Funding, policies to shape FG’s new broadband focus
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), which stated this, noted that these two are fundamental in enthroning a broadband regime in the country. Pantami had said earlier in the year that the broadband plan will be ready within this first quarter. Pantami inaugurated the committee on December 16, 2019, to develop a new national broadband plan (2020-2025), which will serve as a guiding template for further development of the telecommunications sector. According to the NCC, the 2013-2018 broadband plan, which was designed to achieve at least 30 per cent broadband penetration recorded 37.8 per cent broadband coverage at its expiration. The new broadband plan, being developed with the support and collaboration of the UK government is expected to increase broadband penetration to 70 per cent by 2025.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:30 UTC
President seeks judicious deployment of resources to end unemployment
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that if the available natural resources in the 36 states are well utilised, they could create massive employment and end poverty in Nigeria. He described the massive projects initiated and completed by the governor as remarkable achievements that would open up the state for industrialisation. According to the president, the two projects would lead to massive economic and infrastructure development across the 18 council areas of the state. He observed that the industrial hub was a product of hard work and dedication, expressing confidence that the project would create more jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. I take this opportunity to commend investors who saw Nigeria and Ondo State in particular as a viable investment destination.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:30 UTC
Rising poverty, resource misappropriation amidst N83trillion oil revenue
Last week, Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) in its Benchmark Exercise Report (BER) revealed that Nigeria has made N83 trillion from oil and gas in the last 37 years. Despite producing more crude oil per day than Norway’s 1.84mbpd, Norway has $956 billion saved for future generation while Nigeria has less than $1.3 billion. At the same time, Nigeria’s total debt stock rose to N26.14 trillion as of the end of September 2019. The country is also described as the poverty capital of the world with over 90 million Nigerians facing abject poverty. Though the country raked from oil boom, continued neglect of the nation’s infrastructural development is expected to require $878 billion by 2040.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:30 UTC
AMCON takes over Buba Galadima’s residence, company
FHC/ABJ/CS/1136/2019 has ordered the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to take over the business and assets of Bedko Nigeria Limited and Buba Galadima. Bedko Nigeria Limited and Buba Galadima owe AMCON about N900m through a loan purchased during the first phase of Eligible Bank Assets (EBAs) from Unity Bank Plc in 2011. Since then, AMCON said it offered extended olive branches to the obligor and explored all avenues to resolve the matter amicably, but the obligor and his company, Bedko Nigeria remained adamant and unwilling to repay the debt. Chikere, gave the corporation the power to take over some property belonging to Galadima, including House No. The enforcement on the property of Bedko Nigeria Limited and Buba Galadima is one of the many others that would happen this year, given the additional powers the President gave AMCON late last year.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:30 UTC
Govt moves to rid Nigerian waters of plastics, pollution
He said the issue of marine litter and plastics in the seas and oceans has remained a global concern, following increased awareness about blue economy and its derivable benefits. Odebiyi said the National Assembly was solidly behind NIMASA in the presentation and implementation of the action plan, which envisions the elimination of land-based sources of marine litter within five years. We will take this further and put it together to be a national action plan,” she stated. It is estimated that over 200,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste from land-based sources in Nigeria, is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean each year. Others are; to establish template that monitors progress in our fight against marine litter and plastics in the seas and oceans; to build, operationalise and compliment IMO Action Plan on marine litter from ships.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:30 UTC
Resign now, Reps tell service chiefs, NSA
The House of Representatives yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in the nation’s service chiefs, asking them to resign their appointments with immediate effect. God forbid.”Sarki Ader from Sokoto State, who contributed to the motion, said that the sorry situation should naturally invoke shame to the service chiefs and the NSA who could not stop the attacks. Ahmed Jaha from Borno State said that the service chiefs had completely run out of ideas. How long shall we continue to repel?”Karu Simon Elisha from Balanga federal constituency of Gombe State backed the call for the service chiefs to resign. “I join others to call for the resignation of all service chiefs.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:18 UTC
Nigeria’s Eyimofe on world stage at Berlinale
And with the level of publicity and awareness deployed by GDN Studios, the impressive turn out didn’t come as a surprise. Being the first independent Nigerian film to compete at Berlinale, expectations were high. To the sound of Celestine Ukwu’s vintage track, Okwukwe na Nchekwube, the world, for the first time, saw the film Eyimofe, an alternative migrant take that approches a much-discussed topic from a new perspective. Though a typical Nigerian story, which will definitely resonate with most Nigerians, Eyimofe comes from the point of view that, with hardwork and perseverance, life can equally be meaningful at home. For OC Ukeje, Eyimofe is a realistic story that would resonate with Nigerians and anybody who knows the country.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:18 UTC
Ooni bemoans wealth control by few people in Nigeria
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said that Nigeria may not develop if larger percentage of its citizenry continues to languish in poverty. The Ooni gave the charge during the yearly celebration of Aje Festival at his Ile Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife. He decried the current economic condition of the country, saying it was pathetic that the country’s wealth is currently not being circulated. “Aje is a deity which is known for wealth and riches. That is the spirit of Aje; all of us are not rich because it is not easy to accumulate wealth.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:17 UTC
Rivers Hoopers sign American basketball player, Kaylon Tappin
Nigeria’s representative at the maiden edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Rivers Hoopers have signed American Kaylon Deshaun Tappin for the tournament, which tips off in March. Tappin was a junior college standout at Arkansas State-Mid South in West Memphis, Arkadelphia (AR) in the 2014/2015 season. He also had an outstanding year with Henderson State, a NCAA Division 2 school in AR. In his senior season, Tappin was named First Team All-Great American Conference after averaging 18.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.4 APG and 1.5 SPG and had a career high 34 points against Arkansas Tech. “The Americans add a lot of value, so we are hoping we are going to get players that are aggressive and would match the foreigners on the other team… that’s what we are thinking at the moment.”
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:07 UTC
Tightening the noose on maltreatment of maid
Njoku issued the order after taking arguments from counsel and the complainant, the International Charitable Initiative for Girl Child and Women Development Foundation (ICI-GWODEF). The police are yet to establish any link though between her death and maid maltreatment. A woman was arrested in a Lagos suburb on December 19, 2019, for allegedly feeding her 13-year-old maid with human faeces. Also in January this year, a maid, Hope Istifanus, allegedly killed a two-year-old girl, Somkenechukwu in Owerri, Imo State. The maid told her that the little girl had eaten, bathed and slept off after running around the house.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:07 UTC
Nigeria, ECOWAS tasked on drug importation
AS the Coronavirus (Covid-19) continues to spread with the potential threat to drug supplies, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has stressed the need for Nigeria and other ECOWAS member-states to reduce dependency on drug imports by encouraging, supporting and incentivising local manufacture of the drugs needed for common conditions on the continent. WAHO revealed that it was currently exploring linking viable drug manufacturers with international sources of funds to expand manufacturing, adding that the organisation’s work with the United Nations Development Organisation (UNIDO) had assessed pharmaceuticals manufacturers in the region, developed a roadmap for them to achieve the highest Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Director General of WAHO, Prof. Stanley Okolo, disclosed this at the African Medicine Quality Forum organised by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday in Abuja. He stressed the need to strengthen, refine and promote “our traditional medicines.”
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:07 UTC
Knowledge in robotics will aid economic growth
Making objects and devices intelligent are one of today’s major trends, and this will become even more important over the next decade. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics will be a key driver of economic and productivity growth in the future. As such, the Managing Director of Bliss Team Educational Services, Michael Ahamefule, has called for more investment into the sub-sector for economic growth. He advised governments at all levels to create all the needed platforms that will engender creativity, especially by stimulating the interest of the youths. According to him, technology can make the economy productive, competitive and help create solutions for problems.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 04:07 UTC
Catholic church opposes death penalty for kidnappers in Osun
While many groups and individuals in the state applauded the bill, the Catholic organisation kicked against it. Spokesperson for JDPMC, Mr. Paul Kehinde, who spoke at the public hearing, said: “The Catholic Church does not support death penalty as punitive to crime. He expressed displeasure over the risen cases of kidnapping, saying: “Osun has witnessed about six cases in 2020 alone but we are eager to nip it in the bud. Also, the Commandant of Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Osun State, Mr. Bello Aderemi, backed the proposed bill, saying kidnappers exploited citizens’ resources and wasted many lives of their victims. In another development, a group of pensioners in Osun State yesterday staged a protest over unpaid gratuities by the state government.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 03:56 UTC
Challenges of university education in Nigeria
The next huddle facing potential university candidates is JAMB. Indeed, during the just conducted Jamb exams, candidates were beset by a myriad of problems including malfunctioning computers and power failure. Having succeeded in overcoming the Jamb barrier, candidates are now faced with Post Jamb selection in their chosen universities i.e. But as almost every student at university require some form of accommodation the hostels become overcrowded with squatters i.e. We must understand that these problems are not part and parcel of Nigerian University Education.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 03:56 UTC
Embarrassing crack in the presidency | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Indeed, the jury is still out there on the real motive behind a leaked memo from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). But from all indications, it was a bad exposé on Buhari in particular, his presidency, and the image of the country in general. If those signs of a presidency in chaos were bad, the latest coming from the NSA is worse. In the United States, for instance, the national security adviser is more preoccupied with foreign relations than meddling in matters of internal dynamics. There is, indeed, no better time than now for Muhammadu Leko Buhari to assert his imprimatur on his presidency.
Source:The Guardian
February 26, 2020 03:45 UTC