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Ajimobi, Fijabi advocate full exploitation of telecoms’ potential
NAN-H-42
Telecoms
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, on Saturday called for the full exploitation of the potential of the telecoms industry to drive the nation’s economy and create job opportunities.
Ajimobi made the call at the 1st Annual Retreat of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Telecommunications held at Carlton Gate Exclusive Hotel in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 3-day programme, which began on Friday, has the theme: “Telecommunications in Nigeria: Fundamentals, Trends and Challenges.’’
Ajimobi, who was represented by Mr Niyi Ajao, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), said the state was looking at ICT as a key driver of the state’s economy.
He said the state would soon establish an ICT hub, where it intended to create 20,000 knowledge-driven jobs.
“We have over 400,000 students in Oyo State. We have 2,138 primary schools and 630 secondary schools, out of which only 30 schools benefit from ICT.
“We have been able to transform the state’s economy through ICT, having embraced it in carrying out and monitoring the state’s daily activities,’’ the governor said.
He added that the state government recently launched a technology innovation fund, adding that the state was willing to partner with relevant Federal Government agencies.
Ajimobi listed the bodies for partnership as the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and other Telecoms providers.
Similarly, Hon. Saheed Fijabi (APC-Ibadan South-West), said that the contribution of telecommunications could facilitate the nation’s exit from its current economic challenges, if fully explored.
Fijabi, who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications, said the industry was a viable and sustainable means of generating revenue.
“There is tremendous increase in telecommunication subscribers from 142 million as at Aug. 2015 to 152 million in Aug. 2016, which is a 5.9 percent increase.
“Teledensity rose from 107.6 per cent in Aug. 2015 to 109.1 percent in Aug. 2016, recording a 1.47 per cent increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
“The FDI in the sector has increased from 32 billion dollars in 2015 to 38 billion dollars in 2016,’’ he said.
The lawmaker said the House of Representatives was committed to exercising its supervisory powers granted by the constitution and in ensuring that all agencies of government and parastatals maximised their potentials.
According to Fijabi, the essence of the retreat is to identify and examine the impact of the fundamentals, trends and challenges of telecommunications in Nigeria.
Also, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, said the telecoms industry was one of the dynamic sectors in the nation’s economy.
Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Bakowa Wakil, a Deputy Director and the NCC Head of Wireless Network, called for the committee’s support to move the country’s telecommunications sector forward.
NAN reports that the retreat, facilitated by the NCC, well attended by the committee members, would end on Sunday, Nov. 6. (NAN)
TAA/COF/AFA
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Felix Ajide
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NAN-F-10

Murray

By Victor Okoye

Paris, Nov. 5, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Briton Andy Murray will take over from Novak Djokovic as world number one Tennis player when the rankings are updated on Monday.

This was after his Paris Masters semi-final opponent Milos Raonic withdrew with a leg injury on Saturday.

“I have a grade one tear on my right quad and unfortunately won’t be able to face Murray in the semi-final,” Canadian Raonic told a news conference.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that record four-time champion Djokovic arrived in Paris to reach the final to ensure he remained ahead of a rapidly approaching Murray.

But the Serb’s bid to register a fourth straight title in the French capital ended abruptly as an improbable escape act fizzled out against an in-form Marin Cilic.

The ninth seed, Cilic dumped a struggling Djokovic out of the Paris Masters quarter-finals on Friday to pave the way for Andy Murray to become the new world number one.

Cilic had lost all 14 previous meetings with Djokovic but cast the Serb’s 122-week reign at the top of the rankings into serious doubt with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) victory.

Second seed Murray on his part, beat Czech’s Tomas Berdych 7-6 (11-9) 7-5 to book a semi-finals berth later and came just two wins from supplanting long-time rival Djokovic at the summit.

The Briton was expected to take on Raonic who defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a chance to claim the Number one ranking, but the game could not take place as Raonic was walked over due to an injury.

This, thus paved the way for Murray to become Tennis World one for the first time ever in his career. (Reuters/NAN)

VO/MO

Edited by Morayo Omolade

NAN-AE-3
Poaching
By Uche Eletuo
Lagos, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Mr Azeez Balogun, a manager with a fishing company in Lagos, has called on the Federal Government to broaden its surveillance at the Gulf of Guinea to circumvent the activities of fish poachers.
Balogun made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

He explained that permitting the constant poaching of fish in Nigeria waters by foreign trawlers was national neglect.
He urged the government to broaden its surveillance to cover the Gulf of Guinea.
The manager said that Nigeria would gain revenue, if the unofficial fishing firms were co-opted into the system.
“Nigeria’s Tiger Shrimps is the best in the world and in high demand in Western countries.
“This specie is found in large quantities in the Gulf of Guinea where Nigeria shares littoral boundaries with other nations.
“It is this situation that fish poachers are cashing in on to deprive Nigeria of the much-needed revenue,’’ Balogun said.
According to him, the attraction of the poachers to Nigerian waters is the coveted tiger shrimps.
The manager said a whole lot of revenue could be generated from the sector going by the quantum of fish that was extracted from the Nigerian waters daily.
He added that the country needed the courage to ward off poachers from the waters to make room for registered companies in Nigeria, who were paying tax.
“They should be co-opted into the system so that they pay royalties to Nigeria.
“The government should be seen to be protecting its own instead of exposing us to the undue unhealthy competition out there,’’ Balogun said. (NAN)
EUC/COF/AFA
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Felix Ajide
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College trains 30 chaplains in Kaduna

NAN-H-32
Graduation
By Mohammad Tijjani
Kaduna, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) College of Chaplain and Theological Training Centre, has awarded certificates to 30 chaplains it trained in Kaduna.

The Rector of the college, Bishop Peter Andrew, stated this on Saturday in Kaduna at the graduation ceremony held at the Prison Staff College in Barnawa, Kaduna.

He said the chaplains were the first set to be trained by the college in Kaduna.

The rector said the chaplains were expected to serve in different churches as preachers and counsellors.

“They are expected to work where they are posted, some are trained to counsel, they will go to prisons yards, police cells to offer counseling to inmates.

“Some will go into the interior of the nation while others will go to their churches to continue preaching,” he said.

He appealed to the graduating Chaplains to be disciplined and focused, stressing that the training had equipped them to serve mankind more efficiently.

Andrew emphasised the importance of spreading the gospel to mankind, especially in a depressed economy characterised by insurgency and other forms of criminality.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that six individuals including two prison wardens, a policeman and a traffic warder were issued with awards of service to humanity. (NAN)
TJ/PD/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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NAN-AE-2

Clubs

By Ebere Agozie

Abuja, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, of Abia, has called for the establishment of sanitation and environmental clubs in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Ikpeazu, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, said this would ensure that students imbibe environmental protection consciousness at a young age.

“The clubs’ activities, which will include the teaching of recyclable and non recyclable wastes, will help inculcate in them the habit of proper disposing of waste and efficient methods of waste management generally,’’ he said.

According to him, ”if we continue to pollute and degrade the environment, the children will not have a safe place to live in the future”.

NAN reports that Ikpeazu was one of the recipients of an honourary fellowship award of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) at the Society’s 26th Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja.

He said that Nigerians must work together to evolve the best ways of tackling and solving the environmental challenges facing the country.

“We must set a framework and proffer Nigerian solutions to our unique challenges. The NES is doing a good job in assembling professionals from all walks of life to serve as watchdogs in making sure that the Nigerian environment is safe for all,’’ he told NAN.

The governor also called for the Federal and States Government’s intervention in the area of making solar energy affordable to the ordinary Nigerian to further reduce the cost of living.

“Both federal and state governments should work together in this area to use the abundant sunshine God has given us to produce solar panels that are cheap and affordable to every Nigerian,” he said.

He stressed the need for Nigeria to explore the option of manufacturing goods with locally made materials and not to completely rely on importation.

“We need to start building our houses, constructing our roads, making clothes and household items with our own local materials and not filling our country with outdated, inferior and archaic machines,’’ he said. (NAN)

EPA/WS/IS
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Edited by Wandoo Sombo/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-36
vehicles
By Uche Eletuo
Lagos, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) The prevalent unfavourable forex regime has continued to reduced the volume of vehicles imported through the Nigerian ports, the Operations Manager, Ports and Terminal Multiservices Ltd. (PTML), Mr Jack Angrish has said.

Angrish said that the unstable and high cost of the US dollar over the local currency did not encourage vehicle trade as many vehicle seats remained empty.

Angrish told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that “this is time for the vehicle business operators to pool their resources together to facilitate domestic manufacturing’’.

He appreciated the courage of the management of LADOL Ltd., for thinking in that direction and urged others to align in that direction.

According to him, the country will be insulated from the vagaries of dollar if businesses begin to look inward and improve on available start points.

“Vehicle imports have reduced from 30,000 to 6,000 in the last six months with the attendant problem of loss of jobs by terminal officials.

“Many vehicle seats are empty and this is the last quarter of the year.

“It is very unfortunate that the loss of Nigeria in terms of revenue on vehicle imports has continued to be the gains of the neighbouring ports of Cotonu and Lome,’’ the PTML manager said.

He said that cars were being smuggled into Nigeria and the revenue was going to ports of Cotonou and Lome. (NAN)
EUC/MO/
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Edited by Morayo Omolade

NAN-AE-1

Water

Dutse, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa government has expressed its commitment to providing potable water in all the Local Government Areas of the state.

Alhaji Shuaibu Musa, the Special Adviser to Gov. Muhammad Badaru on Water and Sanitation, gave the assurance when he inspected newly installed 100 KVA and 50 KVA water pumping generators in Babura Local Government Area of the state.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the pumping generators were installed at Babura Main Pump House and Police Barrack Water Scheme respectively.

“The state government under Gov. Muhammad Badaru, is committed to providing potable drinking water to all nooks and crannies of the state,” he said.

He added that the gesture was to enhance water supply and ease the difficulties being experienced by the people in accessing portable water.

Musa, who commended the state government’s efforts toward enhancing access to portable water, called on the people to protect all basic amenities provided by government from vandalism.

The governor’s aide went round other water facilities in the council including the Jibril Ayinla Pump House, Kofar Yamma Solar Powered Water Scheme and Late Sani Babura Primary School. (NAN)

MNB/ASS/IS

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Edited by Saidu Adamu/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-35

Academy

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Lagos, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange has launched a financial market education initiative tagged “the FMDQ Academy” to ensure growth and development of the Nigerian financial markets.

This is contained in a statement issued by Ms Kaodi Ugoji. Vice President & Divisional Head, Strategy & Corporate Services at FMDQ OTC Securities in Lagos on Saturday and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Ugoji said the Academy was established to deliver financial markets education to FMDQ stakeholders in line with its market and product development agenda initiatives.

She said that the initiative was also aimed at deepening and upgrading the Nigerian financial markets towards global competitiveness.

She added that the education initiative was targeted at addressing the observed knowledge and skills gaps in the Nigerian financial markets.

The Vice President further said that the Academy would ensure that capacities were aligned with the structural transformations and product innovations being introduced to the markets.

According to her, the FMDQ Academy has been positioned to offer e-learning, face-to-face and tailored learning programs to meet the knowledge needs of stakeholders across the FMDQ markets.

“The Academy offers learners an opportunity to choose what to learn, when to learn, as well as the preferred mode of learning, to achieve the desired learning outcomes,” Ugoji said.

She said the Academy from Nov. 5 would commence its e-learning offerings with a robust learning management system and free course modules in fixed income, foreign exchange and derivatives.

She advised prospective learners to visit the Academy’s website at www.fmdqacademy.com for more information. (NAN)
JNC/YAZ
Edited by Yusuf Zango

NAN-H-23

Donation

Enugu, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) The U.S –based  Research Triangular Institute (RTI) and The Carter Center (TCC)  Nigeria have donated 17 motorcycles to the Enugu State Government for the supervision of Neglected Tropical Diseases’ (NTDs) projects.

The Project Administrator in charge of  Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States’ Projects of the Carter Centre Nigeria, Mr Emmanuel Alor, presented the motorcycles to the state government  on behalf of the RTI and TCC on Saturday in Enugu.

It was done during the 2016 strategic planning meeting organised by Enugu State Ministry of Health.

Speaking at the occasion, Alor said the donation was to assist the NTDs to overcome logistic challenges encountered by its coordinators during treatment data collection.

He was optimistic that the motorcycles would facilitate the flow of data from the local government councils to the state and warned against their conversion to other usages.

The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Dr Samuel Ngwu, who received the motorcycles, said the state was ready to support the implementation of NTDs elimination activities at the local government councils.

The commissioner said that the state would continue to mobilize rural dwellers in the 17 local government councils to embrace the NTDs programme.

Ngwu, therefore, commended  the Institute and the TCC for their efforts in supporting the state government toward the elimination of tropical diseases in the state within the framework of the WHO guidelines.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Sylvester Ugwuagbo, commended the donor agencies for the gesture and pledged that the motorcycles would be put into good use.

He promised to secure official permission for their use in the state capital following the ban on riding of motorcycles in Enugu State by the state government. (NAN)

OJI/PD/PAD

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Controlled by Peter Dada

NAN-H-16
Bush-meat
By Tinuade Adeshiyan
Lagos, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Some bush meat sellers in some major markets have said the business is booming again barely two years after the country was declared Ebola Virus Disease free.

Some of the bush meat sellers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday that they were fully back to their business.

According to them, their customers, who deserted them because of fear of contracting Ebola, are back and they are experiencing more patronage.

Mr Aminu Badaru, a bush meat vendor at Ajegunle-Ikorodu Road, a popular road side market along Ikorodu axis known for bush meat business, said he had been experiencing high patronage.

Badaru said he is now making more money compared to when there was EVD outbreak.

“I lost all my customers due to the warnings that people should desist from buying and eating  bush meat as they were the major carriers of the disease.

“But now, I have started experiencing high patronage,” Badaru said.

Also, Mr John Tanko, a supplier of bush meat in the popular Iddo-Oyingbo market, said he stopped the bush meat business to source for another means of livelihood.

“I have stopped this business during the outbreak of the disease, but early this year I started selling it again, in fact, I have more customers than before,” he said.

Another bush meat hawker, Mrs Aina Tairoye, also said that her market was booming since there were no cases of Ebola Disease.

Tairoye said most restaurants who had stopped buying bush meat for their pepper soup business had started calling her for deliveries.

She, however, expressed her delight that the business had gained high patronage.

Mr Ibrahim Thomas, another road side bush meat seller in Epe Area of Lagos, applauded the Federal Government for taking prompt measures to curb the diseases.

“I thank our government for helping, we Nigerians, to curb the spread of the disease. I don’t have any other means of livelihood apart from this business.

“Now, I have more customers who patronise me now and I make more  sales,” Thomas said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned people to avoid eating bush meats as most of them are the major carrier of the Ebola Virus disease.

But, given Ebola’s animal origin, it is perhaps not surprising that bush meat has been cited as a core danger associated with the outbreak.

Bush meats from bats to antelopes, squirrels, porcupines , monkeys,grasscutters, among others.

A public health expert, Dr Azeez Bada, advised  people to observe basic hygiene principles such as proper hand washing with soap and water and use of hand sanitisers.

Bada listed the symptoms of the disease to, include fever, sore throat, muscle pains, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe internal and external bleeding at the advanced stages of the disease.

He, however,  advocated prompt medical attention for the sick. (NAN)
TAL/OFN