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Dangote Calls For Law Promoting Gender Equality

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5 years ago

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The president/chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has called for law promoting gender equality in the country.

Speaking at the 2019 Women Corporate Directors Lecture sponsored by Aliko Dangote Foundation, Dangote advocated for a legislature backing that will allow a certain percentage of women in public or private sectors work force.

He stated that “We can start with a proportion of like 30 women to 70 men on the board.”

He noted that increasing the number of women in corporate world lead to increase in innovation and innovative thinking, which opens up the door of fresh perceptive, saying that women on board of directors reduce governance related issues and ultimately result to a better performance.

According to Dangote, from my businesses as well, my three daughters all take on challenging roles as senior executive at the Group level and I can tell you that they have led the businesses to success.

We have a strong number of women at Dangote Industries across board, a lot of women occupy important leadership, and their efficiency have been noticed.

He added that with the caliber of women at this event today, ranging from board executives of various organisation, business executives and top government executives, this is a clear indication that women in the work force have started taking their rightful place in the private, public and social sector in Nigeria and across Africa. 

He however said despite this impressive achievement there is still a lot of work to be done to close the gender gap in the world work place. 

Nigeria women according to Dangote are climbing the corporate ladder and we have a good number of them as CEO of top firms, members of board of directors, chairman or chairperson of board of companies in the like of   former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nike Akande, chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Awosika, chairman of Access Bank, Mosunmola Belo-Olusoga, chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank, Osaretin Demuren, to mention a few.

He added that “At Dangote Group, we practice what we preach and women have excelled to board of directors. We ran an organisation that women aspired to the highest position without hindrances.

He hoped that this meeting will open more doors for women as the world continued to close the gender gap in any organisation.

According to him, the World Bank report showed that women and girls account for 40 per cent of Nigeria population which comes to over 90 million, they represent a huge assets for our country and if we collectively tap into their potentials for the development of our economy. I can assure you that Dangote Group will continue to strengthen and mentor women in assuming leadership role in corporate world.

Speaking on the theme, ‘The courage to Lead; Inspiring Others, Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success’, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn, who is the guest speaker said that gender equality is important as women potentially represent half of the world’s pool of talents and prospects for advancement.

He said “For Africa to prosper, we need to engage and give chance to women to be very active in our politics, economic and business environment.”

He noted that women have special value and should be harness by Africa, saying “Country who have grown in human capital index, then you find those countries women were very active they have truly occupied places in the societies.”

Also, executive director of Dangote Industries, Halima Aliko-Dangote said emphasized the need for equality gender in the country.

She said that in Dangote Group, we are ensuring that stereotypes is seriously eliminated, looking at our board we are having almost 50 per cent of women on the board member.

She also insisted that a bill promoting gender equality should be passed to be passed in enabling having fair represented of women in any organisation.

While wife of former British Prime Minister, Cherie Blair pointed out that people are a nation’s most valuable assets, saying that this leads to the reason of having gender equality across all of society.

She noted further that any country that persistently fails to engage and develop the potential of ‘half of its most valuable asset’ which is women will continue to underperform. 

She added that “We are making progress in this fight with increase in the number of women in the corporate world just like what we have in Nigeria.”

According to her, harnessing the incredible talents and potential of women is not only the right thing to do, it will also create stronger economies and a fairer society for all.

The Women Corporate Directors (WCD) Foundation Nigeria Chapter was launched last year. The foundation is a global membership organisation and community of women corporate directors, and committed, not just to good governance, but to governance with global vision.

Women Corporate Directors is the world’s largest membership organization and community of women corporate board directors.

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BIG STORY

Court Grants Emefiele N300m Bail In Trial On Naira Notes Printing

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20 mins ago

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May 15, 2024

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Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been granted bail by a federal capital territory high court in the amount of N300 million.

Emefiele was charged with four counts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and appeared before presiding judge MaryAnn Anenih on Tuesday.

Following the reading of the four counts against him, Emefiele entered a not guilty plea. Mahmud Magaji, Emefiele’s attorney, moved to request bail.

He urged the court to release his client on self-recognition, with the same terms and circumstances as those set down in the previous bail order from a coordinate court chaired by Hamza Muazu.

He added that the defendant will always be in court to face trial.

In her ruling, Anenih granted the former CBN governor bail in the sum of N300 million, with two sureties in like sum.

The court said the sureties must be residents of Nigeria and owners of properties within the Maitama district of Abuja, and that they must possess an affidavit of means.

Emefiele has also been asked to deposit his travel documents before the court. He is not permitted to leave the country without the permission of the court.

Anenih added that Emefiele should be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned to May 28 and 29 for commencement of trial.

The anti-graft agency is accusing Emefiele of “illegal” printing of naira notes in its fresh charge.

In the charge sheet seen by TheCable, EFCC alleges that Emefiele “disobeyed the direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public” by approving the printing of naira notes without “strict approval” from former President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN board.

Emefiele is alleged to have approved the printing of N684.5 million notes at the rate of N18.96 billion.

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Emefiele Pleads Not Guilty To Printing N684m Notes With N18.96bn

Published

1 hour ago

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May 15, 2024

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In response to the charge that he authorised the printing of N684.5 million at the rate of N18.96 billion, Godwin Emefiele, the troubled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has entered a not guilty plea.

Emefiele made these remarks on Wednesday during his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in front of Judge Maryann Anenih of the FCT High Court in Abuja, on a four-count charge.

The EFCC accused Emefiele of violating the law with the intention of harming the public when he carried out the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s naira swap policy, according to the four-count allegation brought against him.

The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Federation’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.

 

More to come…

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BIG STORY

Binance’s Bribery Claim An Attempt To Distract Nigerians From Alleged Crimes — Reps Panel

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2 hours ago

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May 15, 2024

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The House of Representatives committee on financial crimes claims that Binance’s bribery claim is a ploy to deflect criticism away from the purported crimes committed against them in Nigeria.

The largest cryptocurrency company claimed on Tuesday that certain unidentified individuals in Nigeria have requested large payments in digital currency in order to “make their problems in the country go away.”

Background

The house committee on financial crimes has been investigating Binance for multiple crimes, including alleged money laundering, illegal operations, financial terrorism, and tax evasion.

On February 28, the federal government detained two top executives of Binance, as part of a probe into illegal operations in the country and forex manipulations.

The detained executives included Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British-Kenyan and Binance’s regional manager for Africa; and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old US citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.

Anjarwalla escaped from custody in March but was reportedly rearrested in Kenya in April.

On March 5, the Nigerian government filed a criminal charge against Binance for “tax evasion”, the same period Anjarwalla escaped detention.

Last Wednesday, the house of representatives denied demanding bribe from Binance, saying “nothing like that has ever happened”.

‘Binance Blackmailing Lawmakers’

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Ginger Onwusibe, chair of the committee, said the bribery allegation by Binance is a red herring.

“The sophisticated criminality of Binance is clearly demonstrated by its actions in organising and carrying out the escape from the lawful custody of the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the 23rd day of March 2024, of its employee, Mr Nadeem Anjarwalla, using forged Kenyan passport while his genuine British passport is still in the custody of the authorities,” Onwusibe said.

“It is important to emphasize that Nigerian security and regulatory agencies such as the ONSA, EFCC, NFIU, SEC, and  CBN were already investigating the alleged criminal activities of Binance independent of the petitions before the committee.

“Clearly, the criminal activities of Binance in Nigeria had gained notoriety. Indeed, the criminal activities of Binance is not just a Nigerian issue but a global problem.

“The committee will continue with its functions and assignments undeterred.

“We recognise that the blackmail by Binance is merely an attempt to distract and draw attention away from the serious allegations of criminality against it which is now compounded by its role in the security breach of the sovereign Nigerian state.”

The committee said it will continue its work with “integrity, transparency and competence” and will not be “diminished or deflated by the shenanigans of Binance and other enemies of Nigeria”.

 

Credit: The Cable

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