The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Agency

  • FirstBank eyes 10m new customers via agency banking

    FirstBank eyes 10m new customers via agency banking

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited is targeting to grow its customer base by over 10 million new customers in the next three years by deploying agency banking platforms.

    The expansion is in sync with the bank’s financial inclusion initiative.

    In a statement yesterday, the bank’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, who made this known in Lagos, said the lender has over 10 million customers, adding that its new management is working towards growing this to over 20 million by 2019 through a phased deployment of agency banking.

    Describing the FirstBank as a ‘strategically important Bank’ to the economy, Adeduntan said the objectives of the new management which assumed office in January, includes to retain the spot as the number one bank in the country and sub-region; and to continue to be fully embedded in the economy while delivering value to its stakeholders.

    Adeduntan added that despite the challenging environment, FirstBank’s fundamentals remain very strong and upside, affirming that an institution can hardly have an outlook beyond that of its operating environment a truism which rating agencies postures attest to.

    “We are optimistic of improved stakeholders’ return as the resilience of our heritage has prepared the Bank for a time like this,” Adeduntan added.

  • FHA, FCDA to float development control agency

    The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and the Department of Development Control (DDC), Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) are to set up an inter-agency committee to guide development control in FHA estates in Abuja.

    The FHA will develop the framework for the operation of the committee and send it to the DDC for its input and rectification.

    These were some of the decisions taken at a meeting between the FHA management and the department in Abuja.

    FHA  Managing Director Prof Mohammed Al-Amin, told the visiting DDC acting Managing Director Alhaji Hamza Tayyab, that the authority has seen some vibrancy in development control activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He said the FHA would support the FCT Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, in his quest to bequeath, a model city to the FCT that would make all Nigerians proud. The authority, Al-Amin said, would work on attaining  excellence in its business, adding that the agency had a strong promising to meet the expectations of FHA’s partners in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). FHA, he said, would stop any contravention brought to its notice, stating that it is important to resolve outstanding matters  amicably.

    On assumption of office, Al-Amin said, he ordered a study on the development of the authority’s Gwarinpa Estate in Abuja, adding that the exercise turned out disturbing revelations.  The report, according to him, showed that rather than the standard 20 per cent of the estate left as green area, only five per cent was. In addition, he said the report warned that with climate change on the rise, the estate stood the risk of flooding because of allocations across water channels and flood areas.

    The FHA boss said he had stopped such allocations and was exploring ways to relocate those already made. He said the authority was worried about the spate of illegal conversion of residential buildings into commercial use, its management. He said had considered converting three of the avenues in the estate into commercial boulevards, but the Urban and Regional Department of the FCDA resisted the move because it considered it a breach of the master plan of the estate.

    Tayyab said his team was at FHA because it considered it a strategic partner in the development of the FCT. He explained that the new FCT Minister had a vision of what the Territory should be and that all stakeholders owed it duty to achieve the vision.

    He said the minister was against the granting of building approvals on flood plains, green areas and on the hills of Abuja but said his agency had noticed contraventions in some FHA allocations such as on Maitama Hill where there is no access and which ought to be preserved.

    He said similar breach was noticed in Apo and Gwarinpa Estate, especially where he said residential buildings were being flagrantly converted to commercial use and approvals were granted for buildings along flood plains.

    Tayyab said his agency was aware of the FHA’s lack of capacity in equipment and manpower and promised that his department was ready to synergise with the FHA to facilitate the development of a city of everybody’s dreams.

  • Online agency, Travelden, debuts

    Travelden, an innovative online travel booking platform recently  unveiled its services in Lagos . Speaking at the lunch, the chief executive officer of Travelden, Mrs Lilian Obinna-Igwe stated that Travelden is a one stop shop for online travel booking for that top-notch customer services.

    Mrs Obinna-Igwe explained that the company provides online travel and other ancillary services like customized services, travel insurance, SBS lounge, airport lounge, protocol services among other unique and innovative services.

    She explained that: “A lot of people will like to have very cheap fares because of the economic situation, and because of our close relationship with the airlines, our fares are extremely cheap. Other things we are bringing on board is good customer service, customer service space in this industry is seriously underserved and we pride ourselves in providing that special customer service to every customer and to ensure that at every point in time, regardless of time that their details get to us, that we are there for them and readily available to answer all their questions”.

    Mrs Obinna-Igwe noted that customer service is key at Travelden, including the turn around time for answering queries.

    In her words, “customer service is key for us and then the turn around time for answering queries, we try to make it at least one hour. That is it for us, customer service, very good, affordable fares and travel essentials. We are a one stop shop that can provide everything and anything you want to know about travel. Is targeted at everybody both direct customers, BTB customers, corporate and all the likes, so everybody can come on board and partner with us”.

    She disclosed that Travelden will impact on the OTA market in Nigeria through Innovation and technological advancement.

    The Travelden CEO emphasised that: “If you are in the e-commerce space you have to be innovative and move one space above your competitors, so whatever you are doing, you have to be innovative, bring in new ideas, bring in new features and functionalities on your website, without that, you are not bringing anything on board, so being innovative is a key factor for us and we try as much as possible to make it come to pass and ultimately make our customers believe in us and want to trade with us.”

    She added that apart from the other services, Travelden also offer visa services, flight booking, platform for car hire services, hotel reservation, vacation packages, airport transfers, travel essentials, off-line Insurance with Cornerstone Insurance.

    Travelden boss added that the company has a well trained staff on ground to attend to every needs of the customers. n his remarks, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, Bankole Bernard applauded the management of Travelden for the landmark achievement which is a total departure from the old conventional method of booking.

     

  • Create cassava devt agency, govt urged

    Create cassava devt agency, govt urged

    To address agricultural revitalisation and high food import bill , the Federal  Government has been urged  to establish a National Cassava Development and Industrial Agency (NCADIA).

    An  expert,  Pastor  Agbor Ndoma Agbor, said  this has become necessary as the government  seeks ways  to improve the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.  With the agency, he  said a strong cassava-based industry would  emerge that satisfies traditional demand for cassava as well as new opportunities in food, feed, local industries and export.

    He argued that an increased use of cassava would help to reduce the nation’s food import bill. He said a large percentage of these high-cost imported products can be substituted by cassava leading to job creation, foreign exchange savings, improved diets, and the return of under-utilised land to food production.

    With the agency in place, he said the government will be able to enforce all cassava policies, including 10 per cent composite flour policy, national starch use policy, among others. The agency, he continued, should  enter into trade treaties and  memorandum of understanding (MOUs) with cassava market nations, companies and organisations, thus creating markets for local cassava products and its derivatives.

    Agbor urged the government to set up a Presidential Technical Committee on Cassava.

    The committee, he added, should   embark on  technology-transfer trade missions to major cassava exporting nations to see and adopt technology that will help the nation grow the   cassava industry. He called on the government to support the industry with improved varieties, planting and crop management methods, enabling farmers to achieve the yields necessary to make a profit at all levels of the value chain.

    He said the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari towards the revamping of the agricultural and indeed the cassava subsector became inevitable, especially in the face of dwindling oil prices and global economic regression.

  • Ecobank deepens agency banking

    Ecobank deepens agency banking

    Ecobank has said the introduction of agency banking services was to increase the bank’s retail distribution network, which allows it to provide basic banking services to its customers as well as offer payment services such as bank transfers, bill payments and airtime top-up to the public.

    The agency banking model designed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is a financial inclusion strategy to make banking services available to the public.

    According to Head, Cards and e-Banking, Ecobank, Ayotunde Kuponiyi, agency banking is a part of the bank’s distribution strategy to take banking service to the door-step of the customer, adding that, it offers greater convenience and accessible financial services in a cost effective and secure manner. It would be recalled that Ecobank introduced Agency banking service early in the year.

    The agent partners already offering this service in Lagos are Buymore Supermarket chain (in Agungi-Lekki, Kilo Surulere, Ikeja GRA), Kenzo retail supermarket chain (in Lekki, Festac and Apapa) and Save-a-Lot Supermarket in Egbeda.

    Banking services provided by the agents banking locations include  opening Ecobank Quick Account, cash withdrawal and deposit into Ecobank accounts,  funds transfers into any bank account in Nigeria, bills payment (utilities, cable subscription, etc), mobile phone airtime top up amongst other services.

    Ecobank Agency Banking service, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, is aimed at offering affordable access to financial services to promote and deepen financial inclusion in the Nigeria economy.

  • Agency intervenes in community’s land dispute

    Agency intervenes in community’s land dispute

    THE Public Advise Centre (PAC) of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has waded into the land crisis at Imowo-Nla Community in Ikorodu.

    It had asked the community’s Baale, Chief Olasunkanmi Oyebola, to send a petition on the matter.

    Oyebola told The Nation yesterday that PAC called for the petition to enable it determines what happened.

    A farmer, Aina Odugbesan, who brought the police and some people to the community last Tuesday, has said he was fighting back to get what belongs to him.

    Odugbesan dismissed Oyebola’s claim that he is not from Imowo-Nla, saying those who accompanied the police to the place are indigenes of the community.

    He said the Odufala, Odugade, Shofiran and Odufeso families comprise Imowo-Nla, adding that his father is from Odufeso family.

    “All Imowo-Nla indigenes are from Ifegbuwa. Ifegbuwa is divided into four which are the ones I mentioned earlier. My father is from Odufeso. Therefore, it is out of sheer blasphemy that I have been tagged as a non- indigene.

    “It is true I wrote a petition against the people of Imowonla. They are my people; I can’t deny them because we are from the same Imowo-Nla. I wonder why they deny me. The issue has been on ground since 2009. Two of Imowo-Nla families decided to monopolise what is meant for four of us and we were being threatened to leave. Hoodlums were brought to chase us away with guns and our house was destroyed in order to drive us away from the land. Since then, we were unable to go into Imowo-Nla for the fear of being harmed by these boys. It was the secretary of the family that wrote the petition which was sent to the Inspector-General of Police in February. We were expecting their response since then but we were just attended to two weeks ago when we received a call that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has given the order to policemen from Panti to investigate the matter and go on to arrest the hoodlums that have surrounded Imowonla disturbing us from having access to our land.

    “I followed the police on that Tuesday to point at the six people that were arrested. The boys we took along didn’t vandalise their things. All the vandalised buildings were destroyed by heavy rain fall.

    “I have documents to present as evidence if there is need to give every fact about this issue. On Thursday, I visited Panti and the police have invited everybody to show up on Wednesday (tomorrow). So, we are waiting to meet by Wednesday to present our documents.’

  • Agency screens 1000 for HIV/AIDS

    Agency screens 1000 for HIV/AIDS

    No fewer than 1000 workers were screened for HIV and AIDS at the Onikan Stadium on Sunday, venue of this year’s Workers’ Day celebration in Lagos. This was courtesy of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA).

    LSACA’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Oluseyi Temowo, who spoke at the occasion, said his agency has put in place effective strategies to reduce HIV and AIDS in the state.

    According to him, the strategies being implemented will ensure social and economic revival through behavioural change.

    The agency’s vision, he said, was akin to the theme of this year Workers’ Day – “The working class and the quest for social economic revival”.

    Leading the response to HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) in state, according to him, was herculean, yet achievable.

    He urged workers to appeal to their family members to go for HIV counselling and testing, adding that the agency has scaled-up community outreach campaign of HCT for early detection and treatment.

    He continued: “This is in recognition of the global trend in HIV intervention, which is to eliminate new infections, discrimination and AIDS related death and initiative of eradicating the scourge by 2030.

    “It is now a common knowledge that somebody living with HIV can be symptoms-free for about 10 years and being able to infect others if not checked and treated. Living with HIV does not translate to death with appropriate medication. That is why knowing one’s status is very important”.

    Temowo said access to testing and counselling will allow people to know their status early and take appropriate steps to prevent the transmission to other people.

    Besides, it also affords people the opportunity to take steps to stop the progression to AIDS through necessary lifestyle modification in their health seeking behaviour.

    He charged residents of Lagos State to visit the General Hospital close to their place of residence to access free HIV counselling and testing.

    The agency mobile HCT truck moves to hard to reach areas for this purpose, Temowo added.

    Abstinence, he said, was the best option, adding that couples should be faithful to their partners.

    The agency’s mobile HCT truck and tents, he said, were on ground to receive workers who are willing to have the test.

     

  • Agency to demolish ‘illegal’ structures at Ariaria

    A committee set up by the Abia State Government to restore the master plan of major markets, including Ariaria International Market in Aba, has said it will soon being demolition of illegal structures in the market.

    The Chairman of the state’s Market Development Committee, Solomon Nwaigwe, who addressed reporters in Aba solicited the corporation of traders and shop owners for the proposed remodelling of the market.

    The chairman decried the level of decay in the market, saying its perennial flooding reflected the attitude of the traders who he accused building illegal structures on top of the drainage.

    He also accused them of indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the waterways, forcing water to overflow the gutters into shops.

    According to him, part of the committee’s mandate is to restore the master plan of the market and ensure that it retains its international standard.

    Nwaigwe said: “It might interest you to know that we have carefully carried out proper checks at the market. In our checks, we discovered that the traders built lockup shops on top of drainages.

  • Environment agency cleans up Umuahia

    Environment agency cleans up Umuahia

    Mountains of refuse are giving way in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, thanks to the state Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA).

    The agency has come to life after months of inactivity, a situation which left the capital city with heaps of refuse and not a little stench in many places.

    The agency has been complaining of having rickety vehicles in its fleet to evacuate refuse which in most cases are in the process of breaking down especially when their services are needed most.

    To solve the problem, the Okezie Ikpeazu administration purchased several new refuse disposal trucks which are awaiting delivery to the environment agency.

    Worried by the heaps of waste on the streets and roads, the general manager of ASEPA, Prince Ikechukwu Apugo set up a task force to oversee the evacuation of the unsightly mountains in the state.

    Apugo with his ASEPA team launched the task force on sanitation in major streets of the state capital where the members of the task force were seen dismantling the refuse mountains to the joy and admiration of the residents of Umuahia.

    The task force which went into work was seen clearing heaps of refuse along Warri and Owerri roads in Umuahia, including dislodging of illegal traders and transporters who have turned the two roads into illegal motor parks.

    Speaking with newsmen during the launch of the refuse disposal task force, the general manager of ASEPA, Apugo said that the era when people dump refuse indiscriminately and littering the streets with sachet water packs is over.

    Represented by the deputy director of information in the agency, Mrs Chioma Daphine, Apugo said that the task force is empowered to arrest those who have formed the ugly habit of littering the streets, including those who throw refuse from their vehicles.

    Apugo announced that a mobile court has been formed for the immediate trial of any one found littering the streets of the state capital, including setting fire on the receptacle buckets.

    He said that the law prohibiting under aged children from dumping refuse in the ASEPA bins is still in place, stressing that the children who are underage find it difficult to dump refuse into the bins because of their height, leaving it on the road instead.

    The ASEPA boss frowned at the continued trading along major roads in the city despite the relocation of the city main market to Ubani-Ibeku which is on the outskirts of the capital city.

    He assured that the task force with the compliments of his office will ensure that the state government aim of restoring sanity and environmental cleanliness of Umuahia is achieved with the shortest period.

    In his speech, the leader of the sanitation taskforce Nduka Awomukwu assured that the team will not compromise standards in achieving its mandate and called on the residents to give them maximum support to achieve results.

     

  • Agency screens 2000 for HIV/AIDS

    Lagos State AIDS Control Agency has screened 2000 market men and women for HIV and AIDS at Ebute Oluwo Fish Market in Epe.

    It was done under the agency’s free HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) programme.

    According to the market’s Baba Oja-General Ahaji Dauda Kayode, the turn-out was encouraging based on the market population.

    The market’s Iyalaje of the market, Mrs. Folashade Ojikutu, said women were the major beneficiary because about 95 per cent of the market population are women.

    According to her, men kill the fish but the women engage in the buying and selling, smoking of fish, crayfish, crabs, among others.

    This, she said, makes the Prevention of Mother- to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and AIDS awareness campaign important to their existence.

    “No one wants to die and leave her baby behind,” Mrs Ojikutu said.

    A trader, Mrs Muyinat Lawal, said the exercise would advance their health.

    “We also would want the government to institute micro-credit facility for our trade,” she said.