TOP REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD RELOCATE TO AUSTRALIA

TOP REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD RELOCATE TO AUSTRALIA You may know of Australia only as that huge continent/country that is located somewhere far south; a place so far that it is almost at the edge of the world. That way of thinking, however, is far from what’s real because Australia is one of the best places to live in. It’s better yet if you are a skilled worker and looking for an ideal nation to call home, somewhere to settle down with a family and to seek financial stability. For workers, there are about a hundred different reasons to relocate to Australia. The following are just some of the most important reasons why you, too, should go there. SKILLED WORKERS ARE IN DEMAND Aside from the excellent lifestyles, manageable standards of living in addition to the desirable climate in Australia, the work opportunities are also vastly available to skilled individuals. If you have a skill and you consider yourself to be good at it, then Australia is most definitely a perfect place for you. HIGH RESOURCES-TO-POPULATION RATIO It’s a fact that Australia is a big country. Geographically, it scopes a land area about nearly as large as North America. The best part is that Australia is not as populated. The sporadic infrastructures, settlements and cities have made it possible for the country’s natural resources to be preserved. In turn, the resources in Australia are part of its selling qualities. Keep in mind that the resources of a country are directly related to its wealth. AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY PAYING HIGH AVERAGE WAGES Australia is among the first-world English speaking countries. Along with that fact is the high salary rates for experienced professional workers. Provided you have the skills and experience necessary to get a decent employment, you can expect to make anywhere around AU$45,000 per salary year. NO SHORTAGE OF CAREER OPPORTUNITIES There is also no shortage of career opportunities. If you prefer pursuing a specific career to finding a stable employment, then you will have no trouble with that, too. As said before, skilled workers are in demand in Australia, so skilled employees, business owners or budding entrepreneurs are able to carve out a niche for themselves easily. AFFORDABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE LIVING Immigrant workers from around the world settle in Australia for many reasons, one of the most important being the expenses. It’s not expensive to live in Australia. The prices of daily commodities and personal accommodation don’t stray too far from what you would expect in other countries. Needless to say, you need only to change currencies and expect to allocate the same budget after relocating to Australia. Of all the positive things you will like about living in Australia, nothing beats the cost-effectiveness of living. You can have nearly any lifestyle you want and not bother with making ends meet. As long as you have a job, which is very likely for everyone, you can maintain a lifestyle that best suits you. The costs of education, travel, commodities and accommodation are just far too appealing to let slip from your grasp. In summary, Australia is an ideal place to live if you are a skilled worker. There’s no need to struggle finding a viable job opportunity elsewhere when possibilities like mentioned above wait for you in a better country - Australia. Live & Work in Australia and New Zealand!

Cigarette: One stick, 7000 dangers, by Hyelni Dauda Ndahi

Cigarette: One stick, 7000 dangers, by Hyelni Dauda Ndahi They saying: ‘one man’s food is another man’s poison’ does not hold truth here. Therefore, the next time you want to make some fume like a mill exhaust, remember that there is nothing good in a stick of cigarette. Also, each time you miss your buddy (the cigarette), take a look at this page and consider how you could be smoking life out of yourself. Cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors − activities that people choose to do – smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. But, the smokers perish because they lack knowledge; they simply don’t know of the dangers they cause their systems each time one more stick of cigarette is smoked. It is abundantly frightening to know that there are approximately 600 ingredients (additives) in cigarettes (American Lung Association, 2014). When burned, they create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and 100 are poisonous. Many of these chemicals are also found in consumer products, but these products have warning labels. While the public is warned about the danger of the poisons in these products, there is no such warning for the toxins in tobacco smoke. One significant issue is that while all these chemical compounds have been approved as additives to food, they were not tested by burning. Burning changes the properties of chemicals. More than 7,000 chemical compounds are created by burning a cigarette, 69 of which are carcinogenic (capable of causing cancer). Toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia are found in cigarette smoke. Many governments impose restrictions on smoking tobacco, especially in public areas. The primary justification has been the negative health effects of second-hand smoke. Laws vary by country and locality. Bhutan is currently the only country in the world to completely outlaw the cultivation, harvesting, production and sale of tobacco and tobacco products under the ‘Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010′. Well, since Nigeria has not illegalised the cultivation, transaction and use of tobacco products, one has to fall back on sensitization to help smokers see the dangers in smoking cigarette – perhaps; this will help redefine their attitude towards smoking. In verity, when a stick of cigarette is burned, a cancer-causing substance called Polonium 210 is produced. This Polonium 210 is Radioactive and very toxic. Another substance which is capable of causing cancer found in each burned stick of cigarette is Formaldehyde which is used to embalm dead bodies in morgues. Benzene, found in gasoline and rubber cement, is also produced when a stick of cigarette is smouldered. Cadmium is an active component in battery acid but, ignorant minds have gladly consumed this substance with glee in the name of smoking. A little we know about battery acid is that it is corrosive – having the ability to eat into materials and tissues. Each smoked stick of cigarette producer Tar, a substance used in paving roads hence we have tarred roads. Methanol – a main component in rocket fuel and Toluene – used to manufacture paint are also produced when a stick of cigarette is smoked. Ammonia is used to increase the absorption rate of nicotine. It’s also used to clean toilets, helps to treat wastewater (poop and pee) and is a key ingredient in liquid fertilizer. Lead and Nickel are metals and are all found in each stick of cigarette that is burned. Only a person with suicidal intent will drink or inhale insecticide. However, each stick of burned cigarette produces Nicotine which is used as insecticide to kill the likes of cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes yet people still smoke with reckless abandonment. Insects don’t like in the human lungs; do they? As earlier stated, these ingredients are approved as additives for foods, they were not tested by burning them, and it is the burning of many of these substances which changes their properties, often for the worse. Forty-three known carcinogens are in mainstream smoke, side stream smoke or both. It’s chilling to think about not only how smokers poison themselves, but what others are exposed to by breathing in the second hand smoke. Honestly, smoking does not endanger you alone; the people around you also stand a risk of being affected – your wife, kids, friends, family, mates; everyone stands a risk. So how does your body digest these toxic, corrosive and foul smelling things? It really doesn’t – which is the problem with cigarettes. The human anatomy is not designed to digest these chemicals; and if the human body cannot digest them, they will digest the human body. After all, that’s what cancer is. Right? Hyelni Dauda Ndahi, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.

Rape victims besiege National Assembly

Rape victims besige NASS By Okechukwu Jombo Tears of woe rained supreme as Female Federal National Assembly members allowed emotion take the better part of them as they listened to the painful stories of rape victims who besieged the National Assembly complex to share their agonizing experiences in the hands of rapists. The girls, mostly young ladies were in the legislative arm of government to push members of the Senate and House of Representatives on the need to save them from further assault by passing the bill against sexual offences. The ladies participated at the mock tribunal/court on sexual and gender based violence organised by the National Assembly Women Affairs Committee and the Legislative Advocacy Coalition for Violence in Nigeria. Most of them recalled with nostalgic pains, how they were sexually assaulted by older men while efforts made by them to seek redress legally had been frustrated due to weak laws against such crime. The victims, who spoke with their faces covered, passionately appealed to female lawmakers in the meeting to save other ladies either of their ages or much younger than them. The duo of Senators Chris Anyanwu and Oluremi Tinubu, who spoke at the occasion, condemned the criminal act which they described as the most wicked crime against the womenfolk. They vowed to do everything within their powers to ensure that relevant bills that seek to protect women and children against violence, are passed before the end of the current legislative year. The Founding Director, Women Aid Collective, Dr. Joy Ezeilo, said the purpose of staging the mock tribunal/court, at the National Assembly, was to spotlight cases of gender based violence Nigeria. Ezeilo also explained that organisers also wanted to use the event to raise the voices of victims and survivors towards eliciting urgent action in enacting protective laws, especially the one that had made significant progress in both chambers of the National Assembly. She said, "Sexual and gender based violence unarguably affects women disproportionately. Women and girls experience sexual violence in their homes, communities, schools, workplaces, streets, markets, police stations and hospitals. "The national survey on torture in Nigeria carried out by Women's Aid Collective indicated that rape and sexual abuse are forms of torture mostly experienced by women." She added that the survey put the rate at which women are raped and sexually abused at 64.4 percent which according to her presented a high risk to women development. "In addition to serious psychological effects, sexual violence creates heightened vulnerability to unintended pregnancy, and life threatening sexually transmitted diseases" , She added.

Military charges 59 soldiers with mutiny, insubordination

Military charges 59 soldiers with mutiny, insubordination A military court martial on Wednesday began the trial of 59 soldiers in Abuja for criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny and for disobeying the order of their commanding officer in Maiduguri. The soldiers are being charged with offences which include criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny on August 4, 2014 in Maiduguri. The accused soldiers were also charged with mutiny for refusing to obey the orders of their commanding officer, Lt. Col. Timothy Opurum, of the 111 Special Forces Battalion, to take part in an operation. The judge advocate, Lt. Col Ukpe Ukpe, who read the charges to them, said the operation in question was meant‎ to recapture Yelwa, Bellabulini, and Damboa in Borno State. The Commander of the 111 Special Forces Battalion is currently testifying before the military panel. Although, the Army authorities initially planned to charge 60 soldiers for mutiny, the charges against one of the accused was dropped because of ill health. The lead prosecutor, Capt. Joseph Nwosu, called the attention of the court to the fact that the 11th accused person, CPL Anthony Simon, was too sick to be arraigned. He said the list of accused had to be amended to reflect that 59 people are being arraigned for mutiny. The 59 accused soldiers are being defended by the law firm of Mr. Femi Falana

Benefits of starting your own business

Benefits of starting your own business I want to share with you today the benefits of starting your own business. Starting a business can be scary. But great rewards await entrepreneurs lucky enough to create successful small businesses --benefits you may miss out on if you remain a wage earner for the rest of your life. Although only you can decide if you're ready to quit your job and plunge into running your own business, here are some of the rewards of going out on your own: Independence and flexibility. You'll have more freedom and independence working for yourself.And once your business is firmly established, you'll probably have the flexibility to make sure you don't miss the moments and events that matter most to you in life. Personal fulfilment. Owning and running your own business can be more satisfying and fulfilling than working for someone else. Many successful small business owners find they enjoy the respect they earn from their peers for having the courage to go out on their own. Power. Don't be surprised if power is one of your goals. When it's your business, you can have your employees do it your way. If power is important to you, think about how to use it in a constructive way. Money. The risks of forgoing a steady pay check can pay off when you own your own business.You can get rich in a small business, or at least do very well financially. Okey , to find more information on businesses you can start -lick

Compel CBN to name Boko Haram sponsors -SERAP

Compel CBN to name Boko Haram sponsors -SERAP The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on Tuesday asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria to name the persons behind an alleged money laundering for the purpose of funding Boko Haram. The group, in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1547/2014, argued that it would only be fair for the CBN to expose the sponsors in the light of unlawful killings of innocent Nigerians and the continued destruction of properties by the insurgents. SERAP explained that the suit was necessitated by the alleged refusal of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to oblige its request for the list in line with the Freedom of Information Bill. It further argued that the continued denial by the CBN is in opposition to social justice since “the subject matter bothers on an issue of national interest, public peace and security, public concern, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability.” It insisted that the CBN has nothing to lose if the information was made available to it. According to the group, being a public office, the CBN is legally bound to oblige its request for information on the persons who allegedly laundered money through the bank for the purpose of sponsoring Boko Haram. In its originating summons, SERAP argued, “By virtue of Section 4 (a) of the FOI Act, when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or agency to whom the application is directed is under a bound legal obligation to provide the plaintiff with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received. “The information requested for by the Plaintiff does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure by the provisions of the FOI Act. “CBN has so far failed, refused and/or neglected to provide the plaintiff with the details of the information requested. “By virtue of Section 1(1) of the FOI Act 2011, the plaintiff is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information which is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution.” No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Akpata lived for a viable Nigeria - Mark

Akpata lived for a viable Nigeria - Mark By Okechukwu Jombo The Senate president, Senator David Mark, has described the late Chief Tayo Akpata as a nationalist who lived for a viable and united Nigeria. Senator Mark in a condolence message to the family of late Chief Akpata said the deceased was a fulfilled Nigerian who devoted his life to the service of humanity. He recalled the services rendered by late Akpata while in active service to the nation, noting that, "Chief Akpata lived a life full of passion for our country. He was a nationalist to the core. "When he served as the Executive Secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund, (PTF), he was outstanding. He was ever ready to teach the younger generation from his vast experiences. He preached love, peace and unity to every Nigerian. We will miss his bluntness and panache. Senator Mark however urged the family of Chief Akpata, people and government of Edo State to take solace, “in the landmarks that this great son of Benin Kingdom has left in the sand of time. According to a statement made available to Nigerian Pilot yesterday, the family confirmed the passing on of the elder statesman and astute administrator yesterday monday. An alumnus of Edo College, Benin, and University of Hull, United Kingdom, Chief Akpata served as the deputy registrar of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. He was also director of Bendel Feeds and Flower Mills (BFFM), and chairman of I.B.M (Nigeria) Ltd. The late octogenarian was also a one-time chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of NNPC, as well as the chairman of Siemens Nigeria. Akpata is survived by his wife, Olabisi, children and grandchildren. Burial arrangements would be announced in due course, according to the press statement.

Senate receives harmonized report on constitution review

Senate receives harmonized report on constitution review -----Passes National Health Bill By OKechukwu Jombo The senate yesterday received the report of the conference committee on the review of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 Bill 2014 and passed the National Health bill. The Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ike Ekweremadu had on Wednesday, 5 June 2013 presented before the Senate, the Report of the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The comprehensive and well detailed report which was signed by 49 other Senators contained results of retreats and outcomes of opinion polls conducted in the course of the review process. But because he was presiding over the session in the absence of the Senate president who is in Geneva for international parliamentary union meeting, the leader of the Senate Senator Victor Ndoma Egba laid the harmonised report on the table to be debated on a later date They also passed the bill on the Federal University of Petroleum Resources,Effurun Establishment etc bill 2014. The bill which was sponsored by late Senator Pius Ewherido gave legal status to the university which is already in existence Effurun. The senate also received the report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI on the Fiscal Allocation and statutory disbursement FASD Audit 2007-2011 and Solid Minerals 2011 in accordance with section 4[3] of the NEITI Act 2007 Deputy Senate President ,Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the sitting emphasized on the need for the senate to pass some very important bills still before it like The Petroleum Industry Bill PIB ,Review of the constitution before the end of the session He also said the senate is awaiting the 2015 appropriation act which according to him must be passed before the end of the year 2014. The senate read for the first time three bills namely the Equipment Leasing Bill,Nigerian Geological Survey Agency Act 2003 and N.D.E Act Cap N28 Amendment bill Some bills like the act to repeal the insurance Brokers act 2003 to re-enect a new one and the electoral act 2010 Amendment bill were stood down for next parliamentary days.

Delta poll: Clark's emergence will enhance PDP victory in Burutu- Youth leader

Delta poll: Clark's emergence will enhance PDP victory in Burutu- Youth leader Comrade Sunday Ekama Tialobi, the Delta state coordinator of PDP Transformation Youth Forum (PTYF), yesterday, expressed hope that the candidature of Ebikeme Clark will give the party victory in the forth coming council election. Clark is the chairmanship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Burutu local government, which he described as the best in the history of the area. Tialobi made remark at a PDP youth meeting yesterday. According to him, "Hon. Ebikeme Clark, son of Chief Edwin Kiagbodor Clark, the national leader of Ijaw was the most qualified aspirant hence he won the party primary election" He said; “the aim of our forum known as ‘PDP Transformation Youth Forum’ is promoting transformation agenda in Nigeria. And Clark’s candidature is a welcome development because he is capable of transforming Burutu council in accordance with our group’s objective. Chief E.K Clark, father of Ebikeme has served the country in all ramifications and his son deserves to be elected to serve in continuation of his father’s legacy”. He advised all stakeholders to collectively work with Ebikeme in order to attract development to the area. The PDP chieftain also commended the people of Udu local government area for electing Chief Solomon O. Kpomah as the PDP flag bearer in UDU.

Senate resumes, debates constitutional review

Senate resumes, debates constitutional review By Okechukwu Jombo The Senate will today resume sitting after a two weeks sallah break to commence discussion on the report of the National Assembly constitutional review committee amongst other matters They will also look at the report of the conference committee on the discrimination against persons with disabilities and that of judiciary human rights and legal matters on cyber crime which had been laid on the table before the break. The National Assembly proceeded on a combined two-week break for the country’s 54th independence anniversary and Eid-el Kabir on Tuesday. The Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, who doubles as the Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review,had announced that the two chambers had harmonised their differences on the proposed amendments. He said, “The harmonised conference report is ready and we shall begin voting after the Sallah break. We will take a date after resumption to vote to pass the report. Please, all members should be aware of this and come prepared for theý voting when we resume.” The House had earlier passed 77 new clauses to the constitution, while the Senate passed its own recommendations as well. Among the highlights of the recommendations passed by the House were the removal of immunity (against criminal prosecution) for the President and governors, the rejection of state police and the approval of independent candidature during elections. It also approved to split the offices of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, while the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation was placed on First Line Charge of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. However, theý Senate and the House had disagreed on granting financial autonomy to local government councils. While the House endorsed autonomy for the councils by scrapping the controversial local government/state joint account, the Senate rejected autonomy for the councils. Under Section 9 of the constitution, two-thirds of all members of each arm of the National Assembly will mandatorily ý vote to endorse a proposal before it can pass an amendment to the constitution. This implies that 240 out of the 360 members of the House of Representatives must endorse every proposal before it can be included in the new constitution. Similarly, 73 out of 109 senators must vote to endorse all new proposals to the constitution. In addition, two-thirds (24) out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly must also approve the amendments passed by the National Assembly as the final phase of the amendment process. It will be recalled that the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ike Ekweremadu had on Wednesday, 5 June 2013 presented before the Senate, the Report of the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The comprehensive and well detailed report which was signed by 49 other Senators contained results of retreats and outcomes of opinion polls conducted in the course of the review process. It also included reports on issues for reform like change of tenure of the office of the President and financial autonomy for local governments to mention just a few. Some issues raised for reform such as creation of new States and establishment of State Police met dead ends in the Senate. In his presentation, the Deputy President of the Senate noted that Constitutional review is a continuous process and that the alterations done over the years have helped to strengthen the country’s democratic system. On States creation, Sen. Ekweremadu stated that all the 61 memorandums submitted failed to meet the Constitutional requirement for its creation under section 8 (1) of the 1999 constitution. Consideration of the Report was however, deferred to another legislative day giving the exigency of the subject matter and the need for every member of the Senate to critically study the Report to enable them make meaningful inputs on the date slated for consideration. Other matters such as the Petroleum industry Bill will come up sometime within the week in the senate for discussion

NASS ASKS FOR PROMOTION OF MADE IN ABA GOODS

NASS ASKS FOR PROMOTION OF MADE IN ABA GOODS BY Okechukwu Jombo The Senate President, Senator David Mark and other members of the National Assembly yesterday urged the Aba business men, who are into manufacturing to be proud of and promote the indigenous brands of their various products. Senator Mark made the urge at the second edition of Made-in-Aba Trade Fair holding at ThisDay Dome, in the Central Business District, FCT, Abuja. The trade fair, which started last year, is being facilitated by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South Senatorial District. Declaring the event open, the President of the Senate, who was represented by Senator Bashir Mohammed (Kano Central), told the Aba traders and manufacturers that they had what it takes to compete with other manufacturers across the world and should be bold to promote their products brands as 'made in Nigeria'. Mark, who described the displayed products at the fair arena as highly qualitative, assured the indigenous business men and women that the Senate would support any policy that would help their enterprises to flourish. "You have what it takes to compete with whatever products produced anywhere around the world. I have tested products made in Aba; I have used materials made in Aba, and I can tell the whole world that your products are good and qualitative. Therefore, whatever policy or encouragement you need, the Senate will support you", he assured. Meanwhile, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe promised that he would do everything within his powers to sustain the Made-in-Aba Trade Fair, explaining that it was one of his strategies towards implementing the constituency projects initiative in his district. He noted that he had already factored the next edition of the fair in 2015 budget, stressing that it was his responsibility to get the programme into the annual national budget. The politician, who has declared his intension to run for 2015 governorship race in Abia State, said that his vision behind the trade fair was to attract at least 10% of Nigerian population to the Aba Market in order to make the place the commercial hub of the country. "This is the second time we are bringing Aba to Abuja; this is the second time we are doing what is right. This is not the last; we have put the Programme in the budget of 2015. There is a misconception of what the constituency project is. This is an example of the constituency project. My job is to facilitate it and put it in the budget", he explained. Abaribe also acknowledged that the trade fair was one of his campaign strategies to win the support of his people in the gubernatorial contest, saying "it is one of my campaign strategies for my governorship ambition. I can not shy away from the reality. If you are interested, you have to show people what you have done in order to convince them to give you their mandate". Senator Ita Enang, who also attended the event, commended the impressive efforts of the Aba based industrialists, and advised them to identify their product brands as made in Nigeria instead of pretending that such products were made abroad. "Aba products are good and qualitative. Aba traders should retain the indigenous brands of their products by indicating that it is made in Nigeria. Oil is becoming less important; so, we are not going to rely on oil. It is what the people of Aba and Akwa-Ibom and other people produce that we are going to fall back on", he said. Senator Enang also encouraged the Aba entrepreneurs to go into production of local modular refining machines for refining crude oil and other products, tasking them to liaise with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Association of Nigeria, SMEDAN, to be able to manufacture the type of refining machines used by the Biafrans during the Civil war. Reps Nkem Abonta (House of Reps, Abia) and Uzo Azubuike, who represents Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State, also eulogised the enterprising attitude of the Aba traders, calling on the Federal Government to come and use Aba to liberate the ailing economy of Nigeria. Rep. Azubuike lamented the misconception of made in Aba products as fake products by Nigerians, explaining that indigenous products are not synonymous with fake products. He also regretted that Nigeria had been reduced to a dumping ground for Dubai, Korea and other foreign countries to dump their inferior products while Nigerian indigenous products were being disregarded by the citizens of the country. Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr. Bature Umar commended Senator Abaribe for introducing the fair, which he described as a unique initiative that would help tackle the unemployment problems in Nigeria, noting that no government anywhere in the world could provide the employment needs of the citizenry.