The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Culturati festival opens tomorrow

    Culturati festival opens tomorrow

    This year’s edition of the annual Culturati Festival will be preceded by a symposium themed: Enhancing Africa’s Economy Through Investments in Culture, Arts & Tourism on November 16, at Afe Babalola Hall, University of Lagos by noon. 

    According to a statement by the organisers the main event will feature a beachside exhibition of food, fashion, arts, etc., slated to run from 11am between November 30 and December 2 at Sol Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos while the grand finale will take place at 6pm on December 3rd at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Project Coordinator for Culturati 2023, Tiwashayo Odugbesan, assured cultural enthusiasts and the arts community that this year’s event has been specially curated to give attendees and participants a broader feel of the African experience on what she called “a global canvas.

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    “This year, we are serving out a far richer variety of the entire artistic and cultural spectrum that will cater to everyone regardless of nationality, ethnic origin or cultural orientation. It’s African culture on a global canvas,” Odugbesan said.

    She added that this year’s event will feature art exhibitions and competitions, fashion shows, a food village, talent hunt, games, music, an award ceremony  and assorted displays of entertainment.

    According to Odugbesan, the theme for this year’s Culturati is, “Exploring Opportunities in African Culture for Economic Development via Strategic Investments in Tech, Tourism & Art.”

    Created originally as Sisi Oge in 2006, Culturati has evolved over the years to become an important part of the entertainment landscape in Lagos, drawing local and foreign visitors annually.

  • Wanted: policies to grow creative industry

    Wanted: policies to grow creative industry

    A former High Commissioner of Nigeria to Singapore, Mr. Ogbole Amedu Ode, has urged the government to develop and implement policies to propel Nigeria’s creative industry to the global stage. 

    He described the industry as a low hanging fruit that government should take advantage of to boost the economy.

    Ode made this known at the Art and Tech Festival, an exhibition by the Creative Arts and Visual Imagery Center (CAVIC) showcasing the innovative results of the infusion of creatives arts and technology. 

    Chief among the exhibits are: an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Interactive Kinetic Sculpture (KST6) that educates viewers on Sustainable Development Goal 4; Data Couture – the wearable tech fashion pieces, solar rechargeable and data protective accessories; the original AI, CHAT-GPT animation installations of Sustainable and Industrial Designer, Teddy Atuluku, that espouses and expands on SDG Goal 3, and how health is essential to wealth, and the AI-infused Visual Paintings of Philip Agbese Jr, with an extended animated visuals of the artworks. 

    Ode said the development and implementation of appropriate policies that explores and exploits the abundant creative arts and tech talents in the country, will not only provide untold levels of employment, but also boost the nation’s economy.

     He noted that the infusion of the creative arts and technology in Canada had not only led to the establishment one of the premium innovative schools in the globe, but also placed Canada as a go-to for sourcing talents in the animation among other cross-discipline collaborations in the creative and tech firms. 

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     A largely self-funded project by the CAVIC Creative Director, Philip Agbese Jr and his friends, The Festival of Arts and Tech, began with a three days Art and Tech Social Impact workshop that convened about 60 young people in the creative arts and tech industry.

     He said 20 youths were selected based on the innovation and feasibility of their projects, which led to the ongoing exhibition. 

    The objective, Agbese said, is to scaleup the festival, and to place it and the city of Abuja in the global creative arts and technology events calendar. 

     This, he said would require government support, not so much as funding but endorsement and the provision of the enabling environment for the industry and cross-industrial conversations to kickstart and thrive. 

      A Director in the National Gallery of Arts (NGA), Mundung Bridget, urged government to support private organizations in the development of the creative arts industry; in addition to, entrenching the infusion of interactive arts courses at the basic educational level, as a means of catching them young. 

     Mundung who represented the Director General of the NGA, Mr Ebeten William Ivara said, “This is a very rare exhibition. Not many artistes promote the infusion of art and tech in the creative industry. Bringing them together to come up with these creative pieces could not have been easy. I wish government could support the private sector in this journey of promoting creative arts and tech. it would go a long way to keeping our youths gainfully employed and useful to the society,” concluded Mundung

  • Pension complaints and solutions

    Pension complaints and solutions

    GHAZALI: Good day, a gentle reminder of my earlier submission last week. I applied for transfer of account from Access Pension to Leadway Assurance. I submitted request since five weeks ago. Thank you

    PENCOM: The Commission is yet to receive the request, please visit your Pension Fund Administrator to submit the application.

    INSPECTOR OSEZUA: Hello, my complaint is that I don’t know which pension I belong to. I was enlisted into the Nigeria Police force on 01/11/2008. I was told by Fidelity Pensions and Trustfund Pensions that all my money has been transferred to PenCom. Till date I don’t know which PFA I belong to, whether my money is with pencom or with Nigeria Police Pension NPF. Kindly assist me to know where I belong. Thank you.     

    PENCOM: Dear Sir, please visit your preferred Pension Fund Administrator among the two PFAs and undergo the Data Recapture Exercise.

    SANI: My name is Sani, I worked with West African Postgraduate Medical College, Yaba, Lagos. We chose Leadway Pensure Pfa Limited at Number 121/123 Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos. My pension contributions employer/employee has been fully remitted to the Leadway. Also my Legacy has been fully remitted to the Leadway. I have retired since March 31, 2023 and have submitted all the necessary documents for RSA and Legacy to be paid to me since May, 2023. Leadway told me that my documents were rejected because I did not put my pay slip. I sent the pay slip to them immediately. Since then, no payment has been made to me. Leadway’s response is that PENCOM has not approved my documents for to pay me. Please, I want you to intervene so that my money can be paid to me. It is six months that I am at home without earning salary. Thank you.           

    PENCOM: Dear Sir, please carry out the enrolment exercise, and submit the enrolment slip, you may wish to visit www.pencom.gov.ng for guidance on how to get enrolled.

    SALIU: My name is Saliu, I understand it takes five working days for approval to come from you when a PFA forwards application. I want to find out why it’s not so with my application. This is two weeks now according to Leadway Pension that my application has been sent to you. What is holding my application?

    PENCOM: Dear Mr. Saliu, kindly provide the name of your Pension Fund Administrator to enable the Commission process the complaint.

    ANONYMOUS: Good day, my complaint has been made by one of my pension account officers on my behalf but I am yet to get update and it has been over three months now. How long does it take for merging?

    PENCOM: Dear Sir, Kindly provide the details of the two Retirement Savings Accounts you are trying to merge to enable the Commission process the complaint.

    ANONYMOUS: Ma, I strongly need your help. We are leaving the country today and we need money for upkeep as we go. We are banking on my 25 per cent pension savings. PenCom is yet to approve. Kindly help us.

    PENCOM: Kindly provide the details of your Retirement Savings Account, the PIN and the PFA to enable the Commission process the complaint.

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    MOHAMMED: Dear sir, we are the administrator of our late father Mohammed. He worked with Immigration service from 1987 and was down size during the presidential task force in 2006. Since then, we have not collected Kobo from National Pension Commission or Nigeria Immigration Service. We don’t know where to go or what to do sir. Help us out. Yours faithfully. Bawa

    PENCOM: Please provide the PFA and PIN number to enable the Commission investigate your complaint.

    ANONYMOUS: I am Oforlea, I retired on September 14, 2022. My date of birth is November 23, 1964 but it was wrongly captured in my NIN as November 23, 1965 which has been corrected. I later went for recapturing at Premium Pension but the staff of the company refused to attend to me. He said my date of birth is different from the date of birth in PENCOM record. Meanwhile, I have November 23, 1964 in all my records. What should I do?

    PENCOM: Please send the complaint to info@pencom.gov.ng

    ANNONYMOUS: I have a problem with my pension. I am a police officer.  My pension has not been paid into my pension account since 2017. I have been on this for the past three years now by moving from one office to another but all my effort prove abortive. Kindly help me.

    PENCOM: Kindly provide your name and PIN.

  • Data Recapture: Regulator urges RSA holders to update records

    Data Recapture: Regulator urges RSA holders to update records

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has directed that retirement savings account (RSA) holders enrolled in the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) on or before July 1, 2019, must participate in the Data Recapture Exercise (DRE).

    The exercise, which covers active and retired RSA holders, began in August 2019.

    The commission made this known in a statement obtained by The Nation.

    The Director-General, PenCom, Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar, said that not participating in the DRE has significant implications for accessing pension services from Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    For instance, she said only RSA holders who have completed their data recapture can transfer their RSAs from one Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) to another.

    Contributors who have not undergone recapture, according to her, will not be able to access retirement benefits upon retirement.

    Moreover, temporary access to 25 per cent of the RSA balance in cases of job loss and access to pension savings for procurement of residential mortgages are exclusively available to RSA holders who have completed data recapture, she added.

    She stated that RSA holders with multiple Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) who fail to recapture their data will experience delays in resolving their situations, potentially resulting in incorrect remittances by employers and delays in the payment of retirement benefits. Consequently, contributors with multiple RSA PINs must present all their RSA PINs during the data recapture process.

    She said: “It is crucial to note that failure to participate in the DRE affects RSA holders’ ability to update registration records in the future. For example, changes in name due to marriage, changes of employer, or alterations to the Next of Kin (NOK) information cannot be made if data recapture is not completed. Hence, it is in the best interest of RSA holders to participate in the DRE to avoid unnecessary delays in accessing services from PFAs. PenCom has instructed all PFAs to issue acknowledgement slips to RSA holders who submit complete documentation for their data recapture. RSA holders will receive text messages within five working days, notifying them of the status of their data recapture (whether successful or not) after document submission.

    “Active contributors must visit their PFAs and provide their Staff Identity Card or any valid means of identification, such as a National Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, or International Passport. Additionally, they should present their Enrolment Slip issued by NIMC and Birth Certificate or Sworn Affidavit of Age Declaration for the DRE. Retirees under programmed withdrawal or annuity should provide any valid means of identification, the Enrolment Slip issued by NIMC, and the Letter of Retirement issued by their employer for the DRE.

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    “For RSA holders who have changed their surnames or first names, or both, after registration, the following documents must be presented to their PFA for recapture: Marriage Certificate (if applicable), Newspaper publication for the change of name, and Sworn Affidavit and Confirmation Letter for change of name from the employer (if still employed)”.

    Mrs. Dahiru-Umar further said that the commission remains committed to the effective regulation and supervision of the pension industry to ensure that retirement benefits are paid as and when due.

    “The necessity for the DRE arose from the vital requirement to collect and maintain current, comprehensive, and accurate data of RSA holders. Additionally, the DRE aligns with the Federal Government’s directive for all data-generating organisations to harmonise their databases with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

    “To facilitate the DRE, PenCom introduced the Enhanced Contributor Registration System (ECRS). The ECRS is designed to verify the uniqueness of individuals registering under the CPS and update existing RSA holders’ records. The ECRS is seamlessly integrated with the NIMC.

    “It is mandatory for RSA holders in the public and private sectors, as well as retirees, to participate in the data recapture exercise to update their personal information, including biometric data such as photos and signatures”, she noted.

  • PenCom sensitises at trade fair on micro pension

    PenCom sensitises at trade fair on micro pension

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has sensitised Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and other informal sector workers on Micro Pension Plan (MPP) at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair.

    The Head, Micro Pensions Department PenCom, Dauda Ahmed, while speaking with journalists during the special day of the 137th Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), said the idea is to use a readily available platform like Trade Fair which brings in various stakeholders especially SMEs.’’These really are the groups we target’’,he added.

    He urged SMEs and other business owners to register for micro pension, stating that there are huge benefits therein.

    Ahmed said the turnout from the people was good in terms of making enquiries.

    He said: “We choose the LCII Special Day to showcase the micro pension plan. It has been an impressive experience because we got a lot of positive reactions. We interacted with SME’s that are present and even the general public that walks in to see PenCom stand and wonder what we do.

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    “We enlightened them on the things we do as a regulator and available products. We even explained to them how they can reach us if they have challenges too even with the mandatory plan which is the Contributory Pension Scheme”.

    Speaking on how Pension Fund Administrators will provide health insurance as an incentive to encourage workers in the informal sector to embrace micro pension, he said they are exploring it to ensure that people get all the benefits they ought to get.

    He disclosed that the industry is presently looking at providing health insurance and the modalities of how it can be funded.

    “We are saying that aside from the benefits of the plan in terms of opportunities to save, there are other streams of benefits. We know it is difficult for people to save. Some will ask what is in it for them if they subscribe. This is the kind of question that people ask And if you look at other jurisdiction where the plan is in operation, there are things that are put place to ensure that  people benefit while they are saving.

    “So for us as the regulator, we started to think that why can’t the PFAs provide incentives like health insurance for example.  Why don’t we key into the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA). If you save to a particular threshold for example, why can’t the PFAs take the cost off the participant as an added advantage to the people for participating in Micro Pension?

    “This is something that can give people the inspiration to continue to save. We are discussing with the PFAs and looking at how it can be funded, who is going to bear the cost and what is the threshold that should be considered”, he added.

    The LCII Chairman, Mr. Olawale Cole, said the trade fair avails producers and service providers the opportunity to interact.

    He said PenCom has taken a good step by coming to the trade fair to sensitise and enlighten the people to embrace micro pension.

    He also called on Nigerians to save through pension to earn an income when they are too old to work.

    Cole praised PenCom for the accomplished so far recorded.

    “This is possible because of PenCom’s innovative market friendly policies, introduction of products and services centered around value.  The commission has done well in encouraging voluntary contributions and inclusion of the informal sector in retirement plan”, he said.

  • PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues

    PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues

    OLUSOLA: My name is Olusola Ojediran, sgt. Rtd. I retired in 1994. I learnt that PTAD has harmonised the pension allowance of IGP, DIG, And AIG.And left C. P. To rank and file, pls what is the correct position on this. Thank you

    PTAD: The Directorate is yet to receive any formal directive on the harmonisation from the relevant authority.

    ADEWALE: Good Day, my name is Aladeokin, Cyber Cafe operator in Ado Ekiti, many retirees come to my business for I AM Alive verification. Many are successful but some were not after four to five attempts to take their picture before it locked up. The finger verification is also not working. Kindly help me to know how to go about the finger verification. Thank you

    PTAD: We have contacted Mr. Adewale directly.

    AKPAN: Good Day, my name Is Akpan.. I am one of the retired downsized officers of customs 2007. we were under Customs, Immigration And Prison Pension Office (CIPPO) before PTAD took over. Before the take-over, I was having with CIPPO arrears of pension from 2007 to 2009 as was paid to my colleagues of equivalent rank of level 09 step 13. Also my CONPASS arrears of gratuity amounting to  N1,582,182.36 was not paid to me as was paid to my colleagues. The arrears was prepared along with others and sent to AGF office (Deputy Director Special Duties). Whose duty is it to pay money to our individual bank account. I have sent my complaint and all the relevant documents to PTAD through their email since July, 2023. Yet no reply uptil now. Please, I need your help. Thank you.

    PTAD: Mr. Akpan Monday Sampson has been contacted directly. He is to send his Bank Statement for the period for resolution of the complaint.

    OGUNDARE: I am Ogundare. I did my “I am alive” capture around May 29, this year. I was given a confirmation number. Later, by October, I was told to recapture again and since then all efforts to get recaptured proved abortive as network-related issues are making it impossible. I hope my little pension won’t be stopped and also the process of going through the capture is stressful because network is frustrating.

    PTAD: ‘I am Alive’ confirmation is to occur every six months. So you will be due for another confirmation from November 29, 2023, six months after May 29, 2023.

    CLIFFORD: My name is Clifford. I have no pension number. I would like to know if I qualify for pension at age 60 in 2005. I worked with RBNL(UAC Div) 1975-1978 and SCOA Motors 1978-1988 thinking I would travel abroad.

    PTAD: UAC, SCOA Motors are private sector organisations. Mr. Fawehinmi should direct his question to the management of the organisations.

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    RTD INSPECTOR RAPHAEL: Good day, I want to know if federal pensioners are included in the N35,000 President Bola Tinubu said should be paid to all Federal Government workers? If it is so, why are the states paying their pensioners? Are we not Nigerians that served this country? Please let me know?

    PTAD: This enquiry should be directed to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation

    DUROJAYE: Thank you for your reply in The Nation Newspaper on  August 16, 2023 on my short payment of my federal pension since 2015. As requested, I have sent my bank statements since 2015 through email to PTAD on July 3, 2023.

    PTAD: Work in progress

    ANONYMOUS: Hello sir, my name is Kiriki. My federal pension has not been paid since February 2022 to date. When my pension number is slotted into the computer system, it showed number does not exist. I retired from MDA: TESCOM, Akure Ondo State, (Education). My date of 1st Appointment is January 1, 1972.

    PTAD: Pensioner to wait for reinstatement to payroll before retrying

    ADAJI: Hello The Nation Newspaper. PTAD through the newspaper of Wednesday June, 2022 page 26 confirmed that my gratuity has been computed for payment. I have been waiting patiently since then and nothing happened. Help me request that PTAD to release my gratuity.

    PTAD: Pensioner to provide verification slip to enable us investigate further

    ADESIYAN: My name is Adesiyan, I am one of the federal pensioner from Osun State. My problem is that I have tried to confirm my “I’M ALIVE” program for more 10 times. The message comes back as ‘Verification Failed and Faces do not Match’. What can I do to solve this problem?

    PTAD: Pensioner contacted and advised to locate a cyber café to do fingerprint option.

    ANONYMOUS:  Good day, I will like to know if my father is eligible for pension under Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). He was appointed on July 3, 1989 and was removed on April 27, 1999.

  • ‘PTAD will consolidate on previous gains, resolve all outstanding issues’

    ‘PTAD will consolidate on previous gains, resolve all outstanding issues’

    • Pensioners, others affirm confidence on Executive Secretary

    Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) shall consolidate on the gains of the previous years to ensure the resolution of all inherited liabilities and commit to the welfare of our pensioners, the Executive Secretary, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, has assured.

    She spoke when she the executive members of the Federal Universities Pensioners Association (FUPA) in Abuja paid a courtesy visit  to celebrate her re-appointment as PTAD’s Executive Secretary.

    She charged pensioners to believe in their commitment towards the welfare of the PTAD Defined Benefit pensioner.

    Dr. Ejikeme, however, noted that there is still a lot to be done.

    She said: “I appreciate  the executives of the Federal Universities Pensioners Association FUPA on a congratulatory visit on my resumption of duty as the ES PTAD for a second tenure. With your support, we shall consolidate on the gains of the previous years to ensure the resolution of all inherited liabilities and commit to the welfare of our pensioners.

    “We enjoin our pensioners to believe our sincere commitment towards the welfare of the PTAD Defined Benefit Pensioner. There is still a lot to be done. For instance, we have Next of Kins (NOKs) verified and yet to receive payment,  inherited liabilities yet to be settled, harmonisation of pensions, implementation of the constitutional 5-year pension increments, and pockets of unattended complaints here and there.

    “A lot of mileage has been achieved in the past 10 years by PTAD, from field verifications to putting eligible pensioners on the payroll, regular payment of pensions, arrears, payment of death benefits, liquidation of substantial inherited liabilities to the I Am Alive Verification”.

    She stressed that the responsibility of Defined Benefit Pension as managed by PTAD is huge, noting that in the last 10 years of the Directorate’s existence under the management of different Executive Secretaries since inception, PTAD has carved out a niche for herself as a model organisation delivering innovative, efficient and sustainable pension services using technology.

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    While expressing appreciation to FUTA executives, she solicited more understanding and support, noting that she will never take them for granted.

    FUTA President, Chief Edwin Enyokwa thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the reappointment.

    He encouraged the Executive Secretary to continue with her disposition to matters affecting the welfare of pensioners, including payment of the approved palliative.

    The meeting had in attendance other executive members of FUPA from the six geopolitical zones and PTAD’s management team.

    In another development, the National Chairman, Federal Civil Service Pensioners (FCSP), Comrade Sunday Omezi, expressed gratitude to the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the reappointment of Dr. Ejikeme.

    “We must say that the reappointment is a well-deserved one in view of her track record in the administration of pension, culminating in the prompt payment of monthly pensions, payment of pension arrears, as well as landmark innovations that has eased the process of pension management, and the overall improvement of pensioners’ welfare, such as the “I am Alive” initiative, which is aimed at determining the legibility of pensioners, as well as curtailing payment to deceased pensioners, thereby preventing the menace of ghost pensioners, which had previously incurred heavy financial losses to the government”.

    He, however, said that this is not to say that there are no teething problems, and room for more improvement, as it is always prevalent in any human endeavour.

    ‘’But the achievements made so far, are very visible and we hope that her second tenure will consolidate and complement the success so far achieved’’ the group said.

  • Insurers Committee highlights efforts to improve business

    Insurers Committee highlights efforts to improve business

    Insurers Committee rose from a closed-door meeting revealing that the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has again expressed concern over the backlog of unpaid claims with some insurance companies.

    The unpaid claim which is similar to unclaimed dividend would soon be publicised by insurers in order for the policyholders to forward to make their claims.

    Speaking for the Committee, Chairman, Sub-Committee on Publicity, Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the committee’s meeting in Lagos, said the committee resolved that the unpaid claims should be publicised on the platform of the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) for the first three months to encourage those with lodged claims to come for it.

    She stated that after the three months and they see that the impact is still outstanding; companies may be mandated to do their own publicity.

    She pointed out that a lot of unpaid claims have been reported, but supporting documents were not provided, and as such they remain as outstanding claims for so many years.

    Nwachukwu, also Managing Director of Royal Exchange General Insurance, stated that NAICOM observed the practice during the ongoing Risk Based Supervision (RBS) in some insurance companies.

    She further stated that the commission warned operators against dealing with unlicensed brokers and agents to facilitate insurance businesses.

    She said: “The regulator spoke to us very strongly, to ensure that all the agents and brokers we deal with are licensed up-to-date or renewed, as against doing business with brokers with expired licences or unregistered agents,” she said.

    According to her, NAICOM also recommended self-regulation to underwriters, regarding RBS.

    The sub-committee chairman disclosed that NAICOM directed that boards of the various underwriting firms should approve and implement whistle-blowing policies in their respective companies.

    Nwachukwu said the committee also agreed on the need for the insurance industry to increase awareness of annuities and continue to build trust to ensure that the product line grows significantly.

    “With the amount of funds in the pension industry, we should expect a lot of that to be downloaded into the insurance industry through annuity. We further discussed the need for NAICOM to continue to engage the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the Consolidated Insurance Bill.

    “Insurers had also begun the process of harmonising the ECOWAS Brown Card to ensure that the same certificate is issued across all countries using the brown card”.

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    She said the insurers also took a presentation from KPMG, as part of its planning for the insurance industry’s 10-year Transformation Roadmap.

    She also said that eight pillars were proposed to the insurance industry as part of the roadmap, which includes: continuous improvement of the regulatory environment.

    Nwachukwu said as part of the proposal, Risk-Based pricing and Risk-Based capital would become paramount.

    She stated that increased awareness and improvement in market conduct and ethics were proposed as part of the transformational roadmap to the future that the industry desires.

    The sub-committee chairman said that the presentation also suggested more partnerships with non-insurer players, just as it is done in the banking industry.

    She stated that the insurers were charged with digitalisation and improvement of the talent pool of the insurance sector and supporting the national economic growth plan.

  • Gov poll: Kogi APC demands arrest, prosecution of Dino Melaye

    Gov poll: Kogi APC demands arrest, prosecution of Dino Melaye

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has called on security agencies to immediately arrest the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Saturday’s Governorship election, Senator Dino Melaye, for alleged cyber crime he reportedly confessed to in a live television programme.

    The Kogi APC Governorship Campaign Council said, for Melaye, who was defeated at the polls, to have claimed on national TV that he had access to the back-end server of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) was “like walking into the prison yard and demanding to be locked up.”

    The Director, Media and Publicity/Spokesman of the Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo, who spoke at a “Thank You Press Conference” in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday, said security agencies had no tedious job to do “on a suspect who confesses to a crime.”

    “Dino Melaye has openly confessed that he hacked into the back-end of the Independent National Electoral Commission. He should be arrested and prosecuted for cyber crime,” Fanwo said.

    He lambasted the former Senator for saying the INEC Chairman’s children should be ashamed of him, saying this was uncalled for, unethical and immoral.

    “Are Dino Melaye’s children proud of his shameless physical combats on the floor of the National Assembly? Are his children proud of the fact that their mother levelled allegations of physical injuries against their father? Are Dino’s children proud of him?

    “Dino Melaye was never in the race for the Governorship. The perennial contestant was in it for business and we do not see his allegations as anything more than the ranting of a thoroughly rejected political jobber.

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    “We can’t beat a child and expect him not to cry. But we will be magnanimous in victory. Someone who claimed to have boycotted an election is here complaining about the conduct. He was not even at his Polling Unit to vote. How he got over 40,000 votes should be probed,” the party stated.

    “We call on our members to celebrate with moderation. We are one people and we must remain united as a people. The results of the election has shown that it is our party alone that believes in the unity of our dear state. We won the election and also the battle against those who wanted to drag our state to the dark ages of ethnic division. Kogites, this victory is yours and it will herald fresh air of consolidation and continuity,” it added.

    The APC thanked Kogi State for massively voting for its candidate, Usman Ododo, saying the resounding victory had strengthened the social contract between the All Progressives Congress and the people of Kogi State.

    “It has also upscaled the onus of responsibility on us to continue to provide first class schools, health institutions, road infrastructure and many others that the current administration in the state has been doing over the past 7 years and 9 months,” it said.

  • UK-based Nigerian woman dies mysteriously in apartment

    UK-based Nigerian woman dies mysteriously in apartment

    A Nigerian woman residing in the United Kingdom (UK) Joy Nsude, has been found dead in her residence in Hartlepool.

    Nsude was a mother of two children- a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl.

    She was until her death a student of International Management at Teesside University, Middlesbrough.

    A member of the Nigerian Community in the UK, Ibironke Khadeejah Quadri, announced Nsude’s death in a Facebook post.

    Quadri wrote: “It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our esteemed member of Nigerian Society (Teesside University) Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, Joy Osunde, a student of International Management.

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    “She is a mother of two children who are a 2-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy. She passed away in her apartment on the 2nd of November 2023, in Hartlepool in England after speaking to many people on phone including the husband while he was on his way to work on that fateful day.

    “The cause of death is not yet reviewed. Justice Nwaru, the husband who is devastated at the moment, is soliciting for your kind and generous donations from friends, families, groups, institutions, associations to enable him to arrange her funeral.”