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  • WHD: Okafor, Wada, others to be honoured

    In commemoration of this year’s United Nation’s World Habitat Day (WHD), Managing Director of Marcopolo Group of Companies, Chief Emmanuel Frank Okafor;  wife of former governor of Kogi State, Mrs. Ijeoma Wada and Chief Executive Officer of Bstan Homes, Engr. Becky Damilola Oke, are among personalities to be honoured at the 5th Annual World Habitat Leadership Summit and International Honours.

    The summit, whose theme is “Effective Leadership -Its role in ensuring a Sustainable Habitat”, is  scheduled to hold on October 27 at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja, the nation’s capital. Their selection was in view of their commitments to community projects and developments, which include human capital development and youth employment.

    Speaking to newsmen ahead the summit, the spokesperson of the summit organisers, World Habitat Ambassadors Foundation (WHAF), Principal Consultant, Global Peace Ambassador Hillary Emoh, said the selection of Wada was as a result of her relentless drive to empowering the rural woman and consistency in community development projects over the years. He described her as an agent of transformation and development, who has done commendably well for Nigeria.

    Emoh also said the nomination of Oke is long overdue as she is one of the few exceptional women who have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria and indeed a nation builder.

    Other personalities to be honoured include, Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Prince Matthew Kolawole, Professor James Adams and Mr Enobong Emmanuel Abang.

  • ABUAD showers N120m on outstanding students, others

    Outstanding graduating students and workers of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) were among beneficiaries of N120 million cash reward at the university’s sixth convocation yesterday.

    A parent was also among the beneficiaries of the cash largesse by ABUAD Founder/Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).

    The cash reward for this year was N30 million higher than the N90 million doled out at last year’s convocation.

    Two distinguished Nigerians: President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Chairman of Channels Media Group, Mr. John Momoh, got honorary doctorate degrees at the convocation.

    Babalola said Adesina and Momoh were rewarded for their contributions to the development of the country, particularly the youth.

    The university graduated 1,042 students for Bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees with 72 getting First Class honours in different departments.

    Award recipients of various cash sums under the Founder’s Special Awards are: Overall Best Graduating Student, Azom, Esther Adaobi, who bagged three distinctions in Medicine; the Best Alumnus of the Year is Makanju Aderonke and the Best Parent of the Year is Bayo Olowookere.

    The Best Teacher of the Year is Prof. Smaranda Olarinde of the Faculty of Law, while Prof Sylvester Ojo bagged Utility Teacher of the Year award.

    The College of Law won the Best College of the Year Award.

    Other graduating students won awards at departmental levels.

    Identifying funding as the greatest scourge afflicting the country’s Education sector, Babalola noted that many of the states’ and Federal Government’s budgets allocate as low as seven per cent to the sector.

    The eminent lawyer slammed the Federal Government for allegedly ignoring the directive by the United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that 26 per cent of the budgetary allocation should go to education.

    He said: “The quality of education is most desirable, but it is also an expensive enterprise. It is no news that the Education sector is in crisis due to poor funding.

    “Whereas, UNESCO recommended that at least 26 per cent of national budget should be dedicated to education, but Nigeria budgets less than seven per cent.”

    Babalola regretted that “Nigeria has one of the most poorly funded universities globally,” saying this caused the low ranking the country’s citadels of learning were accorded on webometrics rating.

    He said: “I urge the Federal Government to revisit the moribund Education Bank to enable students access loans at reduced rates to finance their education and to start their own businesses after graduation.

    “This is the surest way to end the rising unemployment, particularly among graduates after leaving universities.”

    Babalola also urged the Federal Government to establish an Airport in Ado-Ekiti and rebuild Ado-Ijan-Ikare Road for easy access to the university.

    He said: “The federal road leading to this university, Ado-Ikare road, is in bad condition. Of course, there is no rail line and there is also no airport.

    “With the provision of the two in Ekiti, Nigerians will benefit from the 400-bed multi-system hospital which has the latest equipment here in this university.

    “The Federal Government approved an airport for this state in 2009 for the benefit of all Nigerians who can benefit from our quality healthcare delivery and functional education we are offering in ABUAD.”

    Adesina, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, noted that the future of Africa should not depend on population and natural resources but how best they can use the available resources to convert their visions to reality.

  • Elegushi’s Palace wears new look for Tinubu, others

    All is now set for the investiture of new patrons of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC). The event has been scheduled for Tuesday, 23rd October 2018 at the Elegushi’s Palace in Ikate, off Lekki-Epe Expressway from 12 noon.

    The Elegushi’s Palace is wearing a new look and palace sources have revealed that security is top notch.

    Those to be honoured include the national leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC and one-time Governor of Lagos State Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, His Royal Majesty, Oba S. A. Elegushi, former Governor of Delta State Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief (Mrs) Kofoworola Adejoke Nwokedi and Sir Marc Wabara.

    A statement by the NOC indicates that after the investiture ceremony for Patrons from the South on Tuesday, there will be another ceremony for those in the northern part of the country on November 1 in Abuja.

    The Patrons on the honours list from the north includes His Excellency M. A. Abubakar, Gbong Gwom Jos, Dr Jacob Buba Gyang, Mrs. (Dr) Zainab Bagudu, Alhaji Bashari Mohammed Gumel, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima and a former NOC President Major-General Adamu Dyeri (rtd).

    The statement added that the Patrons were being honoured for their contributions to the development of sports in the country and the Olympic movement, in particular.

    Being a Patron of the Olympic Movement positions honourees as iconic international sports personalities, carrying the emblem of Nigeria globally. “It is, therefore, our honour to invest the honourees with the patronship of the Olympic Movement which is in recognition of their meritorious contributions to humanity, sport and societal development,” the statement concluded.

    The responsibility and expectation of Patrons of the Nigeria Olympic Committee are to advise and support the Olympic Movement as appropriate.

  • National Assembly, Executive meet over virement, others

    THE approval to vire N242.205 billion for the 2019 general elections from the constituency projects under the Service Wide Vote allocation in the 2018 Appropriation Act, may set the National Assembly and the Executive on a collision course.

    Though President Muhammadu Buhari had  urged the National Assembly to vire the fund from the N578.31 billion inserted by federal lawmakers for constituency projects, the National Assembly members did the exact opposite.

    The lawmakers still have a statutory N100 billion, which the parties collectively agreed on.

    The two chambers of the National Assembly had on resumption approved the virement of N242.205 for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and five security agencies for the 2019 general elections.

    Yesterday, the  Senate and House of Representatives were in a closed door meeting with the Executive.

    Mustapha Dawaki, Chairman, House Committee, The Nation gathered, was at the State House yesterday to explain to the Presidency the approval to vire the N242 billion from the Constituency project allocation under the Service Wide Vote as contained in the 2018 Appropriation Act.

    Present at the meeting were Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun, House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila and Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan and Senate Minority Whip Philip Aduda.

    From the  Executive side were Minister for Finance Zainab Ahmed, Minister for Budget and National Planning Udo Udoma,. Director General, Debt Management Office Ms Patience Oniha and Director General of Budget Office Ben Akabueze.

    Others are Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly (Senate) Senator Ita Enang and Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly (House) Suleiman Kawu.

    Lasun, in an interview with reporters, said: “Ordinarily, this is a meeting we always hold behind closed doors. He excused reporters and security agents, saying the subject to be discussed was sensitive.

    It was, however, learnt  that the meeting was to discuss the $2.7 billion eurobond and contentious virement.

    The Nation also learnt that issues concerning the welfare of lawmakers viz-a -viz the impending elections  was also discussed.

  • Police move to stop criminal use of explosives, others

    The police have initiated moves to contain use of  explosives and other allied materials capable of jeopardising public safety, Commissioner Kayode Egbetokun said yesterday.

    Egbetokun, the CP, Explosives and Ordinance Disposal (EOD), said EOD operatives had been trained in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threat mitigation and methods of attacking Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

    The police, he said, would intensify vigilance at airports, seaports and border points to prevent illegal importation of explosive devices.

    Speaking on “Excellent service delivery towards a safe and bomb free society,” Egbetokun said explosives were  the weapons of choice for international and local terror organisations, as well as deadly robbery gangs.

    He said CBRN materials could cause harm and pose threats in the hands of terrorists.

    Besides the use of weaponised or non-weaponised materials, the commissioner said accidents could occur during usage or transportation.

    “The command has established CBRN offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. They are saddled with the responsibilities of managing radiological emergencies, monitoring the usage, storage and transportation of hazardous chemical, biological agents and radioactive sources.

    “A good number of our personnel have been trained and qualified as CBRN frontline officers to undertake escorts and manage security of radioactive emergencies.

    “We have established Zonal Workshop Centres in Uyo, Umuahia, Lagos, Minna, Kano and Maiduguri for maintenance of EOD equipment and training of EOD technicians,” he said.

    Egbetokun said the command was collaborating with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to develop a framework for prevention and response to CBRN incidents.

  • Nigeria, others face rising mobile threats

    Nigeria and other African countries are a target for cybercriminals, a cyber security solutions provider, Check Point Software, has said.

    It said though the continent’s internet penetration was only 35.2 per cent last December, 19.2 per cent behind the world average, cybercrime is threatening African countries.

    One of the main challenges faced by the security industry in Africa, and globally, is mobile security. It is hardly surprising given that sub-Saharan Africa alone has a unique mobile subscriber penetration of 44 per cent, expected to hit 52 per cent in 2025.

    “The sheer economy of scale offered by mobile devices is incredibly appealing to cybercriminals. They are using every available opportunity to attack individuals and organisations through their mobile devices, including Apps, particularly because these devices are so popular and people usually do not take strict precautions when it comes to securing them as they would with their laptops for example,”Rick Rogers, Regional Director, Africa at Check Point, said.

    Check Point said it has discovered two major vulnerabilities related to mobile devices over the past month alone. These are Man-in-the-Disk which its researchers discovered to be a new attack surface for Android apps exploiting a shortcoming in the way that Android apps use storage resources. The second is FakesApp, which researchers discovered a vulnerability in WhatsApp that allows a threat actor to intercept and manipulate messages sent by those in a group or private conversation.

    “It’s no surprise that mobile attacks are having a major impact on organisations is Nigeria. One of the key markets in Africa, Nigeria is quickly becoming a mobile-first country, with mobile penetration increasing from 53 per cent in 2016 to 84 per cent in 2017. And considering the availability of phones is at a lower price point, more Nigerians are able to afford a mobile device.

    Though major malware, such as ransomware, cryptominer, and banking trojans, have had, and continue to have, a big impact, it is mobile attacks on Nigerian companies that are growing. When comparing the impact of these attacks to the global market, we find that Nigeria averaged 20 per cent – 35 per cent higher between January and August this year, which is not to be taken lightly,” the firm said.

    The threat landscape has evolved into a much more aggressive beast. “We are experiencing Gen V (5th Generation) cyber-attacks, which are characterised as large-scale and fast moving across multiple industries.

    “These sophisticated attacks on mobile, cloud and various enterprise networks, easily bypass conventional defences being used by most organisations today as they rely on older generations of security,”  Rogers said.

    Seeing that Africa is increasingly under threat from cybercriminals, the need for local businesses to partner with security specialists that can help them remain one step ahead of the game is essential.

    To ensure that enterprises across Africa have access to the expertise and technology needed to protect themselves from sophisticated attacks on all fronts, the company has invested in growing its local teams in North Africa, East Africa, South Africa, SADC and West Africa through the following appointments: Bryan Chuka Ofoegbu, Acting Country Manager for Nigeria and West Afric.a.

  • BoI’s $1.5b for manufacturers, others

    BANK of Industry (BoI) has offered $1.5billion to manufacturers, its Managing Director Bol, Kayode Pitan has said.

    He stated this at an event organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos.

    Speaking on “Mainstreaming policies to catalyse industrial renaissance”, he said the funds –  $750 million from international banks and N800 million from the Nigerian Content Board – were also available for the oil sector to boost the Nigerian Content.

    He said the bank supports emerging industries, such as the creative arts, renewable energy, biogas and gender owned business at a single digit with long gestation unlike the conventional banks.

    Pitan, who was represented by the General Manager Large Enterprise, Joseph Babatunde, urged local operators into agro-processing, solid minerals, movies and theatres to harness the low interest loans to grow their businesses.

    Nigeria Managing Director Development Bank Tony Okpanachi said the bank provides Micro Small  and Medium Enterprises (MSME) well-structured loans of up to 10 years through the second tier for equipment financing, manufacturing, among others.

    He disclosed that the bank would establish the First SME’s Credit Guarantee Bank that would share up to 50 percent of the sectors risk. In addition, the bank is also building the capacity of small enterprises.

    He said MSME’s contribute over 50 percent to the Gross Demostic product (GDP) and employs over 80 per cent of the productive work force and should be supported if the economy must grow.

    Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Dr Dakuku Peterside called for long-term credit at single digit interest rate for the manufacturing and maritime sectors.

    Peterside, who spoke on “Promoting manufacturing through approved port infrastructure and access to long-term credit window’’, said long-term credit would eliminate the huge overhead cost associated with transportation of materials and enhance the operations of the ports.

    He said port infrastructure were capital intensive with long period of return on investment, hence required long-term credit of at least 5 per cent to encourage investors.

    He proposed a dedicated revolving fund for the development of infrastructure for the ports and the manufacturing sector including manufacturing hobs at the ports to cut transportation cost. Peterside represented by Dr Maduka Ozili, Assistant Director, Shipping Promotions, NIMASA urged government to allocate space at highly subsidised rates at the ports for investors to establish manufacturing plants.

    Furthermore he asked for special ports to be designated for raw materials and export business which according to him that is the only way the sector can grow.

    He said: “The Federal Government should be encouraged to invest in cargo handling and the acquisition of expansive land mass at ports for easy export of manufactured goods.

  • Corruption, socioeconomic insecurity,  others to blame for Nigeria’s woes—Survey 

    Endemic corruption at all tiers of government, socioeconomic insecurity, deliberate misuse of power, amongst several other vices may be responsible for the lingering economic crisis bedevilling the country, a survey has revealed.

    While speaking on the survey conducted by the Foundation for Value Transformation in collaboration with the Value Centre, USA, Mr. Segun Caulcrick, the Executive Director of the Foundation revealed that the outcomes of the recent  study was the result of painstaking field reports and views elicited from respondents across the different geopolitical zones of the country.

    According to the former Country Manager of UPS Nigeria, the survey showed that endemic corruption,  poverty, crime, violence, terrorism,  unemployment, hatred, conflict,  aggression, illiteracy are the potentially limiting factors responsible for the low value of life in the country today.

    “Most issues plaguing people in the country today relate to socioeconomic insecurity and threat to personal safety and security,” he said.

    Besides, he said shortage of economic opportunities and resources to meet people’s basic needs, inadequate access to education is holding people back.

    More worrisome, he said, is the fact that, “There is deliberate misuse of power to serve selfish interests rather than the common good and resources to meet people’s basic needs are mismanaged.”

    Caulcrick who is a certified leadership coach further revealed that while majority of the populace desire better quality of living and envisage to live in a country where opportunities are available for all, it is regrettable that decisions and actions taken by individuals at all levels of the society have been at variance with the expected outcomes.

    “Sadly, the vision of the founding fathers of this great country Nigeria has remained unfulfilled many decades after independence. It’s yet another anniversary of the country and the eve of an election year, yet the country seems divided. There is hunger and strife in the land, safety of lives and property is lamentably not guaranteed. A lot still needs to be done to get the economy back on track not for us as a country alone but for the future of Africa. Time and time again, world leaders of African descent continue to implore us to wake up and take our rightful place in the comity of nations because Africa’s future depends a lot on us.”

  • Chamber woos foreign investors from US, others

    The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has concluded plans to host the 2018 session of the independence investment forum (TIIF), a forum aimed at attracting long term investments into agriculture, energy including oil and gas, mining and commodities across the globe.

    President of the Chamber, Oluwatoyin Akomolafe who gave this hint in Lagos, said the gathering would also offer a platform for discussing investment needs and goals without the need for investors to travel to various locations in Nigeria to see projects or for Nigerian companies seeking investments to travel to multiple countries to pitch to investors.

    The investment forum which is scheduled to hold on the Nigeria’s Independence Day, according to him seeks to advance economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States through promotion of business and services that would improve trade relations and wealth of both nations.

    The NACC he said had grown into an active organisation standing as a pillar of the relationship between the United States of America and Nigeria, and serving as an important catalyst in bringing together people and ideals to strengthen bilateral commercial relations between the two countries.

    He maintained the Chamber had facilitated business-to-business relationships and advanced economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States through promotion of business and services that improve trade relations and prosperity of both nations; providing programmes and services that would improve economic prosperity and sustainability of businesses.

    “The focus of TIIF upon registration is pivotal as we have created a structure to drive maximum impact in the business space,” he stated.

    The independence forum is an annual event jointly hosted by the Chamber and Footprint to Africa and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the United States, Nigeria.

    According to him, interested companies, stakeholders and individuals will be able to register to attend the conference adding it will feature dedicated networking sessions, market knowledge sharing, investment pitches, access to expert insight on local and foreign markets among others.

    The General Manager, Footprint to Africa, Kelechi Chukwu said the two parties came together to conceptualise the idea and have a forum that would support investments and investment corporation between Nigerian entrepreneurs and foreign investors looking into the market.

  • Turkey threatens to abduct Gulenists in U.S., others

    TURKEY has threatened to continue its global manhunt for followers of  Gulen movement.

    Its presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, at a news conference, said the operation could extend to the United State (U.S.) and other parts of the world.

    Kalin said “relevant units” would continue their operations against FETO just like the one in Kosovo, whether it be the in the United States or any other country.

    FETO is an abbreviation for the Gülen movement coined by the Turkish government to label the movement, which it accuses of masterminding an abortive coup in 2016, as a terrorist organisation.

    He said: “Our relevant units and institutions will continue their operations in the countries in which FETO operates whether it be the U.S. or some other country. Rest assured that they will feel Turkey breathing down their necks. I can’t share any details, but anything can happen anytime, anywhere.

    “Mr. President has given very clear instructions on this issue. Our relevant units are working very professionally. Operations similar to the one conducted in Kosovo can be carried out in other countries. Everyone should know that Turkey will not allow FETO to breathe a sigh of relief.”

    In March, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (M?T) abducted six Turkish nationals, one doctor and five educators, working for a group of schools affiliated with the Gülen movement in Kosovo and rendered them to Turkey.

    The abduction of the Turkish nationals sparked a political crisis in Kosovo and Prime Minister RamushHaradinaj dismissed the interior minister along with the secret service chief.

    Executive Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) Kenneth Roth condemned the operation. He said the abductees would face the risk of torture and abuse in Turkey.

    More than 150,000 people have been detained and 90,000 put in pre-trial detention over Gülen links in Turkey since the summer of 2016.

    Meanwhile, Erdo?an called on foreign governments to punish Gülen followers in their countries.

    So far, a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Georgia and Myanmar, have handed over academics, businessmen and school principals upon the Turkish government’s request despite the fact that some of those victims already had refugee status with the United Nations (UN).

    In some countries, the M?T carried out the arrests itself with or without the involvement of local law enforcement.