Blog

NAN-H-29

Traffic

By Aminu Ahmed Garko

Minna, Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger on Thursday solicited the support of stakeholders in sensitising roads users on the need to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

Mrs Suzan Ajenge, Sector Commander of the Corps, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that active participation of stakeholders would go a long way in mobilising road users to obey traffic rules.

Azenge said that the command had embarked on intensive patrol on all federal highways in the state, ahead of Christmas and New Year festivities.

“What we are doing is in the best interest of the road users in preventing roads crashes before, during and after the festivities,” she said.

“We have already partnered with members of the National Union of Roads Transport Workers (NURTW) to ensure prompt servicing of their vehicles,” Azenge said.

She also called on parents to desist from allowing under aged children to drive their cars, warning that anybody found violating traffic rules would not be spared. (NAN)
AAG/ORO/ASH

Edited by Razak Owolabi

NAN-HG-2
Hypertension
By Blessing Odega
Jos, Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Rotkang Okunlola, a chief pharmacist in the Dilimi Pharmacy in Jos, on Thursday warned Nigerians against habits capable of resulting in High Blood Pressure (HBP) which is a silent killer.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that HBP is a silent killer because it usually presented with no early symptoms.

Okunlola said that smoking, high alcohol intake, stress, anxiety, consumption of diet high in salt and fat, lack of or inadequate exercise and consumption of processed food increased the risk of hypertension.

“Excessive alcohol intake can raise the blood pressure; smoking increases the chance of a heart attack or stroke.

“People should reduce their salt intake because salt makes the body to retain more fluid which makes the heart work harder.’’

She said that hypertension had no cure, adding, however, that “it can be managed by the use of drugs to control the blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes’’.

The pharmacist advised people to check their blood pressure regularly to avoid strokes, heart attacks or even death.

She also encouraged people to eat healthy food and drink enough water daily.

“People should eat more of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, poultry and fish and less of processed and refined food.

“Alcohol should be taken in limited quantity and smoking should be avoided,’’ Okunlola said.

Okunlola said that the ailment remained a major cause of death because most people did not know they were hypertensive.

“It affects one in every three adults; the unfortunate thing about it is that if it is not detected early, or if left untreated, it can cause a heart attack, stroke or death.’’

She said that high blood pressure is measured in two numbers.

“When an individual’s Systolic Pressure is 80 to 120, this means the individual’s blood pressure is normal.

“If the systolic pressure is 120-139, the individual is said to be pre-hypertensive; however, if the individual’s pressure is higher than 140, the individual is said to be hypertensive,’’ she said.

Systolic pressure refers to the force of blood that is pushing against the blood vessels walls when the heart beats. (NAN)

UBO/VIV/IS
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(Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Ismail Abdulaziz)

NAN-H-4
Council
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Nov. 24, 2015 (NAN) The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has inaugurated the first Digital Literacy Council to oversee digital literacy programme aimed at providing individuals and communities with Information Communication Technology (ICT) education.

Mr Henshaw Ogubike, Deputy Director Press and Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Communications, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

The statement said that members of council had been carefully selected to represent key stakeholders, corporate organisations, government functionaries, academics and industry luminaries.

It quoted the minister as saying that in view of the seriousness attached to the task, “I have also taken the responsibility of chairing the council’’.

It said that the council’s members who were at the inauguration included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr Sonny Echono.

Others are the Permanent Secretaries, Ministries of Sports and Youths Development, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, Women Affairs and Social Development, Phyllis Nwokedi and their Transportation counterpart.

The statement said that the Director-General, Public Service Reform, Dr Joe Abba is also a member.

Other members from the academia and industry are Prof. Adamu Rashidi, Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC) and Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka.

The rest are the Vice-Chancellor, Bayero University, Prof. Muhammed Bello, Yusuf Kazaure, Manging Director of Galaxy Backbone Ltd and Mr Stanley Jegede, Chief Executive Officer, Phase 3 Telecom.

“Digital Literacy Programme will provide the opportunity for individuals and communities to understand the use of Information and Communications Technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information for meaningful actions and within life situations,’’ the statement said.

It said the minister explained that the council was formed because the economy was experiencing a downturn due to dwindling revenue from the Oil and Gas sector and inadequate economic diversification.

It quoted Shittu as saying that the government believed that the ICT sector had the potential to be the arrow head for weaning the country off oil and gas.

The statement said that the ICT Roadmap was therefore developed as an integrated, multi-stakeholder framework that would be used to direct activities of the ICT sector for the period 2016 to 2019.

And one of the integral components of the ICT sector Roadmap, it noted, was the development of a smart, globally competitive workforce and digitally literate population.

“And the key initiative targeted at achieving this objective is the Digital Literacy Programme,’’ it quoted Shittu as saying.

It restated that the existence of a Global Digital Literacy Council would define and serve as a credible voice on issues driving the development of Global Digital Literacy Standards and Systems.

The statement said that the council would also oversee and guide the development of digital literacy standards and ensure that such were market-driven.

“The delivery methodologies and reporting systems must align with market, corporate, educational, workforce development/government, and individuals’ expectations of computing literacy.

“The council will be expected to develop a National Digital Literacy Policy and Strategic Action Plan for the implementation of this initiative as well as identify and harness opportunities for partnerships.

“This is in order to provide digital literacy services to Nigerian citizens irrespective of their geographical location within the country.

“Its decisions will be implemented by the Digital Literacy Management Committee under the leadership of the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Pantami,’’ it said.

The statement said that the minister charged the council to seize the opportunity of the inauguration to deliberate and agree on its operational methods. (NAN)
COA/PDE
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(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-5

Caverton

By Adekunle Williams/Solomon Asowata

Lagos, Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) Aviation trade unions on Thursday shut down the operations of Caverton Helicopters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos over alleged sack of 150 workers.

The unions – the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) – accused the airline of anti-labour practices.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of both unions, chanting various solidarity songs, barred workers and clients of the airline from entering its premises for several hours.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Casualisation/Outsourcing is Evil, Workers Say No”,
“No Alternative to Condition of Service, No to Impunity in Caverton” and “Workers’ Rights Must be Protected”.

However, there was a tight security presence as policemen from the Rapid Response Squad and other aviation security personnel were on ground to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, NUATE, said the unions decided to shut down the airline’s operations in Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt to protect the rights of workers.

Abioye flayed the decision of Caverton’s management to declare 150 workers redundant in view of the current economic situation in the country.

According to him, the affected workers were paid only a month salary in lieu of notice despite some of them having spent up to 13 years in the airline’s service.

He further alleged that some of the workers were outsourced to another company, Bluebay, and their salaries were slashed without any negotiation with labour.

“We are shocked that management chose this ignoble path of ambushing the union by declaring a whopping 150 members of staff redundant, while we were still discussing and negotiating a new salary structure and condition of service.

“We believe that this indecorous position is ultra vires, null and void and of no effect.

“Our principle of industrial relations is not to use “carrot and stick” tactics in negotiation and go ahead and shoot the union at the back.

“We want to inform the management of Caverton Helicopters that unless they reverse themselves by concluding the ongoing negotiation that was aborted, we may not guarantee industrial peace in their locations across Africa,” he said.

Abioye emphasised that the dream of the airline’s founder, Chief Remi Makanjuola, was to empower Nigerians, provide work for them and develop the country as a whole.

He alleged that since the company was handed over to Makanjuola’s son, it had been grossly mismanaged and might be run aground if care was not taken.

Abioye called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to carry out a financial audit on Caverton Helicopters to know their current financial status.

Also speaking, Mr Frances Akinjole, General Secretary, ATSSSAN, urged aviation companies and airlines to stop treating Nigerian workers as slaves.

Akinjole said Caverton failed to follow the laid down procedure for declaring workers redundant before embarking on the exercise, stressing that the move would be resisted by labour.

However, Caverton had in a letter addressed to the NUATE, which was sighted by NAN, claimed that the sacking of the workers was based on the review of its operational exigency and economic climate in the country.

The letter dated Oct.28 and signed by the airline’s Industrial Relation Manager, Mr Segun Alebiosu, said the move was in accordance with Section 20 of the Nigeria Labour Act.

It said the affected workers were offered accrued salary up to the effective date, one month salary in lieu of notice and contributory pension up to the last full month. (NAN)

WAC/ASO/SOA

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Benue Govt seals off 3 schools for failure to remit tax deductions
NAN-HE-2
Default
Emmanuel Antswen
Oju (Benue State), Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) The Benue Board of Internal Revenue Services (BIRS) on Thursday sealed off three private schools for failure to remit workers’ tax deductions into government coffers.
Victor Beke, BIRS Head of Enforcement, told journalists that the exercise was in continuation of the clampdown on tax defaulters in the state.
According to him, the tax defaulters are in Oju and Ogbadibo Local Government Areas of the state
“The Board has emphasised that it will continue to clamp down on tax defaulters in the state,” said the BIRS boss.
He explained that the exercise followed court order to seal off business premises that were in default of tax payment.
He said that defaulters whose premises were sealed would pay 25 per cent of the total outstanding as interest and penalty to the board in addition to the initial tax.
Beke said Solid Vision Academy, Obu-Otukpa, in Ogbadibo Local Government Area was in two- year arrears of pay-as-you-earn tax, amounting to N200,000.
He said that Saint John’s College, Obu-Otukpa, and Benpaulian Group of Schools, Ichakobe Ibilla, were also owing the state N100,000 and N330,000 respectively, in unremitted tax deductions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that BIRS had approached a Benue High Court with the list of tax defaulters in the state.
Justice Theresa Igoche granted the order to seal off the premises, relying on Section 104 of the Personal Income Tax Act, 2011 and Benue Internal Revenue Administration Law, 2015. (NAN)
AEB/AOS/WOJ
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(Edited by Bayo Sekoni / Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-H-37
Theft
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) An Egor Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday in Benin, remanded one Eze Oba, 54, who pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of burglary and stealing.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr W. Aziegbemhin, remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case till Nov. 28 for the full presentation of facts.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr C. Nnamdi, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Nov. 17 at No. 5, Emma Avenue, Benin.

Nnamdi alleged that the accused unlawfully broke into the house of one Jennifer Bazuaye and stole one Samsung phone valued N60,000 and a cash sum of N20,000 from the victim.

He said the offence contravened Section 411 (i) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code. (NAN)

AJOM/YEMI

NAN-AE-1
Litter
Lokoja, Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) An Environmentalist and Director of Signage Waste Management, Mr Williams Ayinde, has urged the Kogi Government to stop people littering the River Niger with refuse.

Ayinde made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lokoja.

He said littering the River Niger would not help in meeting the river’s desired status.

The environmentalist advised the state government to forward a bill to the State Assembly to sanction anyone found guilty of littering the river and its environment.

Ayinde said that a dirty environment would not encourage investors.

He, however, said the River Niger was supposed to be one of the major tourist attractions in the state and for generating revenue for the state government.

The environmentalist urged the state government and the ministry of environment to stop people littering the river bank.

Ayinde said, “Once the river is clean, it would attract people.’’

He said that even small countries like Ghana, used their rivers for tourism.

Ayinde said the Kogi Government should work on the River Niger.

The environmentalist said he would meet officials of the Ministry of Environment to design a platform through which government could turn around the fortunes of the river to a desired tourist destination. (NAN)
WAL/AJA
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(Edited by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-H-28

Universities

Bauchi Nov.24,2016 (NAN) A university don, Dr Yusuf Ibrahim, has attributed the high number of ‘First Class’ graduates being dished out by private universities to the competition among such universities for patronage.

Ibrahim, International Relations lecturer at the Bauchi State University, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that because private universities were out to make ‘profit’ and not to provide, their fees were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

“They need patronage because they are in business and patronage entails selling your service.

“By churning out ‘First Class’ graduates, parents that can afford to send their children to such institutions, will be encouraged to do so.

“That is not to say that they do not provide quality education. They have qualified lecturers who must work for what they earn, and hardly embark on strikes.

“Because of the fairly manageable ratio of students per lecturer, the learning environment is conducive and an advantage that propels quality learning,” he said.

He however argued that private universities were not playing the role of bridging the wide gap between the number of applicants and the insufficient vacancies available in public universities.

“Most applicants are from poor background who cannot afford the fees charged in private universities and that is why the population of private universities is always small.

“May in future, if they are forced by competition to bring down their charges, we may begin to see children of the poor attending such universities and that will be the time they will be bridging the gap,” he said.

Ibrahim however observed that moral standard was very low in such institutions because of the background of the students.

“Most of the student are from influential families and had been over-pampered. Sometimes, as a lecturer, you have to be careful in handling them, lest you incur the wrath of their powerful parents.

“Even where there are codes for moral behavior, strict implementation is lacking,” he said. (NAN)

AE/ASH/ASH

NAN-HG-1
Award
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja,  Nov. 24, 2016 (NAN) The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has won the 2016 award for the best Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) of Government that has deployed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in its operations.
The award was presented at the National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA)-NIHILENT 2016 eGovernance and Long Service Awards ceremony in Abuja on Thursday.

The event had the theme: “Leveraging on IT Innovation for Economic Diversification”.

Speaking, the Director-General of NITDA, Dr Ibrahim Pantami, said the event was part of the agency’s enigeria project aimed at showing appreciation to its staff for their long service.
Pantami added that it was organised to motivate MDAs to deploy ICT in their operations as part of efforts to achieve e-governance in the country.
“The agency has already begun to assist various ministries, departments and agencies of government on what needs to be done to achieve the status.
“This event is thus to appreciate the MDAs that have started making strides in the adoption of e-governance,” he said.
The Minister of Communications, Barr. Abdur-Raheem Shittu, said Nigerians were beginning to wake up to the realities of the import of ICT, especially in job creation.
Shittu called for the introduction of ICT as a course of study in all tertiary institutions in the country as it had become very important for graduates to be ICT compliant in today’s world.
“Whatever course you read in the University be it English language, Political Science, Chemistry and the rest you must be ICT compliant because we are in the digital age,” he said.
Brig.-Gen. Sule Kazaure, the Director-General of NYSC, said he was elated at the recognition of the efforts of the scheme in the deployment of ICT in its operations.
Kazaure said NYSC moved from analogue to digital method of operations more than four years ago, adding that the scheme had continued to make strides in the area.
“The registration of corps members is now fully done online; we also check the performance of various local governments through biometric analysis.
“The scheme is also able to monitor activities in various camps due to our deployment of ICT and many other areas we use ICT.
“We have been compliant with the e-governance adoption in Nigeria.

“There is room for improvement; we will keep pushing forward to ensure that we continue to improve and comply with e-governance to achieve an e-nigeria,” Kazaure added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Sokoto State Government won the 2016 award for the best state government in ICT deployment, while the University of Lagos won the award for best public tertiary institution in ICT deployment.
The award for best Web presence was presented to Akwa Ibom state, just as Clean Foundation won the award for best NGO in ICT deployment and the 2016 award for best e-governance projects.
The 2016 award for e-governance start-up was presented to Micro Scale Embedded Limited.

NITDA also presented awards and laptops to 14 of its staffers, who had served the agency for 10 years. (NAN)

KRY/YEE

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

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1. Women International Networking Conference continues in Abuja.

2. Forum organised by Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health, an NGO, ends in Abuja.

3. The Second phase of Fadama III, Additional Financing (AF) Supervision Mission reaches Ogun.

4. Nigeria Fertiliser Roadmap programme continues in Abuja.

5. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) trains ad hoc staff in preparation for Ondo State Governorship election.

6. UNICEF workshop organised for care-givers of Orphans and Vulnerable Children holds in Gombe.

7. Standards Organisation of Nigeria holds workshop on the standardisation of goods for traders, in Makurdi.

8. NAFDAC meets with stakeholders in Ibadan on reports that producers are cutting corners in view of the economic recession in the country.

9. Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, meets members of the state chapter of Police Community Relations Committee in Lafia.

10. First Nsukka Trade Fair commences.

11. An FCT High Court Maitama hears a motion on notice filed by former FCT minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, against the EFCC for alleged violation of his fundamental right.