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  • Ondo 2020 : Vote APC for continuity of developmental projects – Tunji-Ojo

    Ondo 2020 : Vote APC for continuity of developmental projects – Tunji-Ojo

    Our Reporter

    Ahead Ondo State governorship election scheduled for October 10, 2020, member representing Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has charged the people of Okeagbe and his constituents that truly love him to return Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to power with their massive votes.

    The federal lawmaker made this appeal while addressing a crowd of APC supporters at Okeagbe, the headquarters of Akoko North-West Local Government during the APC governorship camping rally on Friday, September 11, 2020. Tunji-Ojo impressed it on the people of Okeagbe and constituents of Akoko North East/ North West Federal Constituency to
    return Akeredolu to power for more developmental projects to be seen in the constituency.

    While speaking at the rally, Tunji-Ojo said all his supporters and the good people of his constituency should give their votes to Arankunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN on the day of the election. He further stressed that the developmental projects witnessed in his constituency were made possible because of the fact that he is a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    “APC is the best party that is why we’ve come to introduce it to you. The last time we came to campaign here during the last National Assembly elections, we made some campaign promises. Didn’t we fulfill them? By the special grace of God, with our votes, Akeredolu will be reelected to the seat of power in Alagbaka. God help us”.

    Meanwhile, the APC standard-bearer in the governorship election, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu
    has urged the people of Okeagbe to vote massively for the All APC during the October 10 governorship election to ensure the continuity of good governance in Ondo State. He also advised the people not to make the mistake of voting for PDP and ZLP.

    The governor further said the major reason why NDDC was able to execute many projects in Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency was that the representative is a member of APC, which is the ruling party a the federal level.

    While addressing the tumultuous crowd that welcomed him at Okeagbe, Akeredolu enjoined the crowd not to make the mistake committed by the people of Oyo State that voted for PDP in the last general election. He, therefore, beseeched the electorates not to toy with their votes because there would be no room for manipulations during the governorship election.

    Akeredolu also described APC as a prosperous party and a party of peace, just as he portrayed Ondo State as a progressive state. He further said that many benefits would come to the people if APC is voted into power again in Ondo State because of the strong support it has at the center. He frankly advised the people of Okeagbe yet again never to vote for both PDP and ZLP that were described as parties that do not have relatives or contemporaries.

    READ ALSO: Tunji-Ojo leads executives to back Akeredolu

    “May will not miss it in life! Only Oyo State residents could tell how unpleasant what they are experiencing. May we not experience such! APC is a party of peace and prosperity. I implore us to go back to our various units and wards, let us go to every house to canvass voters.

    “Vote APC into power again, there are a lot of advantages in voting for APC. APC is in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, and Osun. Don’t vote for any party other than APC. We want the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to construct more roads for us. It is because we have a representative in Abuja, that is why NDDC could come and construct roads.

    “When you vote a party with the support of the Federal Government it is easier to draw the support of the Federal Government to your location”.

    Moreso, the jubilant supporters of APC and the people of Okeagbe community were well appreciated by the State Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin. The chairman expressed his satisfaction with the large turnout in Okeagbe community while he also praised them for their continued support for the APC led administration in Ondo State. Adetimehin emphasized that the Akeredolu led government was doing its best to ensure the sustenance of the dividends of democracy as being witnessed in Okeagbe and across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.

    In the same vein, Adetimehin also welcomed some defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
    into the party’s fold. The defectors were led by Comrade Muhammed Bankole who was a House of Assembly candidate of the PDP for Akoko North-West constituency II during the 2019 general election. In his brief speech, Comrade Bankole thanked APC members in the Okeagbe for accepting him into the party. He however emphasized that there would be no more room for PDP in the federal constituency.

    Adetimehin further informed the massive party supporters in Okeagbe Akoko that the APC had earlier in Akure made a harvest of some party executives from the Zenith Labor Party (ZLP) in addition to the newly decamped members in Okeagbe into its fold. He, therefore, charged Comrade Bankole and other loyalists of APC to go back to their respective units and continue with the canvassing of support for Governor Akeredolu.

    Some APC bigwigs in Ondo State that were present at the rally include the deputy governorship candidate, Lucky Ayedatiwa, Director General of the Campaign Committee, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan and Abayomi Tunji.

  • Report tasks Africa on health technology

    Report tasks Africa on health technology

    Low- and middle-income countries could soon leapfrog high-income countries in their adoption of new AI-enabled technologies in health, suggests a report led by the Novartis Foundation and Microsoft.

    Technologies such as mobile phone trading platforms, e-banking, e-commerce, and even block chain applications have often been adopted faster and more comprehensively in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. 

    Adoption of health technologies is likely to follow the same trend, with digital transformation accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report “Reimagining Global Health through Artificial Intelligence: The Roadmap to AI Maturity”.

    Reduced contact between patients and health providers due to social distancing has led to major growth in technologies such as AI-enabled diagnostics. Millions more people have sought digital health care solutions – presenting a tremendous opportunity for countries to integrate data and AI into their health systems. 

    For example, Rwanda is now arguably the most digitally connected health system in Africa, with its virtual consulting service surging past two million users – one-third of the adult population – in May 2020.1

    “Many countries are ill-prepared to address a new emerging disease such as COVID-19 in addition to the existing burden of infectious diseases and the ever-increasing tide of chronic diseases. Digital technology and AI are essential enablers to re-engineer health systems from being reactive to proactive, predictive, and even preventive,” said Dr. Ann Aerts, head of the Novartis Foundation and co-chair of the Broadband Commission Working Group on Digital and AI in Health, which crafted the report. 

    The Commission was established in 2010 by the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO to expand broadband access as to accelerate progress towards national and international development targets.

    “We have to develop a sustainable ecosystem for AI in health in the countries where it is most desperately needed,” Dr. Aerts said. “This has to happen while ensuring fairness and access for all. As health systems build back after the pandemic, technological innovation has to be a core part of the agenda.”

    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.

    A worldwide shortage of healthcare workers, which is particularly serious in many African countries, is predicted to reach 18 million by 2030. This boosts the case for investment in supportive AI tools, which can help nurses and community health workers diagnose and treat illnesses traditionally seen by doctors.

    Sub-Saharan Africa has led the world in technology uptake before. “Here in Kenya, we have been a world leader in adoption of mobile banking, which has been picked up across Africa – there is no reason why this should not happen with health tech as well,” said Racey Muchilwa, Head of Novartis Sub-Saharan Africa. 

    “As examples in the report make clear, Africa could do more to build access to medical expertise by rolling out AI-based support tools alongside healthcare programs.”

    AI is boosting access and improving outcomes while also cutting costs by identifying potential health problems before they actually occur. “AI can have a big impact not just in lower-income countries, but across all health systems,” said Paul Mitchell of Microsoft, who co-chaired the Working Group. “It’s clear COVID-19 is driving massive change in the use of technology in health – we are seeing in a few months what I would have expected normally to take years, if not decades.”

    AI is already changing the way health systems in developing countries work. In rural areas of Rwanda, one doctor may serve as many as 60,000 people. 

    The government is working with a private sector partner, Babylon Health, to give every person aged over 12 access to digital health consultations. More than 30 percent of Rwanda’s adult population has signed up. The new partnership will also see the introduction of an AI-powered triage and symptom checker platform.

    In India, hospitals are using AI to predict accurately a patient’s risk of a heart attack seven years before it might happen. Resources and medicine can then specifically target people at highest risk. In Malaysia, Brazil, and the Philippines, AI is being used to tackle multiple mosquito-borne diseases including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. 

    The program continuously pulls multidimensional data from over 90 public databases and adjusts for 276 variables that influence the spread of disease to predict when outbreaks are likely.

    UNICEF has developed an AI program to reduce the social and economic burden of outbreaks through targeted population health measures. Its Magic Box program both predicts when outbreaks are likely, and allows health systems to reorganize their resources, alert health workers and launch public health campaigns, so they can respond better and faster to emergencies.

    Governments should identify and test innovative ways to finance AI in health solutions, the report says. To ensure financial accessibility in the long run for everyone, national reimbursement of digital and AI-enabled health services is key. Secure and privacy-preserving data governance needs to be part of ensuring a sustainable infrastructure

  • Youth development redefined in Ogun State

    Youth development redefined in Ogun State

    By Olamide Lawal

    The theme for this year’s International Youth Day is Youth Engagement for Global Action.

    It seeks to identify how young people all over the world can be developed through proper engagement.

    The word – Development – which in itself has a deep meaning, seems to have been wrongly used by players in the political terrain of Nigeria.

    Whenever a layman hears about development, what comes to mind are constructions of new roads and flyovers, gigantic edifice around particular areas of the state, and so forth.

    While the aforementioned are basic infrastructural needs that should not be swerved aside by any government since it is part of their responsibilities to the citizenry, this, however, shouldn’t constitute the height of what a government should give ALONE to the people.

    Development in its true sense should start from the human mind, which would, in turn, transform him into a gold mine personified.

    Even the shimmering edifice and best constructions we see in our nation (few of which are of standard) can only be traced back to the development of the minds of a particular group of experts and professionals.

    You still don’t get my assertions?

    Building and harnessing creativity at its peak is meant to be the major development of any government and even an individual must seek to sculpt out.

    Governments must continue to seek ways through which the minds of young people can be enriched through sound education and the creation of opportunities.

    Except this is done, we would only continue to breed less-productive youths across the nation; the kind of youths that would be satisfied with the status quo – average minds, hooliganism, street urchins, drunkards, political praise singers, and those that won’t believe in themselves attaining greatness in life (people with very low self-esteem).

    In Nigeria, it is usually on rare occasions that we get blessed with leaders that think about development in its true light.

    When we get some of them, it isn’t bad to be quick in blowing their trumpets, in order for him to do more for the Youth Constituency.

    Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR is not a typical Nigerian Politician who loves making noise about achievements, he was not wired to brag about what he was meant to do in the first instance, as his way of redirecting the definition of development in Ogun State. He believes ‘Only empty barrels make the loudest noise!’.

    The ‘Building Our Future Together’ in Ogun state is merely kick-starting; yet, it is already taking shape and several testimonials following.

    And Whoever reigns when people feel the breeze of peace shall be remembered, and whoever reigns when people smell political or societal unrest, his name would never be erased in the memories of the citizens.

    Based on Prince Dapo Abiodun’s manifestos before he became victorious during the last governorship election, his love for a society where the citizens are happy to be part of the society has been top-notch.

    His concern in ensuring that the youth of Ogun State are well catered for, this cannot be exaggerated, since the youths of today are the next set of leaders. And any society which fails to build the youth prepares a battlefield for leadership.

    In order to avoid putting the society in the state of future disarray, the governor has made dynamic efforts in empowering the youth of Ogun State.

    It has been observed and accepted that unemployment breeds thuggery. Unfortunately, youths are mostly the tools of thuggery, and an old violent man was once a violent youth.

    Having this at the back of his mind, the Iperu Prince has at the inception of his administration put machinery in motion in a bid to reduce unemployment in the state.

    Recall the Ogun Job Portal (first of its kind in Nigeria by the government), which was launched last year in August with immediate employment of 20 graduates and registration of over 70,000 unemployed and under-employed graduates just after two weeks.

    This portal with over 200,000 applicants has become a hub for the employment of several youths within the state.

    Visitation to the job portal confirms that a lot of companies, both public and private, have continually pitched their tents therein, showcasing vacancies of not ‘just any kind of job’ for our teeming youths. Someone with a sound state of mind would agree that, without a good job that brings comfort into the family,
    development is not complete. Or, what would you say are the proceeds of four years plus in a tertiary institution and even acquisition of entrepreneurial skills? Good pay of course!

    Even our youths with vocational skills are not left behind on the recruitment on the job portal as most skilled workers used for the roads and housing construction are recruited from the portal.

    Also, at great instances where youths become sole proprietors and entrepreneurs, patronage is what gives them a nudge ahead, making joy brim in their hearts.

    White-collar jobs won’t suffice for our youths, as this is the aspiration of the largest percentage of youths in the country.

    This special breed of a governor, with his well-tailored plan, has not only helped develop the minds of youths in the state in the field of technology – web design and development, graphic designs, coding, app-development, artificial Intelligence, and many others, he has even gone forward to make them certified experts who can now stand tall and compete among their contemporaries in the country and the world generally.

    Suffice to affirm that, many of our youths now stand as their own bosses as a result of this continued free exercise at the Ogun Tech Hub. With time, the hub would be located in every senatorial district of the state, as promised by the Governor.

    In one of the words of Governor Abiodun which he emphasized during his campaign that “Ogun State would feed Lagos State”? The detractors were making a mockery of the statement but the unfolding events have shown that the Governor meant business!

    Though civilization has led our society into a situation whereby only the aged engage in Agriculture, and that is the major cause of food shortage in the country.

    With several initiatives of Prince Dapo Abiodun through his Agriculture ministry, so many youths have been encouraged and empowered to venture into farming. 10,000 youths from the Anchors Borrowers programme have been empowered with 10,000 hectares of land and provision of seedlings, fertilizers, and a produce buy-back initiative.

    The produce which ranges from cassava, tomatoes, rice, etc has started yielding positive results via the buyback initiative. Mind you, that’s only the first phase. So, when a man, who is not God makes promises and stands by it till fulfillment, one should send oodles of kudos to such.

    An accolade in our mother tongue is not enough to describe these giant efforts; “Gudugudu meje, yaya mefa”.

    Let me endear my fellow youths who are football lovers to be on the lookout because something great is in the offing.

    Mr. Kunle Soname, a sports enthusiast, financier, and owner of Bet9ja; Nigeria’s largest sport betting company, who was invited by the Governor to invest in the sports sector of the State, has a proposal to begin mentorship from the *GRASSROOTS* where the most effective and talented chaps reside and can easily get recognised.

    You’d also agree that Arts and entertainment in the State have worn a new toga, seeing the encouragement the governor has been giving the youths in the industry.

    Hope you have listened to the new music “Mukulumuke” by Prince Hardey Ademola? Listening to this melodious music would give more light to things examined in this article.

    These are a few of what the governor has done, and he shall do more for the purposes of youth emancipation. It is just evident, that Dapo Abiodun is a lover of participatory administration and that is the reason why he is working with a lot of youths as his aides. The myriad of his Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants are Youths while few of the Special Advisers and commissioner for youth and sports are youth. This is what the State has been deprived of in the last administration.

    Hence, speaking wholly and in clear terms about the true development of youth, I will conclude with the words of His Excellency himself, Prince Dapo Abiodun, towards the youths “We need to engage their creative energies positively to unleash appropriate skill acquisition that would bring about sustainable development for the economy by making them net-employers of labour,”

    Indeed, true development is the mother of sustainable development and the Governor has proven this by redefining youth development in the area of political appointments, agriculture, Information, and Computer Technology ICT, Sports Development, Job creation, creativity, and Entrepreneurship.

    Great youths make a great Nation!

    Stay developed, Stay Youthful.

    Happy International Youth Day 2020 to Youth in Ogun State and around the country.

    Olamide Lawal is the Special Assistant to Ogun State Governor on Youth and Sports.

  • Bayelsa West: APC members defect to PDP in protest of zoning violation

    Bayelsa West: APC members defect to PDP in protest of zoning violation

    By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

    The senatorial ambition of former Deputy Governor, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, has caused division within the membership of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    On Tuesday many protesting members of the APC stormed the Toru-Orua country home of the People’s Democratic Party senatorial candidate and former Governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, to defect to the PDP in protest against the alleged violation of the arrangement on zoning of the National Assembly seats in the Senatorial District.

    The defectors led by former Chairman of the Ogobiri Youth Association, Mr. Ekadi Tonbiri Desire, were received on behalf of the state chapter of the PDP by the Sagbama Local Government Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Ofoni Oyafikunmo, the Senatorial Vice Chairman, Mr Michael Magbisa, the Chairman Sagbama Local Government Area, Embeleakpo Alade.

    The defectors include elders, women and youth leaders of APC from various communities including those in Ward 11, the largest in the local government area.

    The leaders of the group include Amadiowei Ekadi, from Ogobiri community, Chief Kongo Koria (Kabiama Community), Ebiyakpo Dagana, (Dagana community), Patrick Okunbiri Preye, ( Ogobiri) and APC women leader Felicia Araye from Ogobiri, among others.

    Read Also: Boss Mustapha, Babchir, Bindow scheme APC’s resurgence in Adamawa

    Spokesman for the group, Mr. Ekadi Desire, said the APC members decided to pull out of the party because of the violation of the existing agreement on zoning of political offices between Sagbama and Ekeremor.

    The youth leader said that it was a common knowledge that the two National Assembly positions in the Senatorial District are shared between Ekeremor and Sagbama.

    He said that it was inconceivable and provocative for the APC to field a candidate for the forthcoming senatorial contest from Ekeremor when an Ekeremor son, Chief Fred Agbedi, occupies the position of the House of Representatives.

    He said that a fair and just system should not have allowed an Ekeremor son to contest the Senatorial election in a brazen violation of the existing accord on zoning of National Assembly seats in the area.

    He described Ebebi’s emergence as a deliberate and unacceptable oppression of APC members in Sagbama LGA by the APC.

    He stressed that the aggrieved members defected from the APC because of their belief in Dickson’s ability and readiness at all times to defend the Ijaw interest.

    In his remarks, Dickson said that the APC leadership was executing a deliberate plan to cause needless division and tension in the Senatorial District which shouldn’t be allowed.

    He thanked the people for their support in all his elections such as the ones into the House of Representatives, the governorship, his re-election and the Senate.

    He said that those who were received into the PDP would be given equal rights as other PDP members, and urged them to join party members in the campaign.

  • Ebonyi takes over Presbyterian Mission Hospital

    Ebonyi takes over Presbyterian Mission Hospital

    By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

    Ebonyi has announced the immediate shut down and subsequent take over of the Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu in Ohaozara local government area of the State.

    The government said the action was sequel to a petition by the community over the expiration of the 100- year lease.

    The community had also alleged misappropriation of funds, high medical charges on indigent patients, use of obsolete equipment and absence of qualified doctors, urging the state government to takeover management of the hospital.

    Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike announcing the shutdown and takeover of the management of the hospital on Monday.

    He said the State Government had to revoke the right of occupancy of the hospital, which was established in 1912 for overriding public interest.

    Umezuruike alleged apart from the high extortion, there were further allegations of poor clinical services, mismanagement of funds generated locally and grants from government levelled against the hospital management

    According to him; “Uburu people donated the land to church of Scotland Mission in 1912 not to Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Ebonyi Resident doctors down tools

    “When the church of Scotland was leaving, the Presbyterian church of Nigeria came in probably because most of the workers are members of the church especially the then Governor of the Old Eastern Region, Late Ezeogo Dr. Akanu Ibiam but ownership was never transfered to them.

    “The hospital was offering qualitative services until in the 90s when the church of Scotland stopped sending expatriates from Netherlands and the clinical services and management became completely indigenous with attendant deterioration.

    “The host community Uburu complained about the ugly trend in the hospital. There was no corporate social responsibility, failure of Presbyterian Joint Health Institute which was established by the hospital but could not secure accreditation for years before it was closed down and students moved to EBSU where they graduated.”

    The Commissioner noted as a function of law, the lease of ownership expired in 2011 , having lasted 100 years adding the community waited patiently until the lease of ownership expired before the agitation to quit started.

    Umezuruike said the Presbyterian Church or any other body linked with the ownership failed to apply for the renewal of the lease of ownership.

    He stated to forestall total breakdown of law and order, the State Executive Council EXCO of 14th July 2020, in accordance with Land Use Act (Cap L.5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 revoked the right of occupancy for overriding public interest.

    He noted the House of Assembly affirmed the revocation, adding ownership of the land and whatever property consequently reverted to Ebonyi State government.

    He announced the hospital would now be designated as Ebonyi State University Community General Hospital serving as the community medicine rural practice area of the state University Teaching Hospital Uburu.

    He said while the hospital will remain shutdown for two weeks, the State Government would, among other things, take inventory of the hospital, do staff auditing and verification and carry out minor renovation of the hospital to give it a befitting facelift.

    Umezurike asked the management of the former Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu to immediately step aside until all the task by government are completed.

  • Wada accepts supreme court verdict, says Kogites still oppressed

    Wada accepts supreme court verdict, says Kogites still oppressed

    After several months of animosity, former Kogi State governor and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last governorship election in the state, Engineer (Dr) Musa Wada said he has accepted the Supreme Court judgement not so much because he agrees with the apex court decision but in the interest of democracy.

    Wada in a statement said the verdict did not take into account the violence and disenfranchisement of citizens whose mandate had by the result of the appeal, been silenced but being a democrat, he had to accept the verdict as there would always be an end to litigation.

    He, however, lamented that the lot of Kogi people were worsening by the day as evidenced in arrears of salaries and lack of basic amenities that make life worth living.

    As a good sportsman, he congratulated Governor Yahaya Bello and charged him to expedite efforts towards addressing the sufferings of the ordinary man on the street, pointing out that other more focused states were rising up to the challenges of development currently eluding the state.

    He attributed the late acceptance and congratulating his opponent to certain inispositions and pledged to continue doing his lot in helping the ordinary Kogite to have better living standards.

    ‘’Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has spoken and as a democrat, I heartily congratulate Governor Yahaya Bello and to remind him at this crucial point in Kogi’s history, that this has all been about Kogites and I shall continue in my quest to ensure a better life for people of the state. God Bless Kogi state and God Bless Nigeria.’

    ‘‘Despite the controversy that heralded his ascension to power Yahaya Bello in our dear state, many had hoped that he would be the breath of fresh air which the rancid political environment sorely needed. But Bello’s four years was a disaster, as many groaned in pain and gnashed their teeth. As a result of unpaid monthly salaries to civil servants, some workers died in penury, families got destabilised and many children whose parents were civil servants dropped out of school. The situation in Kogi is still so bad and under siege. Bello’s mis-governance is not hidden even to the blind.

    “However, as the maxim goes, ‘there is always an end to litigation’ and that holds true for me in my quest to wrench my people of Kogi State from the stranglehold of misrule, maladministration and misgovernance that had characterised the past four years; however, that effort has come to an end in our quest to reclaim a mandate rightly given to us.

    ‘‘I am a stickler to the rule of law which comes with the burden to accept what the courts hold as justice in its estimation, hence, while disagreeing with the position and conclusion of the apex court of our country, I have to accept it and move on to seek other ways of assuaging the penury inflicted on my people which I had hoped, would have been mitigated and addressed by being on the saddle,” Wada stated.

  • Speedy judicial system

    Speedy judicial system

    Editorial

    The 60th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), tagged ‘Stepping forward’, ended last week, with a lot of takeaways. One of such is the charge by President Muhammadu Buhari, for a timely dispensation of justice in the country. The president advocated a maximum of 12 months for criminal matters from the first court to the Supreme Court, while for civil cases, he suggested a maximum of 15 months.

    In urging the NBA to ‘step forward’, the President alluded to constitutional amendments and rules of court, which enabled election petition cases to be time barred. He wants similar steps taken with respect to criminal and civil cases.

    We agree with the president that when cases last for decades from the lower courts to the highest court of the land, it is a denial of justice. After all, the aphorism that: ‘justice delayed, is justice denied’ is true.

    But while the bar and the bench have very important roles to play to achieve the quick dispensation of justice, the starting point to realise that objective lies with the police, with respect to criminal cases. For a crime to proceed quickly to trial, the relevant security agency must have the capacity for a quick, efficient and thorough investigation, before the matter can be efficiently prosecuted in the court. In most cases, under our laws, it is the police that is empowered to investigate a crime.

    So, if the president truly desires a quick criminal justice system, the starting point is an efficient police. The police must be gifted with modern forensic laboratories, well-trained personnel, highly motivated workforce, with the capacity to dominate a crime scene, once a crime is committed. For instance, the famed capacity of Mr Abba Kyari-led Special Inspector-General of Police Squad, should be replicated across the police units, in divisional police stations.

    Whether it is equipment, training or motivation, it is such efficiency that will enable the police to thoroughly investigate a crime and hand over to the prosecution. No doubt, the Nigeria Police Force men are poorly paid, lack necessary equipment and bedevilled by low esteem, and the president can do something about all of these. Again, the police is also over-centralised, and as such lacks the local flavour to efficiently investigate crimes in remote areas. A recent instance is the brouhaha over the creation of community policing.

    The President also touched on another important challenge in our justice system. The procedure for the selection of judges. He urged for transparency and wider search in selecting appointees, and that the federal character principle should not trump competency. We agree with him that a more transparent process is necessary to gift our courts the judges with requisite skills to quickly dispense justice. Also very important, is less interference and delays by the executive in the selection process. A case in point is that of those awaiting the president’s approval for elevation to the Supreme Court.

    Another challenge faced by the justice system is the poor infrastructure in our courts. Both the federal and state courts need modern facilities to aid the quick dispensation of justice. Even with the intervention of the President through an executive order, for states to pay the budget of the judiciary as first line charge, many states are not complying.

    On their part, to achieve the president’s wishes, the NBA should ensure that lawyers eschew indiscipline and delinquency in handling cases, especially criminal matters, knowing that they are first officers in the temple of justice. In all, the three arms of government must work together for the president’s wishes to materialise, remembering that: ‘if wishes were horses, beggars will ride it.’

  • Bankers’ committee embarks on cyber security/fraud awareness initiative

    Bankers’ committee embarks on cyber security/fraud awareness initiative

    Agency Reporter

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee of Nigeria, on Monday, September 7th, 2020 launched its cybersecurity & fraud awareness campaign, called ‘Moni Sense’; to educate the general public on protecting themselves against cyber fraud and scams.

    Comprehensive fraud and cybersecurity awareness remain important in ensuring the general Nigerian public is informed on their role in protecting their banking information from fraudulent activities.

    Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, Chairman, Financial Literacy and Public Enlightenment Sub-Committee (FLPE), said;

    “Fraudsters and scammers continually devise new ways to deceive the unsuspecting public, usually to lure them to inadvertently disclose confidential bank information. We encourage Nigerians to always be cautious and ignore any text message, phone call, or email asking to update your bank information, provide sensitive bank details, disclose online banking details, debit card numbers, bank verification number (BVN), or PIN to anyone.”

    READ ALSO: How to boost cyber security – experts

    Financial literacy and public enlightenment are a critical pillar of the Bankers’ Committee mandate, making initiatives like this critical to the goal of increasing the number of financially included citizens in the country. With this initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee of Nigeria aims to ensure Nigerians are empowered with critical information and knowledge necessary to make important financial decisions, enhance economic prosperity, stay fraud aware and cyber safe, and drive poverty reduction across the country.

    In March 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee introduced credit support schemes for households, MSMEs, and businesses across several sectors including Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Trading, and Aviation. The Bank unveiled a succession of targeted facilities starting with a N50 billion credit facility to support households, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), followed by another N100 billion credit support intervention for the health sector as part of efforts to combat the negative impact of coronavirus (COVID 19) on the Nigerian economy.

  • Sun Newspaper given 72 hours to retract false publication against Kuku

    Sun Newspaper given 72 hours to retract false publication against Kuku

    Our Reporter

    The Sun Publishing Limited, the publisher of Sun Newspaper has been given a 72 hour ultimatum by the solicitors of Kingsley Kuku to immediately retract the publication of a libelous matter against the former Chairman of President Amnesty Programme.

    This ultimatum was contained in a a letter addressed to Sun Publication Limited on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 by Atima, Koboju A. & Co on behalf Kingsley Kuku. The letter which was however made available to newsmen read in parts.

    “Our client’s attention has been drawn to the publication in the front page edition of the Saturday Sun of 5th September, 2020 with the caption ‘N712 Billion Looted By 3 Amnesty Coordinators’ wherein the photographs of Hon. Kuku, Gen. Boroh and Prof. Dokubo are conspicuously displayed, while the story is contained at page 27 of the Newspaper. Your publication purports to be a product of an unpublished investigation report by a Presidential Panel which was purported to have investigated alleged corruption in the amnesty programme.

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    “It may interest you to be informed that our client while served as the Special Adviser to the president on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, he had an unblemished record of performance. No competent court of law had convicted our client for any the crimes you alleged to entitle our client. Our client was never invited nor questioned by a Presidential Panel on any investigation on the activities of the Amnesty Programme. Therefore, your publication is unfounded and a deliberate attempt to defame and malign the person of our client”.

    Meanwhile, the letter titled, “Publication of Libelous Matter Against Kingsley Kuku : Demand For Immediate Retraction of The Publication” had been served on Sun Published Limited while a retraction is expected within the given time frame after which a legal redress will be sought against the newspaper.

  • APBN calls for an urgent review of the nation’s housing policy

    APBN calls for an urgent review of the nation’s housing policy

    Our Reporter

    The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigerian (APBN) has on Tuesday during its quarterly board meeting called for an urgent review of the present National Housing Policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The call for the review was made to enable Nigerians to conform to the present realities thrown up by the COVID 19 pandemic which is ravaging the world.

    In a statement, the association wants the National Housing Policy realisable and practical, noting that Land and Housing are the most critical factors of production in any country of the world.

    It said that the new proposed Housing Policy in view must be such that would meet the expirations of every Nigerian capable of transforming the economy of Nigeria as well as the living standard of the Nigerian public.

    The association also endorsed Dr, Chief Meckson Innocent Okoro, a real estate expert and marketing giant as its corporate Image maker and Director of Publicity as well as partnered The National Real Estate TV programme for its advocacy on relevant national issues.

    The endorsement was sponsored and hosted by the President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigerian, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, MFR on behalf of PSN at the PSN National Secretariat, Anthony Village Ikeja, Lagos.

    According to the President, APBN, Engr. Olumuyiwa Ajibola, Okoro is a visionary leader who through his creative advocacy and courageous publicity on TV programme delivers on real estate/environment and on other pertinent national discuss.

    He also added that the TV programme is the most ambitious professionally focused advocacy vehicle that would impact positively on the government, corporate institutions, professional bodies and the Nigerian public.

    The association’s president during the meeting said that the association will work closely with the government at all levels in Nigeria in order to transform the image of Nigeria to a globally accepted standard that would positively impact on every Nigerian in both at home and abroad, “APBN is properly well constituted as they have both psychological and mental attitude in view of the training of her membership to actualise this,” he said.

    Ohuabunwa added that APBN is geared towards the challenge of transforming Nigerian from 3rd world country to 1st Class world country that is capable of competing with other nations of the world for a new Nigeria with the cooperation and partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    On moving Nigeria forward, the board of APBN said that the only way Nigeria could be salvaged as a nation is only if the political class humbles themselves and work in partnership with the professional class which APBN represents. “There is no how any nation of the world could develop and fend for her citizenry without a total commitment of the nation’s professionals.

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    The board also said that a new President of APBN, in the person of Surv. Akin Oyegbola will be installed on the 23rd of September 2020.

    According to the association, nobody will aspire for the Presidency of APBN unless the person must have served as the President of his/her professional body.

    Oyegbola was the Past President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS). Responding to his endorsement, Okoro said he will give some air minutes to propagate the affairs of APBN under a segment that will be called ‘APBN PROFESSIONAL ANGLE’, “Issues relating to APBN matters will be discussed every week so as to bring APBN closer to both the Government at all levels and the Nigerian public, while other Média including all Social Media handles will be used to effectively market APBN both in Nigeria and overseas, he said.

    Okoro who is the producer of The National Real Estate TV programme, used the opportunity to interview the President of APBN and other Presidents of Member Bodies of APBN in a special documentary to set the agenda for the review of the National Housing Policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which will be televised all over the country and beyond on the National television and other media outlets to celebrate Nigeria at 60.

    The documentary will run throughout the month of October weekly on televisions.