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  • Brain Squad wins People’s Choice Award

    After a successful outing at the 2019 Technovation competition at Silicon Valley, California, USA, Brain Squad, the Nigerian representatives at the tech challenge, got a heroic reception when they returned to Nigeria.

    A group of five Nigerian girls, comprising Ariyo Ayomikun, Ivana Mordi, Jadesola Kassim, Munachiso Chigbo and Pandora Onyedire, all Grade Six students of Standard Bearers School, Lagos, were the only African team to make it to the finals after coming tops at the state, regional and national levels of the competition.

    The girls invented an app that helps less-privileged children go to school. The app, Handsout, won the People’s Choice Award at this year’s global Technovation competition, which featured more than 19,000 teenage girls. Brain Squad was looking to follow in the footsteps of last year’s surprise winners, Team Save-a-Soul; another Nigerian side that saw off competition from teams from around the world on their way to claiming the gold in the global competition for young girls.

    Handsout allows people all over the world to easily donate to Nigerian children and their families to help them pay for school fees, stationeries, and medication.

    It was inspired by a tragic incident that occurred in Lagos early this year where many children lost their lives after a school building collapsed in Itafaji, Lagos Island. The girls developed the fundraising app to make it easy for people to make donations to help the needy pay for school fees, food, shoes, books, stationery, and medication and more. And their innovation had earned them a place in the finals of this year’s challenge.

    Many had tipped them to pull off the feat of Team Save-a-Soul by going all the way and the girls had every right to dream. But, in the end, they won the People’s Choice Award, having lost to teams from India and Cambodia in the junior division.

    At a reception held in their honour in Lagos, Chigbo said participating in the competition has widened their knowledge in the area of ICT. “It was an interesting experience for all of us; they also introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI) to us and how to use it to solve problems. We went to Uber where they explained to us the platforms they use in their operations, while Google took us to Google Ventures where we had our practice pitch. All the contestants, both senior and junior category, met the judges and it was an opportunity for them to give us information about our pitch and what they feel we should add to it.”

    She continued: “Technovation has opened this door for all of us. Personally, I wasn’t a computer person before now, but participating in this competition has shown me that I’m really into coding, which I want to use for my future career.”

    On her part, Ayomikun described their participation in the global competition as a wonderful experience.

    “I learnt a lot of things at Technovation; I’m really grateful for the platform it has given to all of us. We went to a lot of field trips and we also had fun; we went to Fisherman’s Wharf, where we ate; we took a tour of the city and saw so many things. I feel Technovation has shown us that we are able to code; we didn’t know what we know now. I’m sure coding will impact our lives as we grow older and I say thank you to our mentors, our parents and everyone for the support they have given us,” she said.

    Proprietor, Standard Bearers School, Mrs Modupe Adeyinka-Oni, said participating in the competition was an induction for the girls into the Technovation Academy. “They have over 17,000 of them right now around the world. This is a platform that allows them to reach out for mentorship anytime; it also allows them to write their CVs and put Technovation 2019 finalist on it. What that would do for them is to take their application from bottom to the top of the pile. In America, Technovation is a big deal. Around the world, it’s something people are just getting to know. Once you take part in the contest, you don’t even need to get to finals, it opens doors for you,” she said.

    According to Adeyinka-Oni, who was instrumental for the Brain Squad to make the trip to United States, the curriculum of Technovation takes them from being able to find solution to solving a problem.

    “One of the things that was demonstrated when we went to Uber in the AI project was that very quickly, my girls knew how to approach the problem; we never talked to them about AI. But immediately they told them that AI is used to solve problems and gave them 10 minutes overview, immediately they set them to work. I was a bit nervous, ‘will my girls know what to do?’ But I was very proud of them the way they took the challenge. I do know that they’ve been impacted in the ways that money couldn’t buy; staying in Nigeria could not have given them.”

    The proprietor disclosed that the commitment now is to bring what these girls received at Technovation back home. “Technovation will always be there and we will always participate, but not everybody will make it to the United States. So, I’m asking corporate bodies to think what they can do; it doesn’t have to be Technovation girls. We have boys and girls in Nigeria that need to be empowered and need to be shown a different way. Right now, we have a lot of children growing and waiting for mummy and daddy to continue to help them. But, what Technovation shows you from a young age is that from the age of 10 to 11, start giving solution to world problems,” she added.

  • Felabration holds Afrobics contest

    The first event of the 2019 Felabration, the Afrobics Dance Competition, is scheduled on Saturday, September 21, at the New Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Judges are Funke Kuti, Liadi Adedayo, Segun Adefila, Jahman Anikulapo and Kunle Kuti.

    Tagged “From Lagos With Lagos”, this edition of the festival will host different activities from September 21 to October 20, across Lagos and other cities of the world.

    On September 28, Kalakuta Museum will host the Artwork Competition viewing and cocktail while the Secondary Schools Debate will hold at the Freedom Park, Lagos on October 9.

    On October 14, the Fela Debates: Symposium will hold at NECA Hall, Ikeja; and on the same day, the music concerts will commence at the New Afrika Shrine and last till October 20.

    Read Also: Felabration: Over 400 artistes indicate interest to perform

    Over 400 Nigerian and foreign artistes have indicated interest to perform at the event.

    Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a musician and multi-instrumentalist, was born to Reverend Oludotun and Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on October 15, 1938. He used his music to address societal ills and was a victim of oppression by the military regime who harassed him frequently and jailed him many times. Seeking emancipation of the Black Race, Fela canvassed a better social, economic and political future for Africa. He died on August 2, 1997 in Lagos from HIV complications as announced by his late elder brother and former Minister of Health, Dr. Olikoye Ransome Kuti.

    Felabration was founded by his daughter, Yeni Kuti, as an annual festival to honour the ideals that Fela stood for.

  • State governments in race to put 10.5 million kids in schools

    Kano, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, Oyo, Benue, Jigawa and Ebonyi states top the chart of those with the highest number of out-of-school kids. MARTINS ODEH examines governments’ strategies to reverse the trend

    Neglect of many years started it all. Now, 10.5 million kids are out of school in Nigeria, according to the United Nations estimates.

    Sixty per cent of the out-of- school kids are in the North. Available statistics listed the states with the most out-of-school children as: Kano, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, Oyo, Benue, Jigawa and Ebonyi.

    This neglect of basic education resulted in unimaginable decay of infrastructure and systems failure in the sector.

    However, almost all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are assiduously deploying resources to improve the situation.

    The various interventions were to address the problems of out-of-school children; improve infrastructure; enhance interests in the teaching profession, among others.

    The Federal Government was not oblivious of the infrastructural decay, low school enrolment and importance of basic education, as it established the Universal Basic Education (UBE) in 1999.

    The programme is a nine-year basic education strategy to eradicate illiteracy, ignorance and poverty.

    Though funding of basic education is the responsibility of the state and local governments, the Federal Government still finances basic education with two per cent of its consolidated revenue fund.

    The support from the Federal Government was meant to spur the states to improve the standard of basic education, in order to meet the goals of the defunct Millennium Development Goals (MDG) now replaced with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

    Kano State is desirous to upgrade infrastructure and boost enrolment. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, during a  visit to Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu in Abuja, promised to harmonise the Almajiri education system into modern academic curriculum

    The governor said education should be made free from basic to secondary levels in the interest of the Nigerian child.

    “As a government, we have said that basic education and secondary education will be free, we have also made it compulsory to ensure sustainability,’’ he said.

    In Kaduna State, the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, on August 22 mobilised 2,000 education stakeholders as part of activities to kick start the 2019 enrolment campaign.

    The board’s acting Director, Social Mobilisation, Malam Ibrahim Aminu, said the campaign targeted the enrolment of 727,764 out-of-school children in the state in five years.

    Aminu explained that the campaign, which targeted the enrolment of 145,000 pupils in 2019, would be carried out under the World Bank assisted Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA).

    He said the 2,000 stakeholders, who would serve as enrolment influencers, would be trained to carry out community-based and house-to-house sensitisation campaign on the need to send children to school.

    According to him, the programme is to support Universal Basic Education Commission in addressing Pillar One of the Ministerial Strategic Plan that seeks to address the problem of out-of-school children in the country.

    The Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) on August 21, distributed instructional materials worth N1.4 billion to over 1,000 primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

    The Executive Chairman of the board, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, stated this when the State House of Assembly Committee on Education visited the board on an oversight function.

    Asogwa said the educational materials were distributed to the schools to improve teaching and learning.

    He said the board was also renovating dilapidated buildings and providing desks and sports equipment to schools across the state.

    The Oyo State government has also promised to educate over 170,000 almajiri. The state government said it would utilise the  three million US dollars World Bank Assisted Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) take-off grant to educate 170, 536 out-of-school children in the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, said the state was committed to boosting enrolment.

    The SUBEB chairman reiterated the state government’s resolve to effectively take off the streets, all out-of-school children and put them in public schools.

    Also, Benue Commissioner for Education Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, said the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had set aside N6.5 billion for the execution of projects under its first and third quarter intervention funds.

    Ityavyar spoke in Makurdi, during the launching of the SUBEB’s financial bids opening ceremony for the utilisation of its first and third quarter intervention funds.

    The Nasarawa State government said over 8, 000 out-of-school children had been re-organised and returned to almajiri schools in Keffi Local Government Area.

    He also said the state conducted headcount of the almajiri, adding that 13,000 were registered.

    The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said it was currently executing 581 projects in public primary schools across the 17 local government areas of the state.

    The Executive Chairman of the board, Prof. Matthew Sule, stated this in Shendam, at the inauguration of the Social Mobilisation Intervention Campaign for communities benefitting from projects executed by the board.

    It is no gainsaying that basic education is sine qua non to the survival and growth of both secondary and tertiary education and by extension the nation.

    A former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, acknowledged this when he spoke recently at the Lagos State University Faculty of Education, 2019 Distinguished Lecture series.

    He said the authorities must show greater attention to teachers’ preparation, happiness and welfare.

    Okebukola also advised the government at various levels to improve funding and close up the huge infrastructure deficit in the sector.

    According to him, proper funding of education would ultimately translate to good quality education in the country.

    Stakeholders noted that there is always the tendency for older folks to be nostalgic when commentaries are made on the falling standard of education in the country.

    They forgot to realise that high standards were maintained yester years because of sustained investment in the education sector.

    They said it was regrettable that a country with its first primary school established in 1843 had allowed this magnitude of rot in the system.

    The general neglect of the sector has continually given credence to the series of lamentations on the general falling standard of education in the country.

    Consequently, it would not be out of place if the various authorities go beyond rhetoric and the seasonal interventions and declare a state of emergency in the sector, in order to address the challenges without further delay.

     

    • Odeh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

  • 49-99 is a global message, says Tiwa Savage

    Currently enjoying a tour of her new release “49-99”, singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage has explained the meaning and idea behind the song.

    The song, which was released on September 5, has recorded nearly two million YouTube views less than three weeks after its release.

    At a listening party, Tiwa said “49-99” stands for “Forty-nine seating, ninety-nine standing,” a phrase coined by the late Afrobeat maestro, Fela Kuti, in his 1978 track, “Suffering and Smiling”, adding that a transit bus serves as a case study.

    “It ought to have only 49 seated passengers,” she said, “however, due to poor economic conditions; we often have nearly twice that number of passengers standing. For those who are not Nigerian, we have these transit buses which we call ‘molue’ and it has 49 seats.

    “So instead of it to have 49 people commuting to work and back, you have 49 people sitting and double that standing, hanging… That’s just a reflection of the economy and the imbalances with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. So, the song, even when you first listen to it – it’s a great record (laughs) – it’s one you can zanku to and dance to.”

    Speaking on the motive behind the “49-99” campaign, Tiwa said: “I wanted my first global single to have a message that we are suffering and smiling, and music is a powerful tool. I wanted a title which could be a conversation starter like 49 people sitting and 99 people standing… like we’re suffering and smiling.”

    Tiwa also said a phone call from Olamide and Pheelz led to 49-99.

    Directed by Meji Alabi, scenes from the video show iconic portraits of Congolese schoolgirls taken in 1972 by photographer Eliot Elisofon. Another scene in which Savage is laid out with lengthy braids is reminiscent of Diana Ross’ flower-like look from the late 60s.

    The 2018 MTV base Europe award winner further explained in details what the video portrayed.

    “Everything was Nigerian, everybody was Nigerian, it was done in Lagos, Meji and Jimmy films shot it, overall creative direction came from Ibra Ake. It was important to showcase different elements of the song, Like I said, we have the school girls, I wanted that nostalgic feeling of college girls in uniform and the hair. The girls when they finish from school, people just think they would be hair dressers and tailors. Females are more than that; they want to be pilots, they want to be doctors. Also, the table with the older men, it is supposed to represent the ministers, senators, the politicians; some of them not all. Some of them are distracted by other things instead of them to focus on how to make Nigeria a better place so we kind of played on that a little bit, so those deep meanings; we had the monkey on my shoulder, that kept jumping off. You know monkey no get skills. Igi sumo gi. It’s a proverb. You know, you see a monkey jumping from tree to tree and you are like it has tricks, but you know they are just jumping from the closest tree to the next tree and they are not really doing anything spectacular. So, it is like telling you that when you are doing something or you ’re about to birth a huge destiny, you ’re going to have haters. But those haters are not doing anything, they are not coming out of their comfort zone, you can’t look at what they are doing. Monkey no get skill, Igi su mo gi, they are only doing what is necessary, you are doing something that is going to change the world. So, you have to step out of your comfort zone so that’s what that means.”

    The 39-year-old singer made her film debut in 2011 with Joke Silva and Ireti Doyle in the stage adaptation of “For Coloured Girls.” And recently, she featured on “Keys to the Kingdom”, a track she co-wrote for Beyoncé’s soundtrack album “The Lion King: The Gift.”

    Tagged Africa’s biggest female singer, Tiwa is signed to Universal Music Group for a seven-year publishing and distribution deal allowing her future music to be released through the label’s operations in more than 60 countries.

    And expressing her vivacity, she took to Instagram to show off the new set of customised teeth with chrome “Savage” on the lower section.

    The mother of one said despite the life of glamour and thrills she is living, she still struggles with low self-esteem and has always felt she was not beautiful most times. She disclosed that the life portrayed on social media was one reason for her insecurity.

    Tiwa was formerly married to Tunji (Tee Billz) Balogun, in 2013, who was also her manager.  Their wedding hit the rocks when Balogun accused his wife of infidelity. On her part, Tiwa addressed her husband’s social media posts on their marriage, debunking the infidelity claims. She accused him of financial recklessness, drug addiction and abandonment.

    Still separated, Balogun took to his Instagram account the day she dropped 49-99 to wish her well, he posted: “There’s no fulfillment greater than to watch your dream and vision come to live!! Proud of you, Mama J… I’ve not heard it. I’m not expecting anything but I knew what you were made off when they didn’t believe in you. Respect and greatness.”

  • 312 youths graduate from vocational training centres

    Three hundred and twelve youths have graduated from various vocational centres  in Ibese, Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

    They were trained on 15 vocations, including tailoring, making of Ankara bags and shoes; bead making and wire works, hair dressing and bathing, paintings, computer training  (Diploma in desktop publishing) and website design.

    The training was organised by One Youth One Skill (OYOS), an initiative of the councillor representing Owode Ibese in Igbogbo Baiyeku Local Council Development Association (LCDA), Lagos, Matthew Arowolo.

    Speaking at the graduation and award ceremony, at Kith and Kin Educational School, Ibese, Ikorodu, with the theme, “Skillful youths, nation builders,” Arowolo said the gesture was to invest in the youth to enable them become impact others.

    He stressed the need to engage the youth to enable them change the environment, saying the programme was not the first as it has graduated about 600 youths over the years.

    “This training is to get the youth engaged, because when youths are engaged, they will excel in the labour market as they already know how it works. With this gesture, youths will be able to fend for themselves and contribute to the financial needs in their homes. We are doing this responsible to make youths not to get involved in unaccepted things to meet  end needs. If a child learns tailoring, he or she can get a machine, sew clothes and make a living from it. So also it applies to those that have learnt other skills. They will make a living for themselves and they will not indulge in what they should not do,” he said.

    Speaking on what inspires him; Arowolo said he is a child from the ghetto, adding that he spends his money on buying equipment to enable the youth get the training.

    “The number of lives I have touched is what keeps me going, the zeal is there and I will not stop. We need to take youths off the streets, our youths can do anything to make money, they all want to make money quickly. They do not want to work, if we engage them and make sure they get something out of life, others will emulate them and they will all make a good living.”

    Read Also:312 youths graduate from vocational training centres

    He urged other leaders to impact others; saying when they are no more, what they have done is what would speak for them.

    He urged the graduates to put to use whatever they have learnt at the training.

    “They should become leaders and fight for what will make Nigeria a better place.”

    He explained that the duration of the training was determined by the course being studied. “Tailoring was one year, Ankara bag and shoe were two months, computer training (Diploma in desktop publishing) was four months, website design and production of paint was a month each, while barbing and hair dressing were six months each.”

    He urged government to assist him to get the youths empowered to enable them begin business of their own.

    The Chairman of the organising committee, Excellence Amodu, urged the graduates use what they had learnt. He said with it they could make a good living, sponsor themselves through school and contribute to their family’s financial needs.

    “They should go on with what they are doing and that will take them to greater heights to change the face of what is ongoing in the country. With this type of training, the youths will not hang around anyhow, they will use the skills they have acquired to something to make ends meet, and there will be reduction in crime rate,” he said.

    Another participant,  Temiloluwa Abioro, who partook in the computer training, said she learnt it because of her interest and love for the sector.

    She said she learnt a lot, adding that her skills has been broadened on the use of the computer, internet use, graphic design and web design, among other things.

    “I went to learn this course because I have interest in the use of computer and I wanted to broaden my skills but with what I have learnt here, I will teach other people the use of computer,” she said.

    Another participant, Feyikemi Ojetunde, learnt how to make Ankara bags and shoes. She said she loves the art, adding that with the skills she has learnt, she plans to start her business in the art, make money from it and teach others.

    She thanked the organisers of the programme for the initiative, saying it was helpful.

  • Turning adversity into opportunity

    Refusing to let her physical disabilities hold her back, a physically-challenged entrepreneur, Miss Maria Gorrathy Iche, got involved in several activities before finding her calling in textiles. After studying Fine and Applied Arts at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, the indigene of Imo State has opened her own textile designing business. She shared her experience with DANIEL ESSIET.

    Miss Maria Gorrathy Iche, a Fine and Applied Arts graduate of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, is an example of a lady who did not let her physical disability hinder the pursuit of her dreams. She had treatment for years, but she did not let her disability come in between her and his dreams.

    With her strong will power and dedication to succeed, she decided to study Fine and Applied Arts. Today, she is enjoying and making a living from it. She started her business with N20, 000 after her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2016. She has set an example for those who want to live their dreams.

    She has proved that disability could be turned into an opportunity. Her dedication has made her  a notable figure and a leading  textile designer within her local community in Imo State.

    Miss Iche has overcome all the odds to write her name in gold. She is making a living from textile designing. Her collection include handmade bags, assortment of dresses and beads.

    Speaking with The Nation, Miss Iche said she received help and support along the way.

    For her: “There is something called opportunity. God sends it and you have to grab it. When opportunities fell in my lap, I grabbed them. It has made me who I am today.”

    After she enrolled for her Ordinary National Diploma (OND), she discovered her  interest  in fashion and passion for colours.

    Miss Iche said physically challenged entrepreneurs would continue to face challenges because the society had not shown them enough support. She faced rejection, but she soldiered on.

    She said it is her dream to see her craftsmanship celebrated on a national platform, saying this is what will bring her joy.

    She is determined to work with physically challenged artisans in villages across Imo State, if the government supports her.

    Her plan is to establish an organisation that provides scholarships to underprivileged students to pursue careers in textile design and bead making.

    Her goal is to provide longtime employment to local artisans who are contributing to collections that are relevant.

  • ‘How to develop micro pension plan’

    For the Federal Government’s Micro Pension Plan to succeed the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and Pension Fund Administrator’s (PFAs) must take the plan to the grassroots, an actuarial expert, Dr. Pius Apere, has said.

    Apere, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Achor Actuarial Services Limited, spok at a conference in Lagos.

    He stated that the operators could achieve this through the deployment of technology.

    He explained that technology enables people to access financial services, including pension products and that it is a driver behind realising financial inclusiveness.

    He said: “Potentially high front-end capital investments in information technology (IT) infrastructure as well as manpower by PFAs are required in establishing efficient micro-pension administration and delivery platforms to mobilise micro-pension contributors at the grassroots.

    Read Also: Financial inclusion: Micro Pension Plan to the rescue

    “In fact, the timing of implementation and robustness of IT infrastructure by PFAs as specified by PenCom to meet the expected increase in micro-pension contributors in the short term may be a concern.”

    He urged PenCom to carry out adequate supervision and periodic reviews and ensure an efficient  implementation of the MPP, adding that there is a lot of work to do by the regulator and PFAs to bring confidence into the pension system and that a network of branch operations by PFAs with high standard of service delivery would help to bring confidence in the system.

    He noted that there is high tendency for micro-pension contributors to operate RSA as a bank savings account because of the over flexibility of the contingent withdrawal option provided in the guidelines.

    Apere said: “For instance, the micro-pension contributor may withdraw the total balance of the contingent portion of his/her RSA including all accrued investment income thereto, making the first withdrawal three months after the initial contribution and subsequent withdrawals once in a week from the balance of the contingent portion of the RSA. In view of the above, the contingent withdrawal option would create administrative hassle for the PFAs because the amount of records keeping required would actually lead to incurring high administrative costs and processing time.

    “The above administrative hassle could be avoided or reduced if at the point of registration micro-pension contributors are asked to complete a weekly or monthly income and expenditure planner which would indicate and/or guide how much they can conveniently safe in a week or month. The forgoing is also in line with section 6.3(d) of the micro-pension guidelines (“The amount of contribution shall be dependent on the Micro-Pension Contributor’s pension aspiration and financial capacity.”

  • PenCom faults PFAs’ branch management

    A survey by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) in two states has revealed that Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) are not complying with the regulations. Omobola Tolu-Kusimo reports.

    The National Pension Commission’s (PenCom) survelliance in two states has  brought a damning report: Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) have failed in the management of their branches.

    In the report, the commission stated that it inspected 13 PFAs in Ondo and Ekiti states to determine  PFAs’compliance with minimum requirements for branches and service centres as well as the quality of their services to stakeholders.

    A contributor to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), Christopher Essien, said the PFAs don’t pay attention to their branches.

    Recounting his experience, he said he had visited a PFA in Calabar to lodge a complaint, but the officials he met asked him to come back another day.

    Essien said when he went back, they still did not have an answer for him.

    A retiree, who simply identified himself as Florence, said her PFA failed to pay her pension promptly.

    Another contributor, Ekeleme criticised her PFA because he did not have his statement of account and know how his pension was being managed.

    ‘’I am registered with one of the PFA, but I have  not receive any update on my pension since 2013. I attempted to reach them on their website but the it was not working,’’ she added.

    Read Also: PenCom recovers N16b in seven years

    PenCom Acting Director-General, Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar, in the report titled: “PenCom 2019 Second Quarter Report”, said the commission sought to ensure that the PFAs staff members were conversant with the provisions of the state contributory pension laws and relevant regulations and guidelines issued by the commission.

    She disclosed that during the quarter under review, the commission issued new circulars and guidelines to licensed pension fund operators.

    She said: “The circulars and guideline include Circular on the Implementation of the Requirement for Provision of Fidelity Insurance Cover for Employees of PFAs and Pension Fund Custodian (PFCs) which was issued on June 18, 2019; Circular on the issues in the Transition from the Contributor Registration System to the Enhanced Contributor Registration System (ECRS) issued on June 19, 2019; and Revised Guidelines for Retirement Savings Account Registration – Enhanced Contributor Registration System (ECRS). The ECRS is an upgrade on the Contributor Registration System (CRS) earlier deployed by the Commission in the registration of contributors into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

    “The commission also reviewed monthly compliance reports submitted by the operators. The major issues observed from the review of the compliance reports forwarded by the operators during the quarter under review were un-credited pension contributions, delay in the payment of retirement benefits to the retirees and outstanding commitments from previous routine examinations.”

    On corporate governance, the PenCom boss said the commission found that some PFAs had inadequate composition of the Board, non-submission of yearly performance evaluation of individual directors challenges.

    “During the quarter under review, a total of 29 operators forwarded their Corporate Governance Reports for the year ended December, 31, 2018. The major issues observed from the review of the Corporate Governance reports were the inadequate composition of the Board, non-submission of Annual Performance Evaluation of individual Directors, inclusion of Executive Directors as members of the Board Audit Committee, some Directors being members of all Board Committees and holding Board meetings same day with the Board Sub-committee meetings.

    “Also, licensed pension operators continued to render the returns for the funds under their management/custody as well as that of the Company to the Commission via the Risk Management & Analysis System (RMAS) for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.

    “The Commission sustained its regulatory intervention on First Guarantee Pension Limited owing to non-resolution of the outstanding issues. However, the PFA continued to provide services to its clients with a satisfactory solvency and going concern status.

    ‘’The Commission sustained its efforts at ensuring an expeditious resolution of the shareholders’ dispute in the PFA with a view to ending the regulatory intervention,”she said.

  • Kwara govt, Saraki trade words over distribution of school materials

    Kwara State Government and former Senate President Bukola Saraki are at each other’s throats on the recent distribution of instructional materials to public schools in Kwara central.

    The state government argued that the materials were distributed directly to the schools from the Mandate office of Senator Saraki as opposed to going through the ministry of education.

    The state also added that personal identities of the former Senate President were emblazoned on them, stressing that it was not aware of the distribution of these instructional materials.

    But Saraki countered that the state government has misconceptions about the true picture of the processes involved in capturing and implementation of projects of this nature.

    In a statement, spokesperson of the Kwara Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.Yakub K. Aliagan said that: “The appropriate thing to do is to send those materials to the Ministry of Education which has a statutory duty of vetting learning materials for quality control and then approve such for distribution. Not doing so was a violation of a basic rule which is key to strengthening our
    institutions and keeping standards.

    “Besides, it is wrong for anyone to emblazon their images or personal logos on instructional materials made with public resources for distribution in public schools. The said materials were some sort of Constituency Projects which have been approved and funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “It is instructive to note that the Kwara State Ministry of Education recently approached Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to mass-produce instructional materials with his picture emblazoned on them ahead of school resumption and the Governor rejected the proposal on the ground that there should be no personalisation of projects executed with public funds.

    “Flowing from the above, the authorities at the schools were right to have rejected those materials because the Ministry of Education was not aware of such and also because there should be no politicisation of education, whether directly or indirectly, especially at the basic level where the children are very impressionable.

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    “Since the materials had been produced with government funds, we urge the Mandate Office of Senator Bukola Saraki to return them to the Ministry of Education after having replaced the covers emblazoned with personal photographs or political identities.”

    Reacting Director of Project and Empowerment, Mandate Office of Senator Bukola Saraki,Otukoko Olayinka Ibrahim said that “the distribution of the instructional materials is a constituency project facilitated by the immediate past Senate President Bukola Saraki through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); that the constituency projects with UBEC is not limited to distribution of books, it include: Construction of classrooms, provision of Pupils and Teachers furniture, distribution of customized notebooks and textbooks (as it appears in the UBEC documents). distribution of Science Laboratory equipments, distribution of Mathematics kits, distribution of computer systems and generator sets; that during the needs assessment conducted by the mandate office, the office of Dr. Saraki collaborated with the LGEA offices which are directly in charge of basic schools across the four LGs for capturing of schools with basic infrastructure and material needs and same was communicated to UBEC by Dr. Saraki’s office for implementation.

    “That prior to distribution of the items, the mandate office informed the LGAs offices again to invite the selected schools, as shortlisted by UBEC to mandate for collection of “approved” items for their respective schools. So to say the State Government is not aware of the distribution is will throw many unanswerable questions to one’s mind.”

  • ‘Obaseki’ll win re-election without Oshiomhole’

    A former Political Adviser to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Charles Idahosa, has said that Governor Godwin Obaseki would win re-election in 2020 even without the support of Oshiomhole.

    Idahosa said Governor Obaseki has won the heart of the people through infrastructural projects that cut across the state and bringing sanity to governance.

    Speaking in a chat with newsmen in Benin City, Idahosa said the quarrel between Oshiomhole and Obaseki would be difficult to settle because it emanated from envy and jealousy.

    Idahosa stated that Oshiomhole was being intimidated by the records of Obaseki’s achievements.

    He said Obaseki has performed 85 percent in three years against Oshiomhole’s 45 percent performance in eight years.

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    According to him, “Oshiomhole said he brought only one Commissioner. That is a lie. Oshiomhole brought the Deputy Governor, he brought the APC State Chairman, he brought the SSG.

    “The main issue between Oshiomhole and Obaseki has not been brought to the fore. We know they are busy working underground to stop Obaseki but nobody can stop Obaseki from having his eight years.

    “Obaseki’s record is so intimidating. Oshiomhole wants to be the lone star in the state. The truth is that Oshiomhole is envious and jealous of Obaseki..”