STG moves to reward science teachers, pupils

  Get your Chemistry, Physics and Biology teachers to register for FREE at www.assppaa.com  You and your teachers start competing in Science Teachers' Game and earn Student Basic Points and Teacher Basic Points. Cash prizes are up for grabs for the highest scoring contestants. Follow Science Teachers' Game on social media for more updates. Watch out for the weekly Science Teachers' Game radio show coming soon. Nigeria's biggest educational competition is brought to you by Mr Labss and supported by Fidelity Bank, Konga, IVM and Systemtech.

10 things you need to know this Wednesday morning

  1. A top member of the dreaded Boko Haram group on the wanted list of the Nigerian Army has been arrested in Isua, Akoko South-East local government of Ondo State. The Boko Haram member, Idris Ibrahim Babawo, was arrested by vigilante group and handed over to the Police. The Police spokesperson in the state, Femi Joseph confirmed the arrest of Babawo. He said he had been handed over to the Military.

2. Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose will on Thursday, formally declare his intention to contest for the position of president of Nigeria in 2019, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The event will hold at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja. Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the Governor Fayose, in a letter addressed to leaders of the PDP, declared that his ambition to be president was without prejudice to the party’s position, but in the overall interest of the party and Nigeria.

3. The Naira on Tuesday exchanged at N364 to the dollar at the parallel market as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the CBN holds benchmark interest rate at 14 per cent. At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira was sold at N362 to the dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N492 and N436. Trading at the investor’s window saw the Naira closing at N306.05 and selling at N305.8 at the CBN official window.

NAFDAC workers insist on continuing Strike until FG appoints new Director-General

  The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) workers say they will continue with their strike until the Federal Government appoints a substantive Director-General.

Ejor Michael, the National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Medical and Health Union of Nigeria, NAFDAC chapter, made this known on Saturday in Abuja.

The union on September 22 embarked on an indefinite strike to demand a new DG or the appointment of the most senior director to run the affairs of the agency.

Michael said that the Acting DG, Yetunde Oni, had been on acting capacity since February 2016 and had acted for over one year.

Diego Costa sends message to Antonio Conte after securing Chelsea exit

Diego Costa and Antonio Conte were involved in a bust-up last season.

  The 28-year-old will initially join Atletico on loan but the Spanish club have an obligation to buy the player for £57.2 million next summer.

Costa will be unable to play for Atletico until January due to their transfer ban but is able to train with his new teammates.

As part of the deal, Chelsea will not subsidise any of Costa’s £185,000-a-week salary.

Last season, Conte and Costa were involved in a heated bust-up on the training ground and in the summer, the Chelsea manager informed the striker via text message that he would not be part of the club’s plans this term.

Zambia List 13 Things To Do To Overcome Nigeria In Uyo

                           
It’s less than three weeks to the all-important 2018 World Cup qualifying game between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Chipolopolo of Zambia at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on october 7, 2017.

The Zambians are not leaving any stone unturned in a bid to win the game and thus avenge the 2-1 home loss they suffered on Matchday 1 while also nicking the sole ticket to Russia.

A Zambian journalist, simply identified by the initials RW and writing in the Zambian Observer, has therefore made a checklist of the 13 things Zambia must do to defeat Nigeria in October.

See if you agree with him…

NECO releases result, 70.85% candidates pass English, Mathematics

National Examination Council (NECO)

Enyioha Opara, Minna

The National Examinations Council has released the June/July 2017 Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination results.

Announcing the release of the results in Minna, Niger State, the Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Charles Uwakwe, said that out of the 1,051,472 candidates who sat for the examination, only 70.85 per cent of the candidates got five credits and above, including in English Language and Mathematics.

The analysis of the candidates’ performances by states showed that Ekiti State came first with 85 per cent while Zamfara State had the least with 48.45 per cent.

Modi, Abe to kick-start India's first bullet train project

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Shinzo Abe shake hands in front of a Shinkansen bullet train in Kobe, Japan in 2016  Photo: JIJI PRESS/AFP/File.                                                                                                        Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will break ground on India's first bullet train project on Thursday in western Gujarat state, as the country seeks faster travel for millions.

Modi has pledged to invest billions of dollars to modernise India's creaking railway system, with the bullet train one of his key election promises ahead of his landslide victory in 2014.

The leaders will lay the foundation stone of the high-speed rail network between Ahmedabad -- the capital city of Modi's home state -- and India's financial hub of Mumbai on September 14, a statement by the Gujarat government said.

Liverpool Storm Etihad to Begin Title Chase

The English Premier League resumes this weekend after the international break and the stand-out fixtures is today’s early kickoff between Manchester United and Liverpool.  With both teams on the same points, victory for either side would overtake league leaders-Manchester United, before the Red Devils’ trip to Stoke later in the day

L iverpool could hardly be in higher spirits as they set out on the short trip to Manchester City this afternoon hoping to make a strong case for their Premier League title prospects.

Pep Guardiola’s City and neighbours Manchester United, together with champions Chelsea, have already been installed as the trio most likely to contest the title, but optimism is surging on Merseyside after a free-scoring August.

A 4-0 thrashing of a compliant Arsenal side before the international break means Juergen Klopp’s side has seven points from nine during an opening period in which they also safely negotiated a Champions League playoff against Hoffenheim.

What is more, Liverpool’s transfer window business has been hailed as some of the best amongst the leading clubs.

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah was rated by number-crunchers at the CIES Football Observatory as the bargain of the summer from Roma and a goal on his debut plus strikes against Hoffenheim and Arsenal have quickly endeared him to Anfield’s faithful.

The deadline-day signing from Arsenal of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a player Klopp believes can become a Liverpool great adds more firepower to an attack already boasting Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and which will soon be further boosted by the return from injury of Adam Lallana.

The rising stock of midfielder Jordan Henderson, who has captained England twice in the past week, and a superb goal for teenager Ben Woodburn on his Wales debut means the continued uncertainty surrounding Phillipe Coutinho and his desire to join Barcelona is a manageable distraction.

No wonder pundits are taking Liverpool seriously.

“I didn’t fancy Liverpool before the season started but they’ve made some decent buys and kept Coutinho which is a boost for them,” former Manchester United great Ryan Giggs conceded this week. “After the business they’ve done I’ve probably changed my mind and they will be in the mix.”

Liverpool have a strong recent record against City, winning four of the last six league clashes between the sides and last lost to them in the league three years ago.

Last season, Klopp’s side took 20 points from their matches against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, City, United and Arsenal – more than any other club and the recent demolition of Arsenal maintained their form against the big clubs.

City, who also have seven points, have match-winners everywhere though, even if they will be without former Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling who was sent off for over-celebrating a last-gasp winner against Bournemouth last time out.

While Sterling’s absence will be a blow, Guardiola’s options are so numerous that Sergio Aguero was only a substitute against Bournemouth and he is likely to return.

Defensive worries remain despite a huge summer outlay and 50-million-pound right back Kyle Walker will return from suspension with the unenviable task of trying to stop the rampaging runs of Mane, a battle that could determine which of the two title rivals will be celebrating.

Meanwhile, City face an injury concern with the club’s medical team concerned over a fresh problem for Vincent Kompany.

The City captain has been stricken with a series of calf problems over the last three seasons and was limited to just 11 appearances in the Premier League in Pep Guardiola’s first season in England last term.

The worst of those injury woes could be over however with the Belgium international starting and completing each of City’s opening three games of the new campaign.

However, the 31-year-old was absent from training with his club on Wednesday as a result of a calf problem picked up while on international duty. While City’s medical staff do not see it as a serious problem, they are wary of his injury history and will continue to assess the centre-half ahead of the lunch-time kick-off at the Etihad Stadium.

Kompany remains a hugely important player for Guardiola following City’s failure to bring in another centre-half during the summer transfer window. While the club spent £130m in strengthening their options at full-back, the club’s interest in West Brom’s Jonny Evans, Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk and Real Sociedad’s Iñigo Martinez amounted to nothing, leaving City with the options of Kompany, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala as their only senior centre-halves.

Doubts over Kompany will act as a major boost to Liverpool’s chances of leaving the Etihad with something. While they have their own problems in attack, their front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino has already proved to be a deadly combination with Kompany’s organisational skills in the City backline vital to keeping the trio quiet.

Guardiola has experimented with playing three at the back and a flat back four this season with Kompany, Stones and Otamendi all featuring as the first choice combination.

Leaders Manchester United, who have a 100 per cent record and are yet to concede a goal while scoring 10, travel to Stoke City for today’s late kickoff.

Promoted high-flyers Huddersfield Town, who have also kept three clean sheets and are level on points with Liverpool and Manchester City, play at bottom side West Ham United on Monday.

Arsenal, who have lost their last two games, should avoid slumping to three defeats in a row when they host Bournemouth today.

Champions Chelsea are at Leicester City on the same day.

Prepare for the Worst in Paid Employment

There is a popular school of thought that advocates there is nothing like job security anymore. The business environment is filled with case studies of organisations that were wiped off through irredeemable share price crashes, scandals or loss of investments in one way or the other. Our world today has also been described as VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – signaling the need for business and government leaders, as well as employees to always act with a sense of urgency. Also, a bigger lesson from the fast-changing trends in our world today is the fact that nobody can afford to be complacent, because a change in the climatic or business weather can sink even the most profitable venture.

Where does this uncertainty leave employees, if business leaders are constantly taking risks and trying to stay afloat in spite of the dynamic environment and unpredictable markets? It should teach them how to stay prepared for sudden changes and adopt a mindset that is open to a flexible future. Here are some ways to prepare for the worst scenario whilst in paid employment:

Develop your Personal Brand
Building a personal brand is easier than you can ever imagine. One way to start is by blogging. The irony is that, the only person who knows how good you are at your job are your bosses and clients. You need to change your job search system by sidestepping the way things worked conventionally.

The focus of any blog is to drive conversation, because it is a medium to showcase your portfolio and get people to interact with your work. It is also a forum to connect with individuals and organizations at the frontline of the subjects that are most imperative to you. There are countless testimonials of people who have secured fantastic jobs by writing a blog post. It costs next to nothing to create a blog today. You can also become a guest blogger on popular media platforms that will promote your work and connect you with brands within your niche of interest.

Network! Network! Network!
Networking does not mean going to conferences only or events to meet people. Why not try out things you would not typically do in the office setting? Ask folks out to lunch, spend time asking questions and just listen to their responses. You will be amazed at what you can glean from a 20 minute lunch break. Besides networking with people within your professional demographic, it is important to also connect with senior executives and engage them with burning questions you have regarding your industry. This can propel them to recommend you for a future job opportunity.

Engage with Your Colleagues
Don’t be a lone wolf. Many people never realize they don’t have real friends in the office until they are fired from their jobs. Ensure you have a network of friends at your workplace, so that in case you lose your job, they will serve as a support system to you. Help each other, make positive recommendations and promote their side hustles. You are at more advantage with a squad than on your own.

Explore Other Industries
Do not forget to explore other industries while networking.  The skills set you have may be held in high esteem in a different industry. It is important to find at least two other industries where your skill set can be transferred to, so that you can always move when an industry suffers the effect of a government policy or resource decline.  Always try to learn from people who do things you would have never thought about. You never can say who they may be on the lookout for in the future.

Start that side hustle today
Irrespective of how comfortable your job may be, never rest on the oars of your job hunt.  No matter how lucrative the job is, do not be fooled by the company’s ‘Kool-Aid’. You don’t want to be caught in the situation many individuals find themselves when they get fired. Therefore protect yourself so that if things go south, you will have a few irons in the fire.

King's College Graduates 551 Students

   King’s College, Lagos recently held its 2017 prize-giving and valedictory service, where it graduated about 551 students.

The programme, which was well attended by guests, parents, staff, old boys and the representative of the minister of education, saw the presentation of prizes to outstanding students of the college and the presentation of the outgoing graduands to the assembly by the registrar.

In his farewell remarks, the outgoing Principal, Mr. Oluseyi Thomas said the college was celebrating its graduands for making the school proud, as it focuses on the primary business of educating the Nigerian child, adding that it was also to reward their excellent performance and contributions in the last one year.

He thanked the students, staff, parents and other stakeholders for the support he enjoyed during his two years stewardship at the college.

Resident doctors commence nationwide strike .

  The federal government said on Monday that it was disappointed that resident doctors commenced a nationwide strike despite reaching “a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Federal Ministry of Health on its 6-points demand.”

The resident doctors announced the commencement of the indefinite strike on Monday after a meeting of the executives of its association, NARD.

The government’s position was contained in a statement by the Deputy Director Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere.

Mr. Olowookere said the government was utterly disappointed that NARD, without enough reasons, reneged on an agreement, detailed with timelines for faithful implementation.

“In view of this unfortunate development, the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Trade Dispute Act 2004, has apprehended the on-going strike by NARD. Consequently, the meeting between NARD and government earlier scheduled for November 2, 2017 is now convened for Wednesday, 6th September 2017 by 12 noon at the Conference Room of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment. ”

On the Senate, Ports and Revenue Leakages

  One is constrained to join issues with “Mr. Yahaya Sadique”, supposedly a Kaduna-based writer over an article authored by him and published recently in THISDAY. The article entitled “The Senate, Ports and revenue leakages” is to say, the least a disservice to the cause of truth. Although it hinges its premise on the ports and attempts by the senate to investigate alleged revenue leakages at the ports, it dwells extensively on a statement recently issued by respected elder statesman and former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Umar Abubakar Dangiwa Umar(rtd). And that is really pathetic.

One finds it distasteful that “Mr. Sadique” would disparage a man who has remained one of the most committed patriots and has never shied away from speaking his mind on national issue no matter how contentious they are. To insinuate that the statesman is under the influence of the NPA, is to say the least, a disgraceful position not expected of anyone conversant with and national history and national interest at heart.

But it does not seem that the writer under discussion is in tune with the current state of affairs going by the content of his article especially as it concerns the NPA. Anyone familiar with the current state of affairs at the NPA would readily testify to the increasing level of transparency at the agency.