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Tag: urges

  • Expert urges outdoor practitioners to embrace digital advertising

    Expert in the business of media buying and planning has advised members of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN to embrace digital advertising as a new way to grow and remain relevant in business. The Chief Executive Officer of Media Perspectives, Jude Odia, gave this advice at the just concluded 34th annual conference of OAAN held in Abeokuta, with the theme:  ‘Future of OOH in Nigeria: Debt, Ethics and Best Practices,’ said the media landscape and the game has changed.

    He said that, “In the last ten years, the Nigerian advertising industry has witnessed disruptions with digital advertising continually occupying bigger space. Global predictions indicate that digital advertising is on the increase and in Nigeria, it has 8 percent share of total Ad spend from about 5 percent three years ago. ‘’In recent time, the media landscape and the game has changed as advertisers that used to see, for instance, mobile advertising as a complementary consideration are now considering it first in their budget because of impact, emotive connection and reach.’’

    “With digital transformation changing the game and business, he said outdoor and by extension other traditional media platforms can only become relevant through innovation informed by research, partnership, data, M&As, strong association to constructively engage with regulators and increase the barrier into entering the outdoor industry,’’ he noted.

    In his contribution, the immediate past president of OAAN, Babatunde Adedoyin said his administration’s achievements include downward review by 30 percent of advert fee on static and 35 percent on LED boards in Lagos, 20 percent payment on vacant boards policy against 100 percent and curtailing frictions with Lagos State and other regulators.

    The AGM later produced Emmanuel Ajufo, Managing Director of Opportunity To See as the new President of the association, former General Secretary and Managing Director of Twenty First Century, Femi Ogala elected Vice President while Sola Akinsiku, Managing Director of KOK Visibility Edge emerged the General Secretary.

  • Lawmaker urges Lagosians to vote for Sanwo-Olu, others

    The lawmaker representing Mushin Constituency 1, Olawale Abdulsobur, has urged Lagosians to vote for the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other APC candidates on Saturday.

    Àbdulsobur, who spoke yesterday in Ikeja, said Lagosians would benefit more from the government of continuity initiated by former governors Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and actualised by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode by electing Sanwo-Olu as the next governor.

    The legislator, who also solicited votes for himself to return to the legislative chambers, listed some giant strides he had achieved during his first term at the assembly to include creation of jobs for Mushin youths, purchase of 200 GCE forms for pupils in the area every year, free computer training programmes, Yuletide gifts to Muslims and Christians, as well as presentation of buses to motherless homes.

    “I can assure Lagosians that once they vote for Sanwo-Olu, his running mate,  Obafemi Hamzat and other APC candidates, including myself,  on March 9, there is no doubt that the privileges and dividends of democracy hitherto enjoyed by all and sundry will be increased,” he said.

    Abdulsobur appealed to registered voters to come out en masse and exercise their franchise.

    He said issues relating to logistic supplies, smart card readers, conduct of electoral officers and safety of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members should be addressed if the March 9 elections are to be successful.

  • PT presidential candidate urges INEC to shift elections’ dates

    Third Force presidential candidate running on the People’s Trust (PT) platform Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has written to the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, requesting a further extension of the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He argued that the one week extension was rather too short to conclude the stated enormous logistics requirement for the polls.

    Olawepo-Hashim, who lately led the online polls of most preferred candidate among the third force, argued in a letter to the INEC Chairman that another extension was reasonable in view of the logistics burden on the contestants and the parties.

    According to him, the candidates and the parties would now have to repeat logistics preparations that have hitherto been deployed to achieve the level of mobilisation at the February 16 rescheduled election.

    He said: “It is my considered opinion that in the haste to stick to a quickly announced date for the election, the commission may not have paid adequate attention to the attendant voter apathy that may result, if adequate confidence-building measures are not implemented to win back ‘would-be’ voters for the next date of polling.

    “As a result and because of potential voters’ apathy in some section of the country or all of the country may substantially affect the  results of the election, a new date of election should be between three to four weeks from February 16 and not one week from February 16 as previously announced. This is more so for self-funded candidates and political parties, who do not have the possibilities or intentions of falling quickly on the state treasuries to refinance another logistic deployment.”

    The candidate suggested that campaigns should also resume undoubtedly in consonance with extant legislation that allow campaign to continue up till 24 hours before elections to achieve the same level of mobilisation of voters as before February 16th.

    In his letter copied to the United Nations representatives, observer and civil society groups, the diplomatic community and the media, Olawepo-Hashim also urged that “the commission should liaise with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), which should use its national networks to ensure mobilisation of communities, social and interest groups to reach potential voters to avoid voter apathy at the next date of election.”

  • Obaseki’s aide urges INEC to embrace ICT

    Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor Taiwo Akerele has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embrace Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the conduct of future elections.

    Akerele, however, said the postponement of last Saturday elections, though regrettable, would boost the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.

    The governor’s aide addressed reporters after returning from Igarra, Akoko-Edo, where he had gone to vote. He urged the people not to be wary about the postponement, but know that a vote for President Muhammadu Buhari is a vote for continuous economic revolution of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    His words: “Our people were fully mobilised; the agents, the canvassers, security agents, everybody has been mobilised to their locations only for us to hear that INEC was not ready. It shows that we really need to restructure the electoral system.

    “But I can assure you that the postponement has even given more energy to APC members; they are ever ready now, more than before, to vote in their candidate because the opposition is trying to blame APC as if we are responsible for the postponement.

    “I want my people in Akoko-Edo to look at the performance of Mr Governor, because whatever he did in the last two years is because of the support of President Buhari.”

  • NMA urges Fed Govt to raise awareness on cancer

    THE Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to raise awareness on cancer prevention, as Nigeria joins the rest of the globe to celebrate World Cancer Day,.

    Besides, NMA urged the government to include cancer control and treatment in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) programme.

    Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world, accounting for 9.6 million deaths in 2018.

    Nigeria has an estimated 115,950 new cases of cancer and an estimated 70,327 cancer death in 2018.

    Briefing reporters in Abuja yesterday, the Chairman, NMA FCT Chapter, Dr. Philip Ekpe, said the high rate of death attributed to cancer was alarming and called for urgent attention.

    He said cancer is now “the second  leading cause of the death in the world,  accounting for 9.6 million deaths in 2018.”

    “The World Health Organisation estimated that there were  18.1million new case in 2018, which was a significant increase  of about 4 million case compared to last estimate of 14.1 million new cases in 2012. It is estimated  that one in every five men and one in every six women  develop cancer globally. This is a very worrying trend and we must all rise up to curb this menace.

    “Africa is estimated to have about 5.8 per cent of the new cases, but a disproportionately higher 7.3 per cent of cancer prevention, poor attitude for cancer screening and early detection, inadequate  treatment facilities and higher incidence of cancer types with poor outcome. Nigeria has an estimated 115,950 new cases of cancer and an estimated 70,327 cancer death in 2018.”

    He lamented that “cancer death in our country  is still  one of the worst in Africa and this requires urged attention”

  • Oke urges Ondo, Ekiti residents to troop out for Buhari

    The Southwest Coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday urged residents of Ondo and Ekiti states to come out massively to receive President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders today.

    Oke said there would be no APC without the contributions of the Southwest.

    Addressing reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to herald the President’s visit, the campaign coordinator said the region in the past three and a half years gained more than it did in the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read also: Obanikoro: no record of cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose

    He said: “The Southwest is the engine room of this government and APC as a party. President Buhari has done more for us than the 16 years of the PDP. We have been a major beneficiary of the change mantra and ready for the Next Level.

    “Rehabilitation and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, construction of 158-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail, dualisation of Oyo-Ogbomosho road, Lagos-Ore-Benin road and other major infrastructure are being centred in this region by President Buhari.

    “Major ministries are being managed by our people from the Southwest. You don’t change a winning formula. We want to retain a working formula.”

    Oke said the recent endorsement by some groups, like Ohaneze N’digbo, Afenifere, among others, would not affect the chances of President Buhari in the February 16 election.

    He said: “Afenifere and other groups are not political parties that can muster votes in the coming elections.”

  • PDP urges Yakubu to resist pressure

    THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has restated its call on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resist pressure to rig the 2019 elections in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan urged the INEC chair to rise above the manifest compromises and conduct the elections in a transparent manner.

    The party said its misgivings about the neutrality of INEC were informed by a careful appraisal of comments by critical national and international stakeholders concerning the electoral body.

    The main opposition party observed that the entire nation was worried and that there was palpable fear among Nigerians as to whether the INEC chairman could indeed conduct free, fair, credible and transparent elections.

    The party observed that allegations were rife in the public space that the INEC Chairman was being compromised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency.

    It alleged offers of huge bribes of money, choice property within and outside Nigeria as well as juicy appointments to Prof. Yakubu’s relations, in return for the rigging of the elections in favour of the President and the APC. The party urged the INEC chair to resist any such pressure.

  • Saraki urges Nigerians to remain positive in New Year

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has called on Nigerians to remain positive and hope for better days.

    In a statement by his media aide Yusuph Olaniyonu, Dr. Saraki said the current social, economic and political challenges would give room for better times if Nigerians remain hopeful and collectively work together to ensure a turnaround.

    The statement reads: “I congratulate all Nigerians who are today ushering in a New Year in an atmosphere of peace. While a lot need to be done to increase the level of security in the land, revive our economy, gainfully engage our youths, the New Year gives us another opportunity to take steps that would lead us to our desired destination as a nation.

    “We can only overcome our challenges if we remain resolute in fighting for what is right and doing the right things. We should ensure the coming general elections are peaceful, free, fair and credible. All of us should abhor any illegal or violent activity.

    “We need to also remember our fellow countrymen and women in troubled areas of the country and pray to God to restore peace in all the nooks and cranny of the country, defeat insurgency and successfully restore the displaced people to their homestead.”

  • NASU urges Fed Govt to end crisis in varsities

    THE Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) has asked the Federal Government to take immediate steps to address the lingering crisis in the education sector, especially in the universities to enable normal academic activities resume in the new year.

    The union resolved that if by the end of December, the issue of disbursement of the Earned Allowances is not positively resolved, the union will have no other option than to in the new year begin actions to get the government do the needful on the subject matter.

    It also asked the government to include the issue of earned allowances, which is one of the lingering issues between government and university workers in the 2019 budget, while ensuring equitable distribution of N8 billion released for earned allowances of non-teaching staff of universities.

    In a communique at the end of an emergency meeting of its Universities and Inter-universities Centres Trade Group, NASU hailed the government for the release of additional N8 billion, representing a further part payment of the outstanding arrears of Earned Allowances to the non-teaching staff.

    It also called on the appropriate agencies of the Federal Government to expedite action on the disbursement of the released amount before the end of 2018.

    The communique was signed by Deputy President/Chairman of Council, Comrade Geoffrey Ugwu and Senior Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Festus Ajayi.

    It called on the relevant agencies of government to observe the principles of equity and fairness in the sharing of the N8 billion to universities and  centres that did not benefit from the  earlier released N23 billion.

    The union acknowledged the on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in respect of the revitalisation of university education and other issues and reiterated its commitment in the struggle for the proper funding of education.

    It expressed shock that the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU)  ordered a three-day protest on the issues of the disbursement of the N8 billion Earned Allowances and the implementation of the staff school judgment without taking on board the two other unions in the Joint Action Committee like NAAT and NASU.

  • NGO urges implementation of AU’s convention to fight corruption

    A NON-govermental organisation (ngo) Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has asked leaders and governments in Africa to implement all articles contained in the African Union Convention for Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) if they are serious about fighting corruption in Africa.

    It said the AUCPCC has 28 articles, all if implemented by AU member countries could reduce corruption in Africa.

    Although, AU heads of government declared 2018 as year for ‘African Anti-Corruption Year’, with the theme: “Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation”, CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Musa (Rafsanjani) lamented that corruption is still ravaging Africa.

    Musa, who spoke at the Preliminary launch and presentation of Findings of the Country Report on the implementation of the African Union Convention for Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), said: “President Muhammadu Buhari was designated as champion for the year, making it a call to responsibility of all well-meaning actors to get more involved in the anti-corruption war in Nigeria.”

    He explained that in the case of Nigeria, which has ratified the convention, the problem with the country has been that of domestication and level of implementation of its articles.

    Musa, therefore,  urged civil societies in different African countries to start demanding that their government implement the convention to rid the continent of the cankerworm. The NGO scored AUmember heads of states and governments low in the fight against corruption, including Nigeria which has ratified the convention.

    According to him, AUCPCC “serves as the shared roadmap for states to implement governance and anti-corruption policies and systems domestically and jointly at continental level. It also “contains strong provisions that can go a long way in resolving the corruption challenges on the continent”.

    Although the AU member countries have ratified AUCPCC, he regretted that the convention has yielded poor results due to insufficient commitment and implementation, not just in Nigeria, but across the African continent.

    He said the report on the AUCPCC revealed that the level of the awareness of the convention remained low “while compliance with the provisions of the convention is also a source of concern as there is huge room for improvement”.

    Musa explained that this was why CISLAC, as the national chapter of Transparency International (TI) joined forces with other nine chapters on the continent to initiate an intervention known as “Towards Enforcement of Africa’s Commitment against Corruption (TEA-CAC).

    One of the research assistants, Kunle Salmon, while giving insight into the research conducted by the group, said the concern on the non-implementation of the convention by African leaders was informed by the debilitating level of corruption and its effects “in our governance, economy and social realities”.

    “Every country has laws to address corruption but in spite of this, the level of corruption has been increasing”, he lamented.

    In the case of Nigeria, he said there are 23 different laws for fighting corruption by agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Corruption (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission  and Related Offences Tribunal (ICPC), Money Laundering Laws among others.