Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

By Dorcas Elusogbon

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has called for peace and orderliness in the ancient city of Ile-Ife and its environs.

Ooni, who spoke through his Second-in-Command, Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ile-Ife.

He said as the royal father of Christians, Muslims and traditionalists and as a leader who championed peaceful coexistence globally, there was no reason why his home should be in turmoil.

He said that as a direct descendant of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race who also preached peaceful coexistence, he believed there was no reason why people of different faiths should not live peacefully in tolerance.

He noted that the two major faiths and traditional worshippers had coexisted peaceful in ages past and that there should not be hostilities between them now.

Four persons were reportedly injured when traditional religion worshippers attacked worshippers in a mosque in Ile-Ile on Thursday.

Traditionalists in the town had announced on Wednesday that the Oro cult would perform some rituals in some parts of Ife between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., advising residents to avoid the areas.

According to one of those in the mosque, Mr Abdulazeez Bashir, Oro adherents broke through the fence and began flogging worshippers with canes, instructing them to leave the ablution area.

One of them even attacked the Imam, Alhaji Abdullateef Adesiyan while coming into the mosque. He was beaten with a cane and hit on the face with a rod.

When I discovered that about five persons had been injured, apart from the Imam of the mosque, I had to call the Ife Chief Imam, Alhaji AbdulSemiu AbdulHammed to intimate him with the happenings.

The situation could have escalated into a big crisis when other Muslims began to gather around, but the traditionalists eventually left. The victims were later taken to a hospital for treatment, Bashir said.

When contacted, Osun Police Command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation into the mosque invasion had been launched.

Oba Ogunwusi promised to renovate the mosque that was affected as well as pay the hospital bill of the Imam of the mosque.

The Chief Imam of Ifeland, Alhaji AbdulHammed, told NAN on Friday that the trouble had been settled.

He confirmed that the traditional religion worshippers assaulted the Imam of Idiomo Mosque, Ilare, Alfa Adesiyan, inside the mosque.

AbdulHammed called for maintenance of fundamental rights of religion, speech and peace among others.

There is no family throughout Africa that practices one religion.

There should be freedom for individuals to practice whatever religion they choose without coercion, he said.

The Chief Imam appealed to indigenes to ensure that they maintained peace and orderliness during each festival in the town, stressing that there is no profit in violence. (NAN)()

Edited by Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

By Gabriel Agbeja

Mr Akin Olateru, Director-General, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has urged journalists to promote transportation safety network and development through proper reportage of occurrences across the country.

A statement from Mr Tunji Oketunbi, NSIM General Manager of Public Affairs on Friday in Abuja stated that Olateru gave the advice when new executive members of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, such move will help to properly educate the society to quickly understand occurrences in the transportation sector.

Olateru commended the critical role journalists played in the dissemination of accurate information derived from investigations and final reports of occurrence.

The NSIB boss stated that journalists reportage had greatly improved the image and the general well-being of the Bureau and the country as a whole.

He further commended the media for the critical role played in the actualisation of the establishment of the NSIB.

Olateru called for the continuous support of the media and other stakeholders in the fulfilment of the Bureaus new mandate of investigating accident and serious incident that occurred in the air, rail, marine and other modes of transportation in Nigeria.

Nigeria as a country should move in line with the world by separating the regulatory body from the investigating body, so as to avoid conflict of interest, and ensure objectivity in what we do.

According to him, this is unlike in the past when there was no investigation into the cause of transportation mishaps and the authorities were more focused on punishing the offenders.

The new NSIB will carry out independent investigations of transportation occurrences, determine the causal factor and proffer safety recommendations to prevent reoccurrence.

The bureau is at the critical level of the bills implementation and this is the time we need your assistance, cooperation commitment, understanding and professionalism, in pursuing the noble objective, he said.

Speaking, the new Chairman of the ATACA, Mr Oru Leonard, expressed appreciation for the support and assistance the Bureau had shown toward ATACA members, especially in the area of training on accident investigation reportage.

The chairman said the recent training really informed the members about the processes and procedures of accident investigations.

He further said the training impacted on how to better inform the public about accidents and incident occurrences in a more professional and concise manner that would not instil fear or cause havoc.

Oru, however, called for more of such gesture and support of ATACAs activities by the bureau.

He said a deeper collaboration and partnership between the two organisations would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bureau, in collaboration with Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) organised a week-long training titled: Investigation Management- Media Relations for the Abuja correspondents.

NAN further reports that a similar training has been previously organised by the bureau for aviation correspondents in Lagos. (NAN)

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

Illustration for digital economy

By Justina Auta

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has inaugurated a Digital Economy Community of Practice (DECoP) to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development in Nigeria digital ecosystem.

The event held in Abuja, Thursday, is in partnership with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to identify and boost the capacity of key digital players, and engender inclusive public-private sector collaboration.

Prof. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said the 2020-2030 National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy was built on eight implementing pillars.

Pantami said the pillars were geared towards expanding the scope of the digital economy and make it more flexible to accommodate the needs of all citizens.

This is just an effort to ensure total inclusion, we are trying to cascade digital economy to reach our states.

When it comes to digital skills, we have so many initiatives including skills for women, persons with disability including our children, he said.

Mr Laoye Jaiyeola, Chief Executive Officer, NESG, said the growth achieved by the digital economy offered great opportunities however; it posed the risk of exclusion especially for women and girls who were mostly affected.

Access to and use of digital devices and services are neither universal nor equitable with women and girls disproportionately affected, leaving the most vulnerable digitally excluded.

The absence of a robust collaboration framework between the regulatory agencies, the private sector and development partners is an area within the digital sector that requires attention, he said.

Also, Mr Jonathan Bacon, Political Director, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and United Kingdom, said Nigerias digital economy had the potential to benefit all citizen, stressing the need to ensure inclusivity.

We have been trying to support digital inclusion.

And, I would like to particularly recognise the efforts of Nigerian government in deepening digital inclusion through various policies and one good example of these is the gender digital inclusion framework, he said.

Dr Osasuyi Dirisu, Executive Director, PIC, emphasised the need to bridge digital divide through cross-sectoral collaborations amongst digital stakeholders.

Dirisu said the collaboration would support an enabling environment for innovation, digital inclusion and expansion of the digital economy in critical sectors.

She said: At the PIC, we prioritise inclusivity and diversity, hence our partnership with the FCDO to implement this project.

Without focused collaboration amongst stakeholders, the unintended consequences of digital economy growth will be the widening of existing income gaps, exacerbation of inequalities and deepening poverty.

We firmly believe the DECoP will support an enabling environment for innovation, digital inclusion and expansion of the digital economy in critical sectors.

Ms. Maryam Gwadabe, member, DECoP, said the community would provide platforms to encourage the inclusivity of women in the Nigeria digital economy.

Having me there will have a representation of women. We will actually engage and share our Knowledge, experience, and expertise on how to involve women to become digitally inclusive, she said.

The DECoP is to be implemented in five pilot states to identify and accommodate digital initiatives at the sub-national level and identify, boost the capacity of key digital players.

They are expected to engender inclusive public-private sector collaboration to enable digital growth and capabilities especially for underserved groups at the sub-national levels. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

Birthday

By Femi Ogunshola
A Group, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, FCT Chapter, on Friday celebrated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubus 71st birthday with orphanage and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.
Barr Rilwan Okpanachi, Director-General of the group, led other members to visit the orphanage, Halal Children Home and the IDPs camp, all in Abuja.

He said it was the desire of the President-elect that his 71st birthday should be celebrated with the less privileged, adding that the group also came to cut the birthday cake with the orphanage.

He said though the President-elect was not at the orphanage, the group had his instruction and permission to celebrate with the vulnerable.

According to him, the information the President-elect passed to us in celebration of his birthday was that everybody should pray for Nigeria and take care of the less privileged.

We have come to identify with them and give goodwill message that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is with them, he belongs to everybody and that is the message we have brought here.

He said that Tinubu, once sworn-in as the President, would ensure free education for the children and everybody, irrespective of strata would benefit from the gesture.

He assured the children that Tinubu would not abandon them, adding that the President-elect regarded them as priority and would do everything needed to ensure they got the best from the country.

Hajia Ramat Abubakar, President, Halal Home, said the orphanage started as a response to the IDPs crisis in the country, adding that so many children had been left vulnerable.

According to her, the orphanage started eigth years ago as a response to the IDP crisis.

We realised there were so many children who were vulnerable, we started with a small house and from there we continue to increase.

We have two branches in Abuja, one in Lagos and Kaduna. Our moto is: every child deserves a brighter future.

We pray that the president-elect will get the needed wisdom to lead us alright.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items distributed included 100 cartoons of indomie, 100 cartoons of spaghetti, 15 bags of 50 kg rice, flour, sugar, beverages, dustbin, vegetable oil water, among others.
NAN also reports that the group visited the IDP camp at Kuchingoro, along airport road, Abuja, where food and water were shared to the people to break their fast. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called on the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, to create a ministry with the responsibility of addressing the plights of retirees in the country.

The South-West zone of NUP made the call after its quarterly meetingin Abeokuta on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by chairmen and secretaries of NUP from Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Ekiti states.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the Zonal Public Relations Officer of NUP, Olusegun Abatan, said that the creation of the ministry would turn the fortunes of pensioners around in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari has done quite a lot for pensioners. He really helped them and so we are appealing to Tinubu to please give the matter of pensioners serious attention.

We want a separate ministry that will be solely addressing matters that have to do with pensioners under the administration of Tinubu, he said.

Abatan alleged that governors of South-West states were owing pensioners in the zone huge sums as gratuities and pensions.

He urged all the governors in the zone to implement the consequential adjustment and the 35 per cent increment in pensions without further delay.

Abatan particularly cited Ogun, Ekiti and Osun states where he claimed that the gratuities of pensioners were paid last in 2012.

They are owing arrears of pensions, gratuities and other entitlements, including gratuities and entitlements to the next of kin of some deceased pensioners.

We want to appeal to our governors to step up their interests in the affairs of pensioners, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Benson Iziama and Wale Sadeeq

DD/Website

The D-G Energy Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Eli Jidere (2nd L), the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Dr Adeleke Mamora (3rd L),UN Environment Programme expert (UNEP), Mr Brian Hojul (4th L) and others at the National Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on Energy Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

By Jessica Dogo

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Dr Adeleke Mamora, has lamented that Air conditioners (ACs) utilised in the country had less energy efficiency ratio (EER).

Mamora said this at the National Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on Energy Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

The one-day workshop was organised by the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN).

He also said that it was below internationally acceptable minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), adding that the importance of the workshop on scaling up energy- efficient and climate-friendly cooling in Nigeria could not be over-emphasised.

It is a fact that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa and this applies to the cooling sector also.

With the current growing population, combined with improving lifestyle, urbanisation and rising global warming, Nigeria will continue to experience growing demand for ACs, refrigerators and other cooling devices.

Thus, becoming one of the fastest growing ACs and refrigerators market in the world.

Unfortunately, most of the ACs utilised in the country have energy efficiency ratio (EER) below internationally acceptable minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), Mamora said.

He said that Nigeria, through its National Energy Policy and Climate Protocols had joined the rest of the world to recognise energy efficiency as one of the most cost-effective means of providing energy security.

The minister said it would also increase economic productivity, reduce local air pollution, and help mitigate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

According to him, its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), an unconditional greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target of 20 per cent and a conditional reduction target of 47 per cent below the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario by 2030 were set.

Mamora said: To achieve this, energy efficiency best practices across all sectors, as one of the climate change mitigating priority measures, has set conditional target of 2.5 per cent per year reduction in energy intensity.

The Director-General of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) Prof. Eli Jidere says 80 per cent of electricity supplied in Nigeria is from fossil energy, the greatest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO) emissions.

He said ECN with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), had in 2017 conducted an energy audit of selected public buildings in Abuja.

According to him, the study showed that over 60 per cent of electricity consumed in public buildings was from space cooling.

Jidere said: It should also be noted that 80 per cent of electricity supply in Nigeria is from fossil energy. the greatest emitter of CO emissions.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all is also anchored on the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency as key pillars.

Mr Brian Hojul, a United Nations Environment Programme expert (UNEP), said this served as an opportunity to improve lives of every family save money on utility bills.

I view this as an opportunity for us not only to improve the lives of everyday families to help a family save money on their utility bills.

It will make your businesses more competitive. It will save public resources instead of the ECN and others spending so much on electricity bills free up those resources for other investments, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister inaugurated a National Technical Committee on Sustainable Cooling in Nigeria.

The committee comprises Energy Commission of Nigeria, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Ministry of Environment (Dept. of Climate Change (DCC) and National Ozone Office (NOO}).

Others were Nigerian Customs and representative of the organised private sector.

The committee is expected to provide general guidance to the projects implementation with focus on data collection, data analysis for updating MEPS, the ACs market monitoring and verification training. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

Leadership of the group in a group photograph cutting birthday cake with the IDPs

By Naomi Sharang

Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, one of the foremost support groups that worked for the election of Sen. Bola Tinubu, the President-elect, on Wednesday fed no fewer than 3000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture was part of gestures to mark the 71st birthday anniversary of the president-elect by his supporters and well-wishers across the country.

The event which took place at the Dagba IDP Camp in Area 1, Garki Abuja, was attended by leadership of the support group and politicians who broke their Ramadan fasting and a cut birthday cake with the IDPs including women, children and youths.

The Director-General of the group, Mr Realwan Okpanachi, said the gesture was in line with the generous and humble nature which Tinubu is known for.

He said that the choice of the IDP camp was another demonstration of the low-key birthday celebration as directed by Tinubu who is currently outside the country.

The significance of this event is Tinubus love for the downtrodden. For the less privileged and the challenged in the society. Thats why we are here to celebrate with these people.

If you listened to his directive, he said his birthday should be celebrated with the downtrodden. Thats why were here.

Were also here to tell them that the very reason why theyre here is the same reason why Tinubu is coming as President of the Rederal republic of Nigeria to tackle the problem of insecurity which has led them to this place in the first place, abandoning their homes, farming and businesses to seek refuge in this place.

By the coming of Tinubu to office, he will provide security, education for their children and ensure that each and everyone here is rehabilitated and returned to their original homes to start life afresh as it used to be.

So, there are no better people to celebrate Tinubus birthday with than this vulnerable group who he cares about passionately, he said.

Okpanachi added that as representatives of the President-elect, they had given the IDPs a message of hope that he will make live liveable and bearable for them in particular and all Nigerians as a whole.

He disclosed that the initial projection of feeding the IDPs was put at 2000, but with the large turnout witnessed additional 1000 packages which had to be made so that they could have a memorable breaking of Ramadan.

Amina Musa, a mother of five and one of the beneficiaries who spoke in Hausa Language thanked the group and said the foods, drinks and fruits collected by her household would help them in breaking the fasting.

We thank Baba Tinubu for this gesture to me and my family. The things I collected here today will help us to break our fasting. We wish him happy birthday too.

Speaking on behalf of the IDPs, Idris Alilu, expressed appreciation for the kind gesture from Tinubu to have remembered them at this Ramadan season.

Alilu used the opportunity to pray for good health and divine wisdom for the president-elect to pilot the affairs of the nation commencing from May 29 Presidential Inauguration Day.

NAN reports that prayers were also offered for the unity and peace of the country following the aftermath of the 2023 general elections.(NAN)
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Source: NAN News

Some participants at the mentorship training on how to end Gender Based Violence in Enugu

By Alex Enebeli

An Enugu-based Non Governmental Organisation, Boys Champions (BC), has trained 120 boys on how to end Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against girls and women.

BC is a non-profit organisation that leverages mentorship, sports, education, peace building and empathy to empower boys, founded by the United Nation award-winning Nigeria, Noel Alumona, in 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the boys, who were drawn from different schools in Enugu State.

A Team Member of BC, Chukwunonso Okolo, said the mentorship training was aimed at making young people better people in the society and teaching them how to respect girls and women.

He added that the training would help to raise responsible boys and men who would take actions to end violence against women and girls.

According to Okolo, the training will further reshape boys thinking of dominance and superiority over girls.

We are actually making them to understand that both sexes can actually coexist and still achieve their dreams in life without suppressing the other because of their gender.

We want to fix the society by mentoring these boys on the danger of GBV as we believed that fixing the boys will make the society a better place.

We want them to understand there is no competition among boys and girls and this will make them not to hit their wives when they marry, he said.

Okolo explained that the project focused on boys, stressing if they are fixed, GBV would be minimized.

So today, we are training about 120 boys from different schools in Enugu.

And, it is going to be an interactive session as they will be allowed to ask basic questions and their perception on gender equality, he said.

He said that the founder had it rough, which made him to share his experience to help younger ones.

If you know him very well, whatever we are doing at BC its actually his life story, he added.

Taking the boys on the topic Guys vs Girls: Building Healthy Relationship, a BC facilitator, Onyekachukwu Asado, said there was nothing wrong for boys relating with girls if they do it right.

He said that things that kept him and family going was those things he learnt while growing, urging them not to claim superiority over their girlfriends.

A participant, Michael Omotayo from the Good Shepherd Anglican Secondary School, commended the organisers, saying the experience he gathered would help him in treating women well.

I learnt that both genders are equal, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

The U.S. government has announced an increment for its non-migrant visa application fee effective from March 30.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria, which said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, disclosed that the increases were published in the Federal Register on March 28.

According to the U.S. government, the changes is in line with the Department of States commitment to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and nonimmigrant travellers.

The Department of State published a Final Rule regarding increases to certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens age 15 and over.

These increases were published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2023 and will be effective on May 30, 2023.

The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from 160 dollars to 185 dollars, it stated.

The mission said that the fee for certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) would increase from 190 dollars to 205 dollars.

The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from 205 dollars to 315 dollars.

NIV fees are set based on the actual cost of providing NIV services and are determined after conducting a study of the cost of these services

The Department uses an Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology to calculate, annually, the cost of providing consular services, including visa services.

The fees for most non-petition based NIVs were last updated in 2012, and certain other NIV fees were last updated in 2014, it stated.

According to the mission, other consular fees are not affected by this rule, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors.

The U.S. government also noted that Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Bidens foreign policy, recognising the critical role international travel plays in the U.S. economy.

Fee information can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov, and on the websites of U.S. embassies and consulates, it stated. (NAN) ()

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

Retired Maj.Gen. Barry Ndiomu, The interim Administrator of PAP

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) says findings from the ongoing investigation into multiple accounts of ex-agitaors linked to one BVN will determine the fate of protesting beneficiaries.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Freston Akpor, Media Aide to the PAP Interim Administrator.

Akpor disclosed that names of all those involved in the alleged BVN fraud had been forwarded to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for investigation.

He said that the Amnesty Office also blamed bank officials for colluding with the ex-agitaors to aid the financial crime.

So, investigation is ongoing, I must tell you there is nothing the PAP can do now over this matter until the investigation is concluded and then the ONSA will take a decision on what to do.

This is a financial crime which is why the ONSA is investigating the matter.

The policy is one name, one BVN. But in a situation where you have more than 30 names linked to one BVN, it becomes an issue.

We discovered that 513 names were linked to 1370 accounts. And these are the people who have cases to answer.

As it stands, those who are protesting are the people who fall within those who have multiple accounts linked to their BVN, Akpor explained.

On the purported gentleman agreement with leaders of the ex-agitators to receive monies in bulk to pay the boys, Akpor said

it is these same boys, that also complained that when the money is collected by this so-called leaders, the money doesnt trickle down to them.

A handful of ex-agitators on Tuesday gathered at the premises of the National Assembly to express anger over the stoppage of their monthly N65,000 stipends.

The PAP office had explained that the stoppage of payment was necessitated by the issues surrounding BVNs of ex-agitators. (NAN)

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Edited by Deborah Coker/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News