US Rejects WTO’s Proposal To Endorse Okonjo-Iweala As DG

A key group of WTO ambassadors has proposed Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to be the next head of the World Trade Organization, a WTO spokesman said on Wednesday, but the United States said it could not endorse her.

The recommendation, confirming news earlier reported by Reuters, needs clearance from all 164 WTO members. If appointed, the former Nigerian finance minister would become the first woman and African to head the global trade watchdog in its 25-year history.

The WTO spokesman said that her candidacy would be put to a General Council of the WTO on Nov. 9 for endorsement and that there was likely to be “frenzied activity” before then to secure the required consensus |||READ MORE

Kenya set for trade talks with Britain

Kenya will soon start negotiations on a second bilateral trade pact with the United Kingdom following its exit from European Union (EU).

The two countries have previously been trading through the EU. However, Kenya lost market access after Britain left the union in what was known as Brexit.

Under the EU, Kenya benefited from duty-free and quota-free market access to all member states for industrial and agricultural products, including beef, fish, dairy, cereals, fresh and processed fruits and vegetables |||READ MORE

Bill Gates, bogeyman of virus conspiracy theorists

False claims targeting billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates are gaining traction online since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, with experts warning they could hamper efforts to curb the virus.

Doctored photos and fabricated news articles crafted by conspiracy theorists — shared thousands of times on social media platforms and messaging apps, in various languages — have gone as far as accusing the Microsoft founder of creating the outbreak.

Gates, who has pledged $250 million to efforts to fight the pandemic, is the latest in a string of online targets despite the World Health Organization’s efforts to fight what it called an “infodemic” — misinformation fanned by panic and confusion about the virus |||READ MORE

 

15-man Chinese team leaves Nigeria soon — CCECC

Managing Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Ltd, Michael Yigao, says the 15-man Chinese team that arrived in the country on April 8 are in the company’s care.

Yigao, who made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja while reacting to concerns as to the whereabouts of the team, said the team would be leaving the country soon.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire had said during a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing that team was the “guests of the Federal Government but that of the construction company” |||READ MORE

 

Gov't Offices Can Open From Monday - FG Declares

According to The Nation, Federal offices nationwide can open from May 4 for workers to resume work, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has said.

The resumption will be based on specific grade levels, the PTF explained.

Also, the banking, construction,  manufacturing sectors, as well as food processing companies, will be allowed to open from Monday, the PTF further said |||READ MORE ….

LEADERSHIP Persons Of The Year, 2019

The 2020 LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards Ceremony was held at the International conference Centre (ICC), Abuja on March 19, 2020.

The event, themed “The Economics of Border Closure” was organized by LEADERSHIP Conferences Limited, a subsidiary of LEADERSHIP Group Limited.

The LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards holds annually to celebrate individuals as having distinguished themselves both in the public and private sectors. This recognition also includes outstanding corporate organizations nominated and considered to have excelled in commerce and industry within the same period |||READ MORE …

Amazon to open its first full-size, cashierless grocery store

SEATTLE — Amazon is cracking further into the $800 billion U.S. grocery industry, keeping the likes of Walmart, Kroger, 7-Eleven and Instacart on their toes.

The online behemoth on Tuesday is opening its first, full-size, cashierless grocery store. Five years in the making, the Amazon Go Grocery is in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, in the Amazon corporate headquarters’ backyard.

Amazon has been working on the space since 2015. At 10,400 square feet, the store at 610 E. Pike St. incorporates the same technology found in the two dozenor so Amazon Go locations. Shoppers can walk in, scan a QR code from their Amazon mobile app at a turnstile, carry or add whatever they want to their baskets throughout the store, and walk out when they are finished. Zero human interaction is required, though the store will staff a couple dozen people to help stock shelves and answer shoppers’ questions |||READ MORE …

SMEDAN Kicks Off Nationwide Registration Programme For MSMEs

A nationwide mass registration programme that is designed to provide tailored and critical hand-holding services to the informal operators (medium,small and micro enterprises) in Nigeria and ensure their growth, sustainability and diversification has been launched by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). The programme is expected to facilitate the development of a comprehensive database for MSMEs in the country.

Director-general, SMEDAN, Dr Umar Dikko Radda,who spoke at the launch, explained that it was expected to facilitate the sourcing, developing, warehousing and managing of a comprehensive and verifiable database of MSMEs with a view to providing wholesome solution to a formalised MSME subsector of the Nigerian economy.

He said that MSMEs that are registered on SMEDAN official website portal – www.smedanregister.ng, would be allowed by the agency to gain access to funding support, empowerment, training and other facilities provided by federal government agencies as well as other lending and support institutions at the federal, state and local government levels |||READ MORE …

FG To Establish Two Dairy Plants In Jigawa

The Federal Government on Sunday says it has concluded plans to establish two dairy plants in Jigawa. 

Sabo Nanono, the Minister for Agriculture, made the disclosure in Jahun, Jigawa while speaking to newsmen on the sideline of his two-day visit to the state. 

Nanono disclosed that the dairy plants would be established at Ringim and Gujungu towns in Ringim and Taura local government councils, respectively. |||READ MORE …