The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Unigold Foods to establish a N50 million broiler/chicken production, processing and packaging facility at the university.
The facility would be created under the university-based poultry revival programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The company stated that the goal, over the next 10 years, is to turn Nigeria from a country that is dependent on 70 percent of its poultry needs being met by smuggled or imported chicken products to a poultry export country by 2030.
Executive Director of Unigold Foods, Tony Alile, in a statement, praised the the Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof Lilian Salami and her team for joining forces with the organisation to establish the facility in the university.
He commended the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for coming up with the project which he said has given encouragement to the private sector.
He stated that the project, if fully implemented, would change the face of the Nigerian poultry industry.
Salami said the university was delighted to collaborate with Unigold Foods, adding that she was impressed that the private sector could have such project at the institution.
The VC said the company would play a key role in the agro-based business space which apart from being a profitable business will go a long way in creating jobs for staff members, students and thousands of youths in the state.
Salami stated that the project would go a long way in developing the skills of the students and help them to have opportunities to make a career in the poultry industry.
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has stated its readiness to host the 6th edition of the Information, Communication, Technology, and Telecommunications (ICTEL) Expo.
The two-day tech is scheduled to take place virtually on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd September at 9:00 am daily, as interested participants are urged to register here.
The Director-General of the Chamber Dr. Muda Yusuf said, “The ICTEL EXPO is positioned to be a veritable platform for both operators and regulators to network, showcase and explore with technology with the view to repositioning the ICT sector of the economy.
“This year’s edition promises to be the best ever in the series with the theme “Exploring Opportunities in the Digital Economy.” This is intended to create a platform to discuss strategies for economic diversification and business sustainability with a particular focus on ICT, especially with the current challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. There would also be virtual conferences and exhibitions during the two-day event.”
The DG stressed that relevant agencies and departments of government will be exhibiting and attending to other exhibitors and participants, adding that MDAs that have confirmed attendance to participate are the Ministry of Communications; Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) amongst others.
He said, “In addition, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami and the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, are expected as Special Guests. Mrs. Funke Opeke, Managing Director, MainOne Cable, and Chairman, Presidential Committee on National Broadband Plan, is expected to deliver the Keynote Address on the first day. While Mr. Victor Eburajolo, Deputy Group Managing Director, Kewalram Group, will be delivering the Keynote Address on the second day at the virtual Expo.”
In a dramatic twist, a man Oladele Faloye, fondly known as Sixteen’, who alleged the Ondo State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Saka Yusuf- Ogunleye, has recanted.
At a political rally in Oba Ile, Akure North local , Faloye told a bewildered crowd of party loyalists and supporters of the All Progressives Congress that everything he said about the commissioner were all lies to tarnish his image. ‘They were all political gimmicks’, he said
Faloye had earlier accused the commissioner of writing the results of the last local government election that he believed was won by a councillorship candidate of a particular party.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has directed that snake bites be treated in all the state’s hospitals and the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) free of charge.
State Health Commissioner Razak Raji told reporters Wednesday in Ilorin, the state capital on the sideline of the presentation of 100-bed sets, medicines, and other medicaments to authorities of UITH by Sir Emeka Offor Foundation in partnership with Savannah Centre for Development, Diplomacy, and Democracy.
Dr. Raji said “Just last week, Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq donated several anti-snake venom vaccines to be used on patients of snake bite free. And we deployed such also to some of the state general hospitals. As I am talking to you now snakebite should be treated in the state free.
“Either in teaching or general hospitals and the hospitals had acknowledged the receipt of the vaccines.
“This development is very good even though coming from a foundation. We encourage other philanthropists and foundations to continue in this manner. So that patients will come here and utilize the facilities and have access to some of the free medications. The gesture is good for
Kwarans.”
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governorship candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has urged the United States to name and ‘shame’ fraudulent politicians affected by the Visa ban to serve as a deterrent to others
Nwosu, who contested the 2019 governorship election, also called for the inclusion of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who aid politicians to manipulate the electoral process in the sanction.
The APC Chieftain, who said he was a victim of INEC manipulations, argued that it is impossible for politicians to rig elections without the connivance of INEC officials.
According to him, “the recent Visa ban slammed on some politicians by the US is a welcomed development. Going by own experience, I commend the US for the action but it is not just the politicians, the INEC Officials, and the politicians they send to conduct elections”.
” Most of the REC are the problem, they collude with the politicians to rig elections, so they should focus their tentacles on the REC and the University Professors that they engage to facilitate the fraud”.
He maintained that all the INEC officials that participated in the 2019 general election should be replaced to protect the electoral process.
On the Edo State governorship election, Nwosu, enjoined INEC officials, security operatives, and other stakeholders to allow the people to elect a governor of their choice, adding that, “election should not be a do or die affair”.
In his words, “The US, the United Nations, and others should focus on the Edo election because it is generating serious tension. They should identify and name those people threatening to compromise the election, it is not enough to just say that you have banned them. The Inspector-General of Police, the Military are equal to the task but the people should also protect their votes. At the end of the day what the people need is the candidate of their choice”.
On the chances of the APC in the election, Nwosu stated that “don’t forget that there are voters in Edo State that don’t belong to any political party, so the most important thing is to elect a governor that can perform in the State.”
Head of the Novartis Foundation and co-chair of the Broadband Commission Working Group on Digital and AI in Health, Dr Ann Aerts, shed light on its report “Reimagining Global Health through Artificial Intelligence: The Roadmap to AI Maturity” in this interview with Taiwo Alimi. Excerpts:
Looking at the gloomy picture painted in the report “Reimagining Global Health through Artificial Intelligence: The Roadmap to AI Maturity”, it is stated that Sub-Saharan Africa currently represents 12% of the global population but faces 25% of the world’s disease burden, while housing only 3% of the world’s health workers, do you think AI Digital Health Solution can do much in this case?
There is a really urgent need for us in the continent to match human resource capability with machine capability of a high intelligence tools that can complement health workers. And an example is the Artificial Intelligence is a fantastic example of how you can reach many people who doesn’t have access to health facility because there is not enough infrastructure and we cannot think we can build far enough infrastructure that would cater for this vast number on time in Sub Sahara Africa and train enough doctors to address these needs but we have to reemerging on these things where we deliver health and care and Africa can really take a leading role there by leapfrogging or jumping over the mistakes other countries have made and be a bit of the solution from other countries into the African context. Then you can build a new world of health system which the rest of the world can look at.
Yes! Innovations are needed but you also have to innovate the way that health systems are organized. And daily health is just one mature model that is proven to work, that is proven to enable access to people where there no enough doctors and nurses, because you centralized your doctors and nurses into a daily consultation center and they can guide patients or health workers for their patients care through the telephone or WhatsApp or Artificial intelligence guiding through better decision support. So, it’s really a fantastic opportunity, but we need to rethink the way our system is fashioned and that we make a lot of difference.
Do you think Nigeria can solve the huge vacuum created by brain drain and exodus of doctors by adopting AI Digital Health Technology?
My explanation above also answers the question on shortage of doctors in Nigeria given the brain drain syndrome and mass exodus. I think we should do something in that area.
Obviously it would be nice to keep the expertise in our country, but Artificial Intelligence can also do so much as I said. It can accelerate diagnoses, it can improve quality of care with a decision support based on all the medical knowledge that this machine can digest and translate into action, but at the same time, it still needs some kind of patient contact that would have to be guaranteed. The strategy for health and care in Africa would has to be looked at very comprehensively and not only from the technology angle because technology can only be a means or an enabler towards the goal of getting a better population in good health in Africa. It is not an end in itself. We estimate the fact that it can help us to look at a tool that can help out but it cannot replace the fact that they still have to make the right choice and the right investment in their health system.
The North east Nigeria is a no go area due to the terrorist activities of Boko Haram Insurgency and challenges which has made it difficult for health workers to be there. How do you think Digital Health Technology can help in crisis environment like this?
It’s really a good question because technology is a strong enabler to provide care in areas where it is too dangerous to work. In my own experience because I work a lot in conflict areas; In the beginning of my career I was an emergency physician working in the wilds of the world, I worked in Angola, Mozambique, in Rwanda when there were lots of turmoil, in Burundi and in Sudan, so it is really essential not to interrupt the care for people who need it most in such complex situations and emergencies. Because it is possible that people die in that condition because no help is available. So I fully understand where you are coming from.
You know I was dropped by a plane in the middle of a crisis area in Mozambique and I had to go with my bike from village to village to see the wounded and there were always village health workers who are there to help me taking care of those that were possible. So, today I thought about those times and if I had a phone I would have been able to communicate with health workers that on the ground regularly, we could have saved many more lives. It was such a revolution for me to stay in health services but you can actually guide someone who is not necessarily high skilled in medical term, to give emergency care through the phone and the internet.
So, the possibility is there to connect village health workers who are willing to help their neighbors when they have a problem and guide them to help in emergency conditions. I don’t know how well the connection is out there in the Nigeria North East but it is feasible.
From your experience and close working with Rwanda and Kenya, what are they doing right that other countries of Sub Sahara Africa can emulate in Digital Health technology?
This is a really a good question. We only highlighted a few examples in the report. There are many more in Africa but the most impact are in Rwanda. However there is another one in Benue are of Nigeria, where there is a phone based tool that can detect from a baby who is born and is crying.
It can detect asphyxia, a condition where the baby is deprived of oxygen at birth. Normally for a doctor to diagnose this condition which is a high fatality for the baby, it takes a lot of very complicated tests that can only be done in specialized laboratory, but with this phone, it can identify that the baby has a special tone of the cry when it cries and it can identify immediately by the cry that the baby needs oxygen. And that is saving so many babies lives and that is one that comes from Nigeria. So, there are fabulous innovators in Nigeria as well.
But definitely Rwanda did something right in the sense that there was from the beginning the visionary willingness to get national connectivity board into its country and 90 percent of its people has broadband connection. It gives people the opportunity to use digital services towards the health owner and education for any other sector.
It is similar in Kenya because their mobile phones went so fast there and they have a beautiful example of mobile banking that was wide spread and I would have dream that the health sector would follow that speed. The connectivity was key for the success of Rwanda and then the choice to really tap into the potential to digitize their health data and for Rwanda all of these decisions were very strategically important.
So, other government in Africa must ensure first that there is universal coverage of internet in your country and secondly to ensure that your population digital skill gets better because that is a key success factor as well to health service to the population. And also a strength to the population opportunities for the health work force in digital, data science.
Another factor I would recommend for these countries is to create a national governance and framework for regulatory standard.
The Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said it needs between three and five years to complete its ongoing registration of Nigerians.
NIMC Director-General Aliyu Aziz said those registered are being issued a unique identity through a National Identification Number (NIN).
He spoke during a pre-summit (Pre-#NES26) event organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.
The event, themed “Digital Identity as a Foundation for Digital Economy and Achieving the SDGs”, held virtually.
Aziz said: “We need three to five years for full registration of citizens and we will be focusing on our core regulatory functions as well as some form of verification.
“We are collaborating with INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) and NOA (National Orientation Agency) to ensure voter validation happens with the NIN.
“The NIMC Act aims at reinforcing data protection and privacy laws, mandatory use of National Identity Number (NIN) by Telecommunication companies, ensuring the NIN is a unique identifier for public servants and an upgrade of the automated biometric identification system ABIS.”
Also speaking at the event, the World Bank advised Nigeria to develop a robust, authentic management system if it wants to boost its digital economy.
Nigeria Country Director, World Bank, Mr. Chubham Chaudury said there was the need to use an ecosystem approach that would coordinate enrollment partners in the private sector, civil society, and government.
According to him, the enrollment partnerships would help to accelerate enrollment systems, legal frameworks and a strong robust authentic management system for the effective digital economy.
Also speaking, NESG Director and Co-founder/Executive Director, Kainos Edge Consulting, Mrs. Wonu Adetayo, sought the implementation of a unified identification system.
Adetayo said the need was critical, noting that it would provide the opportunity to take optimum advantage of a vibrant digital ecosystem that was obtainable in innovative nations.
She applauded the Strategic Implementation Roadmap for Digital ID, which recognises the need to leverage Public-Private-Partnerships to scale the enrolment process to reach at least 150 million Nigerians in the next three to five years.
Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, David Andrew, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said partnerships across the board would help stimulate the economy.
He said better identification systems would also help improve transparency, reduce waste, and address a number of developmental challenges.
Chief Executive of VerifyMe, Esigie Agele stated that only about 11 percent of Nigerians have national identity given by NIMC while a lot of Nigerians carry multiple forms of ID as opposed to having a single identifiable ID.
Agele argued that it was essential for Nigeria to have a trusted identification system to bolster socio-economic growth.
According to him, the government must look at digital identity from a foundational and functional identity data component perspective to address its suitability for national security, social, and financial inclusion.
Country Director of DAI and member of the Governance and Institutions Policy Commission of the NESG, Dr. Joe Abah, said that revision of the NIMC Act would bring on board private sector and civil society representatives to help strengthen the agency.
“NIMC was grossly underfunded between 2008 and 2016 with a release rate of 53 percent. The NIMC Director-General has alluded to the issues of staffing and remuneration. There is a financial problem, personnel problem and policy with a plethora of organisations involved with identification without much co-ordination,” Abah said.
Meanwhile, the theme of this year’s Summit themed “Building Partnerships for Resilience” is scheduled to hold from October 26 – 27, 2020.
The Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Bamidele Oleyelogun, has rolled out a multi-million Naira empowerment program in his Ifedore constituency as part of efforts to enrich the lives of his constituents.
Constituents from the 10 wards in Ifedore were empowered with motorcycles, refrigerators, and grinding machines.
The empowerment programme which cuts across the 10 wards in Ifedore LGA, according to the speaker is also aimed at boosting the second term re-election bid of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the APC.
He urged the beneficiaries to continue to work assiduously for the success of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, assuring them that more empowerment programmmes are still coming on the way for others to benefit, noting that every member of the party is important.
At the event, Oleyelogun also declared open “Consistency Enlightenment Mobilization And Sensitisation Engagement Program” for the re-election of Akeredolu and his running mate Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
He also tasked other lawmakers to follow suit at their various consistencies.
A technocrat, Pastor Ola Amuda, has told Ondo State public servants not to harbour any form of fear, anxiety, or misgiving in respect of the re-election bid of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Amuda made this assertion when he was cornered by reporters at the State Secretariat Complex, Alagbaka, Akure, Thursday.
Amuda, who retired after 25 years of meritorious service as Secretary, Ondo State Scholarship Board; Secretary, House of Assembly Service Commission; Secretary, Ondo State Pension Board; Secretary, Office of Establishments, and Training, Governor’s Office, and General Manager, Ondo State Micro Credit Agency.
The former Aide to Late Olusegun Agagu advised the entire Public Servants not to fall to the political antics or schism usually employ to discredit an incumbent Governor in an election period to cause fear and anxiety about their future under such circumstances.
His words: “To us, Aketi is a man of his words and has demonstrated his affection towards the public servants in Ondo State. For example, he had paid six out of the garrulous seven months outstanding salaries left behind by the former administration and has consistently paid their salaries since then. As we all know, the recent little setback in the area of salary payment in the state was an offshoot of the economic meltdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
He affirmed in accordance with a Yoruba adage that ” ‘the eyes that will last till evening will not begin to spill water early in the morning’. There is no administration in the history of Ondo State that has so honoured the public service of Ondo State in terms of appointment of retired public officers into the political setting the way Arakunrin has done. As you may know, the Chief of Staff to Mr. Governor who is also a friend: Chief Olugbenga Ale, the Director-General of Aketi/Ayedatiwa Campaign Organisation: Rt. Hon Olabintan, the Commissioner for Women Affairs: Mrs. Titi Adeyemi, Mr. Alaba Isijola, a former Head of Service, Mr. Jones Ogunmusire, the current chairman, and some commissioners in the Civil Service Commission, among those appointed as Cabinet ranked officials, special advisers, and senior special assistants as well as special assistants and members of boards and commissions were at one time or the other public servants.
“The implication of these appointments is that civil servants or public servants in Ondo State have their people they could run to if there are issues affecting them. They do not feel like orphans in the Government. They should never become agitated or fearful for any reason for his second term in office. We must all pay attention to the wise saying that a bird in hands is worth two in the bush. It is of course not normal to hear the sound of rain and pour away the water in our possession – what if the rain does not fall,” concluded.
Professor (Mrs) Gloria Nwakaegho Elemo has called for food security in Nigeria, to enable Nigerians easy access to food.
Prof Elemo who was the former Director-General of Nigeria Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos, while delivering the 19th, Inaugural Lecture of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State said it is high time Nigerians are able to provide bread for themselves without having to go through stress.
The former FIIRO boss whose lecture was titled “Let there be bread; the struggle in achieving food and nutrition security in Nigeria” noted that Nigeria has all it takes to provide bread for it citizens without much stress if all hands are on deck.
She stressed the importance of bread to man, adding that the cassava for bread her former institute FIIRO champion about a decade ago was borne out of the importance of bread to man, adding that it is sad that many Nigerians still go to bed in empty stomach due to their inability to afford bread or any other foodstuffs.
“Bread is one of the oldest foods produce in the world. Historical records show the importance of bread in agriculture. In religious context, bread is regarded as sustenance of life and thus it has since become a symbol of needs; food included. ” To have bread every day in Nigeria for at least about 10 percent of the population has been a struggle for a long time now. Nigeria has a landmass spanning over 924,000km, with about 40 percent of arable land being cultivated. This is a huge economic agriculture potential, however, agriculture, which has been a major contributor to the Nigerian economy has not been able to solve the problem of food insecurity and malnutrition,” she said.
The egghead disclosed that according to the State of food security and nutrition in the word report of 2018 stated that 11.5 percent of the Nigerian population are undernourished while 24.8 percent of the total Nigerian population are severely food insecure.
The Don blamed inadequate investment in agriculture, poorly implemented agricultural policies and plans, adding that inadequate financial support for subsistence-level farmers, high cost of farm inputs, poor storage facilities, poor market access, and market inefficiency, the insurgency in the North, adverse climatic condition and poor food processing are some of the factors why the country finds itself in this situation.
She stressed that there is quite a lot of evidence that shows that addressing food insecurity especially through improvement in agriculture do not necessarily translate to a reduction in malnutrition. Elemo gave her own contribution to achieving food and nutrition security in Nigeria thus.” An aspect of food and nutrition security I focused on early in my research was looking at nutrition intake and nutrient requirements. Adequate nutrient or food intake is very important for maintaining a healthy life.”
She noted that for dietary intake to be adequate, it must meet the need of the human body, adding that there was the need to critically look at nutrient requirements for Nigerians.
The former FIIRO boss call for food processing and preservation to enable Nigeria to address food security, adding that the country must embrace science and technology to food development to reduce post-harvest losses, increase the shelf life of products and help increase the chances of access to adequate food and bioavailability.
Elemo who concluded her Ph.D. 36 years ago has gone through different career paths, such as academia, research and development management, entrepreneurship development, and other fields.
The re-known academia pleaded that Nigeria must struggle to ensure that no single Nigerian go to bed hungry.
