Friday 29 July 2011

Russia to build Nigeria’s first nuclear power plant

As part of efforts  to boost Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity, the Federal Government is set to sign an agreement with the Russian Federation that will culminate in the building of the nation’s first nuclear power plant.
Consequently, Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Ita Oko-Bassey Ewa, yesterday in Abuja, received a 7-man delegation from the Russian Federation, preparatory to the signing of a draft project implementation agreement between the two nations for the proposed nuclear power plant.
Ewa disclosed that the proposed power plant was a major component of the agreement between the two countries in 2009, saying” a draft project implementation agreement has been prepared and ready for signing”.
The Minister, who regretted the delay in the consummation of the agreement since 2009, assured that “follow up meetings are now being initiated to discuss modalities for its implementation.”
He noted that Nigeria was in dire need of diversifying its energy generation base as part of the overall goal of making the nation’s energy sufficient, adding that “government activated the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, as the pivotal promotional agency to achieve the objective.
Speaking earlier, Director-General of the Russian State Corporation, RUSATOM, and leader of the delegation, Mr Nikolay Spassy, stressed that nuclear power plants were a safe method of generating electricity, assuring that the Russian Federation had an enviable record in the building of such plants.

STAR ACTRESS GENEVIEVE NNAJI SET TO ACT ALONGSIDE ANGELINA JOLIE

Genevieve Nnaji has turned out to be the best that the Nigerian movie industry known as Nollywood can boast of in the international market at the moment going by her exploit in the make believe business.

Aside being the most-sought after by the producers, the very pretty lady has been able to register her presence in the international market that top producers now consider her for top movie jobs.

The mother of one would have emerged the new Bond Girl but she lost it by the whiskers to another Hollywood star.

As her career seems to be flying north, we sourced that the mother of one has been penciled down by yet another producer to star alongside American super star Angelina Jolie in another block buster movie.

We shall keep you posted as event unfold.

CONTROVERSY OVER GOV.ROCHAS OKOROCHA'S APPOINTMENT OF ACTRESS NKIRU SYLVANUS AS HIS SPECIAL ASSISTANT

Not too long ago, the air was rife with the gist, that sultry actress,Nkiru Sylvanus,was in hot romance with Imo State Governor,Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha.

The gist started when Nkiru beat top stars like Bob Manuel Udokwu,John Fashanu,Stephanie Okereke,AY,Ali Baba and others to emerge the first Face of Hope ambassador,a concept created by Rochas Okorocha foundation.

Critics had then picked holes on her emergence arguing that she was not as hot as the other stars she beat to clinch the position and alleging that Rochas must have handpicked her himself.

The gist gained more ground when Nkiru relocated from Enugu to Abuja claiming that Abuja offered her more opportunity to start off her Face of Hope ambassador project.

Eventually three months ago, Rochas Okorocha was voted in as Imo State Governor.

The romance tales got hotter when Nkiru again left Abuja and relocated to Owerri the Imo State capital.

Many had interpreted her move to mean that she wanted to be very close to the new Imo Governor.

Indeed, many had started to forecast that Nkiru will be given the job of Special Assistant on Entertainment Matters, the position which was occupied last by ace comedian; Okey McAnthony Onyegbule popularly called Okey Bakassi.

Others however dispelled the forecast calling it a concoction of idle minds. According to them, despite her beauty and intelligence, Nkiru pales in significance to other Imo State born actresses or even male showbiz practitioners.

This is because Africa’s Most Popular actress, Genevieve Nnaji as well as Rita Dominic, Stephanie Okereke, Eucharia Anunobi and many others hail from Imo State.

The argument was that even if the Governor wanted to give a portfolio to a female artiste, surely he would not lack in his choice as he has an array to pick from in his native Imo State.

But the suspicion that Gov.Rochas Okorocha has more than an artistic interest in Nkiru Sylvanus reverberated again last week, when the Governor appointed the actress who hails from Abia State as one of his Special Assistants.

Indeed, Nkiru was designated as the Special Assistant on Lagos Affairs. To balance the shock appointment, Gov.Okorocha had appointed ace comedian Uche Ogbuagu also as an SA with the novel tag of Special Assistant on Comedy.

But his critics are insisting that Nkiru has unsurped the slot of their other big stars. They argue that she shouldn’t even have been so appointed by the new action Governor because it would look as if he was furthering his Face of Hope project with state funds.
Well irrespective of the allegations and suspicions, I say a very big congratulations to actress Sylvanus on her new appointment.