The Nation Newspaper

Tag: overhaul

  • Overhaul finance curriculum, Elumelu urges schools

    United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Chairman, Mr Tony Elumelu has called for the overhaul of the finance training curriculum to reflect current technological influences.

    Elumelu, while delivering the Guest Lecture of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU) titled: “The future of finance – Technology at play” on Wednesday, said it was not enough for tertiary institutions to train students in the techniques of traditional accounting without exposing them to realities of technological influences on accounting practice.

    The entrepreneur, who was represented by the bank’s Executive Director, Lagos West, Ayoku Liadi, said: “The academia needs to graduate from imparting traditional technical accounting and finance skills to embracing modern technologies in the delivery of both technical and soft skills needed to build a global finance professional of the future.

    “I am not certain if the finance and accounting graduates of today are familiar with modern financial software packages, including global accounting and financial reporting standards. Have they been imbued with ready-to-market soft skills like leadership, communication, commercial acumen, flexibility/openness to change and strategic vision?

    “If not, I will like to propose an overhaul of the curriculum to accommodate these. The academia should go beyond churning out finance and accounting graduates on a yearly basis to building ready-to-market finance professionals thoroughly equipped for modern finance functions.”

    Elumelu, who is also the founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, which supports entrepreneurship startups across Africa, said with technology replacing basic financing, the finance professional that would excel in the future must be quick to retool and adapt to changes.

    “Traditional knowledge of finance is getting stale in today’s business world and indeed there is dire need for retooling our skills if we must remain relevant n tomorrow’s financial world. Technology is fast replacing the basics of finance. Financial reporting is increasingly being automated, just as data analytics is demystifying performance analysis. Tomorrow’s finance professionals must have capabilities for business intelligence and cognitive analysis. We must apprise ourselves of the most recent technology and continue to retool our skills to remain relevant today and into the future,” he said.

    Chairman of the occasion, Dr Rotimi Oladele, the Executive Secretary, Institute of Entrepreneurship, praised Elumelu for his contribution to entrepreneurship in Africa, describing him as a global brand of the rarest value.  He said LASU would benefit from its collaboration with the entrepreneur.

    “No doubt, Tony Elumelu is not just a Nigerian of rare value to Nigeria, but a Premium African of rarer value and of course a Global Brand of rarest value. Tony Elumelu today as an ultrapreneur is known all over for breeding entrepreneurs and start-ups in thousands and with millions of dollars ceaselessly in support for sustainability.

    “We believe LASU partnering with Elumelu could be the best testimonial of a befitting support to the most multi-cultural and multi-tribal university in Nigeria. The profile of LASU staff and studentship speak for this fact,” he said.

    The LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Lanre Fagbohun, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Oyedamola Oke, thanked UBA for its support and sponsorship.

    Highpoint of the event was the investiture of the Vice-Chancellor, guest speaker, and Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof B. Yusuf as Fellows of the Institute of Entrepreneurs of Nigeria.

  • ‘Overhaul criminal justice system’

    Some Lagos-based lawyers yesterday called for a reform of the justice system and the provisions of its laws.

    They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the legal system had been mired by challenges ranging from applicable laws to their implementation.

    The lawyers held that a review was imminent and called for an overhaul of the legal system.

    A constitutional lawyer, Mr. Spurgeon Ataene, described the judiciary as embattled, citing the invasion of the homes of some judicial officers.

    Read also: PDP rejects Zakari as chair of presidential election collation panel

    “The arraignment of some judges is indeed a sad commentary for the judiciary. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) should evolve and articulate policies that will fortify the judicial arm of the government,” he said.

    Ataene called for an interface with the arms of government, in order to avoid conflict.

    “It is important for the CJN to interface with the executive and legislative arms of government in finding effective ways of resolving conflicts, rather than exposing the judiciary to needless public ridicule.

    “More so, it is important for judges to deliver on their mandates, and endeavour to reduce the burden of justice on the citizens and not being overbearing,” he said.

    Ataene called on the CJN to restore the past glory of the judiciary.

  • Airport managers seek traffic management overhaul

    Global airport managers have canvassed an overhaul of air traffic management, saying reforms are long overdue.

    They said reforms had become imperative because of capacity challenges facing European air transport.

    Citing Eurocontrol’s 2018 challenges growth report, they said disruptions experienced by air travelers over the summer months has drawn global attention on the need to reform air traffic management.

    Eurocontrol is the agency in charge of managing air traffic issues in European countries.

    Releasing a new position on European Airspace, ACI Europe stressed how ATM disruptions and inefficiencies affect airport operations all the way into terminal buildings.

    These ATM disruptions and inefficiencies affect the passenger’s airport experience and lead to reduced revenue and additional costs for airports.

    They also affect surrounding communities whenever delayed flights depart/land in breach of night operating restrictions.

    Director-General of ACI Europe, Olivier Jankovec, said: “Beyond passengers and airlines, airports are also impacted by ATM disruptions and the inability of airspace to keep up with air traffic growth. The promises of the EU’s Single European Sky project have failed to materialise. It is high time for a reset. We need to see meaningful reform.”

    ACI Europe said its vision and proposals are focused on a better integration of airspace and ground infrastructure.

    It noted that despite some progress over the past ten years, through the deployment of operational processes, such as A-CDM and new technology, as well as the institution of the Network Manager, airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) still operate too much in silos.

    He said: “Operations at and around airports need to become more coordinated and consolidated and they should be based on open and shared data sets and improved coordination between all involved: airports, airlines, ANSPs and the Network Manager. This is the only way to really place the passenger at the core of operational processes.”

    It said that as technology and digitalisation continue to drive efficiencies for all actors in European aviation, ACI Europe and its members have been actively supporting SESAR innovation and its deployment.

    ACI Europe said: “In showcasing the SESAR solutions available to airports, this publication aims at further engaging the airport community in proven technological solutions for more efficient and sustainable airport operations.”

  • FG should overhaul security, now

    Sir: For several months now, some parts of the nation have been boiling with hostilities. We have lost count of the number of killings that have taken place. I can’t believe that this is happening in our own very eyes and nothing has been done about these killings up till now! It seems as if the government has now accepted this as the norm because I’m yet to see any drastic step taken by the president to address these urgent issues and put a permanent stop to these security challenges.

    President Muhammadu Buhari should realize that the primary responsibility of government is to protect lives and property and to care for the welfare of the people. The government has failed to provide for the people. The government has failed to protect the people of Nigeria. It now seems as if there is no government in Nigeria. It now seems as if the people have been left to protect themselves and the government has abandoned its responsibility of protecting the citizens.

    Nigerians are now being massacred in their own country even when we have a government that should take decisive action and stop these mindless killings. It ese mindless killings. Benue sis clear that the security agencies are not really up and doing and so not equal to the task in tackling these security challenges. The whole security apparatus in Nigeria needs to be overhauled.

    When you continue to apply a technique that continues to fail you, then you must change that technique or else you will continue to fail. There must be an urgent change in Nigeria’s security ideas or else these killings will never be tackled. The sponsors of these dastard killings must be fished out and punished. The president should personally address Nigerians and publicly condemn these evil acts and come out strongly against these people who want to make Nigeria ungovernable. These people must not be treated with kid gloves. They must be identified and brought to book or else we would only be paying lip service to these issues. The president must urgently rise to the occasion to solve this problem once and for all. We cannot continue to witness these types of premeditated attacks on our people across Nigeria even when we have a sitting president and the service chiefs who seem helpless in tackling the menace. The blood of the innocent people killed in different parts of Nigeria would cry out for justice and until justice is done and the perpetrators fished out and brought to justice, Nigeria may never know peace.

    The president must listen to the voice of reason and urgently restructure the security architecture and bring in people who are capable of tackling these problems and people who have the solutions to these problems on board or else these killings might never stop and might even get worse. If the president cannot remove incompetent security chiefs and overhaul the nation’s security architecture of Nigeria and replace them with more competent hands, then he should bear personal responsibility should these mindless killings of innocent Nigerians continue.

     

    • Tayo Demola, Lagos.
  • ‘Overhaul NHIS now’

    ‘Overhaul NHIS now’

    It was a large crowd that gathered at Solid Rock Hospital (SRH), Ojodu, Berger, Lagos, to benefit from the free medical services organised by the hospital. Men, women, children, couples, expectant mothers, the sick, and not so sick were all there. It was part of a week-long activity organised to mark its 25th year anniversary.    The hospital was founded in 1992.

    According to its Medical Director, Dr Ayo Sanu, who established the hospital with his wife, Dr Tosin,  Dental Services’ head, is proud to be one of the top private hospitals in Lagos.

    He explained the rationale behind the free services. “Free services are meant to assist the society because the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) needs to enroll many Nigerians, but that is not the case.  And it is not capturing the treatment for all the diseases, especially those ones that are becoming epidemic across the country.”

    Dr  Sanu said Federal Government needs to overhaul the NHIS to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible. “The perennial problems of the scheme over the years had constituted it into an impediment rather than a utility to the average Nigerian. The Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) could be better regulated and should prop up their minimum packages, likewise, the government should improve on the remuneration of doctors, because they are rated among the best in the world,”he said.

    He added: “It will do all of us a world of good if the scheme is modified and restructured to correct so many imbalances that have bedeviled it since it was launched. As a matter of fact, the NHIS deserves to be upgraded to accommodate the realities of our time. With the HMOs, as go-in-between patients and hospitals, access and quality of healthcare services to the patient has changed drastically.

    “The HMOs are now like the middlemen in insurance, who have gone to source for the business at their own terms that we are not privileged to know exactly what they collected. But we know that what they pay the provider is peanuts and we are complaining. The HMOs are cutting cost just to win clients, in the process they lower standards, and at the end of the day they are not happy, the clients they are serving are not happy as well. At the end of the day, it looks like they are short-changing themselves to the detriment of the patients’ care. That is why the system is not fully working.”

    Going down memory lane, he said Hippocratic Oath is still very sacrosanct for any medic and he does not support strikes.

    He said:“I trained at Ibadan Medical School. I had wanted to study Obstetrics and Gyneacology, but there was no vacancy so I studied anesthesia. Many anesthesists’ lives back then weren’t too encouraging for they were not enthusiastic. I vowed not to settle for that kind of life. Many left for Saudi Arabia. I found my way to Lagos as a consultant and resolved not to work for anybody forever. That decision paid off.

    “While working, I acquired much equipment. I stayed on for seven years in that employment backed with business by the side. My breakthrough came when I imported some equipment for a private company. I ploughed the profit into acquisition of land and started the construction of the hospital. Compassion sustains a medic in this profession; money should not be the priority.

    “When we started, it was mainly more of private patients, who could afford the services, over the years, we began to have corporate patients. Initially, we had about fifty-fifty of private patients and corporate and the cost of consumable was not so high as many could still pay while only a few would owe. But time and clime have changed. Huge challenges abound such as cost of running the facility on diesels for 24/7 services is daunting.”

    Shedding light on the name of the hospital, Dr Sanu said: “I got the name ‘Solid Rock’ by divine inspiration. Five years down the line a Redeemed Church equally caught the vision of the name and people tied the two, and actually assumed that the church owned the hospital. Solid Rock Hospital is founded on principled values, which make us compassionate to channel our energy around our patients, offering them an affordable option towards a healthier future. Every unit of our business is structured around our patient. Fully equipped with modern and state-of-the-art facilities, Solid Rock Hospital is very well positioned to serve patients better, offering professional and tailor made medical and dental packages to suit them. We are God fearing, professional, compassionate, cost effective, quality driven and humane in our care.“

    His low point was when thieves attacked his facility, thinking that money was kept there and his high moments has always been seeing patients walk home healthy. And their relatives happy and relieved.

     

  • ‘Overhaul members of National Assembly in 2019’

    An  Edo-based group under the auspices of Afenmai Young Professionals has called for the overhaul of representation of the people at the National Assembly.

    The group noted that the country is in dire need of individuals that can deliver quality representation to the people.

    Citing the recent outburst of some members of the Senate who refused to  confirm Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Ommission (EFCC), and other issues, the group said the Senate and House of Representatives need people with vision and passion to enact laws that will improve the lots of the people.

    In a statement signed by the group’s coordinator, Osigwe Afiadokhia-Momoh and made available to newsmen in Abuja said, the country has been in the grip of abysmal and lackluster representation.

    Afiadokhia-Momoh stressed the need for all hands to be on deck come 2019 to ensure suitable people get into political position.

    He also said the group would scout and encourage capable hands to come out for elective post.

    The group also tipped  Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, immediate Secretary to the State Government of Edo (SSG) under former Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration between 2012 and 2016 as a capable candidate who can make the difference in the Senate.

  • Overhaul Bureau of Public Procurement, expert says

    Overhaul Bureau of Public Procurement, expert says

    The principal partner of Etudo & Co, a Lagos-based firm of estate surveyors and valuers, Ebube Etudo, has faulted the public procurement process in the country, saying it is laden with  anomalies. He, therefore, called for a complete overhaul of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

    According to Etudo, less than 10 per cent of public procurement by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) is concluded, while the remaining 90 per cent is either sabotaged or left inconclusive.

    He lamented that the BPP, which has oversight functions on such exercises, seems helpless in ensuring that any process initiated is concluded in accordance with the provisions of the enabling Act.

    The Public Procurement Act in Section 16, Etudo said, is very explicit on some fundamental principles guiding the selection process of a firm bidding for a project. The  criteria include openness, equity, fit for purpose, transparency and competitiveness to give value for money. Regrettably, he said, what obtains in the system is that unqualified firms are given jobs, thereby, violating the Procurement Act.

    “The principle of public procurement provides that it must be advertised, open, competitive and transparent so that you get the best in terms of quality and price. It also provides that any firm bidding for a government job must be PenCom compliant; not a newly registered company; must not evade taxes and must not owe its workers’ salaries.

    “But what we have today in practical terms, is a sham, and falls below even the minimum acceptable standard of public procurement as established by its Act,” Etudo said, adding that the violation of any section of the  Act is a criminal offence.

    He contended that since the Act applies to projects or institutions where the government has financial commitment of up to 35 per cent or more, it, therefore, presupposes that the federal, state and local governments must comply with the provisions of the Act. This, he said,  is because they receive more than 35 per cent of their revenue from the Federal Government.

    Etudo, who said the fight against corruption must be total, is convinced that the public procurement Act presents a veritable tool to fight the menace. He is convinced that if the provisions of the Public Procurement Act are complied with, governments across board will save up to 70 per cent of their expenditure for capital projects.

    For instance, he said in the first year Britain introduced the Act, it was able to save up to 40 per cent in government expenditure.

    He argued further that if the principles of Public Procurement Act are fully adhered to, Nigeria would save up to 80 per cent of government expenditure, a margin which he claimed has been eroded due to the extent of violations.

    “Corruption is pervasive in our society because we lack the political will to fight the menace forgetting that the architecture of corruption is very weak and it crumbles with minimal force,” Etudo said.

  • Overhaul of ‘death’ sector

    This is a column that seeks to mould, shape societal values  and  protect the interests of consumers, citizens and touch other broader relevant topics under the column: ‘TRUE VALUE 360’. It is an interactive column as suggestions, complaints; day to day experiences are welcome.

    This week’s edition is STARVATION AND THE COMMON MAN.

    Some analysts have propounded various theories about Nigeria being an accident waiting to happen or an accident happened already or that we will break up by a particular date etcetera, etcetera but we thank God we are still standing today and will keep standing by His Grace. One of the reasons given is that Nigeria comprises of unlikely bedfellows occasioned by forced marriage of various tribes. Many issues are begging for attention but today we are looking at the topic: STARVATION AND THE COMMON MAN.

    There is a saying that a hungry man is an angry man. A hungry, angry man will never be reasonable in action and thoughts that is if he can think at all. Nigeria’s business economy to date is driven by government policies and because of the 2015 transition/ change of government process, a lot of business decisions were put on hold which had the ripple effect of making the year very hard on the citizenry. There is cash squeeze in the economy and investors are threading carefully to venture into new grounds; there has been massive disengagement in public and banking sector for various reasons, the private sector and small business enterprises are also not left out of the hopefully temporary financial and economic pains.

    Citizens without steady income have become desperate and have devised various deadly means to survive. Lagos in particular has been witnessing serious impunity in recent times. The masses get handouts or income from the middle class but the middle class are also broke at the moment, reason why the hungry masses are resorting to terrorizing citizens.

    Traffic jam in Lagos has reached an unprecedented scale and you cannot guess or predict the duration of trips to any destination in Lagos anymore.

    It is a common daily occurrence for citizens to be robbed in these traffic jams with individuals losing personal belongings such as handsets, windscreens, handbags etc in recent times. These acts are being perpetuated by petty thieves and idle touts who have no means of feeding; some of them will ordinarily not go this route but out of desperation they become criminals as unemployment rate is one of the major issues we have not been able to deal with.

    It is also common to find young men in their middle to late twenties ogling at women who are old enough to be their mothers and even grandmothers, not out of love interest but so as to get some extra feeding or survival income. These set abound everywhere from concerts, to salons, clubs and even on the streets. Our remaining values are being eroded at the twinkling of an eyelid; let us save our youths as they are our future.

    Yes, we are overwhelmed with various urgent issues, but this menace will only escalate if a temporary solution is not found immediately.

    If we cannot resort to the Bread and Circuses option, and it may be unrealistic to attain 80- 100% employment at the moment; we should endeavor to provide our own version of succor to the unemployed.  Provision of at least a meal per day (without the circus) should be considered for the unemployed in every local government either through the local government authorities or through a special agency that will ensure that the meals get to the right persons, the country can afford it. This will reduce crime rate and petty robbery. This will also create employment for new sets of personnel.

    Of course, I am not making a case for lawlessness or male prostitution here; to me it is an aberration, it is better to provide an immediate survival alternative than to leave the menace to come back to haunt us all. We already have enough on our hands in combating sophisticated crime, let’s not increase the number.

     

    Reactions are welcome.

  • Chukwu to Siasia: Overhaul Dream Team VI for Olympics

    Chukwu to Siasia: Overhaul Dream Team VI for Olympics

    • Wants NSC, NFF to support team

    Former Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Christian Chukwu has called on the Chief Coach of the Dream Team VI, Samson Siasia to overhaul the team for next year’s Olympics despite the team being crowned Africa U- 23 Cup of Nations Champion recently in Senegal.

    “First of all I like to say big congratulations to Samson Siasia for leading the team to success in Senegal by winning the Africa U- 23 Championship. If he had failed the blame would have been on him. Now that the team has qualified for the Olympics as African Champion Siasia should be commended. He has done so well by leading the Dream Team VI as they are called to win the Africa U- 23 Cup of Nations. He has performed fantastically and I am impressed with him and the team.

    “I think the Chief Coach has the time now to look at the team. Also to look where we have some deficiencies and where we need to inject some fresh players. Sincerely speaking the Samson Siasia team need the injection of new and quality players that would help the Coach to prepare a solid team for the Olympics proper.

    “These new players that I am talking about can come from any part of the world and also here in Nigeria. The most important thing is that such additions should be good enough to add quality to the team. The team and their technical crew also need the full support of the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation for Nigeria to do well in the 2016 Olympic Football Tournament in Rio, Brazil

    “The preparations ought to have started now but starting early January 2016 is not too late. So the National Sports Commission led by the Honourable Sports Minister must ensure that the needed funds are provided for the team to start full preparations in January. Also the Nigeria Football Federation must provide the necessary and needed logistics like the camping venue preferably outside Nigeria for full concentration for the boys to prepare well for the Olympics.

    “After the Xmas holidays I would advise that the boys resume early January like I said for serious and proper preparations for the Olympic Games. As far as I am concerned the team is African Champion but the team cannot win the gold medal of the Olympics with the standard they are now. But with little work on the team and the injection of some players in the needed areas then we can have the confident that the team can surprise all by winning the gold medal in the Olympics,” Chukwu told SportingLife.

  • Overhaul of ‘death’ sector

    This is a column that seeks to mould, shape societal values and to protect the interests of consumers, citizens and touch other broader relevant topics under the column: ‘TRUE VALUE 360’. It is an interactive column as suggestions, complaints; day to day experiences are welcome.

    This week’s edition is STARVATION AND THE COMMON MAN

    Some analysts have propounded various theories about Nigeria being an accident waiting to happen or an accident happened already or that we will break up by a particular date etcetera, etcetera but we thank God we are still standing today and will keep standing by His Grace. One of the reasons given is that Nigeria comprises of unlikely bedfellows occasioned by forced marriage of various tribes. Many issues are begging for attention but today we are looking at the topic: STARVATION AND THE COMMON MAN.

    There is a saying that a hungry man is an angry man. A hungry, angry man will never be reasonable in action and thoughts that is if he can think at all. Nigeria’s business economy to date is driven by government policies and because of the 2015 transition/ change of government process, a lot of business decisions were put on hold which had the ripple effect of making the year very hard on the citizenry. There is cash squeeze in the economy and investors are threading carefully to venture into new grounds; there has been massive disengagement in public and banking sector for various reasons, the private sector and small business enterprises are also not left out of the hopefully temporary financial and economic pains.

    Citizens without steady income have become desperate and have devised various deadly means to survive. Lagos in particular has been witnessing serious impunity in recent times. The masses get handouts or income from the middle class but the middle class are also broke at the moment, reason why the hungry masses are resorting to terrorizing citizens.

    Traffic jam in Lagos has reached an unprecedented scale and you cannot guess or predict the duration of trips to any destination in Lagos anymore.

    It is a common daily occurrence for citizens to be robbed in these traffic jams with individuals losing personal belongings such as handsets, windscreens, handbags etc in recent times. These acts are being perpetuated by petty thieves and idle touts who have no means of feeding; some of them will ordinarily not go this route but out of desperation they become criminals as unemployment rate is one of the major issues we have not been able to deal with.

    It is also common to find young men in their middle to late twenties ogling at women who are old enough to be their mothers and even grandmothers, not out of love interest but so as to get some extra feeding or survival income. These set abound everywhere from concerts, to salons, clubs and even on the streets. Our remaining values are being eroded at the twinkling of an eyelid; let us save our youths as they are our future.

    Yes, we are overwhelmed with various urgent issues, but this menace will only escalate if a temporary solution is not found immediately.

    If we cannot resort to the Bread and Circuses option, and it may be unrealistic to attain 80- 100% employment at the moment; we should endeavor to provide our own version of succor to the unemployed.  Provision of at least a meal per day (without the circus) should be considered for the unemployed in every local government either through the local government authorities or through a special agency that will ensure that the meals get to the right persons, the country can afford it. This will reduce crime rate and petty robbery. This will also create employment for new sets of personnel.

     

    Of course, I am not making a case for lawlessness or male prostitution here; to me it is an aberration, it is better to provide an immediate survival alternative than to leave the menace to come back to haunt us all. We already have enough on our hands in combating sophisticated crime, let’s not increase the number.

     

    Reactions are welcome.