The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council

  • Council teaches youths ways out of crime

    Apapa Local Government Executive Secretary, Bolaji Dada has restated the need to fight crime and other social vice in the society.

    Dada said all hands must be on the deck to curtail crime, noting that unemployment is the factor responsible for it.

    She said the council would do everything within its power to assist youths who are ready to embrace hard work, stressing that government will train and empower youths to enable them earn decent living.

    At a ceremony to teach youths how to become useful citizens trough self employment, Dada enjoined them to be proactive in the development of the council.

    The youths received items ranging from vulcanizing machines, clippers, generators, pope corn machines, hair dresser machines, sewing machines and hair dryers were urged to be proactive in making the society better.

    Dada said it was better to teach them how to fish, saying that the effort will lead to multiple effects of reducing crime and enhancing the economy growth.

    She said: “We have decided to move away from tokenism of doling out consumables to people. We believe such consumable be exhausted within weeks, sending their beneficiaries to the squalor where they have always been.

    “Today, government should not only concentrate on erecting building and construction of roads while the welfare of the people is push to the background.”

    She added that one of the best way of fighting crime is to engage the youth in productive venture, noting that the council will continue to play its role the fight to make Apapa and environs better.

    “All over the world, especially in Africa, poverty has become a hydra-headed problem which must be tackled by all, using all the available resources at our disposal to nip it in the bud.

    “Though this should not be left in the hands of the government alone, everyone must be involved. This includes the philanthropists, corporate bodies and very other person with the milk of human kindness,” she stressed.

  • Ad Council brings competing brands together for a campaign

    Ad Council brings competing brands together for a campaign

    The Ad Council of United States is uniting competing firms for a campaign called “Love Has No Labels.”

    Together, the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Allstate and State Farm are hoping to start a conversation about prejudice and unconscious biases.

    The idea stemmed from a conversation one of Coca-Cola’s top marketers, Wendy Clark, had last spring with then Ad Council President Peggy Conlon.

    “She wanted to see if this is a topic we would want to take on,” said Lisa Sherman, the non-profit organisation’s current president. “As we approached some of our partners it was clear that there was a number of partners interested.”

    The campaign, from digital shop R/GA, is meant to draw attention to “implicit biases.” People will be prompted to examine their own preconceived notions of others. The idea is to jolt those who believe they are not prejudiced.

    “Implicit bias refers to the way people unconsciously and sometimes unwillingly exhibit bias towards other individuals and groups,” said Rachel Godsil, co-founder and director of research at the Perception Institute in a statement.

    “The good news is that once we are aware of our biases, we can begin to take action to reduce the effects they can have on our behavior and ultimately, to reduce the biases themselves.”

    The Ad Council – whose public service announcement legacy includes well-known slogans like “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,” “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” and “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” – has historically worked on a single issue with just one organisation at a time. With this new program it will be collaborating with eight non-profit organisations, each representing a class that is discriminated against.

    Those who visit www.LoveHasNoLabels.com can take an online quiz to evaluate their own level of prejudice. Then, they will be prompted to help the Anti-Defamation League, Southern Poverty Law Centre, National Women’s Law Centre, Human Rights Campaign, American Association of People with Disabilities, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Muslim Advocates or AARP.

    “It’s timely,” said R/GA Global Chief Creative Officer Nick Law. “There are lots of stuff happening. Not just domestically but globally.”

    The campaign will be seeded on social media platforms by the brands and non-profit partners involved, with each expected to temporarily replace its profile image with the official campaign logo designed by Mr. Law.

    The simplicity of the design speaks to the overall message. “One of the original creative ideas was using the product and taking the labels off…  this idea of taking away superficial labels or superficial impressions. This idea of the absence of something,” Mr. Law said. “To take brands that in business compete but are all dedicated to specific values.”

    A TV spot will be produced at a live installation in Los Angeles on Valentine’s Day and will air in March. There will be additional support from print, as well as significant pushes on digital and social media platforms – which factored into the Ad Council’s agency selection.

    “Engaging communities of people felt very important to our strategy,” said Ms. Sherman. “R/GA was a great creative and strategic partner – it thinks holistically but is very digitally-centric.”

    Though there are some natural time periods throughout the year where it will make sense to promote the effort – like LGBT Pride Month – the hope, according to Ms. Sherman, is to create an evergreen campaign.

    “The creative and the idea have the makings of creating a social movement that will bring people together,” she said.

  • Group hails poly council on appointment

    Committee for Quality Education has hailed the Governing Council of the Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY) in Iree over the appointment of Mr Salawu Busari Moruf as the Registrar.

    In a statement signed by its co-ordinator, Mr Aanuoluwa Ifesanmi, the group praised the council for the choice of Salawu, describing it as round peg in a round hole. He said Salawu would deploy his brilliance, competence and academic qualification to raise the bar of excellence in the administration of the polytechnic.

    He said: “We congratulate the Governing Council for standing on the side of integrity with regards to the appointment of Registrar for the institution. We shall continue to monitor events unfolding in the institution and lend our voice to competence and excellence.”

    The group noted that the process of Salawu’s appointment followed the due process, dismissing the notion that the new Registrar was the council’s favourite candidate.

    He added: “It is our position that the action of faceless individuals who have been attacking the new Registrar in the media was needless. The new Registrar is capable. He had a Second Class (Upper Division) in English Language and a Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the Obafemi Awolowo University.

    The group also praised  Governor Rauf Aregbesola for allowing giving the council to appoint the best man.

  • Council, EFCC partner to prosecute land racketeers, fraudsters

    Council, EFCC partner to prosecute land racketeers, fraudsters

    The Consumer Protection Council, CPC, in partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are partnering to prevent economic crimes through investigation and prosecution.

    The Director General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, and the Chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, in the area of investigation and prosecution, information sharing and public advocacy and enlightenment.

    Atoki said, “over the years , the council has received a large number of complaints from consumers bordering on fraudulent savings and loan schemes, deceptive and misleading mortgage schemes,  fraud scams emanating from online forex trading companies,  fraudulent education admission and scholarship opportunities.

    “Deceptive business practices, and pyramid sales, marketing schemes, aimed at defrauding unsusceptible and vulnerable consumers, with consumer losses valued at several millions of naira.”

    “While the EFCC law punishes the offender with jail terms or fines, and confiscate the ill gotten booty, it is a legal fact that prosecution does not translate to redress for victims of criminal breaches, therefore consumers who are usually the victims of most of these scams and fraudulent practices.”

    Speaking, the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said they are looking at the areas of information and intelligence sharing, investigation and prosecution, stating that there has to be input from consumers while embarking on public education and enlightenment.

  • Council organises training workshop for staff

     

    Determined to enhance the professional competence of its workforce for greater productivity, the Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has organised a three-day workshop on “Effective Office Management Practice for Higher Productivity” for staff of the council.

    The event, which held at the Lagos State Building Investment Corporation (LBIC) Conference Hall, Ikeja aimed at providing office administrators, supervisors of clerical and administrative staff, executive secretaries and personal assistants the opportunity to review and develop the interpersonal and professional skills they need to carry out their duties effectively.

    While flagging off the workshop, the Executive Secretary of the council, Hon. Bola Badmus-Olujobi, said it will enable members of staff to contribute to the council’s growth and development. She implored all participants to avail themselves of the opportunity which the workshop provides for individual development and to deploy the knowledge gained at the training workshop to enhance the well-being of the council.

    The former Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly urged the participants to always observe the official dress code of the public service, adding that they should be proactive in the discharge of their duties.

    Contributing, the Council Manager, Mrs. Florence Omotunde Peters advised members of staff to adhere strictly to the provisions of the public service rules and regulations.

    Speaking at the event, the consultant for the programme, Mr. Fatai Oluwole said participants would learn how to manage a network of working relations, effective communication; time management; manage the performance of administrative staff; improve on written communications, manage and present information; organise and improve office systems for all administrative personnel and people newly appointed to supervisory roles, along with secretaries and personal assistants within the office environment.

    He noted that for any organisation to make tangible progress, it has to ensure that its mission, policies, and objectives are developed and clarified; establish formal and informal organisational structures as means of delegating authority and sharing responsibilities; it should set its priorities right; review and revise objectives in terms of changing demands; maintain effective communications within the working group, with other groups, and with the larger community; select, motivate, train, and appraise staff periodically.

    Continuing, Mr. Oluwole maintained that management functions includeplanning, which he said translates to outlining philosophy, policy, objectives, and resultant things to be accomplished, and the techniques for accomplishment; organising which is establishing structures and systems through which activities are arranged, defined, and coordinated in terms of specific objectives, staffing and fulfilling the personnel function, which includes selecting and training staff and maintaining favourable work conditions; directing which he said manifests in making decisions, embodying decisions in instructions, and serving as the leader of the enterprise, coordinating or interrelating the various parts of the work; reporting that helps in keeping those to whom one is responsible, including both staff and public, informed and budgeting which he said is making financial plans, maintaining accounting and management control of revenue, and keeping costs in line with set objectives.

     

  • Council seeks N150b from terminal operators over ‘illegal’ collections

    Can an appeal automatically stop a litigant from enjoying the fruit of litigation?

    This is the puzzle the Court of Appeal is expected to unravel as the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and terminal operators squabble over the execution of a judgment ordering the operators to stop ‘illegal’ revenue collection at sea ports.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos last December 17, ordered the operators to stop the collections, which NSC contends is illegal, from importers and clearing agents.

    The operators appealed the judgment and asked the high court to suspend its execution, pending the determination of their appeal.

    But NSC returned to Justice Buba, praying him to compel the operators to pay N150 billion for allegedly disobeying his order.

    In a statement, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) lawyer Mr  Femi Atoyebi (SAN), accused NSC of making frantic efforts to ride rough shod over the judicial process.

    Atoyebi accused NSC of adopting illegal and unacceptable method because the case is subject of an appeal, adding that STOAN also has an application for stay before Justice Buba.

    The statement reads: “The law in Nigeria is that where, as here, there is an appeal against a court decision and a motion for stay of execution/injunction is filed, none of the parties must do anything to frustrate the hearing of the appeal until the application has been determined.

    “It is also trite that the court from which an appeal lies and the court to which an appeal lies have a duty to preserve the ‘res’ (subject-matter) so that the appeal, if successful, is not rendered nugatory. We consider that the NSC lawyers should have advised them appropriately of the correct position of the law and if they did, it would appear that NSC are refusing to follow the advice. We hasten to add that the NSC publication and any further step that may be taken by them in a bid to frustrate the pending appeal and foist on the Court of Appeal a situation of complete helplessness would be highly contemptuous of the court and we would not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on such persons as may have authorised the publication.”

    But NSC’s lawyer Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) disagrees, saying: “The mere fact that there is a pending application for stay and an appeal do not remove the effect of the judgment we got.

    “Our position is supported by a Supreme Court decision that it will be unfair to allow a losing defendant “to continue cutting down and selling economic trees on the land” adjudged by the trial court not to belong to them simply because of a pending application for stay of execution and an appeal.

    “What the appellants who have been found not to be the owners of the land in dispute want of this court, in effect, is for the court to lend its authority to the appellants, for them to continue devastating the land in dispute by being allowed to continue cutting down and selling the economic trees on the land while the owner of the land – the respondent – sits back and watches, helplessly, the fruits of his judgment being denied him. That will be justice inverted. I will not be a party to such an inversion.

    “This Supreme Court decision is apt to our case. Applying the decision, it is clear that the terminal operators cannot continue to impose and collect illegal charges on the pretext that they have filed a pending application for stay or appeal.”

     

  • Council urges implementation of Broadband Plan

    The National Broadband Council has urged stakeholders in the information communications technology (ICT) industry to expedite action on the implementation of National Broadband Plan of the Federal Government.

    Rising from its meeting chaired by Communications Technology Minister, Dr. Omobola Johnson, it acknowledged the progress made on the implementation of the Broadband Plan in the last 18 months, especially the increased capacity rolled out by telcos and other infrastructure providers, which had resulted in a two per cent increase in broadband penetration last year.

    The Council also said the successful auction of the 2.3 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum, licensing of the first two infrastructure companies (Infracos) for metro fibre rollout were giant strides, adding that companies that won should quickly rollout to improve the pace of implementation.

    It commended the trial of TV White Spaces approved by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) geared at reducing cost of internet access.

    A statement by Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, Efem Nkanga, said the Council also commended the telcos for their leadership in the area of base station infrastructure sharing and deployment and resolved that this needed to be extended to fibre.

    “Of particular concern to the Council, and the subject of extensive discussion during the meeting was the need to increase the landing points of international submarine cables beyond Lagos to other coastal states,” the statement said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Residents to council: repair our culvert

    Residents of Gloryland Community in Isheri-Olofin, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Alimosho in  Lagos have appealed to the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the LCDA, Sanyaolu Olowoopejo, to urgently attend to the abandoned culvert project in the community to reduce their suffering.

    The community said the immediate past administration headed by Waheed Bello left the project uncompleted despite several pleas by the residents through their representatives.

    The Chairman, Gloryland Community Development Association, Olumide Adewale, made the call while speaking on the major request of the people of the community.

    Adewale, who lamented the plight of motorists and residents as a result of the abandoned project, noted that the project was the only thing the community benefited from the Egbe-Idimu LCDA in the last six years under the immediate past administration.

    He recalled that Bello embarked on the project a month before his exit from office when much pressure was brought to bear on him.

    He said that the residents’ fears came to pass as the project later became abandoned and, therefore, called on the new council boss, to come to their aid.

  • FMDA gets new Governing Council members

    The Financial Market Dealers Association of Nigeria (FMDA) has named new Governing Council Members for the group at its 22nd Annual General Meeting held in Lagos.

    A statement signed by its Executive Secretary/CEO, ‘Wale Abe, named David Adepoju of Standard Chartered Bank Limited as the President, while Adebayo Adeyemo of Citibank Nigeria is Vice President.

    Also, Michael Anyimah of Zenith Bank, Tolu Obadagbonyi of Kakawa Discount House and Kayode Obatusin, Rand Merchant Bank were named members of the group.

    Ayo Babatunde of Ecobank Nigeria, Akinsowon Dawodu of Citibank and Ini Ebong of FirstBank Nigeria Limited are now Ex-Officio members.

    It said the new officers would run the affairs of the Association for the next two years.

    Abe said the association is willingness to continue to promote the tenets of sound ethical and professional market practice aimed at ensuring market transparency and price discovery in its dealing activities.

    He said the body will partner with the regulatory authorities and other major stakeholders to facilitate the deepening of the Nigerian financial markets in line with global standards, so as to competitively attract both local and foreign capital into the nation’s economy.

  • Council gets caretaker members

    Council gets caretaker members

    Leadership should be about service to the people and society, the Executive Secretary of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Dawood Olajobi, has said. He spoke during the inauguration of the council’s caretaker committee, urging the members to improve service delivery to the people.

    The ceremony, held in the council premises, was attended by chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oshodi, including the immediate past chairman of the council, Idris Aroyoh, Pa J.O. Olabintan and Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, among others. The Elewu of Ewuland, Oba Shakirudeen Kuti was also there.

    Welfare of the people, Olajobi said, must be the committee’s aim, adding: “What we are witnessing today is a product of painstaking selection by Governor Babatunde Fashola after dissolution of local governments. I urge the members of the caretaker committee to take up the responsibility and improve the welfare of our people.”

    The council’s Legal Adviser, Kunle Akin-Ajayi, said the ceremony should not be seen as a political jamboree but a sacred business of governance. He said the committee members were privileged to be selected by the governor, urging them not to betray the trust reposed in them.

    Akin-Ajayi swore in Mr. Adedayo Aduke Thomas, Alhaji Olanrewaju Malik,  Adesanya Yusuf and Ms Atinuke Ajayi as the committee members.

    After the ceremony, Olajobi presented them to the workers.

    Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Thomas described the ceremony as historic, noting that the committee’s task  would be achieved with the stakeholders and council workers, support.

    He said: “We are only here on your behalf. This is why you must not leave the task to our door step alone. We need your support and constructive contribution towards the objective of taking Oshodi-Isolo to greater height.”