The Nation Newspaper

Tag: collaboration

  • Addressing open defecation through collaboration

    SIR: Ideally, open defection ought not to be an issue in Nigeria in 21st century. Sadly, contrary to expectation, it is. Logically, it points to bad leadership, abysmal failure of governments for ages. Seriously, the act is a repulsively primordial practice that cuts across all strata of society; gender, status and careers despite its negative consequences, albeit predominant among the underprivileged class.

    Without a doubt, it sounds comical but a reality. Yes, open defecation transcends homeless, primitive and uneducated people. People of diverse vocations also do fall victims of unexpected stomach upset while on journey. And most times, it is abysmally remedied by the unwholesome practice. Of course, nobody will bravely own up to being a perpetrator if not caught red-handed in the jungle or witnessed by co-travelers.

    And so, the odious misconduct is practiced by two groups; circumstantial perpetrators and habitual practitioners. Whatever the category, excreting outside toilets is open defecation. Sadly, it begins from habitually peeing outside facilities. Of course, if reasons are necessary, both sides possibly will adduce cogent raison d’êtres.

    For example, whilst the former may shift the blames to health and nature, the latter will blame penury and governments’ insensitivities. But realistically, what options are available to a traveler that is suddenly under extreme pressure to answer the call of nature where no public conveniences exist? In most cases, any nearby forest plays host to such victims.

    The reason is simple – lack of functional and safe public toilets in sufficient numbers at strategic locations. Hence, it goes beyond blaming perpetrators but conscientiously, dutifully counting the available public toilets in every neighborhood alongside their proximities which is in the negative. For those that don’t go on long road trips, they may still not escape it at social outings. At most night events in public places, faeces are often spotted littering the surrounding areas by unknown persons.

    Again, phobia of infections mostly by women majorly contributes to open defecation where there are public toilets but uncertainty about safety. Unfortunately, defecating in the open is critically, hazardous than superficially believed. Suffice to say that providing sufficient public toilets that are convincingly clean and hygienically safe is a necessary remedy.

    Abysmally, Nigeria according to global statistics currently ranked first position in open defecation in Africa and second in the world after India. By concerted efforts, India has practically moved away from the position leaving Nigeria to formally step into her shoes before the end of 2019.

    From UNICEF survey, out of 47million Nigerians who indulge in open defecation, 16million live in the north. It also shows that while one in every four Nigerians defecates in the open, one in every two persons in the North Central do so in the open. In percentages, North Central got 53.9%; North East -21.8%; North West – 10.3%. In the southern region, South East got 22.4%; South-South – 17.9% while South West – 28.0%.

    Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari signaled to end open defecation in the country by 2025. To actualize this, at least, two million toilets must be added annually. Some state and local governments have slightly keyed into the scheme.

    From the economic perspective, interventions through massive provision of functional public toilets will boost employment opportunities in the society when public conveniences are actively put in places across the nation. Undoubtedly, having functional and safe toilets in proximities along highways alongside remote areas will boost economic growth since demand for safety and hygiene products will practically raise.

    Now, the crux of the matter! Charges for using public conveniences must be appealingly near to the ground. High fees will discourage patronage. In other words, policymakers must ensure that private-operators are encouraged by reducing their overhead costs. Equally, corporate organizations should be active players by supportively, providing public toilets as social responsibilities. Of course, health and sanitations officials must be regularly available for inspections to ensure compliance to WHO standard. Thus, any realistic and sustainable action plan demands expedient collaboration.

     

    • Carl Umegboro,

    umegborocarl@gmail.com

  • ‘Collaboration key to trade facilitation’

    Embracing partnerships is critical to achieving the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government,  the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), has said.

    Its Executive Secretary of of Mr Hassan Bello said trade facilitation will not only increase the patronage of Nigerian seaports by shippers, customs agents and shipping companies, it will enhance ports development and make operations be at par with what is obtainable in ports of advanced nation’s.

    He said while over 70 per cent of cargoes imported through the nation’s port are under declared, adoption of technology and electronic platform in the seaports will check the challenge of sharp practices at the ports.

    According to him, plans are underway to introduce the National Single Window Project which is an electronic platform to which all stakeholders in the port system will be connected and  check all forms of unwholesome practices like under declaration of goods by importers and agents.

    Bello also advised shippers and freight forwarders to learn to be more sincere in their transactions in the import trade. He said the introduction of scanners in the examination of goods will assist in detecting and checking fraudulent practices such as under declaration and concealment among others.

    Bello said the issue of insincerity on the part of some shippers may have made Customs place more emphasis on 100 per cent cargo examination with a view to detecting sharp practices as well as ensuring that the Federal Government is not robbed of its revenue on cargoes. He urged government agencies to collaborate and improve on automation.

    Importers and exporters also said there was need for government agencies to collaborate and reduce the time of clearing goods from the port.

    Among the inherent benefits of partnership among the government agencies.  An importer, Chief Albert Ogunsiji lamented non availability of information to all agencies.

    He said collaboration and  partnerships among government agencies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs  Service can(NCS), and other regulatory agencies, is fundamental to achieving success in maritime trade.

    He said: “Trying to do things alone or hiding vital and privileged information from others will not give adequate results in any given port operation.

    “As a company, we have never done things on our own.

    “Though we have my ideas at every point in time in our business life, but we have always done partnerships because most times, other people are privy to information we do not have.

    “Partnerships have also helped in propelling our visions and aspirations in life. So, we are urging the heads of maritime agencies not to keep their visions and information to their organisation s.”

    He said when he ventured into the importing business, creating jobs and giving people good life were the motivating factors.

    “I went to borrow N10 million from my uncle’s friend and went to the bank to borrow another N10 million and commenced the business.

    “And holding on to God and with the help of other people I shared my aspiration and visions with, within few years, we were able to grow the company to a tune of N25billion,”he said.

    He  also advised the youths to brace for the challenges of life early enough, just as he urged them not to allow ‘poverty mentality’ deter them from realising their dreams.

  • South African firms seek collaboration with India

    South African companies are increasingly enquiring about new areas of collaboration in India. This follows intensified efforts by the Indian High Commission and its consulates in the country as well as a drive by Invest India.

    This emerged following a two-day interaction with local business leaders hosted by Invest India, at which Madhumitha Ramanathan, Co-Head of the Global Outreach Division of Invest India, shared the opportunities available and the new environment to make it easier to invest in India.

    Invest India is the country’s official agency dedicated to investment promotion and facilitation. It has also been envisaged to be the first point of reference for potential investors.

    The huge India-South Africa Business Forum hosted in Johannesburg in April this year set the ball rolling to renew interest in investing in India, with the Ministers from both countries reminding the captains of business and industry from both sides of the special relationship between India and South Africa, Ramanathan told PTI.

    Since then, there has been tremendous interest shown in new areas from those in which South African companies have been involved for many years now, primarily in sectors such as banking, insurance, construction and mining, she said.

    This is my third visit here in the past six months, and we are seeing more and more South Africans now enquiring about other areas in which South African companies have not really shown interest until now.

    Ramanathan said she was pleasantly surprise to find interest from at least seven medium-sized companies in sectors that she had not expected them to.

    “They showed interest in sectors such as shipping, education, food processing and in holding companies, where they buy up significant portions of the company, manage it and run it to bring out the best, she said.

    Ramanathan said that one of the successes of the latest seminar was that South Africans now had a one-stop contact in Invest India if they had any queries in any area, and they did not necessarily have to visit India to get more details first.

    “I shared with them our website, which is extremely comprehensive and has a chatboard using artificial intelligence to engage the person with multiple questions to find a sector expert right there on the website, just a phone call or WhatsApp message away, she said.

    Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj urged the delegates to take advantage of the opportunities that the multi-award-winning India Invest team presented.

    They will ensure that they hold your hand right from the starting point to the finishing point. They will put you in touch with the right partners and guide you through the process.So, what once seemed very difficult, is quite simple now, Kamboj said.

    Invest India, founded in 2009, was set up as a non-profit venture under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

    The organisation’s mandate is to facilitate investments in India.

    In addition to a core team that focuses on sustainable investments, Invest India also partners with substantial investment promotion agencies and multilateral organisations. It also actively works with several Indian states to build capacity as well as bring in global best practices in investment targeting, promotion and facilitation areas.

  • How NIMASA, MAN collaboration can change industry’s narrative

    I am highly impressed by what has happened between the last time I visited the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) informally and now. There have been tremendous improvements. Indeed, I am over-whelmed. I literally do not know where to begin my commendation of the man behind the success story, Commodore Duja Effedua. Besides, I have seen determination, pragmatism, and vision on the side of the leadership.The Rector has clearly shown where he wants to take the academy to and NIMASA will surely give him all the needed support going by the pace and determination he has already demonstrated.’’

    These inspiring words  showered on Commodore  Effedua by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, were like the appraisal of the Rector’s first anniversary.

    The NIMASA chief gave the commendation when he visited the Academy last Friday. He said he was on a fact-finding mission to confirm what he had read in the newspapers, adding that he was not disappointed.

    He expressed satisfaction with the transformation of the over 40-year-old Academy in the last one year.

    After  inspecting the campus, where many dilapidated or abandoned structures have been renovated, completed or undergoing construction by the Management, the NIMASA DG further appreciated the Rector for his vision and taste for quality.

    Peterside added that he was pleased that the Federal Government has found a round peg in a round hole in its quest to reposition the foremost maritime institution for the benefit of Nigerians and others in the sub-region.

    The DG stated the correlation between repositioning the Academy in terms of availability of facilities, quality of instructors and professional competency of cadets and the maritime narrative of the country.

    He argued that the status or functionality of the Academy has a direct bearing on the economy of the country; the reason government cannot treat the Maritime Academy with kid-gloves.

    “The importance of the maritime industry in Nigeria is directly related to the fortunes or performance of MAN. That is because the Academy grooms personnel for the industry. Therefore, if we expect the nation’s maritime industry to be top-range, the quality of personnel produced by the Academy also must be of top range. Again if we expect the quality of products from the Academy to be top range, then the quality of facility and instructors must also be at par with such expectations. It implies that if we want the industry to advance with the realities of the time, we must necessarily address issues pertaining to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria”, Peterside stated.

    Be that as it may, there is, therefore, much to glean from Commodore Effedua’s brief  highlight of policy and objectives of his administration, challenges and experiences in office. Commodore Effedua stated that his mission was on how to change wrong perceptions and the narratives of the Academy, to leave a legacy that stakeholders and posterity will be proud of.

    He said: “I must confess that I feel sad about where the Academy is today having been established about 40 years ago. It is far, far away from its contemporaries and even those that were founded long after it. Something must be done to redeem the grand objective of establishing the institution. And my goal is to achieve that to the best of my ability and this would be seen in the quality of products produced by this Academy under my watch. If the needed quality of staff, facilities and appropriate exposure are given, I can guarantee you that there is no how cadets from this academy cannot compete comfortably with their counterparts elsewhere in the world.”

    The Rector enumerated some of the challenges facing the academy to include unavailability of core maritime professionals, such as master mariners and navigators; obsolete teaching aids; lack of simulators and training ship for cadets’ sea-time; and bloated staff strength where over 70 per cent is non-teaching staff.

    Other challenges, according to the Rector, are incursion by host communities, who wrote volumes of frivolous petitions against the Management of the Academy; bloated cadets and lack of publications or books.

    Even in the face of these challenges, the Rector has devised a peculiar modus operandi to overhaul the structures and policies of the academy to achieve optimum results and strong diplomacy with host communities.

    Such include enforcement of discipline, training and restraining of workers at home and abroad through workshops, reduction of staff volume through redeployment, audit of certificates to ensure transparency. The Rector also involves in Corporate Social Responsibility for the communities.

    On the secret of his success, the Commodore stated that the magic lies in the belief that bad situations could be turned around for good with the right attitude, determination, competence and integrity. The second is creating  the right atmosphere for workers to key into your leadership pattern.

    Indeed, one major aspect of the Rector’s integrity in handling issues of the academy could have been dictated in his statements. Whereas others in the past ran down the government in the area of funding, the Rector gave what can be taken as a piece: “Let me say something no one may be bold enough and frank to say: funds from NIMASA to this Academy cannot strictly be said to be inadequate; but they are irregular. It takes so long to come. And that affects our operations so adversely. I wish they come when they should”.

    The Rector nonetheless expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and NIMASA for their commitments and interventions in critical areas of needs in the Academy. He, however, said much still had to be done to bring the Academy to international standard. The promises by the NIMASA DG were both encouraging and indicative of where the Academy should be.

    After suggesting measures to tackle the challenges,  Peterside said his agency would assist the Academy to realise its aims: “Let me make it very clear that NIMASA will offer help and support in all areas of need. This will include  bringing in core maritime professionals as external lecturers, initiating engagements and negotiations with affiliate organisations on exchange of programmes and facilities, acquiring simulators, ensuring timely release of funds due the institution, including donations of books.

    “I give my word that NIMASA will go all out to support the Management of the Academy because we are convinced beyond words of its capacity to deliver, so that together we can advance the vision of the maritime industry in this country. This is also in line with my strategic agenda for a complete turnaround of the sector for the envisaged benefits in all ramifications. In collaboration with sister organisations, we will train cadets and lecturers in highly professional aspects in places like Singapore, Egypt, etc.”

    Individuals and organisations that visited the Academy in recent times also praised the Rector for the changes at the Academy.

    The Naval chief attributed the problems in the institution to poor management and inability of those in charge to interpret the objectives of the foremost maritime training institution in Nigeria.

    Intersetingly, Commodore Effedua is changing things for the better.

    Other facilities that Peterside inspected include the remodelling of the library and resource centre, state-of-the-art survival pool,  and lecture theatres.

  • Collaboration key to skills development,says ITF chief

    The Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, has said local and international collaboration is critical to accomplishing the goals of the agency.

    According to him, the Fund has established training linkages with external agencies, such as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the N-Power Knowledge, Niger Delta University (NDU), National Institute for Mining and Geosciences and Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CTIN).

    He said the current management of the agency would return the organisation to the path of growth, saying that, in the last two years, the agency has trained over 60,000 from 2,300 organisations and over 50,000 youths.

    Other vulnerable groups were also equipped with skills for employability and entrepreneurship through programmes, such as the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), the Women Skills Empowerment Programme (WOSEP), Training on Wheels and the Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP), among other initiatives.

    Ari said about 150,000 Nigerians had benefited from ITF training programmes since the assumption of the current management.

    He said: “ITF has implemented numerous technical skills acquisition programmes as well as introduced new initiatives including the National Industrial Skills development Programme (NISDP), the Women Skills Empowerment Programne (WOSEP) and the Skills Development Programme for Youths in Construction Trade (CONSEP) among several others.

    “The NISDP, our flagship technical vocational skills acquisition programme, which was run twice in 2016, has trained about 30,000 youths drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between late 2016 to date.”

    Ari said the agency has collaborated with organisations both locally and internationally for training and technical assistance.

    According to him, the fund established training linkages with external agencies like United Nation’s Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the N-Power Knowledge, Niger Delta University (NDU), National Institute for Mining and Geosciences and Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CTIN) amongst others.

    On the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), he said: “The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme is a brain child of the ITF. It was initiated to provide students of engineering, technical and allied disciplines, with practical experience of the real work situations they were likely to find on graduation.

    “The ITF disbursed a total of N1.6billion as students and supervisory allowances to 328 tertiary institutions.

    “As part of efforts to improve the scheme, the ITF stepped up engagements with the supervising agencies and other stakeholders to address some of the problems bedeviling the scheme.

    “To this end, it convened the 13th SIWES Biennial Conference and the SIWES stakeholders meeting. All the events took place in Abuja and attracted the participation of all the regulatory agencies, the Federal Ministries of Education; Industry, Trade and Investment; Labour and Productivity and employers of labour.

     

     

  • Physicians call for collaboration

    Private medical practitioners have called for collaboration between government and private medical practitioners to restructure, rebuild and save Nigeria’s ailing health system.

    The President, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Dr Ugwu Odo, made the call at a news conference by the association and the World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA), in Lagos.

    The conference was to commemorate World Family Doctors Day (WFDD), to acknowledge the role and contributions of family physicians in health care delivery.

    The 2018 WFDD theme was: “Family Doctors: Leading the Way to Better Health’’.

    According to Odo, government’s collaboration with private medical practitioners is the only assurance for Nigerians to have affordable and accessible quality health care.

    “Family doctors are a very special group of doctors because they provide the most essential daily health care needs to the highest number of the population.

    “They are also the longest-serving, as well as the longest-staying doctors in the lives of people, especially because they provide comprehensive and continuous care.

    “On a day like this, family doctors across the world mark their great work in advocacy, clinical governance, health care development and promotion by way of corporate social responsibility to the society.

    “We are all encouraged to replicate this at state and individual hospital levels,’’ Odo said.

    “We commend our governments at the federal, state and local levels for what they have done in articulating a health system for Nigeria.

    “However, a lot still needs to be done in the health sector because our health care institutions are still very weak and unsustainable.

    “The determinants and indicators of a functional primary health care system, which account for over 80 per cent of the needs of the population, are not strongly in place.

    “Governments must budget more for health, at least 17 per cent of the annual budget is expected to go to the health sector but it gets less than five per cent presently.

    “Our health insurance scheme must be transformed by transparency, accountability and professional diligence, to enthrone universal coverage,’’ Odo said.

    Odo urged governments at all levels to invest in and also grow the private health sector by policy shift and system restructuring that were investment friendly.

    Dr Tunji Akintade, Chairman, AGPMPN, Lagos State Chapter, also drew attention to the need for private/public collaboration, which could help to deliver good health services to the people.

    “Public/private collaboration would address the challenges of lack of health personnel and brain drain in the health system.

    “Our major plan is to have a meaningful impact on health but governments need to employ more manpower than just restructuring health facilities.

    “There is a gap in human resource for health in Nigeria that is why we have doctor/patient ratio at one to 5,000.

    “We do not have more than 40,000 doctors in Nigeria; the main reason it is important for government to partner with private sector to improve primary health care services,’’ he said.

    Akintade said there was need for an inclusive health insurance system.

    “Health insurance scheme can also be used to improve the health system in both public and private sectors.

    “That is why we want government to consider the private health sector during budgeting and also reduce the multiple taxation in the health system,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Dr Sylvester Osinowo, Former President of the World Organisation of Family Africa, said it was important to put the health sector in the right perspective.

    Osinowo said the only way this could be achieved was by planning and making sure every individual contributed to health according to their income.

    “This can be done through telecommunications, which is a meaningful way of funding health.

    “Government needs to establish a health bank to manage such funds, which will help everybody t

     

     

     

     

     

    o access health,’’ Osinowo said.

    AGPMPN offered free medical services to not less than 150 residents of Lawanson Community in Surulere, Lagos.

    The outreach comprised of series of tests, including malaria, diabetes and checking cholesterol level

     

  • Deputy Governor seeks collaboration in education

    LAGOS State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule has said reforming the education sector is a collective responsibility.

    She spoke at the inauguration of the state chapter of the African Youths International Development Foundation (AFYIDEF) and the unveiling of its intervention programme in the education sector called Lagos State Education Development Initiative (LASEDI).

    The programme is supported by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC).

    Mrs Adebule, represented by Director of Schools Administration Education District III, Lagos State, Mr Samuel Oyebisi, lamented that the 6-3-3-4 system of education in practice was not well implemented.

    “Which type of education do we desire and why do we desire it. If you look at the 6-3-3-4 system of education being practised in Nigeria, how many of us are ready to allow our children to spend the first three years in junior secondary school and enter into technical school?

    “It is all about mindset. Many of us look at this area as not good enough for our children or someone related to us. All of us cannot have white collar jobs. Many of us see it as menial. Those who are benefitting from what we considered to be wrong are still comfortable with it.

    She explained that issues around the education sector need assertive reasoning and collaboration.

    “What is the way forward? What roles are you playing as an individual, government, civil societies, NGOs to correct these flaws? We are going to jointly address it. We can only get there if we are on the same page,” she said.

    Also, a former Commissioner for Youth and Social Development and chairman of the occasion, Micheal Bamidele, bemoaned the dichotomy among the tertiary institutions.

    He said: “Education is aimed at preparing us for the challenges ahead. This recurring comparison of universities and polytechnics is a high way to nowhere. They are meant to serve different purposes. We have a situation where our polytechnics are offering courses which ought to be reserved for universities while the technical education suffers.

    As a result, courses, which should be the priorities of our polytechnics are sidelined. You don’t have people there anymore. That is why people in the construction company would travel far to Togo, Benin Republic to get capable hands. We are truly loosing it.’’

  • Lagos seeks collaboration in education

    Lagos State government yesterday called for more input and collaboration of stakeholders in the review of its policy on education.

    Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule spoke at a Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum on the Review of the Lagos State Policy on Education, organised by the Ministry of Education.

    She said non-governmental organisations, civil societies, parents, traditional leaders, religious leaders, educationists and development partners had a role to play in the quest for quality education.

    According to her, the society’s quest for sustainable growth and development is anchored on the guarantee of effective and efficient education sector.

    “The state government realised the need to review the education policy in the state which was last reviewed in 1998.

    “There are emerging issues in the sector and there is the need to update and re-align the old policy with current realities and global best practices.

    “The new policy will seek to inculcate appropriate knowledge, attitudes, values and skills for individual, state and national development.

    ” A review committee was constituted in January 2016 to provide a functional framework for the delivery of effective, efficient and access to inclusive education.

    “We will appreciate your continued collaboration and cooperation to achieve our collective aim of making education very effective and efficient for the benefit of our dear state,” she said.

    Adebule, who doubles as commissioner for Education, pledged that the ministry will justify the huge investment on education.

    “The Lagos State budget for education in the last three years have been huge, in particular, the current year’s education budget stands at 12.07 per cent; the third largest in the 2018 budget.

    “This is a clear demonstration of this administration’s desire to ensure accelerated growth in the education sector and expand access to quality education in the state.

    “To justify this huge investment, the ministry has positioned itself to continuously invent sustainable strategies and structures that meet global trends,” she said.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘Education Policy Review: The Journey So Far’, Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), said that the policy document should promote creativity on how students could address new challenges of the 21st century.

     

     

     

  • Lagos seeks collaboration in education policy review

    The Lagos State Government yesterday called for more input and collaboration of stakeholders in the review of its policy on education, to capture current realities and global best practises.

    Its Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule made the call at a Stakeholders Engagement Forum on the Review of the Lagos State Policy on Education organised by the Ministry of Education in Lagos.

    She said non-governmental organisations, civil societies, parents, traditional leaders, religious leaders, educationists and development partners had a role to play in the quest for quality education in the state.

    According to her, the society’s quest for sustainable growth and development in all sectors is anchored on the guarantee of effective and efficient education sector.

    She said: “The state government realised the need to review the education policy in the state which was last reviewed in 1998. There are emerging issues in the sector and there is the need to update and re-align the old policy with current realities and global best practises. The new policy will seek to inculcate appropriate knowledge, attitudes, values and skills for individual, state and national development.

    “A review committee was constituted in January 2016 to provide a functional framework for the delivery of effective, efficient and access to inclusive education.

    “We will appreciate your continued collaboration and cooperation to achieve our collective aim of making education very effective and efficient for the benefit of our dear state.”

    Adebule who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education pledged that the ministry would justify the huge investment on education by the Ambode led-administration.

    “The Lagos State budget for education in the last three years have been huge, in particular, the current year’s education budget stands at 12.07 per cent; the third largest in the 2018 budget.

    “This is a clear demonstration of this administration’s desire to ensure accelerated growth in the education sector and expand access to quality education in the state.

    “To justify this huge investment, the ministry has positioned itself to continuously invent sustainable strategies and structures that meet global trends,” she said.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘Education Policy Review: The Journey So Far’, Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), said the policy document should promote creativity on how students could address new challenges of the 21st century.

    “After a critical look the document, it has provision for contemporary issues as well as future directions for education in Lagos. It can stand side by side with the policy of Finland which has the best education system that provides equal opportunities for all citizens. The success of this document does not rest on government alone; I urge all stakeholders to cooperate with the ministry in the final compilation of this document,” he said.

  • GTBank seeks collaboration with FinTechs

    GTBank seeks collaboration with FinTechs

    The Managing Director Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc, Segun Agbaje has said banks and Financial Technology (FinTechs) need to partner to create more value for their customers.

    Speaking at the Social Media Week held at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, he  said the meeting was also about collaboration with the FinTechs,which have huge potentials in the financial services space.

    He such partnership will eventually turn to competition since both the banks and FinTechs target same customers.

    “Today, it is collaboration. I think eventually it would become competition. That is because once the FinTechs become big enough and have enough of your customer base, you will become competitors. I think it is collaboration, but it would migrate to competition,” he said.

    Agbaje explained that the bank is building sustainable business model that enable customers to buy goods and services within the lender’s ecosystem.

    “To build a business model where you create a platform and partner with anybody who has a service to offer, so that if as a customer, you come into our ecosystem, you can just buy anything, you can do your banking business, you can buy your tickets, you can buy insurance, you can travel, if you want to get a 10-day loan, you can come in and do it. So, really, we want you to come into our ecosystem, maybe five times a day to do something more than banking,” he said.

    The GTBank boss said the level of transactions that are susceptible to fraud is low. “Let me honest to you, the percentage of transactions that are susceptible to fraud is immaterial to the larger level. So, I don’t think people should be scared. We are beginning to build more security around it and I think there are more transactions that are carried out without fraud,” he said.

    He said GTBank joined other thought leaders, innovators business practitioners, entrepreneurs, among others from Nigeria and around the world to mark the 2018 Social Media Week because it believes it will contribute to better future for the people and economy.