NIGERIA: Sunday Papers, July 29, 2012

COMPILED BY AMBROSE EHIRIM

CHANNELS TV: Nigeria produces most of W/Africa’s illegal weapons – Army

VOICE OF AMERICA: Nigeria, Tunisia Tip Off London Olympic Men's Basketball

PM NEWS NIGERIA: Captain Ore reports Aviation Minister’s threat

VANGUARD NIGERIA: How we will create new states – Dep. Senate President Ekweremadu

VANGUARD NIGERIA: Ex-deputy gov’s ADC shot dead

VANGUARD NIGERIA: ‘Nigerians can’t be going to India, US for simple diagnosis’

PUNCH: ACN, LP, PDP elect candidates for Ondo gov poll

PUNCH: Third Mainland Bridge: 3.4 million people used ferries in two months

THE GUARDIAN NIGERIA: Boko Haram: JonathanUnder Fresh US Pressure

THE GUARDIAN NIGERIA: Anambra Oil Field Ready For Commissioning Next Month

CHANNELS TV: Okorocha recalls 27 PDP council chairmen

SUN NEWS ONLINE: Abonnema waterfront demolition: drugs, arms sold like groundnuts –Govt

SUN NEWS ONLINE: Mother from hell: Woman stabs son to spite ex-hubby

THIS DAY LIVE: Hillary Clinton to Visit Nigeria Next Month

SUPER SPORT: Hoopers rule Nigeria again

DAILY TIMES NIGERIA: Pepsi Football Academy celebrates 20th anniversary

DAILY TIMES NIGERIA: Security networking will tackle terrorism - Experts

DAILY TIMES NIGERIA: Six die in Edo cult clash

NIGERIA: Tuface, M.I., Others To Tour N-America

By Ngozi Opurum, Daily Times-Nigeria

The United Sounds of Africa (USA) would kick off their first ever North American tour with Tuface, M.I, J.Martins.

Organised by Interglobe Entertainment Group (IEG) and Live Nation, the tour would get together new and existing partners to create music and cultural connections with their individual brands in the context of a global music agenda.

"United Sounds of Africa presents a perfect platform to connect with fans of the beautiful music coming out of Africa and taking the world by storm. I am excited and it is going to be a lot of fun," Tuface said.

IEG is a global leader in media and entertainment, while Live Nation Entertainment is the world's leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network.

"I am proud to be joining Tuface and everyone on stage as a part of this very first United Sounds of Africa tour. I think American audiences will be blown away by the talent and diversity onstage and by how much the African music scene has to offer. These will be amazing shows," M.I. said.

The tour which kicks off on August 1 in Houston, Texas, has Timi Dakolo, J. Martins, Iyanya, and Brymo as artistes to perform.

IEG created the USA project to bring the best African music vocalists /artistes /composers together for a series of live performances uniting Africa's diverse musical cultures. In addition, the USA tour will connect current African artistes with those of the diaspora, continuing the legacy of such globally successful, African-born artists as Akon, Sade, and K'naan.

"This will be an open platform for any audience that relates to a musical exchange and collaboration from one continent to the other. This tour presents Live Nation with the unique opportunity of introducing some of Africa's top musical talent to crowds across the country," Jay Belin of Live Nation said.

CEO Efe Omorogbe of Now Muzik, said, "We at Now Muzik are very proud to partner with Interglobe Entertainment Group and Live Nation on the U.S.A platform. We look forward to a thrilling experience on this tour and more importantly, we hope that the platform delivers for our artists, Tuface, Timi and J. Martins, along with many other exceptional African talents, the much-needed in-road into the mainstream American circuit."

NIGERIA: FG Cuts Supplies To Global Oil Traders

By Emmanuel Okubenji, Daily Times - Nigeria
The Federal Government has announced plans to award about $60 billion annual supply contracts to local firms.

According to a document sent to the winning firms, FG has allocated about 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) through term contracts to 21 Nigerian firms, and 29 global companies.

The number of companies on the list grew from last year’s 45 and included many small African firms such as Tempo and Benny Peters, the document showed.

The oil, which amounts to around 580 million barrels sold over the next 12 months, is worth nearly $60 billion based on current premiums of the light, sweet crude to Brent futures.

The tender result, awaited since April, showed that around 45 % of the allocated oil was assigned for companies either based in Nigeria or owned by Nigerian companies including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary Duke Oil, which doubled the size of its contract from last year to 60,000 bpd.

Global oil traders such as Glencore, Vitol and Trafigura, who have traditionally had a strong presence in the country, last year had their supplies halved to 30,000 bpd while Gunvor and Mercuria, Swiss-based traders, stayed unchanged from 2011 at 30,000 bpd.

"The desire to encourage Nigerian participation is understandable, but it only helps the country if these are legitimate companies, chosen in a manner that was competitive and free from patronage," Alexandra Gillies, head of governance at Revenue Watch Institute, said.

She added that the list of companies should be scrutinised carefully to ensure that all are operational oil firms and were fairly chosen.

Meanwhile, other winners include Indian Oil Corp and China's Unipec, the trading arm of Sinopec Corp, which both received 60,000-bpd contracts.

NIGERIA: U.S. Begins $119M Embassy Annex Project In Abuja

By Emmanuel Okubenji/Daily Times/Nigeria

The U.S., on Friday, commenced the construction of its embassy annex which will accommodate three of its agencies in the Diplomatic Drive, Central Area, Abuja.

The Ambassador, Terence McCulley, at the ground breaking ceremony said that the project, which will cover 7,500 square metres, would cost 119 million dollars.

McCulley said that the building will house the US Agency for International Development, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Defence.

He also listed a five-level parking garage, a swimming pool and a marine security guard quarters as part of the project.

"Many of these team members work out of other office buildings, and must travel to the Chancery building for regular meetings," he said.

"After the completion of this annex, they won’t have to leave this property for meetings. Their trips farther afield will be simplified within a coherent support structure. This effort will also improve the conditions under which we all work."

The envoy said the initiative was a signal that the US considered Nigeria as an important partner.

"Our presence here is critical to maintaining that partnership. It is also a sign that the US is solidifying its commitment to staying engaged in Nigeria."

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, said the timing of the project was important, given the nation’s current security challenges.

"America believes in Nigeria and its future, and takes a long term view on our relations. We will continue to work together for the success of our Bi-National Commission," Ashiru said.

The Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, said the new construction further indicated that Abuja was a safe destination for investment and tourism.

He commended the embassy for its contribution to the city’s development.

The event was witnessed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger and members of the diplomatic corps.

The U.S. embassy in Nigeria was moved to Abuja in 2000. It still maintains a consulate in Lagos and plans to open one in Kano soon.

Nigeria: Lagos One Day Governor Meets Fashola

Ogbuefi emerged the 2012 winner of the State Secondary Schools Spelling Bee.

By Gbenro Adeoye, Daily Times

Lagos State 2012 One-Day Governor, Lilian Ogbuefi, on Monday, asked that a bus and a 250KVA generator be provided for her school.

During a visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola at the State Executive Chambers, 16-year-old Lilian said her demands would enhance learning at the State Senior Model College, Kankon, Badagry.

For winning this year's State Secondary Schools Spelling Bee competition, Lilian got the opportunity to be governor for one day, as is the tradition in Lagos.

Accompanied by some members of her cabinet, the One Day Governor commended Fashola for improving the state of education, transportation, security and road networks in the State.

She also commended the innovation that brought about the various academic competitions, adding that such programmes had impacted positively on the quality of education in the state.

“I can proudly say that Lagos public schools are the best and the students can shine any time anywhere,” she said

In his reaction, Fashola added that the resuscitation of such enhancing programmes as the Spelling Bee, had proved to be useful building blocks of character.

He said the fact that Lilian was a product of a public school showed how far state-owned schools had gone in competing with the private ones.

Fashola urged the One Day Governor to continue to develop herself, adding that many past winners of the competition had gone ahead to become outstanding students and leaders.

He said some of the past One Day Governors had graduated from the University with First Class honours and some others with Second Class honours.

Explaining the objective behind the One Day Governor concept, Fashola said it would connect young ones to governance.

He gave a commitment that the list of requirements made by the One Day Governor for her school would be worked upon.

Lilian was accompanied by her parents and other members of her cabinet which included the Deputy Governor, Ireti Ogedengbe; and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chibueze Jonathan.

NIGERIA: Saturday Papers, June 02, 2012

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE: Air Nigeria Pilots, Engineers Embark On Indefinite Strike

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE: Lagos Doctors Give Conditions For Resumption

DAILY TIMES: Jonathan blames past leaders for under-development

VANGUARD: As UNILAG buries VC, ASUU vows to fight back over name change

BUSINESS RECORDER: Pirates attack Greek oil tanker off Nigeria

NIGERIA: Danjuma Bails May and Baker with N1.3bn

The shareholders of the pharmaceutical giant had, last Thursday, pleaded with Danjuma to bail out the company from its bank debts. Sonny Nwosu, the President of May and Baker’s Shareholders Solidarity Group, had moved a motion urging Danjuma to intervene by personally repaying the loan at the company’s 61st annual general meeting in Lagos; adding that failure to do so would amount to the company using the rest of its life paying interest on the loans.

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