“Nigerians are searching for Keke Napep, among others on Jumia” - Anammah …Says E-commerce will account for 10% of retail sales in Africa by 2025

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Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jumia Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Anammah has stated that Keke Napep (Tricycle) is one of the bizarre things Nigerians searched for on the platform during the weeks leading up to the company’s Black Friday campaign slated for Friday, November 29th, 2019.

This, according to her, is an affirmation of the trust that shoppers have in the platform for finding everyday essentials.

In a press statement, Anammah said the Nigerian entrepreneurs and consumers always remain the biggest beneficiaries of the Black Friday campaigns. “This is because all the products listed on the Jumia platform are data driven to enable consumers find the products they want at a price that’s convenient for both the sellers and consumers,” she stated.

She went further to state that in line with the McKinsey’s Lion Go Digital Report, online shopping could account for up to 10% of retail sales in Africa (with a value of around US $75 billion) by 2025, as more Africans gain access to the internet. “Campaigns such as Black Friday will contribute significantly to driving e-commerce adoption.

“We plan Black Friday campaigns 6 months ahead of time. We engage in consumer focus groups and multiple workshops with consumers to understand some of the things they want to buy on Jumia. So, it starts with the consumers first. We share the data we obtain with our sellers to influence the kind of products they should list on our platform during special campaigns like Black Friday and at a price that is convenient for both parties,” she stated.

Although Jumia introduced the Black Friday campaign to Nigerians in 2014, two years after it established its presence in the country, consumers response to the campaign has been tremendous.

According to Anammah, “Consumers response to Black Friday has been tremendous since we introduced the shopping event to Nigerians in 2014. Year on year, we’ve seen it grow. Nigerians are very responsive to campaigns like these. It’s really about bringing the best of deals from our sellers and brand owners to the consumers. And they respond quite positively. Black Friday is a time when consumers are looking for deals; they want to get the best prices on anything that they want’ she noted. 

Anammah emphasized that the company sources exclusive deals and communicates those deals well ahead of time,that somehow influences what people are searching for. “What people search for are triggered by the exclusive deals we have, treasure hunts and flash sales. People are searching for phones, appliances, TVs, many brands such as Reckitt Benckiser, Binatone, HP, Scanfrost among others,” she concluded.

Adamu decries preponderance of lethal arms in hands of Nigerian youths

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Former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) Dr Haroun Adamu, has decried the preponderance of lethal arms in the hands of Nigerian youths.

Adamu was speaking as Chairman at the 2019 Discovery Lecture and Presentation of Book which was organized by the Centre for General Nigerian Studies, Lagos State University in Ojo on Wednesday. He said that a situation where lethal arms are in the hands of frustrated youths is a threat to security, and called on government to take urgent steps to curtail the anomaly.

“The preponderance of lethal arms in the hands of frustrated youths is alarming. Government must initiate programmes that would deny or curtail the proliferation of such lethal arms and their use to ensure the security of lives and properties of Nigerians. It has to be noted that all the problems are poverty driven. Government at all levels must endeavour to address these endemic crises through commercialised agriculture, to ensure food security for the nation,” Adamu stated.

Speaking further Adamu proffers vocational training as solution for drop-outs, which must be popularised.  He also stressed that the government must address the perennial rural-urban migration by unskilled youths who are unprepared for living in urban environment.

He said issue of youth unemployment has become a critical issue

“I appeal to government at all levels to take issues of youth unemployment very seriously. The problem is just too serious to be treated with levity or play politics with. What is happening around especially in Lybia, Syria, and other parts of the world are good examples for us to learn from. The universities also have a role to play in this area. They cannot continue to produce graduates for the labour market; rather they must begin to produce job creators and entrepreneurs. Our universities must also relate effectively with industries in order to ensure that students are trained for the jobs that are available,” Adamu appealed.

Speaking on the title of the book ‘Can Nigeria Survive another Century as a Corporate Entity?’ Adamu said “I think Nigeria will survive. The nation survived 30 months of fratricidal civil war in the 60s. We survived several politically induced crises that threatened our collective survival as a nation, and even recently, predictions that the country Nigeria shall cease to exist by 2015 has come and pass uneventfully. The testimony to this is that here we are still as a nation.”

Adamu not minding sounding optimistic still has words of advice for the Nigerian politicians “However we must avoid another civil war at all cost. Our politicians must do the right things. They must be patriotic, putting the nation’s collective interest above personal gains. They must also deliberately take steps towards national healing, integration, inclusiveness and meaningful development instead of actions that are capable of dividing us. We as a nation must ensure the full participation of women in all facets of our national lives.”

Adamu also proposed the dredging of River Niger and River Benue which physically unites Nigeria. “It is hereby proposed that our waterways: River Niger and River Benue which  physically unite this country should be dredged sufficiently to allow the transportation of goods from south to the north and vice versa, stopping in River Ports, giving employment opportunities to our teaming youths and reducing the cost of transportation.”

He said the new technology today has become a veritable means of job creation all over the world. “Governments must therefore intensify efforts to set up factories in partnership with the private sector to manufacture or assemble what the nation truly needs in the computing and communication sector.”

Revive N5b Gbagada Cardiac & Renal Centre, LACSOP tells Lagos Government

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Lagos State Civil Society Partnership (LACSOP) an issue-led partnership working to promote voice, ownership and establishing a culture of accountability in governance through advocacy and working with development partners for the effective implementation of critical development issues and the SDGs, has called on the Lagos State Government to as a matter of urgency revive the N5billion Gbagada Cardiac & Renal Centre.

The group made the call during an Advocacy meeting to the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi in his Alausa office recently.

“Funds should be allocated to revive the Five Billion Naira Gbagada Cardiac & Renal Centre through an effective PPP arrangement as a matter of urgency; there should be adequate budgetary allocation for comprehensive treatments of non -communicable diseases like Thyroid, Arthritis,” the group submitted.

Barr. Ayo Adebusoye, chairman LACSOP steering committee in a presentation made to the Hon. Commissioner for Health highlighted LACSOP’s activities and engagement over the years since its inception in 2007.

Some of the Submissions made by LACSOP to the commissioner on citizen’s priorities on the year 2020 Health Sector budget include that “The Y2020 health budget benchmark should be increased to 15% of the State Budget as promised by His Excellency during his campaign.”

Other requests include that Family Planning consumables budget line of N50m in the PHCB budget should be increased to N100m in the Y2020 Budget due to the huge population coverage; Budget for implementing Malaria programme should be mainly domiciled with the LSPHCB in accordance with Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR); that Budget for implementing the TBL programme should be mainly domiciled with LSPHCB in accordance with PHCUOR and that the Budget for implementing the FP/MCH/Nutrition programmes should be mainly domiciled with LSPHCB in accordance with PHCUOR

Other submissions include Budget for implementing the Immunization programme should be mainly domiciled with LSPHCB in accordance with PHCUOR; that Funds should be allocated on a quarterly basis to support the Community Health   Sector Forum (CHEF) in their role as Independent Quality Assurance Monitors at public health facilities in the State; Governance structures to ensure access to BHCPF as well as effective utilization like inauguration of the Governing Board of PHCB; inauguration of LGHAs & WHCs; opening of BHCPF accounts should be given urgent priority.

The group also advocated that provision should be made for regular recruitment of health workers as well as incentives to prevent the critical shortage of health workers in public health facilities.

The honorable commissioner applauded the efforts of LACSOP and its members. He said CSO’s gives them an objective assessment on their performance adding, “It is very important to have a healthy society, healthy mothers and children.” He further added that, this is the beginning of a long-term engagement between the ministry and LACSOP.

He further responded by saying that currently, the government has promised to increase health budget allocation at 1% on a yearly bases and over the next four years hopes to get to the 15% minimum pledged at the Abuja declaration in 2000 presently, there has been some increase in the current budget proposal presented to the governor.

He assured LACSOP that before the end of the year in December the PHCB chair and Board will be in place. 

“There are plans in place to review the Lagos State Health Sector Reform Law and by 2020 we should have a reform law review process completed.

Addressing the issue of brain drain of health care workers, he opined that, a process for recruiting new health workers should start before the end of assignment of any health personnel to avoid gaps in employment. He said “this is being addressed because it is a major impediment. Incentive for doctors is necessary but what is most important is providing enabling work environment; an environment where there are the right medical equipment’s in place, welfare, workload ratio, appreciation and psychological wellbeing addressed to avoid burn out.

Awareness on the Lagos State Health lnsurance Scheme is not as strong as it should be because there are still more to be put in place to provide the right services and until that is done they cannot actually roll out they are in the process of synchronizing CSO’s will be invited when they are ready for CSO to be part of the awareness campaign and reaching out to more enrollees.

He said there is a need for the Disability Law to be reviewed. The government is going through a process of redesigning all the facilities and hopes the new design will be ready to be adopted for new facilities and old ones upgraded with better energy conservation structure putting into consideration patients with trauma and PWDs to have better accessibility to care at the facilities.

He said LSMOH is making effort to address the issue of data management and would be having   a technical symposium on data management through the e-health programme and requested members of LACSOP to be part of the symposium.

Mental health / drug abuse to be tackled in 2020. The government is using a two pronged approach in addressing this issue; establishing hospitals that will provide holistic mental health services and a preventive method using community approach.

Apostle condemns activities of some men of God, saying churches trying to groom scientific criminals

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Apostle (Dr) Paul Samuel Chime, President of MercyDay Christian Centre, an apostolic Commission that helps to spread the Gospel in and out of the coast of Nigeria, has condemned the activities of some men of God,  saying churches are now trying to groom scientific criminals more rather than building the mind of the people for God.

In his word, “The church is only trying to groom scientific criminals more than to build the mind of the people towards God. So I am disappointed to a very large extent,” he said.

Apostle Samuel took the position while speaking to the media at the 2nd Harvest of Grace 2019 & Thanksgiving Service of Grace and Mercy Restoration Ministry (Arena of Holy Ghost), Fire Junction, Ijegun Lagos on Sunday.

The theme of the service was The Goodness of God”.

Apostle Samuel whose ministry also help widows, widowers, and the less privileged, was answering questions on whether the number of churches in Nigeria has been able to make a better society, he said “We need more churches, what you are seeing is just a tip of the iceberg, we need more churches because, Matthew Chapter 25: 1 to end says that more churches will come and these are signs of the last days. But the coming of churches these days that are not on genuine platform has promoted and propagated crime more in society. 

“For instance I preached somewhere and I condemned the act of 419, I used the scripture of Jeremiah 17:11, that says as the partridge sitteth on the egg and hatcheth it not, so shall a man that makes money through wrong ways will leave it in the midst of his days and become a fool. When I left, somebody picked the microphone and said I am commissioned to pray for 419 people, if you are 419 come out here I will pray for you. In the same church, live, and I know the pastor. And I have been to his ministry once. I condemned what he did and today he is not operating under normal platform of the gospel; that is the truth. So the church is only trying to groom scientific criminals more than to build the mind of the people for God. So I am disappointed to a very large extent.”

“On solution and advice to pastors, prophets, general overseers in the church he said “I want only God ordained, those who God called to be in the field, those who ordained themselves or those who man ordained should quit completely. There are people who God ordained; there are people that called themselves,” he stated. 

Apostle Chime who was the Guest Preacher at the service also said that his ministry has an aspect that has to do with agriculture, “We produce food to help people, and if you check at the altar you can see some of the yams from our farm. So we do both ministry in theory and ministry in practice, trying to bring that which we preach at the altar into the heart of the people physically and empirically.” 

Speaking on the role of the church in the face of myriads of challenges being faced by the nation, he said “The church should not compromise, just like ministers of God have really compromised. I want every minster of God, I want the church of God to pick up Apostle Paul’s Ministry in Christ, work with your own hand, raise money for yourself so that you can be able to stand and tell the authority, the government the truth. If nobody is able to buy your way with finance you will be able to stand to correct the societal vices.”

Apostle Chime also talked about the importance of Thanksgiving he said, “It is just an appreciation to God, telling God, you own my life, I don’t know how I woke up this morning; I don’t know what will happen in the next one second of my life, God my life belongs to you. Thanksgiving is a rededication to God in totality for making us to see today and all that he has made us to be.”

Grace and Mercy Restoration Ministry holds Thanksgiving as Pastor Nwokedi urges Nigerians to learn to give

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Pastor in charge of Grace and Mercy Restoration Ministry (Arena of Holy Ghost), Ijedodo, Ijegun Lagos, Pastor (Mrs) Tessy Chika Nwokedi, has urged Nigerians to learn to give.

Pastor Nwokedi made the call at the 2nd Harvest of Grace 2019 & Thanksgiving Service of her church on Sunday.

She said, “If the people of Nigeria, individuals, cooperatives, communities, villages can come together and understand that the lord has giving us to give out, let us learn how to give to our neighbors. He said if you have given to your neighbor, you have given to me; says the lord. It is not when you call the whole world to showcase what you have done. Your neighbor is the one that is close to you, when you feed him, you have fed me. I am telling them to learn how to give out, no matter how little,” She stated. 

Pastor Nwokedi also stated that her ministry is not where people come and go empty handed, but a ministry where people come and they are fed.

“I said always, before I agree to enter into this ministry, I told God, it is not going to be a ministry of coming and going, the ministry will be to come and eat, go home with something, something that when you go home even if it sustains you for a day.”

She further stated “I have been to several evangelisms and someone said, mama I am hungry, I can’t hear you.  I gave her money to go and eat, after eating she still came back and say mama now I can hear you. It gave me a room to understand that the ministry I am entering into is a ministry you will come and eat. Indeed you cannot talk to a hungry man, when you are talking to a hungry man, you are talking trash, they say a hungry man is an angry man, so what you are talking is rubbish.

“But when that person is fit physically, the spiritual can enter. You can now speak and he will hear you. As I am here now, they are telling me mama, we are the widows, because they know they are going home with something,” she said.

During the Thanksgiving which has the theme “The Goodness of God”, many people went home with various gift items ranging from golden wrist watches, quality 3-in-1mobile phone chargers, phone airtime cards, rice, yam tubers, not forgetting cooked food, water and soft drinks that were shared to all free.

Speaking on the mammoth crowd that graced the service at the two months old church, she said it surpassed her expectation. “I did not believe my eyes, I thank God, people that were invited; they all honoured the invitation.” 

On her view of thanksgiving she stated “Thanksgiving is all about saying God I thank you. We are in the month of November and the month of November is the 11^th month of the year, so we are just saying God thank you from January, February, March, everything He has done, and  I am saying God I thank you, that is Thanksgiving. When you thank Him the more, he will do more. It is all about appreciating God for what he has done. When you say God thank you for giving me one, He will give you two, you say thank you for the two, he will give you hundred, because he knows you have the heart of thanks.

“There are people that have this problem, they don’t know how to say thank you,  if you know how to say it, definitely, the sky is your stepping stone, because God will be blessing you the more,” Pastor Nwokedi said.

She also spoke on her husband’s characteristic generosity, saying she was short of words. “I am short of words, when the prophecy came I doubted, but now, it has been a prayer answered. I don’t know how to say that appreciative word to my husband, God will bless him and keep us, that we live up to 120 years together to take care of children God has given to us. I pray God to bless him. He is a giver, I give also. You know giving is a gift, not everybody has the heart of giving, and I say God will bless him,” she said.