MUSIC: Akon gets approval to construct 'AKON CITY'

It looks like there have been some major developments for Akon with establishing his own city in Senegal, West Africa.

The “Don’t Matter” singer was born and raised in Senegal until he was 7-years-old before he moved to the United States with his family. It was recently reported that he was working on carving out a new tourism-driven city that is also eco-friendly. Now he is announcing that he is in the final stages of making it happen.

Akon has officially signed an agreement with tourism company SAPCO, a state-owned organization in Senegal. Taking to his Instagram to share the news, the singer wrote, “Just finalized the agreement for AKON CITY in Senegal,” he wrote. “Looking forward to hosting you there in the future.”

SAPCO Secretary General Aliune Ndiaye said that Akon intends to set up a property in Mbodiene’s seaside village which is about 75 miles from the Senegal’s capital city of Dekar. According to Jakarta Post, a spokesperson for the tourism ministry in Senegal, Akon wants to build a “sustainable tourism village that would campaign for the environment.” They also added that the monument will be extra special because of who is behind it. “Beyond his status as an artist, it is Akon, the investor who believes in Africa,” the tourism ministry said.

In an interview this past November with Nick Cannon, Akon talked about his plans to create the tourism village in Senegal. Speaking on its progress he shared that “It’s a 10-year building block so we’re doing it in stages,” he said. “We started construction in March and stage two is going to be 2025.”

Akon has always been an activist in his home continent aiming to improve the lives of the millions of citizens that reside there. In 2014, Akon and his partners founded “Akon Lighting Africa,” which aims to provide millions of Africans with electricity through solar energy. Two years after the organization was established, the singer secured a billion dollar credit line to help fund the solar project.

We’re so pleased to hear that the last dotted line was signed and “Akon City” is finally coming to fruition.

SOURCE: Celebrities Buzz

Is there really a rift in the palace of the Queen of England as her last grand child, Prince Harry moves out along with his wife?

United kingdom and indeed the entire commonwealth countries around the world have woken up to one of the shocked news of the start of a new decade when the last grand child of Queen Elizabeth 11, prinve Harry and his wife decided to drop their royal functions, coupled with moving to Canada

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to stop using their HRH titles (His/Her Royal Highness) and repay millions of pounds spent renovating their Berkshire home, the couple have announced.

Buckingham Palace has said under the new arrangement the couple are “required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments” and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.

The couple will become known as Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, from the spring.

Although they will not use their HRH titles, they will still retain them and Harry, who was born a prince of Wales, will remain a prince.

“This new model will take effect in the spring of 2020,” the palace said.

In a statement, the Queen said she was pleased to have found a “constructive and supportive way forward” and added that “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family.”

“I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life,” she said.

“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.”

Harry will reportedly also lose his position as Captain General of the Royal Marines — a title he inherited from his grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh — and give up all his honorary military titles.

It is also understood that the couple will spend the majority of their time in North America, not the UK.

A Buckingham Palace statement said Harry and Meghan could “no longer formally represent the Queen,” but the couple would “continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty” in their work.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home,” the palace statement added, in reference to a £2.4 million taxpayer-funded home renovation in 2019.

The palace has also said it will not comment on the details of security arrangements for the couple.

The Duke and Duchess announced their intention to step down as “senior members of the royal family” earlier this month, reportedly to the disappointment of Buckingham Palace.

Updates on the Duke and Duchess’ roles and work will appear on the couple’s new website in due course, a brief statement on the website said.

FOOTBALL: Sergio Aguero may be going to Bacelona

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has reportedly demanded for the signing of Manchester City star and compatriot Sergio Aguero.

The 32-year-old superstar’s request apparently put across after he was summoned for a one-on-one meeting with new boss Quique Setien.

The latter moved to Camp Nou last week following Barcelona’s decision to part ways with Ernesto Valverde and has since seen his approval rate soar among the club and its fan-base.

With Barcelona still competing in La Liga as well as the UEFA Champions League, many expect the club to beef up it ranks amid rumors that a number of the current existing players could well seal moves elsewhere.

According to reports in Spain as cited by Mirror, one department that the Catalans aims to strengthen is its front line which features Uruguayan attacker Luis Suarez.

With the former Liverpool star injured and expected to be out of action for at least four months, Messi has seemingly advised Quique Setien to consider bring Sergio Aguero on board as soon as possible.

Momentarily, Barcelona has done very little to suggest that a move could be on the cards for the Argentine striker who became the fourth highest Premier League goalscorer with his brace against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Relatively, Mirror emphasized that Manchester City will not seek to part ways with its all-time top goalscorer albeit having just a year remaining on his current contract.

Sergio Aguero has so far scored 251 goals since joining the Citizens from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

SOURCE: NND

NO ONGOING RECRUITMENT AT FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION...Minister

Nigeria's minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has debunked claims that there  is an ongoing recruitment of  personnel into the Ministry.

Please find pres release below..

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

federal Secretariat, Phase III, Abuja

office of the director (press & PR)

Press Release 

EDUCATION MINISTRY NOT RECRUITING

Education Minister, Adamu Adamu has said that the Federal Ministry of Education is not recruiting personnel into the Ministry.

The Minister stated this today in Abuja while briefing some education correspondents in his office.

Reacting to media reports that the Ministry was employing graduate teachers into its schools, the Minister said, by law, the Ministry cannot and does not employ any officer above grade level six (GL.06), adding that it is the exclusive preserve of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to do so.

For the avoidance of doubt “the last time the Federal Civil Service Commission recruited teachers for the Nations Unity Schools was in 2018” the Minister said. 

Explaining the rationale for the briefing, Adamu Adamu said some fraudsters have opened websites advertising for recruitment into the Ministry, adding that it is a complete scam, and that members of the public should avoid being victims.

Whenever recruitment is to be done into the Ministry, the Federal Civil Service Commission will advertise through its mechanism, following all due processes before posting successful officers to the Ministry, Adamu Adamu reiterated.

Ben Bem Goong

Deputy Director and Head of Press

January 17, 2020

OWED GRATUITY: Pensioners drag South-West Governors to court

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, South West region is set to test in court, the constitutionality of non payment of gratuity by some governors in the region.

The Union said it has asked its lawyers, one of whom is a senior advocate of Nigeria, to facilitate the court processes.

After a meeting of the caucus, in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, the Southwest Public Relations Officer of the Union, Segun Abatan, said some pensioners still collect five hundred naira as their monthly pension.

Describing this situation as pitiful, Abatan underscored the urgency to conclude all arrangements to meet with the National wages and income commission to address this anomaly.

According to Abatan, the union has begun work on a proposal to the National Assembly on the Minimum Pension Bill.

In addition, he emphasised the need to criminalise non payment of gratuity by some state governors.

The Union appealed to governors still owing pensioners to begin the process of payment in order to cushion the effects of the harsh economic situation on pensioners.

Source: AITNEWS

NEW ECOWAS CURRENCY: Regional Leaders didn't agree

Ministers of Finance and Governors of the Central Banks of the West African Monetary Zone say the move to adopt Eco as single currency is not in line with the decision of Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

This was made known at an extra-ordinary meeting of ministersY of Finance and Central Bank Governors of the West African Monetary Zone, WAMZ which held in Abuja, Nigerian capital.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed who read the communique says the meeting noted with concern the declaration made by President Alassane Quattara of Cote D’ Ivoire on December 21, 2019 in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the West African Economic and Monetary Union

The WAMZ convergence council laid emphasis on the importance for all ECOWAS member countries to adhere to the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government towards the implementation of the revised roadmap of the ECOWAS single currency programme.

It recommended that an extra ordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the WAMZ member states be conveyed soon to discuss the single currency matter and other related issues

Source: AITNEWS

CHILD BRIDE: Nigerian president supports end to child marraige

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja declared that the Federal Government will sustain on-going efforts to end child marriage and improve girl-child education in the country.

Commissioning the headquarters building of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, President Buhari said it is the collective duty of all to ensure that mothers of today and tomorrow are educated, encouraged and empowered. 

The president noted that the launch of the National Strategy to End Child Marriage, 2016 – 2021 has been the first critical step towards increasing children's access to quality all-round education and enhancing the retention of the girl-child in schools.

The Nigerian leader enjoined the Ministry to continue to champion and coordinate all matters relating to the plight of Nigerian women and the most vulnerable citizens, assuring Nigerian women of his continued support and determination to see that the Ministry delivers on this mandate. 

READ ALSO:  UNICEF Continues campaign against #childmarraige

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The united Nations children fun, UNICEF is calling for an end to child marriage. UNICEF continued this campaign on its LinkedIn platform ...

In her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, thanked the President for recognising the role of women in nation-building, and supporting the completion of the headquarters of the women ministry.

The minister appealed to the President to appoint more women to leadership positions in his government, assuring that her ministry will double efforts to improve girl-child education in the country while advancing the welfare of vulnerable persons and women.

SOURCE: Ait.live

NIGERIAN JOURNALIST FOUND DEAD

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has confirmed the death of a journalist, Mr. Maxwell Nashan.

Until his death, the young reporter worked with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) F.M station popularly known as Fombina FM in Yola.

He was discovered unconscious in the early hours of Wednesday near the station with cuts and bruises.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Adamawa, Mr. Donald Dedan, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said Nashan eventually died at the hospital.

He called on the police and other security agencies in the state to fish out the killers of the journalist and bring them to book.

Dedan lamented the growing cases of insecurity, particularly kidnapping and banditry in Adamawa, urging for more measures to stem the tide.

The state Secretary of NUJ and a colleague of the deceased, Mr. Fidelis Jocktan, disclosed that Nathan who was single and planning to get married, was picked by his assailants at his resident in Bachure area.

“They did not take anything from his house. They took him away and dropped him near the station tied up and unconscious.

“There are signs of beatings and cuts on his body. Some women going to farm saw him and reported to civil defence operatives at the station who rushed him to hospital,” Jocktan explained further.

Meanwhile, the Adamawa Police Command spokesman, DSP Suleiman Yahaya, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident but, assured that he would make details of his investigations available to the public.

Source: NAN

UBER: Ex Footballer Now a Driver to keep body and soul

Former Blackburn striker Hakan Sukur is in line for a fare play award after rebuilding his shattered life to become an Uber driver.

NAIJALOADED reports that the Turkish striker Sukur, 48, lives in America having been exiled for opposing his country’s hardline president Recep Erdogan.

Sukur says his dad has also been thrown in jail and his assets frozen – driving him to the brink of despair in the US and forcing him to use any means available to grind out a living.

He opened a cafe and bakery called Tuts, where the house specials are dishes like Turkish sausage and Greek-style pancakes, in the wealthy area of Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, on the outskirts of San Francisco.

But it had to close in December 2018 and was replaced by a Turkish restaurant.

The Uefa Cup winner and World Cup semi-finalist said: “I drive for Uber and I sell books. I am starting to work now.

“Everyone that has a connection with me has financial troubles.

“I don’t have anything left. I have tens of millions of dollars of property in Turkey, but everything is confiscated.

“Erdogan took everything from me: my right to freedom, my right to express myself, my right to work.

“My wife’s boutique was stoned, my children were harassed and my father sent to jail.

“When I left for the US, my father was locked up and my assets taken.”

Sukur is widely regarded as Turkey’s greatest ever footballer with 52 goals from 112 caps and he also played for Inter Milan, Torino, Parma and Galatasaray back home.

Ex-Gala boss Graeme Souness took him to Blackburn but his Ewood Park spell was hampered by a broken leg.

Sukur insists he still loves his country – just not its leader.

He said: “I am an enemy of the government, not the state and not the Turkish nation. I love our flag, our country.

“I am an enemy of wrong politics and an attitude that aims to detach from the West.”

Low-emission recycled building blocks invented by Scottish scientists

Scientists at Heriot Watt University in Scotland have developed the world’s first building brick that’s made from 90% recycled construction and demolition waste.

The K-Briq uses less than one-tenth of the energy in its manufacture, creates one-tenth of CO2 emissions of a traditional fired brick, and can be made in any color.

The K-Briq is stronger and lighter than traditional kiln-fired bricks. It is produced from concrete, brick, and plasterboard waste, and it’s compressed without firing.

The brick will be commercially produced by Kenoteq, a commercial arm of Heriot Watt.

Professor Gabriela Medero, inventor of the K-Briq, said:

I have spent many years researching building materials and have been concerned that modern construction techniques exploit raw materials without considering that they are among the largest contributors to carbon emissions. The amount of waste they produce is not sustainable long-term.

The K-Briq looks like a normal brick, weighs the same, and behaves like a clay brick, but offers better insulation properties. It is sustainable and not kiln-fired so it is far better for the environment and represents massive savings for the construction industry in terms of related taxes.

Electrek’s Take

Building and construction are responsible for 39% of all global carbon emissions, according to the World Green Building Council.

So if this brick proves durable, it could potentially revolutionize the construction industry, not only in Scotland but globally. Affordable housing shortages are a chronic problem around the world, and so is the pollution caused by building. So the construction industry is coming up with innovations like tiny housing, net zero housing, and modular housing.

These bricks could be yet another great and impactful solution. Let’s hope they catch on. Well done, Heriot Watt scientists