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Tag: Director-General

  • Don’t let politicians use and dump you, NGO advises youths

    A non-governmental organization known as Pragmatic Leaders has advised youths not to let themselves be used and dumped by politicians as the 2019 general election year approaches.

    The Director General of the organization, Elizabeth Usani, who spoke with reporters after a rally organized to sensitize the youths along major streets in Calabar, said Nigerian youths need to be carried along in governance so they will also have a say in the affairs of the nation.

    Usani  regretted that over the years, the youths have allowed themselves to be used, adding that only credible leadership will address the problem of unemployment among the youths and bring development to the country.

    “I wonder why Nigerian youths are always overwhelmed during elections because of the monies they will collect from politicians and at the end mortgaged their future.I decided to form this group to able to sensitize them as well as to change their mentalities especially during elections. We are trying in our little way to inculcate in them the new method, which is geared towards believing in ourselves as leaders of tomorrow. We all have the leadership qualities. Let nobody deceive you. The youths are ready for leadership irrespective of what is happening around them.

    “The youths are not satisfied with what is happening in Nigeria as it applies to our leaders. That is why we as young people are coming out under this umbrella to say no. Enough is enough. We are tired of bad governance. We need good and credible leaders come 2019,” she said.

    Usani condemned the attitude of most youths who have found pleasure in social vices and sued for a change of attitude.

  • SON warns SME’s against substandard products

    SON warns SME’s against substandard products

    The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ), Mr. Osita Aboloma, has warned operators of the Small and Medium Enterprises and agro-allied businesses against substandard products.

    He asked them to comply with ISO standards or their businesses would be doomed.

    Aboloma, represented by the Regional Coordinator, South-South, Mr. Papanye Don-Pedro, spoke at a one-day sensitisation workshop on compliance with international standards for SMEs and agro -allied enterprises.

    The workshop ended in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, on Thursday.

    He said there was the need to help SMEs and agro-allied businesses to enhance efficiency and increase their productivity.

    The workshop was organised to sensitize participants on the international organization for standardization’s ISO 9001:2015 generic standards.

    Aboloma stated that with the enormous potential in the agro-allied industry and with the diversification agenda of the Federal Government, it was imperative to sensitize SME entrepreneurs on the fundamentals of the international organization for standardization’s ISO 9001:2015 model.

    The SON DG explained that the workshop was geared towards enlightening entrepreneurs on the benefits of adopting the ISO standards.

    He said: “This workshop will among others help you to focus on the important areas of your agro-business and improve efficiency.

    “It will reduce wastages, increase productivity and profit, improve customer retention and acquisition, bring about consistent outcomes, and give your customers and clients confidence that you are working to standards and procedures that will provide them with high standard of customer service.”

    A consultant, Mr. Nweze Chamberlain, stressed that the essence of the workshop was to enable SMEs to realign with modern management techniques.

    In a presentation, the Coordinator of SON in Rivers and Bayelsa states, Ololade Ayoola,  said it was important to encourage SMEs and agro-allied enterprises to step up their game and align with international best practices.

    He said the international organization for standardization’s ISO ISO 9001:2015 is a quality management system first published in 1987.

    He said the latest, which is the most successful and widely used, according ISO standard to experts, was brought to the fore in 2015.

    Farmers, captains of agro-allied businesses and SMEs as well as government officials attended the workshop.

  • FG needs to boost job creation, says NECA boss

    FG needs to boost job creation, says NECA boss

    Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, Director General of Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the federal government to boost job creation this year through providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Nation, Oshinowo who also serves as a Director of Nigerian-German Chemicals PLC including boards such as the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Nigeria Labour Advisory Council, National Pension Commission (PenCom), National Orientation Agency, and the National Health Insurance Scheme, noted that, “The unemployment situation is worrisome. We have a youthful population, which ordinarily should be a demographic blessing but unfortunately has become an economic challenge in terms of providing gainful employment.”

    The focus, he emphasisied, “Should be on job creation and not job loss because most of the factors important for job creation will stem job loss. The supply of labour into the economy has far outstripped demand. The problems are double faced: quantity and quality. Given the scope of the problem, we require a multi- pronged approach/solution that will include promotion of sustainable enterprises through an enabling business environment, sustainable and pervasive good governance at all levels of government, effective and job-focused macro-economic policy framework, political restructuring that will lead to creation of multiple productive and economic centres, educational reform to enthrone functionality as against literacy, indigenous employment-supportive immigration policy, comparative advantage-based backward and forward integration. This is the long term solution to our unemployment malaise.”

    On NECA’s position as far as job retention is concerned, the NECA boss maintained that “Job retention is a function of the health of the economy. It cannot be decreed by government’s policy pronouncement or legislated. Employers do not derive joy from getting rid of their prized assets-their human resource. It is the primary responsibility of the government to promote job retention through creation of an enabling environment that is supportive of business growth.”

    In his assessment of the federal government initiatives like the Economic and Growth Recovery Plan, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), he said: “These are all laudable initiatives. They, however, must be outcome-focused and share with the public on an ongoing basis the difference they have made to the polity.”

    On NECA’s position on the federal government plans to pay the much hyped minimum wage this year, he said: “NECA had taken part in all past discussions on the National Minimum Wage and it is on record that our members respected the outcome of the processes. Our position and disposition will not be any different this time around. We must however remember that the purpose of the National Minimum Wage is not to create a general salary increase in the economy but to set a threshold wage for the vulnerable and the weak elements in the labour market.”

     

  • NYSC DG tasks corps members to adopt entrepreneurship mentality

    NYSC DG tasks corps members to adopt entrepreneurship mentality

    Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, Director-General, National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) has urged corps members to adopt entrepreneurship mentality to be self reliant after service and to attain financial independence.

    Kazaure made the call while addressing the 2017 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 corps members deployed to Ogun at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Sagamu on Thursday.

    The director-general, who was represented by Mrs Adetokunbo Idowu, a director in the NYSC, said the scheme had adopted some innovations to ensure that corps members were better engaged after their service.

    Kazaure also advised corps members to develop their potential for entrepreneurship excellence rather than seeking for scarce white-collar jobs.

    Kazaure also called on them to utilise the opportunity provided by the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development ( SAED ) programme to acquire additional skills for self-employment.

    Read also: Corps members urged to embrace entrepreneurial skills

    “The NYSC has provided all the tools and support you need to develop your capacity to the fullest, it depends on you, there is no short cut to success but hard work.

    “Of all the programmes outlined for you during the orientation, there is none more important that you must fully participate in than the SAED programme.

    “I want you to create your own jobs by being creative and innovative, you must strive to be labour employers rather than labour seekers.

    “Please don’t look for white-collar jobs, your skills and potential can serve you better in the way of realising your dreams,” he said.

    Kazaure said that SAED programme was packaged through a partnership with public and private sector organisations toward building an entrepreneurial capacity.

    He also urged corps members to remain in their states of deployment and contribute toward the promotion of national unity rather than seeking redeployment back home.

    Also speaking, Mr John Okpo, the Ogun NYSC Coordinator, thanked Kazaure for the visit.

    “We will continue to deploy corps members to all identified areas of needs, especially the rural communities where we shall implement advocacy programmes of interest,” Okpo said.

    About 2,442 corps members, comprising 1,270 males and 1,172 females, are participating in the orientation programme in the state.

    NAN

  • 200,000 living with HIV in Oyo

    200,000 living with HIV in Oyo

    Dr Sani Aliyu, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) says an estimated 200,000 people are living with HIV in Oyo State.

    He made the disclosure on Tuesday in Ibadan during a courtesy call on Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State at the executive council chamber of the governor’s office.

    The delegation was led by Aliyu, included representatives of World Health Organisation, other international donor and funding agencies.

    Aliyu stated that only 16,000 out of the estimated 200, 000 persons living with HIV in the state are currently on treatment.

    “We have a gap between the number of infected persons and those on treatment. We have a gap between infected pregnant women and those receiving treatment.

    “We also have issues with the number of new infections recorded,’’ he said.

    The NACA boss stated that 10, 000 pregnant women in Oyo State are living with HIV, adding that about 50 people contact HIV in the state on a daily basis.

    He stated that the state has a considerable figure in terms of new infections, commending the state government for running one of the best programmes on HIV/AIDS.

    Aliyu said that there are 1,060,000 people living with HIV in Nigeria, out of which only five percent were currently on treatment courtesy of the Nigerian government.

    The NACA boss stated that about one million Nigerians are currently on treatment on the bills of the international donor agencies.

    He said that NACA had proposed to the state government to contribute 0.5 or One percent of their federal allocation towards HIV/AIDS.

    Aliyu stated that such contribution by state governments would allow the states to put another 50 per cent of infected persons on treatment.

    “For instance, we have 16,000 already on treatment. If the state can put 0.5 percent of the allocation, the state will be able to put 8,000 on treatment,’’ he said.

    He assured the governor that they are willing to work with his government to ensure that people living with HIV across the state have access to quality and affordable treatment.

    In his response, Gov. Ajimobi assured the delegation of his administration’s readiness to partner with them to bring the figure of infected people to a barest minimum if not totally eradicated.

    Ajimobi, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo said his administration would support the donor agencies with funds and human capital towards the eradication in the state.(NAN)

  • AKWAABA 2017 ends on high note

    AKWAABA 2017 ends on high note

    This year’s edition of Akwaaba African Travel Market has ended in Lagos. The event was described as a major success based on the quality of participants and activities.

    Declaring the travel fair open, the Director General of National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe praised  the organisers of the fair  for building and sustaining a big brand in Africa and called for greater support for the fair.

    Runsewe said  Nigeria would soon give oil a break and that culture would become the country’s new oil.

    The NCAC boss also disclosed that his parastatal will be taking the country’s culture commissioners to Dubai to understudy how the country was able to reposition their culture as foreign exchange earner.

    Speaking also at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Ashimi Jamiu Adewale, said the Lagos State government is investing a lot in the area of tourism, environment and improvement of infrastructure to promote the growth of tourism in the state.

    Mr Jamiu said the strategy is aimed at promotion which is why the state is also participating in the Akwaaba African Travel Market.

    The Permanent Secretary explained that the state would take participants on a tour of the city of Lagos to showcase the beauty of the mega-city and to take guests to places of interest which they do not know exist in Lagos.

    In his opening remarks, the organiser of the event, Mr. Ikechi Uko said the need to create something in Africa informed the decision to start Akwaaba African Travel Market.

    Uko explained that Akwaaba started 13 years ago with only six exhibitors and that it is the only travel event that is solely private sector driven and without hosted buyers.

    He commended Lagos State government for staging a come-back at Akwaaba after a long absence.

    He said the Jollof contest was not actually a competition, but a hype  to create something unique in a cuisine prepared differently in West Africa.

    He said that there are about 25 versions of Jollof rice in West Africa.

    The event featured beautiful dance steps from the energetic Rwandan dancers who added glitz and glamour to the event.

    The Carnival Calabar performed at the event to the delight of the guests.

    There was also the award for Top 100 African Women in Travels. Among the winners of the award include Ubongabasi Nseobot, Uloma Egbuna, Nancy Gwashi of the association of Ghanaian tour operators. Kenyan Waturu Matu, Lisa Sabogodi, Lolo Ngozi Ngoka, Fartima Garbati and many others.

    Among the countries that participated were Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Togo and some foreign hospitality and travel brands.

    The Ghanaian tourism board came with a high powered contingents led the tourism board’s general manager.

    Lagos, the host state was very visible at the fair. Cross River State and Kebbi State were also there.

    The Rwanda cultural troupe also put series scintillating performances.

  • 2017 budget over bloated, says NILS DG

    2017 budget over bloated, says NILS DG

    Director General, National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), Dr. Ladi Hamalai, Wednesday faulted the over N7 trillion national budget of the Federal Government for the 2017 fiscal year.

    The NILS boss said that there was no reason why the budget should be as high as N7 trillion when the revenue projection was a little N4 trillion.

    The Federal Government ear marked N7.44 trillion for the 2017 fiscal year.

    Hamalai who spoke at a media interaction on “Reforming the budget process in Nigeria” noted that the 2017 budget should have been at most N5 trillion in line with revenue projection for the fiscal year.

    The DG wondered the logic that informed adopting a budget of over N7 trillion when the revenue projection did not support the figure.

    Over bloated budget, she said, is the reason capital budget is hardly implemented.

    The DG said that over the years the implementation of the capital budget had remained at about 8.1 per cent.

    She insisted that it is obvious that the gap between the amount appropriated to be spent and the projected revenue too large to be bridged.   

    Lamenting that the country still has a long way to go in perfecting its budget process, the DG said that there is too wide gap between budget projection and available resources.

    The DG also faulted the consideration of budget as a political tool rather than an instrument for development.

    She said, “Although government budget is very important tool of economic management and promoting growth and development, it has not generally met the expectations of improved service delivery and development in Nigeria unlike in most other countries.

    The situation has given rise to the compelling need for a comprehensive reform of the budget process to address the various flaws and challenges bedeviling the nation’s budgeting system in tandem with the current dynamics.

    In line with this, the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki inaugurated a technical committee on budget reforms to produce a budget reform strategy and draft reform bill.”

     She listed weak revenue base, late enactment of budget, limited realism of the budget, untimely and irregular release of funds, preponderance of unplanned projects, weak implementation capacity on the part of MDAs and weak budget monitoring by the executive and poor legislative oversight, as part of the problems hindering capital budget implementation.

    She noted that stakeholders have expressed concerns about oversight performance by the National Assembly.

    Speaking specifically about the 2017, she said that the late submission of the 2017 budget did not help matters.

    She also identified weak linkage between the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the 2017 budget.

    According to Hamalai, “Despite being a recession budget, the content of the budget does not differ from previous budgets-; it is characterized by opaqueness, frivolous spending, inadequate prioritization to mobilize resources to critical sectors such as health, education and infrastructure.

    “In some countries all non-essential spending and third party contracts were completely done away with.”

    The NILS DG also highlighted lack of continuity segmentation in capital projects which leads to opaqueness

    She said that Nigeria could adopt 25 per cent annually for heavy projects while light projects could be budgeted for within one year.

    The NILS DG who said that the fragmentation resources continue in the 2017 budget said that resources should be aggregated to key projects rather than diffused.

    The problem, she said, will persist as long as the current budget template subsists.

    The NILS DG acknowledged that undoubtedly the 2017 budget is a significant improvement on the 2016 budget with drastic cuts on wasteful spending.

     “However, more can be done to limit spending on controllable expenditure particularly during recession. This underscores the need for economic frugality as espoused by the APC led government of President Muhammadu Buhari.”  

  • School Leaders Association to hold convention

    The annual convention of The School Leaders Association has been scheduled to hold on September 2, 2017 in Lagos.

    The convention which has as theme, ‘’School Development,” and seeks to bring together players in the education system in Nigeria will hold at Oak Hotel, Chevron Drive, Lekki.

    Mrs Ronke Soyombo, Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education is to speak on Quality Control.

    Other speakers are: Mrs Kehinde Nwani, Chief Executive Officer, Meadow Hall Group (Curriculum Standards), Mrs Adesina Adeyoyin, Chief Executive Officer, Corona Schools’ (Parent Communication), Mrs Joy Isa, Head of Junior School, Children’s International School (Staff Development) and Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, Chief Executive Officer, Leading Learning Limited (Outreach programs).

  • When sense goes sour

    When sense goes sour

    PERSPECTIVE

    Reading a recent attack on the person of Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, by Governor Nyesom Wike, through a proxy, Simeon Nwakudu, I felt obliged to render a voluntary duty, to state the facts in a simple, unambiguous manner, and next, leave the reader to the impartial judgment of the conscience.

    The style adopted herein presents both Peterside and Wike, their personalities, motives in the respective portfolios they hold, and then, testimonies about them in the public domain. I shall sum my argument to proving that Peterside is refined, responsible and an invaluable asset to Rivers State and Nigeria. On the other hand, the evidence I shall plead in my argument shall summarise Wike in his true person – an error in governance.

    While that treatise, tried as the author, a political appointee of Wike and therefore beholding to him, might, to arm-twist truth, there is no alternative to the truth. The truth is a healer of the conscience.

    First, who is Wike? What is his personality? There is no doubt that Wike’s character defines his personality. Sigmund Freud, the popular psychoanalyst, considered the father of psychiatry, argues that the adult personality emerges as a composite of early childhood experiences, based on how these experiences are consciously and unconsciously processed within human developmental stages, and how these experiences shape the personality, the case of Wike deserves a new research.

    But he stresses that not every person completes the necessary tasks of every developmental stage. Under such scenario, Freud argues that when they don’t, the results can be a mental condition requiring psychoanalysis to achieve proper functioning. Wike, through his actions, may be a good species for Freud’s further analysis.

    Now to the specifics of Wike’s barrage of lies. First, on the 2015 governorship election captured in the opening paragraph of the essay, never was Wike elected through a majority, lawful votes by the electorate.

    To state that Peterside visited the All Progressives Congress, (APC) National Chairman with bank statements and financial documents are nothing but a rehearsal of the Third Reich propagandist, Paul Joseph Goebbels, whose theory of “the big lie” sustained Adolf Hitler. This figment of the aide’s mind gives an insight into how Wike’s mind operates. Everything, including serious state business, must be reduced to cash and bank statements.

    As to what Peterside told the APC National Chairman, it was never in doubt that he narrated the horror members of APC had been through in the hands of armed groups working for Wike Administration for which the author works for and labours, albeit fruitlessly, to prop its obnoxious human rights records. Wike has the worst personality image hiatus among governors in Nigeria. No essay or whitewash coating or image laundering shall clean the horrible person that the governor is. The Bible had Wike in mind when the Spirit asked, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?…”

    Even national security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, said Wike sponsored violent activities and bought off people’s conscience with his stolen cash.

    Because of Wike, many civil servants working with INEC are not sure how their careers would end. They are before the court. Peterside was right when he said that Wike had brought the Office of the Governor in Rivers State to a state of disrepute.

    Then to the second, and the most critical question that I have to answer. Who is Peterside? What is President Muhammadu Buhari’s testimony about him? How impressed is the American Administration with Peterside?

    Peterside was the sole leading governorship candidate in Rivers State in 2015. His statewide acceptance and popularity drew crowds to his campaigns. Truly, he was the candidate to beat.

    Why was his popularity the threat Wike and his sponsors needed to crack? The single project Wike and those who sponsored him with stolen funds, bullets and arms, had was to stop Peterside by any means possible, including killing Rivers people.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, a man, not given to flippancy, unlike Wike, had this commendation for Peterside: “Peterside’s unanimous election (as Chairman, Association of African Maritime Administrators, AMAA) is not only a personal honour and an affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA but also places Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) towards safer global maritime activities.” Unfortunately for Wike, nobody has such presidential commendation for him.

    President Buhari had acknowledged NIMASA’s encouraging performance under Dr Peterside especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter agency cooperation. There is indeed a new NIMASA under Peterside, but it is a story of hard work.

    NIMASA under Peterside has a new direction unlike the cash cow it was under Wike’s boss and benefactor, Goodluck Jonathan. NIMASA was their ATM that the national waterways were one of the most dangerous in Africa after the Strait of Somalia, Africa’s most dangerous. But under Peterside, NIMASA today is the beautiful bride while Nigeria’s waterways, including those in Rivers State, enjoy safety.

    Peterside’s testimonials also have international recognition. Wike won’t like to hear this – the United States has recognised his exploits at NIMASA. Hear the verdict from America – “It appears the energy that NIMASA has at the ports is very tremendous, as seen in all the ports we visited in Lagos.”

    The United States Coast Guard (USCG) led by Commander Thomas Foster, on a visit to Nigeria, commended NIMASA for its strides in ensuring safety at the ports and expressed satisfaction with the infrastructure development regarding ISPS Code implementation in the ports. Through NIMASA, Nigeria now has about 80 per cent compliance rate for the International Ship and Port Facility Security, ISPS Code.  Wike won’t understand this term.

    Under Peterside’s watch, NIMASA has targeted 100 per cent compliance.

    While Wike is revoking Certificates of Occupancy of business chains in Rivers State, Peterside is pursuing Nigeria’s common good, creating jobs for thousands of Nigerians, including Rivers natives.

    Wike is ignorant of the role of NIMASA so he should read up the function of a maritime administration and he will surely join to celebrate this pride of our country.

    While Wike has borrowed billions under two years, Peterside has moved NIMASA to a giant revenue earner for the country. My summation in this matter is simple.

    Peterside did far more in communities in Rivers as Commissioner for Works than Wike did as Governor in two years. Peterside’s imprint can be seen in all parts of the state till date many years after serving as commissioner.

    It is dismissible and laughable for Wike to say that Dr Peterside has a retinue of Nigerian Navy personnel attached to him. Though his office as NIMASA Director-General offers him enormous access to Nigeria’s top security apparatchik, yet he maintains a simple security apparatus. This cannot be said of Wike who moves with about 221 police officers. Peterside had never returned home with naval men. He does not need to. He is at home with the people.

    Wike is what Peterside has described him to be – a huge joke in governance in Rivers State that must be stopped.

    • Ibitari is the spokesman of APC Youth Advocates
  • Don makes case for new urinalysis technology

    Don makes case for new urinalysis technology

    Medical practitioners have been urged to adopt the new technology for urinalysis.

    Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIRM) Director-General, Prof. Babatunde Salako, made the call during the launch of the United Nations Series-the modular way of urinalysis at the National Sickle Cell Centre, Idi Araba, Lagos.

    The event had as theme Bridging the gap between patient care and quality diagnosis using medical technology in the laboratory.

    Salako, who was the keynote speaker, said embracing the urinalysis would reduce errors and improve accuracy.

    “You now have at your disposal a calibrated automated machine that can carry out urinalysis that would drastically reduce human error, Salako, said.

    “These machines are capable of taking care of virtually everything concerned with urinary test and on the long run; the laboratory technicians would see other numerous uses of the machine.”

    He added that the UN-series–Modula way of urinalysis is automated.

    On how to rule out any error in the machine, Salako said: “There is the need to be certain that the range of normal that has been made for the machine by manufacturers also applies to us in Nigeria, so that the machine will not say what is normal for other countries is too high or low for us.

    “We need to be sure that the range is accurate because they are being calibrated based on the country where it is produced,” he added.

    Also, Managing Director, Gem Investment Limited, Chief Damian Onyekachi, said the UN-series style of carrying out urinalysis came at the right time.

    ‘’They have been using it in Europe and I believe that if we are able to establish that in Nigeria it would go a long way to help our nurses to improve patient care as well.

    “We are still working it out because this is just a launch, but by the time we get to the table, we will work on what should be and what should not be in each category. So, if you have a smaller laboratory, you go for a smaller one, if it is a teaching hospital you go for the big one that would handle like hundred tests per day.”