Intending Muslim Pilgrims In FCT Asked To Deposit N4.5 Million For 2024 Hajj

September 22, 2023

The Federal Capital Territory Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has advised intending Muslim Pilgrims for 2024 to deposit a minimum of N4.5 million only pending its final determination by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

A statement today, September 22, by the Assistant Chief Information Officer of the Board, Ahmad Saleh asked the intending pilgrims to make the payment through a bank draft, payable in favour of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abuja.

The statement said that the board has fixed September 25th for the commencement of the sale of forms and registration of 2024 intending Pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It advinsed intending pilgrims to submit their valid international passports and NIN at the point of registration with the Area Officers at their respective Secretariats, in the six Area Councils in the FCT, nearest to them.

It said that the Board does not accept cash deposits and does not entertain registration by proxy, adding that the Board strictly adheres to the principles of first come, first serve principle.

World Bank Intervens In Nigerian Irrigation Farming, Pledges Total Commitment

Editorial staff

September 22, 2023

The World Bank has intervened in the irrigation farming in Nigeria, Pledging to reposition it for sustainable economic development and for food security.

The Bank made the pledge when its team on Sustainable Power and Irrigation in Nigeria/ Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria, (SPIN/TRIMING) project officials visited the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev. The officials of the Bank were led by Jun Matsumoto Matsumoto.

He acknowledged the successful transformation of irrigation asset management in Nigeria through the establishment of water users associations.pastedGraphic.png

He noted the pivotal role played by the associations in ensuring the sustainable management of irrigation resources and called for support in achieving the project’s objectives.

He emphasised the critical importance of collaboration in the upcoming SPIN project and elaborated on its core objectives. Matsumoto said that one of the objectives is the utilisation of existing water resources infrastructure to address Nigeria’s water resources and energy requirements. He said that the project would include comprehensive technical assistance studies focused on large-scale water resources management, and the development of multi-purpose dam hydropower projects.

This was even as Professor Utsev said that achievements already recorded in Nigeria’s TRIMING project is impressive.

He emphasised the integral connection between economic sustainability and food security, underlining the TRIMING project’s pivotal role in enhancing food production.

The minister welcomed the proposal to replace TRIMING, set to expire in 2024, with SPIN, saying that it would address Nigeria’s pressing challenges in the area of food sufficiency.

Professor Utsev reaffirmed Federal Government’s commitment to food security, improved irrigation techniques, and enhanced farming practices across the country.

He expressed gratitude to the World Bank for the remarkable progress recorded on the project over the past nine years and expressed optimism that it would yield even more significant outcomes.

TRIMING strengthened quality of and access to productivity-enhancing and market access services for 130,000 farmers in four rehabilitated irrigation schemes.

They are the Bakolori Irrigation Scheme in Zamfara, Middle Rima Irrigation Scheme in Sokoto State, Kano River Irrigation Scheme, and Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme in Jigawa. The project provides technical assistance to establish a Farmers’ Management Centre at each of the irrigation schemes.

Source: NAN.

Board For Technical Education Boss Wants Govt To Remove HND/BSc Dichotomy Or Scrap HND

Editorial staff

September 22, 2023

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje has asked the Federal Government to scrap the Higher National Diploma (HND) in the Polytechnics if the government would not remove the dichotomy between HND and BSc.

Professor Bugaje in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that the discrimination against HND holders is uncalled for as it usually prevents the holders from attaining the highest directorate level in the public service.

According to him, the HND-BSc dichotomy is a colonial syndrome and it is unfortunate that Nigeria is yet to get out of this syndrome.

He said that the Board has written to convince the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Federal Ministry of Education to allow HND holders to go straight for two year Masters programme.

He said that the letter had however not seen the light of the day.

“Basically, what brought the top-up programme was the discrimination that we have endured over the past decades against HND holders, who for no fault of theirs ,shown nationalism by even coming to the Polytechnics to learn skills.

“HND is equivalent all over the world to a first degree, yet Nigerians are discriminating against HND holders, they are not allowed to reach the highest directorate level in the public service.

“Their progression is being attenuated over the years. When they want to convert, they are asked to step down to a lower level for no cause of theirs simply because they have not presented a BSc.

“So we felt, which is the way out and currently there has to be PGD, but PGD is not the best for HND holders because anytime they want to take employment in a University even after their Doctorate, they will still ask them to present their first degree.”

The executive secretary explained that the Board copied foreign models to assist HND holders in attaining managerial positions.

He said that the first degree should not be used as the only yardstick for progression in academia, adding that encouraging skills is a way to go if a country must grow and develop.

“So NBTE therefore looked at the best global practices, we have discovered what is happening in Ghana, South Africa, the European Union and Asia.

“What we discovered is the best option for Nigerian HND by taking the holders through a one-year top-up which will allow them to acquire BSc.

“By doing this, in theory, they have BSc and in practice they have HND and whenever you give them any assignment, they will perform more than anybody else.

“So that is the purpose to allow them to progress because all efforts to bring sanity to the system had failed. And I am of the opinion that if the federal government doesn’t want to remove this dichotomy, let the Federal Government scrap the HND as done in Ghana.”

Professor Bugaje suggested adopting the South African model in such a way that after the HND programme, the holder seeking academic career, can proceed to a one-year Bachelors top-up rather than the PGD before the Master’s degree.

We Erred, Presidency Disclaims Tinubu Being First African Leader To Ring NASDAQ Bell

Greenbarge Reporters

September 22, 2023

Nigeria’s Presidency has apologized for referring to President Bola Tinubu as the first African leader to ring the bell at NASDAQ on Wednesday, September 20 in New York.
NASDAQ is an acronym for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, a stock exchange, based in the United States of America.
“This error is sincerely regretted,” an unsigned statement today, September 22, from the State House Media and Publicity said.
The terse statement read: “We inadvertently referred to President Bola Tinubu as the first African leader to ring the bell at NASDAQ on Wednesday in New York, based on the information provided by a third-party event organiser.
“We have since found out that this information was/is incorrect as a former African leader has indeed had the privilege.
“This error is sincerely regretted.”

University Of Abuja Accuses COREN Registrar Of Blackmail Over Its Engineering Programmes

Editorial staff

September 22, 2023

The management of the University of Abuja has accused the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engineer Adisa Ademola Bello, of blackmail over its engineering programmes.

Reacting to what it called “recent media reports” attributed to the registrar, the Acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, in a statement today, September 22, said that the management of the University found the registrar’s statement misleading, “and an attempt to undermine the integrity of our engineering programmes.”

Dr. Habib drew the attention of the registrar to 2015 when having undergone rigorous review process by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and COREN, the University of Abuja received full accreditation of its Chemical Engineering and Civil Engineering programmes as well as interim accreditation of its Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programmes.

“Since then, the University has successfully graduated numerous cohorts of students, many of whom have gone on to make significant contributions in their respective fields to national development.

“To attempt to illegitimise such a breakthrough via a press conference by the COREN Registrar, who, until recently, doubled as the external examiner for one of the engineering programmes in our University, smacks of blackmail.”

The university’s spokesman said that while it is true that COREN wrote letters a couple of times, requesting to visit the University for the purpose of “Outcome Based Education (OBE) accreditation of Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,” his inconsideration for the challenges faced by the University of Abuja for several months, occasioned by strike actions and the outbreak of COVID-19 “is to say the least, upsetting.

“Let it be known that the University of Abuja has never shied away from exposing its facilities to regulatory bodies, more so when a lot of rapid infrastructural and academic developments have been taking place in the University for some time now.

“Just a couple of days ago, the University received good news from the National Universities Commission (NUC) approving three of its engineering programmes, B. Eng Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, B. Eng Architecture, and B. Eng Agricultural Engineering.

“The programmes were approved, along with 23 others presented by the University during resource verification exercise of the NUC. “This, indeed, is no mean feat.

“That the University of Abuja acknowledges the importance of accreditation as a means to ensuring that our engineering graduates meet the necessary professional qualifications and standards, does not confer on COREN the right to stampede our institution through a needless press conference.

“We believe that as a professional body, COREN should develop a better mechanism of relating with universities, instead of its current ‘headmaster approach’ to issues that demand cordiality.

“The management expresses sincere gratitude to students, staff, alumni, parents, and the wider community for their unwavering supports over the unfortunate comments by COREN about the status of the engineering programmes and its threat to blacklist the University.

“As we continue to provide high-quality education, comprehensive support services, and opportunities for personal and professional growth in all our programmes, we appeal to everyone to remain calm and reinforce their belief in the integrity, professionalism and standards that the University of Abuja has maintained for some years now.”

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede Chairs 2023 GOCOP Confab In Abuja

Greenbarge Reporters

September 21, 2023

The Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede will serve as the Chairman of the 2023 Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP)
In a statement today, September 21, the chairman of 2023 Conference Planning Committee, Danlami Nmodu, mni said that the conference will be held at Abuja Continental Hotel (Old Sheraton) in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday October 5, 2023 at 10.00am
He also that the theme for the 2023 conference is “Nigeria: Roadmap for Socio-Economic Recovery and Sustainability.”
Nmodu said that the choice of the topic is informed by current socio-political and economic realities facing Nigeria where a new set of leaders at national and state levels has emerged after the 2023 general elections.
He recalled that Ishaq Oloyede, a Nigerian professor of Islamic Studies and academic, was a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin. and was reappointed registrar and chief executive of JAMB for the second term in 2021 by the immediate past President, General Mohammadu Buhari, retired.
Oloyede is also the Secretary General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs since 2013
Past Speakers at the Conference include: Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto who delivered the 2019 lecture on “Economy, Security and National Development: The Way Forward”. In 2021, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation keynoted the Conference in his capacity as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19. He spoke on: “Post Covid-19 Pandemic: Recovery and Reconstruction in Nigeria”. In 2022, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission delivered the address titled: “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome.”
GOCOP was established to ensure that online publishers uphold the tenets of journalism in doing their jobs and our membership is a constellation of editors and senior journalists, whom, having distinguished themselves in their various stations in the print and electronic media, ventured into online publishing which is both the present and future of journalism globally. Currently, the Guild has over 90 corporate publishers as members.

Wike Revokes Plots Belonging To Peter Obi, Udo Udoma, Others In Abuja

Greenbarge Reporters

September 21, 2023

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has revoked plots belonging to the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and 166 others in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital.
Affected also are Liyel Imoke, Musa Aboki Egu, Hassan Hadejia and Ishaya Baba.
Revoked also are plots belonging to the late Publisher of Leadership newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah; Donubari Josephine Kogbara, BUA international.
Others are Julius Berger Nigeria, Honeywell Construction, Uffot Joseph Ekaette, Shittu Mohammed, Udoma Udo Udoma, Kanu Agabi, Niki Niki Tobi, Ishaku Bello.
Areas affected in the mass revocation are Maitama, Gudu, Wuye which had the highest revocation, 41; Katampe, Katampe Extension, Wuse 2, Jabi, Utako, Idu Industrial zone, and Asokoro which had the second highest revocation, 39.
In a notice issued late today, September 21, the administration said that the plots were revoked due to the refusal or failure of their allottees to develop them.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA hereby informs the general public that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978, revoked the underlisted plots with names and titles as reflected in our records for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development.”
The notice was signed by the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola.
Wike had, on assumption of office, vowed to restore the master plan of the territory and revoke plots that had not been developed or those whose ground rents have not been paid for years.
He had consequently given a two-week grace to allottees to pay their ground rents or risk revocation of their allocations.

Mohbad’s Mother Wants Naira Marley Arrested Over Son’s Death

Editorial staff

September 21, 2023

Promise Aloba, mother of the late Nigerian singer, Mohbad, has called on the Federal Government and Nigerians in general to help uncover the truth behind her son’s untimely death.

She made the call when Senator Elisha Abbo, Chairman, House Committee on Committee on Entertainment Economy, and Nollywood actresses , Tonto Dikeh and Iyabo Ojo, paid the family a condolence visit in Lagos today, September 21.

Aloba, who spoke in Yoruba Language, alleged that Naira Marley, the owner of Marlian Record label, is connected to her son’s death.

She called for assistance in investigating the matter further.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 27-year-old Mohbad was formerly signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Records and left the label in 2022.

She said that her late son had always complained about serious threat to his life by Naira Marley and some other individuals.

In tears, Aloba said: “I know my son, he told me that Naira Marley usually threatened him. Please Nigerians help me to look for him; please have mercy on me; that is all you can do for me.

“I cannot singlehandedly fish him out. Also, he told me the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) gave him some water in a bottle to drink sometimes ago. Help me please.

“My son was always beaten. Even he was mentioning Sam Larry, l don’t know them. They enslaved my son.

“He was always telling me to guide him so he would not be killed, these were all he was saying until they finally killed him. Please help me.”

Speaking, Abbo assured Mohbad’s mother of protection and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his demise.

Meanwhile, the Police Command in Lagos State announced that it has completed exhumation of the body of Mohbad to conduct an autopsy as part of further investigation into his death.

Without Power Supply, Benefits Of Artificial Intelligence May Elude Africa – NCC Boss, Danbatta

Editorial staff

September 21, 2023

The Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta has said that lack of regular power supply may lead to Africa losing the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He asked African continent to commit to ensuring reliable power supply and fostering a conducive regulatory environment.

“Without robust infrastructure, the potential of AI will remain untapped, and the digital divide will further widen.”

Professor Danbatta spoke today, September 21, at the opening of the 11th edition of the digital Africa Conference and exhibition. He was represented by the Head, Consumer Information and Education, NCC, Dr. Emilia Nwokolo. The theme for this year’s event is “Artificial Intelligence and Africa.”

The NCC boss said that the Artificial Intelligence has emerged as one of the most transformative technologies of our time. Its potential to revolutionize industries, enhance productivity, and improve the quality of life for citizens cannot be overstated.

He believed that AI will play a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s digital future, saying that there are several examples of AI-powered software in use in daily lives, including voice assistants, face recognition for unlocking mobile phones, fingerprint biometrics, and machine learning-based financial fraud detection.

“In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable advancements in AI across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, finance, transportation, education, and even governance.

“AI-powered solutions have the potential to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges, such as limited access to healthcare, food security, financial inclusion, and infrastructure development.

“However, for Africa to fully embrace the benefits of AI, we must address several critical factors.

“First, we must invest in building the necessary digital infrastructure. “This includes expanding broadband connectivity.

Professor Danbatta stressed the need for Africa to prioritize digital skills development.

According to him, AI technologies require a skilled workforce capable of developing, deploying, and maintaining these systems.

“We need to invest in education and training programs that equip our youth with the necessary skills to participate in the AI-driven economy. By nurturing a generation of AI experts, we can elevate Africa’s position in the global AI landscape and create job opportunities for our youth.”

He suggested that the ethical considerations must underpin the approach to AI, saying: “we must ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness.

“We must guard against biases, protect privacy and data security, and uphold human rights. AI should be a force for good, promoting inclusivity and leaving no one behind.

“Collaboration and partnerships are also crucial in unlocking the potential of AI in Africa. We must foster collaboration among governments, regulatory bodies, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

“By working together, we can share knowledge, pool resources together, and leverage expertise to drive innovation and create an enabling environment for AI adoption.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission is fully committed to supporting the development and deployment of AI technologies in Nigeria and across the continent.

“We are working to create an enabling regulatory framework that promotes innovation while safeguarding the interests of consumers and citizens.

“We are also collaborating with stakeholders to establish AI research and development centres, incubation hubs, and startup ecosystems to nurture homegrown AI talent.”

The NCC boss stressed that the theme of this year’s conference; “Artificial Intelligence and Africa,” offered a glimpse into the immense possibilities that lie ahead.

He said that AI holds the power to transform the societies, drive economic growth and improve the well-being of the people. “Let us seize this opportunity and work together to build an inclusive, sustainable, and AI-powered Africa.”

Gov Soludo Declares Free, Compulsory Education From Nursery To JSS 3 In Anambra

Editorial staff

September 21, 2023

Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has declared free and compulsory education from nursery to Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) level in public schools in the state.

Prof Soludo, who spoke today, September 21 on the new policy at Premier Primary School, Obosi, Idemili North Council Area, said that his administration is passionate about actualising an all-inclusive education.

He said that no child within the school age; from nursery to JSS 3, should be charged school fees or any other fees to acquire education in the state.

“The aim is to go back to the basic when education was used as the equalizer, such that children from poor and rich backgrounds will attend the same school and compete favourably.

“Children of school age will no longer be deprived of access to quality education.

“Education from nursery to JSS is free and compulsory in the state.

“This will increase the access of children to basic education and to ensure the fullest development of personality, talents, mental and physical abilities of our children.

“We will not look kindly on anyone who fails to comply with the above pronouncement.”

Governor Soludo said that massive infrastructure development would start in all government-owned schools in the coming weeks.

According to him, the community schools will be upgraded to smart schools in line with the vision of imparting skillful and sustainable education.

Professor Soludo said that machinery would be put in place to ensure the effective implementation of smart schools in the state.

Source: NAN

1...259260261...2,506 Page 260 of 2,506