Reports in Italy have claimed that the manager could depart the club this summer, but Goal understands that the Italian is content to stay in London

Antonio Conte is happy at Chelsea, amid reports in Italy suggesting that he is homesick at Stamford Bridge, Goal understands.

The Blues have enjoyed a remarkably successful season thus far, and lead the Premier League by 10 points from second-placed Tottenham.

La Repubblica, though, reported on Monday that Conte is pining for a return to Italy, as he misses his family, and is struggling with his relationship with owner Roman Abramovich.

However, Goal can confirm that Conte is happy at Stamford Bridge, and the Italian has repeatedly said in public that he wishes to remain at Chelsea for many years.

Conte’s wife and daughter remain in Italy presently, but the pair will eventually move to England to be with the 47-year-old, with the manager intending to remain in London for the foreseeable future.

Chelsea is Conte’s first job away from Italy, having previously managed five clubs and also the national team in the country, and he has thus far enjoyed a great deal of success.

The Blues have lost just three games all season – to Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham – and are heavy favourites to win the Premier League title this term, with just 12 games of the season remaining.

Chelsea face West Ham United on Monday in their next Premier League fixture. 

Our Fantasy Football writer looks over our Premier League Team of the Week which includes stars from Tottenham, Chelsea, Leicester, and more

After a 13 day layoff, Premier League action returned with a bang this week. We saw struggling Tottenham dismantle Stoke, Chelsea take another step towards the title, and a Ranieri-less Leicester return to the tactics that won them the league last season. As for the players that impressed? Simply look below to check out our Goal Fantasy Team of the Week.

With March fast approaching there has never been a better time to get involved in Goal'sFantasy Football game. We're giving away an Xbox or PS4 package to the best manager every month. Think you've got what it takes to top the leaderboard over the next few weeks?

Dickson seeks army support towards crime free state

GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called on the Nigerian Army to support the state in ensuring that crime and criminality is outlawed in the creeks and to strengthen collaboration towards the development of education and other sectors in the state.

The governor made the remarks while receiving the visiting Chief of Army Staff, lieutenant General Tukur Burutai on a courtesy visit at his office in Yenagoa on Tuesday. He commended the Federal government and the Nigerian Army for making good their promise of establishing 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Yenagoa, stressing that it would further strengthen the bond of relationship between the government and the military Authority.

Dickson said the establishment of the Brigade would complement his administration’s efforts of ridding the state of criminal activities. He says, it is obvious that the government has a clear agenda on security and so it is commendable, as the base will be operationalized, he also called on the Army high command to give the brigade all that is needed for a smooth operation.

He called on the Nigerian Army to take quick advantage of the land provided by the government to bring about development in the state with erecting structures like army schools, and hospitals, he also presented a letter of collaboration to the Chief of Army staff to partner with the Ijaw National Academy which is cut across in all Local Government Areas.

He also thanked them for the proposed Battalion at Nembe, which would assist in addressing some of the maritime challenges in the area and also asked them to operationalize the battalion in no distant time. General Burutai accompanied by the governor shortly after the meeting, commissioned the new Brigade base and assured the people of the commitment of the Nigerian Army to bring peace and stability to the state.

He stated that Bayelsa is strategic to the economic development of the Country and as a result the security agents have major role to play in securing the state. General Burutai further thanked the governor, and assured that Military Authority would not hesitate in supporting the government to achieve his lofty ambition of repositioning the state and make it safe haven for investors.

Reiterating his commitment to peace and stability of the state, the governor called on the Army Authority to tell the good story of the state, submitting that this is the only way to attract local and foreign investors.

Earlier in his remarks, General Tukur thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the approval of 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army base in Bayelsa and recalled that last year the Army council proposed a brigade base to be cited in Yenagoa and this has been fulfilled.

He described Bayelsa state as a strategic location with boundaries with the Atlantic Ocean and at a strategic cross line and disclosed that the brigade is working to establish the next unit in Nembe.

He thanked the governor for the support so far shown to the Nigerian army in Bayelsa state, and congratulated him on his new office, describing it as a landmark achievement. He thanked Bayelsans in general for their support and promised that the Nigerian Army would reciprocate by working with other security outfits to ensure that there is calm in the state. Speaking with journalists, commissioner for information and orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite says that the governor will stop at nothing to ensure that Bayelsa state is safe, and when that is done there would be no limit to the number of investors and investments that will be done in the state and that would be in all sectors of the economy.

Obuebite called on Bayelsans to work with the various security agents as all that is been put in place is for the good of all and should not be politicized by any person or group of persons.

Blame selfishness for lingering PDP crisis — Chieftain

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Mr Opeyemi Falegan, has said that the prolonged leadership crisis rocking the party is as a result of some selfish, egocentric and self-centred politicians within the party.

Falegan said in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, that it had become imperative for all PDP stakeholders across the country to work together as an entity and rebuild the party to salvage it.

He said “there is no other time to rebuild the PDP than now, hence the need for all to close our ranks and move on in the interest of Nigerians.”

He explained that with the latest development from the Court of Appeal, the coast was “clear that Ali Modu Sheriff’s chairmanship position is the undoubted and authentic one and it is now the responsibility of all lovers of democracy within and outside the party to support him.”

According to him, “PDP remains the only party in Nigeria that believes in the principles of justice, equity and good governance at all levels and the party will not derail from such attributes, but rather continue to promote democracy in the country.

‪”Therefore, anybody who believes he is too big to submit himself to the constituted authority in the party must be shown the way out in order to allow peace and tranquillity to reign in the party.

‪”Whoever believes he has grown above the law of the party and the Nigerian constitution, no matter how highly placed he may be, must also be called to order as a way of bringing sanctity and ideal into PDP. This will go a long way in restoring the lost glory of the party.

‪”Nobody will accept a situation whereby a certain cabal will continue to hold a whole party and country to ransom because of their selfish agenda at the expense of all party loyalists in and outside the country, especially in the build up to another general election in Nigeria.”

The United Kingdom-based politician also called on PDP chieftains to come together and support the Sheriff-led national executive members who are determined to always protect the interest of all party members without bias to reposition PDP, saying “this will encourage him to organise an all inclusive national convention where an acceptable new chairman will emerge soon.”

‪He called on the national chairman to, as a matter of urgency, look at all issues affecting the party dispassionately and bring everybody on board again in order to make the party come back stronger and take up its leadership position in Nigeria’s politics soon.

‪”Efforts must be concentrated on how to make reconciliation and call a truce where necessary in order to reposition PDP and win subsequent elections and at the same time, those who erred must also be sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others in future,” Falegan said.

FG to support snail farming to curb food insecurity in Nigeria

IN order to curb food insecurity ravaging virtually all the states of the Federation, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, promised to support snail farming in all its ramifications in order to curb food insecurity in Nigeria.

It pointed out that snail farming was a veritable source of raw materials for the country’s pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries and animal feed manufacturing companies.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, made this promise, while responding to the requests from the Federation of Snail Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FSFPMAN) led by its National President, Honourable Ebeh Ikechukwu, who paid him a visit in Abuja.

He said Nigeria could not afford to continue to depend on foreign sources for its protein requirements.

According to him, “I would like to inform you that National Bio-Technology Development Agency (NABTDA), one of the agencies under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, is conducting a lot of research and developmental work, and also innovations are in the area of small farming and processing.

“We would like to link you up with the management of NABTDA so that they would avail you of a lot they have already done in snail farming; there is a lot of improvement in the technology for snail farming.”

“So, we will support you, we will assist you in all areas you need our support, because by doing so we are supporting the well being of our nation. We can’t continue to rely on foreign sources for our protein requirement and also to meet the needs of our pharmaceutical industry as well as cosmetics industry and even for animal feed.

We will give you the support that is desirable; we are ready and willing. After this meeting, we will make arrangement for you to visit the NABTDA headquarters, here in Abuja, and they will take you to some of their centres where research and developmental work are ongoing in areas of snail farming, processing and so on.

“Snail farming, processing and marketing is very important for the food security of our nation, as snail is a very good source of protein and is a delicacy so many people enjoy, not just in Nigeria but also all over the world; so, snail farming has tremendous potentials. Not only will it help us to achieve our food security in Nigeria but is also a source of raw materials.

“It can be used for export and it will help our nation in the creation of wealth as well as the creation of jobs, because it is not only a source of protein for our food but also is a raw material that is needed in large quantity in the pharmaceutical industries, in cosmetics industries, in animal feed producing industries and so on. So, snail farming is extremely important to our food security and to our economy”, he added.

Earlier, the National President, Honourable Ikechukwu, said snail farming would generate far more revenue for the nation’s economy than crude oil, thus creating more jobs and wealth for the citizens.

Ikechukwu then called on the ministry to assist in making snail farming a viable venture in Nigeria, pointing out that it was a good source of raw materials for pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, among others.

Osinbajo inaugurates private sector advisory group

THE Acting President on Tuesday inaugurated Private Sector Advisory Group for the Sustainable Development Goals (PSAG), stressing the need for elite to deemphasize the pursuit of wealth.

Performing the ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he observed that there was so much corruption in the country because of the importance attached to wealth.

He said countries that placed more value in the contributions of individuals to the society tended to develop more than those in which people attached value to self worth.

According to him, “We have decided as elite in this country that wealth is a measure of worth. It is a decision we made consciously or unconsciously.”

“The political elite have decided that wealth is a measure of worth and that is why you find so much corruption among the political elite. Even the religious elite believe that it is a blessing of God.”

“There are some societies that have decided that the value of human beings is in their contribution to the society. Those societies, of course, have done better than those who have decided that wealth, no matter how it was obtained, is a measure of worth.

“I think is important if our elite decide that dealing with poverty is worth the while and that it will measure whether or not we are serious about our society.”

Osinbajo described the inauguration as the beginning of the unique partnership between the public and private sector, admonishing that the Nigerian elite had the responsibility to ensure that they do something for the society which will affect it fundamentally.

He said: “Everywhere in the world, it is that elite that have always make a difference in the societies. Those are the ones responsible for transformation.”

“Many of the societies that have been truly transformed have done so when their elite decided that it was necessary to do so.”

“Sometimes, when you look at our situation, you think that it is necessary to force the political and private sector elite together to do something.”

“But the truth is that whether or not we recognise it formally, they are doing things together whether it is for good or ill. The important thing is to recognise that we have an important role to play.”

In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, observed that the inauguration of the (PSAG) was a landmark event as Nigeria was the first United Nation member state to have it.

According to her, it was a renewed partnership between business and government at the highest levels to build the consensus needed for the successful implementation of the SDGs.

Noting the connection among prosperity of business, a flourishing society and the health of the environment, she said few businesses can only thrive unless the countries in which they operate are thriving.

Orelope-Adefulire added: “No country has significantly improved people’s lives without the driving force of a vibrant economy.”

“In the face of a prevailing fiscal crunch, it has become urgent to leverage multi-stakeholder engagement to mobilize non-government resources for SDGs implementation.”

“It is in this recognition that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals-Fund established the global Private Sector Advisory Group as a powerful platform for business leaders from across the world to interact, leverage comparative advantages, exchange lessons learned, promote South South, North South and Triangular Cooperation and in the process, accelerate the attainment of the SDGs.”

Strike paralyses activities in Kogi

Activities at government establishments were paralysed in Kogi State, on Monday, as workers commenced the three-day warning strike that was declared over their welfare.

Many of the offices at the state secretariat, local government areas offices, public schools and other public institutions were under lock and key in compliance with the strike declared by the organised labour unions in the state.

Many of the public school pupils and students that went to their various schools for academic activities were turned back as their teachers also complied with the warning strike.

The warning strike that started on Monday is expected to end tomorrow, when the workers are expected back at their various desks.

The three unions in the state, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), had directed the workers to embark on the warning strike over the fate of their members following the ongoing staff verification exercise.

The chairman of the NLC, Onuh Edoka, while addressing newsmen over the hardship being faced by their members due to the screening exercise, said the warning strike was to make government comply with the March 31 deadline date set for the screening.

Speaking over the compliance with the strike, Edoka lauded the workers of the state for their total adherence to the warning strike, saying the development showed that the workers were more united than ever.

According to him, the workers’ action was a pointer to government that the deadline date must be adhered to, adding that failure might make the unions embark on total strike that would completely paralyse government’s activities across the state.

It would be recalled that the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had during his meeting with the leadership of the unions last week promised that very thing about screening in the state would end by March 31.

He said his administration was determined to clear the rot in the civil service, pledging that every cleared worker would be paid their salaries by the deadline date.

He lamented that despite the existence of anomalies in the civil service that had hindered the system from serving the people as spelt out by the constitution, successive administration could not have the courage to address the problems.

According to him “The damage of over twenty five years cannot be tackled within one year. If my predecessors summon courage to check the excesses in the civil service by now it couldn’t have been so cumbersome, but we will not be deterred by the existing challenges and act of sabotage, we are already in it and we shall follow it to logical conclusion”.