Nigeria Officially In Recession, GDP Growth Drops To -2.06%

The National Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday released the much-awaited Gross Domestic Product figures for the second quarter of 2016 with the GDP growth rate sliding further from -0.36 per cent in the first quarter to -2.06 per cent year-on-year.

The negative growth rate recorded in the second quarter of this year is a confirmation of the predictions by the Federal Government and economists that the country was heading into recession.

A recession is defined as a significant decline in activities across the economy, lasting longer than a few months. It is visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale retail trade.

The technical indicator of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth as measured by a country’s GDP.

In the GDP report released by the NBS, the bureau said, “In the second quarter of 2016, the nation’s Gross Domestic Product declined by -2.06 per cent (year-on- year) in real terms.

“This was lower by 1.70 per cent points from the growth rate of –0.36 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter, and also lower by 4.41 per cent points from the growth rate of 2.35 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015. Quarter on quarter, real GDP increased by 0.82 per cent.”

Credit: punchng

Kendall Jenner Is Officially Dating A Rapper Too

First there were romance rumors with Nick Jonas, then dating murmurs with Harry Styles and Jordan Clarkson. But Kendall Jenner is now, as Selena Gomez told the press months before, officially off the market. Kendall is “full-on dating” 27-year-old rapper A$AP Rocky, Us Weekly reports.

Kendall and Rocky have been spotted hanging together since February. Rocky was even photographed with her and the fam during Kanye West’s Fashion Week show that month.

“They’re both major players,” a source told the outlet (though whether they meant players in love or just in their industries wasn’t specified.) “They have lots to talk about.”

Rocky most recently went with Kendall to her sister Kylie’s 19th birthday party last week. Us Weekly notes the couple “acted affectionate” and snuck out the back door together, the mark of true Hollywood love.

Read More: cosmopolitan

Mikel Obi Officially Changes His Name

In attempting to clarify his actual name, the Chelsea veteran has just made everyone very, very confused. Jon Obi Mikel has been called many things by Chelsea fans during his decade at Stamford Bridge… many of which are far too rude, reports UK Mirror.

However, while he may have got used to the abusive slurs hurled his way by a section of the Stamford Bridge support, it seems the Nigerian midfielder has finally had enough of people getting his actual name wrong.

That is why the Chelsea stalwart has just officially changed his name… to Mikel John Obi. For starters, it turns out that he was never actually called ‘Mikel’. The Guus Hiddink favourite was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna – ‘Mikel’ only became a thing when the Nigerian FA mistakenly used Mikel instead of Michael on his submission form for the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships.

So much so, that despite the fact it’s not actually his name, he’s been happy to be called John Obi Mikel ever since he joined Chelsea in 2006. It seems, he has now officially changed his name to… Mikel John Obi.

Credit: Vanguard

No Genetically Modified Organisms Officially Grown In Nigeria – FG

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, has finally put to rest the growing concerns about genetically modified organism (GMO), saying at present, no genetically modified organisms are officially grown in Nigeria.

She therefore called on Nigerians not to panic over the issue.
“What we have approved are for field trials,” she said. “All the GMOs in Nigeria officially approved are under experimental fields.”

According to her, the insect-resistant cotton for commercial release will still be subjected to further processes for the next two years.

In a statement issued by Alhaji Isiaka Yusuf, Director Press, Federal Ministry of Environment, in Abuja, the minister stated that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), established in 2015, under the Federal Ministry of Environment was charged to, among others, ensure proper regulation of modern biotechnological activities and genetically modified organisms so as to protect the lives of Nigerians.
According to her, with the Act in place, Nigeria has taken laudable strides in order to adopt the necessary legal biosafety framework and policy, bearing in mind that if Nigeria gets it right, it will guide other African countries.

Furthermore, Amina Mohammed stated that the quest for Nigeria’s biotechnological advancement dates back to 2001 when the country adopted a National Biotechnology policy and subsequently established the National Biotechnology Development Agency, adding that over 20 research institutes, private biotechnology firms and universities are also players in the biotechnology sector.

She stated that the agency is not working alone, as it is partnering with critical stakeholders such as the Nigerian Customs, the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NCDC), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, National Seed Council, Science and regulatory based institutions, the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and African Biosafety Network of Expertise, (ABNE), among others.

Credit: Thisday

Kogi: APC Officially Presents Yahaya Bello To Replace Late Audu After Long Hours Of Meeting

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has unveiled Alh. Yahaya Bello, popularly known as Fair Plus as the replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu. It would be recalled that Alh. Yahaya Bello was runner-up in the APC governorship primaries.

Unveiling Bello at the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja, Monday after about 3 hours of meeting, the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun urged party leaders and stakeholders to accept the decision of the party leadership and ensure the party become victorious in Saturday’s supplementary poll.

The party also announced that Hon James Abiodun Faleke will be Bello’s running mate but the former Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area rejected the offer.

Credit: Vanguard

Acting INEC Chairman Officially Hands Over To Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

Acting INEC Chairman Hajia Amina Bala Zakari, today, officially handed over the leadership of INEC to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu following the swearing-in by President Buhari.

Burkina Faso’s Interim President Restored To Power Officially

Burkina Faso’s interim leader Michel Kafando was officially restored to power at a ceremony attended by regional heads of state on Wednesday, a week after a coup by an elite army unit.

Kafando, who has led the landlocked west African country through its transition since a popular uprising last year deposed the former president, said “his main objective” now was to organize a general election.

Credit: vanguardngr