Sports
Bankers Integrate 10,000 Customers Into Biometric Scheme
The Bankers Committee
has said 10,000 bank customers have been integrated under the biometric scheme at the pilot phase.
Mr Philip Oduoza, Managing Director, United bank for Africa said this at a news briefing on the outcome of the committee meeting in Abuja.
Oduoza said the biometrics entailed taking the picture and finger prints of customers, noting that it would help to ensure effective implementation of the cashless policy.
“We are ready to rollout the cashless policy in the whole country in July as planned.
“We have integrated 10,000 customers in the bank biometric verification scheme which we concluded at pilot scheme last week Friday.
“The verification has been rolled out for all customers in the banks since yesterday,’’ he said, stressing that the volume of transaction in the electronic banking had increased tremendously.
Oduoza also said that migration by customers from banking hall to electronic banking was fast growing.
He said banking penetration was still low at about 25 per cent, but expressed the hope that it would improve with the biometric verification.
“We have about 30 million accounts in the banks but all phone users are potential bank customers.
“We have 120 million lines in the country, we hope to bring in so many unbanked people into the system,’’ he said.
The Central Bank of Nigeria Director, Banking Supervision, Mrs Tokunbo Martins, said the meeting focused on three areas of macro-economic, financial system stability and development banking and cashless Nigeria.
Martins said the CBN had zero-tolerance for any form of infractions, especially with serial bad debtors.
She said efforts would be made to ensure that those involved were blacklisted and would not get loan from any bank.
“The blacklisting is going to be done gradually. We are looking at all those who borrowed five million naira and above.
“Those involved in the bad loans that Asset Management Company of Nigeria bought over, we are looking at bringing the threshold down. The process will soon be rolled out,” she said.
Also, Mr Ladi Balogun, Managing Director, First City Monument Bank, said the committee discussed issues on how to support the various development activities to help drive inclusive growth.
Balogun said the committee agreed to continue to support the agricultural sector, small and medium enterprise and the power sector.
“Under the power sector, we want to ensure that we support the companies to ensure that the existing assets are maintained in their installed capacity,’’ Balogun said.
The Managing Director, Guarantee Trust Bank, Mr Shegu Agaje, said the committee agreed to support effort that would drive lower interest rates and maintain the inflation rate at single digit.
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
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