The Director General, Committee on Youths Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) with the Representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other CYMS members

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Committee on Youths Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) says it has commenced training on tracking vote buying in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure free and fair elections.

The Director General, CYMS, Mr Obinna Nwaka, said this at the 2023 pre-election conference and capacity building for observers on Thursday, in Abuja.

Nwaka said CYMSs policing volunteers were also working in synergy with security agencies on enforcement in the field, which he said would be followed with an official report to the EFCC for prosecution of individuals or candidates involved in vote buying.

He said CYMS was ready to track any one who engaged in vote buying as the group knew how to get them, saying such would not be tolerated in the forthcoming elections.

He reaffirmed CYMSs support for the EFCC in the fight against corruption, and that youths were also joining force with the commission to say no to vote-buying to avoid trading the future of the Youth.

He added that 93,469,008 registered voters were ready to cast their votes in the forthcoming elections, adding that Lagos had the highest total registered voters of 7,060,195 and Ekiti with the lowest figure of 987,667.

Looking at the demographic, age group and occupational registered voters of total 93, 469,008, the youth between ages (18-34) is 39.65 per cent with 37,060,399, while the ages between 35-49 is 35.75 per cent with 33,413,591.

Comparing to the present status quo of youths gives us the total number 70,473,990, which is equivalent to 75.40 per cent votes of young people from the entire registered number of voters, he said.

The CYMS DG commended the young people for their involvement in voters awareness programme, resilience in participation and PVC registration.

He urged them to use the same energy to cast their votes in the forthcoming election,.

He said it was obvious young people would no longer be taken for granted, especially in democratic engagement as youths had become the true heroes of democracy.

He said the collective strength of youths made them the determinants of elections, and also the instrument of carrying out unpatriotic and undemocratic activities by the politicians, especially vote buying, violence and thuggery.

We have been charged and are determined to be used only as the instrument of positive socio-economic development of our nation.

In this regard, we are saying no to vote-buying to avoid international embarrassment, especially now the international community and foreign observers are on stand by watching.

We commend the presidential candidates for signing the peace accord; we wish to state categorically that we align ourselves with it.

We call for integration of vote-buying into next process with the participation of EFCC to assist in reawakening the consciousness of office of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria since vote-buying forms major reason for bad governance, he said.

Nwaka commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political parties for their preparedness ahead of the election, while being optimistic that the elections shall take place as scheduled.

Speaking, representative of the EFCC, in charge of Public Relations, Mrs Aisha Mohammed, said the commission had been engaging in enlightenment programme on no to vote-buying.

Mohammed said vote-buying was an economic crime adding that awareness started with the youth who were the future of the nation.

We have released phone lines to all the 36 states including Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to monitor.

We are already out collaborating with all CSOs. I am happy our collaboration with CYMS is yielding positive results.

We are calling on the people to vote conscience and vote right. Do the right thing and say no to vote-buying and selling, she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Salif Atojoko

Source: NAN News

U.S. President Joe Biden encourages all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, region, or ethnicity, to vote, exercise their fundamental freedom and make their voices heard at the 2023 General Elections

According to him, the U.S. supports a peaceful and transparent election process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria, of which elections are a fundamental part of a functioning democracy.

Biden in a statement issued by United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, Public Affairs Section, on Thursday, emphasised that all Nigerians deserved this chance to choose their future freely and fairly.

I commend yesterdays peace accord in Nigeria, signed by the political parties and candidates running in Nigerias presidential election on Feb. 25.

By signing this pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results of the election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, and to support a peaceful transition of power.

Elections are a fundamental part of a functioning democracy, and all Nigerians deserve this chance to choose their future freely and fairly.

While the United States does not support any single candidate or party, we strongly support a peaceful and transparent process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria.

On election day, I encourage all Nigerians no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.

According to the statement, the U.S. stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future.

I appreciate President Buharis firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected.

And in the coming days, I encourage voters to remain peaceful and patient as their ballots are tallied, and urge the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge, Biden is quoted as saying. (NAN)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

Source: NAN News

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Mr Malik Ghulam, 5thRight) and the Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) (4th Right)

By Maureen Okon

The Government of Pakistan has promised to accelerate export diversification and more trade inclusion to achieve the countrys trade relations in a short term.

Mr Malik Ghulam, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Commerce said this at the opening ceremony and the cutting of the ribbon at the 2nd Edition of the Engineering and Healthcare Show (EHCS) on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports from Lahore, Punjab that the event was scheduled to hold from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25, and it was organised by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan.

Ghulam said that the exhibition was an important initiative to bring together businessmen from non-traditional markets like Africa, Asia and Central Asian Regions under one roof to explore and open up new frontiers for enhancing trade.

He added that focus of international trade was shifting towards diversification, adding that, Pakistan was following the global trade scenario and diversifying its global trade in terms of products and markets.

Our vision is to double the trade of Pakistan in the next few years. Together we need to exchange more manufactured and engineering goods, have more knowledge transfer and create more value.

We need to accelerate export diversification and product sophistication and make our trade more inclusive.

This will enable us to shift from an over dependence on commodities to higher value-added products and services.

It will also build resilience to movements in demand and help in fetching better prices, furthermore, this is the fastest path to economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction, he said.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr Muhammad Motiwala, Chief Executive of TDAP said it was a great moment for Pakistan with over 180 companies at the second exhibition in Lahore.

He added that the initiative of the government of Pakistan to open its doors to global business would also give participants the opportunity to know the people of the country and change their negative perception.

We are open to the world for both business and friendship, and also with this great initiative, I think the sky is the limit to the great potentials this expo will bring to us all, Motiwala said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

Former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar

By Busayo Onijala

Diplomatic missions of the U.S., Australia, Japan, Norway, Canada and the UK in Nigeria have charged presidential candidates and political parties to uphold commitments signed at the Abuja Peace Accord, the second in the series.

All political parties and their presidential candidates signed the second peace accord in Abuja on Wednesday to accept the outcome of the elections or to seek legitimate means of redress in the event of divergent positions.

The peace past was organised and coordinated by the National Accord for Peace under the chairmanship of former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The diplomatic missions, in a joint-statement, notedthe commitments as accepting the results of the election as announced by INEC and to pursue any challenge of the results through the appropriate legal channels.

They welcomed the signing of the peace accord by the contesting parties, adding that they were fully committed to supporting all efforts that would ensure citizens decided who won the election.

According to the missions, it is vital for Nigerias stability and democratic consolidation that the elections are conducted and concluded safely, fairly and credibly.

We encourage all actors to intervene proactively to calm any tensions and avoid any violence in the periods before, during and after the elections.

We call on all officials at federal and local levels in Nigeria to respect the human and democratic rights of citizens.

We strongly condemn any actions that undermine the peaceful and transparent conduct of the electoral process, the statement read.

The missions also called on parties to respect electoral laws and institutions and to take a firm stand against violence and hate speech by their supporters.

They asked security services to do their utmost to protect the process and prevent and deter attacks against INEC facilities, materials and personnel.

They also called on all officials, including law enforcement agents to ensure a safe and conducive environment for the exercise of public freedoms.

This, they noted, included the freedom of opinion and expression; the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of association, all of which are essential in democratic societies, in particular in the context of elections.

Law enforcement authorities should remain visibly neutral and respond in appropriate manner to any election-related incidents.

We hope that this years elections further build Nigerias democratic tradition, the missions stressed.

They congratulated Nigeria on its 24 years of democratic progress since 1999, noting that the country had been a symbol of the value of exercising democratic rights for the betterment of society to others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chidinma Agu/Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR)

By Ginika Okoye

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has charged the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada on effective domestication of the Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR).

The Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Mr Babatunde Irukera, said this when he visited the hospital in Gwagwalada on Wednesday.

Irukera commended the management of the hospital for their efforts toward ensuring the domestication of the rights in the facility.

He urged the management of the hospital to ensure that patients were treated with fairness, especially during their traumatic times.

Irukera said the Commission would hold the hospital responsible and accountable for every complaint raised by patients.

The executive vice chairman appealed to the management of the hospital to ensure that the implementation of the PBoR trickled down to all staff in the facility.

What we have come here to do is to congratulate you because you said that the hospital has already domesticated the 12 PBoR.

We demand more from you and for every complaint from patients, we will come after you.

Your work tolerates very minimal margin of error.

It is important that this domestication goes round to both the security men and cleaners in the hospital, he said.

Prof. Bissallah Ekele, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, said they had already domesticated the 12 PBoR in the institution through their dealings with patients.

Ekele, represented by Dr Bob Ukonu, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, said the hospital had transformed over the years to ensure effective service delivery to patients.

According to him, we have moved from a 350 bedded hospital to 550 bedded hospital.

We have made sure that things are put in place in the hospital and patients are attended to well, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PBoR was inaugurated in 2018 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to tackle healthcare impediments. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Source: NAN News

Illustration for a vulnerable community in Africa

By Ella Anokam

Person To Person Africa, a pro-community organisation, has been inaugurated in Abuja with the goal to sensitise and galvanise vulnerable communities across Africa to access socio-economic development.

Speaking at the inauguration, the founder of the organisation, Joi John, said that the goal was to create a safe and inclusive environment for all citizens, no matter their background or identity.

John, in a statement on Wednesday, said it was committed to listening to the unique needs of each community.

We believe that by working together we can create a more equitable and just society. We look forward to making a positive and lasting impact in Nigeria and beyond, she said.

In his remarks, U.S. Representative out of the District of Columbia, Dr Oye Owolewa, commended the Person To Person Africa on its initiative to galvanise people to vote ahead of the Nigerian general elections.

Also, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, Segun Adeyina representing District 110, emphasised on the importance of Nigerians to exercise their right to vote.

Adeyina lauded the organisation on its advocacy efforts and call for citizens to vote for credible candidates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Person To Person Africa aims to partner with relevant stakeholders to develop initiatives in education, health and governance issues to create an inclusive and sustainable future for everyone. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

First LEGO League National Robotics Championship for National Secondary Schools

By Muhyideen Jimoh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

POS machine used for electronic money transfer

By Ella Anokam

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

Source: NAN News

Executives of the IDFP during the press conference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edited by Wale Sadeeq

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Source: NAN News