Access Bank Walks Tall, Wins ‘Bank of the Year’ Award In London

One of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions, Access Bank demonstrated its trail blazing status when it walked tall recently to clinch a coveted plaque of Bank Of The Year award in far away United Kingdom. Access Bank did affirm its leadership of the Nigerian banking industry with this prestigious recognition marking the 17th annual Bank of the Year awards black-tie dinner in London. The award, which validates other nine international honours earned by the Bank over the past ten months for operational excellence, responsible business practices and innovation, is unarguably one of the most coveted awards in the banking sector globally.

Presenting the award, Michael Buerk, BBC News journalist, commented, “In spite of the challenging operating environment and rapid changes in the industry, Access Bank has remained a formidable institution.  Specifically, the Bank has been a purveyor of innovation in the Nigerian banking space and consistently outperformed industry forecast.  It is firmly believed that its operational model, risk management and governance framework, which enable sustained superlative financial performance need commendation”. 

Although this view is consistent with Analysts’ opinion on the Bank in the past one year, but its Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe who received the award for the Bank said, “While innovation, excellent risk and corporate governance framework might be the advantage we have over our competitors, the Bank is propelled by a vision of becoming the world’s most respected African Bank, and this requires us to do things differently to standout. He thanked the bank’s stakeholders for their support and assured them of improved performance in the years ahead”. 

Over the years, Access Bank has established a reputation as one of the most formidable financial institutions in Nigeria. This is unconnected with its impressive growth trajectory and contributions to the development of the Nigerian economy through empowerment initiatives and practical SME schemes.  As an acclaimed innovative industry pioneer, the Bank has remained the choice of international financial organizations and multilateral agencies seeking partnership in Nigeria. 

For some of its pioneering initiatives and outstanding performance, the bank has earned a number of recognitions in the past months. The recognitions include the ‘Karlsrushe Outstanding Business Sustainability Award’, ‘ BusinessDay Banking Award – CEO of the Year’, ‘BusinessDay Banking Award – Best Bank of the Year’, ‘EMEA Finance Best Bank in Nigeria Award’, ‘EMEA Finance Corporate Responsibility Award (Pan-African)’, ‘EMEA Finance CEO of the Year (Pan-African’ and World Finance Most Sustainable Bank of the Year Award’.

The bank is particularly excited about its emergence at the ‘2016 Bank of the Year’ because the award is renowned as a valuable reward for banking excellence, and recognition for achievements of outstanding individuals and exceptional institutions in the global banking landscape.

The Banker Awards is an annual event of the Banker Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London and world’s leading monthly journal of records for the global banking industry, with expertise in publishing developments in the African banking industry and beyond for more than 90 years.

Controversial Wonder Bank, MMM Promises 2017 Pay Rise…Vows To Deal With Guilders

The controversial Ponzi Scheme, Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox has issued an official statement about the on-going restructuring process its witnessing ahead of the unfreezing of accounts in 10 days time. MMM promoters, according to the submission may probably unfreeze accounts of its users on January 14, 2017.

The reports which disclosed MMM’s 2017 guidelines for the Nigerian participants revealed that, programmers are currently working earnestly with a new model which will be announced and implemented at a later date.

This, the MMM Administrative department claims will help keep the system balanced, “To keep the GH(Get Help) and PH(Provide Help) balanced. No matter whether people join us or not.. and it will be sustainable.“When it will be implemented, we will be notified. We can PH and we should keep our downlines updated.”

Recall that the ponzi scheme froze the accounts of its mavros, as the participants are popularly called, on December 12, 2016, in order “to help prevent any problems during the new year season. And also to tackle the media frenzy that has been going on in the country”, MMM said in a circular sent out to all users of the scheme. The latest statement on the new guidelines further reads:

About the growth of bonuses: 

We have to see towards it… half of guiders’ supporters said it should keep growing. Guiders misbehaving will be dealt with. And the only way to get them is by getting evidence. Unfreezing of Mavro will be probably January 14 or might be sooner.

About proof of payment

We will use a new strategy for fake proof of payments: We will start checking orders when it turns yellow, that is…Change of guiders button will be done this week or any time soon. Phone number verification would be implemented soon… via sms notification.

Guiders school: Soon we will start automized guiders school and make it well organised.

False news around: 

We should demonstrate to others that our community is working and not give heed or ear to what people say about the system… It solely depends on us the leaders. We can also talk to people to PH and let them know that their mavro will keep growing. Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) had warned Nigerians against using the scheme.

Shame On London Street As Nigerians Fight Dirty After Church Service

Some Nigerian women who were gorgeously clad in white apparels recently disgraced the country when they threw caution to the wind to reach out for each other’s jugular, shortly after they left the House of God where they’ve gone to worship.

Drama played out when these shameless women began to shout on top of their voices abusing each other and later climaxing to physical fight on the street of London attracting a large crowd who watched in surprise.

It is believed the incident happened near a street church as the women had a disagreement which resulted in shoving and pushing. One of the women could be seen shouting and heaping curses on the other woman as people watched in shame. 

Some who commented on the video expressed sadness over the incident as such conduct is capable of bringing shame to the country.

"All just left the church and fighting...such fake people they are one person out of the church and another inside." someone wrote.

Below is the footage of the shameless act:

Normalcy Beckons As Displaced Northerners Return Home

Normalcy seems to have been restored in some of the Boko Haram ravaged towns as residents of a certain Kareto local community in the north-eastern part of Nigeria have began to re-settle with kinsmen owing to the successful war against the dare devil Islamic extremists. After two years of fleeing their community due to Boko Haram attacks, members of Kareto community in Borno state yesterday started what they call Kareto clearing up to facilitate their re-settlement in their homes.

 Some liberated communities already returned home from the Internally Displaced People's camps while others are just returning. Just like other communities, Kareto community people led by Ibrahim Bashir Terab engaged themselves in sweeping, clearing and cutting of trees which have overgrown in the community out of long-term abandonment.

Below is what a Facebook user, Mr. Alkali shared:

​”Kudos to our great peoples of #Kareto, they said they can’t wait for the RRR and also feeling sad for what’s going on in the new ministry of RRR and State government.

‘’If these peoples have been engaged in Rebuilding their own houses, I believe that much must have been done by now. Imagine if every household is given a certain number of #Blocks, #Cement, #Zink and amount of #Money, the #Rebuilding process would have been done now and the peoples empowered as well instead of the charade by #Borno state governments both levels. Nice advice Bashir Terab but is very unfortunate”

New Year Offer! Experts Identify 5 Breast-Sagging Habits To Avoid

It's time to help yourself and learn what you are doing wrong that's making your boobs sag quickly.

Here's the thing: Some boob behaviours that seem like they have nothing to do with sag can actually contribute to it—so if you avoid them, your breasts will be better off. And considering that a recent UCLA study found that breast tissue ages two to three years faster than the rest of your body, you might want to quit any habit linked to a flaccid pair—like these.

Crash Dieting

Cycling back and forth between the same five to 10 pounds probably won’t make a dent in your set. But yo-yo dieting 30 or so lbs over and over? Definitely. Each time you gain and lose weight, breast tissue becomes more slack, kind of like old tights, says Michael Edwards, M.D., a breast surgeon and president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Smoking

Even your breasts can’t escape the damage cigarettes do. “Any amount of smoking weakens and ages skin by decreasing the blood supply to the skin surface,” says Edwards.

Skipping Sunscreen

Exposing your face to UV rays without a protective coating of sunscreen can lead to premature wrinkles, and it has the same effect on breast sag by stretching out collagen and damaging skin, says Edwards.

Wearing an Unsupportive Bra

Whether it’s the boulder holder you wear during the day or the sports bra you change into at the gym, not sporting proper support is a big reason for droop. “The more your boobs bounce around, the more stressed breast skin and collagen become,” says Edwards. Stop in a lingerie shop and ask for a fitting just to make sure you’re wearing the right bra for your shape.

High-Impact Workouts

The research is scant right now, but some experts say that the back-and-forth repetitive motions that happen when you run or do a similar workout can lead to a breakdown of breast collagen. But before you swear off the track or treadmill, read up on the details (and keep in mind that exercise helps you keep up a youthful appearance in other ways).

Source: WomensHealthMag