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Tag: group

  • Heritage Bank, Group partner on pageant

    Heritage Bank, Group partner on pageant

    Heritage Bank Plc has partnered with Folio Media Group, publishers of the Daily Times, to organise the 60th anniversary of Miss Nigeria and the 2017 edition of the beauty pageant.

    Miss Ehiguese Mildred Peace, representing Adamawa State, emerged   Miss Nigeria at the grand finale of the beauty pageant held at Eko Convention Centre in Lagos. Miss Rita Chinedu, representing Delta State and Miss Benjamin Anne Ufuomanefe, (Ondo State) were first and second runners-up.

    Miss Cross River, Ana Victoria Lawrence emerged as Miss Emerald Queen, after winning the task organised by Heritage Bank, which centred on assessing the contestants on their knowledge, complement, fluency, articulation, appearance based on ingenuity and creativity of the Nigerian contemporary hairstyles. Whilst, Miss Ifidon Sarah representing Edo State Miss Onyeabo Amarachi representing Abia State, emerged first and second runner ups, respectively.

    The award given to her, which was an artefact (African queen bronze head in a moulded box), speaks of African culture and symbolic of the Bank’s pride of its heritage.

    Miss Nigeria focuses on issues that affect Nigerian women; she is an ambassador of culture, of purpose, of the environment. The ambition of the new beauty queen is to provide medical and psychological help for women who are victims of rape as well as empower them.

    Speaking with journalists immediately after the crowning of the new pageant queen, Fela Ibidapo, Head of Corporate Communications of Heritage Bank said, “We are partnering with Folio Group to empower women”, adding that this is what the Daily Times used to be known for and we wants to help them to revive it.

    “Our involvement in this is not because of beauty per se, it’s primarily to empower ladies and women generally; to encourage them to always put in their best in whatever they do to make a living.”

    Ibidapo agreed that the impact of the initiative might not be so visible in the short-term period, but he was so optimistic that it would impact positively on their contributions to the nation-building process in the long run.

    Also speaking, chairman of Folio Media Group, Mr. Fidelis Anosike said the group would use the Miss Nigeria pageant to create a strong female platform, remarking that the group has signed a partnership deal with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) over the next five years to tackle the scourge of human trafficking.

  • Group holds symposium on sexuality rights

    A non-profit organisation, The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs), has held the third edition of its symposium, titled: Human Rights, Sexuality and the Law, in Lagos.

    The event was in commemoration of the International Day for Human Rights and the rights of Nigerians, irrespective of their identities or sexual orientations.

    The Co-Founder of RED and Yale Greenberg World Fellow, Chude Jideonwo, said every human being is allowed to have opinions, choices and identities.

    The activists noted that in Nigeria, this had given an opportunity to those he called narrow-minded persons to legalise discriminations against other fellow citizens.

    He said: “So, this is an equality agenda, an expression about the rights and choices of those we perceive as different. Tolerance should not be a catchphrase but a virtue that we must all cherish and encourage.”

    Other speakers also unscored the importance of creating safe spaces for every Nigerian to live, especially through effective communication, expression and enlightenment about their health and legal rights.

    Appearing as a panellist with other personalities, like Wana Udoabang, Victor Ugoh, Dami Ajayi, Sade Ladipo and Papa Omoyemi, Amanda Ihembiri, a psychotherapist, said the effects of discrimination on sexual minorities were devastating.

    The Executive Director of The Initiative for Equal Rights, Olumide Makanjuola, said the symposium presented an opportunity for participants to continue discussions on equal rights and justice for Nigerians.

     

     

     

  • Peaceful Xmas: Group commends military, warns envoys against spreading falsehood about Nigeria

    A civil rights group, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has warned that countries whose envoys blackmail and cook up armchair stories about Nigeria should desist from such despicable acts in their own interest.

    Such diplomats, it said, should find other means of making money from their countries without portraying Nigeria in bad light.

    The organisation said that by portraying Nigeria as unstable, they would ultimately be disrupting the businesses and investments of their citizens.

    The Executive Director of CESJET, Joyce Ogwu, expressed these feelings in a statement issued on Tuesday in Maiduguri.

    She was reacting to what she described “the unbroken chain of Christmas success against Nigeria’s security threats under President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    While congratulating the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Nigerian Army for the victory, CESJET said his message to soldiers to sustain the momentum in the war against terrorism was a testimony to the commitment and focus with which the Nigerian Army had prosecuted issues pertaining to Nigeria’s security.

    Ogwu said, “CESJET advises countries that are quick to portray Nigeria as unstable to desist from such pointless venture since they ultimately disrupt the businesses and investments of their citizens with their scare tactic. Such attitude serves to confirm these countries as state backers of terrorism even when they make outward shows of being against terrorists.

    “While it is understandable that Nigeria is undergoing a challenging time, it is inconceivable that envoys of these nations have become indolent to the point of cooking up armchair reports about Nigeria. The world now knows that the more unstable and difficult they paint life in Nigeria, the more funds they get from their respective governments for risks and hazard allowances. They must however find other means of making money without portraying Nigeria in bad light.

    “Latest events in the aftermath of their alarmist advisories have made it evidently clear that we have defeated our adversaries and that it is time they tell themselves the bitter truth for once.”

    She hailed Buhari over his support for the Army, which, she said, had resulted in a peaceful 2017 Christmas “even when doomsayers had given the impression that Nigeria would drown in rivers of blood from their predicted attacks hidden behind travel advisories to their nationals.”

    CESJET said, “The directives to soldiers would last beyond the Yuletide to make lasting impacts on Nigeria’s security in the months and even years ahead especially since 2018 will prove to be a turning point for those that had resolved to not allow the country have peace.

    “There are lessons for the world to learn from how the Nigerian Army, under the present leadership, has fought terrorism and those looking to rubbish Nigeria’s achievements in this regard will do well to be humble enough in admitting when feats have been performed even in the face of their sabotage.

    “We urge the Nigerian Army and the COAS to disregard the distraction constituted by such envoys and their nations but to instead focus on delivering on their promise to Nigerians to see the last of Boko Haram terrorism.”

  • Group restrategises on gender-based violence

    Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), a non-profit organisation, is worried by the rising incidence of violence against women.

    Taking stock of its activities one yaer it was founded, the founder,   Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru, said: “Since we opened our doors one year ago, we are delighted with the number of lives we have been able to impact through the services we provide. We have recorded over 360 beneficiaries who have either visited our centres or sought help through our 24/7 helplines.

    “However, we still have a long way to go as our objective is to reach out to every young girl or woman who has faced any form of sexual violence across all communities in Nigeria. Through the wonderful support from private organisations and well-meaning individuals, we have been able to achieve all these in our first year.”

    In the emerging year, the NGO hopes to do much more, “we call on all stakeholders and friends of WARIF to support our initiatives, to enable us expand and reach out to more women and girls who have been affected in one way or the other by acts of gender-based violence.  Our aim is to create a society free of rape and sexual abuse and empower all survivors to become fully recovered strong productive members of their communities. The potential of the girl-child is limitless, and we are working hard to ensure that each girl-child reaches and even surpasses this potential,”  she added.

    Dr DaSilva-Ibru recalled that since its inception last year, the foundation has fought to create a safe haven for survivors of rape and sexual violence by providing medical, emotional, psychological and social welfare support through the WARIF Centre.

    The organisation  has established itself as the front runners in the fight against gender-based violence in partnership with existing government and non-governmental agencies such as international organisations like the Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre in the United States and as an official member of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team. The organisation is also a strong advocate with its participation in   campaigns such as the Men for WARIF online campaign and recently joined in the celebration of the UN 16 Days Activism against Gender based Violence Campaign which began  last month, to show its solidarity towards the cause and to highlight the importance of tackling the challenges that young girls and women face in the society.

    Some of the initiatives by WARIF include: the WARIF Educational School Programme (WESP), which addresses child sexual abuse and rape in secondary schools across the country with the introduction of a curriculum to educate and change the existing mindset of children and parents towards this abuse and the WARIF Gate Keepers project which in partnership with the ACT Foundation, is an initiative established to address gender- based violence in the peri-rural communities of Nigeria. Five hundred Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) from selected Local Government Areas across Lagos State are being sensitised and trained on the   early recognition of the signs and the prevention of gender-based violence that occurs frequently in their communities.

    The initiative which involves educating pregnancy and childbirth care specialists in primary maternity care centres in rural areas, while also aiding the treatment and prevention of gender-based violence that occurs frequently in those communities.

     

  • Group plans ConMin West Africa

    The second international trade fair for construction machinery ConMin West Africa will take place in Abuja mid-next year. This is coming on the heels of the success of ConMin West Africa 2017,

    The German service provider for international exhibitions IMAG, with its Nigerian partner Afrocet Montgomery, is offering companies the opportunity to showcase their products in Nigerian market.

    The trade fair’s inaugural edition last June and the attendant national mining summit were very successful as it attracted over 1,500 visitors and 44 exhibitors from 11 countries. They included industry giants, such as Bosch, Case, Dangote, Elkon and thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.

    ConMin West Africa will see suppliers, manufacturers and solution providers showcase an array of products from the construction, building materials and mining sectors. The show’s organisers have unveiled a new pavilion for 2018 for sustainability; companies will showcase their products for water treatment plants, pipeline construction as well as waste systems. As last year, the conference will be accompanied by a business forum with technical sessions to which exhibitors will make contributions.

    The summit will once more take place alongside ConMin West Africa. This two-day conference will see experts share their views about the latest development in the sector.

  • Group announces new payment app

    Zoto, a mobile payment application (app) used by over a million Nigerians, has announced a new app design.

    The company said the new app was designed to make Zoto the fastest and most reliable payment app in the country.

    An introductory sales offer is also announced on this occasion, and this will enable users to enjoy services at just ¦ 1 only on the new app for a limited period. In addition to subscription recharges, TV and broadband payments, the new app comes with services like electricity and betting payments also. This announcement was made at a press briefing in Zoto’s Lagos office this week.

    Commenting on the development, Oshone Ikazoboh, Zoto’s Co-Founder, said the newly redesigned Zoto App will further improve the experience of payments.

    He said electronic payments in Nigeria suffer from high failure rate, OTP delays, and poor user experience as existing solutions are not reliable and mobile friendly.

    “Zoto promises a delightful payment experience. Using Zoto wallet, users can make payments within five seconds without going through the tedious process of bank OTP and each payment is secured and complies with CBN policies,” Ikazoboh said, adding that Zoto’s machine learning process also predicts user’s favourite recharge and most frequent payment they are likely to make.

    He further explained that close to 80 per cent of web traffic in Nigeria comes from mobile and that Zoto’s mobile-focused approach helps provide payment services to masses.

  • Group plans ConMin West Africa

    The second international trade fair for construction machinery ConMin West Africa will take place in Abuja mid-next year. This is coming on the heels of the success of ConMin West Africa 2017,

    The German service provider for international exhibitions IMAG, with its Nigerian partner Afrocet Montgomery, is offering companies the opportunity to showcase their products in Nigerian market.

    The trade fair’s inaugural edition last June and the attendant national mining summit were very successful as it attracted over 1,500 visitors and 44 exhibitors from 11 countries. They included industry giants, such as Bosch, Case, Dangote, Elkon and thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.

    ConMin West Africa will see suppliers, manufacturers and solution providers showcase an array of products from the construction, building materials and mining sectors. The show’s organisers have unveiled a new pavilion for 2018 for sustainability; companies will showcase their products for water treatment plants, pipeline construction as well as waste systems. As last year, the conference will be accompanied by a business forum with technical sessions to which exhibitors will make contributions.

    The summit will once more take place alongside ConMin West Africa. This two-day conference will see experts share their views about the latest development in the sector.

    As the largest economy in Africa, with a gross domestic product of USD 518 billion, and the biggest producer of crude oil on the continent, Nigeria is an ideal host country for ConMin West Africa 2018. “Nigeria is one of the most promising markets in the world and is becoming more and more important to the global economy”, says Peter Bergleiter, Managing Director IMAG GmbH, the subsidiary of Messe München which organises trade fairs outside of Germany.

    “We enable businesses to establish a foothold in the market at an early stage and obtain high quality contacts. The combination of a trade fair and co-located specialised conference attended by top professionals from the industry is very well received, as the overwhelmingly positive feedback from this year’s participants has proven.”

  • Group tips Ambode for second term

    Group tips Ambode for second term

    A group, the Akin Ambode Campaign Group (AACG), has called on the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode to seek for second term in office.

    It called on the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) Lagos State chapter, to re-nominate Ambode as gubernatorial candidate for the 2019 polls, so as to continue his good works in the state.

    AACG state chairman Alhaji Moruf Soremekun, spoke during the 4th Anniversary lecture, awards and investiture of the group in Agege.

    He said without any doubt, the dynamic administration of Ambode has brought about unprecedented progress to all and sundry.

    Soremekun, who said the governor had surpassed the expectations in the provision for the welfare of the people and socio-economic development in the state, stressed, “Therefore, it is now clear that it is not how long but how well, within the short period of governance, he has set new record for everyone present that no effort will be spared in ensuring that the second term of our indefatigable Governor is assured.”

    According to him, in the last two years, the governor has performed excellently very well and such a performer deserves second term in office.

    According to him, every  parts of the state had felt the impact of his two years in governance in the state in the area of infrastructural development, and various policies that are all to the benefits of the people of the state, irrespective of their creed, religion, ethnic background political differences among others.

  • Group congratulates new Akarigbo

    Group congratulates new Akarigbo

    The Remo Group (TRG33) a pan-Remo socio-economic organization in Ogun State, congratulated the newly crowned paramount ruler of Remoland in the eastern senatorial district of the state, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, the Akarigbo of Remoland, on his historic ascension to the throne of his forefathers, urging the new monarch to bring his enviable track records in the private sector to bear on his administration of his domain.

    According to a statement issued by the group, signed by its Vice Presidents, Seyi Omo-Akin and Wasiu Adebayo, and made available to newsmen at the weekend, TRG33 called on all sons and daughters of Remoland to rally round Oba Ajayi as he set about the task of uniting the various towns and villages that make up the kingdom and also attracting developmental project to the area.

    “We are glad to be part of the process that led to your eventual coronation as the Akarigbo. W e are happy that a man of your calibre is coming to the throne at a time like this in the history of Remo people. And going by your discussion with us when we visited you at Ipebi, we are confident that you have a clear understanding of the task ahead just as you have the required wisdom and skill to carry out the reforms we need in Remoland today.

    “While we once again congratulate you on your coronation last Thursday, we urge you to go about the task of uniting our people immediately. We appreciate your readiness to ensure the development of Remo towns, please leave no stone unturned to achieve this. We pledge our support at every point in time to your reign as we urge you to call on us anytime; we will be glad to work for you,” the statement read in part.

    The group also appreciate the Coronation committee for a job well done. “We cannot but single out the likes of Asiwaju S.K Onafowokan, Aare Kola Oyefeso, Olootu Oyedele, Hon. Yinka Mafe, Otunba Dare Odufowokan, Aremo Adeyemi Ali, Chief Kehinde Akinsanya, Mrs. Omolola Oduyebo, Comrade Lukman Banjoko, Morenike Sodipe, Oguntade Goriola, Adebambo Adewale, amongst others for their tireless effort to see to the success of the ceremony.”

  • Group decries doctors’ threat to go on strike

    Group decries doctors’ threat to go on strike

    The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) of Teaching Hospitals/Federal Medical Centres sector has condemned Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) attitude for threatening to embark on strike because the government has agreed to implement agreements and memorandum of understanding it signed with JOHESU/APHA from 2009 to date.

    This was contained in a communiqué issued after its two-day meeting at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba. It was signed by the sector’s Chairman and Secretary, Comrade Olawale Ogundipe and Comrade Ademola Olajire.

    The duo said they do not believe it is NMA’s responsibility to take over the job of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in deciding salary increment for other health workers duly employed by the Federal Government of Nigeria. “This recurrent attitude to us is unnecessary and uncalled for. We advise the NMA to desist from this act in the interest of peace and team work in the health industry,” they noted.

    In the same vein, the Council noted the progress made towards the implementation of the agreements with JOHESU during the nationwide strike embarked upon by the unions last year. SSAUTHRIAI urged the Federal Government to release without further delay other necessary circulars and settle all the issues in dispute to prevent another shut down of health services.

    “We hereby use this medium to call on Mr. President to prevail on the Minister of Health and other agencies of government to implement agreements reached with the unions. After exhaustive deliberations, the council notes the plea that the Federal Government be given five weeks within which to release implementation circular on the subject matter, had expired and we are already in the eighth week since the agreements were signed. We therefore appeal to government to expedite action towards the release of the adjusted CONHESS circular for implementation,” they stated.

    The group also stated that the council in session was intimated with the problem between the MLS in LUTH and the pathologist in which the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) management appeared to be taking sides with the pathologists. Scientists who are management staff (Deputy Directors), who ordinarily should work at the headquarters in LUTH had been posted out to outstations which are a waste of human resources. A thorough review of the situation shows that the LUTH management action concerning the scientists contravened the laws of the land and the scheme of service for the MLS. Council therefore calls on the LUTH management and government to as a matter of urgency, reverse the situation in line with the rule of law.

    The group added: “We have it on good information that the LUTH management is attempting to contract out the laboratories in LUTH funded by tax payer’s money to a private entity. This will be vehemently resisted and by this information, we are calling on the National Assembly to quickly intervene in this matter.”

    The body equally noted the dangerous trend of hate speeches and call for disintegration of the country has continued to increase and should be checked. After thorough discussion and critical evaluation of the situation, council agrees that Nigerians should de-escalate aggressiveness and violence by avoiding hate speeches, and abhor allegiance to groups rather than national interest. “We opined that part of the solution to the problem is for the government to allow the practice of true Federalism as suggested by many eminent Nigerians and governors,” the group said.