The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Institute

  • Institute, club sign pact on skill acquisition

    The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Association of Lions Club, District 404B1, Nigeria, on skill acquisition and training of youth and women in the district.

    The institute will educate them capital needed for the project. The Bank of Industry (BOI) will also fund participants’ businesses and technology plans.

    The agreement was reached in Abeokuta during the investiture of Waheed Kadiri as the District Governor of Lions 404B1.

    Senator Adegbenga Kaka, who chaired the event, commended the institution and the club for the initiative, which he noted will go a long way in diversifying the economy.

  • Institute inaugurates electoral committee

    The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has inaugurated a four-man electoral committee to supervise the electoral process that will usher in a new council in November.

    The President and Chairman of Council, Aare Ganiyu Koledoye, disclosed at the institute’s head office in Lagos. According to him, the committee is to ensure fair-play in the election.

    Koledoye said one of the resolutions of the outgoing council was a regulatory frame-work that would ensure fairness for everyone, who aspired to contest in the elections.

    “In the last four years, we have been able to achieve that. We’ve succeeded in removing hooliganism and tantrums from our electoral process. Today, the process is now more organised and transparent, with the rancours always associated with such elections in the past, gone forever,” he said.

    Koledoye debunked insinuations in some quarters that he would run for another term, saying he would not vie for a second term.

    “I decided not to run because I had seen the difficult times of the institute, and now that the institute is experiencing a new phase, I do not want to be part of the problems,” he said.

    However, the chairman of the electoral committee, Adeola Oladele, an engineer,  stated that the call for nominations for the elections, scheduled for November 18,   commenced on Tuesday, August 30, assuring that attempts would be made by the committee to sensitise members of the institute to fully participate in this very significant event on the institute’s calendar.

  • Institute proffers solutions to unemployment

    To tackle growing unemployment in the country particularly among the youths, there is need to address issues of policy inconsistency, poor political governance and setting of policy direction that elicits a harsh business environment.

    Other issues such as lack of stakeholders’ ownership of employment policy, misalignment of the educational system output and the skill-sets required by current employers of labour, which, among others, are factors responsible for the increasing rate of unemployment, must be addressed.

    These are key findings of a study conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM). The study tagged ‘Management of National Unemployment Challenge (MNUC)’ was conceived by CIPM’s leadership to proffer actionable and sustainable solutions to the socio-economic and political challenges of unemployment in Nigeria.

    Speaking in Lagos yesterday at a media and stakeholders engagement on MNUC held at the CIPM Council Chambers, CIPM President/Chairman of Governing Council Mr. Anthony Eromosele Arabome said, for instance, that latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown that youth unemployment has grown from an average of 16.43 per cent in 2014 to 21.50 per cent in the first quarter of 2016.

    He also regretted the recent exit of 20 foreign shipping companies from Nigeria, saying that the development compounded the unemployment situation in the country, as it left over 3,000 teeming, able and willing individuals unemployed. He said this is in addition to the rising trend of unemployment recently observed in the financial and oil & gas sectors of the economy.

    The CIPM president, therefore, said “As human resource management experts, our objective is to proffer and recommend actionable and sustainable solutions, which align with the current administration’s focus on job creation initiatives geared at combating this national menace.”

    He said the project, which was championed by a seven man Committee headed by a Fellow and one-time Registrar & CEO of the Institute, Dr.  Musa Rabiu (FCIPM) was done in collaboration with the Federal Government, expressing hope that its recommendations would be adopted by different stakeholders especially the Presidency charged with the responsibility of policy formulation and implementation.

    Arabome pointed out that policymakers have a key role to play in introducing the reforms and measures needed to improve the labour market and also tackle the unemployment scourge. He assured of the Institute’s readiness to work with the Federal Government to implement policies aimed at increasing the nation’s growth potential and create an economic environ

  • Agric institute launches technology to boost production

    The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) has launched the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) technologies to boost crop production and improve farmers’ livelihood.

    The Executive Director, IAR&T, Prof Jams Adediran while launching the project in Ibadan for the Southwest, Southsouth Soil Health Consortium, said the decline in sol fertility in the Southwest and in Nigeria as a whole has resulted to poverty.

    According to him, the present methods have limitation that  cannot support sustainable crop production.

    “There is need for a paradigm shift from conventional methods to adopted proven technologies using integrated approach. ISFM is a set of soil fertility management practices that necessarily include the use of fertiliser, organic imputs and improved germplasm combined with the knowledge on how to adapt these practices to local conditions, aiming at optimising agronomic use efficiency of the applied nutrients and improving crop productivity.

  • Institute, club sign pact on skill acquisition

    The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Association of Lions Club, District 404B1, Nigeria, on skill acquisition and training of youth and women in the district.

    The institute will educate them on capital needed for the project. The Bank of Industry (BOI) will also fund participants’ businesses and technology plans.

    The agreement was reached in Abeokuta during the investiture of Waheed Kadiri as the District Governor of Lions 404B1.

    Senator Adegbenga Kaka, who chaired the event, commended the institution and the club for the initiative, which he noted will go a long way in diversifying the economy.

  • A new dawn at institute

    A new dawn at institute

    Cross River State government has appointed Prof Austin Angba as Rector of the Institute of Technology and Management (ITM), which was established two years ago to bridge the knowledge gap in technology and innovation. EMMANUEL SHEBBS (University of Calabar) reports.

    Two years after its establishment, a new leadership has been appointed for the Institute of Technology and Management (ITM) in Ugep, Cross River State. Prof Austin Angba was named Acting Rector by the Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade.

    The institute was established about two years ago in affiliation with Highburry Collage in the United Kingdom. Before Angba’s appointment, the school was under the management of the UK government, which initiated the process of its establishment.

    The institute’s curriculum and architectural design are built to be in line with the UK system and it is supported by Information and Communications Technology (ICT) facilities.

    During the handing over ceremony, the outgoing rector, Dr William Pedley, applauded the governor for his commitment to the institute, describing Angba’s appointment as “good step”. Pedley promised to remain committed to the progress of the institute.

    He said:  “Whenever you need my assistance, I will be there. The facilities are in order and of super standard. You can take a tour round the school and find out the level of the facilities. The school has a high taste for academic excellence and we are building that culture in our students by effectively utilising materials at our disposal.”

    Prof Angba was a lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) before his appointment. During his tour of the school, Angba held meeting with staff and students of the school at the conference room, where he took out time to outline his programmes and policies.

    He advised staff and students to take their responsibilities very seriously, saying his administration would not condone laziness. He said education standards were on decline because of indiscipline, laziness and carelessness of the teachers and students.

    “We have started a new administration and there is no going back in our resolve to reposition the institute. Students must be ready to learn and the teachers must be ready to teach. No room for laziness,” he said.

    The professor of Agriculture Economics observed that the school has good reputation, which he promised to sustain. He added: “The positive reports about this school are everywhere and I am here to sustain the tempo and make the institute better. This is a world-class institution built to the United Kingdom standard in terms of facilities and curriculum. We will produce world-class graduates that will lead in their respective areas.”

    After the meeting, Angba led members of the school in prayers, which lasted for 20 minutes. He led other members of the management to a tour of the school facilities.

    In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, Angba hailed Governor Ayade for giving him an opportunity to administer the institute, promising to use his experience to develop the state’s education.

    He said: “I urge philanthropists, businessmen and politicians to come in and invest in the school. This is the best time for us to show our love for the state by making impact on the education. We will engage private individuals and corporate organisations to invest in IMT as a good platform.”

    His colleagues in the academia believe Angba would deliver in his new task. The Public Relations Officer of University of Calabar (UNICAL) Alumni Association, Mr Emmanuel Adariku, described Angba’s appointment as a round peg in a round  hole, saying: “He is a committed and devoted academic. I have no doubt he is the right man for the job.”

    Dr Dave Ugwu of the UNICAL’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration, said Angba “is an outstanding scholar, who knows his onions in service delivery.”

  • Institute targets poverty eradication with Islamic finance products

    Institute targets poverty eradication with Islamic finance products

    The Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals (IIFP) has partnered a  Dubai-based Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics (CIBE) to combat poverty  with varieties of Islamic banking and financing products.

    The two organisations held a One-day Islamic Finance Workshop yesterday at the University of Lagos Mosque Conference Hall, Akoka, Lagos.

    CIBE Managing Director/Chief executive Officer Dr Muhammad Zubair Mughal, said the products were sourced from the Sharia.

    The products, he said, include loan facilities, partnership, equity, mark-up, agricultural development, manufacturing, among others.

    Dr Mughal said the Islamic financing system and products are unique because they are asset-based and designed to benefit all segments of the society; irrespective of religious affiliations.

    He added that the organisations have different unique products for each segment of the society.

    “Islamic finance has dedicated products to address poverty situation.  Islam is the only religion in the world where poverty elimination is a religious obligation,” he said.

    He urged members of the public to see the Islamic financing products as banking products and not religious products, saying “It should be seen as banking products for all; irrespective of your ideology and religious affiliation.”

    Mughar said the products and services are reviewed every year to allow for the inclusion of more packages that will benefit the people’s businesses and the country’s economy.

    IIFP Chairman, Board of Trustees Dr Tajudeen Yusuf said the institutes were out to to promote ethical banking, financing and insurance in order to grow the Nigerian economy.

    According to him, IIFP was licensed to designing banking products, certifying conventional banking professionals and ensuring compliance with the ethics of the industry.

    He enjoined non-Muslims and the conventional banking system operators to stop antagonising the Islamic financing products, saying: “we don’t see ourselves as substitutes. We see ourselves as alternative to the conventional system. We are not out to destroy the conventional system, rather we want to entertain a healthy rivalry.

    “We have come as an alternative to compliment the efforts of the present government in terms of fighting economic crimes and stabilising the economy.”

    Dr Yususf added that the two institutions (IIFP and CIBE) are also targeting financial inclusion, noting that less than 30 per cent of Nigerians are currently financially included.

  • Institute seeks N5 b for research centre

    Institute seeks N5 b for research centre

    The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Dangote Foundation  and Access Bank Plc are collaborating to raise N5 billion to build a private research centre in Abuja.

    IHVN’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Patrick Dakum said the country had been a victim of many disease outbreaks and, as such, deserved a functional private research centre to complement the public ones.

    Dakum, who spoke at a briefing in Lagos, said a lot could be done to preserve human lives with the establishment of the centre.

    The centre, he said, will have laboratories, offices, training and lecture auditoriums when completed on a 2.5-hectare land.

    He urged Nigerians and corporate organisations to support the project, adding that the country has depended too long on the international community to fund most of its programmes.

    Dakum said: “The country has 3.2 million of her people living with HIV while 220,000 acquire the virus yearly.”

    Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufu said her organisation was willing to support the aspirations of its collaborators, especially IHVN.

    Dangote Foundation’s focus, she said, include health apart from education and economic empowerment.

    “When we were approached to collaborate on the project, we agreed because it aligned with our focus area,” Youssoufu said.

    She said: “Saving and helping ourselves starts with us. The foundation is looking forward to being a part of the project”.

    Access Bank Executive Director (ED), Personal Banking Victor Etuokwu said the role of his bank was to provide the framework and bring together people to raise funds for the project.

    “We are not all about profits, we are also concerned about people and the environment,” Etuokwu said.

    Moreover, without good health, others things are meaningless.

  • Provost seeks creation of women/child health institute

    Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) Provost, Prof. Babatunde Solagberu, has advocated the creation of the Institute of Women and Child Health.

    He made this suggestion when members of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, (MWAN) Lagos chapter visited him.

    The Provost, who noted that LASUCOM can be a base for the association, urged the members to remain focused.

    Solagberu said: “Remain focused on women and children and don’t be apologetic, because indirectly, men are also taken care of because the women are his wife, daughter, sister, mother and aunt.

    “Men love these women in their lives. You have the support of this College for it is looking outward, by embarking on an endowment fund. I urge this association to look beyond just outreach programmes and take advantage of the idea of creating of this institute in the College so as to form a stronger collaboration.”

    MWAN President, Lagos Chapter, Dr. Abiola Coker said the association had always been collaborating with the college,  hoping that the college’s new executive will continue to support the Association.

    “MWAN is an international organisation and the oldest medical association in the world. The mandate of the association rests mainly on the well-being of women and children.

    We will continue to pursue same, without resting on our oars,” she said.

    President-elect, Dr (Mrs) Omowunmi Bakare, a Consultant and Lecturer in the Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care of the College, said the association is passionate about issues bordering on women and children and has always developed programmes that would impact their lives.

    ”Apart from the organisation of educational programmes, the association also partners state ministries and non-governmental organisations to carry out its mandate. MWAN is already partnering LASUCOM/LASUTH on a massive cancer screening for women,” she said.

    A Consultant Dermatologist and  member of the Association, Dr. (Mrs) Frances Ajose said one of the responsibilities of the group is prevention of cancer in women. She urged the Provost to inform female students of the existence of a cancer preventive vaccine called Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). For it is the second (2nd) vaccine manufactured to prevent cancer. The other being Hepatitis virus vaccine.

  • Brazil-Africa institute woos Nigeria

    The President, Institute of Brazil-Africa, Prof. Bosco Monte, has advised Nigeria to  tap from its partnership with the Brazilian Government.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Brazilian Consulate-General in Lagos, that the two countries no longer needed cooperation, but partnerships that Brazil could offer Nigeria.

    The institute’s President said he was in the country to invite the goverment to the Fourth Brazil-Africa Forum with the theme ‘Strategies for development in Brazil and Africa’.

    He said if Nigeria is isolated from Brazil, the later would not know of the various opportunities that abound in Africa.

    “Nigeria and Brazil no longer need cooperation, but long-term partnerships. So, it is about time that we replaced cooperation with partnerships. Partnership between us will make our relations work. The Nigerian Government needs to have contacts with the Brazilian Government to see what possibilities the later can offer,” Monte said.

    He expressed confidence that Nigeria and Brazil have so much to do together in areas of agriculture, technology, research and business relations, in the years ahead.

    While maintaining that his country had a lot of possibilities for Nigeria, he urged Nigeria to present her areas of needs to the Brazilian Government.

    Monte said he was travelling to various African countries to discuss Brazil’s opportunities with them, as well as the need for them to partner with Brazil.

    He said the Forum, scheduled to hold in Brazil, was meant to enhance dialogue between leaders from Africa and Brazil, with a view to developing their agricultural potential.

    He said the forum would be attended by ministers, diplomats, government officials, businessmen and researchers from African countries and Brazil.

    Brazil, the largest sovereign state in Latin America, is the world’s fifth-largest country by geographical area and population.

    It is a regional power in Latin America, a founding member of the United Nations and it has been identified as an emerging global power. Brazil is also one of the world’s major breadbaskets and the world’s largest producer of coffee.