The Nation Newspaper

Tag: urges

  • InfraCos’ licensing: Ericsson urges data on fibre

    A Global elecoms equipment manufacturer Ericsson, has urged the Federal Government to undertake a study of available optic fibre cables available in the country.

    Its Nigeria Country Manager, Kamar Abass, said though the idea of licensing infrastructure firms is laudable because the provision of infrastructure is expensive, there is need to know the level of fibre availability in the country for proper planning.

    Under what it christened open access model broadband provisioning, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it will licence seven InfraCos one to operate in each of the six geo-political zones of the country while one will serve Lagos. Government also promised to provide financial incentives to the firms to deploy infrastructure.

    But Abass said in the area of providing wholesale services to mobile operators to transmit traffic from their base transmission stations (BTS) to various locations, there is a good market, adding however that there is paucity of information on available fibre on ground.

    He said: “If there are more infrastructure companies out there, that is a good thing. But infrastructure is really expensive. To lay fibre costs between $70 and $120 per metre. So it is serious investment. There is the opportunity to sell high speed data services to businesses, sell things like video conferencing, and deliver TV over cable. Nigeria is a big country filled with enormous potential but I am not sure that every household can afford this service.

    “In relation to providing wholesale services to mobile operators to transmit traffic from their base stations to various locations and to data centres, yes there is an active market for that.

    “It is not clear how much fibre there is on the ground and so the decision whether to add is one that has to be considered very carefully because everybody says they have got 10 to 15 kilometres of fibre. It is not definitely clear exactly where fibre is to know where there are bottlenecks. A study has to be made and maybe the government can help by publish a data base on where there is fibre, how much there is and how much demand there is.”

  • El-Kanemi Warriors FC urges LMC to reconsider decision on relocation

    El-Kanemi Warriors FC urges LMC to reconsider decision on relocation

    The management of El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club of Maiduguri has appealed to the League Management Company (LMC) to reconsider its decision of relocating the club from Maiduguri to Kano.

    The club’s Chairman, Zannah Kakaji, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday that the LMC needed to rescind the decision “because peace has gradually returned to the state.’’

    NAN reports that the league organisers had suspended indefinitely matches of the 2013/2014 Globacom Premier League in Maiduguri due to security concern.

    “I am appealing to the LMC to reconsider their decision of relocating us to Kano because peace is gradually returning to the state,’’ Kakaji said.

    He said even though the club considered Kano as its second home, it was still hopeful the authorities concerned would look into its request.

    El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri finished fourth last season.

  • Rector urges striking workers to return

    Rector urges striking workers to return

    The Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Dr. Shuaibu Muhammad Musa has called on the Federal Government and the leadership of the striking polytechnic workers’unions to resolve the crisis bedeviling the sector in the country.

    In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Muhammad Rabiu Wada noted that the Rector made the call at a valedictory meeting for the out-going Deputy Rector of the institution, Dr Japhet Dauda Konni.

    The Rector noted that the strike disrupted academic activities in polytechnics, forcing thousands of students to idle away at home with the attendant social challenges this can cause.

    Musa said resolving the crises would go a long way in enhancing the growth and development of Technical and Vocational Education, an important component of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

    He called on the traditional rulers, politicians, businessmen and other relevant individuals and groups to intervene.

  • Fayemi urges probe of tragedy

    Fayemi urges probe of tragedy

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has expressed sadness on the death of some Nigerians youths at the recruitment exercise conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Saturday.

    The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described the death of the applicants as a “tragedy of unimaginable proportion that has created wounds in the hearts of all Nigerians”.

    Describing the tragedy as “avoidable”, the Governor called for a thorough investigation of the immediate and remote causes of the incident with a view to preventing a reoccurrence.

    The governor was of the view that a better organisation of the recruitment e would have prevented the death of the applicants many of whom were made to go through very inhuman condition in their quest for job.

    Fayemi said: “This latest tragedy has thrown up some questions that the concerned authorities must answer to prevent a repeat of this unfortunate incident.

    “Are the authorities concerned not aware of the magnitude of the number of the applicants , what were the modalities put in place to conduct the exercise for such a huge number of applicants? Why can’t the exercise be conducted in batches instead of attending to the army of applicants in one day?

    “These and more questions come to mind when coming to terms with the loss of these young ones who had bright future ahead of them only to be wasted in such curious circumstances.”

    The Governor also commiserated with the families of those who died in the tragedy.

  • Athletes coach urges NSC to fund athletes’ training

    Athletes coach urges NSC to fund athletes’ training

    A renowned athletics coach, Tobias Igwe, on Wednesday urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to fund athletes training adequately , ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Games is to hold in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3.

    Igwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the calibre of players currently training for the Games could make Nigeria proud. He, however, added that their excellent performance would depend on a well funded camping, training tours and other logistics ahead of the Games.

    “The calibre of players presently training ahead of the Games are capable of performing well if necessary funds are released on time. We have athletes that can make a big impact at the Games; we have female and male athletes that can go for gold,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 30 elite athletes have commenced training in various locations at home and abroad for the Games.

    Many of them are also currently engaging in various international meets to strengthen their capabilities.

    Among them are Blessing Okagbere, Obinna Metu, Egwero-Ogho Oghene, Fred Agbaje and a host of others.

    Igwe said adequate funding of the athletes would also bring glory to Nigeria.

  • CSO urges INEC to address permanent voters’ card issue

    CSO urges INEC to address permanent voters’ card issue

    The Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Election Coalition has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address some noticeable logistics challenges as the voters’ verification and issuance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) enter the second day in Ekiti State.

    The CSO made the call in a preliminary statement by the Coalition’s Coordinator, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi at the weekend.

    The Coalition comprise Women Advocate Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD); HEDA Resource Centre; New Initiative for Social Development (NISD); WANEP Nigeria, Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD); JPDI, NCWS and International Press Centre (IPC).

    Mrs Akiyode-Afolabi said the call has become necessary following field reports from the state’s three Senatorial Districts (Ekiti North, Ekiti Central and Ekiti South) by the Coalition’s observers.

    INEC, according to the reports did not seem to have conducted adequate public sensitisation and awareness prior to the beginning of the exercise and does not have enough personnel in most of the registration units.

    Only one youth corps member were said to be attending to hundreds of voters while in some cases, overwhelmed corpers were recruiting friends and volunteers to assist them.

    In a number of polling units, the Coalition noted that the total number on the register did not just exceed but double the stipulated 500 per polling unit, thus raising fears that in the concerned units not all registered voters might be issued with PVCs and therefore disenfranchised.

  • Fayemi urges indigenes on industrialistion

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has lauded Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi’s industrialisation drive.

    Oba Sijuwade spoke at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at the inauguration of the Prosperous Royal Hotel and Resort Centre, built by Chief Abiodun Isinkaye, an indigene.

    The monarch, who was the royal father of the day, said people like Isinkaye should be encouraged to do more for the society.

    He urged the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, to give Isinkaye land for the second phase of the project.

    Fayemi urged wealthy indigenes to set up businesses in Ekiti, stressing that the task of developing Ekiti was not that of the government alone.

    Fayemi, who spoke through the Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs. Ronke Okusanya, praised Isinkaye for bringing the project to the state

    He said the government has created a friendly investment climate, noting the availability of relaxed tax systems for new investors.

    Fayemi said: “The government is happy with the giant strides by one of our sons, Isinkaye, who felt the need to support our efforts at developing the state economically. I call on others to emulate him and project our state in good light. The facilities here are world-class and this shows the spirit of industry in the Ekiti man.”

    Activist lawyer Femi Falana said Isinkaye’s move would encourage other wealthy indigenes.

    Former Governor of the old Ondo State, Chief Bamidele Olumilua, said the private sector was important in the industrial development any society.

    Isinkaye said he set up the centre to “give back to the society”.

    He said he has no political ambition and would always contribute to the state’s development.

  • Embrace small-scale business, Trustfund urges workers

    Trustfund Pensions Plc has urged workers to embrace small-scale business models as veritable exit strategy from paid employment in order to have a more enjoyable retirement.

    Its Head of Customer Service, Mrs. Maha Longe, made the call at a pre-retirement seminar for the company’s contributors in the Southeast zone made up of Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Anambra states.

    He pointed out that early death of retirees is mostly caused by lack of economic activities after retiring from paid employment, stressing that the company has set out an enlightenment programme targeting contributors who have between six to 12 months to retire on how to run small scale business. According to her, small-scale businesses that are taught contributors are influenced by what is in demand in the zone.

    “In Ibadan, we taught them how to make soap. But here in Enugu, there is water, fish, grass cutter, and snail, which are things that really sell here,” she said, adding that the seminar would be carried out in other cities of the country including Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna. She stressed that the training was part of the corporate social responsibility of her organisation.

    The Federal Government has re-appointed Umar Munir Abubakar as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) for another term of four years.

    In a letter, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Clement Ilo said the new tenure will take effect from December 28, last year.

    Abubakar promised to ensure the success of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) as well as open rehabilitation centres for injured workers.

    He said: “I will use the next four years in office to complete the computerisation of the Fund as well as entrench the prompt payment of benefits/compensation to injured workers within the shortest period of time.”

  • Ekweremadu urges end to armed conflicts

    Ekweremadu urges end to armed conflicts

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has urged world leaders to end armed conflicts.

    A statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Uche Anichukwu, said Ekweremadu made the call at the weekend during a tour of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park.

    Ekwermadu also met with one of the survivors of the Atomic Bomb dropped in Hiroshima during the World War II, Mrs. Keiko Ogura.

    The Deputy Senate President, who was accompanied by the Ambassador of Nigeria to Japan, Godwin Agbo, said the Hiroshima disaster should steer mankind away from the part of war.

    Ekweremadu said: “It does not pay to have crises, as the best thing that can happen to mankind is to have peace and to live in peace with one another.

    “It is our prayer that this kind of tragic incident would never happen again in our lifetime and even after.

    I believe that we all as world leaders need to ensure that there is peace everywhere in the world. We must end all armed conflicts immediately and pursue peace with everything that we have- in our homes, in our communities, in our countries, our continents, and indeed globally.”

    Ekweremadu laid a wreath in memory of the victims of the Atomic Bomb.

    He urged Ambassadors of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations in Japan to utilise their presence in the G-8 country to attract development support to the sub-region.

    Ekweremadu who is also the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament was said to have spoken at a meeting with the Ambassadors in Japan.

  • CBN urges banks on shared technology scheme

    CBN urges banks on shared technology scheme

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has called on banks to key into the shared technology scheme to reduce cost and enhance profitability.

    Its Director, Shared Services, Chidi Umeano said lenders needed to take advantage of the Financial Instant Issuance Solution, which attracts new cardholders, increases activation rates, as well as card programme profitability.

    He said the solution makes it possible for new and existing customers of banks to walk into their branch to pick up a fully-functioning debit/credit card with exceptional security features in a few minutes.

    He spoke at the Datacard-ChamsAccess Financial Instant Issuance seminar for deposit money banks, switch operators and certified card issuers held in Lagos.

    Umeano, who was represented by CBN Deputy Manager, Shared Services Office, BabatundeAjiboye described financial instant issuance as the next frontier for payment cards in the banking industry.

    He said banks in developing and advanced financial markets are deploying the instant issuance solution to position their brands for future advancements in the fast paced payment cards business.