On Friday, Ronald Koeman said he believes that Lionel Messi is happy again at Barcelona FC, but admits, that only the Argentina forward will decide his future at the club.
“There is only one person who can decide his future and it is him,” coach Koeman said. “I would like Messi to stay for many more years and I try to make sure he is happy like he is at the moment.
Messi can leave for free when his contract expires in June, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain both expected to make a fresh attempt to sign the striker.
“Leo gives the team a lot of quality and we need him. He improves the morale and the energy of the team but his future is in his hands.”
But Barca has been improving in recent weeks under the Dutch boss as they look to make it six La Liga wins in a row when they travel to Real Betis on Sunday.
Their revival has coincided with a return to form for Antoine Griezmann, who has scored seven goals in his last eight games, including two in a 5-3 Copa del Rey win over Granada on Wednesday.
“I remember the call I made to him when I joined Barca,” said Koeman. “I told him I had a lot of confidence in him. I know he was not as effective at the beginning as he has been lately.
“But I never had my doubts about him and he is self-critical. He is important and he has always worked hard to get back and find his best. You can’t ask for more”.
Griezmann is among a number of players to have regained form, with his France teammate Ousmane Dembele also enjoying a resurgence.
“I don’t know what has happened in previous years but he has improved a lot physically,” said Koeman.
“He’s great, he goes one-on-one, he’s fast. I love this player. He is very involved, he is very happy and we have to continue like this.”
Koeman confirmed Sergi Roberto is out with a thigh strain and will miss the Champions League first leg against Paris Saint-Germain later this month.
President
Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Health Insurance Scheme, FHIS, to make health insurance a compulsory
for all Abuja residents.
This was disclosed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, when he
received the FHIS Director, Dr Ahmed
Danfulani and his management team, who were at the FCTA to present the
Working Documents of the Scheme.
A statement by Bello’s Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye quoted the Minister as
saying the FHIS management should ensure that the Scheme succeeds in the
territory because “payment for health services all at once either by
individuals or even the government is no longer tenable, considering the
ever-increasing cost of medical services especially for diseases such as cancer
or orthopaedic procedures.”
In Bello’s words: “The mandate given to us by President Muhammadu Buhari is to widen
the coverage of health insurance in the FCT and the mandate I am giving you is
to ensure that every citizen in the FCT, either in the formal or informal
sector, is covered.
“You have to work out a system so that can cover
certain diseases. If, for instance, someone is diagnosed with cancer, how can
he or she pay for it? Cancer treatment, even the medication alone or
chemotherapy alone, costs a lot of money not to talk of radiotherapy or surgery
for some orthopaedic cases.”
The Minister encouraged the FHIS team to also work
out ways in which “enrollees” under the Scheme should have the option of paying
more for wider coverage.
Also he advised them to improve their services and grow the Scheme based on sound business practices, financial management and a robust ICT infrastructure.
Students, Lecturers as well as non academic staff of
the recent converted Eastern Palm
UniversityOkpoko appear to be
in dilemma over next line of action as ImoState Government is yet to issue
directives since the conversion of the school into a state University
from the private University status it was established.
Imo
State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem had last Month
changed the Eastern Palm University built by the former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha into KO Mbadiwe University as part of the
Imo State owned campuses.
Information to weekend Lead revealed that while some of the students who joined the school with the notion that it a private university are contemplating whether or not to leave the school following the sudden change which expectedly would affect the school’s management, the lecturers and other non academic staff are also confused not knowing whether they are still employees of the college or not.
Former Governor of Imo State and Senator
Representing Imo West in the national Assembly, Senator Rochas Okorocha had
while in the office as Governor, got license for the establishment of the
Eastern Palm University and other universities in Imo.
In one of the briefings of the said Okorocha before
the elapse of his office as the Governor, he made it clear that the said campus
which according to him belongs to Rochas
Foundation of Africa has 10% ownership by the Imo State government hence its management was under public private
partnership.
Rt.
Hon. EMeka Ihedioha had within seven months he had sway as
the Governor of Imo State constituted a panel of Inquiry into the establishment
of the Eastern Palm University of Okorocha led administration.
The panel which was chaired by Professor JudeNjoku
after their investigation recommended that the school be made part of the Imo State University.
Upon assumption of Uzodinma as the Governor, he
executed the said recommendation by the said panel, hence the charge of the
schools name into, KO Mbadiwe University amongst other charges.
The Federal
Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of two billion Naira for the
continuation of the Federal Government National Social Investment Programme initiated (NSIP) by President
Mohammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya UmaroFarok confirmed the approval while speaking to journalists in Abuja after receiving the White papers.
Hajiya Farok stated that N-power would be the first to be taken care of as the kick begins,
while other aspects such as the Trader
Money, Conditional cashTransfer and the ANCOP Borrowers scheme would follow suit.
The Humanitarian Affairs Minister advised Nigerians
to continue to have confidence in President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration
as all the promises made during his campaign would be fulfilled.