First LEGO League National Robotics Championship for National Secondary Schools

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Mr Olajide Ajayi, National Coordinator, First LEGO League robotics championship says the competition is designed to inspire and discover young science and technology innovators across the country.

Ajayi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was important for the country to focus on science and technology in order to innovatively solve the nations problems.

He said the robotics challenge which was put together by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with Coderina Education and Technology Foundation was a step in unveiling creative thinkers.

This creative programme is meant to inspire the young generation of people coming behind us to take technology and science very seriously

For any economy to be productive, you have to have creative thinkers, innovative thinkers, you have to have critical thinkers.

As you know there will always be problems around, so you need to proffer solutions and find a way of solving our problems as a nation.

That is why we want to catch these young talents early and develop them into critical thinkers and problem solvers using modern trends in technology, he said.

Ajayi explained that the FIRST LEGO League competition is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) skills using robotics and is open to students aged 9 to 16.

While the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is designed for older students (12-18 years) and emphasizes the design and development of robots.

NAN reports that more than 600 students participated in the national championship, where they showcased their robots, inventions, and research projects to a panel of judges.

Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) Usi-Ekiti won the 2023 edition of the competition held in Abuja, Queens College emerged second, FSTC Ilesa finished third, while GDSS Karu placed fourth.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

POS machine used for electronic money transfer

By Ella Anokam

Shop owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja are recording brisk sales following the introduction of the cashless policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and its attendant hiccups.

Some of them who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday, said they were recording tremendous sales through the use of Point of Sale (POS) machines, and electronic transfers for payments of goods since the policy was implemented.

NAN discovered that the policy favours traders who had in the past gotten used to using POS for payments in spite of its network hitches.

Mr Sunday Ahmadu, who operates a mini supermarket along Jukwoyi road, said that his sales had tripled within this period, especially after the phasing out of the old naira notes.

According to Ahmadu, a lot of customers who patronise him, prefer to buy in bulk and pay at once, through online transfer because of the seamless payment process he provides.

I have four accounts; Zenith, FCMB, GT and Access banks, and I normally ask customers about their preferred bank before they transfer.

So what I do is to show them the list of the banks to transfer or use their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, to make payments using the POS machine.

Before now, a customer can decide to buy only one item and pay with cash, but due to the naira scarcity, they buy in bulk and pay at once through electronic transfer. This has made my sales to triple and encouraged profit on my business, he said.

Another provision and foodstuff trader, Malam Ibrahim Sule, also expressed excitement over the development, saying that the difficulty faced by people to access the new naira notes gave him an edge over other traders who lacked POS and electronic banking platforms.

Sule, popularly called Baba, said the volume of his sales had gone up as people who were stranded because of the cash crunch, were making his shop a last resort in purchases to feed their families and meet other needs.

According to him, there may be hitches in transactions most times, but that he can always reconcile with his banks because of his long time experience in POS transactions.

Many desperate people are being referred to my shop because of the current lack of cash.

This made me to introduce more perishable items due to popular demand. I am happy to meet their needs and make more money.

Mrs Nnenna Ozor, another trader, while narrating her experience said she used to be skeptical about online transactions, but recent events had forced her to embrace online transactions which was aiding her business.

Ozor listed the advantages associated with the cashless policy implementation to include; increased patronage, profit and curbing of debt by customers who often bought goods on credit.

She, however, said the only challenge in accepting the transfer was the refusal of other traders, especially petty businesses, to accept online transactions as they often requested for cash.

Accepting money transfer is not a problem to me, though it spurs my business because customers buy more, but I still need cash because I cannot buy some items through transfer in the local markets.

Once I go to the market to buy foodstuff like crayfish, ogbono, egusi, pepper and other petty things, I encounter difficulties because sellers reject transfer, and because village traders do not have bank accounts.

Even those that have bank accounts reject online transfers because they complain that if they accept it, once they reach the village markets, the traders refuse to accept transfers.

Also, if I do not have cash, I cannot buy bread, fufu, bags of pure water among others. So I try to balance it for my business to continue to thrive. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

Source: NAN News

Executives of the IDFP during the press conference

By Bridget Ikyado
An NGO, Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), has called on the Federal Government to beef up security at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office nationwide.

Co-chairmen of IDFP, Rev. Amos Kiri and Dr Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, who made the call at a news briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, also called for protection of INEC officials at polling units and collation centres.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news briefing was tagged: Nigerias 2023 General Elections: Emerging Issues and Threats to a Peaceful Transition.

The group also said that insecurity should not be used as a tool for serving political interests, such as voter suppression in the country.

It expressed concern over the spate of violent conflicts, armed banditry and terrorism in some parts of the country, especially with the election approaching.

There have also been security threats from multiple groups across the country trying to undermine the elections.

The credibility of the 2023 general elections will depend greatly on the degree to which citizens can vote freely, with their votes counting.

Beyond the tension that may be generated before or during the polls, another threat can also arise from disputes over election results, it stated.

The group also decried situations where the countrys politics was divided across religious, ethnic, regional and party lines.

It frowned at some groups openly endorsing candidates based on primordial sentiments, saying that this portends a threat to the nations democracy.

We call on the institutions, groups and individuals that have critical roles to play in the election to ensure peaceful, fair, transparent and credible polls, it said.

The group also noted that since the introduction of the new naira notes, Nigerians had suffered untold hardship owing to the non-availability of the new currencies.

The naira redesign might have been intended to help the economy but the ordinary citizens have faced the brunt of the policy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should increase the supply of the new naira notes to commercial banks to ease the hardship of the masses, the group said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Wale Sadeeq

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Shipping Lines Association of Nigeria (SAN) says that the arbitrary charges and tariffs, making the port expensive, are not from the shipping lines.

The Chairman of the association, Mrs Boma Alabi (SAN), in a news conference, in Lagos on Wednesday, noted that the charges were government income.

Alabi said that government agencies were given targets and that was an indirect taxation which impacts negatively on export and made the goods less competitive at the international market.

Our ports are revenue driven, government agencies have targets which they bring in for the government, this is not the most sufficient way to run the port.

Inefficiency, high charges does not rest with the shipping line. We collect the charges and pass it on to whoever it is that puts the regulations in place.

There are so many agencies operating in the port and we have to obey whatever regulations that they put in place.

Freight charges are not country specific, it is decided based on central issues with vessels and no shipping line targets Nigeria. That is not the commercial way of thinking, she said.

She noted that some of the challenges members faced were experienced in other industries, and there was need to ensure the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

According to her, government has recognised this and its a work in progress.

Alabi said that members had serious issues with their containers which were stacked at Ijora for years.

These containers are valuable assets which they want to get back and they are just sitting there.

We want the containers to be brought back, so why should we now hold the container deposit when they are brought back?

Compare the cost of a container to the container deposit made, you will understand that its in our interest to make sure the containers are brought back, she said.

She noted that it was not the job of shipping lines to build container holding bays, as their job was to move containers from point A to point B.

An inefficiency have been created at the port and shipping lines are asked to work around the inefficiency to make it efficient. How is holding bays going to help make the shipping more efficient.

Why do we need the holding bay in the first place, are there holding bays in other countries, there are none. This is because the system is efficient, you turn around your containers in hours.

Go to Singapore, these same vessels go there and they drop containers there. They are in and out 24 hours, you come to our ports, you have not finished till one week and then we are told to build a holding bay to hold the inefficiency, she said.

She said that the inefficiency in the port was costing shipping lines, costing the exporters and even the importers.

As regard the Nigerian Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) ultimatum on strike, Alabi said that they are partners, stakeholders in the industry, adding that their interest are the same.

We want an efficient and profitable business, so that people will be paid well and get a good standard of living. Our workers here are not treated differently from our workers elsewhere, that I can assure you.

Same global standards apply to our workers here. I have been involved with negotiations with unions in other industries and what I have found is that there are resistance to change where change can be for the better interest.

But we are talking with the union and its not in the interest of anybody to have a strike at this time. We are going to make sure that the strike does not happen, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SAN is an organisation made up of the largest and oldest shipping lines in the world, who operate here in Nigeria.

Some of these companies are nearly 200 years old and they came together on a voluntary basis to form the association.

What they mostly do is containerise movement of goods both in and out of Nigeria.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Source: NAN News

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Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) on Tuesday expressed sadness that in spite of its efforts, Nigeria recorded collapse of 62 buildings in 2022, with Lagos State leading with 20.

At the guilds combined virtual and physical Annual General Meeting (AGM), it consequently called for urgent measures to address the issue.

Mr Eddy Atumonyogo, who led the guild until election of his successor at the AGM, said that the guild made efforts, including introduction of whistle blowing mechanism, to curb the trend.

Atumonyogo was represented by his deputy, Mr Sulaimon Yusuf.

He said that the guild would need to do more toward arresting the situation.

Atumonyogo listed challenges of the guild to include funding constraints and COVID-19 pandemic which slowed down its activities.

He said that the guild, however, did its best to tackle the challenges.

Atumonyogo said that the guild partnered with governments of Lagos, Ogun and some other states toward effective regulation, monitoring, capacity building and improvements for best practices in construction activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that statistics provided by Atumonyogo showed that Kano had seven incidents of building collapse in 2022 while Anambra followed closely with five, and Delta and Jigawa recorded four each.

The guild still has a lot of work to do in persuading the various governments to collaborate with it in monitoring construction activities to ensure best practices as well as enlighten the investing public on the need to engage competent hands.

Despite all the efforts in year 2022, there were still a total of 62 collapse of buildings, either partially or fully.

Twenty-three states had incidents of partial or full collapse of buildings, with Lagos State topping the chart with 20 incidents, he said.

Atumonyogo thanked members of the guild for their sacrifices, and urged the new president and executive council to put in their best.

The guest speaker, Prof. Mike Adebamowo, called for deployment of technology for monitoring of construction sites to tame quackery and other root causes of building collapse.

The guest speaker, who is an architect, said that most buildings that collapsed in recent years, including the 21-storey building that collapsed in Ikoyi, Lagos State, on Nov. 2021, did not have experts on site.

The guest speaker, who is the Executive Director of University of Lagos Business School, spoke on the theme: Investigating the Political, Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Building Collapse in Nigeria: The Sustainable Pathways for Eradication.

He called for restoration of traditional role of architects as the prime consultants, who should work in synergy with the other built environment experts for quality assurance.

According to him, if anything is wrong at the design stage of any project, everything built will be on a faulty foundation and can collapse.

He said that tackling collapse of buildings would require commitment from building experts, governments, communities and individuals.

If we dont go back to basics, we will not be able to address the root cause of the problem, he said.

He expressed dissatisfaction that made-made factors were responsible for nearly all the collapse of buildings that occurred in Nigeria.

He said that greed and corruption among property owners, building professionals, artisans and governments must be dealt with in Nigeria for sanity to be sustained in the construction industry.

Punishment that should serve as deterrent should be meted out to any professionals or property owners who contravene building control regulations or engage in unethical practices that can lead to building collapse, he said.

He listed heavy fines, forfeiture of professional licence, forfeiture of property and jail terms among the punishments.

He urged governments to adequately fund its regulatory agencies and build its staffs capacities.

He urged the regulators to enforce building codes and implement strategies for stemming collapse of buildings.

He also urged relevant agencies to continuously audit buildings and bridges to detect distress early and avert collapse.

The newly-elected President of the guild, Mr Sulaiman Yusuf, praised his predecessor for foresight and good leadership.

Yusuf, a town planner, promised that his administration would uphold professionalism and quality assurance.

During our time (2023 2024), we will focus more on the prevention of building and infrastructure collapse rather than pursuing collapsed buildings in our society, he said.

Yusuf said that his administration would do much to boost quality infrastructure delivery across the nation.

He thanked the guilds affiliates for their support.

Mr Mubarak Gbajabiamila, the General Secretary of the outgoing administration in the Lagos Chapter of BCPG, gave a report of activities of the administration.

NAN reports that BCPG is made up of the seven built environment professionals which are estate surveyors and valuers, architects, town planners, builders, quantity surveyors, engineers and surveyors. (NAN)

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Source: NAN News

By Jessica Dogo

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has dedicated its Consumer Toll-Free Number 622, to serve as 2023 Presidential Election Incident Hotline.

The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Danbatta said that this was to enable voters and members of the public to report issues that may affect them or others, during the elections scheduled for Feb. 25.

This step is to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its patriotic commitment towards the conduct of hitch-free elections in Nigeria.

The Toll-Free Number 622 is the second-level complaints centre through which consumers of telecommunications services are allowed to make calls directly to the Commission.

To resolve issues concerning their telecommunications services which the service providers are unable to do, Danbatta said.

He said this was in consideration of the critical nature of the election and to alleviate emergent issues that may arise at the voting centres, or any parts of Nigeria.

Danbatta said: This is with a view to resolving such issues by contacting and conveying such to relevant agencies, authorities, or organisations for timely resolution.

The 622 Election Incident Monitoring Centre will be manned by top management officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission. The hotline will be open to the public from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The EVC called on members of the public to take advantage of the Election Incident Monitoring Centre Hotline, 622.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

DD/Website

Hajiya Ireti Kingibe

By Ruth Oketunde
The Labour Party senatorial candidate in the Federal Capital Territory, Hajiya Ireti Kingibe, has promised to deliver credible representation and provide infrastructural development to residents of the FCT once elected into office.

She said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Kingibe, who is the only female candidate contesting for the position in the nations capital, said she was ready to give the FCT a new direction.

I am running because I have seen great lapses and lacuna in the representation of the FCT.

I have lived in the FCT since 1988 and I have watched the FCT grow from a place where people only lived in the life camps to one when it was developed to the number one place and now it has been regressed to irrelevance and poverty.

The senatorial seat is the highest elective position in the FCT and the senator works closely with the FCT minister to represent the people and to also take care of FCT infrastructure which is under the ministers purview.

But the senator is there to keep an eye on the needs of the people because he is representing them.

But now, if you remove Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Wuse 2, CBD and the Airport road, there is nothing in other places, development is zero.

You cant go to Nyanya for instance and see good roads, no place has water or lights, in 2023 and the FCT has two budgets; truly we should be able to do more than that.

What I am bringing is credible representation, I am not trying to put anything in my pocket, she said.

Kingibe said she was contesting because she was determined to give back to society and improve the well-being of Nigerians.

She said that she would focus on bringing development and empowerment to the people at the grassroots because that is the ideology of the Labour Party.

According to her, she will be working closely with her colleagues in the Senate to make laws that will be favourable to the people of the FCT.

What I am bringing to the FCT is goodwill, determination to work, integrity and sincerity.

I am going to make a difference in the lives of the people and residents of the FCT and that is what I am bringing to the table once elected, she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Grace Yussuf

Source: NAN News

Journalists at work

By Franca Ofili

A legal practitioner, Mr Daniel Agada, on Wednesday in Abuja called for adequate protection for journalists covering the 2023 general election,

Agada made the call in Abuja on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Journalists put their lives in danger to report the news as it is for the public good only to be made to face harassment, intimidation, and sometimes physical attack.

Their impartial account and accurate reportage serve a fundamental public good which can have decisive impact on the development of the nation.

In view of the fact that they their roles cannot be overemphasised, theres the need to ensure that they protected while performing their duties.

This need is further heightened by the insecurity challenges in some parts of the country.

The government needs to put measures in place to ensure that journalists are adequately protected while performing their duties including the coverage of elections, he said.

Agada also said that Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution As Amended, provides for the rights to freedom of expression of the press.

Section 22 , the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, he said.

The lawyer called on employers of journalists to play a pivotal role in ensuring that journalists are adequately protected while performing their duties.

The employers of these journalists benefit greatly from the work journalists do, he said.

Agada also advised the journalists to be vigilant and in case of any violence, they should protect themselves. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ayodeji Alabi/Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

Seyi Tinubu

By Rukayat Moisemhe

A serial Entrepreneur, Seyi Tinubu, has reiterated his commitments to driving entrepreneurship and human capital development across the country.

Tinubu, also a son of Sen. Bola Tinubu, Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the assertions at a popular reality TV show tagged: #TryMyJob with Olah on Tuesday in Lagos.

Tinubu said that his passion for entrepreneurship, human capital development and skills acquisition was his driving force to youths empowerment and employment generation.

He said that the show created by Olawunmi Akalusi had featured several celebrities, pointing out that by his appearance he has learnt the rudiments of tailoring and fashion business from Miss Chinedu Ahanonu.

Tinubu, also the Chief Executive Officer, LOATSAD Promomedia, said that entrepreneurship was key to growing the nations economy.

He urged Nigerian youths to appreciate the diversity of crafts, which according to him, contributes to solving the unemployment challenges in the country.

I commend my teacher today, Miss Chinedu Ahanonu, who left her day job, to train other women in the tailoring business.

Chinedu has trained over 500 women in the trade and her tenacity, patience and positive impact of her craft to the society deserves recommendation.

Apart from my passion for entrepreneurship, human capital development and skill acquisitions, I also enjoy my journey as a philanthropist.

Some of my projects and that of my organisation include the renovation of the seafood market in Victoria Island, Lagos, Noella Foundation project, which caters for the underprivileged in the society.

It has provided various forms of supports for them over the years, impacting the lives of thousands of people across Nigeria.

All these, by and large, impact the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) space, encourage entrepreneurship and improve the standard of living, Tinubu said.

On Try My Job reality TV show, Akalusi said that the show aims to solve social justice issues, especially in the areas of unemployment in Nigeria and Africa through entertainment.

She added that the show provided entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their products and services.

Influential people are made to swap jobs with blue-collar workers for a day and given the opportunity to share their experiences and give back to the society.

The show was launched in 2012 and has since featured famous people across all works of life and currently airs on OlahTv on YouTube, she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

Source: NAN News