Arsenal Trash Hull City 4-0 In FA Cup Replay

The Gunners were gifted the lead when Hull's David Meyler set up Olivier Giroud to slot home.

Aaron Ramsey almost scored an own goal to let Hull back in but Giroud volleyed in to extend Arsenal's lead.

Theo Walcott wrapped up the victory for the holders when he side-footed in and then rifled in a late shot.

Giroud celebrated the birth of his baby boy on Monday and manager Arsene Wenger hoped it would inspire him to break his 11-game scoring drought.

The France striker was restored to the starting line-up, along with fellow forward Walcott, but the pair initially struggled against Hull, who had not conceded in six previous home games.

The Tigers were employing a three centre-back formation and rarely looked like being breached until Meyler's mistake allowed Giroud to slot in his first goal since 13 January.

Walcott's form has also been a concern and, although he looked short of confidence, he set up Giroud's second before looking like his former self when his late double gave him his first goals in five games.

Despite a return to winning ways for manager Arsene Wenger's side, some Gunners fans held up a banner reading 'Arsene, thanks for the memories but it's time to say goodbye'.

The priority for both of these teams are their league campaigns as Arsenal remain in the hunt for the Premier League title, while Hull are challenging for promotion from the Championship.

The home side made seven changes and the Gunners six, with the visitors forced into more of a reshuffle when centre-back Per Mertesacker went off injured early on after a clash of heads with Nick Powell.

Arsenal were playing their sixth game in 18 days and, with centre-back Laurent Koscielny already sidelined, the exit of fellow defender Gabriel in the second half has provided the Gunners with problems at the heart of their defence.

Gabriel's replacement in midfielder Aaron Ramsey lasted only 16 minutes before an apparent shoulder injury ended his participation and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger now faces a selection dilemma against Watford on Sunday.

His side may be attempting to win a third successive FA Cup but, after their last-eight tie, they will attempt an unlikely Champions League comeback from 2-0 down at Barcelona before returning to league action.

Hull's main threat came from set-pieces, with one particular free-kick causing panic in the Arsenal area before David Meyler forced keeper David Ospina into a smart save.

Powell's effort from the rebound was parried and Ahmed Elmohamady slotted in, but the assistant referee had already flagged for an offside decision Hull may feel aggrieved by.

However, Hull failed to capitalise on Arsenal's problems at the back and when a rare chance came their way striker Mohamed Diame sent a header wide from eight yards.

Indeed, the closest the home side came was when Ramsey sent a header wide of his own goal and Steve Bruce's men have now scored only once in six games.

Arsenal host Watford on Sunday before trips to Barcelona in the Champions League on 16 March and Everton in the Premier League on 19 March. Hull get back to Championship action when they host MK Dons on Saturday.

With BBC

Oronsaye Quizzes Again by EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, for questioning over allegations of corruption and obtaining money by false pretence.

The former Head of Service was called in on Tuesday from his Abuja residence almost eight months after a Federal High Court ordered his release.

He was granted bail on self-recognition by a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital in July 2015.

Mr Oronsaye, who was charged along with two others, was asked to deposit his travel documents with the court to fully secure his bail.

The EFCC has now filed two fresh charges against Mr Oronsaye at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

South African telecoms giant, MTN Group, says it has no plans to list its Nigerian unit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange

This is coming against the backdrop of expectations that MTN Nigeria would get listed on the NSE once it resolves the disputed 780 billion naira fine with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), according to Channel Television.

In a statement issued by the telecom giant’s Corporate Affairs Executive, Chris Maroleng, the group described the reports as untrue.

Mr Maroleng further stated that the listing of MTN Nigeria remains a consideration and not a planned listing, as suggested in some of the media reports

Reports had suggested that the only thing stopping the group from listing in Nigeria was the 780 billion Naira penalty imposed on it for failing to comply with directives from the NCC to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered sim cards, and was planning to list as soon as the matter was resolved.

FG pledges to revamp National Gender Policy

Sen. Aisha Alhassan, the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, has pledged to revamp the National Gender Policy so as to meet up with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian women.

Alhassan said this on Tuesday, in Abuja ,at a news conference to commemorate the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrated globally on March 8.

The event with the theme "Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”, was organised by the ministry.

According to her, the government is tackling the challenges through the various measures put in place.

"An outstanding challenge is the need to revamp the National Gender Policy to make it more responsive to the priorities of Nigerian women and men and serve as a tool for achieving globally agreed frameworks.

"Other challenges include weak and inadequate capacity to conduct gender mainstreaming; poor institutional framework resulting in the lack of synergy with critical stakeholders.

"There is also the issue of inadequate performance of the regulatory and supervisory functions of the Ministry especially to cover its mandate areas and the paucity of competent staff to handle the complexity of gender issues which are dynamic, context specific and constantly evolving.

"These identified challenges are already being tackled with strategies indicated in the medium term strategic plan, the 2016 budget and priorities of the National Gender Policy which will be launched after due approval by the federal Executive Council.

"Emphasis will also be placed on professionalism of the ministry; streamlining and re-organising work as well as deepening partnerships with stakeholders including donors to step up the capacity of staff advocacy to step up capacity and to assist with training and
retraining of staff.''

The minister further stated that the ministry was not relenting in empowering the rural women who make up 70 per cent of the population.

She said that the ministry had introduced Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiative, expansion of the e-wallet programme, extension of women’s water management initiative to more rural communities.

Alhassan said that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act would give succour to many rural women who have had to undergo traumatic experiences due to harmful traditional practices and domestic violence.

"Among the many benefits that we expect from our interventions is the boosting of girl-child enrolment in schools.

"Specific strategies have already been initiated to make it possible.

"These include advocacy, collaboration with critical stakeholders such as UNICEF and implementation of the year-long Ending Violence Against Children campaign.

"One important area of focus for me will be in the area of improving women’s participation in decision making.”

She, however, urged the citizenry to spare a thought for many women and girls who had endured inequalities, suffered hardships and in some cases paid the price to ensure that communities move on.

According to her, the celebration will provide an opportunity to reflect on the potential of the Sustainable Development Goals in the area of women and girls.

It was reported that International Women’s Day was first conceived in 1911 to mark the protest by women garment-makers who were subjected to deplorable working conditions in New York. 

(NAN)

SARAKI REMARKS ON THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, MR. JACOB ZUMA (FULL TEXT)

1. On behalf of my colleagues, Distinguished Senators and Honourable members, I warmly welcome you to Nigeria and to the National Assembly in particular.

2. Your Excellency, your visit today is symbolic. This will be the first time in the life of this 8th National Assembly that we will be honouring a visiting President with addressing a joint session of the National Assembly. It is therefore, befitting that this honour goes to you Mr. President and by extension the people of South Africa. This is a rare gesture, last invested on the former President of the United States of America, President Bill Clinton in August 2000. It is another demonstration of our friendship, solidarity and deep affection for the people of South Africa.

3. Your visit today, speaks volumes on how much your government and the great people of South Africa value and cherish the fledging bilateral relationship Nigeria has with South Africa. It is testament to our collective aspiration and recognition that we must come together, act together and grow together to forge a new African reawakening, built on our people, democracy and the rule of law.

4. The legislature is vital to our cherished democracy and freedom. South Africa’s experience and ours demonstrates the need for us to further entrench our people’s liberties and freedoms and guide jealously our democracy.

5. Your visit to this hallowed ground bears eloquent testimony of the critical importance you attach rightly to the role of the legislature as a place for deliberation, where we can through engagement settle differences, find agreements that enhances our mutual interest, development and democracy.

6. We must therefore as African leaders today forge a new path to greater African integration through the easing of trade restrictions, travel restrictions and better policy action towards inter African investment and support.

7. As representatives of our people, we cannot fail to use this opportunity to enable you feel their pulse. Though our two nations are doing well in the area of trade and investment our people have found entry into the South African market, bottlenecked. This is not the case for South African businesses in Nigeria. Nigerians therefore yearn for greater reciprocity in this area. This is also the case with travels and visa restrictions. Another area we cannot fail to emphasize is the need to activate our MOUs that have been duly signed but are inactive. It is our belief that this would be in the mutual interest for greater integration, opportunity and engagement.

8. We must find ways of enabling, positively, inter African investment through policy interventions. This is a critical policy role the legislature can help us actualize. It starts with ensuring fairness and ease of doing business. This National Assembly is already at work to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria generally.

9. Mr. President, I will not end my remark without acknowledging the vital role the South African Government has played so far in terms of our engagements in the area of security and the fight against insurgency. The Nigerian people are grateful and ask you to keep up the good work. For us, the fight against terrorism remains a global one. Terrorism anywhere must continue to be seen as terrorism everywhere.

10. Your Excellency, our two countries have come a long way and this visit will help cement that. We are very delighted to have you in our midst. Please, enjoy the warm hospitality of our people wherever you may go from here.