Alimosho Youths Beat Nigerian Airforce At Yuletide Football Tourney

Alimosho Youths defeated the Nigerian Airforce 403 EMD, Shasha, Ikeja, in a football match organized to promote cordial relationship between the force and its neighbourhood. The match ended 5-3 in favour of Alimosho Youths.

  The match, organized by the Commander of the division, Air Commodore, Inalegwu Agbeje took place at the Airforce Playing Ground in Shasha, to end the sports season for the year 2013.

  The match was witnessed by thousands of football enthusiasts with the Alimosho Boys taking home the golden cup donated by Agbeje as well as cash prize. The match started by 9 a.m. and ended peacefully at noon.

  Presenting the Cup to the Alimosho Boys, Agbeje said the match was organized to promote unity, friendship and peaceful co-existence between his men and the neighbouring community, stressing that the football match would be an annual event.

  Agbeje specifically stated that the football match was one of the ways of addressing the challenges arising from the ongoing armed insurgence, appealing to members of the public to see members of the force as their friends at all times.

  He advised the youths to desist from criminal activities and obey the law always.

By Adeniyi Adunola

Experts canvass Nigeria’s industrialisation for global competitiveness

FOR Nigeria and indeed other African countries to command adequate respect in the global economy, the need for improved industrialization has been stressed.
  According to experts, who gathered at the African Product Forum Lagos 2013, organised by the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology in Lagos, at the weekend, the African economy is heavily dependent on the production and exports of primary products and currently suffers from the associated risks of this dependence. 
  To them, the continent currently accounts for a negligible three per cent share of global industrial output and manufactured exports, stressing that only a few country in the continent have manufacturing and value added GDP share of up to 15 per cent.
  According to them, Nigeria reported an average of four per cent industrial contribution to GDP over the last decade.
  Executive Chairman, Toky Chemical Manufacturers limited, Olawuwo Oni noted that exporting of goods to other countries is not a child play and that the business is not meant for those who were not properly initiated.
  Considering the desirability of active participation in the global market, he said “Exportation is of great importance to the economy of any country because it impact greatly on the value of local currency and create employments.
  “No nation of the world can significantly grow its economy by simply trading with itself, it has to trade with other countries around the world to grow its economy to an enviable size.”
  Oni said that the benefit of international trade hinged on comparative advantage, stressing that exporting products in which its absolute advantage was greatest and importing product in which its absolute advantage in comparatively less.
  Relating the comparative advantage to Nigeria economy, he said “our vast array of natural resources and things we can do namely solid mineral, agricultural products cassava, yam maize, cashew nut amongst, giving us potentially huge source of competitive advantage in the export market place.
  He said that Nigeria has the challenge of adding value to its exportable product through product developments, saying “we import high cost value added product and sell low value product. “
  To the immediate past president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Goodie Ibru, Nigeria and other African countries must take advantage of new opportunities offered by globalization by launching enterprises, putting in place for upgrading, developing human resources, strengthening its capacities for innovation, by accepting the facts of industrilsation.
  “Industrilisation is a critical engine of economic growth and development. The fact that Africa remains the poorest region of the world, where 34 out of the 50 least developed countries in the world are located and in which poverty is on the increase, is a reflection of its low level of industrialization and product acceptability in global space. There exists a strong linkage between industrial productive capacity, economic growth and level of development,” he stated.
  According to him, opening up the African market to the world ought to have moved from a vision to a reality in the past decade, saying that while the continent still struggles with poor intra-trade relations, opening up its market to the world may seem to be a challenging but not impossible task.
  For Africa’s products to gain acceptability on the global space, Ibru said some critical priorities need to be addressed at national, regional, continental and international levels, which include; policy on product and export diversification; management and development; infrastructure development; human capital development and sustainability, innovation, science and technology; development of standards and compliance.
  Others are development of legal, institutional and regulatory framework, resource mobilisation for industrial development and so on.
  “Africa has the potentials for its products to become competitive at the global market but only if we put our infrastructure right and allow our goods to be of good standards, then we can begin the journey of acceptability of our products globally,” he stated.


By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Honeywell partners FRSC on road safety campaign

HONEYWELL Flour Mills Plc, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ojota Unit, recently organized a road show in Lagos. The show was an avenue to educate motorists on how to avoid all acts that would lead to road accidents, especially during these ember months.   
   Tagged: “Change We Can Make On Our Road,” the road show took off from Honeywell Flour Mill Company, Ikeja, down to Ojota and Yaba. 
  Delivering a lecture, the Ojota Unit Commander of FRSC, Mr. Ganiyu Kehinde Hamzat, urged motorists to avoid over- speeding, drunk driving, over-loading, use of handsets while driving, gauge tyres and service their vehicles properly and use their seat belts before embarking on a journey.
 “Most of the accidents on the road are not caused by any ember months, but are caused by our own faults. Motorists should drive carefully during these ember months to avoid road mishap.  We need to be patient enough while driving, because 60 per cent of road accidents happen because of impatience.”
   He said at the federal level many of the FRSC personnel have been mobilised to major routes within the country to prevent accidents and criminal activities during Christmas. “Our men are out with enthusiasm, to discourage criminals and enlighten people.”
  He added that the walk show would reduce road accident. “We want to sensitizes road users on the need to play save while using the road, we want to reach to commercial and private drivers, pedestrians and transport unions.
  Hamzat urged road-users to obey traffic regulations because traffic offences would attract appropriate penalties. “Penalty for any violation is still the same, anyone caught without a Driver’s Licence, jail sentence is awaiting that person.”

 The Managing Director, Honeywell Flour Mill Plc, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola said the programme was special because it was meant to educate people to drive safely especially the leaders of transport unions and their members in busy areas like Ojota, Yaba amongst others.
  “We need to be careful at this time of the year while we celebrate, we don’t pray things to end up in calamity.  So all we are doing is to partner with the FRSC to create a level of awareness among road users as they go up and down and be mindful of commuters on the road.”
  The Secretary Of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ojota branch, Alhaji Dauda Danjuma appreciated the road show done by Honeywell and the FRSC, urging them to keep on carrying out such enlightenment.
   He said. “Accidents do not happen only during ember months, but most of the festive seasons. Such road show should be carried out every month or mostly every festival period.”

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Transport fares, foodstuff prices herald Xmas

• As travelers explain motives for going home

CHRISTMAS is here again with its flurry of activities to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It also marks the end-of-year activities, a time for stocktaking, reflection and family re-union.
   Hence, many people are already winding down activities for the year while those who have not yet travelled are still making plans to visit their hometowns to celebrate the Yuletide.
   As expected, the roads get extremely busy with human and vehicular traffic, which sometimes results in road crashes and loss of lives.
   Another signpost of this season is the hike in the prices of commodities and services, particularly transportation, foodstuffs, clothes among others.
   Investigations by The Guardian revealed that transportation cost to the Southeastern states, which used to be N2,500 has doubled, as at December 18. At G.U.O and the Young Shall Grow motor parks, both at Okota and Maza-Maza, the fare is now N4,500.
   God is Good, SunQuick, Libra, Ekeson, Abia Line and other interstate transport services charge N4,100. The chances are high that these prices would again be inflated before Christmas on Wednesday.
   The bug of price hike has also hit the markets, as prices of foodstuffs and livestock have increased marginally across markets in Lagos.
   At Mushin, a measure of tomato brand of rice now sells for N330 as against the earlier price of N300, while other brands cost N280, compared with the former price of N250. A standard measure of local rice now costs N200 as against the former price of N180.
   A fairly big chicken costs between N2,000 to N2,500  while normal size of goat is between N30,000 and N35,000. A fairly big cow sells for between N150,000 to N200,000.
   A rice trader at Daleko, Ajoke Kilani, who noted that a bag of rice is now N12,000 as against the earlier price of N10,000, attributed the increase to Christmas and the New Year celebrations.
   Kilani explained that the new price regime is reflecting the law of economics, which states that prices of commodities and services increases as the demand for it surges.
   Some of those who were traveling home for Christmas bared their minds to The Guardian. For Mr. Nathaniel Igwenagu, who came to drop off his family at G.U.O Park on Okota Road, the celebration is all about family reunion.
   “One mustn’t live all his life in a foreign land. There is need to go home and see what is happening over there. What we came here to do is to make money for the benefit of our lives and dependants back at home.
   “Besides, we have been hustling since January and I don’t think it is normal and healthy for a right thinking person to continue working all year round without giving himself a break from the hassles of a city like Lagos.
   “And at home in the East, when you stay away from your people for too long without coming back with your family, people will start raising eyebrow and asking if all is well. We all know the condition of the country but then, we can’t neglect home,” he said.
   Chinaza Okoye, a native of Anambra State, said her main reason for travelling for Christmas is to enhance her chances of getting married, most especially someone from her town.
   According to her, Christmas is when many unmarried men come home with the intention of picking wives for themselves.
   “In my family, our father has specifically warned us that even if we will marry outside of our town, it should never be outside of our state, and I too prefer marrying a man from my town. Living all my life in Lagos might not guarantee me that, which is why I look forward to traveling home every year to be with my extended family,” she said.

By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku, Adeniyi Idowu Adunola and Tolulope Okunlola

Covenant University receives best higher institution 2013

Covenant University's leading position in the tertiary education
landscape of Nigeria has been affirmed has the best university 2013.
The university was om Friday conferred with the best performing higher
institution of the Year Award 2013 by the Centre for Democratic
Governance in Africa (DGA).
According to the Chairman DA, Dafe Okpocha said the university has
emulated good governance and this is among what keep the country
growth. ''the one thing that outstanding the university was their
input to develop good governance''.
The centre is one of the group that practice good governance and sees
to the development of the country. ''the aim of the organisation is to
preach good governance to Africa, Nigeria in particular. Whereas
education environment is not left out of these. If its not practice on
these sector the country is going no where'' he added.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, professor Charles Ayo who
received the Award on behave of the university said the university is
the leading university both in academy standard and a godly standard.
''. Will consider the university as a failure, if our graduate join
the band-wagon of the unemployed looking for job.''
he said their drive is to be among the top leading Christian mission
university in Africa in the next 10 years.
The university was founded to stir a unique class of people who will
make Nigeria a better place. ''the chancellor has formed a body that
will address the problems of leadership setting in the country by
January 2014.''

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Police allay fear over insecurity in Lagos at Xmas

• FRSC deploys personnel to Ibadan highway

AN assurance has come from the Lagos Police Command that it has beefed up security on major routes within the state to prevent criminal activities during the Christmas.
  Meanwhile, the Lagos State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) yesterday said 2,400 personnel had been mobilised to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for Yuletide patrol.
  The state Police Commissioner,  Mr. Umar Manko, told reporters in Lagos that officers and men were deployed to major routes and event centres to discourage criminals.
  He said 919 vehicles were recovered from suspected armed robbers, while 54 robbery cases were prosecuted.
  Manko noted that 472 armed robbers were arrested while 390 arms and 16,034 live ammunition were also recovered from the bandits.
  The police boss added that the on-going construction of roads in the state, coupled with the increasing traffic jam, informed the need for the Command to re-strategise its security network.
  According to him, the present security arrangement is yielding results, adding that it was usual for the Command to always plan ahead.
  The police chief also announced that apart from roads and event centres, the Command also deployed its men to departmental stores, markets and motor parks.
  Manko expressed happiness that the Command was on top of the security situation in the state, saying that crime rate had dropped drastically.
  He said the last six months witnessed low report of armed robbery activities, kidnapping and snatching of vehicles.
  He called on members of the public to always be at alert and report any person or group suspected to be criminals to the nearest police station for appropriate action.
  It was reported that the statistics presented by the police at a Town Hall meeting on November 28 showed that 146 armed robbery suspects were killed by the Command from November 2012 to date, adding that the hoodlums were killed when they engaged the police in gun duel at different robbery operations across the state.
  The Command said that no fewer than 39 of its men were killed during the same period.
  The FRSC Sector Commander, Mr. Chidi Nkwonta, told journalists in Lagos that the step would ensure accident-free period.
  According to him, the personnel, comprising 1,200 regular marshals, 1,000 special marshals and 200 NYSC Road Safety Club members, began operations on Monday.
  Nkwonta added that the Command had released 38 patrol vehicles, two tow trucks and two ambulances to arrest any unforeseen situation on the highway.
  “Our corporate goal for this festive period is to record zero crash on Lagos-Ibadan highway and that is why we are not leaving any stone unturned”, he noted.
  The sector commander urged road-users to obey traffic regulations because traffic offences would attract appropriate penalties.




By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola and Tolulope Okunlola

Group marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities

DISABILITY Policy and Advocacy Initiative (DPAI), a Lagos-based non-governmental organization recently marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with an exhibition of creative abilities of persons with disabilities. The event featured dance, musical and visual arts.
  Speaking at the event, a physically- challenged broadcaster with Lagos Television, Folasade Salimoni, in her wheel chair, said: "Disability is not a disease. We only have a challenge that made us disabled".
  "It is high time the society began to recognise that persons with disabilities have potentials and we can function well in any sector of the society.
"Our disability does not limit us in any way; we are like every other person. It’s only that the state of the economy makes our disability more challenging”.
  Also, Kayode Ogedengbe, a blind singer, said he has passion for music and was determined to satisfy his audience in music.”
    She added that it was crucial for the government to recognise their personality first, before their disability.   “Make our environment conducive; include us in every strata of the society and we will function well or even do better than the able-bodied ones",
  The Chairman of the Empowerment and Entertainment of DPAI, Mrs. Pretty Ogboma urged the physically-challenged persons to put themselves together and bring out something good out of their lives.
    Mr. Dare Dipo, who is also physical challenged person, urged them to take away that disabilities from their minds.  He said: “What ever you have to do, do it skillfully, you will affect the society and the world will appreciate you.
   The group offered persons with disabilities opportunities to engage in cultural and recreational activities.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

New private-public initiative to meet housing needs

• Ogun creates home charter centres ahead of launch

GOING by calculations, the soon-to-be-launched Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC) would open up the stagnated mortgage sector with lending rates expected to crash and tenors increasing to 20 years by mortgage banks.

  The development, which has already affected prevailing rates in the sector, though marginally, is a public-private initiative, which has the Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) as private sector constituent.

  President of MBAN, Femi Johnson, while speaking with journalists on the development, said the initiative was scripted to be a refinancing vehicle for mortgage banks and facilitator of long-term loans for the sector and would also fully effect the projections by the first quarter of 2014.

  “The successful take-off of the NMRC will make access to affordable housing a reality for the majority of Nigerians. NMRC will provide the opportunity for rebuilding our housing finance system to a stronger, more competitive and more resilient one that is at par with the systems in developed economies.

  In another development, Ogun State government has created centres for its new homeowners’ charter programme to enable the citizens have direct access to the programme. The centres have been strategically located to make people regularise their documents with dedicated staff providing service to them.

  The state Commissioner for Physical and Urban Planning, Mr. Gbenga Otenuga, stated that the centres were created to avoid the problem of third-party in the process of regularising the documents by the people. People have the benefit of visiting the centres themselves without operating through third-party as the government has created direct access for them.

  The MBAN chief said: “NMRC is a public-private partnership initiative, unlike the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. It is not subsidised, but the Federal Government is supporting the scheme to ensure that rates come down and the target is to get rates reduced to 13 per cent.

  “As we all know, a well functioning housing finance system is imperative for a prosperous economy. It indeed plays an important role in stimulating economic growth and creating much-needed jobs within an economy.

  “Housing delivery remains crucial and continues to encounter the same challenge of inadequate long term financing. Rapid urbanisation, a growing population, limited land availability in some areas, access for lower income groups and dearth of long-term funds continue to put increasing pressures on current housing finance and delivery systems.

  “Mortgage lending has been typically small, poorly accessible, with low depository base, while mortgage finance providers have been vulnerable to significant credit, liquidity and interest rate risks due to their inability to mobilise sufficient long-term and affordable financial resources required for housing.

  Otenuga stated that Governor Ibikunle Amosun is passionate to ensure that all property owners benefit from the charter as part of his mission to rebuild the state and also engender urban renewal and development.

  He said the centres would be opened immediately Amosun formally unveils the charter programme in Abeokuta on Monday December 16, 2013.

  Otenuga further encouraged homeowners to take advantage of the offer to benefit from the urban renewal programme of the state government and also safeguard their property. This is because the fees have been discounted while penalties and fines are waived in line with the provision of the charter programme. The fees were extremely reduced to cushion the effects of the economic situation in the country.

  The Homeowners’ Charter Programme is to enable homeowners regularise the legal status and documentation of their property.

  It is expected that property with regularised documents will benefit from Ogun State government’s urban renewal policy through effective planning of facilities in the areas of education, health and other essential infrastructure.

    By Chijioke Nelson and Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Websense, SecureData boost data security with new software solution

TO protect sensitive information in this era of data explosion amidst security threats, Websense TRITON Solution, and its partner, SecureData have introduced new software solution to mitigate such risks.
   Speaking at the launch of the solution, Websense 7.8 version, the Channel Manager, West Africa, SecureData Africa, Biodun Adewoye, said the event was organized to map the APT into the Nigerian landscape, specifically for the financial sector and large corporate companies.
   “The arrival of new, multifaceted and complicated attacks will require an understanding of what controls and strategies will needed to be deployed now and in the near future.
  He added that all these needed to be achieved by corporates without incurring crippling costs and complicated policy developments and technical deployments.
   With the release of additional advanced security capabilities in the Websense 7.8 release, “we are confident that the targeted attack can be mitigated and risk levels reduced at an effective ROI.”
  The solution is consolidated on web security, email security, and date loss prevention (DLP) into a highly flexible and scalable architecture that unifies content analysis, platforms and security management.
   The risk of identity theft, fines and lawsuits are exponential in today’s fast-paced digital age. It is truly a breakthrough in the world of data security solutions
   He said, “the integration is easy and simply but very powerful Solution. Secure Date is the largest Focus IT security Distributor within Africa.”
   “In Secure Data our approach is around security is very unique, we don’t push product but provide solution. We address it from security domains such as devices security, network security wireless security application security amongst other.’
     “We are creating awareness so that people and company we see the needs to protect their corporate date and information and also to use the product and see how it can benefit and add value to the organization.”




By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Group tasks govt, others on violence against women

A  HUMAN rights group, BAOBAB, has called for collective  effort in fighting violence against women and for the Federal Government to domesticate international treaties meant to check the crime.
  Speaking at a forum in Lagos with the title: “Peace in Home to Peace in the World; Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women”, the Executive Director of BAOBAB, Anne Adidu-Lawal, said violence against women is a menace of great concern in Nigeria and the world over.
  “The violence has continued to be one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent causes of human rights abuses in the world.
  “The manifestation of some of these violence include deeply rooted obnoxious culture practice such as female genital mutilation (FGM), widowhood rites, early or forced marriages and rape,” Adidu-Lawal added.

 By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Group seeks support for pro-disable projects

AS the world celebrates the International Day for People with Disabilities, the Ephaphata Hope Foundation, a group committed to distributing wheelchairs to the disable and creating awareness on issues affecting wheelchair users, has called for support to enable them to execute their projects.
   Speaking at the event tagged: “I am a flower”, the Chief Executive Officer of Ephaphata Hope Foundation, Rita Nkechi Ofili, who is also physically-challenged, said the greatest concerns of persons with disability is that they feel insecure, emotionally temperament and loss of self control and confidence in themselves.
  “Most parents with disable child(ren) are afraid of what people will say or call them, hence they tend to abandon, kill or hide such child with disability,” she said.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Bank boss seeks revival of industrial sector

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank Plc., Dr. Alex Otti, has said that for Nigeria to attain its target as a developed country, it needs to revive the industrial sector, alongside infrastructure.

  Otti, who was the guest speaker at the Hallmark Public Policy Forum in Lagos, with the theme: “Saving the Future: Challenges of the New Nigeria”, said: “nations compete to offer the most productive environment for business. Competitiveness depends on productivity, with which a nation uses its human, capital and natural resources.”

  He pointed that the country was ranked 147 out of 189 countries surveyed in ease of doing business, even as it recorded low rating in the areas of electricity provision, property registration, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and payment of taxes.

  He also noted that the big challenge for the Nigerian economy is its mono-cultural profile with crude oil as its major income earner.

  Also speaking at the forum, the Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Alhaji Suleiman Barau said that micro-economic indices show that Nigeria is on the right track to attaining significant growth and development, but explained that the country needs to improve on the area of leadership.

   “Nigeria needs to improve on the quality of its leadership to be able to compete in the comity of nations.

  “We can improve on our leadership. It is an area of challenge that we need to improve on. We need to elect credible leaders. We have credible leaders but we need to hold them accountable.

   “If we have a leader that is disciplined, sets agenda and implements it and we hold him accountable and with our potentials, we would be on top as one of the greatest countries in the world, at least in Africa,” he said.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

UK College partners Nigerian schools on varsity foundation programme

The United Kingdom (UK) based TRC College University Foundation Programme, which facilitates students’ admission to partner universities in the UK, United States of America (U.S), Canada and Russia, will from January 2014 be offered by two Nigerian boarding schools - Whiteplains British School in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and The Bells School, Ota, Ogun State, in a partnership deal.

        Speaking at a briefing in Lagos on Monday, Director of the TRC College University Programme, Mr. Keith Broomer said prospective students could enter their forecast Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results in January and finish the course in July, enabling entry to a university overseas by September 2014, thereby saving students a whole year.

       The programme, Broomer explained, also provides a pathway to all degree subjects such as Accounting, Business, Engineering, Law and medicine.

        Another unique feature of the Programme, Broomer stated, “is that it provides a university transcript from Kursk State Medical University, which oversees the programme in conjunction with the TRC Colleges monitoring process, in all the subjects, for every student.”

       Broomer added: “With the wider spread of wealth in the Nigerian society, more parents are looking for ways to send their children to overseas universities and the TRC Colleges University Foundation Programme provided in Nigeria will now make the whole process more affordable, without compromising high standards.”

      According to a statement, the TRC college plans to runs its university foundation programme in one top boarding school and Polytechnic in all the geo-political zones in the country, to enable students have easy access.

      Mr. Victor Ajulo, the Chief Executive Officer of Michele & Anthony Consulting, which coordinates the TRC University Foundation programmes in Nigeria through regional coordinators, encouraged interested candidates to come forward and obtain forms.

    

 By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

ComSom hosts IEEE workshop on WCET Certification

 KEEPING pace with global development, especially in wireless communications,  IEEE has said that it has developed an array of continuing education materials in the field of wireless, the IEEE WCET Certification.
  Speaking at the IEEE technical meeting, The Chair, Technical Programs, ComSoc Nigeria, Ogwo Ugo, said the IEEE WCP is designed to have high pay off for the wireless communication industry.
  She said to obtain the IEEE WCP certification, candidate must pass a rigorous examination based on the task performed in the industry.” The exam was developed purely on technical knowledge and practical applications”
  “Committed to enabling professionals continuing professional development to further enhance their ability to move the profession forward. This is in line with the greater IEEE mission which is to foster technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.”
  Lecture at meeting, MD, Parkway Projects Limited, Uzo Eziukwu who lectured on mobile financial services carrier channels in Nigeria said, “The global proliferation of mobile phones, mobile computing technologies, de-regularization of the financial services market, & advanced telecommunication channels, have resulted in an active drive towards delivery of afore-mentioned services on mobile devices, resulting in an overlap of the Telecommunication and Financial Services sectors.”
  He said leveraging for strategic socio-economic initiatives, provision access to funds in the informal sector are why we go for mobile.
  Likewise, convenient tools for service delivery and promote corporate reach in remote areas are not left out.


 By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Courier operators get new president

The Managing Director of Bowill Errands Limited, Mr. Siyanbola Oladapo has been elected President of the Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO).
He polled over 99.7 percent endorsement of members during the election held on November 13. Oladapo’s company is the sponsor of the Bowill Errands Annual Public Lecture, which in the past five years has preached professionalism and issues that are germane to the growth of the sector.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Why we’re championing war against HIV stigmatisation, by FriendsAfrica

AHEAD of the December 1, 2013 World AIDS Day, an anti HIV stigmatisation campaign tagged: Team Eagles Vs Team Entertainers, will hold on November 30, 2013 the Campus mini Stadium, Onikan, Lagos, FriendsAfrica, organisers of the event has said.
   The programme, which is in its second edition and will feature soccer legends and Nollywood celebrities, is meant to draw global attention to the evil of discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS.
    Speaking on Monday on the planned campaign tagged: Play for Life, the CEO/Founder, Friends Africa, Dr. Akudo Anyanwu Ikemba said while advances in science and medicine had made progress in the cure and prevention against HIV/AIDS globally, there was still the worrisome issue of stigmatisation and discrimination.
     She added that ending discrimination of People Living with HIV/AIDS was utmost hence the Play for Live, adding that it is a week-long programme covering free testing of people to know their HIV status. She stressed that the free testing which started on Monday, November 25 at Camus mini Stadium, Lagos, and which is targeted on 5000 people, will end on Saturday, November 30, 2013.
    Dr. Ikemba added that the campaign, which is targeted at over two million people will explore the natural convening power of football  to draw attention to the dangers of stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDs.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

500 in jail over child abuse , says NAPTIP

A disclosure came at the weekend from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) that over 500 people have so far been sent to jail for child abuse and human trafficking across the  country.
  Speaking at the launching of Harmony Life Family magazine in Lagos, NAPTIP Head, Public Enlightenment Unit, Lagos Zone, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe said that those sent to jail were found guilty following prosecution on laws governing acts that constitute child abuse.
   Akomolafe said “Child abuse includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role, ” and can take several forms including physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect of a concerned child.
  She called on parents and guardians to focus on the wellbeing of their children and be integrated into all aspects of child welfare services, pointing out that the agency, which is responsible for prosecution of human trafficking offenders and rescue as well as help rehabilitate victims have been carrying out an enlightenment programme to help curb this.
  “We have been carrying out enlightenment programme as one major way to create awareness of curbing this deadly menace. We have been organising programmes for sometime now where we involved some schools in carrying out campaigns against child abuse as well as National Youth Service Corps members and other institutions related to human trafficking were in attendance,” she said.
  Linking the phenomena to poverty, greed, ignorance breakdown of family values and traditions, she blamed parents for being unnecessarily greedy in making use of their children to get wealth through inappropriate ways, calling their attention to the Child Rights Act.
  “The Editor-in-Chief of the magazine, Mrs. Mercy Ighofose said, Harmony Magazine is devoted to families for physically and morally growth by bringing positive changes and development to our society. It also features interviews with notable models of our society, thereby setting a platform for family discussions.
  According to her, the aim is to “correct the eroding values of the society from the family circle and also to empower and create distinctive solutions on issue affecting African families.”

The Proprietor, Westminster College, Lagos, Chief J.M. Barovbe (left); Group Operations Manager, Cool, Wazobia Nig. Info FM, Onimisi Adaba;  Dr. Taiwo Idemudia; Editor-In-Chief, Harmony Life Family Magazine, Mercy Arigo Ighofose; Chairman of the event, J.J. Akpieyi; former DMD of Shell Petroleum, Godwin Omene and MD/CEO, ARCO Petrochemical Nigeria Ltd, Alfred Okoigun, at the Harmony Life Family Magazine seminar on child abuse at Nigerian Institute of International affairs, Victoria Island at the weekend.
PHOTO: ADENIYI IDOWU ADUNOLA.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola and Tolulope Okunlola

Group wants states to domesticate child-rights

EXCEPT the Child Rights Act is domesticated in the states, its passage by the National Assembly would not adequately protect Nigerian children from abuses like child labour, defilement, and witchcraft accusations, among others, the non-governmental Child’s Rights Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI) said yesterday.
   To that end, it urged state governments to adopt it in order to protect children’s rights. Founder of the body, Mrs. Ozioma Onyenweaku, who made the call in Lagos during an event to mark the 2013 Child Rights Day, disclosed that the Act was enacted in Nigeria in 2003 to regulate and protect the rights of children.
   With the theme of this edition as, “Stop Violence Against Children,” Onyenweaku said: “We have to act collectively to see that the Child Rights Act is not only enacted in all the states, but that it is strictly enforced.”
   According to her, the present challenges followed the failure of the National Assembly to get inputs from the state assemblies before it became law.
   She noted: “If the Houses of Assembly had approved it by two-third majority, this law would have become applicable across the country. Only 24 of the country’s 36 states have domesticated the Act.”



By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Don’t ask for whom the bell tolls…

Death lurks on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway service lane

This is so near the offices of the new power distribution office between Five-Star Bus Stop and Iyana-Isolo, yet so far away no one has seen it.
It is on a busy service lane along a major artery-Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, yet neither the Lagos State  Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency, Mushin Local Council, nor any other responsible agency, has cared to take simple, necessary action of removing the death-trap days after the twin electric poles fell, partly blocking the road.
 Several cars and trucks have crashed into it and more may still do so.
This is death on the prowl.
Don’t ask for whom the bell tolls…
It tolls for ….

Lagos to leverage on submarine cables for metro broadband network

THE Lagos State government has unfolded plans to leverage on the six submarine fibre cables that have berthed on the shores for improved Internet services.
  Indeed, submarine cables that have landed on the shores of the state include those of MainOne; Glo 1; WACS; SAT3 among others.
  Addressing journalists in Lagos at the weekend, Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Adebiyi Mabadeje said cables would not only accelerate Internet services, but also ensure that the state moves with global development.
  Mabadeje said the state also plans to provide its own private cloud through partnership with Dimension Data, stressing that when the project is completed, it will help Lagos to optimize its resources, eliminate idle capacity and save cost.
  The commissioner informed that the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between the state government and Microsoft will apart from strengthening e-governance and facilitating serving the citizens better, also ensure that the company would be working with its local partners to give back to the people through capacity building and training of indigenous manpower.
  A commitment, he disclosed, was secured under the MOU to train 100 Microsoft certified applications support personnel, who will not only assist the Lagos State government, but other states in Nigeria.
  The e-governance platform, he said, will deliver services to Lagosians using smart phones and mobile devices while enabling government functionaries to monitor on-going projects and the performance of ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
   The MOU, he went further, is centred around four cardinal programmes which are; implementation of a citizenship management platform, leveraging on the existing call centre infrastructure, provision of IT skill development and affordable mobile services, arising from a partnership under the Microsoft Africa Initiatives centred on entrepreneur support.
   Mabadeje also informed that the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) has a different mandate from other identity registration exercise going on in Nigeria.
   According to him, unlike others which discriminate on the basis of age, nationality and other sundry issues, LASRRA registers only residents and ‘not even indigenes’ living outside Lagos’’.
   He said that since the state could not attest to the integrity of the process and the past controversies bedeviling the competing identity registration exercises, the LASRRA exercise, which is of ‘’FBI standard’’ became necessary in order to develop a reliable data that would assist in predicting trends and assisting the state government in planning for the populace.
   The Commissioner assured that the movement of the Ikeja Computer Village to a new 15-hectare site in Gotankowa, a Lagos surburb, was being addressed by a committee, which will take care of all the concerns of stakeholders who should look forward to a conducive environment for an Internet city.
   He dispelled the fears of those who alleged that the Federal and State governments were playing politics with the deployment of about 1,000 Close Circuit Television monitoring devices in Lagos.
   He said: “I have personally seen the CCTV cameras working and it is already up and running, adding it is a safety and security matter, it cannot be unveiled for public knowledge.’’
    Mabadeje also said that apart from the on-going computerisation in schools now stepped up with the imminent Computer-Based Testing, students in the state have continually been encouraged to adopt science at an early age with programmes like LASTECH and the Science Camp which hosted 300 students for one week in Epe in August 2013 as against 60 hosted for three days last year.



By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Ohakwe preaches unity as Imo indigenes mark day in Lagos

Ohakwe receiving kola nut from community woman

IMO State indigenes living in Lagos at the weekend marked Imo Day and Cultural Carnival, an event that brought together sons and daughters of the state.
   Speaking at the event, president of Imo State Towns Development Association (ISTDAL), Mazi Tony Ohakwe, explained the theme of the event, which was “Unity is Strength.”
   According to him, “unity refers to the condition or state of being one.” He likened unity to a bundle of broom, which is better than a single broomstick.
   “We cannot break a bundle of broom except they are separated, but you can easily break a stick of broom. Nothing can be achieved without unity. Unity is necessary for the survival of all. Unity not only leads to the prosperity of a person but also to the prosperity of a nation.”
   He urged all Imo indigenes to remain united, saying: “Let’s stay in unity. If we are united, none can destroy us. Unity can destroy terrorism.”
  Dignitaries at the event included the former Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Ihenacho, who was honoured as the Life Patron of FESTAC; A.E Anozie, who was awarded the Pillar of ISTDAL and many other top functionaries of Imo origin.
   There were cultural dances, masquerade dances, among others at the event. 


By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Indigenes to complete Ekiti cassava processing firm

INDIGENES of Ekiti State, under the auspice of Ekiti Parapo, have concluded arrangements to complete the cassava producing industry in the state.

  Speaking at the 2013 Ekiti Parapo Day in Lagos at the weekend, President of the group, Kola Akomolede, said members are ready to promote and facilitate economic and socio-cultural development of Ekiti State.

  Ekiti Parapo was formed shortly after the creation of the state in 1996 to create a forum for all Ekiti people in Lagos to come together and assist the new state.

  “As part of the efforts to realise the dream, the group is set to raise funds for the completion of the cassava processing industry so as to create job opportunities, especially for the people of Ikole-Ekiti where it is located.”

“The factory is a cassava producing company located in Ikole-Ekiti. The machine have been imported and work has started on the construction of the factory at Ikole  Local Government.

The representative of the Executive governor of Ekiti state, the Deputy Governor of Ekiti, Foluke Adelabu appreciates the effort of the group and their contribution to the development of the state.

“The state, Ekiti is moving and going on and it’s going to be one of the richest state in Nigeria.

She stressed the effort of the Ekiti government that “Essential improve and accountability of government to the people of Ekiti through systematic of adoption of the effective controls and policies can be recognize. Ekiti is known of promoting accountability and transparency in government.

“In Ekiti State we keep promises, we have completed habitation of about 18 roads, increase water supply, improve transport sectors and provide fire service, rehabilitation of stadium. Also social security agent for the state.

She added that Ekiti is growing in agriculture. We establishes commercial agriculture for the youths, purchase good tractors for them, we have distributed lots of fertilizers for them among others.

“Education development is our first agenda, it is only the industry we are good for.

She explained on gender equality. We are the first state to carry out gender between both the male and the female in the country. “it is a crime for a husband  to raise his hand up ageinst his wife.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola 

Multichoice launches Resource Centers in Osun State

Head, Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria Segun Fayose, (left) 

Deputy Governor, Osun State, Titi-Laoye Tomori and CEO, Innovative Technology Literacy Services Ltd,

 Ronke Bello, during the launch of additional 10 MultiChoice Resource Centres

 in Osun State held at Ataoja School of Science, Oshogbo, Osun State recently.

                                                PHOTO BY: ADENIYI ADUNOLA

In its aim to empower teachers and students with skills in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Multichoice Nigeria, the leading pay-TV firm rolled out more Multichoice Resource Centre (MRC) in public schools in Osun State.

The novel intervention has been introduced to 245 schools in 24 states of the federation and been proven to impact critically on the knowledge levels and understanding especially of technical subject areas by students. It is now being extended to students of 10 public secondary schools in Osun State, bringing the total to 255 in 25 states across the country

About 10 public secondary schools in Osun State which benefitted from the project include: Unity School, Ejigbo, Anglican Grammar School, Osogbo, ADS Grammar School, Osogbo, St. James Grammar School, Osogbo Ataoja School of Science, Baptist Grammar School, Osogbo, Laro Grammar School, Osogbo and Ijebu-jesa Grammar School, Ijebu-jesa.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor, Osun State/ HCE, Ministry of Education, Grace Titi-laoye Tomori lauded MultiChoice and its implementing partner, Innovative Technology Literacy Services Limited, for the initiative which she described as a veritable tool for the provision of valuable learning resource components for public schools across the country. “The MultiChoice Resource Centre project, which provides valuable learning resource components for 10 selected public schools in the State of Osun to support the government efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria’s education sector, is a welcome one,” she said.,

“This also dovetail into one of the six integral action plan of the Osun state government that aims at functional and qualitative education in the state”

MultiChoice provides the following learning aid items to each of the beneficiary schools: DSTV decoder, television set, burglary proof for the equipment, education bouquet. Others include generator, whiteboard, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), among others.

The Managing Director of Innovative Technology Literacy Services Limited, Aderonke Bello said “The MultiChoice resource centre is designed to grant beneficiary schools access to the special MultiChoice Education Bouquet with the aim of integrating the programmes into their curriculum to further enhance the teaching and learning processes in the classrooms”

“in line with modern technology, our secondary schools in Osun state, are being familiarized with audio-visual equipment with full assurance that effective usage of these equipment, will enhance classrooms practices and move student to the next level in education.

“in addition, this innovation will enable students to be opened to more instructions which will also aid their thinking skills in the classroom”.

She urged the teachers to make use of the equipment that are being given to them in the transformation stage.

Fifty of the teachers have been trained as master trainers to help coordinate the centers and train other teachers with a view to ensuring effective usage of the facilities. It is our hope that Osun State will make good use of the facilities, utilize them for the attainment of quality education for our students, and more importantly protect them from being damaged', she said.

Furthermore, Head of public Relation and Corporate Communications, MultiChoice Nigeria, Segun Fayose, urged the teachers and principals to do the much they could and encouraged the student to make good use of the resource center set up to increase their learning, awareness about the world and to help them to become leaders, not of tomorrow, but starting from today.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola

Software accounts for 40% of International remittances

. NCC processes $1.8b CRS invoices

WITHIN the last three years, software may have accounted for 40 per cent of the total international remittances recorded in Nigeria’s Information and technology sector, even as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it processed about $1.8 billion; Euro 51.57 million and E3.38 million Confirmation of Reasonable Service for Foreign Exchange (CRS) invoices in the last three years.

   Precisely, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which disclosed this in Lagos on Tuesday, at a Stakeholder Forum on Confirmation of Reasonableness of Service Fees (CRS), noted that it has become imperative for the country to boost local contents and develop required skills for the growth of telecoms related software in Nigeria.

    NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah disclosed that increased in the volume of activities witnessed in the telecoms sector over the last one decade in the area of voice and data traffic led to the demand for associated contents and software requirement for services delivery.

   CRS, which refers to remittances of foreign currencies payments made by the telecoms companies in Nigeria to overseas services provider, which is also known as capital flight, Juwah informed that this is  based on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations on International trade transactions, adding that NCC took over this regulatory oversight to support the CBN.

    According to the EVC, who was represented by the Director of Policy, Competition and Compliance Mrs. Loila Emakpore, said that concerned over the impact of foreign direct investments (FDI) in the telecoms sector compared to repatriation by operators out of Nigeria worries the commission and prompted it to come up with examinations of remittances across board.

  According to him, CRS procedures in Nigeria were updated through similar fora in 2003 and 2009 in order to guide the industry on the payments for invisible trade transactions.

  He said since then, the industry failed to realise the level of enormous paper work required to drive these telecoms remittances and payments to overseas vendors.

   Giving the statistics, Juwah, who said NCC processed and approved over  5,580 invoices in the telecommunications industry between 2010 and 2012, gave the figures to include; $281.2 million, $624.6 million; $894.5 million and Euros 5.7 million; 14.5 million; 31.37 million and  E1.2 million; E1.4 million; 0.78 million respectively.

    Besides, he said the commission declined over 745 applications due to integrity tests, ranging from over-invoicing, expired contract agreements, as well as duplications of invoices among others.

   The NCC boss informed that these remittances calling for review include arithmetic accuracy check, price verification, documentation checks, international pricing database maintenance, vetting executed contract agreements among others.

   Juwah said, "The commission is of the opinion that it is not enough to remit money to overseas service providers, the industry need to develop local contents, IT software skills, and embrace the abundant capacity available at our sea shores through submarine cable services in order to create employment opportunities for our youths and foster economic growth in the nation."

   Furthermore, the EVC explained that the forum became necessary for NCC to gather stakeholders in puts on how to address stringent conditions currently place on hardware purchase by international vendors.

  He said, "We became aware of the stringent conditions the vendors attach to the purchase of hardware equipment by deliberately separating the associated operating and basic software components from the hardware equipment. Why because the overseas service providers feel that the operators have neither option nor a strategic plan to replicate local contents and IT software skills."

   According to him, the imperative of carrying out the CRS function includes; to check capital flights;  

encourage development of telecom software skills and local contents in Nigeria; ensure efficient utilization of forex by the telecoms companies; control of forex round tripping and bridge the gap between telecoms FDI and CRS remittances.