The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Anglican Communion seeks closure of substandard schools

    The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to shut down substandard private schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    In an open letter addressed to the President, Bishop, Diocese of Kubwa, Anglican Communion, Abuja, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko  said schools are operated in kiosks, flats or rented shops.

    A copy of the letter made available to The Nation stated that, “We have noticed that private schools ranging from primary, secondary and tertiary are being opened and run in unapproved structures and facilities within the FCT.

    “But contrary to the approved guidelines, schools are operated in rented shops, kiosks, flats, among others which lack standard facility. In addition to this, it has been observed that teachers being recruited by such schools are not qualified. This no doubt has an attendant effect on the innocent pupils, parents and the nation at large.”

    While calling on the President to look into the operations of the Directorate for the Inspectorate of Education in the FCT, the clergy noted that the department seems to be relenting in its statutory obligation of approving, monitoring and supervision of private schools.

    The bishop, who is also a former National Treasurer of Christian Association of Nigeria CAN noted that the education guidelines are very clear as to structures and environment where a school should be opened and run.

    However, he expressed displeasure at the  spate which the guidelines are being violated by operators of private schools in the territory.

    “This act cannot be far-fetched from the act of corruption which Your Excellency has vowed to get rid of.

    “We therefore pray your Excellency to use your good office to direct the appropriate department to act promptly so as to save the falling standard of our education before it is too late. We suggest that you direct the directorate of education in the FCT to swing into action identify the concerned schools and close down such with immediate effect.

    “The FCT is expected to be a model to other 36 states of the Federation. The onus however, behooves on the administrators of education in the FCT to sit up and ensure that due process is followed; standard and regulations are strictly complied with,” he stated.

    Akamisoko added that if the dreams and aspirations of the President is to be realized, the standard of education should not be compromised.

    Earlier, the Communion had commended the renewed anti-corruption move of the new administration.

    He urged the President to persist in eradicating corruption completely from the country.

     

  • Buhari and industrialisation

    President Muham-madu Buhari has not only declared his intentions to fix the economy; he is also intent on industrialising the nation.

    Besides making promises in that direction during his election campaigns, he specifically directed the Federal Ministry of Defence a fortnight ago to produce a plan for the establishment of a modest military industrial complex for the local production of weapons to meet some of the requirements of the armed forces.

    He declared that it was unacceptable for Nigeria to continue to over-depend on other countries for critical military equipment and logistics.

    Seeing the products being manufactured by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) last Thursday, President Buhari was not in doubt that the Agency could be exploited to realise his desire for local weapons’ production and industrialisation of Nigeria.

    In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President directed NASENI to immediately explore ways of working with the Defence Industries Corporation, Kaduna, towards manufacturing of the light weapons it has designed.

    The President had observed that unless the Agency’s inventions were adopted and further developed by manufacturers, the country and ordinary Nigerians will not enjoy the fruits of its good work.

    “Looking at your work…, the laboratory equipment, the weapons designs…., these are things that can save us resources if you can coordinate with existing specialist agencies and work together,” Buhari had told the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Professor Mohammed Haruna.

    Buhari’s directive to NASENI also included production of other equipment and implements that will largely secure and fast track Nigeria’s industrialization, lessen dependence on other countries and reduce capital plight.

    In the area of power generation, President Buhari after seeing samples of small hydro power and turbines, 15 KVA transformer, Gordian AVR stabilizer, pole-mounted transformers, solar rechargeable lamp, solar inverter, solar street light and propeller hydro-turbine, charged NASENI to publicize its works and collaborate with state governments towards electrification of their states.

    The Agency’s agricultural products including integrated cassava processing plant, mobile cassava grater, rotary dryer, seed oil expeller, fruit milling machine, deep well hand pump, and manual drilling rig, also largely fit into the President’s planned agricultural revolution in the country.

    For the area of education, the President has also directed the utilization of the scientific kits being produced by NASENI for intervention in the education sector.

    The Agency, which is manufacturing mobile science and integrated science laboratories equipment known as the science kits for primary (PSK) and Junior Secondary Schools (JSK), was said to have also designed and produced wood master for woodworks and for teaching woodwork in technical schools.

    It was said to have also set up Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centres in nine universities under the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) states sponsored by Skill ‘G’ and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    NASENI, in the area of transportation, was also said to have designed and manufactured the first made in Nigeria motor cycle (NASENI – M1), first made in Nigeria tricycle both passenger and cargo models (Keke NASENI) and the necessary motor and motorcycle spare parts.

    It is also planning, through collaborations with relevant foreign organizations, to pioneer the establishment of manufacturing plants for aircrafts, armoured vehicles, CNC machines, electric transformers, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Electric Vehicles (EV), and their component parts and accessories.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after making presentation to President Buhari, Professor Haruna said: “He directed that we must collaborate with relevant MDAs to ensure that there is synergy. Other MDAs such as Defence, Ministry of Trade and Investment to liaise with us such that the technologies that are mature in our system, SMEs can be supported to take them to the market.”

    “So many other directives were given that will ensure successful industrial revolution of Nigeria.” He added

    Nigerians definitely are praying that all these desires and plans will manifest and they will depart sharply from some of the moves toward industrialization by the immediate past former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    The administration, which spoke so much about local production of Made-in-Nigeria cars, appeared not to have advanced beyond the drawing board.

    Apart from the then Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, who drove around with such locally assembled jeeps, they were never available in large quantity for Nigerians.

    It is really hoped that with these new moves, Nigeria, in no long time to come, will be technologically developed and meet up with nations like Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

     

    Presidential citation for CDS

     

    The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin must be a very lucky man.

    Besides been appointed to the new position on the 13th of July, 2015 based on merit without lobbying for it, he had the special privilege a month later, on 13th of August, of having his citation read by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, before decorated with his new rank.

    While none of his predecessors can be remembered to have got such honour before been decorated with their ranks in the past, General Olonishakin, was singled out for such citation among his other three service chiefs who arrived with members of their families for decoration with their new ranks at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja last Thursday.

    President Buhari rose to the occasion to fill in the gap and disconnect created by the Master of Ceremony (MC) at the brief event.

    The MC, who ought to immediately proceed to reading the citation of the CDS after making opening remark to kick start the function, hesitated as he sought for President Buhari’s permission to proceed with the ceremony.

    But noting the abnormal silence that ensued in the Chamber and to save the day, President Buhari, who also had a copy of the citation, ended the long silence as he stepped in immediately to read the citation of the CDS.

    Even though as a military officer he was standing at alert and his straight face not showing any sign of gladness when the President reel out his citation, Olonishakin’s heart that morning must be filled with joy for the honour.

    He was decorated with his new rank before other service chiefs’ citation were read by the MC.

    The Service Chiefs, who did not enjoy having their citations read by the C-in-C, included Lt-General T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff.

    But they were all decorated with their new ranks by President Buhari assisted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the officer’s wife.

  • Perm Sec urges support for Fed Govt

    Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu has residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-Federal Government to enable it achieve its goals in the territory.

    The Permanent Secretary made this call when some elders of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) visited him.

    Chukwu, an engineer, stressed that the call has become necessary to ensure that Buhari administration gets the necessary support, understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians in order for him to change the country for the better.

    The Permanent Secretary said this is a new dawn and therefore the partnership and support of all the citizenry with the change mantra of the government is paramount.

    He assured that the government recognises the rights and privileges of all Nigerians residing in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The Permanent Secretary further stressed that Abuja is real, noting that it is today the seat of government, housing Mr. President, all organs of the government as well as members of the diplomatic community.

    He said, “I admonish all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory to also support the security agencies to continue to maintain peace and security of the entire 8,000 square kilometres of the Territory by living in peace, providing useful information and reporting any suspicious movement and person (s) to the security agents in order to nip any security breach in the bud”.

    Speaking earlier, the President of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA), Pastor Jeji Danladi thanked the Permanent Secretary for the warm reception accorded his team.

    He pleaded with the Permanent Secretary to carry OIDA along in the developmental strides of the Federal Capital Territory.

  • 56 bags of Hemp impounded

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has impounded 56 bags of cannabis or Indian Hemp, calling it a major breakthrough in its fight against criminal activities.

    FCTA Permanent Secretary Mr. John Chukwu, an engineer,  made the disclosure after his meeting with the FCT Task Team on City Management.

    He said that the task team discovered the drugs at a depot during its covert operation at Tura-Bura, behind Apo Roundabout in Abuja.

    Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule’s revelations were contained in a press statement.

    In the document, Sule quoted Chukwu as saying that the drugs were kept in a bunker by the suspects but were uncovered by members of the task team.

    He stated, “The Permanent Secretary revealed that the Task Team discovered the hard drugs in a depot during its covert operation at Tura-Bura, behind Apo Roundabout.

    ”The FCT Administration is gladdened by the proactive activity of the Task Team for this major discovery which would go a long way in reducing crime in all its ramifications in Abuja and environs”.

    He said, “These 56 bags of cannabis and sundry hard drugs seized by the FCT Task Team will surely have positive multiplier effects on the fight against criminal activities in Abuja because most crimes are committed under the influence of hard drugs”.

    “He disclosed that the cannabis and sundry hard drugs were surreptitiously kept in a bunker by the suspects but was uncovered, thanks to the vigilance of members of the Task Team.

    “While commending the members, Engr. Chukwu seized the opportunity to challenge the Task Team to rededicate itself to an onerous task of riding Abuja of all environmental nuisances and criminal activities.

    “He called for cooperation and understanding of all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory in the Administration’s bid to make Abuja crime-free. The Permanent Secretary also enjoined the residents to always assist security agents by providing information about criminal hideouts and of suspicious person (s) or movements to the appropriate authorities in order to nip in the bud their nefarious activities.”

  • Personnel managers to hold conference

    The 47th Annual National Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) will hold in Abuja in October.

    The yearly conference is the flagship event on the Institute’s annual calendar.  HR practitioners and non-HR delegates from within and outside Nigeria will gather to update their knowledge, enrich their network and proffer solutions to topical issues of relevance to contemporary business and the national economy with special emphasis on Human Resource Management.

    The CIPM Annual National Conference presents an atmosphere of learning, inspiration, networking, collaboration, and engagement and remains the best and biggest HR Conference with leading HR practitioners and line managers in private and public sectors in West Africa.

    This year’s theme is tagged ‘GO BEYOND’.

    The CIPM President / Chairman of Council, Anthony Arabome at a pre-conference briefing, said: “The current business climate and global economic environment is transforming the human resource function, hierarchy, responsibilities, and skill levels to meet the new demands of a volatile marketplace and a diverse workforce. Human Resources is coming into a new state of being — Going beyond the norm to revolutionising current roles into strategic partnerships that focus on tight alignment to business goals.

    “The HR Business Partner model and the general upscaling of HR is becoming the accepted way to go in addressing the immediate and future needs of the organization, and is poised to dramatically transform who we are and how we function within the executive ranks. Becoming more strategic not only means losing the transactional and broadening business acumen, but having a complete understanding of all aspects of the organisation to provide a more consultative role to the CEO and department heads.

    “This transformation is changing the very structure of human resources. Creating a team of passionate HR business partners and strategic executives who understand all facets of the business and its marketplace can help to guide and influence corporate strategy, and develop a high performance workforce that is more competitive, productive and efficient. But first HR roles and responsibilities must change — and the way we deliver HR to the business must change as well in defining the new HR. It must move beyond business as usual!

    ”The third objective of the Annual National Conference is to provide members with the opportunity to contribute to public policy and advocacy in the areas within our professional calling.  This informs the choice of the Institute’s conference theme for its annual conferences especially as the Conference not only aims to draw national attention to the themes selected but goes further to harvest contributions of members to the task of providing solutions to the specific issues as will be ultimately published in the communiqué to be issued at the end of the 3-day conference.”

    The 47th edition of the annual national conference, which is scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre Abuja from the 14th to the 16th of October 2015, will feature 4 Plenary Sessions, 10 Master Series Sessions, HR Clinics, HR Best Practice Awards, Health & Lifestyle Talks, Free Cancer and Eye screening, a fun filled Gala Night and world-class exhibitions that would host both Nigerian and international exhibitors. In addition, this year, CIPM is introducing the HR Optimization Award alongside the HR Best Practice Awards to recognize and reward HR Initiatives which have impacted on business operations and solved key organizational problems, thus reinforcing HR’s presence at the table through impactful contributions as a Strategic Business Partner. This award will run concurrently with the ‘HR Best Practice Awards’ exercise as you know it and organizations can choose to participate in either both Awards or select a preferred Award type.

    All of these high level plenary sessions and technical masters’ series would be facilitated by renowned speakers, experts and Senior HR Leaders. Each of the sessions will be geared towards shared learning and proffering contemporary solutions to the challenges arising from the Conference theme. These solutions will help in shaping policy direction in the private and public sectors of the economy thus contributing to sustainable national development.

    The Gala night presents an exciting networking platform and social interactions under a less formal atmosphere with lots of music, dance, food and entertainment.

    Exhibition at the CIPM Conference provides exhibitors with exposure to  key customer audiences (National and International leading HR Practitioners/ decision makers) in order to launch new offerings, collect high quality sales leads, build brand awareness, cultivate customer relationships and offer immense and wide-ranging opportunities for sales and marketing of the various products and services. This year’s exhibition would host both National and international exhibitors and would hold in the Abuja Hall of the International Conference Centre with standard cubicles that will last the duration of the conference.

    The Grand opening plenary session tagged GO BEYOND: The New Agenda would be delivered by FARIDA NANA BEDWEI (Senior Software Architect, Rancard Solutions) and UGOCHUKWU OMOEGU (Principal Consultant, Joseph Consulting and Mentoring Ltd).

    The First Plenary Session tagged VISIONARY LEADERSHIP would be facilitated by Dr. THOMAS SCOTT WEIR – The author and founder, Emerging Markets Leadership Center Dr. Weir specializes in senior executive leadership and is credited with the breakthrough discovery of Leading and Succeeding in the Emerging Markets, a business approach that assists leaders in making sense of complexity, diversity, ambiguity and youthfulness in first generation corporate societies.

  • ‘Lack of policy implementation ruins education’

    A stakeholder in the education sector has said the lack of proper implementation of  policies is damaging the sector.

    The founder, and Director, Al-Hikma International Academy, Alhaji Abudulrazzaq Ahmad was speaking at the second graduation and price-giving ceremony of the school.

    He said, “The policies are not well implemented; we have  curriculum and other things, they are reviewed but not implemented; we have Inspectorate Education, but they don’t go to school to really inspect most of these mushroom schools.”

    Speaking further, Ahmad said, “Education in this nation has some percentage of decay and that is simply because of corruption, but now we are beginning to see how the change is also going to blow in the education sector.”

    The director lamented that a lot of things have come to stay in education which he said must be  flushed out as a matter of urgency in an effort to improve the quality of education in the country.

    Continuing, he said, “We see children leaving for higher institutions when they are not ripe to be in the tertiary institution, we talk about children that are underage, children between 15, 16 and 17 leaving secondary school because their parents can afford WAEC and NECO, even right from SS1; this is degrading, this is not ideal because their brains are not mature enough.

    “What they can assimilate at a particular point in time becomes a problem, and from there they can no longer compete favourably; what next, they join cultism, bad gangs because they cannot come back home to tell their parents that they cannot cope, this is the essence of decay.”

    The award of best students in science in the senior cadre went to Fatima Umar Hong, Zainab Abdussalam, and Nana Fatima Saliu, while the award of the best students in the humanities went to Arabo Nazeef, Abubakar Naja’atu, Ibrahim Idris.

    The award of the Junior Cadre went to Zakiyya Abubakar, Adamu Jawa and Abdulbasit Jibrin, among others.

  • UK award for Down Syndrome crusader

    Down Syndrome awareness crusader in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs. Sandra Nwugo has been recognised by a United Kingdom-based non-profit organisation, Paceworking International.

    Nwugo was celebrated for her advocacy and also for taking care of people living with the condition.

    Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome. It is an ailment that is typically associated with physical growth delays, facial features and mild intellectual disability.

    The event also featured the recognition of United Nations’ Ambassador, John Fashanu and other personalities.

    It was part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the organisation.

    Nwugo was also honoured with the Excellence in Business & Support of Community Projects award, while Fashanu was made a Down Syndrome Charity Ambassador.

    Nwugo has become quite popular for her humanitarian projects, which include the establishment of Esther Zion Orphanage in Abuja, engineering human capital development through her Femaz Microfinance Bank, leading media campaigns for support to vulnerable children, among others.

    “I am short of words,” she said,  “but one thing I can say is that I am grateful to Paceworking for this award. It can only spur me to do more. Supporting children with Down Syndrome is my own way of fulfilling my passion of providing for the needy. I have been supporting them for the past one year, but I didn’t look over my shoulder to see if anyone noticed.

    “I never thought I would be recognised this way. I run an orphanage and these are the kind of things I love to do. I gave financial support to the caregivers of the children to be able to provide them with some basic necessities like medicines. I never thought I would be recognised this way.”

    She went further, “My motive was just me doing what I know how to do and what I think is the right thing to do. I don’t think they are getting the best of what they should be getting. I have been to some orphanages and I see the children are not properly kept. Not even looking healthy. That was my motivation to set up my own orphanage, so that I can show others how to take care of these children.”

    Nwogu, who runs a microfinance bank, Femez Micro Finance Bank said she is dependent on profits from her business as well as supports from her husband and father to run her charity projects. “I also appeal to my customers and people around me to help with the projects. My challenge is that people think I am foolish taking care of children who are not biologically mine, but God in heaven will reward you and replenishes you.”

    United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Fahsanu while presenting the award to Nwugo,  said:

    “The issue of Down Syndrome is something that must be brought up and put on the agenda for the new government especially because it is still considered a kind of taboo in Nigeria. We need to understand that it isn’t something for witches or wizards but is a challenge any child could be exposed to.”

    He said recognitions and efforts like Nwogu’s provided the right opportunity and platform to educate the public about the challenge.

    “This is when we start public campaign and enlightenment for children with this challenge,” he said, adding that “Such recognitions are new now, but when you have people who are ready to support organisation’s like Sandra’s, it makes you smile and encourages other people. He said he was looking to getting grants from organisations across the world. The challenge is awareness; where there is no awareness, there is no support.”

  • Peace returns in Plateau?

    Peace returns in Plateau?

    In Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, renowned for ethnic volatility, the Fulani found a herd of cattle abandoned by armed rustlers in Tafan village and returned the animals to their Berom owner. Also, in Kamam, another community in the council, the Berom chanced upon some wandering cows presumed left behind by thieves and handed them over to their Angas owner.

    Such gestures are rare in the council where suspected Fulani often raided Berom communities often on allegations of stealing cows.

    The new show of love between the tribes has been described as a significant departure from the past when cow rustling could never be traced and what normally followed were violent attacks by so-called unknown gunmen.

    Is the new fond feeling a sign that the bitter rivalry is over?

    The Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis code-named ‘Operation Safe Haven’ coordinated the recovery of the rustled cows and their handover to the owners. Commander of the Sector 7 of the STF in charge of Barkin Ladi, Col. Charles Ekulide handed over the stolen animals to their owner.

    Col. Ekulide said, “When the owner of the cows alerted us that his cows had been rustled, we immediately informed the various Fulani community leaders to help look out for such cows. The cows were later discovered by the Fulani people and they contacted us. We then went there to recover the cows.

    “No suspect has been arrested so far; the criminals just abandoned the cows at Tafan village between Barkin Ladi and Riyom. But recovering the cows does not mean we will allow the criminals to go free.”

    The Secretary of Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Barkin Ladi chapter, Muhammed Adamu said, “Our people just saw some cows wondering without anybody with them; we immediately alerted the STF and they came to discover that they were rustled cows. We had to ensure these cows were returned to the owners because it is the kind of criminal activities that bring about conflicts, and we want peace in the local government.”

    The proprietor of Ndang Farms, Joshua Ndang said, “I have only 59 cows and over 40 rams. The criminals came to the farms to remove all the cows and rams. I reported the incident to the STF, and…I am really overwhelmed they have solved my problems.”

    In Kamam village, where a herd of 53 cows was also recovered by the Berom people, head of the community, Da Pam Dusu said, “I was at home when some children ran to me to inform me that they saw some cows roaming about without the owner, so I came out to see the cows and I asked the youths to ensure they gather the cattle in one place. Then we contacted the STF.

    “We decided to cooperate with the STF to recover the stolen cows because we have been enjoying a fine relationship with the Fulani in this village.

    “We used to hear of attacks in some places, so we have warned our children and our youths not to create problems for us by going after Fulani cows.”

    Owner of the recovered cows, Kawu Muss said, “My 23 cows were stolen by armed men…but because of the cordial relationship between us and the communities, the boy informed the [community] and they mobilised themselves and followed the boy to the direction of the gunmen. So, when the gunmen noticed that the vigilance group was coming after them, they abandoned the cows and fled into the bush.

    “I have discovered that our resolve as a community to live in peace with the Berom as we used to be is yielding results, because since the Berom people can rise up to help the Fulani recover our stolen cows, I can see that the renewed peaceful coexistence is working well, and I hope it shall remain so.”

    The newfound love between the Berom and the Fulani could be traced to the peace initiative of the Simon Lalong administration, which has made peace in Berom a priority. The governor has also been personally coordinating reconciliatory meetings between Berom and Fulani leaders.

    In one of those meetings, Lalong admonished both tribes to embrace peace, pleading with them to cease hostilities forthwith.

    Governor Lalong also directed the immediate composition of a 14-member committee made up of seven representatives from each community. The committee was to receive the recommendations of other bodies set up to proffer a solution to the violence which has claimed no fewer than 300 people in the last two years.

    Lalong equally directed the Police Commissioner, Special Task Force and the state security outfit, Operation Rainbow, to ensure the enforcement of law and order in the communities.

    The government is committed to peace. Are the Berom and Fulani?

     

  • Kogi jobs plan takes off

    Kogi jobs plan takes off

    A new employment effort has started in Kogi State to complement earlier ones, the aim being to thin down the ever bustling crowd of the jobless. The latest measure, a partnership with South Korea, is called Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology (NKFI). It is located in Lokoja, the state capital.

    The project, in the works since 2013, has now taken off and will admit trainees in various skills.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Projects, Alfa Ibn Mustapha stressed the need for government to boost technological education as a means of reducing rising unemployment. He lamented the high rate of joblessnes, stressing that the only solution is to get the teeming youths to embrace vocational training.

    Mustapha who commended Governor Idris Wada on the skill acquisition centre, said it will go a long way in preparing youths for self-sustenance. He said the National Board for Technical Education (NABTEB) will be involved in the certification of its students.

    •One of the workshops
    •One of the workshops

    The centre has such departments as Automobile Engineering; Electrical/Electronics; Welding and Fabrication; and Internet Computer Technology, Metal Fabrication, Car Spraying and Diagnosis. Plumbing will be added later.

    Okewu Aroma Gabriel, Principal of the institute said the NKFI will be a fee-paying school, but not beyond the reach of the poor who the government is out to cater to in the first place.

    According to him, “The state government saw that there was every need to provide vocational skills for the people of Kogi State, not only the youths but also the employed and unemployed Kogites to be self-reliant and responsible to themselves and to the society at

    large”.

    He explained that funding is through Public Private Partnership (PPP), stating that the Governor has fully met all the obligations on the part of the state government in the form of its counterpart funding.

    He further explained the extent of the involvement of the Korean government, through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which is responsible for International projects, part of which is the training of the 13 existing staff at the Daelin University College, South Korea.

    He said, “The existing staff, both management and teaching instructors, were all trained in South Korea. There are eight instructors and five management staff. We were all trained at the Daelin University College in South Korea.

    “The instructors first went on a three-month programme at the university college in 2012. In July 2014, another enhancement training of one month was also undertaken, led by Professor Lee Youy Geol.

    Besides that, Korean experts have been in and out of the state for enhancement training of both the management and the teaching staff”.

    Though not forthcoming on the exact figure of the number of people that will be employed by the institute when fully operational, this reporter sighted over 15 low cadre staff while on the premises, many of who were either engaged as cleaners or gardeners, while another two was later sited at the 800KVA power generator house.

    Facilities on the premises, including a kitchenette, dining rooms, stores, guard houses, are pointers that the institute will take on more hands when fully in operation.

    One of the instructors, Mr. Ada Amorley, of the Automobile Engineering Department said the aim was for them to train students to acquire skills to become responsible and useful citizens.

    “The idea is for us to train our prospective students in the area of skill acquisition so that when they come out it is either they are employed or be self-employed,” he said.

    The instructors look to introduce more refresher courses when the Korean experts hand over to them in about one month after the commissioning.

    The Registrar, Omada Eneojo envisages that five years’ time, over 50 percent of unemployed Kogi youths would have been taken off the streets and become gainfully engaged as a result of the establishment of the institute.

    His words: “This system of education in South Korea, both the educated and non-educated benefit from this type of training, and this I must say has added enormous value to their way of life. This, we are determined to replicate locally for the overall benefit of our

    people”.

    The hand-over/commissioning ceremony of the NKFI will be performed by the State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, supported by the Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea Mr. NOH Kyu-duk, as contained in a statement issued by Mr. Jacob Edi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy.

    The event he said will be jointly organized by the Kogi State Government, KOICA Nigeria Office and the National Planning Commission (NPC). The institute, the only one of its kind in the country, he said is part of the flowers of the governor’s transformation agenda for the state.

    “It is therefore strategically located on the campus of the Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, to meet the dream of its initiators, he added.”

    He called on the youths of the state to take the advantages that will be provided by the institute to improve themselves economically.

     

  • Group makes case for hijab

    Group makes case for hijab

    National Ameer (President) of the Muslim Students’ Society Of Nigeria (MSSN), Muhammad Jameel Muhammad has described as intolerable the continued denial and discrimination against the use of Hijab.

    He spoke at during a courtesy visit to the House Of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker Hon Lasun Sulaiman who received them on behalf of Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    A statement by the National Public Relation Officer, Muhammad Grema Bukar quoted Muhammad as saying that since Hijab has never hindered the users from excelling in all fields, the Islamic dress code should not be denied anymore by any individual, organisation or even government.

    “Moreover, as if the plotters against the Hijab are not contented with their unconstitutional act, some of them, he said, have gone ahead to advocate a legislation to totally ban the use of hijab in Nigeria on the pretext that it is used by terrorist as a cover to launch attacks on innocent Nigerians.

    “Our query lies in the fact that, in civilised societies, few cases of abuse of something have never been used as an excuse to abolish such an important thing. We therefore call on you to sponsor a bill to enact a specific legislation that will criminalise the denial of the use of Hijab in this country.”

    Muhammad expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), especially in the recent time.

    He said: “While we now have some sigh of relief for the timely intervention of the Federal Government on the Board’s imposition of course and institution on the candidates against their choices, we want the relevant authorities particularly the National Assembly to find whether the statutory objectives of JAMB is to generate revenue like FIRS, or to render a necessary social service-access to higher education. This is necessary given the apparent extortion of candidates in the form of sales of scratch to determine one’s posting for post UTME. We call for immediate refund of such monies.”

    The National President expressed happiness that the leadership emergence issues of the House of Representatives have been amicably resolved in that a way that there is no winner no vanquished.

    “In fact, we should say a win/win type resolution. As we pray the same to happen at the upper chamber, we fervently ask Allah to make the happenings of the previous weeks avenues of knowing one another and knowing the job, which will ultimately usher in a more robust, a more dispassionate and a more united National Assembly, despite multifaceted diversity,” he said.

    He lamented the relegation of religious subjects in various academic institutions, saying that “at a time when we seriously need God consciousness, decency, sacrifice among other virtues as antidotes to corruption, immorality and all social vices, it is sad that religion as a subject is relegated to an elective status in our secondary schools. It is equally sad that general course of core status like Moral Philosophy have been made insignificant at a time when our higher institutions of learning are afflicted with cultism, nudity, examination malpractice, intolerance among other indicators of total moral bankruptcy.  We call for a rethink and a quick review of this unpopular, inimical policy.”

    Among the team that visited the leadership of the National Assembly include Auwal Yunus (National Secretary General), Bukar, Anas Hamisu Lawal.  (National financial Secretary), Surajuddeen Abdulaziz (National Ex-Officio I) and Abdulhakeem Kolawole (National Islamic Affairs Officer B’Zone) among others.