The Nation Newspaper

Tag: conference

  • Experts inspire youths at MTNF’ conference

    Nigerian youths have been charged not to allow their challenges be their limitations in the quest to become successful. They are therefore, advised to develop the necessary skills, attitudes and attributes to succeed as entrepreneurs in their chosen carrier.

    The call was made at the grand finale of the MTN Foundation Scholars Alumni Conference. The event which held in Lagos, formed  part of initiatives from the foundation, aimed at empowering Nigerian youths to be successful.

    The Scholars Alumni Conference is the yearly gathering of the beneficiaries of MTN Foundation Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme and Blind Students Scholarship Scheme. This year’s event  was preceded by the annual employability workshop, where the graduands were taught relevant life skills needed for economic empowerment The scheme since inception, has awarded scholarships worth over N6 billion to more than 8,000 beneficiaries. Founder of arts and style centre, Tera Kulture, Ms. Bolanle Austen Peters, advised the students and alumni to build valued relationships that would be instrumental in their path to success. “A valuable relationship and a bold determination is important towards climbing and staying on top of the success ladder. Fear is the enemy, dream big, be bold,” Austen-Peters, admonished.

    CEO, OkadaBooks.com, Ofili Okechukwu, recounted his grass -to-grace story, encouraging participants to always explore every opportunity to achieve their objectives  “Don’t get addicted to your degrees,” Okechuckwu warned.

    “You have to get up and be a reformer, reformers do it until they get it right”.

    Earlier on Owerri, CEO, SLOT Nigeria Nnamdi Ezegbo, urged participants to grab opportunities as they come and avoid losing sight of their goals. “There is no perfect time for you to strike at success. Every time is the best, but you need to understand the times.”

    Speaking on the same issue in Abuja, the Co -Founder and Executive Director of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole, urged the alumni and other students to believe in their abilities and start winning. He advised them to take advantage of the strength that comes from their abilities and use same to achieve their desires.

    Director, MTN Foundation Elder Dennis Okoro, admonished participants to see the scholarship as a rare opportunity that must be well utilised.

    “Now that you have all gained and have been empowered, it is essential that you show yourselves as worthy ambassadors of the programme. Feel free to exhibit your creativity positively and contribute your quota to the development of the country; also remain assured of our continuous support,” Okoro assured.

  • RRS arrests seminar, conference thief

    RRS arrests seminar, conference thief

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a man who specialises in stealing the laptops and properties of conference and seminar participants in Lagos.

    Ikemefuna Aje, 47, was arrested last Wednesday by the operatives after he gate-crashed into a seminar organised for Internet brand managers at a hotel in GRA, Ikeja. He made away with five MacBooks, one HP computer and some personal effects of the workshop participants.

    Ikemufuna, who was captured on the CCTV camera at the venue of the event, drove in and headed straight into the seminar room when the participants went for launch.

    The suspect, who was corporately dressed, wore a participant’s tag before making away with the items.

    He allegedly took the stolen items to the Computer Village, Ikeja and sold five Mac Books and HP computer to Saliu Ibraheem for N1,110,000.

    RRS operatives traced him to 5, Tony Street, Ejigbo, Lagos where he was hosting his church members in a house fellowship.

    Recovered from his house were the 4Runner Toyota, marked KRD 701 DC, which he drove into the seminar venue, a master key, Zinox laptop, several computer bags, computer and tablet accessories, seminar materials and N700,000 cash.

    A representative of the seminar organisers, who did not want her name in print, said: “We were shocked to see participants bringing up issues of missing laptops and computer accessories after returning from lunch.

    “The seminar was not advertised online neither in any national newspapers. How did this suspect get to know of the event and managed to come at the exact time participants about a hundred participants were having lunch.”

    According to RRS, Ikemefuna has scouts, who furnish him with information on conferences and seminars.

    The suspect was quoted to have said that the seminar was one of the many he invaded and made away with participants’ valuables.

    The suspect, initially denied the crime, but confessed when he saw the CCTV footages. He then allegedly led the operatives to Computer Village to arrest the buyer.

    RRS quoted Ibrahim as saying: “I have known Ikemefuna for more than seven years. He brought five Mac Books and one HP to my shop that he bought them in South Africa. I bought them for N1, 110,000 and I resold it immediately for N1, 250,000. The money was transferred into my account immediately.”

    The operatives said it had recovered all the stolen laptops.

    Police spokesperson Olarinde Famous Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) said the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

  • FG plans conference on Lake Chad

    FG plans conference on Lake Chad

    The Federal Government has initiated a bilateral engagement for an international conference to discuss modalities to resuscitate the Lake Chad which is drying up.

    Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu  told  a  delegation of the  UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that visited in Abuja  that it was important to  draw international attention to the drying up of the lake in order to save 47 million people living around the lake.

    Adamu reiterated the need for the international consideration since 47 million people depend on it (lake) for farming, fishing, livestock production and water supply for drinking and sanitation.

    The planned conference, according to him, will look at ways to draw experts to proffer solutions on how to save the lake.

    He explained that the conference would look into the feasibility study of inter-basin transfer of water from Oubangui River in the Central African Republic.

    Adamu said that one of the conference’s major focus would be to emphasise on poverty alleviation of the population who depend on the resources from the Lake Chad Basin, following its reduction to about 468km due to the effects of climate change.

  • LASTVEB, firm sign MoU on technical students’ conference

    The Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Trantouch Ltd to organise a conference for students of the five technical colleges in  state next month.

    The Technical Students Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Conference (TECHSEEC) is the brainchild of Mr Collins Uwadia, CEO of Trantouch Ltd, and an alumnus of Government Technical College, Ikotun.

    Uwadia said at the signing at the LASTVEB headquarters in GRA, Ikeja, that the conference would expose about 6,000 students of technical colleges to best practices and opportunities in the skills sector by bringing them in contact with seasoned experts, both local and foreign, in a five-star venue.

    He also said the students as well as firms in the technical/vocational sector would be able to showcase their creativity through a product exhibition that would feature as part of the event.

    During the conference, three lucky students would win slots to get trained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and afterwards, about 1,000 final year students of the colleges would also get opportunity for three to six months of training in graphic design, basic computing, business writing, GSM repairs, social media engagement, customer relationship management to be provided by three seasoned ICT firms.

    “This initiative was borne out of passion and my experience, having being privileged to work locally and internationally in the technical field,” he said.

    Lauding the initiative, Director, Technical and Vocational Education, Mr Laolu Oguntuyi, who signed the MoU as Acting Secretary of LASTVEB, said the board needed private sector partnership to boost the quality of training the students  so that they can be relevant in the work place.

    “I am happy about this programme because it will correct the poor perception about Technical and Vocational Education.

    “All of us know that there is inadequate linkage between the educational institutions and industry. This training would bridge the gap,” he said.

    CEO of Rhoda Michael School of Fashion, Mrs Rhoda Agbeyo, who chaired the organising committee for TECHSEEC, underscored the need for Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) training. She said it was not inferior as evidence of its usefulness was demonstrated in increasing number of graduates seeking training at her fashion school.

    “This is what Nigeria needs right now. We have so many graduates in Nigeria without skills. I am a graduate/masters holder who is back to vocational studies. Now I am a teacher of many students at Rhoda Michael School of fashion, who are graduates

  • Presbyterians urge Buhari on Conference 2014 Report

    The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has added its voice to calls for restructuring of the polity, advocating a comprehensive implementation of the report and recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.

    The church, in a communiqué at the end of its 22nd General Assembly in Lagos, said this will restore balance in the structure of the federation and rebuild trust and confidence among  ethnic nationalities, thus promoting national unity.

    It regretted the increasing hunger and poverty in the land arising from downturn in the economy with its consequences of unpaid salaries and retrenchment of workers.

    The church decried rising youth unemployment, which contributed to such vices as kidnapping, robbery, vandalism, etc. and urged the government to reverse the trend.

    Jointly signed by the new Moderator of the General Assembly, Rev. Nzie Nsi Eke and Principal Clerk Rev. Eseme David William, the communique referred to security challenges in the Northeast occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, re-emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta, and the bloody crisis of Fulani herdsmen in the South and Northcentral, and called on the Federal Government to  restore peace.

    On the menace of Fulani herdsmen, the church called on the government to encourage development of cattle ranches (not cattle reserves) in areas with such natural comparative advantage.

    In addition, the Nigerian meat industry should be developed in a way that meat animals are slaughtered in the areas of cattle production and meat (not live meat animals) are transported to markets in refrigerated (cold) storage facilities. This will eliminate the nomadic nature of cattle rearing in Nigeria and thus end the frequent friction between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities.

    Against the background of unease and insecurity in the land, the Church called on all Nigerians to renew their faith and commitment in the nation under our faithful, merciful and loving God. The Church also enjoined Nigerians of all faiths to pray for the Government and the nation as consistent with the Holy Scripture (1Timothy 2:1-3).

    In a statement by its Director of Information & Public Affairs, Rev. Kalu Eme, the Church described the state of roads in the country, especially in the south as deplorable and called on the Government to take action to remedy the situation.

    It however expressed delight with the Federal Government’s efforts in the war against Boko Haram, and the restoration of peace in the North East. Similarly, the Church commended the Federal Government’s resolve to clean up Ogoni Land and other parts of Niger Delta affected by many years of neglect in the oil exploration industry.

    On the on-going fight against corruption, the Church commended the Government but cautioned that the exercise should not be partial or selective, but holistic. Besides, Government should involve structural mechanism that would not only reduce corruption to its barest minimum, but also make it unattractive.

     

  • CBN, IFC, CBAN to host conference

    The Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria (CBAN) will be hosting its third National Credit Reporting Conference with the theme: “Credit bureaux and access to finance: Nigeria’s success story” on Wednesday.

    Chairman of the association, Mrs. Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun, said this year’s conference coincides with the 25th anniversary of credit reporting in Nigeria and it’s the third edition of the national conference series.

    The Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria was established to promote the use of credit reporting in Nigeria, access to finance, execution of policies favorable to the health of the financial system and to promote the interests of credit bureaux.

    According to Mrs. Sharrieff-Ayedun, the gathering provides the opportunity to evaluate the successes recorded over the 25-year period and achievements of credit reporting in Nigeria. Credit Bureaux have been stimulating economic growth through the provision of critical risk management and fraud prevention services to the financial services sector, and the promotion of regulations and policies that have generally improved access to finance for households and the real sector of the economy.

    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director, Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, who will be speaking on an analysis of the guidelines on licensing and operations of credit bureaux: its relevance to the Nigerian financial sector, said the conference is expected to bring industry leaders together to forge a common front towards financial system stability through adequate monitoring and improved access to finance.

     

     

  • FG bans conference bags,T-shirts, souvenirs, at workshops, seminars

    FG bans conference bags,T-shirts, souvenirs, at workshops, seminars

    The Federal Government has banned the procurement and distribution of conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events and activities such as Conferences, Workshops and Seminars organised and funded by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    The new measures were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari following recommendations by the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and conveyed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministers of Finance and Budget and National Planning, by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, for implementation.

    A statement from the federal ministry of finance signed by Salsiu Na’Inna Dambatta, Director (Information) said “the directive is a recognition of the fact that in a period of lean financial resources in the face of huge national infrastructural deficit, wasteful and unnecessary expenditure on overheads such as on souvenirs and conference bags were luxuries that the government must eliminate to release funds for infrastructure and services such as health and education that would have direct positive impact on the wellbeing of the citizenry and promote economic development.”

    The directive Dambatta said, also contains specific guidelines that would reduce the cost of printing Invitation Cards, Programme of events, Brochures, Folders and Note Pads. Among the guidelines are that they should be in black and white and limited to only one page and in the case of Brochures they should be streamlined to contain only essential information.”

    The printing of “unnecessary publications and books of short shelf life which have no real value to the concerned public institutions or the citizens ” was also banned.

    The statement noted that the federal government recognizes “the need for the citizenry and other interested parties to be aware of the initiatives, activities and programmes being implemented by the government, the MDAs were directed to save costs by uploading such publications on their websites which have the added benefit of wider visibility, and print only limited number of hard copies of such publications.”

  • WAJE PERFORMS AT GLOBAL AIDS CONFERENCE

    CELEBRITY singer, Waje Iruobe, was one of the African artistes at the 2016 biannual global AIDS conference; considering her status as one of the faces for the One Campaign Initiative.

    The singer, alongside four musicians from other nation were reported to have given an outstanding performance of the ‘Strong Girl’ theme song, as part of the activities for the One Campaign; a call for people to put pressure on their leaders to empower girls and women in the poorest countries; to lift their communities out of poverty.

    The mother of one, on her Instagram page, also shared pictures of her activities in Durban, which include the packing of 10millions foods, to feed the less-privileged.

    Waje, who is also one of the judges at the ongoing The Voice Nigeria, had the privilege to meet with experts in the field, as well as other celebrities including Charlize Theron and Prince Harry, among others.

    The One Campaign song for the girl initiative has had other talented artistes, feature on the song.

  • Ahmed, Sultan, Gambari for conference

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, will, on Friday, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, open a three-day national conference on the propagation of Islam.

    The conference is organised by the Da’wah Co-ordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN).

    Chairman, Central Working Committee of DCCN, Justice Idris Abdullahi Haroon said the conference would hold at the Banquet Hall, beginning on Thursday through Saturday.

    Governor Ahmed, he said is the special guest of honour, while Emir Sulu-Gambari would be the royal host.

    Sultan Abubakar is expected to commission the newly constructed Juma’at Mosque built by the Kwara State Jamaatu Nasril Islam.

  • School holds conference for pastors’ wards

    It was a rewarding time for secondary school children of pastors and ministers at the 6th Pastors’ Children’s Conference convened by the Chaplain of Dansol High School, Ogba, Pastor Yomi Adebiyi.

    They got the opportunity to hear from young role models such as Mrs Tolu Odukoya-Ijegun, daughter of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, as well as seasoned minister, Apostle Yemi Adekunle, about combining matters of the heart with their education.

    Mrs Odukoya-Ijegun, who is also a blogger, counseled the youngsters to treasure themselves and ask God for guidance in all their endeavours.  She warned them against allowing fickle emotional feelings of youth to derail them from the right path.

    “Virginity is like a gift that you give to your husband.  Don’t lose it because of temporary feelings.  Feelings are fleeting.  Don’t ever give anything permanent in a temporary situation,” she warned.

    Mrs Odukoya-Ijegun also counseled the participants, many of whom were pupils of Dansol High School as well as outsiders, to take their relationship with God seriously.  She shared her rapid career success with the young people, which she attributed to God’s favour.

    “You have the power to command your future.  You need to align with the will of God.  In school, if you are truly a Christian you can get good grades.  Everyday you wake up, ask God for guidance,” she said.

    Apostle Adekunle led a prayer session for the young ones during which he counseled them to open up to their parents or teachers about sexual abuses they may have experienced.

    “There are children here who have been victims of sexual abuse, go and talk to your coordinator about it.  Things are happening that many parents do not know about,” he said.

    Mrs Adun Akinyemiju, Director, Dansol High School, told the pastors’ children that they should live exemplary lives because that is God’s expectation from them; while Pastor Timilehin Adigun shared his own experience growing up as a pastor’s child and the challenges he had to face meeting up with church, societal, and people’s expectations and how he overcame them.

    Pastor Adebiyi said he was inspired to start the programme in 1995.  But this year’s edition is the first since 1999. He said the target is teenagers because of the significance the period represents in the transition from childhood to adulthood.

    “The period they are now is the period of decision and it is very important for them to understand the purpose of their lives.  This is the level when they begin to understand accountability,” he said.