The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PUBLIC

  • Water Corporation allays public

    Water Corporation allays public

    The Managing Director, Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC), Shayo

    Holloway, has assured residents that there is no cancer-causing substance in the water they take.

    He said the claim that the corporation is supplying water containing higher level of iron and lead, particularly to residents of Ijora-Badia, is false.

    Holloway told reporters that some professionals from the corporation and the Water Regulatory Commission visited Ijora Badia and took samples of water from different locations for investigations.

    He said: “Following thorough investigation and laboratory test, none of the samples contained either iron or lead. We are, therefore, confident that the consumers of the Corporation’s water at Ijora-Badia and indeed other parts of the state are not in any way exposed to lead or any other cancer-causing chemical.

    “Among the operational activities of Lagos Water Corporation, the treatment of water supply is of paramount importance. For this reason, our Quality Assurance Department carries out routine tests on water served to the public. It also monitors and tests the source of water from which our treatment plants produce water.”

    The provision of wholesome water, he added, means that chemicals used for treatment do not allow obnoxious substance to get into the water.

    Holloway highlighted the activities of illegal vendors, stating how they adversely affect the corporation’s operations.

    He said most vendors engage in unprofessional laying of service lines, adding that they indiscriminately connect pumping machines to the Corporation’s main pipes. Where the pipes are broken, this may adversely affect the quality of water in that area, Holloway said.

    “On our part, though we have been monitoring the activities of water vendors; presently all hands are on deck to strengthen our monitoring activities, not only in Ijora-Badia but throughout our service areas across the state. Lagos Water Corporation will further enforce good sanitary standards in the immediate environment around tertiary pipes and public water in the state,” he added.

  • The craze for public office

    MIXED feelings best describes how fans received the news of their favourite artistes delving into politics. With the likes of Richard Mofe-Damijo, Hilda Dokubo, Okey Bakassi and Tony Muonagor (Tony One Week) doing well in politics, 2014, being a year of intense politicking, witnessed a surge of entertainers seeking elective offices.

    Among those who showed interest in politics were Julius Agwu, Kate Henshaw, Desmond Elliot, Bob Manuel Udokwu, 9ice, Osita Iheme, Funke Adesiyan, Kenny St Brown, Tony Tetuila, Gift Eke, aka Muma Gee, Sola Onayiga as well as Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye.

    However, after all the dust settled, it turned out that only Desmond Elliot, Funke Awosiyan, Muma Gee, Sola Onayiga will be running in 2015, having clinched the ticket in their respective party platforms.

    Allaying the fears of his fans that he is not seeking office for monetary gains, Elliot stated; “Just because of lack of knowledge of what to do, we are being side tracked. There are no jobs, and issues like these lead to frustration. Also the current situation is very pathetic. I feel God has helped me thus far and I want to give back through politics that will be favourable to the youths. The worst part of our national life is that the level of corruption has not allowed youths to understand what it means to live a meaningful life.”

  • Atiku makes case for public education

    Former Vice President and Founder, American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the Federal Government against regarding private education as a substitute for public education.

    He spoke at the ninth founder’s day celebration of the university which held last Saturday at the Lamido Aliyu Musdafa Commencement Hall of AUN in Yola.

    Atiku, who is seeking to run for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to adequately fund public education so Nigerians can access qualitative education.

    He said private education should supplement public education such that Nigerians patronise private schools because they want to and can afford it, and not because the public institutions are lacking.

    “Private education is not, should not and cannot be a substitute for proper government-financed public education.  Rather, private education should be supplementary and by choice for those who wish to and can afford to use its services.  Very good government must and should invest appropriately in public education for development to take root in our country.”

    At the event, Atiku was presented with the prestigious Harris Watford Global Citizen Award by the American Peace Corps Association.

    “No private businessman in Africa has worked harder for democracy or contributed more to the progress of higher education than Atiku Abubakar,” the group said.

    President of AUN, Prof Margee Ensign, said the purpose of the yearly Founder’s Day was to celebrate the founding, development, and remarkable progress of the development university.

    “AUN is a reflection of our Founder’s vision, and it has only been made possible by his extra-ordinary generosity. The AUN Community is particularly pleased to use this occasion to publicly thank its Founder, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, for making American University of Nigeria possible,” Ensign said.

    This year’s grand ceremony was marked with colourful procession, reflective speeches on the consequences of insurgency in the Northeast and the threat of Ebola, and achievement awards to deserving students, staff and outstanding friends of the university.

    Among the special guests in attendance were Prof. William Ellis Bertrand (keynote speaker), former Minister of Education and DG Atiku Campaign, Prof. Babalola Aborishade, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and elder statesman Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, an age-long friend of the founder.

     

  • Global experts to discuss public procurement

    Global experts to discuss public procurement

    A former top US presidential aide who served three American Presidents, Dr. Allan Burman is amongst top speakers expected at the 2014 National Conference on Public Procurement (NACOPP), at the State House Conference Centre (formerly Banquet Hall), Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja.

    The conference, to be declared open by President Goodluck Jonathan, is being organised by  National Public Procurement Forum (NPPF).

    The NPPF, according to Conference Planning Committee Chair, Ms. Arinola Giwa Amu, is a union between Public Procurement entities at the Federal and state levels in a renewed bid to forge a working relationship at key tiers of government.

    Giwa Amu, who is also Senior Special Adviser, Due Process, to the Delta State Governor, revealed that Federal and State Public Procurement entities are convinced that the procurement reform will grow better if awareness is continuously created amongst public procurement functionaries.

    It is the reason why NPPF is, besides inviting Mr. Burman,  also expecting Executive Director of the Washington based International Law Institute (ILI), Ms. Kim Phan and notable Nigerian procurement scholar, Dr. Sope Williams Elegbe from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

  • Motorcycles may be banned for public transportation

    The National Council on Transportation (NCT) has proposed a ban on the use of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada or Achaba for commercial purposes.

    The proposal, seen as one of the measures aimed at the provision of safe and secured transportation across the country, was one of the major issues at the National Council on Transport (NCT) retreat at the Nike Lake Resort, Abakpa Nike, Enugu State.

    A communiqué, which was co-signed by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and the Kogi State Commissioner for Transport,Abdulraman Wuya, said “All states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to establish a public transport system that ensure strict regulation of the operation of public passenger transportation through a well articulated management system for enhanced safety, security, effective and efficient service delivery.

    “The states are to also develop master plans for the development of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to facilitate the development and management of their transport operations in line with emerging trends and global best practices.”

    It was also agreed that all commercial vehicles should be properly registered in each state; their enumeration should be carried out periodically to enhance safety and security.

    This year’s theme: “Providing safe and Secure Transportation: Building Stakeholders’ Confidence” examined transportation on the nation’s waters and directed that the Ministry of Transport should develop a national minimum standard framework on safety and security on the nation’s inland waterways.

  • ‘Why public hospitals have low patronage’

    Lagos doctor, Gad Subete Aaron, has attributed the low patronage of primary and secondary health care centres to lack of facilities.

    Aaron, who is seeking Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) ticket to contest the Toungo/Ganye/Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency seat, spoke with reporters in Yola, the state capital, after obtaining his nomination form.

    He said the challenges in the health sector need to be addressed by stakeholders.

    Aaron said he would work with like minded people  to improve the health sector, if given the PDP’s ticket.

    He lamented the deplorable state of primary and secondary health institutions in Toungo/Ganye /Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency, which he attributed to the “lack of a true representative to champion the people’s cause”.

    Aaron said he knew the plight of his people and would improve their lives, if elected.

    He was accompanied to the PDP secretariat by his supporters.

  • Fresh initiative in public school management

    Fresh initiative in public school management

    The difficulties experienced in accessing and authenticating principals, teachers, students, school records and activities in online admissions may  soon be over as the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) has begun integrating junior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory into its newly-developed Central Portal System called the Electronic School System (ESS).

    The initial data collection of students has been completed in the first phase of the initiative in the public school system.

    To kick-start this project, FCT-UBEB is running the admission process for the 2014/2015 academic year on its newly developed portal on http://www.fctubeb.gov.ng

    The ESS by the board will engender effective and efficient management and supervision of about 150 junior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory with a student population of over 100,000.

    The ESS is a revolutionary, web-based school management platform that was developed by Plovtech Solutions, a major player in electronic school management system, with offices in Nigeria, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

    According to the Managing Director of Plovtech Solution, Mr. Jones Ajayi, ESS will assist the school board to “securely” manage, query, report, archive all student records and all general schools’ activities for effective and efficient operations and service provision.

    ESS will enable schools to, among other benefits, electronically store and manage records and documents, including students’ admission records, all internal examination results and grades, teachers’ remarks and any other relevant information at present and in the future. In the process, it will provide secure access for document owners and management team.

    The system comes with an international standard web platform for each school on the project with their own personalised domain name which enables the school to publish all its information online, such as its history, school activities, sporting achievements, students’ projects, videos and photographs.

    It also provides the school with an online document authentication system that allows for storage of examination records, certificates, testimonials and other security documents online, verification on the school website or FCT-UBEB. The portal will enable the school authorities to efficiently administer the school as well as teach and stimulate interests of students in computer and information technology.

    A critical value of ESS is the leverage it gives the school to regularly interface with old students who will be able to register on the school portal and thus have a platform to interact and provide direct assistance when the school is in need of such assistance.

    The FCT-UBEB considers the ESS a very important tool to manage schools in the Federal Capital Territory in the current globalised environment of the 21st Africa, if the schools are not to be left behind. The FCT-UBEB, which controls about 150 junior secondary schools with over 100,000 students, is fully committed to the project.

    Plovtech Solutions, as the service provider, is well equipped with manpower and technical resources to provide training and technical support for the systems. After the conclusion of the project, FCT-UBEB will have under its control, a central Web Portal Platform and 150 unique web domains for each public school.

    The solution and the platform were presented to all the principals of junior secondary schools on September 23, this year at Abuja.

    The principals praised the effort of the school board which aimed at reducing the work load and burden involved in manually managing schools’ records.

    The Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Umaru Barau Ningi, was represented by Mr Benjamin S. Ogbara, Board Member 1 of FCT-UBEB, who urged all the principals to join the IT revolution, even as he urged them to make good use of the tool in order to run their schools effectively. He also advised them to use the internal integrated messaging system in the solution for direct communication with the board.

  • ‘Improve public disclosures for transparency’

    ‘Improve public disclosures for transparency’

    A financial consultant, Mr  Victor   Odiase has   called  on public  quoted companies’ audit committees to improve public disclosures to increase  investors’ confidence.

    Addressing the forum of  firms on joint  audit held in Lagos and organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Odiase, who is the Chief Consultant, Andrew Russell Consulting Country Office, said  audit committees’  transparency is one way of increasing investor confidence.

    As the scope of audit committees’ responsibilities has grown, he  said, so have regulators’ and investors’ interest in the way in which they are carried out.

    He  called  for  separation between the  management  and  the audit committee, adding  that it helps to  strengthen  the  independence  expected  from  the  two  organs.

    The President, ICAN, Mr  Chidi Ajaegbu called  for   improved auditing practice to advance corporate governance and deter  fraud.

    Ajaegbu noted that  improving  audit  practice  will  help    reduce the vulnerability of the  economy to financial crises, and providing incentives for investors to invest and perform efficiently in a socially responsible manner.

    According to him, sound audit practices inspire investors’ confidence, spur  domestic investment, and improve corporate competitiveness.

    Ajaegbu said  the    quality of  financial  reporting   was  of  serious concern for investors and other capital market stakeholders  and  as  such,  practitioners  must  be  committed to enhancing investors’ confidence and public trust in the capital markets.

     

  • ‘Govt should provide more funds for public schools’

    The Federal Government should increase its funding of public schools, the Proprietress of Dartforte International Schools, Lagos, Mrs Titilade Ijiwole, has said.

    Speaking during a valedictory service of the school, Ijiwole said her position was hinged on her discovery that most parents find it difficult to send their wards to private schools because of financial challenges.

    According to her, many Nigerians still need public schools because the fees charged by private schools may not be easy for some to pay. Private schools, she stressed, try to keep high standard by ensuring school environment and workers are well equipped.

    “Quality education is expensive. Many of the big private schools are not making so much money as people tend to assume. The cost of equipment, infrastructure, staff recruitment, training and development is not as cheap as people presume. In fact, it is not wrong to ask government to support private schools too because it is done in Britain and other places,” she said.

    She said the government should make quality education affordable for all citizens because this is vital for development.

    Ijiwole added that Dartforte International Schools had just installed Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) to monitor movements around the school premises. She attributed the security measure put in place at the event to the security challenges facing the country.

    After, excited pupils performed various cultural dances and songs,  she said: “We want them to see Nigerian nationalities as one, Ijiwole explained. “It is important for the children to love the culture and tradition of people outside their own birth place. At Dartforte  International Schools,  we want our children to know, understand and appreciate our culture and tradition while at the same time we also expose them to latest developments in music, arts, science and technology from Europe and America.”

  • Aregbesola provides 30 buses for public schools

    Aregbesola provides 30 buses for public schools

    A day after the landmark commissioning of 100 units of Handheld Ultrasound Scanners, four units of 3D Colour Doppler Scan machines and splashed N370 million welfare scheme on women empowerment, the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, added another feat in the chain of welfare programmes yesterday as he launched 30 new civilian buses for students of public schools in the state.

    Tagged “Omoluabi Scholar Bus”, the newly purchased civilian buses are meant to convey students from their respective homes to schools and back every school day.

    Aregbesola said if the government’s quest for enduring socio-economic progress is to be achieved, government’s commitment to education and the future of the children cannot be superficial.

    The governor said his administration embarked on this laudable programme because it’s dangerous to play politics with the education of children.

    He said that the realisation of the importance of education and development of human capacity building prompted his government to create the best possible environment for the development of the total person.

    He described the provision of buses for transporting the students as another proof of government’s focused attention to education.

    “The buses we are rolling out today for the use of our high school students are another solid proofs of the importance and undivided attention our government genuinely accords education.

    “With the O’Scholar Buses, the culture of punctuality will be further deepened in our students. They will be encouraged to get ready in time for the bus and in so doing get to school on time.

    “And while on the bus to or from school, or travelling to and from school events, they will have the time to further bond together, reflect on their work and exchange useful ideas.

    “One of the unique characteristics of our administration’s programmes is that they ensure the empowerment of the people. This explains why no single household in all of the state is without positive testimonies of the impacts of our programmes on them,” Aregbesola said.

    He added that the buses will provide comfort and ease for students and parents and create employment for those who will be driving the buses.

    In her remark, the Deputy Governor, who is also the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomorri, noted that the provision of the buses is another demonstration of government’s commitment to providing quality and qualitative education for the children.

    She charged the students to make the best use of the buses and maximise the opportunities the buses afford them.

    The Managing Director of Sterling Bank PLC, represented by Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, Regional Business Executive, South-West (2), said the bank finds it profitable to partner government in providing the buses.

    Adeyemi noted that Sterling Bank will continue to partner  government in realising its noble programmes.

    He enjoined all the stakeholders to make judicious use of the scholar buses to benefit  all.

    One of the beneficiaries, a student of St. Mark Anglican School, Osogbo, Miss Olatunji Oluwakemi, commended the governor for making education one of his administration’s top priorities.

    Oluwakemi said Aregbesola’s government has made a lot of impact such as  the provision of Opon Imo, free school feeding, free uniforms, building of ultra-modern schools as well as construction of roads.

    She implored the people of the state to vote wisely by returning Aregbesola to continue his laudable programmes in the state.