The Nation Newspaper

Tag: equipment

  • Funds’ paucity, equipment hinder fish farming growth

    Lack of funds, fish drying machines and other equipment have been identified as factors affecting the SUTEX Fish Farm at Okongntekong Ete village in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The President of Ukpum Ete Youth Association, Comrade Ubong Essien, highlighted the challenges on the farm and appealed for government’s assistance when the state governor visited and inspected some basic facilities for skill acquisition development in the area. The Youth President urged the state government to come to their aid through provision of more capital  to accelerate efforts in training more youths in the area, and promised to be law abiding.

    Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Skills Development Project Centre, Dr. Majorie Abasiodiong George, the governor congratulated youths from Ukpum Ete clan for pro-actively initiating lofty programmes that would engage youths meaningfully in the area.

    The governor advises youths to engage themselves in raising fish of all sorts, and engage in other skill developmental activities in order to stem the tide of unemployment in the state.

    George, who commended the leadership of Ukpum Ete Youth Association, thanked them for giving youths in the area a pride of place in skill acquisition and other developmental activities, adding that, she was impressed with the fact that, youths in the community did not fold their arms to wait for white collar jobs from the government, but make good use of their resources to establish a fish farm.

    She, however, called on youths in the area to support government programmes and shun acts capable of giving the community a bad image.

    She lauded the pragmatic efforts of the Managing Director of SUTEX Farm in establishing such farm in the community, adding that, the administration of Mr. Udom Emmanuel is interested in developing skills in youth on all sectors of the state’s economy.

  • Association donates lab equipment, books to alma mater

    Association donates lab equipment, books to alma mater

    The set of 1971 to 1975 of Ibadan Grammar School Old Boys’ Association (IGSOSA) recently converged on the premises of their alma mater for two days in what could be described as an unprecedented re-union to mark 40 years of bidding their school farewell.

    A thanksgiving service was held at the school’s chapel on June 19, this year which was attended by the renowned principal for the set, Chief Ayo Labiyi and the teachers who thaught them various subjects which included Mr Idowu Adenuga (Chemistry), Prof. E.S. Ajibade (Yoruba), Dr Depo Fakunle (Agriculture), Mrs A.E Smith (Physics) and Deborah Bolaji Falade (English Studies and Fine Arts).

    The programme was followed by a cooktail. Classmates at home and in the Diaspora were nostalgic ýabout the good old days. The atmosphere was filled with great laughter and merriment as most of them remembered their escapades, bravery, naughtiness and craftiness.

    Some teachers were remembered, including their nicknames code names and esoteric slangs were freely used to refer to most of them.

    Some Senior Prefects, who attended the event were Mr Joseph Oyedoyin (aka) Oga Jossy andMr Kunle Osinowo.

    The reception programme followed at Emmanuel Alayande Hall and was presided over by Prof. C. Aworh; an old boy who praised the quality of organisation and presentation of the set.

    The chairman of steering committee for the programme, Dr Adebayo Gbadebo-Saba lamented the decay in the education sector within the last three decades and called on all stakeholders, especially the old stuýdents of schools to take a cue from what IGSOSA is doing.

    He paid glowing tributes to the principal and teachers who molded their lives during their days at the school.

    Quality desks and chairs that can conveniently accommodate 180 students as well as laboratory equipment and books were donated by the set to the school. They were received by the Principal, Mr Femi Adekunle.

    Tunde Lashabi, also an old student and current chairman, Nigeria Institution of Builders, proposed a toast and was cheered by other friends of the class, including Dr Tiri Oladimeji, Oloye Gbola Raaji, Jide Lawal, Kayode Adepeju and Mrs Omolara Yusuf.

    Other highlights of the programme included a lecture entitled “Education in Nigeria which was delivered by Dr Depo Fakunle and presentation of awards to the Principal and teachers.

    Speaking on behalf of recipients of the awards, Mrs A.E. Smith appreciated members of the set and thanked God for being able to impact positively on humanity.

    Addresing journalists after the event, Mr Idowu Adenuja, who had headed many high-brow public schools, expressed appreciation for the students’ gesture.

    He noted that Chemistry is the cutting edge of science, advising students to be serious with their studies as education is now highly competitive.

    About 40 members of the set aýttended the event with their spouses.

    The parting line was “God be with you till we meet like this again”

     

  • Customs spends over N30b on training, equipment

    • ANLCA, others praise Service on anti-smuggling war

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has spent over N30 billion on infrastructure, equipment and personnel training for enhanced performance, it has been learnt.

    A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Finance, who pleaded not to be named, told The Nation that Customs spent the money to stop smugglers from destroying the economy.

    The official also said the Customs, last year, made 7,519 seizures valued at N8.78 billion. About 246 persons were arrested out of which 26 were convicted.

    Customs, he said, fought smuggling more intensely in 2014 than 2013.

    Investigation by The Nation showed that Customs officers have strengthened their presence at checkpoints, border stations, water ways and swampy areas where vehicles cannot access in a determined bid to stop smugglers.

    The official urged the Buhari administration to support Customs to bring the smugglers down.

    Customs, a source said, has acquired over 700 patrol vehicles, 6,000 A-K 47 assault rifles, patrol-boats, ocean-going vessels, two helicopters and air-craft for aerial surveillance of the nation’s borders and waters ways to put the smugglers under check.

    “The A-K 47 rifles were purchased by Customs to equip its officers and men for the war against smugglers and to stem nefarious importers of small arms.

    “The drop in seizures from smugglers since the beginning of the year is as a result of the enhanced vigour with which the anti-smuggling campaign has been carried out by Customs officials.

    “In Ogun State for instance, in the first four months of the year, the command recorded 361 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N319,967,32, as against 485 seizures with DPV of N508,942,136 made same period last year, which indicates a sharp drop of smuggling in the region.

    “During the period, the command generated N2,356,937,173.89 as against  the N1,985,420,606.16 collected same period in 2014, with a difference of N371,516,567.73.

    The official said it was wrong for anyone to import goods without paying duty.

    “Customs is faced with the enormous task of not only generating revenue to the Federal Government, but fighting crime-related activities, such as smuggling and importation of unwholesome products, through the nation’s porous borders into the country.

    “Most of our landed borders are hives of activities as the Customs commands have had to wage war against unauthorised importation and smuggling of products including rice, textile materials, vehicles, foot wares and other exportation of other goods that are prohibited from export,” the official said.

    Customs’ National Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Wale Adeniyi said: “We are investing in massively on infrastructure. We have acquired patrol boats, ocean going vessels; we have got over 500 patrol vehicle to fight smugglers.

    “We also engage in capacity building for our officers and men, we have change the face of our training, mostly training that has to do with arm smuggling. We are partnering with army and have regular training with them.

    “We are also exploring the relationship we have with other Customs administrations, increased our border patrol based on the agreement we have with them. We are also training other agencies of the government. We have our aircraft that is doing air surveillance, we have to re-strategies to dismantle internal check points.

    Adeniyi added that the Service was training officials of other agencies of the government to boost their operation.

    Another official of the service, who does not want his name in print, said: “Before, when our officers and men confront these smugglers, they jump into water and our officers also jump into the water in an attempt to catch them and eventually got killed. The number of our officers that have died in the hands of smugglers is huge and that is why many of us are happy over the man power development in the service.

    “Smuggling is a worldwide phenomenon, even the most powerful countries of the world are still fighting smuggling up till today and they have not succeeded in eliminating cankerworm.

    “The best any Customs service or administration can do is to minimise it to the barest minimum,” the officer said.

    Meanwhile, the President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olayiwola Shittu has praised the Customs Service for reducing smuggling.

    He spoke at a stakeholders’ forum  in Lagos. Shittu said there was a significant drop in smuggling.

    “Smugglers are ingenious people. America is still fighting smuggling. Officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service have suffered many casualties in the hands of smugglers because they have superior fire power.

    “As the Army is trying to reduce the impact of the Boko Haram in the north, smugglers are the Boko Haram Customs has to face all over the country. Therefore, they need the total support of the current administration to carry out their core function of trade facilitation, revenue generation and to combat smuggling,” Shittu said.

     

  • Five paraded for ‘stealing’ N10m equipment

    Five paraded for ‘stealing’ N10m equipment

    Five suspects were paraded yesterday by the police in Oyo State for allegedly burgling the mast centre of a telecommunication firm.

    They were intercepted by a team of policemen from Akanran, Ibadan, after they allegedly burgled the centre at Dagbolu, an Ogun State boundary community, at the weekend.

    Parading them at the State Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said the suspects were rounded up after a tip-off.

    According to him, the suspects invaded the mast centre at 3:15 am, overpowered the guard and carted away two Mikano electric power generators and some equipment worth N10 million.

    Katsina said: “They macheted the guard. Then they tied him down. But they made the mistake of choosing Oyo State as their escape route.”

    Sina Olafisoye, Taofeek Olanrewaju, Kazeem Tijani, Idowu Sanusi and Sunday Atanda denied the allegation.

    Tijani accused the guard, Atanda, of colluding with Dauda, who is at large, to deceive them into following him to the site to buy raw materials.

    But Atanda denied the claim, saying they were all thieves.

    He said the suspects ambushed him because he could not get help.

     

  • SAHCOL urges zero tariff on equipment importation

    SAHCOL urges zero tariff on equipment importation

    The Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling  Company Limited,  Alhaji  Olu Owolabi has urged the Federal Government to grant zero tariff on importation  of ground handling equipment.

    He said the zero tariff has become imperative because of the high cost of acquiring heavy duty equipment used for group handling.

    Owolabi said since government granted zero tariff on aircraft spare parts about two years ago,  ground handling companies have not benefitted.

    He said same should apply to the heavy duty machines used by handling companies in order to ensure rapid growth in the aviation sector.

    He said: “Government meant well for the industry when it said it was embarking on the upgrade of airports. It should be supportive when handling companies are buying airlines’ needs.”

    The SAHCOL boss decried double taxation by the airport authority and expressed the hope that the committee set up by the aviation minister will address the  trend.

    He lamented that what thev firm got from airlines are not commensurate with services rendered by the handling companies.

    While saying SAHCOL would have been listed at the stock exchange, Mr. Owolabi regretted that the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease stalled its movement into two West African countries adding that negotiations were on top gear with some countries in the sub-region before the Ebola outbreak.

    With the best equipment in ground handling in the country, Mr Owolabi said the company was not where it ought to be adding that the more the company expands, the more it needs to acquire equipment.

  • Commission seizes illegal broadcast equipment

    Commission seizes illegal broadcast equipment

    Operatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in Enugu have seized broadcast communication contrivances estimated at N25 million from electronic pirates.

    The raids leading to the seizures were carried out in Enugu metropolis and Abakaliki in Ebonyi State.

    The Enugu Zonal Manager of the NCC, Mrs. Ngozi Okeke told reporters that the operation took copyright inspectors to Asata, Uwani, Achara Layout and Agbani roads, all in Enugu metropolis while they covered Oraifite Street, Water Works Road and their environs in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

    Contrivances confiscated included three Humax decoders, one Dstv decoder, 20 strong decoders, two CTL decoders, two GOtv decoders and three AD/Sport smart cards.

    Also confiscated were one Al Jazeera smart card, one DStv smart card, four cash receipt booklets, three cash record notebooks and remote controls.

    According to Okeke, the two-day anti-piracy operation in the area of broadcast was headed by Macfoy Akachukwu in company of other copyright inspectors.

    The operations, she said, involved cutting and destruction of cable wires and boosters used by the pirates in the illegal distribution of content and signals.

    Other items used in the illegal connection and distribution were dismantled.

    Mrs. Okeke appealed to members of the public to heed the advice of the Director-General of the commission to continue to support it in its renewed commitment to fighting piracy and its attendant challenges.

  • Parents, teachers buy Ebola equipment

    Parents, teachers buy Ebola equipment

    Parents and teachers in Cross River State have acquired equipment worth N6.8 million to help check the Ebola Virus Disease.

    The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Eyo-Nsa Itam, saidthe union had bought over 1, 200 cartons of hand gloves worth N1.5 million to be distributed to public schools.

    He said the Parent Teacher Association had raised funds to acquire 350 thermometer scanners at N15, 000 each to  be distributed to schools.

    The cost of the equipment is N5. 25million. The money, he said, would be recouped from pupils, who will pay N200 each.

    The NUT chairman said they were waiting for the government’s approval before schools can reopen.

  • MTN donates protective equipment against Ebola

    MTN donates protective equipment against Ebola

    Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has commended MTN for its public spirited gesture, which he said is a tradition associated with the MTN brand, especially in matters of Education and Health.  Governor Fashola stated this while receiving Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers and caregivers, donated by MTN Foundation in support of Lagos State’s effort at containing the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease.

    The donation was made under the MTN Foundation’s Community Support Project, which lends a helping hand to communities through infrastructure upgrade such as the provision of water boreholes, transformers etc for the benefit of people.  The presentation of personal protective equipment was a response by the Foundation in support of the systematic and professional approach of the Lagos State Health Team in curbing the Ebola scourge.

    Governor Fashola lauded MTN’s Private-Public Partnership model, which has seen the Foundation partner with government and other stakeholders in responding to different challenges in times of need, especially given the current health challenge faced by the country. “We are indeed grateful to MTN as it has been a tradition of theirs especially in matters of health and education. We also appreciate the health workers who in spite of the fear, worked tirelessly to bring the situation under manageable control. As much as we appreciate MTN’s gesture, we want to reiterate that the real challenge is human capacity, that is, the insufficiency of virologists and Ebola management experts,” said the Lagos State helmsman.

    Shedding more light on the presentation, Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Dr. Pascal Dozie, said the gesture was in support of all that the Lagos State government had done to contain the spread of the Ebola virus since it was first discovered.

    “MTN recognises the importance of collective effort and the role of the private sector in containing the spread and the impact of the disease and we take very seriously, our responsibility to provide a service that is essential in a period of national emergency as we have found ourselves. This is why we are making this donation of personal protective equipment to supplement measures to protect our frontline health workers and caregivers,” he stated.

    “We have also activated a 24-hour, seven-day a week help-line in conjunction with our call centers management partners where customers can get basic information on Ebola, with support from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, through the office of the Special Assistant on Public Health to the State Governor.

  • Lawmaker donates scientific equipment to Imo schools

    Lawmaker donates scientific equipment to Imo schools

    Things are looking up for students of Science in secondary schools in Imo State. The Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in collaboration with the Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Enugu distributed Scientific Equipment to secondary schools in Imo State.

    The students, who were, before now grappling with studying science subjects without equipment for practical studies can now heave a sigh of relief with the arrival of the modern science equipment.

    Beneficiaries of the project were not just government-owned schools as has always been the practice. Privately-owned and missionary schools equally benefitted from the gesture. In all, 141 schools were given equipment to boost the study of science in their various schools.

    Speaking during the official distribution of the equipment at the Holy Ghost College Owerri, Imo State capital, Ihedioha, disclosed that the programme was designed to support the educational needs of the students in Imo State and to complement the efforts of government and the private sector to reposition education.

    According to him, the quality of education in the state has become a primary concern to stakeholders, stressing that no society can make meaningful progress without an educated population.

    “We are talking of not just education for its sake but education that will lead to self-reliance. We are talking about education that will lead to industrial and technological progress of our state,” he said.

    He further stated: “For educational progress to be made, we need to appraise where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going to. Sometime ago, a group of experts were commissioned to study and determine the level of preparedness by secondary schools in Imo State, in terms of equipment, re-agents, materials and qualified teachers, in teaching both basic and advanced sciences. The findings showed that funding for science education in Imo is low.”

    Hon. Ihedioha lamented that the implication of the low funding of science education in the state was that students in the secondary school system could complete their education without exposure to the basic experiments required of them in sciences.

    The Deputy Speaker also attributed the massive failure of Imo State students in science subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Technical Drawing, Basic Technology and Mathematics in public examinations to lack of basic scientific equipment to aid learning, regretting that “data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), The National Examinations Council (NECO) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) demonstrates that in 2013, WAEC Examination, Imo State scored an average 46 per cent, whereas our neighbouring states of Anambra and Abia scored 67 per cent and 65 per cent respectively. This is unacceptable and must be reversed for the sake of the future of our children.”

    He equally blamed the massive failure on dearth of qualified science teachers in the state’s secondary school system, noting that, “the ratio of science teachers to students in Imo State is one of the poorest in the country today. There was a time in this state when science teachers were paid incentives that made them earn higher than other teachers. This motivated them to give their best. This is no more the case today. It was in the realisation of this deficit in our schools that I decided to make my own contributions towards solving the problem.”

    Earlier in his address, the Director-General of SEDI, Prof. Christian Okechukwu Nwajagu, represented by the Deputy Director, Mrs Ifeyinwa Okeke, noted that the country’s economic survival and ability to compete maximally in the global market is subject to sustainable scientific breakthroughs and technological development; hence the need for effective and result-oriented science learning at the fundamental levels.

    He further stated that science education is jeopardised as a result of lack or inadequate science materials and equipment for learning and teaching, adding that “several students shy away from science subjects, claiming that they are abstract and difficult. This has largely been attributed to lack of scientific equipment in our schools.”

    He said: “Science and its application called technology are the duo movers of any country’s economy and hence any investment in the field is a worthy and commendable one. More so, in a time like this when the country’s slogan is vision 20-20-20. In order to achieve this slogan of joining the formidable league of industrialised countries of the world in 2020, this event is a welcome development.”

    He also explained that, “the JSS kit contains several scientific materials, charts and accessories which were carefully developed in line with Basic Science curriculum approved by the Federal Ministry of Education. It is aimed at actualising in practical terms the objectives of Basic Science education.

    The kit emphasises hands-on-minds-on practical activity and can be used to perform over 50 experiments in line with Basic Science curriculum. The use of the kit in learning science has the capacity to elicit interest and increase achievement in the subject.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the Committee for the Distribution of the Scientific Equipment, Prof. Obioma Iheduru, the Deputy Speaker, through the initiative, has inspired confidence in the electorate in the state that leaders are alive to their responsibilities of providing for the needs of the people.

    Decrying the declining standard of education in the state, Iheduru, stated: “I enjoin you to ask the question, how qualitative is our educational system in Imo State today?

    Whither the once famed epithet; education is our industry. We ask why is Imo at the bottom of the ladder in performance at public examinations by WAEC, NECO and JAMB. When was the last time that an Imo State student obtained first position in any of these examinations?

    Praising the initiative, a retired school teacher, Mr. Paul Uzoukwu said the gesture will go a long way to revive in the students the desire to learn, adding that no science teacher can produce Grade A students without an equipped and functional laboratory.

    He opined that with the proper application of the equipment, the state will soon regain its top position in science education.

    “I am optimistic that with time and right use of these modern equipment, the students will excel in the science subjects, which has been a source of worry to parents, teachers and other major stakeholders. The Initiative is apt and should be emulated by other public office holders.”

    Some of the students, who were joyful over the gesture, assured that with the provision of the equipment, they would work hard to justify the huge investment.

    Miss Njoku Rose, a student from one of the benefitting schools said: “I am so grateful to the Deputy Speaker for his kindness. Before now, we only read about this equipment, but now we can see and use them for our practical”

  • Firm donates equipment to schools

    X3M Ideas, an advertising agency, has donated ICT Equipment to two schools in Ikeja, Lagos as part of the event to mark its second year anniversary of commencing business.

    Explaining the rationale behind the corporate social responsibility inclined anniversary celebration which is ingrained in the agency’s DNA, the agency’s Chief Creativity Officer /CEO, Steve Babaeko,  revealed that  the company is embarking on the project for the second year running with a view to continually make meaningful contribution towards the development of education in Nigeria.

    Last year to mark its first year in business, X3M Ideas  renovated the JSS 2  block of 5 classrooms at Opebi Junior High School, Awuse Estate, Opebi, Ikeja and  equally provided furniture, fans  and other fittings to make the  classrooms conducive to learning.

    “We committed ourselves to the project in recognition of the fact that education is the best legacy and we hope to affect the future of these children by providing conducive learning environment and needed tools for them.”

    For X3M Ideas, CSR should be a marathon rather than a sprint as some organisations take it. “This is why we are following up on the same trajectory by donating ICT tools to enhance teaching of ICT in selected schools for our 2014 second year anniversary project.”

    The schools that benefitted from the X3M Ideas’ second anniversary CSR project are Oregun Senior High School, Oregun, Lagos and Community High School Wasimi, Maryland, Lagos.