By Oladele Eniola

Mr Ben Llewelyn-Jones, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, has urged Nigerians to respect the electoral process.

Llewellyn-Jones gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He urged politicians to resolve their grievances in a peaceful manner and avoid heating the polity and inciting violence.

My advice to politicians in the upcoming elections is that they should respect the process as the new technology is there to ensure that people can vote and that must be respected.

If the politicians have problem or dispute, then the use of legal or peaceful processes should be carried out and if their supporters are angry, ensure peaceful protests and avoid any form of violence.

Most importantly, politicians must desist from buying votes as the right thing is to tell people to vote for you because of what you would do and not by buying votes to convince them to vote for you.

It is imperative of politicians and people to do the right things as the UK government is committed to issuing visa restrictions where it is aware of attempts to subvert the democratic process, he said.

Llewellyn-Jones noted that since 2019, the UK government has spent over 10million working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), institution capacity building and civil societies, amongst others.

He urged the public to cooperate and work with the INEC, noting that the commission has the capacity to deal with challenges facing it.

We have been working very closely with INEC and we have spent over 10 million since 2019; not just on them as that money went into capacity building for Nigerian government institutions, civil societies and observers who have been working closely with INEC.

We are impressed with steps that have been taken as we know there is still a lot do, especially in terms of logistic challenges, but INEC is very experienced and they would overcome the challenges.

We encourage Nigerians to work and cooperate with INEC as there would always be challenges, but Nigerians should remain supportive, he said.

The UK envoy noted that there should be inclusiveness of people across the board in elections.

He encouraged People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), youths and women to contest various positions in future elections.

We are strong supporters of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement, as we supported the act and encouraged more people to come forward to participate in the elections because we want to see more inclusiveness across the board.

We want to see people with disabilities, people from different backgrounds and ages contest in elections but that is still a real challenge as we dont see that.

More women should participate in politics as you can look at the UK who has had three female prime ministers and we believe it is important to see more women participating as it would be a massive encouragement in general.

It is important to have that identification process so we are actively supporting all of that to make that difference to happen, he said.

Llewellyn-Jones expressed confidence that the forthcoming elections would be peaceful and fair.

He revealed that the UK government did not have preferred candidates noting that its concern was for the public to determine their preferred leaders.

I have been watching elections in Nigeria since 2014 and every election since 1999 has been an improvement as there have been changes, improvements, development, assurance and more confidence from the voters.

Im certain that the upcoming elections would be a step forward and the technology that is being introduced is a big part that would ensure that people cant rig the elections.

We would be observing the elections and we are really hopeful that the elections would go smoothly.

The key thing is that Nigerians vote, that they vote in a peaceful environment and that their votes count and the process is credible.

The UK government is not bothered about who wins the elections but our focus is on the process and to ensure Nigerians choose their leaders, he said.

The general elections will start with the presidential poll on Feb. 25.

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Kingsley Kubeyinje

Source: NAN News

Yiaga Africa, a Civil Society Organisation has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rectify observed lapses at the recently concluded mock accreditation for a successful 2023 election.

The Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call while presenting the organisations report on Bimodal Voters Accreditation System(BVAS) testing, mock accreditation and electronic transmission of accreditation data in Abuja on Friday.

Itodo said that data and technology would play prominent role in 2023 election, because INEC was relying on electoral technology to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election.

He said that tools such as the BVAS and INEC Election Result Viewing portal (IREV) would be deployed for the election.

He said to deliver on Nigerians expectations; the deployment of electoral technologies must conform to the principles of transparency, accountability, suitability, cost-effectiveness, security, accuracy and inclusion.

He said that INEC should make public its reports on the set-up and testing of the BVAS and mock accreditation and provide update on steps taken to address the challenges identified during the BVAS testing and mock accreditation.

He added that the mock accreditation confirmed that INEC assigned registered voters to new polling units without prior information to them, revealing a potential operational challenge on Election Day where voters would be unable to locate their polling units.

INEC should investigate cases where the BVAS failed to authenticate the biometrics of voters, despite having the names on the register. This will inspire public confidence in the BVAS and IReV.

As a matter of national emergency, INEC should notify all voters affected by the migration of polling units of changes to their polling units via text messages, emails, and phone calls if possible.

In addition, a copy of the voter register should be posted across polling units for voter to confirm their polling unit.

This should be backed by a national campaign on locate and confirm your polling units via online and offline platforms, he said.

Itodo said there was need for INEC to replicate the transmission of the accreditation data on the BVAS to the IReV in the general election.

He added that the transmitting accreditation figures would enhance the transparency of the election as it would give Nigerians the opportunity to check the consistency of the number of accredited voters recorded on the BVAS and the accreditation figures entered on the result sheet by polling officials.

He said that INEC should educate polling officials on recording and documentation of election figures, to avoid discrepancies between the accreditation data uploaded by the BVAS to the IReV and the figures recorded on the polling unit result sheet.

He said INEC should ensure all the BVAS devices deployed for the mock accreditation were reconfigured to read zero in the field for accreditation before deploying for the general election.

He said that the assembling a monitoring team to supervise and monitor the reconfiguration was highly recommended.

Yiaga Africa commends and encourages INEC to continue to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing the transparency of the electoral process, while hoping that all the other recommendations of ERAD will be implemented for the 2023 general election.

Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa,Cynthia Mbamalu, said that in the states observed by Yiaga Africa, the BVAS testing was successful and the ICT staff demonstrated good knowledge of the systems and testing guidelines.

She however, said some devices failed activation and configuration due to hardware failures such as problematic cameras, screens and power buttons.

She said the exercise was also blighted by poor internet connectivity.

Network challenges were experienced mostly in Adamawa, Taraba, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

More than half of the locations visited during the four visits experienced network challenges which hindered the activation of the machines on the days observed.

Cases of faulty BVAS devices were reported in states like Sokoto, Edo, and Akwa Ibom, the ICT officials discovered the defective hardware components when they attempted to operate the machines.

The dominant hardware defects include non-functioning camera, faulty screen and faulty fingerprint scanner and reports from half of the centers indicate faulty fingerprint scanners was the most prevalent defect with the BVAS devices, she said.

Mbamalu said that in some states, INEC officials resisted and declined to grant access to citizen observers to observe the testing process and this hampered the observation in Zamfara, Jigawa, Kaduna, Plateau Kogi, FCT, Cross-River, Bauchi, and Gombe states amongst others.

She said that in 98 per cent of polling units, the BVAS functioned properly, saying however that in two per cent of polling units, the BVAS malfunctioned, and it was fixed.

She said that in 84 per cent of polling units, every voters fingerprint was checked using the BVAS and in cases where the fingerprint authentication failed, the official resorted to facial authentication.

She said that Yiaga Africa observers reported cases of missing names of the voter register and the BVAS were denied accreditation.

Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu , Board Member,Yiaga Africa, recommended that registered voters should utilise platforms provided by INEC to locate and confirm their polling units before election day.

Nwagwu said that this would fast-track the process of voting on Election Day.

He said that the National Assembly should consider further amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022 after the 2023 general election to make the conduct of testing and mock exercises for electoral technologies mandatory including timelines for their conduct.

He said that political parties should educate party agents on the process of accreditation and results management process to ensure effective oversight and avert undue interference with the process on Election Day.

He said that civil society groups, media and international partners should undertake and support campaign initiatives aimed at assisting voters to locate and confirm their polling unit including inspiring confidence in the BVAS and IReV. (NAN)(nannews.ng)

ATAB/ABI

Source: NAN News

Azibaola, standing, addressing a cross-section of the engineers during their tour of Zeetin Engineering complex in Idu, Abuja

Zeetin founder charges young engineers on innovation, patriotism

Mr Azibola Robert, founder of Zeetin Engineering Limited, has charged young engineers to take advantage of the companys expertise and array of machines to improve their practical knowledge in engineering and contribute to the technological advancement and infrastructural development of Nigeria.

He gave the charge on Friday while taking members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Abuja branch, on a facility tour of Zeetin Engineering complex in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja.

Our engineers have learnt a lot in schools. Now, Zeetin is the right place for our young engineers to come and hone their skills; they can come here and practice what they have been taught in schools, Azibaola, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers said.

He said that young engineers would be given the opportunity to use the company to demonstrate their ability to design and carve metals into different shapes and sizes with the companys machines.

We are also building capacity; we are open to collaboration in engineering with Nigerian engineers across the globe, as we continue to work with our technical partners to achieve all these.

In Zeetin, we want to make as many spare parts as possible and ultimately, make car engines both hydrocarbon-based and electric engines and that will change the narrative that we are not just about automobile assembly. Some of the machines we have here are the same machines that are used abroad to do your jets, he said.

Robert advised Nigerians to stop sending faulty machines and equipment abroad for repairs, instead of patronising Nigerian firms to fix them.

We should discourage the practice of quickly sending faulty machines, equipment for repairs to Europe or to China or to India. Despite the challenges we are facing as a country, we in Zeetin Engineering want to change the narrative.

By making Zeetin the engineering hub for the design, fabrication and production of OEM spares for all sectors of engineering, automobile, aviation, etc, instead of having to go abroad to either buy or repair these things.

This is because we have here in Zeetin the machines that our people go to patronise in other countries abroad.

Azibaola also charged Nigerian engineers to continue to advocate for changes and re-orientation of the way and manner the engineering profession and its practitioners are perceived by the Government in the development of the country.

The government encourage local production and the country will develop, no two ways about it. Its about Ingenuity. Its about ability to function. Technology is rapidly evolving. Not like it used to be in the 1980s, when you have to go through stringent policy process to be able to import machines.

If you encourage a lot of people to buy cars from the local industry, several industries will grow. For instance, I start making engine block, cars; somebody will be interested in making bolts and nuts, so, another industry will grow; somebodys interested in making upholstery.

It might not be very pleasant at the beginning; but over time, technology improves. We must start from somewhere, and keep improving.

Zeetin Engineering is a technology and precision engineering company, which focuses on all types of metal works, including high-end engineering spares production.

In his remarks, the leader of the delegation and chairman of the Abuja branch of the NSE, Ben-Osy Osita, accepted and thanked Zeetin founder for offering to give hands-on training to young engineers in the practical use of the different machines in the factory.

Our young engineers would like to be trained here in Zeetin. We would love to send them to come here and do training, their IT (Industrial Training).

We will definitely collaborate on that and bring our engineers here. We really appreciate and accept your kind gesture. Theres no other engineering firm in Nigeria that has the kind of equipment we have here in Zeetin.

Its only Zeetin and, I think, one company in South Africa, that have it in Africa. Our young engineers would like to be trained here, Osita said

He also thanked the Zeetin founder for his support and encouragement to engineering bodies as a whole, and commended his belief in Nigerian engineers.

Im very proud of your belief in Nigerians Building Nigeria. You employed Nigerian engineers and pay them well. Thank you for your belief in Nigerian engineers.

You believe that something good will come out of this country, for your belief in Nigerian engineers. Some other persons would, ordinarily, have gone elsewhere, like Ghana, to establish this factory there.

But you chose to establish it here in Nigeria because of Nigerian engineers. Thats commendable, and we thank you for that.(NAN)

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu and other dignitaries during the wedding

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Minister of Power, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, on Friday said that patience and tolerance were key to a successful marriage.

Aliyu made the remark shorty after the wedding fatiha of the son of the late Yobe Governor, Sen. Mamman-Ali, Alhaji Abdallah Mamman-Ali and Aisha Bello, held at Al-Noor Mosque, in Abuja.

The minister, who noted that marriage was a serious business, enjoined the groom to ensure a barrier between his friends and family.

Aliyu said: This is the beginning. So, it is a bumpy ride at the beginning, so they are now going to start to understand each other.

No matter the time they spend during courtship, they will never know each other until they come together under one roof. Then the real self will start to come out.

So, the only thing that can keep them together is patience. He has to be patient with his wife and the wife also has to be patient with her husband.

I want to advise him to realise that she is his wife no one else. She is not his friends wife, therefore, there has to be a barrier between his friends and his family. And family is a serious business.

We will continue to pray for them. May Allah give them a happy home and a blessed family.

Also speaking, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Deputy National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), reiterated that patience and tolerance were the magic wands for a very successful marriage.

Kyari: Ours is to pray for them to have a very successful marriage and a very bright future.

As we all know, there are challenging times ahead and we wish them all the best and they should keep all their problems within themselves.

Let them sort it out themselves without any third party and they will have a successful marriage just like his father and all of us.

On his part, the groom, expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for sparing his life to witness his wedding day in good health.

He added: I am very happy, I am fulfilled and in sha Allah, everything will go smoothly during this wedding ceremony and with my partner as well.

I dont think I will have the time to list all the qualities of my wife, but I will say she is a smart woman, she is very caring, she is loving and very appreciative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe stood in for the groom.

NAN also reports that the union between the couple was solemnised after the payment of N200,000 dowry.

The wedding fatiha was presided over by an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Adam.

In attendance were the former Yobe Governor, Sen. Bukar Ibrahim, the Emir of Machina, Dr Bashir Bukar, Group Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari and Dr Kabir Kano, Director-General, International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

Mr Bitrus Chinoko, the Director-General, CMD and Mr Yuzurio Susumu, the Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria

By Adeyemi Adeleye

The Centre for Management Development (CMD) seeks collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to fulfill its mandate of providing capacity building for national development.

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, CMD, Mr Bitrus Chinoko, during a bilateral meeting with the representatives of JICA in Lagos on Thursday said that the centre needed support to achieve its goals.

Chinoko, who described the visit of JICA officials as home coming, said that the history of the CMD could not be written without JICA.

According to him, CMDs area of focus has not changed.

He said that the centre still wanted to build a viable entrepreneurship and business development department.

Seeking JICAs cooperation in the training of Nigerian youths, the DG said: A sizable number of our youth are roaming the streets because there are no jobs.

We started a programme where we train the youth free of charge, and try to attach them to some industries so that they can learn skills. Unfortunately, we do not get a positive response but we have not given in.

He said that the centre expected cooperation from JiCA in the area of leadership training, economic management, ICT and infrastructure development.

Economies all over the world today are driven by knowledge. Of course, that is what Japan has stood out for. Everybody knows that what makes Japan what it is today is the knowledge-based economy that it runs.

Except we have this knowledge impartation, we can have all the resources in the world in Nigeria, if it cannot be judiciously utilised and exploited for the good of everybody, nothing can be achieved.

That is why we continued to emphasise on capacity building for national development and that is one of the key mandates for CMD, to provide capacity in the public sector and private sector.

We cannot do this alone, the government itself is overwhelmed, and the need for technical collaboration with agency like JICA becomes very imperative, he said.

The CMD boss expressed confidence that something positive would come out of the collaboration, saying whatever JICA would do for CMD is done for the entire nation.

He said that the staff needed capacity building with international best practices, that would be cascaded for national development across levels.

In his response, Mr Yuzurio Susumu, the Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria, said that the agency had been discussing with CMD for a long time about the future possible collaboration and cooperation.

I heard there is a big headquarters office and facilities, so this time we are inspecting to see the facility on the ground and also if possible to observe the training they are running, Susumu said.

He said that the agency was looking at collaborating in the area of training programmes in the priority areas such as leadership, entrepreneurship, economic management and others.

Assessing the facility, Susumu noted that CMD was trying its best with the limited resources, saying we understand that the government is facing some difficulties financially.

I am very much encouraged that CMD is moving towards ICT here in training and retraining and libraries.

On how soon the expected collaboration would begin, he said that the agency was still in discussion with his home country..

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CMD management took the JICA officials round its facilities during a bilateral meeting that had some directors of the centre in attendance. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Source: NAN News

By Olatunde Ajayi

The newly-appointed Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yushau Ahmed, has given assurance of safety to Youth Corps members during the forthcoming general elections.

Ahmed gave the assurance during his official visit to the Oyo State NYSC Orientation Camp on Friday in Iseyin, Oyo State.

He informed the corps members that he had on assumption of duty visited all service chiefs in the country to get assurance from them for the protection of Corps members on election duties.

He, however, urged the Corps members to abide by the rules and regulations guiding their participation as umpires in the elections and desist from unauthorised journeys throughout their service year.

The D-G charged them to maintain high level of discipline and translate the sound training imparted on them into impactful service year as they assumed various roles in their Places of Primary Assignment (PPA).

Recounting his own experience as a Youth Corps member in Osun State, in 1995, Ahmed urged them to make friends and respect the culture of their host communities.

The NYSC boss further urged corps members to relate well with the people in their host community to have a memorable and rewarding service year.

He said that NYSC scheme had zero tolerance for extortion and promised that security and welfare of Corps members would be his topmost priority.

The Oyo State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Odoba Abel, in his welcome remark, gave a report of the ongoing 2023 Batch A Stream 1 Orientation Course.

Abel, therefore, paid tributes to the participating Corps members and the NYSC staff working with him who made the exercise successful.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit of the new D-G, who assumed duty on Jan. 22, was his first to the South-West.

He was accompanied by senior officials of the scheme from the Directorate Headquarters.

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Grace Yussuf

Source: NAN News

L-R: An Engineer from the Lagos State Office of Infrastructure, Mr Tokunbo Oyenuga; Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye and a Town Planner, Oladimeji Animashaun, representing the Commisioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins during stakeholders with Eti-Osa Local Government Area residents towards dualisation of Alpha Beach Road at Alausa.

By Grace Alegba

The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it had given the deserved attention to infrastructure development and delivery for the wellbeing of the residents.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, said this at a stakeholders meeting held in Alausa for the dualisation of Alpha Beach Road, located in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.

The meeting, held with the Eti-Osa stakeholders, was jointly organised by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in collaboration with its Works and Infrastructure counterpart.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Alpha Beach road, which is off Lekki-Epe Expressway, is also called Omo Oba Murphy Adetoro Road.

The project has a length of about 1.9km and width of 14.6m, and will link the proposed Coastal Road.

Bamgbose-Martins, represented by Oladimeji Animashaun, a town planner, said the project was in line with the THEMES Agenda, to improve traffic flow and assist the socio-economic development of the entire Eti-Osa axis.

He said the Sanwo-Olu administration began year 2023 on good note with inauguration of iconic projects such as the Blue Rail Line, Imota Rice Mill, Dangote Fertilizer Plant and the Eleko-Epe Road.

The dualisation of Alpha Beach Road is yet another that is capable of further articulating the economic potential of the Lekki axis as the development zone of the state.

Therefore, I make bold to say that this administration has earned a reputation as a progressive one that is paying the deserved attention to infrastructure development for a 21st-century Lagos, which is evident on many fronts, including education, public health, and transportation, where the state is growing rapidly as a result of the addition of the facilities required for the wellbeing of the people.

Therefore, I am elated that the proposed dualisation of Alpha Beach Road in Eti-osa Local Government Area is coming at this point in time when the populace are able to assess the government, based on the delivery of electoral promises of which transportation and traffic management are important components, he said.

The commissioner said the stakeholders meeting was organised to have inputs of residents, discuss issues Right of Way (RoW) recovery and other activities for the successful take off of the project.

Bamgbose-Martins said the meeting was well publicised to ensure adequate information on the modalities for the establishment of the RoW and other requirements for payment of compensation to affected property owners.

He appealed for support of the residents towards successful execution of the project while urging citizens to always comply with physical planning laws, build right and avoid illegal constructions.

The Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the project was being executed in partnership with Zenith Bank under the governments Public Infrastructure Improvement Partnership Project.

She listed other projects being built in partnership with other private sector partners and commended Zenith Bank for the project and others it had undertaken in the past.

Adeyoye urged other private sector partners to join in such collaboration, while giving a brief of the project being upgraded to be built with rigid pavement to carry heavy axle load for longevity.

She assured that CCTV cameras would be included in facilities on the road project as requested by a stakeholder, for effective monitoring after completion by community development associations.

Adeyoye, however, expressed disappointment over absence of the members of the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) who were important stakeholders on the project alignment.

She said there was opportunity for further future engagement with stakeholders on the project while listing ongoing collaboration with the private sector in the area of road constructions.

I am a little disappointed that LERSA is not here, she said.

Adeyoye called for continued support of stakeholders to government while appealing to residents to take ownership of the project and prevent it from all forms of abuse prevalent on the Eti-Osa axis.

Earlier, while giving a brief, the Project Director, Mr Tokunbo Ajanaku, said the Alpha Beach Road constructed between 1990 and 1994 would be upgraded to a dual carriageway to connect 20 estates.

Ajanaku, a certified Engineer from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, said the project would also link the proposed Coastal Road project with proper drainage channel and service ducts for future passage of cables and utility lines.

He said that site clearance would warrant demolition of some properties on the Right of Way, adding that, efforts were made through design adjustments to reduce the number of houses to go down.

Stakeholders at the event including Mr Uneku Okpanachi, a lawyer, took turns to raise concerns which were addressed.

However, Mr Dayo Joshua, who earlier appealed for inclusion of CCTVs in the project, also called for rehabilitation of inner estate roads that were destroyed as a result of traffic diverted on them for take-off of the main project.

Alhaji Razak Olokooba, a civil society representative from Eti-Osa, applauded the government, saying it was not right to give commendation for good deeds and not to always give negative commentaries.

We are interested in the good things you are doing for the people so that we can balance it, he said.

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Source: NAN News

Lucky winners of the mega millions Naija lottery scheme

By Kingsley Okoye

International Gaming and Entertainment Limited (IGE), promoters of Mega Millions Naija lottery scheme, says it has obligation to sustain its core value of integrity to subscribers that emerge as lucky winners of the mega millions Naija lottery scheme.

Director of IGE, Mr Okwy Okeke, said this at the presentation of a N2 million cheque to a lucky winner, Mr Oluseyi Lasisi in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IGE is licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to operate a national lottery promotional scheme, Mega Millions Naija.

Okeke said, shortly after presentation of the cheque to the winner: If you are regulated and your licence is current with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, it means that you are legitimate and legal.

Mega millions Naija is actually a messenger platform, that simply helps people to buy tickets for the lottery played either in Western Europe, North America or Australia, and Brazil and would also help you collect the money at no extra commission.

And when you win, we help you collect, so you dont have to travel; without us you will have to fly to many countries to participate in any of their lotteries, but with us, you send us as messengers and we get it done for you.

He said the company, via its activities, was also contributing to the growth of the economy via job creation and provision of corporate social responsibilities.

We assist Nigerian economy, and Nigerians in more ways than one.

We employ many Nigerians, and for every Naira worth of lottery people buy, we dedicate a percentage to charity; we are still in the process of building a school block at Seun, near Sagamu in Ogun State, so we also engage in charity.

From the point of view of the economy, money won comes into Nigerian economy, and money won has a way of shoring up the value of the naira.

He explained that the company was involved in facilitation of playing of multiple lotteries for subscribers every single day.

Three to six lotteries are drawn on our platform and very soon we would also start a local draw of every week; we would give out million naira to a random player, Monday to Saturday we have multiple lotteries drawn, a good example is the U.S. power ball draw.

He said it was important for the media to be aware about the winnings by Nigerians for purpose of documentation, confidence building by local and international regulators, third parties, adding that lottery thrived on trust.

He said the winner, Mr Oluseyi Lasisi, played the category of the euro jackpot lottery for which he marked four cards that resulted in his winning of over 4,000 euros which was an equivalent of two million naira.

Lasisi, at the presentation of the cheque, was represented by his friend, Mr Adekunle Mohammad, who received the cheque on his behalf.

Mohammad, who expressed delight for the cheque said: I feel very happy for my friend, considering the financial challenges in the country now.

Honestly two million naira is a huge amount, and I know he will be very happy to receive the fund.

He said the mega lottery project was unique and real, while encouraging people to participate.

Mohammad thanked management of IGE, promoters of mega million naija lottery, for its contributions to growth of the economy via the lottery project.(NAN)www.nannews.ng

=============
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to improving the transport sub-sector as a key contributor to the countrys economic development.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, stated this at the first quarter 2023 Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) strategy session, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mustapha was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of General Services, Mr Maurice Mbaeri.

According to him, the federal government hopes to improve the transportation sector through improvements in interlinking modes.

He said that government would also seek improvement in congestion management and urban mobility through road construction and maintenance.

By so doing, pressure is removed on the road and the road sector better preserved and safer.

This will also manifest in the federal governments construction and rehabilitation of rail tracks, dredging of waterways and upgrading of most airports in Nigeria.

For sustainable management, government is working through the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission.

This is to explore public-private partnership in the management of these critical national assets, he said.

Mustapha appreciated the limitations and enormous challenges facing the corps in enforcing its mandate, while encouraging them, as the consistent part of the leadership of the corps, to widen their horizon.

Think outside the box; be creative in beginning to fashion new workable strategies that will better respond to our current challenges to traffic management in Nigeria.

Begin to reposition your thoughts and vision to play critical role in the wider national security architecture, he said.

Earlier, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, urged the commanding officers to reawaken field operations and reclaim the admiration of road users through improved professionalism and dedication to duty.

According to Biu, there is the need to pay specific attention to improving the declining level of enforcement on critical offences.

Also, increase the rate of road traffic crashes (RTCs) across the country, the traffic congestions in our urban centres and the response time to RTCs.

We need to be more civil and professional in our engagements as well as address extortion and high-handedness by patrol teams, he said.

Highlights of the event were the decoration of the two newly-appointed Deputy Corps Marshal (DCMs). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu and Wale Sadeeq

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

The Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural (UNESCO) are to review the Annual School Census (ASC) tools and implementation manuals in line with global trends and the SDGs.
This was made known at a three-day workshop for relevant stakeholders in selected states and education sector to review of the ASC instrument and implementation manuals on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Andrew David-Adejo, said ASC helps the education sector by generating data on the number of schools by level, learners, staff, classrooms, books and facilities.
David-Adejo, represented by Mr Zubairu Abdullahi, therefore, urged the participants to contributes towards producing a reviewed instruments and manual in line with global best practices.

I look forward to the report of this workshop, especially as Nigeria really needs to improve on the credibility of data on Out-Of-School-Children, he said.
He also expressed appreciation to UNESCO for their support in the education sector, especially in the conduct of ASC to ensure Nigeria has the appropriate tools to use.
Also, Mr Mamadou Lamine-Sow, Head of Education Sector, UNESCO Abuja Regional Office, said the exercise aim at collecting accurate, reliable and timely data from schools.
It is the primary source of education data in any country. Data provides the statistical evidence for a majority if not all the education sectors policies, plans, strategies, decisions and distribution of resources.

One of the objectives of this workshop is to review our annual school census tools to be that 21st-century tool we all want it to be and to capture most of the SDG4 indicators.
With this alone, there will not be anything like no data or blank spaces when it comes to reporting globally such as with UNESCO Institute for Statistics, he said.
Lamine-Sow, represented by Mrs Ngozi Amanze, UNESCOs National Programme Officer, said they would also be reviewing the indicators for school health and child well-being to promote positive development and healthy behaviours in children.
It is important that we strengthen the capacity of the school health system to provide conducive environment for physical, mental and social wellbeing of young people and to achieve SDG 4 and the health-related SDGs.

Also, to prepare learners to thrive, learn and build healthy and peaceful sustainable futures for all, he said.
He said the workshop would educate school heads and teachers on the new integrations to the ASC tools, reduce the complexity of completing the questionnaires and improve the understanding of the school administrators to efficiently complete the assignment.
He reiterated the commitment of UNESCO towards supporting the education system, adding that the workshop was part of UNESCOs Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme.

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Federal Government has inaugurated 25 housing units in Kuje and performed groundbreaking for developing an additional 130 units at the Aviation Village both in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The completed houses project, a partnership between the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and Abiskoly Housing Estate for the National Human Rights Commission Cooperative Society is located in Kuje.

While the groundbreaking ceremony for 130 three bedroom Terrace duplexes was done for FMBN Staff Cooperative Estate located at Aviation village off Airport Road Abuja and being developed by Mshel Homes Limited.

The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, while inaugurating the project said the houses would stimulate economic growth and contribution to nation building.

I want to use this opportunity to thank the Federal Government, and President Muhammadu Buhari for financing and encouraging real estate developers to be able to develop estates like this.

I must also thank the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, for what you are doing, when you do this you are contributing to nation building, this will stimulate economic growth now people will start coming here and when they move here other people who dont live here will start coming.

This will also make people home owners, people who cannot even afford to build a house but this will give them hope and I can assure you that the government will continue to encourage people like you who want to build homes for the people.

In the same vein, the Managing Director, FMBN, Mr Madu Hamman, said the phase one which was completed for commissioning was 25 housing units while 35 units would be delivered in the next phase.

He said that In the past few weeks the bank had been commissioning several residential houses in eight states across the country under the banks housing delivery initiative, developed in collaboration with the labour unions.

And, we have several others also completed under this scheme that will be commissioned in due course across the countrys geopolitical zones.

In this giant strive we are making in an effort to reduce the national housing deficit and also employ Nigerians in all areas of home ownership.

The commissioning of this estate today is another landmark event to showcase housing ownership initiative of the bank which is the FMBN cooperative society development housing scheme.

Under this scheme, we fund housing construction for housing cooperative society members, and acquisition of these houses when developed by their members who are regular contributors to the housing funds loan.

In our own way at the FMBN, we are committed to ensure that Nigerians have access to decent and secure accommodation through affordable mortgage financing especially Nigerians who have limited opportunities.

Hamman said there was no state in Nigeria today that did not have at least one or two FMBN sponsored Estate.

He added that FMBN had also continued to develop affordable market products and housing development schemes in its effort to exploit all angles and to facilitate mortgage lending and home ownership to Nigerians.

The Chairman Board of Directors FMBN, Mr Ayodeji Ariyo, said the approval and disbursement of the loan for the project was an indication of the Banks desire to empower Nigerians homeownership via affordable home mortgage financing.

Ayodeji who was represented by Non-executive Director, Mrs Nkechi Ejezie, said the project was a confirmation of the Banks commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of National Housing Fund (NHF) contributors.

It is therefore a thing of joy for us at FMBN to be associated with todays event and the Abiskoly Nigeria Limited, the developer of this estate.

I have no doubt that this project will go a long way in ameliorating the housing needs of members of the subscribers to this estate who are the staff of Human Rights Commission and contributing to the NHF.

Earlier, speaking at the groundbreaking of the 130 three bedroom terrace duplexes in the Aviation Village, President of Multi-purpose Cooperative Society FMBN, Mr Muhammad Lawal, said the idea to build a functional estate had been a priority of the cooperative.

When we came on board, our desire was to develop an estate which will project a good image of the bank, provide a decent shelter for our members and set a good example for other developers to emulate.

N1, 949,805,642.87 was approved as loan by the current Management in favour of FMBN Staff Multi-purpose Cooperative Society Limited under the Cooperative Housing Development Loan Window, for the of 130 units of 3bedroom terrace duplex with infrastructure.

Our developer has fully mobilised; construction work is going on in strict compliance with engineering standard.

In three months after the commencement of this project, we have received over 600 names of interested beneficiaries, mainly FMBN Staff and many others from government agencies such as the CBN, he said.

Lawal, however, appealed to the management of FMBN to consider and approve the phase 2 of the project to construct another 200 housing units to accommodate more citizens.

Both developers were commended FMBN for the opportunity and privilege to be partners in building affordable houses for citizens and reducing the housing deficit in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 Nigerians were beneficiaries of the just commissioned houses which are in 2bedroom and 3bedroom detached bungalows.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has ordered a closure of universities across the country to enable students to participate in the 2023 general elections.

This is contained in a letter addressed to Vice-Chancellors of all universities and Directors of Inter-University Centres, and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The letter was signed by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration), Christopher Maiyaki.

The NUC said that the directive was based on the directive of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

Maiyaki said: As Vice-Chancellors of all universities and Director/Chief Executive of Inter-University Centres are quite aware the 2023 general elections have been scheduled to hold on Sat. Feb. 25, 2023, for the presidential and National Assembly, and Sat. March 11, 2023 for gubernatorial and State Assembly, respectively.

In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staffers, students and properties of the our respective institutions, the Minister of Education, has, following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all universities and Inter-University Centres be shut down.

And also academic activities will be suspended between Feb. 22 and March 14, 2023. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Adeyemi Adeleye

The Lagos State PDP Women Leader, Alhaja Idowu Akinsanya, has commiserated with the partys deputy governorship candidate, Ms Funke Akindele, on the demise of her mother, Dr R. B. Adebanjo-Akindele.

Akinsanya in a statement said the death of the mother of the veteran Nollywood actress came as a rude shock to the women wing in the party.

According to her, the death of Akindeles mother came when she was most needed in the build-up to the elections.

We lost her at this period that all the women in Lagos needed her most, Akinsanya said.

She, however, said that Funke Akindele mothers death would not discourage the campaign toward ensuring victory for the party.

Akinsanya said that women in the party would move closer to Akindele and support her vision to give back to the women in society and the less privileged when emerged as the deputy governor.

She said that the partys governorship candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (JANDOR) and Akindele had been working hard to make sure PDP wins the election.

Lagos women will stand firm and throw their weight behind Jandor and Funke Akindele during this crucial period.

This will not weaken their effort or deter them from the dream ahead, but rather will make them stronger and more focused, she said.

She prayed that God would grant Akindele the fortitude to bear the loss, urging all PDP members to keep praying for the partys deputy governorship candidate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adebanjo-Akindeles death was announced on Tuesday evening by Funkes sister, Olubunmi Akindele, on her Instagram page on behalf of the families of Adebanjo and Akindele. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Source: NAN News

ICRC DG, Michael Ohiani (L) with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama (R)

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Federal Government says plans are ongoing to incorporate the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and those of all Foreign Missions into one unified portal.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Manji Yarling, the Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), in Abuja on Thursday.

Yarling said the management of the unified web portal was proposed to be handled under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

She said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said this when he led a delegation to the ICRC to seek its regulatory guidance to manage the portal using a PPP model.

Yarling said the portal among other things was aimed at providing a platform for stranded Nigerians to reach out and get help.

She said the minister and his team, who were received by the Director-General of the ICRC, Michael Ohiani and other management staff, briefed the ICRC on the project.

Yarling said Onyeama also briefed the ICRC on the ministrys quest for effective management.

According to the minister, we have been looking for partners. So we are here to present our projects for you to see where there could be possibilities for cooperation.

I have been told that we can sell this to the private sector.

Yarling said the team from the ministry gave more insights and said the ministry was attempting to achieve three things with the project.

According to the team, they include Diplomatic Service Digitisation Initiative (DSDI), a Unified Website and the Nigeria Global Business Match and Citizens Help Desk.

The team said that the projects aligned with the priority of the current administration which included the creation of a harmonised platform for the ministry and its missions.

Yarling said the team explained that the Citizens Help Desk was part of the development of clear guidelines to protect Nigerians abroad.

She said the team said that the project would provide multiple platforms for citizens abroad to reach out to government officials and have their issues resolved.

Another aspect of it is the business match-making platforms to provide global jobs and opportunities to individuals and businesses in Nigeria.

The very high-level infrastructure that we will need to support this are a virtual private network, an intranet, an active directory and an electronic document management system.

With the services that we offer, we hope to achieve an integrated e-payment solution as well, the ministers team said.

According to Ohiani, a project of this nature can help in situations like the recent earthquake that happened in Turkey.

The director-general said it would provide a platform for Nigerians to easily reach out to the mission to seek help for themselves or other Nigerians.

He said the project was laudable, adding that If a private sector operative was given to manage, there would be better optimisation and technology deployment employed.

We can turn part of it into a marketplace where people can key in.
We have to find a way for it to make money so that the private sector can recoup its investment and remit some amounts to the ministry.

We can seek a way to deploy artificial intelligence into these to make the operations more seamless.

We will look at the areas that will require partial commercialisation, full commercialisation and those that we dont have to charge for, he said.

Ohiani said that the ICRC was ready to receive a business and financial model from the private sector through the ministry on how to manage the project. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Source: NAN News

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu

By Segun Giwa

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has urged the electorate to vote leaders with good character to move the country forward.

Akeredolu stated this in Akure on Thursday at a programme organised by a socio- cultural and political group, The Atulunse Initiative, with the theme: Let Our Votes Count.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the topic for the event was Ethical governance: Awos legacy as a case study.

The governor, represented by his Deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, urged the people to shun vote buying at the forthcoming elections.

It is the quality of followers that is affecting the quality of leaders, he said.

Akeredolu urged Nigerians to vote for leaders with qualities and attributes of the late, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

He also enjoined Nigerians to stop celebrating those who value money over good behaviour and character.

We need to look for visionary leaders like Chief Awolowo. So, let us look at the characters of those that are contesting, whether they have the character of Chief Awolowo or not.

You can see that our governor is doing well in the state. You can see that Akeredolu has the same character with Awolowo and the development of this state is very paramount to him.

Let communal life be our priority; let us look at the characters of the candidates before we vote.

Let us vote for the candidate that is ready to provide adequate security and move this country forward, he said.

The Chairman, The Atulunse Initiative, Mr Akin Akinbobola, thanked the participants for making it to the occasion in spite of the unpleasant situations in the country.

Akinbobola said that the organisation had spread to the 36 states of the federation sensitising people on how to make their votes count.

The chairman said that a lot needed to be done to get the country on the right path, noting that there was a wide gap between the rich and the poor.

Give us education that is affordable. When those living in luxury are sick, they travel abroad, while the poor go for herbal treatment because orthodox medicine is not affordable.

Life has become unbearable for most Nigerians, why? It is because their votes dont count. All these must stop. They buy votes and people go for such.

Power is in our hands. That vote is in your hand. That is why they beg you for it. But when you sell it, they will come back and make life unrealistic.

But when you vote based on your conscience not by ethnicity or any affiliation, you will enjoy the country, he said.

The Chairman of the occasion and Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Alhaji Abdulhakeem Yayi-Akorede, said that the purpose of the gathering was to ensure that votes count in the forthcoming elections.

The guest lecturer, Prof. Akin Alao of Obafemi Awolowo University, said many political parties had failed to develop programmes that would create wealth and positively impact the economy.

He said, this was, unlike Awos Action Group, which attained its popularity through hard work, honesty and forthrightness. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) will ensure that no benefiting community is left behind in this years project execution.

Mr Joseph Ityav, HYPPADEC Chairman, who disclosed this on Tuesday at the HYPPADEC 9th Council meeting in Abuja, said that the project would be part of its medium-term strategic plan.

The strategic plan aimed at improving the welfare, security and development of HYPPADEC states and focussed on 10 key areas of education, healthcare, security, economy, environment, agriculture, energy, road infrastructure, water and youth empowerment.

Ityav said that projects on erosion control would be deployed to HYPPADEC states to reduce the burden of the yearly flooding in such benefiting communities.

All the projects we have set in place to carry out in this accounting year are based on the cost sector that is captured in a medium-term strategic plan.

We have been able to execute projects in almost every community of HYPPADEC and based on the plan that we have on the ground now, we will be able to take more projects to the host communities.

We have started on a good note; we have tried to take projects to every committee of HYPPADEC based on enumeration exercises that have been carried out in the past. So this ninth meeting is to strategise and make sure that every HYPPADEC community is captured in what we do, he said.

The HYPPADEC member states are Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, Benue, Kogi and Plateau while Taraba, Gombe and Kaduna states have applied to be part of the commission areas.

Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, HYPPADEC Managing Director, said the commission would this year give priority to erosion control and transportation infrastructure.

I think we are going to pay specific attention to erosion control, transportation and infrastructure, especially the provision of ferries and high bulk goods conveying ships along the communities.

These are some of the major challenges that the communities are facing, which we have not addressed so far, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 9th council meeting would consider reports from Policy Guideline and HPPADEC Medium and Strategic Plan as well as the Monitoring and Evaluation Committees.(NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

Stakeholders at the Intl Human Fraternity Day Celebration in Abuja.

By Bridget Ikyado

His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has advised Nigerian leaders to promote human dignity and oneness in line with the Human Fraternity Rules to enhance peace in the country.

Onaiyekan gave the advice in a keynote address to mark the International Day of Human Fraternity.

The event, which held at the Catholic Secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja, was organised by the Department of Mission and Dialogue, supported by Caritas Nigeria.

It had the theme Interfaith Relations in Nigeria; Diversity, Dynamism and Strength.

The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together is also known as the Abu Dhabi Declaration.

The Declaration was signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate.

The cardinal outlined 11 points which should be adopted by individuals and leaders to promote unity, peace and progress in every society.

He listed the points to include belief in the oneness of God, human dignity and equality before the law, religious diversity, and the importance of family in building a nation.

Others included care for children nurtured through marriage, and abhorrence of homosexuality in any form.

Respect of human life is absolute; abortion, mercy killing and murder are crimes and sin, Onaiyekan said.

He noted that the document was emphatic on the fact that there should be no killing in any form in the name of God, and declared that terrorists were ungodly and irreligious.

Onaiyekan said that every responsible person and leader should condemn kidnapping and other forms of terror as part of the drive to ensure a peaceful society.

The dignity of women is to be recognised and women are to be given full dignity, he said, adding that leaders should expunge laws that undermine women.

Onaiyekan also prayed for peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had lay faithful, clergymen and other stakeholders who sued for peace and unity in the country. (NAN)(www.nannnews.ng)

Source: NAN News

The Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello receiving award from Alhaja Kafilat Hassan, the Western Zonal Chairman

By Raji Rasak

Malam Tijani Isa, the President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), says only a government that comes to power through free and fair election can redeem the countrys economy.

Isa disclosed this during the institutes 17th Western Zonal Accountants Conference holding at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was Professional Accountants Uncertain Economy and Sustainable Development.

According to the ICAN president, a government that comes to power with a vision and has a programme to uplift the population will surely redeem the economy.

When you have a government that is based on financial or military inducement, we are not going anywhere.

I keep on saying that Nigeria is blessed with all resources to excel, but the problem we have is harnessing these resources.

We are the fifth largest suppliers of crude oil in the world, yet we cant refine sufficiently locally, our refineries are in comatose.

We need to have a leadership that has vision and focus, then we can move forward, he said.

The president said that the theme of the conference was timely and pertinent.

It avails us the platform to collectively examine our pivotal roles in sustainable development in the face of an uncertain economy.

The conference provides us with a unique opportunity to rethink our evolving roles in national development.

We are faced with the most challenging period in history, as a nation and globally.

The need for a more accountable and efficient utilisation of scarce resources has been heightened.

Isa said the New Normal was challenging the accountants as professionals to deploy their skills in charting a more robust, inclusive, and sustainable future.

He said the countrys challenges were diverse, running the gamut of high inflation, increasing debt profile, rising unemployment and underemployment, and intractable security challenges.

We must assist the nation and businesses to maximally utilise the limited resources to achieve national and organisational goals and objectives, he said.

Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), said the theme was very apt at a time when the economy formed the core of the talking points in campaign conversations.

I do not possess the expertise to speak on matters of the economy as much as many of you here today do.

But I am sufficiently educated enough to understand that accountants, like many other professionals, are partly responsible for the precarious situation of our nation today, she said.

Olatunji-Bello said the accountants should play a key role in salvaging the situation.

It is also important that this conference also considers sustainable development as one of the cardinal topics.

I therefore believe that this conference is coming at a most auspicious time.

Accountants can engage in robust conversations on some of the key economic issues facing us and proffer solutions, she said.

In a paper presentation, Mr Olanrewaju Sharafa, the Associate Lecturer, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom, urged ICAN members to seek financial freedom and sustainability within their practice and professional practice.

Sharafa, also National Treasurer, Institute of Corporate And Public SectorProfessionals (ICPSP), said chartered accountants should improve the accounting profession through value adding services diversification.

He listed some of the areas ICAN members could explore to include governance and strategic services, leading innovative business idea development, tax and wealth and advisory, compliance and regulatory services, among others.

You are the future of the accounting profession, hence the need to go out there and do great things. There is nothing limiting you, he said.

Pastor Samuel Egbetokun, the Conference Chairman, said paper presenters at both plenary and workshop sessions had done their researches and prepared to disseminate to participants a body of seasoned knowledge.

I dont have any doubt in me that at the end of this conference, all of us will be loaded with adequate practical knowledge and enough skills that will make us better accountants, he said.

In her remarks, Alhaja Kafilat Hassan, the Western Zonal Chairman, urged those at the conference to maximize the opportunity of the diverse registered delegates to establish new business relationships.(NAN)(www.nannews,ng)

Edited by Kabir Muhammad/Oluwole Sogunle

Source: NAN News

Youths voting during an election

By Segun Giwa

The Atulunse Initiative, a cultural socio-political pro-democracy advocacy group, says it is planning a symposium on electoral reform to educate Nigerians particularly in South-West on how to make their votes count at the forthcoming elections.

Mr Olaseni Shalom, Coordinator, Atulunse Initiatives, Nigeria, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Akure.

Shalom said that the symposium would principally highlight the challenges in electoral systems with particular regards to vote capture and reflection.

He said the symposium would hold in Akure, on Thursday with Dr Kayode Ajulo, a legal practitioner, delivering the keynote address and lecture.

The symposium is on electoral reform titled: Let Our Votes Count, and the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredelu is the Chief Host of the day, he said.

Shalom said that the Atulunse Initiative had over the years driven discourse for credible leadership as a veritable tool for social engineering.

He noted that the group was interested on the concentric benefits of evolving reliable systems and institutions to birth seamless and credible electoral processes where votes count and determine political outcomes.

This years symposium will build on the lessons and observations of the past and present to add practicable thoughts and solutions to the unique challenges in the Nigerian electoral process particularly as it affects the South-West.

The symposium will be contributing a body of literature toward influencing a policy shift in favor of the Yoruba race.

With evolving crisis in a waning sense of belonging, insecurity and political subterfuge of the Yoruba people in contemporary times, the imperative to regroup, re-think and re-strategise a stake in the unfolding theatre of modern Nigerian politics is overwhelming.

Atulunse Initiative seeks to interrogate a pathway to a legitimate leadership post 2023 at the federal, state and local government areas, deliberately and favourably disposed and committed to the growth and development of the Yoruba Nation.

In doing this, we are mindful of the peculiarities that set us apart broadly and specifically, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Source: NAN News

.

By Maureen Okon

The Director-General All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups, Dr Nasiru Ladan, has called on the members of the party to remain focused to ensure its victory at all levels in the forthcoming elections.

He spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of Alhaji Suleiman Isyaku as the Director of the Amalgamated APC Support Groups (AASG) for the North-Central Zone, on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Isyaku is also the Chairman of Tinubu/Shettima Ordained Movement.

The event also witnessed the inauguration of North-Central zonal leadership and the unveiling of the national executives of AASG, which comprises major APC support groups.

Ladan said AASG was established to rally support for the party and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other candidates at all levels across Nigeria.

He further added: Tinubus outstanding leadership qualities, personal attributes and antecedents as a former two-term governor of Lagos State were enough evidence that Nigerians would be safe under his watch.

He described Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, as merchants of hope.

They are capable of redefining the meaning and concept of modern leadership in Nigeria. The duo would project their joint ticket as a transformation agenda.

Speaking also, Isyaka said the group was in search of credible leadership which could only be found in Tinubu, saying he would consolidate on the gains of President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

He added that as members of a united front, the common goal was to mobilise eligible voters at the ward and unit levels, as well as engage major stakeholders across states of the federation.

Isyaka expressed optimism that APC would win the forthcoming elections from top to bottom on Feb. 25 and March 11, respectively.

The special guest of the event, Mrs Folasade Tinubu, the Iyaloja of Lagos State spoke on the need for the party members to be united to ensure its victory at the polls.

She appreciated all the support groups for their immerse contributions at the various stages of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign rallies across the country.

She said: It is important to educate the electorate on how to vote so that their votes would be valid during the polls. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News