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  • ASCON to infuse case studies into programmes

    The need for the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) to infuse case studies into all its programmes has informed a workshop on case writing and development to hold tentatively early next year.

    Director-General of ASCON, Mr Ajibade Peters said the workshop will also be attended by representatives of all Management Development Institutes (MDIs) in Nigeria.

    Peters said the workshop is expected to, among other things, lead to the development of relevant cases to be used as references in all programmes run by the college.

    Peters who made the announcement during the closing ceremony for six regular courses taken by 138 participants at college auditorium, said the idea was to consolidate the success recorded during an earlier Case Writing and Development Workshop attended by 20 faculty staff of MDIs in West African Sub-Region hosted by ASCON September last year with the assistance of the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM).

    “In more recent times, ASCON has been making efforts to make all our regular training programmes case-based. We believe that emphasis on the use of more of case studies will provide our participants wilt the practical experience that will not only aid the acquisition of the requisite skills to their work. In order to make this a reality, ASCON has been working with the CAPAM and the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC) to develop local capacity for case writing.”

    Of the six regular courses ended penultimate week, only the Management Consulting Course (MCC) lasted four weeks. Others were completed in two weeks.

    Peters said the MCC was longer because it is examinable and involves a week long practical field assignment in which participants are expected to identify problems in their choice of organisation and finding solutions to same, as well as write and present reports in groups to a panel of assessors that often include a representative of the case study organisation.

    “Our experience with the MCC training model, which we have used for various other programmes in the past, shows that learning is more effective when trainees are exposed to, or are given the opportunity to evaluate or deal with real-life situations and challenges. We have indeed recognised that the hands-on or practical experience during training builds both the skill and confidence of trainees to be better and to that extent prepares them to be better decision makers and effective in coping with the risks and challenges of work situations.

    The six courses closed are: Performance Management (26); General Management (38); Advanced Train-The Trainers (six); Advanced Records Management (133); Financial Management (28); Supply Chain Management (five); and MCC (22).

  • Gombe issues N20b bond for infrastructure

    The Gombe State Government has floated a N20billion seven-year infrastructure bond.

    The government floated the bond in Abuja on Friday under its N30 billion debt issuance programme.

    The government explained that “the amount would enable the state to restructure its finances as well as carry out infrastructural programmes to stimulate activities in key sectors of the economy”.

    At the completion board meeting in Abuja, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo said the bond, which would be issued at a fixed rate of 15.5 per cent, would “help transform the state in line with the agenda of the current administration”.

    The governor said the state had issued an “Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) that would allow for periodic deduction of money from the state’s statutory allocation from the Federation Account into a sinking fund”.

    According to him, this has been approved by the Ministry of Finance to ensure a quick repayment of the bond.

    Dankwambo explained that the state had, in the last one year, worked hard to restructure its finances.

    Since May when his administration was sworn in, the governor said the state has incurred contractual liabilities of N18 billion, from which N7billion is for loans obtained from the money market.

    This, he said, was unhealthy for a state that needed to channel more resources to capital projects.

    Dankwambo said the money market loan had been reduced to N3.5 billion, adding that with the “floating of this bond, in the next one to two years, most of us will be proud to be associated with this. In addition, we have about N14 billion in our reserves and that is why we have been able to carry out our projects without interruption”.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Hassan Muhammadu, said the projects to be funded with the bond include roads, a nursing school, the establishment of a college of education and 40 new model primary and secondary schools.

  • We’ll fulfil our electoral promises, says Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said his administration will fulfil its electoral promises to the people.
    The governor spoke in Ikire, headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area, during the monthly Walk-to-Live programme.
    Despite the heavy downpour, the long procession of participants walked through the streets of Ikire, singing and dancing.
    Aregbesola saluted the endurance of the participants for defying the rain.
    He urged residents of Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency and the state to take care of their health and hygiene.
    The governor re-emphasised the importance of the monthly physical exercise, saying it would raise the bar of the low life expectancy attributed to Africans.
    He said the low life expectancy was attributable to lack of regular exercises among the people.
    According to him, life expectancy is low in this part of the world because of inadequate health care system and good, quality foods.
    Aregbesola advised the people to sanitise their environment to prevent flooding and outbreak of diseases.
    He said: “Our main aim for introducing this programme is to educate our people on the need to take good care of their personal health and hygiene. This alone will go a long way in increasing the low life expectancy ratio ascribed to Africa.
    “This is the fulcrum of the monthly exercise. We, as a human beings, owe certain responsibilities to our bodies to function very well and for us to have healthy bodies.
    “We must, in addition to regular physical exercise, eat good food and keep our immediate surroundings clean to prevent outbreak of epidemics and other preventable diseases.”
    Among the dignitaries at the programme were Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Folorunso Bamidele Olabode; a member of the House of Representatives, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran, representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Constituency; state executive and legislative members; the newly appointed Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Sunday Olayinka Owoeye.
    Others were the former Super Eagles coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde; renowned sport administrator Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi; a former Super Eagles player, Ademola Adeshina and a crop of Nollywood actors and actresses.

  • AOCOED primary school marks 20th anniversary

    The week-long activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the AOCOED Staff School (ASS) came to a climax on last Wednesday with the guest lecturer, Mr Fowowe Sunday Simeon, tasking parents on the need to partner with the school management to attain its dream of ranking among the top five primary schools.

    In his lecture titled: Roles of parents in the educational development of their children, Simeon, a teacher of Primary Education Studies at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/Ijanikin, said the college, which manages the school, has in the past two decades, endowed the schools with facilities and organised regular training for teachers.

    He said it was high time parents complemented same by monitoring their wards’ development being more of an inspiration.

    Fowowe reminded parents that situations where mothers become threats to their wards, and fathers hardly stay around to appraise their children’s progress, posed a danger to their wards’ future.

    “We feel parents need to be urged not to shy away from their responsibilities. Phrases like ‘tiger mummy’ and ‘busy dad’ are the common usage that come to the lips of every Nigerian. But a bit of more parental grease might turn our children with great talents to an assured future.”

    The head teacher Mr Ogunmade Sunday Adetayo, expressed joy for being in the saddle as ASS celebrated its 20th anniversary.

    He said the school prides itself in using subject teachers to teach individual subjects rather than one teacher teaching all the subjects to a class, as practised by many private schools.

    Adetayo added that the links ASS made with schools in Africa and the UK, through the British Council, has also helped its growth.

    “This will enable our pupils and teachers to do exchange programmes with other schools,” he said.

    Adetayo lauded the tireless efforts of predecessors and parents and the management of the school for their commitment to its vision.

    On his plans for the future, the head teacher said: “Our current enrolment figure currently stands at 350 including the new 39 pupils given admission in the new session. But within the next 10 years, we hope to have increased to 3000 with facilities commensurable with our population. We also dream of being among the top five primary schools in Nigeria in the next 20 years.”

    On Monday last week, the Parents/Teachers’ Association had presented an 18-seater Mazda bus to the school, which was acknowledged by the AOCOED Provost, Mr Wasiu Olalekan Bashorun, Registrar Mr Bola Disu and other top members of the management.

    The PTA chairman Mr Ogunyemi Kayode said the leadership of the association, which came on board two years ago, have completed a mini water project (consisting of a borehole and water storage tank), refurbished the toilets and employed a helper and a Phonics teacher for the school.

    “The management performances have been so far commendable, CSS today is far above average but there will always be room for improvement,” Kayode said.

    The occasion also featured various performances rendered by pupils of the school.

  • Abia to shut 100 illegal schools

    To stem the falling standard of education in the state and save it from further decline, the Abia State government through its Ministry of Education is to shut about 100 illegal primary and secondary schools.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Umuahia for the certification of Examination Ethics Marshal International, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Monica Philips, said that it had become imperative for such schools to be closed to set the standards expected of the education sector.

    “The illegal private schools will be closed down and the premises sealed, as they are grounds for the breeding of examination malpractices, while unqualified teachers are employed thereby churning out half-baked students,” she said.

    She added that when closed, they will only be reopened when they meet the conditions for establishing schools.

    “Most of the schools we are going to close down are poorly ventilated, situated in environments where they are not supposed to be, and have no sporting facilities,” she said.

    For a school to be legal, Mrs Philips said they must be well ventilated, have sporting facilities, qualified teachers with a minimum qualification of the National Certificate in Education.

    She also said the schools are situated too close to each other when they should be at least a kilometre apart.

    When shut, she said the pupils of the affected schools will be transferred to other schools approved by the ministry.

    Speaking on the induction of examination ethics marshals, Mrs Philips said the state has trained 1,400 participants, among whom only 1170 passed the diagnostics test and were issued with Examination Administrators Integrity and Technical Certificate.

    She described the state as a pioneer in the area of ensuring that examination malpractices are wiped out from the schools system.

    The Commissioner urged participants who failed to succeed during another phase of the programme coming up soon, pointing out that a time is coming when such uncertified administrators will no longer be allowed to conduct examinations.

    She warned, “The ministry will not hesitate to withdraw the certificate of any examination administrator who gets involved in any form of malpractice, as such withdrawal will render such an officer ineligible to continue participating in the administration of examinations in the state”.

  • Lagos tax agency woos pupils with scholarships

    Secondary school pupils that submit entries for the ongoing essay competition organised by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) may have their eyes on the mouthwatering scholarship prizes on the offer, however, LIRS hopes to reap other benefits from the initiative.

    Mr Tunde Fowler, Executive Chairman of the tax agency said at a briefing Monday last week that beyond rewarding the best essayists, the LIRS hopes to educate them about the importance of taxes to societal development with the expectations that they will become tax compliant adults.

    Fowler also hopes that the research the pupils would carry out in the course of sourcing materials for the competition will help improve them academically while they would become change agents on tax education to their parents and other adults.

    He explained that taxation makes it possible for the government to meet its obligation to the people, underscoring the need for compliance.

    “It will promote academic excellence. Anytime a child is asked to write, he undergoes research and anytime he does that, he improves academically. The competition will also make the children change agents. The whole idea is to catch them young; let them understand the intricacies of tax compliance.

    “Lagos generates an average of N17.5 billion from tax monthly. It is close to three times what we get from the Federal Government. If more people pay, the state will get up to N20 billion,” he said.

    Junior secondary pupils participating in the competition are expected to write on: “Payment of tax is your duty, your civic responsibility and the Law” or “Well equipped schools, recreational centres, good hospitals, good roads, efficient transportation etc. Tax payment makes them possible.”

    On the other hand, senior secondary pupils are to write on: “Lagos State will continue to be a centre of excellence if all taxable adults pay their taxes promptly and correctly” or “Tax payments fund infrastructural development in Lagos State.”

  • Northern Governors mourn

    North governors under the auspices of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) yesterday described as a great loss the passing away of the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr Abdullateef Adegbite.

    The NSGF said the late Adegbite would be sorely missed by his family, Muslim faithful and indeed all Nigerians.

    According to the Chairman of the forum, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu who doubles as the Niger State governor, Nigeria has lost an outstanding lawyer, teacher, scholar and philanthropist who devoted his life to the service of God and humanity.

    A statement in Minna by his spokeman, Danladi Ndayebo described the late Adegbite as a bridge builder who worked towards peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.

    The statement said the forum is pained by Adegbite’s demise especially that it came at a time when the guidance and advice of religious leaders are required to steer the ship of state.

    It urged Nigerians to be consoled by the virtues he left behind which would continue to serve as a guiding light to the successor generation.

    It prayed Allah to grant the deceased Aljannah Firdaus and the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

     

  • Journalism, photography, dominate career talk

    Talks on security, journalism and photography dominated a career awareness programme organised by the Guidance and Counseling unit of the Lagos State Education District II in Maryland.

    Select pupils from public secondary schools in the district heard from experts in the fields on what should guide their career choices and the attitude and aptitude they must possess to be successful in journalism and photography.

    Being a professional photographer, Mr Frank Okonedo was in a position to tell the pupils how to pursue photography with a passion. He urged the pupils not to be driven by the need to make quick cash, like many who take wait and get photographs at parties; rather, he said they should develop themselves until it becomes a craft to them.

    “To be a photographer is a craft. You must be driven by your passion. Let passion drive you; don’t look at the money. If you do, at a point the money doesn’t come you will grumble. Passion keeps you going. You can make it with perseverance and endurance,” he said.

    On his part, Mr Obed Awowede told the pupils the story of how he dumped his marketing degree for the pen profession, practising as a journalist in Tell and Insider magazines, among others.

    “I made up my mind to be a journalist 33 years ago as a Form Two student of Government College, Ughielli. My father wanted me to be an accountant when I left school. I wanted to read Mass Communication at Auchi Polytechnic but he pushed me to read Marketing at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). After school, I took a marketing job but didn’t get the satisfaction I craved. I wanted to engage the public in the way journalists do,” he said.

    Awowede praised the Guidance and Counseling Unit of District II for organising the programme to help pupils avoid the pitfalls many in the older generation fell into because of ignorance about career opportunities.

    “In those days we didn’t have forums by which children are addressed to check their talents to decide what they want to do. You don’t have to be confused about it. You can be guided,” he said.

    Speaking on security, Mrs Adetoun Omole of Learners Edge Consulting, said the young ones must be aware of security issues and behaviour considered anti-social and therefore a threat to the peace of the society. She counseled the pupils not to give in to peer pressure to participate in unwholesome acts.

    “Grooming students to keep up solid home values will go a long way so that even when pressure to indoctrinate them in another way comes, they will be able to withstand it,” he said.

    Mrs Lizzy Ometan, Director, Guidance and Counselling, was happy that the district was the first to organise the career talk in Lagos State.

    “District II is doing a good work in terms of counseling. It is a plus for us. The programme was attended because we picked students and counselors from all the schools in District II; and we told the counselors to replicate the talk to other pupils on assembly,” he said.

  • Fatigue, pain & depression – Do you have adrenal fatigue?

    Fatigue, pain & depression – Do you have adrenal fatigue?

    In recent years a new health condition has been receiving significant press– both positive and negative. Known as adrenal fatigue, this condition is not an official medical diagnosis. However, it represents a grouping of non-specific symptoms such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems.

    The condition is often associated with chronic, long-term stress commonly brought on by the fast pace of modern living or an event or illness that is both mentally and physically challenging.

    Healthcare professionals who work with adrenal fatigue say it occurs when the adrenal glands become overburdened and do not function properly thus altering the hormones are produced. A poorly functioning adrenal system will lead to an imbalance of hormones that can impact immune function, sleep, mood and energy levels. The most common symptom of this condition is severe fatigue that cannot be relieved by prolonged rest or sufficient amounts of sleep.

    Medicine does not commonly recognize adrenal fatigue as an official diagnosis, but other forms of adrenal dysfunction, like Addison’s Disease and adrenal insufficiency, are recognized.

    *Stress causes adrenal fatigue*

    The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. They produce hormones that regulate blood pressure, cortisol, metabolism and minerals such as potassium and sodium. These bodily processes are critical in producing a healthy stress response.

    The unproven theory behind adrenal fatigue is that your adrenal glands produce hormones that get overwhelmed by the body’s inability to respond to stress properly. As a result, hormonal imbalances occur and cause the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. The complexity and delicate integration of all the processes of the organs, glands, systems and hormones make this condition challenging to diagnose.

    The challenge of diagnosis arises because the symptoms are usually based on how the patient is feeling, rather than the results of a medical test. It is very common for an individual who has adrenal fatigue to consume large quantities of coffee, sodas or other artificial stimulants—yet they complain of endless fatigue and lack of energy.

    Individuals commonly experience mood swings, depression, anxiety and a lack of motivation. This is due to the important role that hormones play in our thoughts, actions and overall well-being.

    *What causes of adrenal fatigue?*

    Whether adrenal fatigue is an official medical diagnosis or not, managing lifestyle factors is the most important component in overcoming it. One of the greatest blessings—but also greatest challenges—in healthcare is that everyone responds to stress differently. One set of symptoms and diagnosis criteria may be slightly different than the next. Individuals with recurrent diseases, infections or illnesses such as

    influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia and some allergies may be at greatest risk. The common component in all of these conditions is poor immunity resulting from overwhelming physical, mental and chemical stressors on the body.

    Adrenal fatigue can be caused by several components in our everyday lives. One of the most common adrenal disruptors is the presence of toxic chemicals and pollutants in our food chain, work and home environments.

    Processed food choices and items in a can, box or bag can be loaded with preservatives, nitrates, colorings and other compounds made in a laboratory. Even all natural foods such as meats, vegetables and fruits can have hidden dangers based on how they were grown, harvested and delivered to your kitchen table.

    Past accidents, injuries and traumas are a very common yet often forgot about causes of physical stress and burden on the body. Major surgeries and side effects from medications can also impair how the body responds to stress, causing adrenal fatigue.

    Stress is a natural part of life. What matters is how you respond to the stress. You can treat the underlying causes of adrenal fatigue by taking care of your body proactively, minimizing stress and applying healthy lifestyle techniques.

    *Lifestyle solutions for adrenal fatigue*

    What is the best way to reduce stress? Evaluate and identify the things in your life that are causing it. The first step is to modify your lifestyle so you can improve your ability to handle stress. The three pillars of good health include eating a healthy diet, participating in a fitness program and getting quality sleep.

    Proper nutrition is crucial to keeping your body and hormones balanced. Processed foods and excess chemicals will cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate and cause the body to secrete excess cortisol. Though a critical hormone, cortisol also contributes to weight gain and weight loss resistance.

    Unfortunately, there is a large amount of dietary supplements aimed at people with adrenal fatigue. You should not expect to fix the underlying problem of physical, mental and chemical stress by taking nutritional supplements alone. You would be wasting your money without addressing and improving the core pillars of how the body responds to stress naturally.

    The main nutritional supplements that can help adrenal fatigue are omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and D. They can help to strengthen your system and improve your overall health.

    Additional recommendations include avoiding caffeine and sugar. These products are commonly taken as a short-term boost of energy but have been found to place unneeded stress on your adrenal glands over time.

    Most of all, hormone balance is critical to maintaining adrenal health. Hormone problems are very common and get worse as we age, go through menopause and never address the underlying problems. One of the best ways to maintain and balance hormones is exercise.

    A well-known stress reducer and bodily detoxifier, exercise has been found to be more effective than antidepressants in improving mood. Whether adrenal fatigue is an official medical diagnosis or just a classification of symptoms—lifestyle improvements are the key to improvement.

    *Plan for change*

    Make a plan for change and try not to stress out about it. Poor lifestyle habits are generally learned over years or decades and are commonly influenced by one’s family, community and culture. One must systematically and consistently apply new ways of thinking, acting and applying to achieve healthier choices.

    The important message is that regardless of your health condition, you can take corrective steps to balance hormones, restore energy, reduce body aches, suppress fatigue, strengthen immunity and improve good quality of sleep. Take responsibility, correct your course and achieve results.

    **Dr. Cory Couillard is an international health columnist that contributes to many national newspapers throughout Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s and International Diabetes Federation’s goals of prevention of disease.

    This column is directed by your questions, comments and inquiries. The health advice provided is in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of prevention, maintenance and natural treatment of disease. The advice is for educational purposes and does not necessarily reflect endorsement.

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  • Abia oil pipeline fire kills six

    Abia oil pipeline fire kills six

    • Several others injured scooping fuel

    Six persons have been confirmed dead in a petroleum pipeline fire in Umueke autonomous community in Osisioma local government area of Abia State.

    They were among hundreds of people scooping oil from the damaged pipeline.

    Several others were burnt, some of them badly in the accident, last Sunday.

    Deputy Governor Emeka Ananaba, on an inspection of the scene on behalf of his principal, Chief Theodore Orji, expressed regret at the loss of lives.

    He described the activities of pipeline vandals as very costly and a risky venture and advised the people of the state to desist from such acts to save their lives.

    He said Abians should focus on legal and meaningful ventures that would guarantee them a useful future instead of vandalising pipelines.

    The Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals, Don Ubani said the fire raged between 4 and 6.30 pm last Sunday.

    He said those who received burns are in the hospital for treatment.

    The commissioner said the damaged pipeline has been repaired three times and pledged the readiness of the state government to continue to monitor the pipeline’s right of way.