TheNewsGuru

Tag: togo

  • WAFU B: Falconets spank Togo 6-0

    WAFU B: Falconets spank Togo 6-0

    On a day that Nigeria’s U20 boys whiplashed more fancied Italy 2-0 at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina, Nigeria’s U20 girls were also in the spirit, flogging Togo’s U20 girls 6-0 at the ongoing WAFU B U20 Women’s Tournament in Kumasi, Ghana.

    Aminat Omowunmi Bello put Nigeria in front in the 11th minute, and only 60 seconds later, Flourish Sebastine made it two. On the half-hour, midfielder Esther Onyenezide got in on the act with a third goal that put daylight between the Falconets and their Togolese counterparts.

    Bello was again on song in the 59th minute, and two minutes later, Opeyemi Ajakaye, who netted a hat-trick in the 7-0 pounding of Niger Republic on Sunday, got her fourth goal of the tournament.

    Not done yet, the FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists got a sixth in the 76th minute as Sebastine notched her brace.

    The Falconets have a final group phase clash with Burkina Faso (8-0 winners over Niger Republic) on Sunday, but they are already assured of a place in the last four with maximum six points and 13 goals advantage.

  • Amb. Adesina hosts cocktail to mark Nigeria’s 62nd Independence in Togo [Photos]

    Amb. Adesina hosts cocktail to mark Nigeria’s 62nd Independence in Togo [Photos]

    Ambassador Debo Adesina of Nigeria to the Republic of Togo hosted a Cocktail over the weekend for members of the diplomatic community in Togo to mark the 62nd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria.

    The first four pics show Ambassador Adesina with the Togolese Minister of Transportation, Aviation and Roads, Affoh Atcha-Dedji, who represented President Faure Gnassingbe.

    The other two pics show members of the diplomatic community and other guests.

    See Photos:

     

     

     

  • Lekki Port: Nigeria to regain maritime business loss to Togo, Ghana – Lai Mohammed

    Lekki Port: Nigeria to regain maritime business loss to Togo, Ghana – Lai Mohammed

    The Federal Government says with the completion and operation of Lekki Deep Sea Port by September, Nigeria will regain maritime business lost to ports in Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this on Wednesday after a tour of the Lekki Port, with a team of journalists.

    Newsmen reports that the port located in the Lagos Free Zone, Epe is the deepest seaport in Nigeria and West Africa with unique advantages, covering a land area of 90 hectares.

    Mohammed said when the port begins operation in the last quarter of the year, it would be a big boost to Nigeria in its quest to take advantage of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

    He said the port, a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer concern would be a pacesetter and game-changer in the economy landscape of the country.

    “I called it a game-changer because of the impact it will have on the nation’s economy and the jobs it will create among others.

    “The investment is huge: 1.53 billion dollars on fixed assets and 800 million dollars on construction.

    “But the aggregate impact has been put at 361 billion dollars in 45 years, which will be more than 200 times the cost of building it,’’ he said.

    Mohammed said in addition, the port would create 169,972 jobs and bring revenues totalling 201 billion dollars to state and Federal Governments through taxes, royalties and duties.

    He said the direct and induced business revenue impact of the port was estimated at 158 billion dollars, in addition to a qualitative impact on the manufacturing, trade and commercial services sector

    The minister said the port would transform Nigeria into a transhipment hub and the revenue currently being lost to neighbouring countries would come back.

    “As you know, this project is being done in phases. Phase 1 has reached 89 per cent and will be completed in September this year.

    “The facilities here are first class, we have seven ships to shore cranes and 21 RTG cranes.

    “No port in Nigeria currency has this. The excellent equipment is why this port can do 18,000 tons, which is more than four times the number that can currently be handled by our other ports,’’ he said.

    According to Mohammed, the project is self-sufficient in required electricity as it is currently generating 10 mega watts from a total capacity of 16 megawatts

    He said the port was another example of the first-class infrastructure being developed across the country by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Whether it is roads, rail, airport terminals, gas pipelines, housing, ports, just name it.

    “And at this stage, I want to appeal to our colleagues in the media to play up these developmental efforts instead of concentrating energy on negativity.

    “That is why we embark on these tours with a large retinue of journalists..

    “Let the world know that Nigeria is not all about kidnapping, terrorism and banditry. It is also about massive developments that are unprecedented,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Port, Mr Du Ruogang said the project which would be completed before the end of the year would change the economic landscape of the country.

    He said that the multi-purpose deep seaport would be one of the most modern ports in West Africa, offering enormous support to the burgeoning commercial operations across Nigeria and the entire West African region.

    Ruogang assured that multiple modern cargo evacuation mechanisms would be put in place at the port to forestall congestion and other challenges being experienced in other ports in the country.

  • May the tribe of women continue to triumph – By Debo Adesina

    May the tribe of women continue to triumph – By Debo Adesina

    By Debo Adesina

    When it comes to the story of humanity, beauty and dignity, courage and compassion, diligence and perseverance constitute the central theme. And none of God’s creations embodies all of these more than a woman.

    Today, the world pays a huge price for not according her the deserved place in the scheme of arrangements. Human happiness is circumscribed, progress is delayed and growth is gravely stunted when women are, willfully or inadvertently, denied seats at the table, sentenced to poverty or kept in captivity.

    It bears repeating: the McKenzie Institute’s report that 26% of today’s global GDP, about 24 trillion dollars, would be added to the world’s economy by 2025 if women were allowed to play exactly the same role as men in leadership and in the economy, remains a wake-up call on humanity to reconnect itself to its source.

    Whether we believe this report or not, whether we act on it or not, the damning evidence of the power we have refused to unleash, the resource we have failed to tap or have tapped half-heartedly is in the fact that against all odds, all over the world, women are shining with accomplishments that can neither be darkened by cultural prejudices nor diminished by political limitations.

    They are standing up for their beliefs and against the forces of discrimination and oppression. They are standing up for all of us.

    And they have always done so.

    Today’s woman, especially the African woman, is following in the footsteps of gallant warriors like Queen Amina of Zaria (Nigeria) who ruled for 34 years, expanded her kingdom of Zazzau through conquests and built the most viable commerce network in the north of Nigeria; and Yaa Asantewaa who, as Queen Mother of the Edweso tribe in present-day Ghana, led, in 1900, an army of thousands against invading colonialists. She was eventually driven into exile in Seychelles where she lived for 20 years until her death in 1921, but not until the unwanted occupiers were given bloody noses in battle.

    The bravery of Queen Nzinga Mbande of Ndongo and Matamba, regions in present-day Angola, who led many battles against Portuguese colonial marauders, remains a shining lodestar for today’s African woman.

    Of course, today’s woman, in juggling different careers with her role as wife, mother, leader and family builder, only imitates the illustrious Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti of Nigeria, the matriarch of the iconoclastic Ransome-Kuti clan, political activist, leader of the African Women Union and the first Nigerian woman to drive a car.

    The African woman lives a life of sacrifice very much like that of Josina Muthemba Machel, a leader of the Mozambican fight for independence. Besides the fact that she joined the FRELIMO liberation movement in 1960 and led the “Women’s Detachment” who took up arms alongside men in the trenches to fight for Mozambique’s freedom, she was the anchor for the gallantry of her illustrious husband, the late Samora.

    History has it that Taytu Betul as Queen of Ethiopia fought alongside her husband, Emperor Menelik II, and led her people to victory over Italian forces in 1896.

    This is to mention just a few.

    The women of Nigeria and Togo especially have always been in the trenches in the battle for positive change. The Nigerian women not only joined in the fight for independence, under President Muhammadu Buhari especially, they have also been a major part of the nation’s transformation.

    On their part, the women of Togo fought higher taxation in the colonial era and, today, with President Faure Gnassingbe, are carrying a banner aloft whose inspiring emblem is a light of hope.

    Their tribe, in number and quality, in positions of power and authority, is exemplary.

    And on this International Women’s Day with the theme, Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow, no better message can there be than to remind all that the journey to a future of greatness for humanity should begin at the appropriate starting point: sound education for the girl-child.

    Already, the scriptures have this to say to us about the woman:

    ‘’Strength and dignity are her clothing…

    She is more precious than jewels…

    She opens her mouth with wisdom…

    And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue!”

    May the tribe of Women continue to triumph.

    Happy International Women’s Day!

     

    Debo Adesina is Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Togo.

  • Assault video: How Onyeama, Envoy to Togo, Adesina saved Nigerian passengers

    Assault video: How Onyeama, Envoy to Togo, Adesina saved Nigerian passengers

    Nigerians seen being maltreated at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport, Lome on Saturday in a viral video have been successfully evacuated to the country.

    It was learnt that both the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Geofrey Onyeama, and the Ambassador to Togo, Debo Adesina, had immediately moved in on Saturday after getting wind of the incident where some of the Nigerian passengers were shown being assaulted by airport security operatives.

    It was gathered that the Nigerian passengers aboard the Ethiopian Airline from New York got to Lome only to be informed that their connecting flight to Nigeria through ASky Airline was full.

    This infuriated the Nigerian passengers, leading to a protest within the airport and for which some of the Nigerians were shackled and manhandled.

    In the viral video, some people were seen with their hands tied to their backs while uniformed men believed to be Togolese airport securitymen were seen assaulting a lady who was on the floor.

    A man could be heard screaming “This is bad, this is bad.”

    It was gathered that Adesina, who was said to have briefed the minister, personally went to the airport on hearing the news of the development.

    It was learnt that he, alongside the boss of the country’s civil aviation company, one Colonel Dokisime Gnama Latta, immediately worked out an arrangement for two flights to evacuate all of the passengers Saturday night.

    ASky Airline, which is said to be a strategic partner of the Ethiopian Airline has been facing challenges in the last three weeks due to traffic volume.

    It was learnt that the same airline had almost aborted a trip by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, last week when he was on his way to Kenya from The Gambia where he went for election monitoring.

  • Nigeria to supply 24 hours a day electricity to Togo

    Nigeria to supply 24 hours a day electricity to Togo

    Mr Kassim Abdullahi, the Executive Director, Generation, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), says the firm is working to export power to Togo Republic through the Calabar Power Plant.

    Abdullahi disclosed this in a statement signed by Mrs Olufunke Nwankwo, NDPHC’s Head, Communication and Public Relations on Monday in Abuja.

    The statement followed an inspection of the Calabar Power Plant in Odukpani, Cross River State recently.

    Abdullahi said that the company already had a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to supply 70 Megawatt (MW) of power to Togo, a West African nation from the power plant.

    While stating that the firm was also in discussion to supply another 100MW to Paradise City in Calabar, he assured Nigerians of improved power supply through the eligible customer framework.

    “This is the way to go; we are working tirelessly in getting more eligible customers to ensure that this available stranded power that we have in most of the power stations are dispatched.

    “More especially, most of the power stations that we have in NDPHC today are limited in their operations because of the dispatch challenges.

    “We are hardly doing the full capacity because of grid constraints but with the eligible customers framework we are able to commence some serious drive and engagements with willing buyers of our power,” he said.

    Abdullahi said that the plant, wholly owned by NDPHC under the Nigerian National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) programme, had five units Gas Turbines with a total designed capacity of about 600MW.

    He described the plant as one of the best amongst NDPHC plants with uninterruptible gas availability and a good dispatch network.

    The executive director explained that the inspection was part of the routine maintenance done on all power stations.

    He said when all three units are firing, Calabar power plant has a total capacity of 560MW available power for dispatch.

    Also speaking, Mr John Oyewale, Chief Operating Officer of Calabar Power Plant explained that the plant had remained the best through the support of NDPHC management and the operation and maintenance team.

    “Even though there are lots of challenges, we are able to surmount them because of the cooperation between NDPHC and us.

    “With the experience we have gained over time from other power plants, we are able to keep the plant going because of the existing cooperation in the Operations and Maintenance team,” he said.

    He thanked the company’s management for supporting the team, saying “each time we want something from them they quickly get it to us and allow us to progress”.

    Oyewale said that at the time of the inspection when two units were working, the plant was sending 225MW to the national grid due to frequency control.

  • Togo prime minister, cabinet resign

    Togo prime minister, cabinet resign

    Togolese Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou and his government tendered their resignation on Friday, the presidency said in a statement, congratulating the Cabinet for its work in office.

    A governmental change has been anticipated since President Faure Gnassingbe won re-election in March, extending his 15-year-old rule and a family dynasty that began when his father took power in a 1967 coup.

    The presidency did not say when a new prime minister would be appointed.

    Ahead of the February election, a fractured opposition struggled to launch a concerted campaign to unseat Gnassingbe despite widespread disaffection with his leadership of the small West African country of 8 million people.

  • Togo’s COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000

    Togo’s COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000

    Togo’s tally of COVID-19 cases reached 1,001 on Wednesday with 13 new cases reported in the last day, according to the latest report from the Health and Public Hygiene Ministry.

    So far, 690 recoveries and 21 deaths have been recorded, the report said.

    It added that in recent weeks, the country saw a rise in new infections.

    Togo is experiencing new outbreaks of the epidemic in the central and northern regions, Djibril Mohaman, the National Coordinator for COVID-19 response, told a press conference on Wednesday.

    “Over the coming two weeks, there will be an increase in confirmed cases after the monitoring of the contacts,’’ he said.

    In mid-July, the Togolese government began to gradually lift preventive measures, as data then showed that the COVID-19 situation in the country had stabilised.

  • Faure Gnassingbe takes oath of office for fourth time as Togo president

    Faure Gnassingbe takes oath of office for fourth time as Togo president

    Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe was inaugurated on Sunday at a ceremony that was minimized to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    Some 200 guests – all wearing face masks and practicing social distancing – attended the ceremony.

    With borders closed, it was only attended by diplomats already in the country.

    The televised ceremony was shortened to just over 80 minutes, without the usual pomp and ceremony.

    Gnassingbe, 53, won by a landslide in February, extending his 15-year reign by another five years.

    The inauguration went ahead despite measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the small West African country, which has recorded 123 cases and nine deaths, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Gnassingbe was sworn in despite the objections of his political rival, former prime minister Agbeyome Kodjo, who won 18.37 percent of the vote.

    Military police detained Kodjo in April after he declared himself president-elect.

  • JUST IN: Another 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrive Seme border amid COVID-19 fears

    JUST IN: Another 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrive Seme border amid COVID-19 fears

    As the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to rise in the country, another batch of 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo Republic have arrived at Seme Border Post in Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrived at Seme Border Post in Lagos State in a Toyota Coaster bus with Togolese registration number TG 5923 A in the early hours of Sunday.

    According to NAN, the Nigerian returnees were resident in Togo but decided to return to their country following the outbreak of the COVID-19.

    “The Nigerians were screened with the infrared thermometer by our officials when they arrived today. We have called Lagos State Ministry of Health and they have promised to come and evacuate them to the quarantine facility in Badagry,” a Port Health official told NAN at Seme border.

    The arrival of 13 returnees from Togo on Sunday brings to 103 the total number of Nigerians that arrived through Seme border post after the border closure on March 21.

    Recall that 67 Nigerians resident in Ivory Coast returned on April 8, at Seme border post in a luxurious bus with registration number Osun XA 240 EJG.

    Another batch of 23 Nigerian returnees, who came from different parts of the world and landed in Lome, Togolese capital, on Ethiopian Airlines, arrived at the Seme border on April 19 and were quarantined in Lagos.