The Nation Newspaper

Tag: sign pact

  • Sultan, emirs sign pact to increase school enrolment 

    Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, Emirs and chiefs from the North have signed a commitment to increase school enrolment in the region by 30 per cent next year.

    The Committed Actions 2018/2019 signed by the monarchs during the Northern Nigeria Traditional Leaders Conference on Out-of-School Children at Umaru Musa Yar’adua Indoor Sports Hall Murtala Square, Kaduna is a four-item action aimed at significantly improving school enrolment in Northern Nigeria.

    In the pact, the traditional rulers agreed to: “Reach out and bring to school all children within our areas of administration.

    ”To identify and address key socio-cultural barriers affecting children’s (especially girl child’s) school enrolment, retention and completion within our areas of administration.

    ”To establish and support the implementation of structured enrolment drive campaigns with clear monitoring mechanism to ensure children enrol and remain in school.

    ”To advocate and work with relevant government agencies and community structures to increase funding for improved delivery of quality basic education within our areas of administration.”

    The traditional leaders’ commitment action if well implemented is aimed at ensuring “30 per cent increase in school enrolment depending on the prevalence rate of out-of-school children within the jurisdiction.

    ”Socio-cultural barriers identified and addressed; enrolment monitoring teams established at emirates, districts and village heads level and monitoring children on the streets. Improved school condition through availability of new/renovated classrooms, furniture, WASH facilities and school supplies.”

    The commitment actions follow the need to address the millions of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria that could militate against the development of the region in the future.

    The two-day conference was jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Commission, National Commission for Mass Education and Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in collaboration with UNICEF.

  • Share price rises as Caverton Helicopters, UK firm sign pact

    Share price rises as Caverton Helicopters, UK firm sign pact

    Caverton Offshore Support Group (COSG) Plc’s share price rose by 3.58 per cent yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange as its helicopter subsidiary-Caverton Helicopters Limited, signed agreement with the United Kingdom- based CAE for the establishment of an aircraft simulator centre in Nigeria.

    Caverton’s share price added 15 kobo to close at N4.34, indicating a major recovery for the pricing trend since listing in May 2014. Caverton made history last month as the first oil and gas service company to go public in Nigeria.

    The contract for the landmark flight simulator centre was signed yesterday in Montreal, Canada between Caverton Helicopters and CAE, a global leader in the provision of flight simulators, which are devices that artificially recreate aircraft flight for training that pilots are required to undergo every six months.

    When it becomes operational in 2015, the aircraft simulator centre will operate the first commercial aviation training centre in the sub-Saharan African region.

    The purpose built facility to be located at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos will feature six (6) simulator bays equipped with a CAE 3000 Series AW 139 helicopter full-flight simulator (FFS), a CAE 7000XR Series Boeing 737 NG full-flight simulator (FFS) and two CAE Simfinity Integrated Procedures Trainers (IPTs).

    The collaborative effort will have CAE providing a turnkey solution that will include the start-up, maintenance and operation of the centre for a specified period pending the full transfer of knowledge and skill-sets.

    This will strengthen Caverton’s position as a leading provider of aviation logistics and training services in the sub region. Caverton’s foray into this segment of the industry in collaboration with the number one provider of advanced simulation training solutions will allow Caverton to diversify its income base, while improving its efficiency and also the efficiency of third party users such as airlines and other helicopter operators in the region.

    The centre will eliminate the challenges experienced by many pilots in the region striving to obtain their re-currency training and type ratings and it is expected to boost local capacity development, while curbing capital flight and improving overall safety in the Nigerian and regional aviation sector.

    “Over the years our pilots have been training in  helicopter training centre’s in the UAE, Qatar, the USA, Brazil, Italy and Norway and we are very excited to be building the first ever simulation training centre in Lagos, Nigeria, with CAE as our partner,” said Adeniyi Makanjuola, Chairman of Caverton Helicopters.

    According to him, CAE’s market leadership and “one-stop-shop” philosophy to training solutions and capacity development make them a strategic partner in the company’s strides to enhance local content commitment to the region.

    “CAE is honoured to have been chosen by Caverton Helicopters for both our leadership and our ability to provide a comprehensive portfolio of training solutions tailored to meet their specific needs, we look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with Caverton to support their growing pilot training needs in the region.” said Nick Leontidis, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services.

  • Nigeria, China sign pact on financial cooperation

    President Goodluck Jonathan and President Xi Jinping of China yesterday in Beijing signed five agreements to boost financial, trade, economic, technical and cultural relations between Nigeria and China.

    The agreements, which were signed after bilateral talks between the two leaders and their delegation, include the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Financial Cooperation In Support of Nigeria’s Economic Development and a Preferential Buyer Credit Agreement for Nigeria’s Four Airports Expansion Project.

    Others are: a new Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between Nigeria and China; an Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports from both countries and An Agreement for the Prevention of the Theft, Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property.

    Speaking before the talks, Jonathan thanked Jinping and the people of China for the warm reception accorded him and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, since their arrival in Beijing.

    He assured Jinping that the Federal Government was committed to sustaining and developing the strategic partnership between both countries for the mutual benefits of their people.

  • Nigeria, China sign pact on first solid minerals laboratory

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Federal Government with the Chinese government for the establishment of the first solid minerals laboratory in the country.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel, Musa Mohammed Sada, who attended an exposition on solid minerals in China last year, briefed the Federal Executive Council on the progress recorded in the sector.

    He said the laboratory will be private sector driven, adding that it will facilitate local processing of solid minerals.

    Sada said: “The MoU we signed with the Minister of Lands of China was meant for the development of our solid minerals sector.

    “Establishment of world standard minerals laboratory in Nigeria by the China private businessmen is a critical part of the agreement which is already in motion. We don’t need to take our minerals outside for processing, it discourages investors.”

    “It will be private sector driven. Chinese government will encourage its private investors to come into Nigeria and decide where they want the laboratory to be located and fund it for their own business purposes.

    “Government will not spend money but only facilitate the establishment of the laboratory since it has the capacity to benefit the country in the area of job creation.”

    Sada went on: “The sector in China is employing a lot of their population in China and we are trying to understudy it. The discussion started in 2011 and we want to know how they did it and replicate that in Nigeria since job creation is critical to Mr President’s Transformation Agenda.

    “One critical area of the agreement is transfer of technology between the two countries. Capacity building also featured prominently in the MoU since we need human skills to achieve the target,” he said.

    He went on: “The Chinese government will assist us in guidelines for their operators doing business here because we find out that the rules are so strong there but Chinese companies tend to be loose here and in other parts of Africa. We have to apply the same strong rules here to boost the industry,” Sada added

    The Federal Executive Council yesterday commiserated with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero over last week’s attack on his convoy in which five people were killed.

    At a briefing, Information Minister Labaran Maku said: “We condemn the attempt on his life. We will hunt down the attackers. The incident will show that the issue is what we all need to condemn and work against terrorism.”

    He also said the Council approved a training policy for the convoy drivers of ministers, heads of agencies and permanent secretaries and governors.