The management of the obviously bruised commission is pleading with politicians to desist from seeing the development agency as a collateral target in their fight for power and influence. NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, who made the plea in a statement on Tuesday said, ‘’we have a sacred duty to the people of the region to deliver on our historic mandate. The NDDC is working for…

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Essential services in Nigeria like electricity supply, though still epileptic, food and fuel supply will soon become hard-to-come-by commodities in the country if the organised labour presses on with its threat to embark on a strangulating industrial action due to some concerns on the new national minimum wage. Labour says they are having issues with the current state of affairs as regards the matter of consequential adjustment arising from the new national minimum wage of N30,000 per month. Already, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is allegedly being ravaged by avoidable deaths largely due to their unpaid salaries by…

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With the current security landscape in Rivers State -assassinations, kidnapping, rape, extortion, armed robbery and murder- being carried out virtually on a daily basis, the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike is fashioning out a new security architecture for the 52 years old big oil and gas state. Matters get worse in the state when it is election season because security personnel compromise easily and criminal activities significantly worsen. The level of politically related killings were alarming Politics in Rivers is a do or die affair because most of the politicians are vying for power over the oil resource of the…

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The Lower Niger Congress (LNC), a pro-restructuring group, galvanised by Tony Nnadi, a lawyer, has asserted that the massive violence going on all over Northern Nigeria and currently spreading southwards is an alleged attempt by the Global Islamic Caliphate led by ISIS, to capture Nigeria. According to the group, the entire plan is aimed at seizing and confiscating the West African Sub-Region with the Nigerian State that is being tormented by Boko Haram as its Strategic Operational Base, a mission ISIS could not accomplish in Iraq and Syria. LNC is arguing that if the global community, particularly the United States…

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As a valedictory gift, the 8th Senate of Nigeria’s Legislature has passed the redrafted version of the Petroleum Industry Governance (PIG) Bill 2019 which was earlier rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. In exercising his powers in accordance with provisions of 1999 Constitution, President Buhari had declined assent to the bill, raising some observations. The passage followed the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan’s reintroduction of the redrafted bill on Thursday at a plenary presided over by Senate President Bukola Saraki in Abuja. Lawan noted that a technical committee of the Senate had worked on Buhari’s observations and redrafted the affected clauses. Having rely…

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The move by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State to build another airport in a state whose economy is not too robust, has run into a storm. The seeming ego-boosting cargo airport project is not receiving the expected blessing of the community whose land is being targeted. Women of Ukambi, a rustic community in Obudu Local Government Area are busy protesting the decision of the Ayade administration to construct an international passenger and cargo airport in their community. The undying protest is coming on the heels of an outrage and the decision of the community to write the state…

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Over 300,000 people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in the coastal provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula as an estimated 45,000 houses have been either damaged or destroyed according to the Government of Mozambique. This is three weeks since Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in northern Mozambique. “This was our house,” said Regina, gesturing towards a pile of rubble and a few walls partially standing. She sits on their one remaining chair, with the youngest of her five children in her lap, outside their temporary shelter made of metal roof panels. Regina and her children are one of over…

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