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Tag: Nigerian news

NAF refurbishes disused fire trucks

The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) says it has made substantial progress in its efforts at refurbishing the disused fire trucks in its bases all over the country.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Adesanya explained that 17 out of the 24 fire trucks earmarked for refurbishment had been successfully repaired and handed over to the respective units.

“The latest set of two refurbished fire trucks was handed over to 107 Air Maritime Group, Benin, on Oct. 5.

“Most of the fire trucks being refurbished had been parked for over 20 years as ‘beyond economic repairs.

“The refurbishment is being undertaken by a local firm utilising Nigerian Engineers and mostly locally sourced materials and spares.

“With the refurbishment of the fire trucks, NAF is now able to more independently provide fire cover for aircraft operations at its bases, thereby enhancing operational safety,” he said.

The director said as part of NAF’s corporate social responsibility, the service was now better positioned to provide complementary services with regards to fire fighting in the host communities.

He explained further that the local firm had on Oct. 7 commenced the refurbishment of another set of two fire trucks at 041 Communications Depot, NAF Base, Shasha in Lagos State.

“The leadership of NAF being mindful of the enormous cost of procuring new fire trucks and the scarce resources in the country, decided to explore the option of locally refurbishing the fire trucks,” Adesanya said.

NAN

October 10, 2017
Digital trackable identity essential for curbing crimes – NCC

Mr Tony Ojobo, the Public Affairs Director of the Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ), has said that online trackable identity was essential to curb crimes in the country.

Speaking at the Public Relations Directors’ Summit, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations ( NIPR ) on Monday in Lagos, Ojobo said that digital trackable identity would help to boost online businesses.

He described trackable identity as the ability to identify an individual through some natural physiological features, as may be shown by photographs or marks and such other characteristics.

According to him, ‘today, it is being more associated with the ability to identify a particular person in cyberspace, or in electronic devices which offers digital identification.

“The scope of trackable identity is being widened within the digital world to include tracking objects with application of tags that could be linked to a mobile phone or other devices.

“Advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have given a new definition and application to trackable identity.

”Therefore, trackable identity, in this context, could be called, digital identity,” he said.

Ojobo said that identity had become a commodity, as people created data bases of identities to enable them target specific segments or define characteristics of such markets.

He said that while traditional identification rely on passwords, PINs, smart cards, and the like, biometric identification using finger prints and iris scans were generally more reliable and secure.

According to him, biometric identity is also more reliable in linking individuals to event and action, therefore preferred by security institutions in fighting crimes.

He said that with that in mind, NCC initiated the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards in Nigeria in 2011, and was officially completed on June 30, 2013.

“The major reason why the scheme was initiated was the result of the frequent use of phone services in committing crimes and the difficulty it posed to security agencies in solving such crimes.

“It was full biometric registration, with fingerprints and digital photographs of the registrants taken at the point of registration.

“It became the most reliable data base of Nigerian citizens given the number of subscribers in the network, which was more than 113 million then.

“It is evident that the level of ICT development will invariably determine how secure the environment would be for business

“Nigeria’s Internet subscription as at July 2017 is about 91.6 million, an indication that substantial number of trackable identities on the internet in Nigeria would be found on the mobile platforms,” Ojobo said.

He said that Nigeria’s level of telecommunication growth had potentials to facilitate trackable identity and in turn contribute to ease of doing business.

The director said that online shopping malls, online banking, online ticketing and reservations, online hotel bookings, which demanded secure trackable identity platforms were thriving in Nigeria.

According to the NCC spokesman, telecommunication and ICT are indispensable to trackable identity and Nigeria’s advancements in these directions has created a good leverage for ease of doing business.

NAN

October 10, 2017
Kaduna to employ 25,000 teachers

Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State says the state will employ 25,000 primary school teachers as parts of efforts to restore dignity and quality to its education sector.

The governor, who stated this when he received a World Bank delegation in his office in Kaduna on Monday said this would also entrench equity in the distribution of teachers across the state.

He explained that recruiting teachers had became necessary due to the acute shortage of qualified primary school teachers in the state.

The governor stated that his administration would disengage about 20,000 unqualified primary school teachers to restore confidence in public schools.

According to him: “we tested our 33,000 primary school teachers, we gave them primary four exams and required they must get at least 75 per cent but am sad to announce that 66 per cent of them failed to get the requirements.

“The hiring of teachers in the past was politicized and we intend to change that by bringing in young and qualified primary school teachers to restore the dignity of education in the state,” the governor said.

He stressed that teachers would be redeployed across the state to balance the issue of teacher-pupil ratio.

“We have a challenge with the teacher-pupil ratio in the urban schools; there is concentration of teachers that are not needed.

‘’In some LGAs, it’s a teacher pupil ratio of 1-9 while in some places it’s 1-100,” he said.

El-Rufai said that in a bid to improve the education sector, the school Directors decided to enrol their children in public schools starting from this academic session.

Speaking earlier, the World Bank representative, Dr Kunle Adekola, expressed appreciation to the state for investing in education and for the priority given to the girl child.

“This state has demonstrated and supported us to achieve our goals,” he said.

Adekola said the Bank would invest N30 million in Rigasa Primary School, which has a population of about 22,000 pupils, as part of its support for the state.

The Education Intervention Fund by the World Bank and other collaborative development partners, is rendering support to about 13 Northern states and a state from each of the other four geopolitical zones of the country.

NAN

October 10, 2017
VC urges old students to support FUT, Minna

Prof. Musbau Akanji, Vice-Chancellor ( VC ), Federal University of Technology, Minna, has urged old students of the school to support its quest toward becoming a leading technology institute in the world.

Akanbi, in a speech at the maiden Alumni Reunion programme held at the university on Monday, said that it was the turn of the students to give back to the school that trained them.

A statement by Mrs. Lydia Legbo, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, quoted Akanbi as challenging the old students to strive toward making the institution a model university that others would seek to emulate.

Akanbi, who praised the old students for being good ambassadors that had made the institution proud, said that they were the pride of its founding fathers.

“The university is happy with the numerous commendations received from employers and government agencies on the performance of its alumni.

“The institution is very proud of your achievements; you are the real owners of the university and should initiate measures toward making it a centre of excellence,” he said.

He disclosed that the university was doing well based on the latest webo-metric and 4ICU rankings.

“I am pleased to inform you that FUT, Minna is now number five in 4ICU ranking in Nigeria, and 45 in Africa, out of more than 4,323 universities ranked by international organizations,” he said.

He said that the institution had also been ranked the best among specialised universities in Nigeria.

Akanbi informed the alumni that the university had re-engineered its transcript delivery process from three
months to one week, adding that graduates could get their certificates on the day of
convocation.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of FUT, Minna Alumni, Dr. Mohammed Jiya, thanked his colleagues for the deep interest in the school, saying that the Reunion programme was geared at re-connecting graduates.

“The idea is to build a robust alumni association that every graduate of the university will be proud of,” he said.

The event witnessed the presentation of awards to former Vice-Chancellors( VC ) and alumni that had distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.

NAN

October 10, 2017
Money, the root of all evil?

It is said, the love of money is the root of all evil. Don’t get it twisted, having value for money is different from having love for money, even the bible confirms that.

I am not saying that money is bad, money can be a good thing but who’s really in control?

It is a bare fact, that humanity is mostly driven by money (Materialism). Their desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives.

This drive to always want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will make me happier, more important and command more respect but all three ideas are untrue.

Possessions only provide temporary happiness because wealth can be lost instantly through a variety of uncontrollable factors.

Money means different things to different people but the ideas are the same – which is to spend and invest.

Money is a means of exchange that we as a society all agree on. That is why Louisa May Alcott stated that, “Money is the root of all evil, and yet it is such a useful root that we as a Society cannot get on without it.”

We must understand that money is something that is not real but created first in the mind, and comes to realisation through hard work, determination and focus.

You make money by thinking big and having creative ideas; not by cutting corners or dubious ways and that is why life is called a “challenge”.

Money, the root of all evil, has shaped our world into a corrupt Nation, a people without a conscience and a society of desperation. Many people believe that, “Money is the root of injustice?”.

No, money is not the root of injustice. The root of injustice comes out of the wickedness of man and his love for money.

It is our egocentric and immoral ways that have perverted and uprooted the basic principles for which the idea of money had been originally devised for.

I now understand why my pastor Rev. Iniama Emmanuel said that, your self-worth and net-worth are not the same, your value is not determined by your valuables.

Many people have said a lot about money, the poor says money is the way of life in a sense that, money makes the impossible possible. The rich say, money answers all things. Philosophers say, money is injustice while the bible says, lack of money generate evil to the heart of men.

I conclude by saying – money is one of the cankerworms that has eaten deep into the minds and caprices of humanity.

What then is Money to you?

October 9, 2017
Zamfara partners NGO on child development programmes

The Zamfara Government has commended Save the Children International, an NGO, over its various child development programmes in the state.

The state Commissioner for Women and Children, Hajiya Balkisu Bungudu, gave the commendation in Gusau on Monday at the inter-local government food demonstration competition organised by the NGO to commemorate the 2017 Nutrition Week in the state.

The zamfara state government is partnering with the Save the Children International on child development, child protection and survival.

Bungudu, represented by the Director, Women Development of the ministry, Hajiya Hafsatu Kakale, noted that the state government in partnership with the NGO have introduced various programmes on childcare and development.
She said: “We have seen various achievements, especially in the areas of children education, health and nutrition.”

“Several women, individuals, groups or societies across the state have benefited from the empowerment and child care development programmes, which have improved their level of awareness on child care, development and protection,’’ she said.

She reiterated the state government commitment to continue partnering with any organisation, be it governmental and NGO, to improve the lives of women and children in the state.

The Advocacy and Communication Coordinator of the NGO, Malam Isah Ibrahim, said the competition was part of the activities of the organisation to commemorate the 2017 Nutrition week.

According to him, the programme was aimed to educating women on how to provide balance nutritional diet for their children.

“We learn that most of our women, especially in the rural communities lack the knowledge on how to prepare good nutritional foods.”

Ibrahim said the state and the organisation have been partnering since 2011 and had recorded various achievements towards improving the lives of people of the state, especially women and children.

NAN

October 9, 2017
Gbenga Daniel says no plans to step down

A national chairmanship aspirant of the PDP, Chief Gbenga Daniel, said on Monday in Lagos that he had no plan of stepping down for any of the other contenders.

Reacting to speculations that he might be stepping down for Chief Olabode George, another aspirant for the position, Daniel said he had no intention of stepping down for anybody.

Daniel is a former Governor of Ogun, while George served as a former national deputy chairman of the now opposition PDP.

The zoning of the PDP’s chairmanship position to the South West, five major contenders are currently jostling for the position.

The other contenders are Mr Jimi Agbaje, the 2015 governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, a former Minister of Education and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports.

Daniel told reporters that although George was a respected leader of the PDP, he would not back down for the Lagos chief but would see the race to its logical conclusion.

“All the aspirants for this position are my friends and competent people but I am the bridge builder and the best man for the job.

“I will not step down for anyone because I did my consultations during our convention in Port Harcourt and I know so many leaders in Yorubaland who support me.

“People contest for various reasons. Some people contest to enrich their curriculum vitae, some contest to get donations while some run to win.

“It is not a do-or-die affair. It is an in-house contest and I’m running to win so as to bring my experiences to bear on the party and work on re-positioning the party,’’ Daniel said.

According to him, with 2019 around the corner, the PDP cannot afford to make mistakes in choosing its leaders because it is germane to the rebuilding of the party.

“PDP is spread across the length and breadth of Nigeria. The fragmentation in the party cuts across all political parties in Nigeria.

“However, most of our members who defected to other parties left, due to the internal challenges within it.

“The moment those who leave see a new leadership committed to fairness and justice, they will return’’ the former governor said.

On the PDP’s zoning of the presidential slot to the North, Daniel described the decision as sacrosanct, noting that it was commonsense for the party to look for a candidate from the northern part of the country to square up with the APC.

Speaking further, he debunked an alleged strife between him and Sen. Buruji Kashamu from Ogun, stating that they had no personal issues and that they had no quarrels.

Daniel, however, expressed his support for the clamour for Nigeria to be restructured, arguing that the nation’s potential would be maximised when restructured.

“We must begin to examine the system to give equal opportunities to all parts of the country,’’ he added.

NAN

October 9, 2017
Kebbi procures drugs for pneumonia, diarrhoea

The Kebbi State Government has procured drugs for management of common ailments of malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and meningitis.

The state Commissioner for Heath, Alhaji Umar Kambaza, said this on Monday in Birinin Kebbi that the drugs would soon be distributed to the 21 local government areas.

Kambaza explained that the communities would be provided with basic health commodities needed for effective service delivery at the primary healthcare centres as contained in the national minimum service package by the state government.

“These commodities include drugs for management of common ailments of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea, preposition drugs for meningitis, delivery beds, ante-natal care bed, baby beds, laboratory equipment, examination tables, screens and stretchers,” he said.

Kambaza also explained that worldwide maternal and newborn mobility and mortality were associated with delays in decision making, reaching health facilities and delay in receiving adequate healthcare.

He said the delays were being addressed by all stakeholders in the state to reduce the incidence of maternal and new-born deaths.

NAN

October 9, 2017
Cross River launches cocoa nursery in Akamkpa communities

The Cross River Government on Monday launched the first phase of the nursery of one million cocoa seedlings in Akim/Osomba communities in Akamkpa Local Government Area.

Gov. Ben Ayade, who was represented at the ceremony by his Special Adviser on Cocoa Development, Mr Oscar Ofuka, said that the project was part of his administration’s efforts to make cocoa the largest revenue earner for the state.

He said that the location of the cocoa nursery in Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA) was to prove that cocoa could be cultivated in every area of the state.

“Today is a great day for the people of Akim/Osomba communities; we want to prove to the world that Cross River is the largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria.

“Cocoa is our heritage and with the ongoing cocoa revolution programme in Cross River, we have decided to look at every nook and cranny of the state to revive this age-long heritage.

“Very soon, Cross River will not have to depend on allocations from the Federation Account to fund our projects because our cocoa can give us the much-needed revenue to do whatever we want,’’ he said.

Ayade said that the state government, through its Department of Cocoa Development, had already acquired 300,000 hectares of land in the two communities for the project.

“Right now, we have raised 800,000 seedlings nurseries and within the week, our one million target will be achieved for the first phase,’’ he said.

The governor said that the cocoa seeds for the nursery were acquired from the Cocoa Research Institute, Ikom, adding that within three months, the seedlings would be due for planting.

Ayade said that the cocoa estate, which would be large enough to accommodate a school and a hospital, would be provided with electricity, just as in other cocoa estates in Ikom and Etung local government areas of the state.

He urged the people, especially the youths and women in the communities, to take advantage of the opportunity to engage in farming to make life more meaningful to them.

In his goodwill message, Prof. Augustine Ogogo, the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, commended the state government for deciding to revive cocoa production in the state.

He pledged that the faculty would be ready to partner with the state government by using the cocoa estate for its practical sessions for students.

He stressed that agriculture was the most dependable revenue earner in the world, saying that the era of oil revenues was fast fading away.

“Agriculture remains the most stable revenue earner today because the era of oil is almost over. I assure you that the faculty will partner with you and send our students here for practicals,’’ he said.

The head of Akim/Osomba communities, Mr Boniface Offion, thanked the state government for the project and expressed the hope that it would be beneficial to the communities and the state in general.

He pledged that the communities would fully support the government’s efforts to ensure the success of the project.

NAN

October 9, 2017
Adamawa losses 100 domestic animals in two years

The indiscriminate disposal of cellophane materials in Adamawa has resulted in the loss of no fewer than 100 domestic animals across the state in two yeras.

from 2014 to 2016, Dr. Haruna Hamman, Director, Veterinary unit, Adamawa Ministry of Livestock, on Monday in Yola said that the domestic animals were lost from 2014 to 2016.

He said they died after consuming the materials while searching for food, lamenting that that the habit of indiscriminate disposal of such waste was posing serious threat to animal lives, as well as the environment.

Hamman said that the development was also threatening soil fertility in some parts of the state, and therefore called on the authorities concerned to take urgent measures to address the situation.

He said that there was need for government to control the activities of sachet water and cellophane bags producers, to protect the environment from contaminants and other hazardous materials.

Alhaji Muhammadu Jimeta, a butcher at the Yola Central Abattoir, told reporters that out of every 10 animals slaughtered, cellophane materials were found in the intestine of at least two of the animals.

Mrs Aisha Iya, Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Environment, said government was disturbed by the indiscriminate use and disposal of cellophane and other hazardous wastes

She said her ministry was doing its best to tackle the problem and would advise government on stern measures that needed to be taken to curb the menace.

“The indiscriminate disposal of cellophane bags by majority of our citizens is posing a serious threat to our environment, as such, stern measures need to be taken to check the habit,” she said.

She observed that the business of collection and disposal of wastes in the state were dominated by people that lacked adequate knowledge on the trade.

Also speaking to reporter, Dr. Ahmadu Waziri, state Commissioner of Agriculture, said cellophane materials littering the environment were threatening soil fertility in the state.

He therefore called on the authorities concerned to take urgent measures to protect the environment.

In his contribution, Mr. Aminu Jolde, Head of Environmental Sanitation Unit, Yola North Local Government Council, said the major challenge confronting his unit was how to tackle the indiscriminate disposal of pure water sachets in the environment.

Jolde stressed the need for state government to ban the use of cellophane materials in the state to protect human and animal lives, as well as the environment.

NAN

October 9, 2017