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Tag: group

  • Group holds inaugural monthly breakfast

    A group, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the umbrella body of PR firms in Nigeria, has announced plans to host the inaugural edition of its monthly Breakfast Meeting.

    The event, which comes up  next Tuesday, will feature Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc. as special guest speaker.

    He will be speaking on “Culture: The next PR frontier”.

    Its President, Mr. John Ehiguese,  said:“The PRCAN Monthly Breakfast Meeting was conceived as a forum for our members to interact and share ideas with senior executives on the client side. “As PR consultants, we invariably work for clients, and there are issues in client relationship, which come up from time to time, and which may not be adequately addressed in the course of our day-to-day work.”

    The meeting provides a platform for such issues to be discussed in a quasi-formal atmosphere, and in such a way that enables us, not only to see things from the client’s perspective, but also to learn from each others’ experiences.

    The meeting will be attended by senior agency executives, and will feature a guest speaker who has the liberty of choosing a topic to speak on.

    Afterwards,  there will be a discussion.

  • Group greets Buhari, Ambode

    The National Coordinator, Action Support Democracy Group of Nigeria, Johnson Olakunle, has congratulated the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari and the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

    In a congratulatory letter, Olakunle described the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a proof that APC is the choice of the people.

    The National Coordinator urged them to fulfil the promises they made to the electorate.

    He advised Ambode to build on the legacies of his predecessors, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola.

    Olakunle praised the doggedness of all APC leaders across the country.

     

  • Group to employ 25,000

    A non-for-profit organisation, Eagle Search and Rescue Foundation (ESRF), said it would recruit no fewer than 25,000 youths across the country to serve as its data field workers.

    It said the measure would help reduce the number of the unemployed youths in the country.

    Its Group Coordinator-General, Mr. Sunday Ajanaku, who spoke in Lagos, said an average of 700 jobless youths would be hired in each of the 36 states, adding that they would serve as community social field data workers and would be well remunerated.

    According to him, graduates would be engaged to manage the Social Security and e-Manifest Card Scheme on  accident cases that involve any poor driver. He said they would start to receive prompt and free medical accidental treatment from the Eagle Search Healthcare providers and financial responsibility for such victim(s) from risk underwriters (insurance firms) when accident occurs with the ESRF Social Security or e-Manifest Card Subscribers nationwide.

    He said: “This is just the beginning of a long overdue and first initiative of its kind as an indigenous private organisation to participate and complement the social security, financial responsibilities and welfare scheme for our people as contributive to the incoming government of Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) against accident and emergency related issues.

    “We are aware of the efforts of  National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is handling the health-related matters, we shall all work as one nation towards the successful flag off the social security of life and properties and economic  development  of  our great country.  Also, we will join hands with other relevant government and private agencies to support the government.

    “The long-awaited government for a rapid social life and economic development for the helpless and under privileged during an unexpected accident and emergencies in our country.  Nigeria will then serve as power house to other African countries as first private initiatives participation in the social security and economic welfare developmental scheme of its kinds in the history of African nation as arranged thus.”

    He said in the past, of the social field data workers needed for the scheme, the group recruited about 1,200 in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Plateau, Cross River, Osun, Sokoto, Enugu, Oyo and Ekiti states.

    adding that due to some exigencies, the commencement of the data registration by the youths were placed on hold pending the execution of  the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between ESRF and the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), which has been endorsed and sealed at the National Executive Council Meeting of the AGPMPN held in Aba, Abia State.

    He said: “The scheme will become operational from third quarter this year after recruitment exercise and preparations have been concluded with all the operational partners in the project. These includes 13 insurance companies, brokers, Premium Manifest Alert Ltd, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Digital Torch Ltd, S. Folagboye Colour Digital, Chams Access, Interswitch and most importantly, the AGPMPN which has made available over 10,000 member’s private and including government hospitals for prompt and free  medical treatment for all accident victims with Eagle Search Social Security or e-Manifest Card Members at an annual token for subscription.”

  • Group urges Buhari to empower Niger Delta youths

    A socio-political group, the Development Alliance of the Niger Delta (DAND), has urged the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to discontinue and discourage the use of those they called political contractors, including unconventional means of funding developmental initiatives, in the Niger Delta region.

    DAND noted that funds for the development of Niger Delta should be done through established institutions, such as the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and state governments, for transparency and accountability.

    In a statement yesterday in Benin, the state capital, by Rev. David Ugolor, Tony Abolo and Nowinta Igbotako, the group urged President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to review the structures, administrative make-up and funding of the Niger Delta Ministry and NDDC to reposition them for better service delivery.

    It also urge Gen. Buhari to engage non-violent youths in the Niger Delta region, especially those who have acquired technical skills and academic qualifications but are still jobless.

    DAND said this was a better path to tread instead of allowing those it called merchants of violence to dictate the pace in the region.

    The group said: “We demand that the incoming government should take steps to arrest all cases of impunity and make the ‘business as usual’ attitude of unrepentant politicians a thing of the past.

    “We recognise and state that there are currently a plethora of unresolved issues plaguing the Niger Delta in particular, ranging from poverty, under-development, bad governance and youth unemployment, among several others.

    “Therefore, we recommend that steps be taken promptly by the incoming administration to address these issues that have assumed a worrisome dimension.”

     

  • Don’t be vindictive, group urges Buhari

    Don’t be vindictive, group urges Buhari

    •Hails Jonathan

    President elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his vice,  Prof Yemi Osinbajo have been urged to see their election as an act of God and a divine victory for Nigerians, and regard themselves as God’s chosen vessel of change to confront various problems confronting the nation.

    In a congratulatory message by the group’s chairman, Chief Enock Ajiboso and publicity secretary, Mr Tunji Oguntuase, a faith-based organisation, the Christian Conscience group admonished the duo to put in place strategies to bring back on track our derailing economy, insecurity, massive corruption, and other self-afflicted problems confronting the nation.

    “Your election is Godly ordained, you must justify the confidence reposed in you by majority of Nigerians who cried to God for a change for an improved and egalitarian society. You must see yourselves as fathers of a modern Nigeria and forgive those who unjustly crucified your team before the elections’’ .

    “For the nation to compete  with other developing nations, decisive actions are urgently needed to curb needless wastage  in governance as well as to nib on the bud the lingering insurgency in the north western part of the country, Improvement on the lingering epileptic power supply, strive to provide qualitative education and improved infrastructure. The new administration must also build efficient and effective refineries that will put a stop at fuel importation that has become our albatross.

    The statement praised the President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship for conceding defeat even before the final announcement of the eventual winners of the election.

    “President Goodluck Jonathan has not only become a statesman by his action, he has written his name in gold locally and internationally because African leaders are known for sit-tight tendencies but in the face of all odds he has distinguished himself as a worthy leader.

  • APC states have delivered, says group

    APC states have delivered, says group

    All Progressives Congress (APC) states, including Lagos, Edo, Imo, have delivered the dividends of democracy to the people, Voice of the People has said.

    The group called on the people of Imo State to vote Governor Rochas Okorocha for a second term in office on April 11 to give him the opportunity to accomplish the promises he made during his campaigns

    President, Comrade Maxwell Adiele, who made this call, said that Okorocha’s government has delivered the dividends of democracy to the people.

    Apart from the free education scheme, he said the administration has delivered in the area of infrastructural and developmental facilities that would give meaning to the lives of the people including good road network system, hospitals, electricity, water etc.

    Adiele said that the government has provided free education at the primary, secondary and university worthy of commendation.

    Speaking in Lagos, Adiele however, urged the people of the state to put away sentiments and party interest and vote Okorocha a second term in office who according to him will deliver to the people the true dividends of democracy

  • Govt receives NLC factional group

    The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya and the Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, have endorsed the election that produced the Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), saying the process was free and fair.

    NLC held its election with Wabba beating his sole challenger, Joe Ajaero to emerge as president.

    Both Ikenya and Ekpeyong expressed confidence in Wabba’s emergence when the NLC paid them separate courtesy visits in their offices in Abuja.

    Ikenya said: “For us in the Ministry, we want to tell you that you won your election. Actually, our Ministry also supervised it. We have not heard and we have not got any letter from anywhere in respect of any other NLC and it was in the knowledge of every Nigerian that there was an election here in Abuja and our Ministry participated in it.”

    Ekpeyong, who congratulated Wabba, said: “The election was free, the election was very fair and it was in a very conducive environment that you were elected. We want to really collaborate and partner with you. That you said you were going to work with the provisions of the constitution of the NLC cannot be what is not tenable; so, we are going to hold you to that so that at any point in time, you should always follow the due process and the law.”

    He appealed to the NLC to join in the fight against terrorism and other crimes in the country, urging Wabba to ensure that his actions are guided by the interest of workers.

  • Group kicks against Akwa Ibom elections

    A pressure group, Women’s Pro-Climate Federation for Buhari has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State.

    A statement signed by its President, Mrs Ekaette Enitan Sanusi alleged that in virtually all the polling units, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts confiscated vital electoral materials including result sheets thereby denying people the right to cast their votes.

    Mrs Sanusi statement reads:  “We are saddened by the horrendous stealing of the peoples right by Godswill Akpabio and PDP high command in Akwa Ibom co-ordinated by Senator Effiong at the March  28 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

    “In virtually all the polling units, the vital election result sheets have been confiscated by the PDP stalwarts with the connivance of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ausin Okojie. While voters were accredited they were denied and robbed of the inherent rights to cast their ballots to vote for the candidates of their choice.

    “This electoral fraud and evil machination will not stand and must be resisted. We are demanding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters should cancel the election, commence investigation, prosecute suspects and repeat the election in Akwa Ibom accordingly.”

     

  • Ekiugbo explosion: Group threatens further violence

    A GROUP, Urhobo Gbagbako in Delta State, has threatened to bomb more pipelines in the 24  kingdoms of Urhobo, if the federal and state governments did not meet their demands.

    The group, however, denied giving Morris Idiovwa or his sponsors (HOSTCOM) the mandate to speak on its behalf.

    Group spokesman Mr. Priest Omodjuvwu said: “We  of the Urhobo ethnic group, comprising ex-militants in Urhobo land, youths, women, community leaders and traditional rulers did not  give Mr. Morris Idiovwa or his sponsors(HOSTCOM) the mandate to speak on our behalf.

    “We advise the federal and state government, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Shoreline, and the public to disregard Idiovwa and his sponsors.

    “We also  denounce HOSTCOM and whatever it stands”.

  • No military for polls, says group

    A civil society coalition,OneVOICE, has warned against deployment of soldiers during the general elections.

    It said doing so would go against recent court pronouncements.

    It said if soldiers must be used, they must be restricted to crisis-prone areas.

    “Prof Attahiru Jega should ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not further blackmailed by the military hierarchy and the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs should desist from usurping the constitutional responsibility of the INEC and the Nigeria Police Force,” OneVoice said.

    The group urged Nigerians to ensure that free, fair and credible elections are held to further consolidate democracy.

    OneVOICE members include Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Access to Justice (AJ), New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD), Human Rights Law Services (HURILAWS), Independent Advocacy Project (IAP) and Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG).

    Its Media Committee Chair Pastor Deji Adeleye at a briefing and rally at the Dr. Beko Ransom Kuti Memorial Park in Lagos, said the elections any further would be unconstitutional.

    OneVOICE said the distribution of the PVCs is now far above the initial figures before the previous postponement, while the Card Readers have been tested successfully in 12 states across the six geo-political zones.

    The coalition advised that INEC to embark on confidence building measures through daily press briefings and public service announcements, including in local languages, to bridge gaps on electoral preparedness and voting procedures.

    It also urged it to increase voter education efforts to demonstrate to the public the use of new technology such as the PVCs and card readers.