The Technology Innovation Institute’s (TII) Falcon 40B, the UAE’s leading large-scale open-source AI model, is now free of royalties for commercial and research use, in response to global demand for inclusive access to AI.
Ranked #1 globally on Hugging Face’s leaderboard for large language models (LLMs), Falcon 40B outperforms competitors like Meta’s LLaMA and Stability AI’s StableLM. Under the permissive Apache 2.0 software license, Falcon 40B end-users have access to any patent covered by the software in question. Apache 2.0 ensures the security and availability of safe and powerful open-source software and establishes an effective governance model.
TII’s unrestricted access to Falcon 40B highlights its dedication to technological innovation and knowledge-sharing, fostering a collaborative ecosystem and strengthening the UAE’s position as a global AI leader. In addition, it reflects the UAE’s commitment to pushing the boundaries in shaping a future where AI plays a pivotal role in driving positive change.
Open-source, royalty-free deployment of Falcon 40B could empower public and private sector entities with efficiencies such as faster project starts, faster iterations, more flexible software development processes, robust community-driven support, and easier license management.
TII aims to cultivate a thriving ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing among developers, researchers, and businesses globally. The move promotes transparency, inclusivity, and accelerated progress in AI for the world, unlocking diverse opportunities for its applications across industries and sectors.
Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei, Director, AI Cross-Center Unit at TII, said: “Waiving Falcon 40B royalties promotes inclusive tech advancements for a cohesive society. We’re committed to using technology to unify humanity and future-proof our world.”
Delta State Deputy Governor, Chief Sir Monday Onyeme, has said that with the support of all Deltans, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration will surpass the achievements of previous administrations in the state.
Addressing staff of the Deputy Governor’s office when he resumed duty on Tuesday, Chief Onyeme stated that Rt. Hon. Oborevwori’s administration will not falter in delivering on its promises.
“To you, the staff of Deputy Governor’s office, thank you for the assistance you gave to my predecessors; we are all Deltans, so, the work is continuous.
“As an individual, I am not looking at the situation that the work has changed because I was part of the last administration and I am part of this government.
“What we need is your cooperation and the cooperation of all Deltans so that we will be more successful than the previous administrations.
“We will listen more, we will do more and we will have more secured and progressive state.
“We should work as a team, members of one family who are committed to making our state, Delta, better,” he said.
The Deputy Governor who was accompanied by his wife, Catherine, thanked those who accompanied him on his first day to office and solicited for their prayers.
Ven. Felix Okonkwo of Anglican Communion, who led the Deputy Governor and those who accompanied him to the office in singing praises and praying to God, stated that with strong belief in God and by engaging in positive activities, the dream state would be achieved by Deltans.
Some of those who accompanied the Deputy Governor to his office include the member representing Ndokwa West Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Charles Emetulu, Engr. Dan Ossai, Chief Christopher Osakwe, Hon. Aneke Ifemeni, Hon. Orji Ossai, Chief Lucky Ossai, Chief Godday Mgbabego, Chief Richard Okpor, Hon Patrick Ogelenya, Hon. Monday Akpe, Sir Anthony Chukwu, among others.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested members of a syndicate involved in the illicit importation and trafficking of lethal synthetic opioid, Fentanyl,
Fentanyl is a drug which is 100 times stronger than tramadol and capable of causing mass casualty among the youth population being targeted by the cartels.
In a press statement on Tuesday, the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the arrest of two members of the syndicate: Odoh Oguejiofor and Oliver Uzoma at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South local government area of Anambra State, in well-coordinated and clinical operations, is coming on the heels of an alert issued by the NDLEA on 22nd November 2022 that some criminal elements were plotting to flood the Nigerian market with the drug, which is currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.
Babafemi recalled that the CDC in the US, had described Fentanyl as 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.
The NDLEA Spokesman said following credible intelligence and synergy with local and international partners, the anti-narcotics agency was able to mobilise necessary assets to trace the illicitly manufactured drug to the Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, reputed to be the largest drug market in West Africa, after months of undercover monitoring.
He said convinced that the agency has gathered sufficient evidence to nail the suspects, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) ordered a deployment of operatives to pick members of the syndicate one after the other. Odoh Oguejiofor was the first to be arrested while on a business mission with packets of 100 micrograms of Fentanyl, while the arrest of Uzoma who is a major dealer in other illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical opioids including Fentanyl, followed.
He disclosed that packs of liquid Fentanyl were recovered from Odoh, different quantities of banned and controlled drugs including Fentanyl were seized from Uzoma. They include: ampules of Fentanyl Injection; Ozempic solution for injection in pre-filled pens; ampules of Sustanon 250mg/ml; ampules of Rivavirin injection 200mg/2ml; ampules of Erythropoietin injection; ampules of Recombinant Anti Rho-D Immunoglobulin injection 300MG; ampules of Pethidine 100mg/2ml solution for injection and Zoladex 3.6mg Goserelin.
Reacting to the arrest of members of the syndicate, Marwa commended all officers and men of the agency involved in the operation while directing them to intensify the crackdown on other members of the cartel who may have gone underground.
Marwa said: “We’ll no doubt hunt down every member of this criminal gang before they do further harm to our public health especially our youth population. In the meantime, I’ll like to thank our international partners for the huge confidence in us and their support and partnership for the benefit of humanity. In the same vein, I’ll urge parents and other stakeholders to be vigilant, alert and warn their young ones against attempting experimenting with this illicit substance.”
“The agency wishes to reiterate that exposure to this lethal opioid, which could come in different forms, as has been shown by the seizure, may result in pinpoint pupils, falling asleep or losing consciousness, slow and shallow breathing, choking or gurgling sounds, limp body, and pale, blue, or cold skin,” Marwa explained.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has cautioned fuel marketers in the state against hoarding of Petroleum products especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Festus Ahon in a statement on Tuesday in Asaba quoted Governor Oborevwori as saying that the state government would not tolerate acts that would make life difficult for Deltans.
He said the state government desire is to grow the economy of the State through its MORE agenda. He therefore solicited the support of all stakeholders in its determination to make life more meaningful for Deltans.
According to the statement, “we have heard and seen the reaction of Petroleum Marketers in the state to the announcement of alleged subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu.”
He said the state government had been inundated with reports of filling stations in the state hoarding products and thereby creating artificial scarcity with intent to hike price.
The Delta State Governor views the action of these marketers as unpatriotic and waging of economic war against the people of the state.
“As a government, we will not watch marketers exploit Deltans of their hard earned income through creation of artificial scarcity”, he said.
He called on marketers to be patriotic and continue selling their products to the general public at the official pump price.
Oborevwori added that the relevant government agencies have been directed to monitor the situation and ensure total compliance with the directive.
The state government, he said, would not hesitate to take necessary action against any filling station hoarding the product or who is caught selling above the official price.
By 10: 40 am, May 29th, 2023, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken over the mantle of Leadership of our dear Nation, Nigeria from former President Mohammadu Buhari.
This opened a new chapter in the annals of our political history and put paid to the debate of whether he will be sworn in or not. As it is today, he’s the “de facto” President of the Federal Republic, albeit with the baggage of controversy, mixed feelings, awe, cynicism and a possible crisis of legitimacy.
It was a long route filled with booby traps, self-inflicted personality and identity crises, dangerous unholy antecedents, obscure perceptions and opaque introspective Inquisition that unravelled the persona of the dramatic personae himself.
Now that the Asiwaju is here, can we honestly allow for the process of finding the truth about the just concluded election to have its way and the constitutionality of claims and counterclaims to have a say without recourse to name-calling, hatred and suppression of the zealous on our way to finding the utmost truth and justice where the future of our nation should be hinged?
This Nation is bigger than every adherent of any political leader and definitely will outlive every living defender of our present political elites. This is the reason we must all seek to discover our mistakes, errors and missteps to correct them and set in place a lasting political legacy that will endure and benefits posterity.
Let the political jobbers stop their shenanigans and allow for a satisfactory Inquisition into how we gave birth to a controversial dispensation such as the one we enthroned today.
Let the wheel of Justice grind with the sincerity of intentionality. Let everyone hides his beneficial expectations for once and think of the larger population who do not have such access to the present political players or such possible benefits.
Let’s maintain the peace, and allow for the continuum called governance while we desperately and anxiously expect the outcome of a final umpire in this matter. Above all, let us put Nigeria first. It is called Patriotism.
Austen Akhagbeme is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has announced the plan to commence afternoon primary and secondary education system to address problems of congestion and increase enrollment of out-of-school children.
The state governor, made the announcement on Monday in Maiduguri while delivering his inauguration speech after taking an oath of office for second term.
He said: “Although we have built dozens of new Mega-Size schools and expanded existing schools with about 1000 new classrooms, we are still faced with issues of congestion in classrooms, and with the worse problem of having thousands of out-of-school children despite being of school-ages.”
He added that: “I am happy to announce that Borno State will soon commence afternoon primary and secondary schools system. I am appointing an implementation committee to work out modalities for starting the afternoon school system, and it (the committee) will be identifying pilot schools to be selected from some of our mega schools in Maiduguri which have good lightening systems.”
Zulum explained that introducing afternoon schools would entail increased number of staff and for that, he directed office of the Head of Service to carefully identify some well-certificated staff currently redundant at government secretariats, who will be trained on school orientation and can be deployed to hold non-teaching positions in afternoon schools.
The governor also said security measures will be taken to ensure success of the afternoon schools noting that classes may sometimes extend to early portions of the night.
Zulum also disclosed his plan to recruit 5,000 teachers during his second term of office, insisting that this would improve the standard of education in Borno State,
He noted that other measures such as mock examinations in secondary schools will be re-introduced and centers of excellence will be established to allow government to harness the potentials of less privileged children.
The United Kingdom Government has congratulated Senators Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima on their inauguration as the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a message to President Tinubu, His Majesty King Charles III said: “Dear Mr. President, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to you on your inauguration as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to send you every possible good wish as you assume the many responsibilities of your office.
“As Commonwealth partners with a deep bond, I look forward to building an even stronger friendship between our countries during your Presidency.”
The UK delegation at the inauguration in Abuja on Monday is headed by the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria and Special Envoy on Girls’ Education, The Rt Hon Helen Grant OBE MP and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery CMG.
Helen Grant OBE, The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Trade to Nigeria and Girls’ Education said: “My priority is to strengthen our bilateral trade and investment partnership, to the mutual benefit of our two great nations, and I look forward to working alongside the new administration to further that goal.
“In this, the land of my father, I hold a great affection for its people, and my work in ensuring every girl gets 12 years of quality education will also remain at the top of my Nigerian agenda.”
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery on his part said: “The UK hopes to work with the new administration as we support a more prosperous and resilient Nigeria, and strengthen our partnership on trade, development, and security.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborovweri has appointed Vanguard’s senior reporter and member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Asaba correspondents Caapel, Sir Festus Ahon as Chief Press Secretary (CPS).
Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Dominic Adewole praised the Governor n the appointment of his member, saying that his good work spoke for him.
He described Mr. Ahon as a worthy journalist and deserving of the appointment.
According to him, “the governor has started well and will end well.”
Executive member , Delta State Chapter of People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) Hon. Trophy Krifagha congratulates the newly sworn Delta State governor , His Excellency Sheriff Oborevwori, saying Governor Sheriffs heart of neighborliness attitude provides the platform for him becoming Governor
Speaking shortly after the swearing in Asaba via telephone interview, Hon. Krifagha said the new Governor has always been a committed member of the PDP , has respect for the party leadership.
According to him, the new governor is trusted, therefore, he urged people of Delta State to give him all support and encouragement to enable him fulfill in his MORE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA for Deltans irrespective of their positions.
He described the new governor as an embodiment of peace, love, humility, wisdom and understanding whom depth knowledge and experience of peculiarities of various ethnic groups and their needs unprecedented.
Krifagha noted that Deltans are in a safe hand, and He asked God to give the new governor enablement to succeed in responsibility to Deltans.
Hon. Krifagha also thanked God for successfully guided the former governor of Delta State Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to have piloted the affairs of Delta State without crises, ill feelings from any quarters, and handed over the state peacefully to new administration.
He pointed out that Senator Ifeanyi Okowa’s massive contributions in terms of people oriented development would further serve as a guide to the new government. He stressed that Senator Okowa strengthened the PDP and the party family throughout his eight years.
Krifagha prayed God should continue to strengthen him and give him and family his good health, peace as he continued to render quality service to humanity.
The transformation experienced by the Delta State Civil Service under the present Head of Service, Mr Reginald Bayoko—a 7-year period so far, did not happen by chance. It was the function of a divine meeting of like minds, orientation and synergy between the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Bayoko, the forward looking number one Civil Servant of Delta State.
A background is germane to the success story. Okowa, who had years of experience as Secretary to Local Government, Chairman of Local Government Council, State Commissioner in many Ministries and Secretary to State Government (SSG), knew the critical role of the Civil Service in policy implementation. With his robust SMART agenda in 2015, Okowa knew the number one Civil Servant had to be smart for him to succeed. Bayoko, who fit perfectly, with his vision soon appeared on the horizon and Okowa did not wallow in indecision to appoint him on June 2016 as Head of Service. Like Okowa, the Head of the Civil Service in Delta State had a meteoric rise in career owing to mix of great competence and divine intervention which seemed to have dotted his life trajectory.
At Bayoko’s inauguration as Head of Service, Okowa formalised his agenda: “The sole test of a civil servant’s conduct should be his ability to perform the tasks which are entrusted to him. Anything else is entirely immaterial. Therefore, the fundamental virtues of a civil servant are punctuality, unfailing courtesy, pleasant disposition, modesty and willingness to serve the public at all times. It must be said of the civil servant: he is so efficient and hard-working and yet so humble”. The Governor admonished Reginald Bayoko to live up to expectation by causing positive transformation in the service in the performance of his duties with the highest integrity that would bring true satisfaction to the people.
Apart from revealing his personage, Bayoko’s post-inauguration response inspired hope: “We need an adjustment to our attitude; we have to adopt a new positive mind-set, coupled with a shift in our paradigm of thinking. And this involves internalising the core values of civil service and with special focus on productivity, quality, innovativeness, discipline and integration, to create a forward-looking flexible market-driven public service motivated to meet the challenges of rapid development. I am an optimist, who is full of hope about the future of the service, despite apprehensions and scepticisms”.
With this rapport and synergy, they hit the ground running! The massive development projects in all sectors of the Okowa-Otuaro administration in Delta State is a testament to the success of the Civil Service—the engine room of governance—under Bayoko’s watch. But this piece is about how the Okowa-Bayoko synergy empowered and uplifted the civil servants towards efficient service delivery.
Prompt payment of salaries may not have been a challenge of the Delta State Government before the Bayoko years but its sustenance under the financially excruciating years that began Okowa’s stint as governor, and especially in 2016 when oil revenue was at an all-time low, speaks volumes about the Bayoko Okowa synergy. The goals-oriented Governor was not daunted by the financial crunch in approving conversions, promotions and training/re-orientation programmes in the civil service which naturally upped the expenditure of government. The synergy ensured that during the COVID 19 era in 2020, the Governor ensured that workers engaged in the period got financial boost.
The Delta workforce was also motivated with car and housing loans while Governor Okowa built a massive and befitting Secretariat—Prof Chike Edozien Secretariat—which stands today as pride of the Delta Civil Servant! The secretariat is complete with a reliable Independent Power Project light supply and internet connectivity that has made the working environment and conditions conducive, thanks majorly to Bayoko’s piece of advice to a listening and responsive Governor. The Head of Service inculcated discipline by introducing a clock-in-and-out system to redirect civil servants in the state to dedicate to the task to implementing the SMART and Stronger Delta agenda of the Okowa administration.
The Bayoko years also saw a meeting point between the former top brass of the Civil Service, especially former Heads of Service—for cross fertilisation of ideas for improved service delivery in the state.
A lot of people may not note that the Head of Service, Bayoko, was at the centre of the successful industrial harmony in the state where strike issues for teachers and other types of workers, were quickly aborted or addressed. The consummate administrator that he is, Bayoko brought all his years of expertise to bear on his commitment to serve Delta State in keeping with his inaugural commitment. He had said: “Under the direction of His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and in line with the goal of revamping the service, the areas I intend to tackle include offering some useful suggestions on the recruitment and appointment process, capacity-building, performance management, promotion, including conduct, integrity and discipline. I have the responsibility to dedicate myself to maintaining the political neutrality of our service, safeguarding our legitimate interest and ensuring that we have a clean, efficient, committed and professional service that gives full and loyal support to the government in its policy execution and provide quality services to the citizenry. I will dedicate all my energy towards uplifting the service and together, we should share in this collective resolve”.
Looking back, today, at 7 years of Bayoko synergy with the Okowa-Otuaro administration, conditions of the Civil Service may not be at the Eldorado but have indeed improved—several notches up the development ladder!
Former Governor of Delta State, His Excellency Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has been described as a developer who has helped many people to have a fulfilling destiny.
The above statement was made by a former Senior Special Assistant to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa on Political Matters, Hon. Simeon Daregha shortly after the swearing of the new governor of Delta State said Senator Okowa a man of peace handed over the state in peace to the new administration.
According to Daregha, Senator Okowa’s appointments were not selective, whether certificates or not, godfathers or not because as a developer, he sees beyond parochial tendencies.
He pointed out that the former governor Okowa had cordial relationship with his appointees, know most of them by names and related with them with the understanding that he got to the position of governor by God’s providence.
Daregha noted that Senator Okowa diligence in handling issues was precursor for the massive people- oriented development in the state which had added value to Deltans and would attract great investors to the state.
The former SSA opined that Okowa passion for human capital development was made deliberately to revolutionize the economy of Delta State.
In his words ” I new the former governor Senator Okowa since 2005 when he was Commissioner of Health, he made me to become politically active and relevant ”
Daregha said. Okowa’s leadership qualities are unprecedented, saying overcoming COVID19 in his second term and the Recession in the first term without crises speaks volume of the kind leader Delta State is blessed with.
The chairman of the National Association Propriers of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Oshimili South local government area, Mr Samson Ekene flanked by members of the executive on Monday in Asaba, decried the effect of the trending video by one Mr Harrison on the society.
It could be recalled that a trending video by a right activist, Mr Harrison, had recorded the initiation ceremony process called snake bite among pupils of a private school in Asaba.
The development which hitherto, caused commotion in schools in the locality, leading to the withdrawal children from schools by aggrieved parents, for fear of being initiated had been greatly condemned by private schools owners.
Mr Ekene chided Mr Harrison for not securing official permission from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education before embarking on his infamous incitement journey of the public against the private schools in the state.
The chairman of NAPPS, however enjoined parents to disregard the video, insisting that it was a false information targeted at bringing disrepute to schools.
He therefore implored Mr. Harrison to urgently pull down his trending video on alleged cultism among school pupils/students and probably render an apology to assuage the damage already caused by him.
Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has sent a high level delegation led by the Defence Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh to the inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s 16th President.
A statement on Saturday by the Indian High Commission in Nigeria, disclosed that Singh arrives in Abuja, on 28 May 2023 (today) as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Nigeria’s President.
According to the statement, the visit of Mr. Rajnath Singh reflects the growing bilateral relations between India and Nigeria and signifies India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria.
Mr. Singh is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs of India. Mr. Singh is the senior most Minister in Government of India.
The statement insisted that sending such a senior Minister to Nigeria as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India reflects India’s commitment to the deep-rooted bilateral relations with Nigeria.
The statement revealed that during his stay in Abuja, Mr. Singh is scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremony, and convey warm wishes and felicitations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the President-elect, adding that: “It is significant that given special relations with Nigeria, the Government of India has invited Nigeria as a guest county to participate in all the G20 meetings during her G20 Presidency in 2023. Minister Singh is expected to have a special message to the President-elect of Nigeria regarding the G20. The G20 summit, 2023 will be held in New Delhi on 9-10 Sep 2023 with the Heads of States of the member countries & Invited guest Countries.
The statement also said that: “As India continues to enhance its engagements in Africa, the visit of Defence Minister Singh to Abuja marks a significant step in deepening the bilateral relationship between India and Nigeria, setting the stage for a new chapter of cooperation and partnership between the two nations.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of 32 pieces of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, believed to be for bandits camp in Niger state.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said this was part of the clampdowns during raids of drug joints and routes nationwide ahead of May 29 inauguration of new administrations across the country.
According to Babafemi, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has since ordered the immediate transfer of a suspect, Musa Muhammadu caught with the explosives last Monday along Wawa road, Kainji, Niger state to the military.
He said barely a week after NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos intercepted a consignment of 30.1 kilogrammes methamphetamine going to London, UK, another shipment containing 379 grammes of the same illicit substance concealed in false bottom of six black soap containers, packed in a carton containing local hand fans, heading to Cyprus in Europe, has been recovered at a courier company in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, in the agency.
He disclosed that in Adamawa state, operatives on stop and search patrol along Michika- Bazza road last Friday arrested a Cameroonian, Ndawai Emma Ngalou with a pair of Nigerian Army camourflage uniform bearing Sunday U and two ATM cards belonging to Turaki Mohammed and Ekene Izuegunam.
Two ladies: Bilkisu Yusuf, 33, and Kauna Katsina, 25, were last Monday arrested in Ningi town, Bauchi state with 11,080 pills of tramadol, while Uche Shadrach, 22, was arrested with 20,480 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid last Wednesday along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.
In the same vein, two suspects: Surajo Adamu and Muhammad Ali were arrested last Friday with 379,200 tablets of diazepam in Alimosho area of Lagos, while the MMIA Command of the agency took custody of 22 cartons of tramadol 225mg weighing 1,144.3 kilogrammes and 12 cartons of tramadol 120mg with a total weight of 320 kilogrammes, all containing 2, 317, 400 pills transferred to the agency by the Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service last Thursday.
In Delta state, NDLEA operatives supported by men drawn from the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and the Police last Wednesday raided the notorious Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA where three suspects: Eunice Eneh, 52; Animan Ifeoma, 26, and Chuks Dennis, 35, were arrested with a total of 343.9 kilogrammes cannabis recovered from them.
A similar mop up operation in Bayelsa has led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Ozoemena Egbochue, 38, at the Swali market in Yenagoa last Monday following the earlier arrest of his sales boy, Morgan Eredeowei with 11,748 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
Meanwhile, Marwa while commending the officers and men of the agency across all Commands nationwide for their professionalism and synergy with other law enforcement agencies in the mop up operation, urged them to sustain the offensive action even after the Monday 29th May handover ceremonies.
Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe has said Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage is ready to be showcased to the rest of the world with the setting up of a new E-library/View Centre.
Runsewe said a new E-library/View Centre in the pipeline will capture Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage history and link it up to about 150 countries in the world and will be situated at Nigeria’s new Culture House in Abuja.
The E-library/View Centre platform, which is one of the positive fall-out of Runsewe’s ongoing engagements in China, the DG, NCAC said will be strategically deployed to harness basic information, history and tradition of Nigeria cultural tourism heritage and showcasing them to global tourism community, cultural heritage experts and students of cultural studies all over the world.
Fielding questions from journalists in Beijing after a visit to the Great Wall of China, a notable heritage tourism site, Runsewe explained that the E-library/View Centre which became a new platform to marketing natural resources and Heritage sites during the COVID-19 pandemic is now being deployed by other countries to market their tourism and heritage opportunities to the world.
According to Runsewe, who is also the President, World Craft Council (WCC), Africa region, “The beauty is that once Nigeria keys into the E-library/View Centre, we are going to be connected to over 150 countries in the world, which will change the way the world sees Nigeria, including the wrong things they read about us which is not correct.”
He added that the platform will also serve as avenue to tell Nigeria story by Nigerians, explaining further that Nigeria will use the opportunity to tell the world of what we are doing, what is happening and share our history, cultural heritage and our icons which will generate positive discussions and interests about our country.
“I am happy because we’re going to be connected digitally by this E-library to about 150 countries of the world, an advantage which also brings us to study more about digital opportunities which we can leverage to market and promote Nigeria.”
On the role played by the Ambassador of China to Nigeria, His Excellency, Cui Jianchun in deepening the bond of friendship and culture between Nigeria and China, Runsewe disclosed that the ambassador is not only a visionary leader but has also changed the story of relationship between Nigeria and China since he assumed office in Nigeria.
He said: “His Excellency, the ambassador is all over the place in Nigeria, coordinating and bringing the people of the two countries together, particularly Nigerian youths whom he has provided opportunities to learn about the history and language of the Chinese, and also facilitating the Chinese students coming to Nigeria universities and communities to learn about the history and culture of the nigerian people
“There’s no doubt that the relationship between China and Nigeria is growing by the day, which is as the result of visionary leadership from both the Chinese embassy and the Chinese cultural centre in Nigeria. I must also praise the efforts of Li Xuda, the Director of Chinese center in Abuja for the good works he’s doing with the Nigerian youths”, explaining further,that he took to the floor during the seminar in China to speak of the good works which the ambassador and his team has done in Nigeria to which one of the gains, is the opportunity for Nigeria to connect to an E-library which will open up the country to other nations in the world.
“Certainly, I’m discussing with the Chinese ambassador on how to bring a strong team from Nigeria to under study the cultural strategy of China so we can develop what I call 37 Nigerian national cultural tourism products, one cultural tourism product per state, so that at the end of the day, this cultural tourism products will serve as our strategy to engage the world and bring them to know about our people and our diversity” Runsewe reiterated.
The Nigeria Culture House, which will also serve as the new address of the National Council for Arts and Culture ( NCAC), will be unveiled in June 2023 in Abuja.
Nigeria as a nation has come a long way. We have been bedevilled by a seemingly unsolvable contradiction right from our colonial cradle as a people, to our adulthood stage as a state with geographical space.
The mutual suspicion brought about by ethnographic reality has over time morphed into hate and severe psychological conflagration of some sort, such that it is becoming increasingly unimaginable if we can ever overcome the dire consequences of this mismanaged construct.
Every nation has a soul and a conscience. Ours is a conscience in an argument in perpetuity; a constant self-engagement between the rightness of doing right and the bare face justification of doing wrong.
This interplay between two opposing forces has helped in shaping societies into modernity, development and improved human relations on one hand, and the ruination and total annihilation of nations on the other.
No nation grows beyond her state of conscience and consciousness. Our collective conscience as a nation can be worked on to deliver only the good for the generality of the people rather than a few privileged individuals who know what is right but chose to do only what is wrong.
A nation where personal desires must be attained despite the collective desire without regard to morality, humanness and negative consequences to the majority in the course of pursuing such potentially destructive ambition can never attain greatness and respect among the comity of Nations.
It is most unfortunate that it is on this evil trajectory that we sit all the time as a nation, pontificating to no avail, how to move the nation forward. Let us change our style to run not on our feet or emotions but on our conscience as people who call a spade its true name.
Until and unless we go in this direction, our collective expectation for our nation will forever remain a pipe dream.
Austen Akhagbeme s a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online
Delta State’s schools are currently seriously understaffed .
As Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori steps in today May 29,2023 Delta teachers will continue to appeal to the state government to recruit more teachers so that the job will be more comfortable for those who are still in the system. Efforts have been made in the past to retain them and to also attract new and more competent hands with the approval of sixty five(65) years of age and forty(40) years of service for retirement of teachers
It may not be asking for too much if we say that it is high time we introduced a rural allowance or a salary scale that will take care of those who may be going to rural areas to teach. Teaching should be given a different salary scale as it has earlier been proposed. Effort should be accelerated to bring that to bear so that we can retain more teachers and competent hands for that matter. When that is done, the government will no longer be the one to supervise, rather the NUT will do the supervision to justify the maxim that ‘to whom, much is given, much is expected.’
-Com Titus Okotie ,NUT Chairman
When the teacher is satisfied with the job he or she is doing, they think about the job day in , day out.The teacher who is well remunerated will not be distracted.. We really need to look inwards to motivate the teachers, to empower them to add value to society through effective teaching and learning. Considering the economic situation in the country, today, one cannot but argue the fact that the income can no longer take the teaching staff home.. For instance, take a look at the price of fuel, which has snow-balled into the increase of every other commodity, while the salary has remaimed stagnant.
The last time recruitment was carried out, only 1, 500 teachers were employed to replace the 9,000, which are grossly inadequate. The figure is just like a drop of water in the ocean. Even Governor Okowa was aware of that and having been confronted with the danger this poses for our education system in the state, he made the teachers to understand that part of what is restraining him from recruiting more hands was that he would not want to owe any of his workers, including teachers, any kobo.But shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Anything less than 6000 teachers will be inadequate to bridge the gap in the secondary arm alone.
Meanwhile, the situation is worse at the primary level. In some primary schools, there exist only three teachers in the whole school and you wonder how they are coping. It is that bad. We are aware that the allocation to the local government has been very bad lately, but there is the hope though that the coming in of Oborevwoori will make things better. The governor had directed every local government to recruit more teachers, but as of now, no visible attempt has been made. Now that the elections are over the officers there-in need be reminded of the directives again.
Teachers who are degree holders in primary school are in a serious dilemma. What the policy recommends though as minimum qualification for teaching is NCE. On one hand, if that is all you have acquired as a teacher, you will be stagnated in terms of promotion, no matter the number of years you spent in service. So, everybody wants to get to the peak; they go for their University degrees. Hence, the argument is that with such qualifications, they should be moved to the junior schools, while the NCE holders are allowed to remain at the primary level.
On the flip side , I am glad to tell you that Delta State is the 12th state to have actualised that after the retirement bill was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 8th of April 2022. the NUT quickly put her house in order and approached the head of service, following the necessary protocols, the governor of the state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as an Establishment matter graciously approved the memo and it became a law on February, 15 2023.This makes it mandatory for teachers to do their job well.
No educational system can grow above the level of its teachers,hence theOborevbori led government should be encouraged to train and retrain teachers,through aggressive drive, within the ambits of international best practices, and in conjunction with the NUT.
The inauguration of the new board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, on Friday, May 26, turned out a carnival of sorts. Deltans from all the host communities thronged the Government House, Asaba, to welcome and celebrate the new members.
Many testified that their interest in DESOPADEC was because of how the immediate past board and management, guided by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s vision, redirected and drove the agency to impact on the social and economic development of the stakeholder communities through the delivery on various infrastructure and social amenities, from roads, bridges and jetties, to educational, health and housing facilities, security, human capital development and much more, giving fresh meaning to the establishment of the interventionist agency.
Central to the excellent performance was Bashorun Askia Ogieh, the Udu of Isoko Nation, who was Managing Director in the Michael Diden pace-setting board and later retained on extension still as Managing and Chief Executive Officer.
Unarguably steering the agency into the most innovative and impactful across Nigeria, it was such that sister agencies of various other oil producing states came to borrow leaves from the Askia-led management.
When the national Civil Rights Community came on an inspection tour of its projects in late 2022, their members had an interesting debate on which sector they thought the management did best.
Pointing at the construction and upgrade of facilities in both primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, some of them argued that the magic was more in education. The educational projects are in hundreds but many would not forget the Ogulagha Model Secondary School, a state of the art boarding affair which compares strongly with the bests in the world.
Others picked on health, pointing at the construction, refurbishment and equipment of various health institutions in the host communities. They were especially awed at the full option Cottage Hospital at Okibo Zion.
The Askia management made the healthists’ argument more compelling with the procurement and distribution of complete sets of medical and health delivery equipments to all 168 Primary Health Care Centres in the state in January 2023.
Some others picked housing, pointing at the construction of Civic Centres across major towns of the ethnic nations, but what stood out more for many was the ambitious development of the twin towns of Oboghoro and Utonlinla in Warri North, sand-claimed from the Benin River and complete with jetties, housing schemes, electricity plants and street lighting, water treatment plants, fully equipped health centre with doctors and nurses quarters, primary schools, a full boarding secondary school and a long concrete driveway with pedestrian bridges connecting Ogheye-Demigun, Oboghoro and Utonlinla communities.
Yet others picked on the extensive network of DESOPADEC roads, bridges and drainages too numerous to list across Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ndokwa and Ika nations.
There are those who focused their judgement on DESOPADEC’s delivery in the development of agriculture and commerce, pointing to the support for farmers and traders and the construction of markets.
Many applauded the swift response of DESOPADEC in the evacuation and care of Deltans affected by the great flood of 2022. Not only did the agency proactively embark on the de-silting of drainages and clearing of water channels to mitigate the impact of the flood, it set up care centres for displaced persons across the oil producing areas and supported them with cash for resettlement on their return to their homes.
While DESOPADEC staffers take pride in these performances, their joy is more in the motivational and physical upgrade of their working environment, especially the completion of DESOPADEC Corporate Headquarters, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa Tower, in Warri, which eased inter-departmental relations; the regime of training and retraining of staff; and support for advancement in professional careers as hallmarked in the several awards and recognitions conferred on many of the staff by various professional bodies.
My take however is the investment of DESOPADEC on Waterways Security and peace building through the engagement of the youth in the protection of oil installations. Not many knew about this commitment by which Delta recovered operational stability in crude oil production and its prime place in revenue derivation.
Interestingly, at the inauguration of the new board, Governor Okowa, a champion and advocate of entrepreneurial empowerment and jobs creation, made a different and insightful pick. His choice was the establishment of the DESOPADEC Skills Academy which he wants sustained.
Commending the immediate past board for the initiative, he declared with all emphasis: “The icing on the cake for me was the establishment of the DESOPADEC Skills Academy, in line with the administration’s youth entrepreneurship development programmes. Through the Academy, the agency was able to train and empower many of our youths to become self-employed and wealth creators.”
Indeed, DESOPADEC keyed in on the vision for human capital development through the upscaling of skills acquisition, empowerment and high-end business development for youth and women, to raise an army of entrepreneurs towards revolutionising the socio-economic landscape of the oil communities.
Their strategy was dynamic just as the outcomes have been immediately impactful and continuing.
In the short time of its introduction, the Academy has graduated and empowered over 500 persons in three batches with the fourth batch currently in session while the feedback on the performance of the Alumni is tremendously inspiring.
Most assuring for its continuity is that the incoming Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has been a witness and a partaker in the delivery.
He was at the matriculation of the fourth batch and, impressed by what he knew and what he saw, he pledged that not only would the Academy be sustained, its intake would be increased and the volume and value of their starter packs would be upscaled. This speaks to his agenda of MORE.
Governor Okowa was also impressed with the communication strategies of the agency. While he advised on their sustenance, he further urged the new board to maintain the collective exchange with host communities and critical stakeholders on needs assessment and determination of projects
Reassuringly, the new board has a clear template and would not waste time in search of direction. As Okowa put it, it is a blend of youth, experience, grassroots politicians, technocrats and persons who readily believe in the vision for the development of Delta State.
This is demonstrated in the fact that Chief John Nani, the former Executive Director, Finance and Administration, was a contributor to the development initiatives and innovations of the Askia management and now returns as the Chairman of the board.
The new DESOPADEC team is made even stronger with the appointment of Hon Festus Ochonogor from Ndokwa/Ukwuani nation as Managing Director. While the appointment speaks to equity in the involvement of stakeholder groups in the management of the commonwealth, Ochonogor as former Commissioner for Housing comes with a niche of expertise and wealth of experience in projects management, quantification, cost management and procurement, and a deep understanding of the yearnings of the people and the politics of grassroots development in a multiplicity and diversity of stakeholders.
BENIZZY GLOBAL RESOURCES, FOUNDED 2005, SPECIALISTS IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT PARTNERED WITH OKOLOBA COMMUNITY IN BOMADI LGA, DELTA STATE TRAINED EIGHTY TWO (82) OKOLOBA INDIGENES ON 37 VARIOUS SKILLS FROM 24TH APRIL, 2023 TO END ON 24TH MAY, 2023, THE VISION IS TO EMPOWER THE RURAL PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS VOCATIONS TO BE SELF – RELIANT AND ALSO THE MISSION IS TO ESTABLISH THE WORD OF GOD INTO THE HEART OF THE COASTAL DWELLERS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION.
FOUNDER, PASTOR PREYE ELISABETH CHUKWUDI BENAYEI FLANKED BY PARTICIPANTS, OKOLOBA Community CHAIRMAN, MR EBIBOLOEMI BIDI, DR DAVIDS AKPOBOKAEMI AND OTHER DIGNITARIES. THE TRAINING PROGRAMME WAS BROUGHT TO CLOSER WITH AN EXHIBITION OF various items including custard, perfume, paint, body cream, bar soap, liquid soap, cake, grass killing chemicals and air fresheners PRODUCED BY THE PARTICIPANTS .
The HeadMaster, Oge Primary School Okoloba, Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr Deinkeme Asiagbe has urged Pupils of Oge Primary School Okoloba sitting for their COGNITIVE/PLACEMENT EXAMINATION to be up and doing to obtain good results in their academic pursuit.
Deinkeme said Education is key in achieving the goals of their lives, saying education, humility, and good moral upbringing guaranteed their future success . He therefore admonished them to be serious about their own decisions of choice. In his words ” Education should be your priority in your life pursuit, and be a good ambassadors of the School, the family and the Community “.
Meanwhile, the head boy of the school Master Wisdom Morris asked government, parents to give them the enabling platforms to pursue their education in earnest to be useful in the society in the future.
Master Wisdom promised they will not disappoint the School, parents and the Community by God grace.
Forty four (44) candidates sat for the examination, thirty five Internal, nine external candidates.
–The Pupils of Oge Primary School Okoloba, with a Teacher and the HeadMaster in middle flanked by the Pupils Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State. During the 2022/2023 COGNITIVE/PLACEMENT EXAMINATION FOR PRIMARY SIX PUPILS. PIX, Harrison Akamule
The Chairman Delta State Investments Development Agency (DIDA) Mr. Paul Nmah had called on management and staff of the Agency to endeavor to sustain and improve on the level of achievements by DIDA since inception.
Mr. Nmah made this call during a valedictory meeting organized by the Agency in honour of both himself and the Director General (DG) of the Agency, Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru, in Asaba.
-(MR. Paul Nmah Chairman DIDA and Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru DG DIDA during the Valedictory Session in their honour held at the DIDA Office in Asaba). The DIDA Chairman in particular extolled the virtues of His Excellency Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for creating a conducive environment for the Agency to operate.
According to him, the successes obtained in DIDA could be ascribed to the support received from His Excellency, DG, Management and Staff of the Agency.
“I am overwhelmed by the cooperation during the period we have served. I can say that not everything have been rosy, as at times we had our ups and downs. Sometimes, we had our differences but yet we still achieved our goals and the goals could not have been achieved, without your cooperation and for that reason, I thank you all so much for all your efforts” Nmah said.
” I am glad that His Excellency, the Governor recognises the efforts and achievements of DIDA as can be seen in his expressions and remarks at State functions.” He further stated.
The DIDA Chairman urged management and staff to ensure that all on-going projects were seen to their logical conclusion and support the incoming Governor, Rt. Honourable Sheriff Francis Oborevwori to achieve his MORE policy.
Definitely, somebody will come to occupy the leadership position in DIDA. It is therefore your duty as pioneer management and staff of the Agency to bring the person to speed.
“However, if God permits and we find ourselves here again, I will really be happy to work with such reliable and hard working Staff like you people.” Nmah stated.
Mr. Nmah eulogized the Director General for the cordial working relationship that is the envy of all.
The Director General of the Agency, Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru speaking on DIDA achievements said that the Agency started from ground zero.
” DIDA actually started operations in July 2017 and you people are the pioneer Staff. Please let it always ring in your minds that you all started DIDA.
“During this period, we have built up a working culture that is unique in this Government. Most of you work late hours including weekends and it took time for this culture to build up. So please don’t throw it out the window..
“In DIDA there are certain things that must be put in place such as unbiased investment appraisal and Due Diligence investigation processes to ensure that MoUs which have been executed by DIDA are actually implemented. Moreover, the smooth operations of the Agency is very key.” He said.
The Director General implored all to sustain the existing virtues and good working ethics and never to do away with them.
” The major thing that makes DIDA work is you people. DIDA is like a computer and you people are the software. Although DIDA was created by law which is like a Hardware, but the chief Software are you people. So you people should jealously guard your attitude to work and achievements. If you put a different type of Software in DIDA, you will get different results in the Agency.
Other speakers that spoke on the achievements of DIDA and it’s sustainability were Mr. Peter Okolie SIA DIDA, Mr. Fred Onojete SA to DG, Mr. Johnbull Obihia DA, Ms Faith Ossai Odeareduo DOSS, Mr. Ogheneovo Okome DPP, Mr. Felix Nwamumu.DPRS and Mr. Karo Ukavwe immediate past DFA
They all appreciated the fact that both the Chairman and the DG had created a conducive working environment and produced outstanding results with their leadership style and qualities.
They extolled the virtues of the Chairman DIDA for gaining the trust of His Excellency Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa towards ensuring that DIDA met it’s set goals.
The concensus was that DIDA delivered on its mandate to attract investments to the State including the Asaba International Mechanic Village which took about 6 years to materialize and other projects that are ongoing.
They emphasised the fact that investments projects take a long time to materialize.
According to them we may not appreciate the work done now, but over time we will get to see the impact of what had been put in place by the time the projects come to fruition.
They emphasised the fact that DIDA requires the leadership with the capacity to attract investments, the requisite skills to evaluate investments and the character to gain the listening ear of the Governor, for DIDA to achieve MORE success.
The high point of the occasion was a general applause and standing ovation observed for both the DIDA Chairman and DG.
The Management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, has responded to a publication in the media space insinuating a rift between it and the Special Intervention Team (SIT), following the presentation a fortnight ago of an Interim Report by the SIT to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on its activities since coming on board. In the report, the SIT had revealed a number of challenges bedevilling the University, which it had been tackling. Judging from the issues addressed by the report, which was presented by one of its members, Comrade Austin Osakue, to the Visitor to the University at Government House, Benin City, a number of people have hinted at a frosty relationship between the Management of the University and the Special Intervention Team. In what appears to be a pointed attempt to personally cause a rift between Comrade Austin Osakue and the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin, an online platform, Trojan News, had on Sunday, May 14th, 2023, released a publication captioned “ANTICS OF AUSTIN OSAKUE EXPOSED AS THE REASON BEHIND THE WIDE ALLEGATION OF MASSIVE CORRUPT PRACTICES BY SIT IN AAU, EKPOMA EMERGES.” In this publication, the unnamed mischievous writer ascribed to an equally anonymous “dependable source in the University” an allegation of an imaginary “struggle and fight for control of the University’s Exams and Records Division” and goes on to reel out a fabulous tale of a “cold war” between the two men arising from this struggle for power.
Reacting to the publication, the Management of Ambrose Alli University flays in unequivocal terms the insinuations contained in the news report and ascribes the report to the machinations of elements within and outside the University who are not pleased with the progress being made by the University and the healthy relationship that exits between the Management of the University and the SIT, on the one hand, and the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Comrade Osakue, on the other.Management stated that there had never been a time when there was a conflict of interest in appointments and posting between the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Comrade Osakue or the SIT, because everyone had always been on the same page in so far as the progress of the University was concerned.
According to it, “At this stage of the life of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, anyone who is put in the position to direct the affairs of the institution knows that the key issue is not for them to raise egos or bicker but to make great sacrifices to take the University to the next level. This much the SIT and Management are doing. So much damage has been done to the psyche of the university by the actions and inactions of the past. So much is still not right with the University at the moment, as the SIT has pointed out in its Interim Report, but the time to right the wrongs is now.
”Management condemned the report for alleging that Comrade Osakue tries “to hide under the cover of the allegation of massive corrupt practices to blackmail the Management and staff of the University into submission,” and wondered the purpose of the submission and the staff that were being referred to. It stated that the attempt by the conjurers of the story to veil their intentions while mounting their hobby horse of attacks against the SIT and Comrade Osakue and at the same time creating the impression that they loved the University Management and the Acting Vice Chancellor was a see-through and a poor strategy. These known detractors have always come straight, but this time, apparently tired of that approach, have decided to engage in the strategy of circumlocution and hideousness in attempting to create a rift between these parties. Management advised the anonymous reporter to work harder next time if it sought to sway the hearts and minds of people into believing that its intentions were altruistic. “Your style is familiar: you rake up falsehoods, brew a storm in a tea cup, engage in drivel and libel, bring up false witnesses in the name of “reliable sources”, “dependable sources”, blackmail, create acrimony, cause division, create images of “serious disagreements” between brothers; then you go and have a drink. However, people can read between the lines.
”Management insisted that it appreciates its efforts and the efforts of the SIT and the Edo State Government in repositioning the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and noted that they are all partners in progress. “Management is not a parallel administration nor is the SIT. The relationship between all the members is cordial and result-oriented. It is good to know that the issues itemised in the Interim Report of the SIT presented to the Visitor are outcomes of shared knowledge and cooperation. Many of the problems met by the SIT and the University administration have been addressed; others which still rear their ugly heads, like the issue of transcripts and certificates, are being confronted frontally. Incidentally, the past has not been too good for AAU, but with the SIT and the present Management, there is a renewed hope in the future,” it said.
Management encouraged all stakeholders who truly love Ambrose Alli University to ignore publications like the one in Trojan News that seek to divide those who are working tirelessly to reposition the University and urged them to pray for the team to make the University great again.
The management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma has debunked the news trending in the media that it has increased tuition fees beyond the reach of ordinary students in AAU.
This is contained in a release by the Acting Registrar, Ambrose E. Odiase which was made available to Blank NEWS Online today.
According to the Ag. Registrar, all returning students of the university are to pay the same amount of fees that they paid in the 2021/2022 academic session. However, intending students of the university are advised to visit the university website to ascertain the fees applicable to them to determine if they can afford it before applying to the institution, paying acceptance fees and becoming students of the institution.
In his words: it has become necessary for the Management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma to set the records straight regarding the issue of tuition fees for students at the University. This follows the misinformation that has been unleashed on the media space in the past few days by mischief makers who have been churning out staggering and inconsistent figures and claiming them to be the official school fees regime of the University.For the avoidance of doubt, and for the general information of all, there is no tuition fee increase for the 2022/2023 session in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma for returning students of the University. All tuition fees remain the same as in the 2021/2022 academic session for our students.Potential students are, however, advised to visit the University website at https://aauekpoma.edu.ng/2023/05/23/school-fees-schedule-for-2022-2023-academic-session/ to access the fees applicable to them and decide for themselves whether or not they wish to be students of the University.
Going further the release added: Management states categorically that no candidate seeking admission into Ambrose Alli University is yet a student of the University until he or she has matriculated. Such potential students should note that the offer of admission will lapse after two weeks from the date of publication of the admission list and that the payment of acceptance fee will determine those to be registered for matriculation. The University will not be prepared to admit beyond its quota. Management hopes the above information will be fully digested and advises anyone who seeks further clarification on the issue of fees charged at Ambrose Alli University to visit the University website at the address given above.
It would be recalled that the media space was last week flooded with publication of hike in fees at AAU Ekpoma which ranges between 245,000 for Faculty of Arts to over 800,000 for Medicine and Surgery while Law was put at 703,000. only, making the alumni association to wade into the matter as the President Dr. Clifford Omozeghian, appealed to all stakeholders to stay calm as his executive will liaise with Governor Godwin Obaseki for a possible downward review of the fees.
However, the Ag. Registrar has clarified that not only do the fees not apply to returning students of the university some of figures quoted are blown out of proportion.
The launching ceremony of a media exchange activity, called “Travelogue of China,” was held in Qingdao city, east China’s Shandong Province, on May 22. Around 30 journalists from 18 countries attended the ceremony.
The activity invites the journalists to discover historical and cultural inheritance of China, the development of modern technologies, and high-quality development achieved by Chinese cities.
The launching ceremony of “Travelogue of China”is held in Qingdao city, east China’s Shandong Province, on May 22.
The activity serves as a bridge connecting China and the world, said Zhang Xinzhu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Qingdao Municipal Committee and secretary of the CPC Work Committee of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area, Qingdao.
Zhang Xinzhu speaks at the launching ceremony.
Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, said through the activity,the foreign journalists can discover a real China and express what they see and hear through their reports to showcase an all-round and vigorous image of China in an objective manner.
Wu Hailong speaks at the launching ceremony of the activity.
Chen Renze, deputy director of the Cyber Communication Bureau of the Cyberspace Administration of China, noted that journalists are an important bond for building close contact between the people. “We hope that through the activity, the journalists can promote mutual understanding between China and the world,” Chensaid.
Chen Renze speaks at the launching ceremony.
Shan Chengbiao, general manager of Global Times Online, speaks at the launching ceremony.
“This year marks the 72nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. We’re impressed by the achievements Qingdao has made,” said Saud Faisal, chief digital officer of Pakistan Observer.
Saud Faisal experiences a Fuxing bullet train.
Ruslan Kenjaev, deputy editor-in-chief of Uzbekistan’s Narodnoe Slovo, expressed that he is deeply impressed by the vitality of Qingdao. Here, he sees how high-speed trains shorten the travel time between people and people, between cities and cities and between countries and countries.
Photo shows Ruslan Kenjaev (first from left).
In addition to Qingdao, the foreign journalists will also visit Weifang city, which is known for its kite culture and Jining city, which is regarded as the hometown of Confucianism, during their one-week stay in Shandong.
China is set to train about 3,000 Nigerian young persons in critical cultural tourism, which is aimed at reducing unemployment and crime in Nigeria.
The training which is billed to hold in China, would also mobilize the youths to drive the Nigerian creative cultural tourism economy.
The deal was brokered by the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture( NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe, who is presently in China leading an African delegation to the International Culture Tourism Reform for Developing Nations put together by the Chinese Government and Academic International for International Business Officials ( AIBO) .
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the forum in Beijing, China, Runsewe who also doubles as President, World Craft Council ( WCC) Africa Region, explained that the training opportunities and exposures for young Nigerians to acquire new skills is not just limited to pure cultural tourism economy but on technological breakthroughs and innovations.
He said: “The meetings were strategic, successful, and eye opener to how our youths can benefit from training by the Chinese who are ready to partner and support us to bring about 3,000 young persons from Nigeria at first instance to undergo diverse areas of trainings, in such area such as manufacturing of chips and even on electrical car production.”
Runsewe added that: “It will be a new beginning for us as a nation and for our young persons as the collaboration will bear verifiable gains to our immediate and future capacity building ecosystem in cultural tourism and technology ecosystems”.
Runsewe further disclosed that the Chinese training offer will take up about 100 young persons per state in the country, which will help reduce crime and unemployment and be beneficial to rural development and job creation.
He said: “I am excited about this opportunity for our young persons in Nigeria. It is no elephant project, and we know how committed the Chinese are to promises to us a nation, and this is certainly huge. On arrival back in Nigeria, we shall, in earnest, put up strategies to actualize these milestones.”
In an address to the open forum on Public cultural Reforms and Health Development for Developing countries, Runsewe urged all government top functionaries in developing nations to pay serious attention to cultural tourism issues as its the bedrock of peace and security in the world.
He said: “For tourism to thrive, attention must be paid to public washrooms as no tourist wants to visit a place or destination with a dirty washroom. There’s no denying the fact that people are attracted to places that are good-looking as cleaness is next to godliness.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a large consignment of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers as part of a consolidated cargo going to London, United Kingdom at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the illicit drug consignment weighing 30.1 kilogrammes with a street value of N567 million was detected and seized by NDLEA operatives at the airport last Tuesday.
He said the seizure was swiftly followed by series of follow-up operations that led to the arrest of a freight agent, Nwobodo Chidiebere; a female suspect, Chioma Akuta and ultimately the drug lord behind the shipment, Chinedu Ezeh, who was arrested at Sotel Suites, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos last Thursday.
Babafemi said Ezeh claimed he is a businessman and deals in articles in Onitsha, Anambra State, but that investigations revealed he lived with his wife and children in London until 10th December 2022 when he fled to Nigeria after his involvement in a drug related offence in the UK.
The spokesman said though Ezeh claimed to have been living in hotels since his return to Nigeria last December, operatives were however able to locate his mansion at No.1 Hawawu Abikan Street, Lekki, last Friday, where a search was conducted and his travel and property documents among others were recovered.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Adamawa last Monday arrested a 32-year-old notorious drug dealer, Prince Ikechukwu Uzoma, in Mubi area of the state with a kilogramme of skunk.
Ikechukwu, was said to have twice been arrested in the past, and convicted for the same offence. He was in 2017 sentenced to six months imprisonment and in 2019 was again sent to two years in jail.
In the same vein, a trans-border trafficker, Faisal Mohammed, 27, was last Wednesday arrested in Mubi following the interception of a truck from Onitsha, Anambra State, where a total of 2,376 sachets of tramadol comprising 23,760 pills were found concealed in three blue rubber Jerrycans which were hidden underneath the body part of the trailer. The suspect admitted the opioid was to be taken to Cameroon.
In Oyo state, two suspects: Osas Susan, 35, and Thomas Biodun, 23, were arrested at Igbon, Gambari in Ogbomoso North local government area with 2.13 kilogrammes cannabis while Idris Muhammed, 55, was nabbed with 4,500 pills of tramadol when a commercial bus conveying him and other passengers was stopped and searched along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Similarly, Bulus Mikah, 63, was arrested at Kafanchan, Kaduna state with over 5 kilogrammes opioids including tramadol, diazepam, rohypnol and exol-5, just as a total of 965 kilogrammes cannabis was seized from Shehu Muhammadu Dandare, 25, at Maraban Jos, in Igabi local government area of the state, while 552 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered from a warehouse in a bush when operatives stormed and destroyed 1.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Uhodoua forest, Esan South East local government area, Edo state, 10 suspects were arrested with a total of 5.6 kilogrammes cannabis sativa, 144.4 grammes of methamphetamine and 48,260 capsules of tramadol in different parts of Onitsha, Anambra state last Friday.
In Kwara, two suspects: Mohammed Isa, 47 and Mohammed Haman, 36, were arrested last Friday along Ilorin/Lagos road in a commercial bus on their way to Maiduguri, Borno state with 6 kilogrammes cannabis, 50 grammes of methamphetamine and 20 pieces of military camouflage caps and uniforms. The same day, operatives in Jigawa state nabbed one Ibrahim Abdullahi, 53, with 120 kilogrammes cannabis at Sara town in Gwaram local government area.
Not less than 628 bottles of new psychoactive substance, skuchies were seized when operatives raided a drug joint at Idanre where four suspects were arrested. They include: Olamide Olusola, 26; Abiodun Tijjani, 21; Fatope Temidayo, 29; Agba Obi, 30 and Olafisoye Festus, 26. Also, a suspect, Kayode Hakeem, 22, was arrested at Hawan Dawaki, Kano with 293 blocks of cannabis weighing 211.6 kilogrammes.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of MMIA command for their professionalism and speed with which they were able to track and arrest another drug kingpin, Ezeh Chinedu. He charged them and their colleagues in Adamawa, Oyo, Kaduna, Edo, Kwara, Jigawa, Ondo and Kano as well as those in other commands and formations across the country not to rest on their oars.
Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has congratulated Yemi Mobolade , for being the first black elected Mayor of Colorado Springs City.
In a statement by Gabriel Odu of the Commission’s Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Dabiri-Erewa said Mobolade’s doggedness and determination will serve as a motivator for other Nigerians living abroad. knowing that with hard work and determination, one’s dreams can be realised.
Mobolade in a victory speech stated that “it is a new day in our beloved city. Do you believe that? Colorado Springs will become an inclusive, culturally rich, economically prosperous, safe and vibrant city.”
Mobolade hails from Lagos State, Nigeria, earned a master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University and a Master of Divinity from A.W Tozer Theological Seminary.
He served as the Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion for the Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Corporation.
Mobolade co-founded two popular restaurants called the Wild Goose Meeting House and Good Neighbors Meeting House in Colorado’s second largest city, he also co-founded Niche Coaching and Consulting, and established a church.
He was the Minister of City Outreach and Engagement at First Presbyterian Church Colorado Springs and was previously in quality control manufacturing.
Mobolade presently collaborates for the health, growth and flourishing of Colorado Springs making his impact through economic development, entrepreneurship, community development, ministry and leadership development.
The Federal Government has launched an additional Passport Front Office in Auchi, Edo State, as part of it’s effort towards effective service delivery to Nigerians. This is just as it promised to launch a home delivery service of passport.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who spoke at the opening of the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport Front Desk Office in Auchi, Edo State on Saturday, said that it is the intention of the government to provide the passport for anyone desirous of it within reasonable time at affordable price and without any stress.
He said the launch of another Passport Front Desk Office is significant as the Nigerian Passport is a proof of existence especially for those outside the country, warning that inability to produce it on demand may bring untoward consequences.
The Minister said: “What we are doing here is significant for two main reasons. The first is the right (and even the necessity) of Nigerians, especially those in the diaspora to hold the Nigerian passport. Except for those travelling outside the country or intend to, most of those who hold the passport do so for identification purposes. For some, it is also a thing of pride to be able to brandish the green back of the passport. But for those outside the country, the passport is the proof of their existence. Inability to produce it on demand may bring untoward consequences. The government therefore wants to provide the passport for anyone desirous of it within reasonable time, at affordable price and without any stress whatsoever.
“The second is the need, flowing from the first, to break out of the regular.”
Aregbesola promised to conclude negotiations with NIPOST on the usage of its speedy mail service to start delivering passport to Nigerians who opt for such service.
He revealed that: “We are in the final stage of concluding negotiations with NIPOST to begin using its speed mail service to deliver passports to Nigerians wherever they are in the world after production.”
Aregbesola, while stating that Edo State has one of the highest passport applications in Nigeria, also revealed that the waiting period between application and collection would likely increase due to the recent increase in demand.
He said: “Our current working schedule is that fresh application would take six weeks after biometric data registration and three weeks for renewal. This is reasonable, competitive and in line with the global best practices.
“The challenge however is the waiting period at the point of application and data registration. All applicants will be put on a queue, depending on the centre of their choice, to determine the registration date. Regrettably, it might take two months in some highly competitive centres where application is very high. We have no control over this.”
He however said that the Federal Government is intentional about opening more front desk offices, in order to increase the registration centres and reduce the waiting period before biometric data capture.
He said: “It is our projection that by the time we open more front offices like this, the waiting period will not be more than three days. Indeed, the more front offices we have, the less the waiting period. Our long term plan will be to involve private operators who will provide the lounge for a fee, but the equipment and personnel will be provided by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).”
Commending the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for improving on their services, which includes issuance of top quality passport booklet, Aregbesola affirmed that Nigeria is among the first five countries in the world and the first in Africa to have the enhanced e-passport.
Adding that: “The reform introduced to the NIS led to the Automated Passport issuance process which has eliminated touts and racketeers in Passport administration, introduction of E-border Management, MIDAS and the commencement of E-Passport across Passport Control Offices and Diplomatic Missions.”
He therefore advised applicants not to go through third parties but apply on any internet enabled device through the Nigeria Immigration Service portal. This is as he lamented the prevalence of a few unscrupulous officials subverting the system, cornering applications, inflating prices, extorting from applicants and hiding already produced passports.
The Minister said: “I will therefore plead with applicants not to go through them and other touts hanging around passport offices, soliciting from applicants. The application can be done in your bedroom on your android phone through the Nigeria Immigration Service portal. You do not need a third party. Those who patronise them are the ones encouraging their nefarious activities and frustrating our efforts at transparency and providing seamless service.”
He also urged applicants to plan ahead for their travelling, as travelling requires long term planning, whether for education, work, leisure or migration, except for urgent national assignment or medical emergency.
This year alone, the Minister of Interior have been in Daura in Katsina State, Alimosho in Lagos, Ilesa in Osun, Zaria in Kaduna and Oyo in Oyo State to commission Passport Front Desk Offices.
Speaking earlier, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Isah Idris, said that the choice of Auchi is apt, as Edo State ranks fifth amongst states with the highest volume of passport applications locally.
According to him, “In the past 365 days, Edo state has processed 56,291 applications out of the 1.5 million passports produced in Nigeria. The commissioning of this front office will no doubt go a long way in reducing the traffic in Edo State and other neighbouring States.
The NIS CG restated the necessity for prospective applicants to synchronize the data in their passport application with the information in their National Identification Number.
He said: “May I quickly add that for the enhanced e-passport, it is essential to ensure that prospective passport applicants synchronize the data in their passport application with the information in their NIN (National Identification Number).”
While maintaining that the unveiling of front office and others like it, are crucial to achieving the NIS mandate of ensuring that the e-passport issuance process is brought closer to the people, Jere seized the opportunity to affirm the commitment of the Nigeria Immigration Service to meeting the rising demands for Passport services globally, thereby repositioning the Service towards attaining a truly world-class status to compete with its counterparts worldwide.
Meanwhile, during a visit to the Otaru of Auchi’s Palace, the Otaru, HRH, Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh, Ikelebe III, turbaned Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and then installed him as the Rafeeq of Auchi Sacred Kingdom. The traditional ruler revealed that the title means Ogbeni Aregbesola a bossom friend of the Auchi Kingdom.
In response, the minister declared that, “everything happening here today is a surprise to me. I am excited, happy and joyous because it is coming at the right time. The depth of my joy has no word to describe it. When I retire, I plan to always wear my turban as a true and proper Muslim,” the minister declared.
-By Joseph Obaro Ikupa Worldwide Publicity Secretary, AAU Alumni Association
attention of the Alumni Association has been drawn to the astronomical increase in school fees changeable for various courses at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in the 2022/2023 Academic session. This is coming just after we rose from a courtesy call on the Governor.
The increment shows that students in the Faculty of Arts are to pay 243,750 except Mass Communication students who are to pay 293,750. Students in the Faculty of Agriculture are to pay 234,750 while Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences students are to pay 881,000 for Medicine & Surgery, Nursing 761,500, Medical MCB 558,500, Anatomy 356,000, Physiology 279,500 while others are to pay 650,000. Students of the Faculty of Law students are to pay 703,000. In the Faculty of Management Sciences the fees are 358,500 for Accountancy and 348,500 for Banking and Finance. Economics and Business Administration are to pay 328,000. In the Faculty of Physical Sciences Chemistry students are to pay 314,500, Computer Science, 325,000, Mathematics and physics 264,500. Students of Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences are to pay 277,000 while others are to pay 243,750. All students in Faculty of Engineering are to pay 368,000 while students in Life Sciences are to pay 274,500 for Microbiology and 264,500 for other departments in the faculty.
Sequel to the above, there have been calls from within and outside the chores of Nigeria on the alumni association to intervene.
On this note we want to appeal to parents, teachers, students, alumni members and all stakeholders to exercise restrain on this matter as the alumni association will engage the government in negotiation to reduce this amount to ameliorate the impact on all affected parties.
-By Joseph Obaro Ikupa Worldwide Publicity Secretary, AAU Alumni Association
The Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association Worldwide is to partner with the Edo State Government to reposition the university. This was the position reached today at the Government House, Benin City when the Worldwide President, Dr. Clifford Omozeghian and his executives paid a courtesy call on the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. The Governor who said that since the university belongs to Edo State Government, he must do all it takes to reposition the university to restore it’s lost glory.
The Governor expressed his displeasure over the issues of transcripts and certificates racketeering, sexual harassment and undue grandstanding by some members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution.
He said he has instructed the law enforcement agencies to carry out further discrete investigation on all the issues unearthed by the Special Intervention Team recently and anyone found culpable shall be decisively dealt with according to the law.
Earlier in his address, the Worldwide President informed the Governor that his administration is pleased to identify with the state government as partners in progress.
In his words: My Executive strongly believes that the corporate unity of the University free of bitterness and acrimonious war of attrition is fundamentally essential for the pursuit of the mission of the University. An inclusive administration that is committed to fairness, equity, rule of law, inclusive governance and sustainable development is therefore salutary.
Continuing, Dr. Omozeghian said: intellectual vibrancy and accomplishments of several members of the academics and students currently in the University is generating invaluable word-of-mouth marketing amongst several social and professional networks across and beyond the country. As Alumni, we are strengthening capacities and forming an ever growing delegation of Ambassadors on behalf of our alma mater. It is important to note that only students with good memories of the University would want to come back in the future to support the university. Therefore, the current crisis is inimical to growth and development. Consequently, the association under my leadership shall collaborate with the state government, management of the university and other stakeholders to initiate Programmes of engagements that will impact students greatly with lasting memories. In view of this, while commending the standard of training and learning in the university, there is need for improvement through strategic engagement with all the relevant stakeholders under a peaceful and cordial relationship through: creation of opportunities for linkages with foreign universities, internship placement for undergraduates and post graduates students, curriculum development to make the programmes competitive, improving on students reading habits and interfacing with unions on academic standards and staff performance based on our experience and exposure after graduation from the university.
Noting that the university is underfunded and the onerous task of funding cannot be left to government alone, Dr. Omozeghian recommends the convocation of relevant stakeholders including the alumni, parents, students union, university management and other interests on how to effectively fund the university.
To this end, Dr. Omozeghian said, “we are willing to partner in restoring the glory of the institution and repositioning it to meet high level man power needs of the state and the country both in quantity, quality and effectiveness through actionable blue print.
“In conclusion, your Excellency Sir, it is our prayer that the committee constituted to reconcile the management and the unions should be strengthened to realize the goals urgently. We look forward to the re-composition of a Governing Council consisting of eminent personalities set up at the expiration of the tenure of the University’s Special Intervention Team (SIT) to ensure the university is financially sustainable and policies, finance and properties are effectively and efficiently superintended.”
Going forward Governor Obaseki charged the alumni to thinker amongst themselves on how to sustain the new tempo that the university will attain at the end of the current sanitization efforts.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said for the promotion of good governance in country. statistical data analysis and it’s scientific use are necessary and very important, insisting that this would lead to sussessful implementation of government programmes and policies, and effective service delivery.
Aregbesola made this remark on Friday, while receiving officials of the Professional Statistician Society of Nigeria who paid him a courtesy visit at his Abuja Office.
The Minister explained that his knowledge of and use of statistical data tremendously helped him as active player at different levels of administration in life, adding that this as enabled him as a Minister to create three passport centres (Ikoyi-Festac, Alausa, and Amuwo Odofin) in Lagos which helped in the decongestion of exiisting facilities and the reduction of passport racketeering in Nigeria.
He said given this intervention, it is unfortunate that many who do not want to follow laid down rules and procedures, still land themselves in the hands of unsucrupulous people who extort money from them.
He noted that it was because he imbibed statistical data benefits that he was able to pioneer the establishment of the State Bureau of Statistics when he was Governor of Osun as well as appointed the first State Statistician General.
He said: “I find Statistics useful and result- oriented; and I commend it to industrialists, enterpreneurs, politicians, leaders of communities, Local Governments, States and nations.”
The Minister equally observed that “It is at the Federal level that there is substantial interest in statistics in the country”.
Aregbesola promised to work with the Professional Statistician society of Nigeria, despite the short term he has left; and expressed his delight that the National Assembly recently successfully passed a law that will soon transform the organisation to a Chartered Institute; which he believes will augur well for the organisation.
Earlier, leader of the visting team, Professor Waheed Yahya, said their organisation is a body of professional statisticians with responsibility for engaging in statistical research, that will assist policy makers in government, industries and non-governmental organisations in the development of the nation.
He further said they also train and mentor younger ones in the field of statistical research in the country.
Yahya disclosed that the purpose of the visit is to congratulate the Minister on the series of transformation he brought to the Ministry of interior, and further explore possible areas of cooperation as a lover of statistics.
He praised the Minister for applying the idea of statistical data for the decongestion of passport administration through creation of more centres in Nigeria; and for establishing the Osun State Bureau of statistics as well as supporting the first Statiscian General for Osun State to become governor.
Two U.S. Mission employees missing since the May 16 attack in Anambra state are alive and safe, and under the protection of Nigerian authorities in Anambra, the United States Embassy has said.
The Embassy in a statement on Friday said: “Two U.S. Mission employees missing since the May 16 attack in Anambra state are alive and safe, and under the protection of Nigerian authorities in Anambra.
“We have informed their families of their safe recovery. U.S. Mission personnel are on their way to meet and accompany them home.”
The statement further read: “We continue to work intensively with Nigerian security and law enforcement on this matter, to identify the victims previously found, and to bring to justice those responsible for this heinous attack. We welcome any information the public may have in this regard.
“We are deeply grateful for the partnership and solidarity of the Nigerian government and Nigerian security and law enforcement colleagues and mourn with them for those who died in the attack.”
About 4.3 million girls are presently at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with the number expected to rise to 68 million by 2030 if not given the deserving attention to curb the dangerous trend, according to the latest report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The UNFPA Deputy Representative to Nigeria, Erika Golson, disclosed this at a UNFPA/ ESARO FGM Hackathon and launch of the SMART RR mobile application event in Abuja.
Golson, said conflict, issues of climate change, rising poverty and inequality continue to hinder efforts to transform gender and social morals that underpin this harmful practices and disrupt the ones that help protect girls and women.
She explained that the UNFPA joint programme with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation is one of the largest global and national programmes to accelerate the abandonment of this harmful traditional practice and the right of women and girls, adding that this programme has set a global movement through its innovative strategies to eliminate FGM.
Speaking on the launched App, the Deputy Representative added “that the launch of SMART RR mobile application to address this menace is timely as it is a technology-based application about survivors, different healthcare providers, social workers, to confidentially report on cases, incidents of GBV, female genital mutilation, other health related issues.”
While giving an update on the mobile application, the founder of Big Family 360 foundation and also the innovator of SMART RR mobile application, Mr. Samuel Dirug explained that the app is basically designed to improve access to gender-based violence and FGM services across Nigeria.
He said: “What prompted the creation of this app, is that women and girls in north-eastern part of Nigeria are always shy to report cases of GBV and FGM but through this application, their voices will be heard.so far, the Smart RR application has recorded around 329 cases and most of these cases have been rendered the various services from service providers within their locations”.
He explained to stakeholders at the event while reiterating commitment to support the efforts towards the fight against FGM and GBV, maintained that fighting FGM and GBV is every one’s business.
Nigerian businesses have been given another opening to the rest of the world as the Federal Government on Thursday launched an online platform that would connect foreign businesses that want to do business with Nigerian businesses.
The government also set up a help desk to attend to Nigerians in diaspora who need information on provision for help.
The Nigeria Global Business Match, NGBM is a real-time online one stop-shop where foreign businesses seeking to do business in Nigeria can transparently conduct end to end transactions with Nigerian registered and verified businesses in a secured and trusted online platform. NGNM provides a database of registered Nigerian businesses to its foreign counterparts.
The essence is to leverage on the ministry of Foreign Affairs global presence to boost Nigeria’s overall international business, trade and economic relations.
In what may perhaps be described as the parting gift of Geoffrey Onyeama, the ministry also launched two other legacy projects- the Nigeria Global Citizens Help Desk, NGCHD for Nigerians in Diaspora who are in need of help.
Also launched was the Unified Online Presence under Diplomatic Service Digitalization initiative, which is aimed at seeing all the country’s missions and the ministry in one secure Web space. With this, all the missions and Ministry will now have a uniform naming pattern.
Speaking during the event, Buhari said the projects were targeted towards achieving the mandates given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and would be extremely beneficial to Nigerians abroad.
Buhari who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, appreciated partner ministries, departments and agencies for their contributions and support, particularly those that provided data base access for verification purposes.
He said: “I would like to urge the staff of the Ministry, especially those who will interface directly with this system to utilise them diligently and ensure effective delivery of qualitative service to Nigerian citizens.”
The President further reiterated the need to maintain the legacy projects, as well as improve upon them as innovation permits so that they can compete globally.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the ministry felt the need to leverage on its physical presence in a hundred countries around the world to promote the portal and direct the attention of the businesses in those hundred countries unto the portal where Nigerian businesses would be able to upload all their information, as well as foreign businesses, in a secure environment as supported by the government, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others.
He said: “Secure environment in which businesses can meet each other. And hopefully, we will be able to have a live match.”
Onyeama further said the portal will be a unique matching tool for businesses as it will open up the world for Nigerian businesses seamlessly.
The Minister said the second initiative was part of the Ministry’s citizens’ diplomacy, saying that there were huge numbers of Nigerians around the world.
“That is one of the reasons why I am also delighted that the Executive Governor of Edo State was able to come here because he has been a champion for the Nigerian trafficking victims around the world and he has been extremely engaged in protecting young, vulnerable Nigerians who had been trafficked or who could be trafficked if the necessary measures are not put in place,” Onyeama also said.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who was at the occasion, said the event was quite significant, adding that the platform provided for Nigerians in the Diaspora and other relevant sister agencies with a channel that provides services where Nigerians can reach out for help, advisory services and also to report in cases of emergencies.
Obaseki added that the recent Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the crisis in Sudan, clearly demonstrated the need for a trusted and dependable channel where citizens can report emergencies and seek help, especially from Abuja and Nigeria.
He noted that: “This service would be of tremendous benefit to our citizens in the Diaspora who, as you are aware, are spread out all over the world.”
The United Nations has said US$396 million is urgently needed to salvage a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the nation’s Northeast.
The UN decried that should something not urgently be done to address the situation, humanitarian partners will only reach about 300,000 of the 4.3 million at-risk people in need of food assistance in the troubled Northeast region of Nigeria during the lean season.
A statement on Thursday by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) after the Launch of the Lean Season Food Security and Nutrition Crisis Multi-sector Plan 2023 said: “To prevent a widespread hunger and malnutrition crisis in north-east Nigeria from turning fully catastrophic US$396 million is urgently needed to scale up humanitarian action in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states.”
The UN decried that: “More than half a million people may face emergency levels of food insecurity, with extremely high rates of acute malnutrition and cases of mortality if there is no rapid and significant scale up of humanitarian assistance.
It estimated two million children under five in the three states are likely to face wasting this year, insisting that: “This is the most immediate and life-threatening form of malnutrition. Some 700,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition – meaning that they are 11 times more likely to die compared to well-nourished children. They need immediate action to survive.”
The UN claimed that: “The deepening food crisis and worrying malnutrition levels are the result of years of protracted conflict and insecurity which continue to prevent more than two million people from returning home. A combination of fuel and food inflation, a naira cash crisis earlier in the year, and climate shocks (such as the record floods in Nigeria in 2022) are among factors that have worsened the crisis.”
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale was quoted to have said: “I have seen firsthand the anguish of mothers fighting for the lives of their malnourished infants in our partner-run stabilization centres. This is a situation no one should have to face,” adding that: “I have spoken with children who described going for days without eating enough. Mothers who said their children go to bed crying from hunger. Families struggling to feed their families as they have gone for months without receiving food assistance.”
He lamented that this may become the unfortunate reality for millions of food-insecure people in the BAY states unless resources and funding are urgently mobilized, adding that if additional funding is not received, humanitarian partners will only reach about 300,000 of the 4.3 million at-risk people in need of food assistance during the peak of the lean season. As more people in urgent need of food aid go unassisted, there will be an increased risk of starvation and death.
With the current limited resources, nearly 3.4 million people will not be reached with agricultural livelihood support, including farming inputs such as fertilizers. This funding gap is critical for agricultural livelihoods sustaining over 80 per cent of the vulnerable people across the BAY states. A critical part of addressing the food crisis is to enable people to grow their own food.
The statement revealed that the World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up its operations to assist 2.1 million people with emergency food and nutrition supplies, noting that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and nutrition partners aim to provide life-saving nutrition services to over one million malnourished children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) planning to reach two million people with seed packages to secure cereal production for the upcoming harvest.
“While we continue to work together to stave off catastrophe, the sheer scale of the food and nutrition crisis means that humanitarian assistance is critical right now,” said the Country Representative and Country Director of WFP in Nigeria, Mr. David Stevenson, was quoted to have said.
The Country Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Ms. Cristian Munduate, called for concerted efforts to protect children. She said: “We have the power to make a difference in the lives of these children. With your support, we can prevent more children from suffering from malnutrition and give them a chance at a healthy and happy future.”
The FAO representative to Nigeria, Mr. Fred Kafeero, warned that the upcoming lean season may worsen food insecurity among vulnerable households without access to agricultural livelihood options. He said: “FAO requires funding to reach two million people with urgent food and livelihood assistance in the form of critical production inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and livelihood assets including small ruminants and poultry, and the corresponding skills to save lives, and protect and rebuild livelihoods.”
According to the statement, with the lean season coinciding with the rainy season, humanitarian partners are also concerned about outbreaks of diseases, such as acute watery diarrhoea, cholera and malaria, which will only aggravate the situation of malnourished children. Children suffering from malnutrition are at higher risk of dying from common infections.
The statement said the US$396 million in funding will enable humanitarian organisations to swiftly expand food and nutrition assistance, along with supplementary interventions such as clean water and sanitation, healthcare, protection and logistics in the BAY states.
And to kickstart the response to the food security and nutrition crisis in north-east Nigeria, the UN has released a combined $18 million. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths, has allocated $9 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Humanitarian Coordinator Schmale will be disbursing a further $9 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF).
“These CERF and NHF funds, however, account for less than five per cent of what humanitarian organizations require to address the most urgent food and nutrition needs. Significant additional and early funding is urgently needed,” said Mr. Schmale. “As we have seen in previous years, early funding can help pull food insecure people back from the brink.”
United Kingdom has appointed, Dr Richard Montgomery CMG as the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria.
Montgomery, presented his credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, according to a statement by the British High Commission. He takes over from Ms Catriona Laing CB who recently concluded her four years tenure in the country.
According to the statement, the new High Commissioner is an experienced diplomat who has worked in different parts of the world including previously in Nigeria.
Prior to becoming the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Montgomery was the UK Executive Director at the World Bank Group Board from 2018 to 2022 in Washington DC, USA. He has held various senior positions in the Department of International Development (DFID). These included Director for Asia, Caribbean & Overseas Territories Division, Country Director for Pakistan, and prior to that Country Director in Nigeria from 2009 to 2013.
Montgomery prior to these operational roles was Deputy Director for Corporate Human Resources and Deputy Head in DFID’s Top Management Group. Earlier in his career, he did postings in British High Commissions in Zambia, Bangladesh and India.
He is married to Naheed and together they have two children. He and his wife are looking forward to their second stay in Nigeria.
Montgomery on his second coming to Nigeria, said: “It’s great to be back in Nigeria. I look forward to working with the people of this great country, including those in government, in the private sector and in civil society, to do all I can to help build a more prosperous Nigeria and strengthen the partnership between our countries.”
The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed that two suspects have been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s attack on the US Consulate Convoy in Ogbaru Local Government Area.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Police revealed that seven persons were killed in the assault. Of the seven, three were US Consulate officials and four were Mobile Police escorts.
Speaking on the development on Thursday, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Echeng Echeng said a Joint Security Task Force comprising of Police Tactical Teams and troops of the Nigerian Army and Navy, raided the suspects’ hideout at Ugwuaneocha community within Ogbaru LGA.
He said ,”Yesterday – 17/05/2023, joint security forces comprising police tactical teams from the command and troops of the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigerian Navy raided a camp in Ugwuaneocha community of Ogbaru LGA, which was suspected to be the hideout of the assailants, but discovered that it had been deserted.
“Two persons of interest were arrested and they currently assisting the police in the investigation. The criminal camp was razed down by the joint security team”.
He noted that the preliminary investigation conducted by the command, following the incident, revealed that five male officials of the USA consulate and four armed Mobile Police escort from Lagos were involved.
According to him, they were on a mission to assess the impact of erosion in Ogbaru Local Government Area .
Echeng stated that why they were travelling in a convoy of two vehicles and suddenly they came under attack by armed men who targeted them with gunfire and set their vehicles ablaze.
“Regrettably, seven persons (including three of the consulate officials and four Mobile Police escorts) were murdered during the attack while two other officials of the consulate are yet to be found” he noted.
He gave the names of the deceased Police officers as follows Inspector Bukar Adams, Inspector Friday Morgan, Inspector Adam Andrew and Inspector Emmanuel Lupata and they were all from Squadron 23, Police Mobile Force, Lagos.
According to him, information from the USAID authority disclosed that five (5) of their staff and four Policemen were involved in the attack are:
The embassy staff are Jefferson Obayuwane (RTD DSS personnel), Sunday Prince Ubong, Ekene Nweke, Hassan Etila, Avwuvie Kaye Monday, Bukar . A. Kabuiki – (Police), Emmanuel Lukpata – (Police), Friday Morgan -(Police) and Adamu Andrew – (Police).
He said the Police suspected members of Eastern Security Network ESN/ Indigenous people of Braifa, IPOB to have carried out the attack.
Meanwhile, he said that , the remains of the deceased persons have all been recovered and deposited in a morgue while the State Police Command and other security agencies are working round-the-clock, in concert with the Government of Anambra State, to find and rescue the missing officials.
He called on the members of the public who can provide information about the identities and locations of the culprits, to kindly assist the police with such information timeously.
“On behalf of the Anambra State Police Command, I wish to seize this opportunity to condole the families and friends of the deceased persons as well as the USA Consul over this tragic incident.
“May I assure you all of the resolve and determination of the Command and other security agencies to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice” he said.
By Joseph Obaro IkupaWorldwide Publicity Secretary AAU Alumni
The Worldwide President of the Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association, Dr. Clifford Omozeghian over the weekend visited the Ibadan branch of the Alumni Association on a working visit. During the visit, the Chairman and members of the Ibadan branch trooped out enmasse to welcome him at the airport and escorted him to his hotel.
In the course of the visit, the president held an interactive session with the members of the association who complained about the difficulty they experience in getting transcripts and certificates from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
In his response the Worldwide President, Dr. Omozeghian assured them that he would set up a committee to liaise with the institution’s management to ensure that the difficulty in getting transcript becomes history.
The Worldwide President therefore calls on all graduates of the institution in need of transcripts and certificates to liaise with the committee once it is set up.
The high point of the working visit was the dissolution of the old Exco of the Alumni association and Swearing in of a new executive committee for the Ibadan branch of the association by the Worldwide President, following a successful election.
The Warri Chapter of the Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association held it’s monthly meeting at Udu Road on Sunday and vowed to do everything possible to defend the mandate which the good people of Delta State gave freely to their member RT. Honourable Sherriff Francis Oborevwori as Governor of Delta State. Following a motion moved on the floor of the house by Chief Vincent Oyibode the house deliberated extensively and resolved that all members should troop out enmasse to grace the inauguration ceremony on May 29th at Asaba.
It was also resolved that all the legal luminaries in the Warri branch of the association should act as a research and backup team to the Governor-elect’s legal team.
Furthermore, the house resolved to set up a think-tank Committee to identify special areas of needs across the state and bring same to the attention of the Governor immediately after the swearing in to make the task of government easier and bring the dividends of democracy to the grassroots.
The meeting which was presided over by the Acting Chairman, Chief Mrs. Pela-Taiga enjoined all members to attend any court sitting in solidarity with the Governor-electwhen the time comes.
-By Joseph Obaro Ikupa: Worldwide Publicity Secretary, AAU Alumni Association
The Worldwide President of the Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association, Dr. Clifford Imade Omozeghian has hailed the Governor of Edo State for his transparency in publicizng the interim report of the Special Intervention Team. This became necessary in view of the fact that Governor Obaseki invited the AAU Alumni Association and other stakeholders to join him in the brief presentation ceremony which took place at the Government House, Benin City via Zoom.
The Worldwide President, Dr. Omozeghian who joined the meeting via zoom also commended the Special Intervent Team for a job well done, noting that their persistence, doggedness and zeal at ensuring that AAU becomes a better institution is commendable. He urged them not to rest in their oars.
Earlier in his presentation, the Chairman of the Special Intervention Team, Andrew Olotu informed the Governor that they have uncovered a N2b tax evasion fraud in the university. The Committee also stated that their findings reveal that admission, transcript racketeering are big businesses in Ekpoma. Furthermore, there are people encroaching into the university land. There was also the case of a professor who came to the university on a one year sabbatical leave who has continued to earn salary from the university years after the completion of the sabbatical leave.
Obaseki, while receiving the report at the Government House in Benin City, commended the team for their service to the State and contributing their quota in advancing the government’s vision of repositioning the institution to meet global standards.
He said, “The greatest legacy for late Prof. Ambrose Alli is to restore this University back to its glory days and that of his dreams. He never made the University to be an ethnic university but a state university and positioned it as such. The view that the AAU belongs to any group or ethnic group should be canceled immediately. The University belongs to Edo people. It’s Edo State University and the investment is for taxpayers ofEdo State.”
Obaseki continued: “As a government, we have the political will as we are taking a major transformation in our education sector and can do so with our University. We need to clean up the system preparing it for our children coming in.
“I appreciate the professionalism and commitment taken in the assignment by the Special Intervention Team of the AAU. We persuaded most of you to take up this task as it’s an assignment for the state and nation.
“Even though you have not finished the assignment, it’s clear that you have put in a lot of time and commitment to get us where we are today.”
The governor further noted, “Your reports show that there is a criminal aspect in your investigation submitted so far. We don’t have to wait for a full report. That is why I invited the security agencies to commence action and investigation on the criminal aspect of your findings today.”
Reacting to the encroachment of AAU land, Governor Obaseki noted, “In the case of encouragement, we would take our Special Intervention Team to dialogue with those that encroached on the school land and properties to take it back.”
On the issue of the implementation of pension reforms, Obaseki said, “We have to sit down and have a team to go through the figures and have the actual calculations done. Then we set up a plan on how to liquidate the outstanding gratuity and pension.
Speaking on behalf of the AUU SIT, Mr. Austin Osakue thanked the governlfor the opportunity to serve the State, pledging their continued support to the government in repositioning the University.
When contacted about the development, the Ag.Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin said that his administration met the challenges when they came on board about one year and three months ago and has been working in synergy with the Special Intervention Team (SIT) to resolve them. In his words: “We met most of these problems when my administration came on board a year and three months ago. The AAU Management appreciates the efforts of the SIT in repositioning the Ambrose Alli University. We and the SIT have always worked in synergy, and it is good to know that the issues itemized in the report are outcomes of shared knowledge and cooperation. Many of the problems have been addressed. Others which still rear their ugly heads, like the issue of transcripts and certificates, are being confronted frontally. Incidentally the past has not been too good for AAU, but with the SIT and the present Management, there is a renewed hope in the future.”
