The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Experts

  • Experts seek holistic power sector reforms

    Experts in the power sector have called for  total overhaul in the systems of generation, sustainability and distribution of power in the country.

    In a lecture at  the Emmanuel Edozien Hall,  Bells University of Technology (BELLSTECH), Ota, Ogun State, with the theme: ‘Seminal findings on sustainable power supply reliability in Nigeria,’ a Professor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos State, Frank Okafor, called for a complete reshuffling of membership of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to accommodate more engineers in the field than administrators.

    He decried the fact that only one engineer is among the NERC board suggesting that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) issue more licenses to its participants to build power plants, rather than import.

    “It is abominable that when you import raw materials for power components, you pay duty but when you import finished goods, it is duty free. We must encourage local content in power components and devices. Countries should be attracted to set up their factories in customer countries, like Nigeria, so that government expenditure would benefit citizens optimally. This way, there is competition, you grow the power demand and then you have economy of scale,” Okafor said.

    The professor, who was guest lecturer at the ceremony, held as part of activities to commemorate Bellstech’s 10th anniversary and seventh convocation ceremony, also said distribution companies should be made to provide expansion master plan for the short, medium and long term. He added that diversification should be explored with investment focus on coal, wind and fossil fuels.

    He lamented non-payment of electricity bills by customers, fraudulent workers and expensive electricity equipment as factors hindering power sustainability in Nigeria and suggested that  NERC be made to enjoy autonomy from the political class and be empowered to  take informed decisions.

    Also speaking, Professor of Biomedical engineering of the University, Chuba Okoye stressed the need to encourage local production of power equipment.

    Prof Isola Salawu, also of Bellstech’s College of Engineering said: “Our problem in this country is soft infrastructure, not hard infrastructure.

  • Experts seek improved oral health

    Dentists are seeking ways of improving Nigeria’s oral health status, as they called for more government’s intervention to reduce common dental problems such as gingivitis and carries. These, they said, are common oral problems which almost half of the populations currently suffer from.

    They stated this during the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine University of Lagos Idi-Araba.

    Former Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Lagos State College of Medicine Ikeja Dr Tajudeen Ayodele Kekere-Ekun said oral health is very important to people’s overall health. This is because some of the problems that occur in the mouth may affect general medical conditions in the body.

    He said failure to look after the problem of the mouth will result in local problems that may cause the teeth to develop some holes.

    Kekere-Ekun said if the condition is not treated, the problem will go deeper into the teeth and affect the pulp, which is the living part of the teeth.

    “If nothing is done, it will go down into the root to cause a widespread body infection,” he said.

    He identified some of the challenges of dental health as lack of adequate modern equipment to treat patients, lack of consumables and teaching aids for dental students.

  • Experts seek safe working environment for employees

    The Managing Director of Novo Health Africa, Dr. Dorothy Jeff-Nnamani has called on decision makers in different organisation across industry sectors to create a workplace policy that is psychologically safe for its employees.

    Nnamani said this at the Executive symposium organised by Novo Health Africa in commemoration of the World Health Mental Day in Lagos.

    Tagged: ‘Saluntem Reditus: What your competitors don’t know?’ brought together captains of industries, health experts, insurance practitioners and civil society groups.

    According to her,  the people are the key factors and are very important in  the productivity cycle of any organisation, hence their mental wellbeing is imperative.

    While acknowledging the fact  that  organisations spend a lot of resources in training she however said giving priority to the mental health of the staff is an enabler to carry forward the goals and aspirations of the organisation.

    “It is not enough to pay employees within a work place good remuneration but effort should be made to tap into their mental wellbeing by creating a safe environment and a good working culture,” she said.

    Many organisations, she regretted, “Grow and make profit but forget the people. You have paid the person well, while not tap into the intangible asset of that person which is emotional and psychological wellbeing.”

    She stressed that all the innovations seen  around  today were made possible because people were thinking and are mentally stable to innovate.

    She cited an informal survey carried recently which states that many employee work into night in the office and some are almost given birth in the office because of the poor working conditions they go through to keep their jobs.

    Nnamani stressed that leaders in organisations need to rethink and look at their relationship with their workers and access whether they are mentally stable to carry the goal and aspiration of the organisation forward.

    Speaking on the stigma and lack of mental health awareness, especially in the work place, human capital expert and Managing Director of Customer Centricity, Uloma Umeano urged employers, recruiters and businesses to consider the mental health of employees and applicants when they list competency requirements.

    In her own assertion, Dr. Maymunah Kadiri, the CEO of Pinnacle Medicals cited the recent report by the World Health Organisation that the world is at the verge of a global stress  crisis which may peak by 2020.

    “Depression will be a number two killer disease in the world and by 2030, its going to be number one killer disease in the world.”

    Expatiating, she said: “We are creating a mental health apps which is going to be on the go so that users can access their stress level, anxiety level and how depressed they are at every given point in time.

    She also called for more support for the mental health bill which would help provide support, care, subsidise treatment and tackle stigmatisation of mentally ill patients.

  • How to protect Ozone layer, by experts

    How to protect Ozone layer, by experts

    Statistics on e-waste shows that approximately 100,000 tonnes are being illegally brought into Nigeria every year through Lagos and other ports, the United Nation Industrial  Development Organiation (UNIDO) Country Director Dr David Tommy has said. Some of the wastes, he said, came from used refrigerators, computers, television sets, mobile phones and others.

    Tommy, who spoke at the just concluded National Environmental (Ozone Layer Protection) Regulations 2009 and best practice for the management of e-waste held in Lagos,  pledged UNIDO’s support for government in promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation development without compromising the environment. He said the review and amendment of the law would further chart a way for a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s environmental management problem.

    The ozone layer is a protective blanket in the stratosphere that protects humans from harmful radiations from the sun particularly the ultra violet (UV) rays which are electromagnetic radiations.

    To this end, he said, it has become pertinent for Nigeria to reflect on its laws on the disposal of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) waste in order to conform to product stewardship where the extended producer responsibility initiative is effected and manufacturers/ distributors of ODS containing equipment would initiate buy-back programmes to ensure that products are recycled and disposed satisfactorily.

    Tommy, urged the government to come out with a sound and comprehensive national e-waste management strategy to eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum, the adverse effects of e-waste to environment and socio-economic life.

    Indeed, there has been rising concern over the depletion of the  ozone layer. This has further made stakeholders to canvass for stiffer measures  against erring persons, groups or governments.

    This was the submission of several experts that spoke and made presentations in Lagos last week, at the National Environmental (Ozone Layer Protection) Regulations 2009 workshop. The two-day event, which held at the Lagos office of the British Deputy High Commission and Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, saw stakeholders canvassing an upward review of penalty to ensure strict compliance to the laws in Nigeria.

    Other stakeholders at the event include a representative of the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Ray Kyles; Chief Executive of Hinckley Associates, Clews Arian; officials of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), scholars, environmental experts, banks and other stakeholders.

    To achieve this, and as a way forward, it was noted that there is an urgent need for a review and amendment of the National Environmental (Ozone Layer Protection) Regulations 2009 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is because several factors such as inadequate training on identification of ODS, shortage of information from relevant stakeholders, absence of cooperatives on handlers, inadequate tools to facilitate effective training as well as monitoring and enforcement, including insufficient information on strategies for ODS destruction and inadequate compliance and monitoring. These have been known to constitute hinderances to effective control of ODS.

    In his presentation at the workshop, the Director-General of NESREA, Dr. Lawrence Anukam, listed standard qualities for ODS destruction as best practice for safe disposal and destruction schedule, specific roles for each of chemical, best practices in emission control, guidelines for extended produces responsibility programmes, alternative to ODS and upward review for penalty to ensure compliance as best ways forward for environmental management in the country.

    An environment expert with UNIDO Regional Office, Mr. Oluyomi Banjo, speaking on “Green Industry: Demonstration Project for Disposal of Unwanted Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in Nigeria,” said its objective was to set up a financially self-sustaining scheme that would contribute to reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. The scheme, he further explained, centres on the replacement of old units with energy-efficient appliances, pointing out that new appliances were sold to consumers at discounted rate. Model for appliance replacement scheme, he said, included sale of scrap metals and plastics from dismantled fridges.

    Sharing his experience on “Nigeria ODS Destruction Pilot Project: Collection and Aggregation of ODS(CFC-12),”  the Managing Director, Beautaug-Thermo Limited, Augustine Atasie, said his team did not find chlorofluorocarbons (CFC- 12) in the oil industries as specified in the initial survey report. According to him, those who agreed to speak to the team denied the existence of  CFC-12 in their facilities, while some said their organisations had decommissioned their old equipment.

    A presenter with Voice of Nigeria (VON), Ms. Nkechinyere Itodo, in her presentation on:”The Role of Media in Ozone Layer Protection and Environmental Protection,” listed wrong content alignment in news, poor capacity of media practitioners and organisational issues as some of the challenges weighing down mass media reportage of environmental matters in the country.

    She urged government to champion environment programmes and projects, including funding of media’s participation in environmental conferences to boost media capacity. She tasked journalists to always highlight environment-related matters as developmental issues in their reporting and analysis.

    But there have been some giant strides by the UNIDO in this regard.  Tommy said UNIDO, as an implementing agency for the Montreal Protocol of 1992, had implemented over 1, 200 projects in the country, assisting more than 98 countries to phase out more than 70,287 ODS tonnes for world’s total consumption of ozone depleting substances.

    He added that UNIDO had worked with Nigeria in successfully achieving the ban on importation and production of chlorofluorocarbons. Presently, he said UNIDO was working with the country in the identification, aggregation and disposal of CFCs, review and updating legislations on ODS and technological application of methyl formate as an alternative to HCFCs.

    “Training of air-conditioners and refrigeration practitioners and installation of 30 clean and up-to-date low pressure foam machines worth about $1million have just been completed. We also distributed an additional 45 machines across the country,” he said.

    He noted that the machines, if well utilised, would maximise productive time, ensure the use of cleaner and safer alternatives to chemicals with high ODPs, increase production and improve product quality.

    The implementation demonstration project for the disposal of ODS had commenced in November 2013 after the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol had approved some funding for the country with the objective of aggregating and disposing 84 metric tonnes of CFC  -12 already identified with oil companies and chillers.

  • Experts seek reforms in media practice

    A University don, Prof Umaru Pate has called for a reform in media practice and professionalism in the country.

    Pate, a lecturer in the department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano State, made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 60th birthday of the Dean, Lagos state University School of Communication (LASUSOC), Prof Lai Oso.

    The address was themed: ‘Issues in media and national integration in Nigeria.’

    Pate identified issues affecting the media’s ability to inspire integration to include: absence of national rallying points on which the media are all united; lack of funding; tendency to report inter-group conflicts in their fundamental contexts, among others.

    The professor recommended that the media should place more emphasis on national problems rather than restricting their write ups to defined boundaries of gender, religion, location or social status.

    He added that journalists should have a deeper knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s complexities and demonstrate professional competence in dealing with issues of diversity and multiculturalism to inspire media relevance, respect and trust.

    Pate’s recommendation include: “More media emphasis on collective national problems; more focus on mindsets; deeper understanding of Nigeria’s complexities; License more national broadcast networks; encourage all existing media organs to go online; institute the teaching of diversity and multicultural reporting; provide continuous retraining programmes to practicing; and increase the engagement with social media.”

    Also speaking, Prof Ralph Akinfeleye of the mass communication department, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, emphasised the importance of objectivity and fairness in reportage to inspire younger generation in the same path.

    He said: “In this profession, we cannot compromise, because truth is constant and it is the cornerstone of good journalism. The younger generations need to embrace objectivity and fairness in reporting issues. Journalists should be the fourth estate of the realm and not of the wreck; otherwise, they are not wrecking the profession or government but themselves. These are the couple of things you can learn from the celebrant who is very straightforward, articulate, and honest in his professional practice.

    “This is an excellent event. Prof Oso was able to pull enough crowds and this is the first time we have an assemblage of professors and scholars in mass communication. I am very proud to be associated with him and I wish him many returns of today. The younger generation can emulate his transparency, honesty, accountability and truth because truth is the cornerstone of good journalism.”

    On his part, Oso expressed gratitude to his colleagues who organised the event.

    “I am very happy and grateful to my colleagues and friends for organising this event. I am also very grateful to God for giving me the privilege to attain the milestone and for the grace to contribute to the profession,” he said.

    He said the celebration was a challenge to do more so as to meet up to high expectations.

    A LASUSOC lecturer, Mrs Lade Atofojomo, described Oso as a father-figure who can be as supportive as he is a disciplinarian.

    “He is a father. That is the best word to describe him. He is supportive, a disciplinarian, in fact he is everything good in one,” Atofojomo said.

     

  • Experts call for reform in media practice

    A don, Mr. Umaru Pate has called for media reform, even as he advised practitioners to be objective in their reportage.

    Pate, a Professor of Mass Communication in the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, was delivering a keynote address at the 60th birthday ceremony of the Dean, Lagos State University School of Communication (LASUSOC), Prof. Lai Oso.

    In the address entitled: “Issues in Media and National Integration in Nigeria”,

    Prof. Pate, who was the Guest Speaker on the occasion, reeled off issues that hinder the media’s capability to inspire integration to include absence of national rallying points on which the media are united; lack of funding as well as the common tendency of reporting inter-group conflicts in their fundamental contexts, among others.

    He said: “Areas of concern have emerged on the behaviour of the media in fulfilling its role in the process of national integration in the context of the country’s multi-cultural setting, particularly at critical historical moments when they ought to have demonstrated leadership positions. The reasons for that are many.”

    To reverse the trend, he recommended that the media should emphasise more on national problems rather than restricting their write-ups to defined boundaries of gender, religion, location or social status.

    He added that journalists should have a deeper knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s complexities and demonstrate professional competence in dealing with issues of diversity ad multiculturalism to inspire media relevance, respect and trust.

    Continuing, Prof. Pate said: “The media should lay more emphasis on collective national problems; focus more on mindsets; deeper understanding of Nigeria’s complexities; license more national broadcast networks; encourage all existing media organs to go online; institute the teaching of diversity and multicultural reporting; provide continuous retraining programmes to practising; and increase the engagement with social media.”

    Also speaking, a Mass Communication scholar of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye emphasised the importance of objectivity and fairness in reportage to inspire younger generation in the same path.

    He said: “In this profession, we cannot compromise, because truth is constant and it is the cornerstone of good journalism. The younger generation need to embrace objectivity and fairness in reporting issues. Journalists should be the Fourth Estate of the Realm and not of the wreck; otherwise, they are not wrecking the profession or government but themselves. These are the couple of things you can learn from the celebrator who is very straightforward, articulate, and honest in his professional practice.”

    Akinfeleye praised the celebrator and expressed excitement at the calibre of personalities who attended the event.

    “This is an excellent event. Prof. Oso was able to pull enough crowd. This is the first time we have an assemblage of professors and scholars in Mass Communication. I am very proud to be associated with him and I wish him many returns of today. The younger generation can emulate his transparency, honesty, accountability and truth because truth is the cornerstone of good journalism,” he said.

    The celebrator expressed his gratitude to his colleagues who put the event together.

    “I am very happy and grateful to my colleagues and friends for organising this event. I am also very grateful to God for giving me the privilege to attain the milestone and for the grace to contribute to the profession,” he said.

    He, however, said the celebration was a challenge for him to do more so as to meet up high expectations from him.

    Present at the occasion was a LASUSOC lecturer, Mrs Lade Atofojomo, who described Prof. Oso as a father-figure who can be as supportive as he is a disciplinarian.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Experts hail Chile’s retirement system

    Since its launch 35 years ago, Chile’s retirement system has been hailed as “best in class” by pension experts near and far.

    The country’s fabled individual and privately-managed accounts include around 10 million affiliates, hold $160 billion in investments, and pay retirement benefits to over a million retirees. So why did President Michelle Bachelet establish a Pension Reform Commission that just delivered to her 58 specific reforms and three comprehensive proposals to overhaul and remodel Chile’s retirement system?

    One motivation for all such commissions, and this one was no exception, is to offer a sounding board for popular opinion. During the year I served with the group, much grumbling was heard about low benefits and the system’s so-called “social illegitimacy.”

    I attribute some of the complaints to widespread ignorance of how the system actually works, since only a handful (19 percent of men, 11 per cent of women) know how much they contribute to the accounts: 10 per cent of pay. This underscores my own research showing that most Chileans had no idea how much they paid in commissions, how their money was invested, or how their benefits would be determined at retirement. Only one-fifth of the participants had the faintest idea about how much money they held in their accounts.

    So financial illiteracy is a big problem, and not one confined to Chile. Yet the nation’s failure to educate its citizenry about how their pensions work and their role in retirement security is central to why three-quarters of the population now feels that a major overhaul is required.

    In the course of our work, we learned that Chile’s retirement system actually does a rather remarkable job of protecting against old age financial destitution. This is because means-tested government benefits were implemented in 2008 to support those who contribute little to their private accounts. After this, extreme elderly poverty dropped to 1.6 per cent. Adding the means-tested to the self-financed pension generates replacement rates of about 64 per cent, levels even above what retirees in the US get from social security.

    Yet important holes in Chile’s retirement system fabric remain. Women who don’t work for pay have no pensions, nor do the self-employed (the latter were actually not required to contribute to their retirement, a problem the government now seeks to rectify). Even more concerning is the fact that Chilean women may retire at age 60, five years younger than men. As a result, they end up with extremely low benefits due to their longer life expectancy and lower life-time wages. Our Commission therefore recommended raising women’s (and men’s) retirement ages and adopting a unisex life table, to help boost older women’s living standards.

    • Culled from Forbes
  • Experts seek action on UN global goals

    Experts seek action on UN global goals

    The Executive Director of Network of Non-governmental organization of Nigeria, (NNNGO), Mr. Oluseyi Oyebisi has called for a national plan of action to achieve the new global goals for sustainable development in Nigeria.

    Oyebisi made this known at an event organised by Save the Children, ONE Campaign, The Nigeria Network of NGOs, CSDEVNET and The Future Project held University of Lagos.

    The Sustainable Developments Goals are a new global targets recently ratified by over 150 heads of state and governments across the world at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    Oyebisi said, “Nigeria can only implement the new sustainable development goals if there is a national plan of action on the sustainable development goals by the federal government which will set the pace for private sectors and other stakeholders’ involvement and participation in its implementation.

    He said that the federal government’s stance and posture toward the full adaptation and implementation of the new sustainable goals is imperative for the goals to be achieved.

    These goals, he said, should be adopted and consultation should be done in all the ministries, agencies and departments of government on how it relate to them and fashion out ways government and other stakeholders can key into the goals.

    He said, “Tackling poverty, promoting inclusive education for all, promoting healthy environment and affordable and efficient energy for all are among the new SDGs which must be pursued vigorously by everyone”.

    He opined that monitoring and evaluation of the new goals should be put in place to ascertain the effectiveness of the goals periodically.

    Oyebisi, who lamented that Africa, especially Nigeria could not meet the just concluded millennium development goals because there was enough political will and coordinated approach by government agencies who would have galvanize all other stakeholders toward meeting the goals.

    He opined that funding for the implementation can be source from curbing illicit corrupt funds, aids and grants, taxes and foreign direct investment.

    Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of One Campaign, Edwin Ikhuoria challenged Nigerians to own the new global goals and hold government accountable for its implementation.

    He said, “The office of the citizen is the most important office that can exist. The citizens must know and understand their power to determine what leaders do and hold them to account for the common wealth entrusted in their hands to govern.

    He noted that gone are the days when a leader will blatantly squander resources and nobody can mention it for fear of being a target of high-level vindictiveness.

    “Nigeria has moved from where it used to be, but today at the end of the MDGs, Nigeria can only boast of meeting maybe 2 or 3 of the targets! The rest are not met. What happened? He asked.

    On the essence of the programme, the Campaign Advisor of Save the Children, Hope Udoma said that we are here to light up and amplify our voices to the rectification and implementation of the new global goals.

     

  • Experts make case for girl-child

    Experts make case for girl-child

    I dropped out of school in 2011 when I was in Class Four,” said Catherine Kloji, 16. “I left because I didn’t have school uniform and could not pay my school fees. Mum is poor and wants me to learn a trade so I could use the skill to make some money so that hopefully one day we can afford to pay my fees and uniform again.”

    Miss Kloji, was one of many girls in hard-to-reach communities for whom experts pleaded at a Lagos event.

    She is learning to sew and make a living from it. It is four years since she quit school.

    The plight of the hard to reach girls who are shut out of school because of inadequate funds was the focus of a high-level dialogue organised by the Action Health Incorporated and funded by Ford Foundation. The event held at Protea Hotel in Lagos.

    The stakeholders who attended the programme included policymakers, entrepreneurs, donors, community members, media, civil society and young people.

    Speaking at the event, the former Chairman on Diaspora, House of Representative, Abike Arewa said that the need to upscale the effort toward inclusion of the girl child in school is very apt as girls are more vulnerable no matter how educated they are.

    She said that we need to double up work on implementation of the child right act because we want to get to a stage where there will be no child that will be out of schools in Lagos.

    She lamented that many girls are vulnerable and they need our support to lead a normal life despite being a girl.

    In her speech, the Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated, Essien who spoke on the Education, Health and Socio-Economic Realities of Out-Of-Schools Adolescent Girls in Lagos Slums said that according to the United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2014 that In Nigeria,over 5 million girls of school age are not in school.

    She said while several UN conventions and local policies appear to guarantee the well being of young persons in Nigeria, there are indications that many girls remain extremely socially and sexually vulnerable particularly those living in the slums and low income communities across the country.

    She said sadly, very little is being done directly/indirectly to seek out these girls and address the challenges they face.

    She cited a research conducted by Action Health Incorporated on the hard to reach communities said “1 in 4 girls has never attended school.1 in 3 of those who ever enrolled never made it beyond primary school and only 1 in 3 completed JSS3”..

    She added that the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2025) puts the number of slums in Lagos at over 100. In these slums, many of the residents lack basic amenities, access to services and opportunities, with a vicious cycle of poverty and deprivation.

    She opined that from a 2010 research carried out by Action Health Incorporated (AHI) among 480 adolescent girls in Iwaya – a densely populated slum in Lagos, showed that almost half (45.2 percent) of girls aged 10 -14 had never attended school while none of the girls surveyed reached beyond secondary school level. This finding reveals the rising demographic of out-of-school adolescent girls and this should be a concern for all.

    She said despite an increase in the number of programmes supporting girl-child education and empowerment in Lagos state, out-of-school adolescent girls living in slum communities remain marginalized. These girls lack opportunity, safe spaces and other services necessary for their healthy development.

    “They need formal and/or non-formal education, sexual and reproductive health information and services, vocational skills and business-related training, as well as protection from sexual abuse and violence as these will help reduce their vulnerability while protecting and improving their well-being and that of their communities”, she said.

    Essien opined that effective investment in out-of-school adolescent girls is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do. When girls are empowered with age-appropriate information, skills and resources it creates a multiplier effect of sustainable change that benefits families, communities, and nations.

    The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly,’Rt. Hon Mubashiru Obasa promised that the state government will do more in making laws that would benefit hardest to reach communities.

    He said children and the youths are the pillars of development in our society and we will do more in making the state safer and secured for them.

    Obasa noted that it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to advocate for the adolescent and girl child well being and reduce the amount of peer pressure within their community.

    He said we promised that the involvement of the Lagos state house of assembly on laws and resolutions on the right of the girl child will be effective, appropriate and  more accommodating for adolescent across the 40 constituency in the state.

    Also speaking at the event, The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Boladele Dapo-Thomas, said even though the Federal Government had instituted some vocational programmes for affected girls, it could however not execute them alone.

    Thomas said it was the responsibility of state governments to map out empowerment programmes that would rehabilitate and reintegrate out-of-school girls into the education system.

    She said, “The state government has a duty to eradicate poverty and develop the infrastructure of the state for a better society. They know what is going on these communities through their various engagements with the leaders. The agencies and ministry cannot do it alone. Stakeholders should…support these girls.”

     

  • 270 Nigerian experts seek opportunities at SNEPCo’s summit

    Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company of Nigeria Limited (SNEPCo) hosted a business summit in Aberdeen last week with over 270 personnel representing Nigerian companies within and outside the country in attendance. They explored opportunities to repatriate skills and experience to the oil and gas industry back home in Nigeria.

    The forum christened ‘The Global Nigerian’ is the third in Europe’s oil and gas hub, and had the theme Networking and Collaboration as a tool for national Development and Growth.

    SNEPCo Managing Director Tony Attah in his address, said: “When, in 2013, we set out with the initiative for local companies to collaborate with Nigerian experts in Aberdeen on opportunities and challenges in the Nigeria oil and gas industry, we knew this would be a game changer. Today, we can say that the game changer is beginning to take shape as Nigerians have started returning home to set up businesses.”

    A representative of the Nigerian High Commission, Mr. Hassan Hassan said: “This is the right time for our experts based abroad to return home to make contribution and be part of the success story.”  The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Denzil Kentebe commended Shell on both The Global Nigerian and Partnership Facilitation Programme and confirmed the board’s continuing support for both initiatives.

    In a presentation on procedures for potential contractors in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, the Deputy Manager, Reservoir Management and Evaluation, Joint Venture oil operations, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), Mrs. Martina Atuchi said: “We are inviting you to be part of the leading economy in Africa with a lot of untapped hydrocarbon resources.”

    The General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Shell Nigeria, Chiedu Oba gave a progress report on the decisions of The Global Nigerian since the first business summit in Aberdeen in 2013. He said several Nigerians had returned home to establish businesses in the oil and gas sector, while networking had continued on a collaboration portal which recorded more than 12,000 visitors every month by the 60 registered companies and users.

    The participants agreed that the return of a significant number of Nigerian oil and gas professionals could make a ‘game changing’ impact on the efficient delivery of many opportunities that exist in the upstream, mid-stream and downstream sectors. They also suggested the need for low interest rates to boost the growth of the companies.

    The Global Nigerian 2015 was enthusiastically supported by government and industry leaders including representatives from Nigeria’s leading oil and gas trade organisation, PETAN and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).