Asiwaju Tinubu says 'I'll personally miss Tam David-West' - ITREALMS.

ITREALMS:

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has paid tribute to former Petroleum Resources Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, who died on Monday at the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, at the age of 83, saying he would personally miss Tam, reports ITREALMS.

He described the former minister and professor of virology a nationalist and social critic who always spoke truth to power.

In a condolence message on David-West’s passing released on Tuesday by his Media Office, Asiwaju Tinubu said he would personally miss the former minister because he was one leader he admired and regularly exchanged ideas with.

The statement reads: “Prof. Tam David-West was a nationalist, leader of substance and social critic who regularly spoke truth to power. His voice was always that of caution and restraint to steer the leadership away from the path of unconstitutionality and danger.

“He was highly-principled and morally upright. Somebody who served as Minister of Petroleum and Energy under Muhammadu Buhari as military leader and won Buhari’s respect and admiration must be a man of integrity and honesty.

“David West and I often speak to interface on issues and to exchange ideas. He was one intellectual and leader I admire. I will personally miss him.

“I mourn with his family, both immediate and extended. I mourn with the people of Buguma, Kalabari Kingdom, the government and people of Rivers State and Nigeria, which he served selflessly.
“My prayer is that God Almighty grant him eternal rest. I also hope and pray that his good legacies will continue to endure.”

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Global designers set Lagos agog for Style by Zenith 2.0 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Reputed global designers and brands have concluded plans to set Lagos agog for the ‘Style by Zenith 2.0”’ Fair, reports ITREALMS.

The event which is the second edition of Zenith Bank’s highly anticipated Lifestyle Fair, ITREALMS reports, holds from Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 1, 2019 at the Eko Energy City, Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Some of the top designers billed to feature at the fair include Tom Ford, Dolce and Gabbana, Tokyo James, Eyola, Mai Atafo, Okunnoren Twins, Ejiro Amos-Tafiri, Telvin Nwafor, Fikirte Addis, House of Kaya, Gozen Green, Trish O, Chulaap, Agatha Moreno, Sunny Rose, Nonnistics, Caesar Couture, Yartel, Orapeleng Mdutle, Mustapha Hassanali and the Fabric Hub, amongst others.

Aside showcasing their designs during the runway modelling sessions at the fair, they will also be participating in the various Lifestyle masterclasses, offering expert opinions on recent trends and designs in the global fashion industry.

Launched in 2018, the “Style by Zenith” initiative was created with the objective of supporting and creating value for customers by focusing on various aspects of their lifestyle.

“Style by Zenith 2.0” caps a year of all-encompassing customer lifestyle engagements by Zenith Bank through events such as the Aspire Music Festival, a musical concert for millennials held in Lagos in September and the Aba SME Fair organised for SMEs in the Aba Fashion Market, Abia State last month. This is in addition to the Light-Up Ceremony of the yuletide decorations on Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island coming up by the second week of this month.

The three-day fair has an interesting line up of activities including runway modelling by leading Nigerian and international models accessorized by top global and Nigerian designers, modelling masterclasses, exhibition of lifestyle, beauty, health & fitness products, food and drinks, games arcade for both children and adults as well as musical concert featuring Nigeria’s biggest artistes.

Fashion One, the leading global fashion and lifestyle channel will once again be working with Zenith Bank on the “Style by Zenith 2.0” initiative.

Registration for the event, which is free for everyone, can be done by visiting www.zenithbank.com/style.

Zenith Bank Plc is recognized as one of the most innovative financial institutions in Nigeria and was voted the most customer-focused bank in Nigeria for the Retail and SME segments in the 2018 KPMG Annual Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey (BICSS). Most recently, the bank won the Best Bank in Retail Banking and the Bank of the Year at the 2019 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards, and was ranked as the Best Digital Bank in Nigeria 2019 by Agusto & Co.

Chuks Egbuna/Editor

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Orange, itel partner Sanza XL @AfricaCom - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Orange is partnering with itel the leading mobile brand in Africa and, once again, with KaiOS Technologies, maker of the leading operating system for smart feature phone KaiOS, to launch a new 4G version of the Sanza Phone, “Sanza XL”. From December 2019, this mobile phone with voice recognition functionalities will be on offer for around 28 US dollars in seven countries in Africa and the Middle-East: Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Mali and Senegal. Other Orange Group countries will follow in 2020.

The simplicity of a feature phone combined with the advanced functionality of a smartphone, at an affordable price

The Sanza XL has a bigger screen than the Sanza at 2.8’, an improved 2 Megapixel camera, 4 GB of internal memory for more storage and high-speed 4G access, while retaining excellent battery life of up to 7 days depending on usage.

The device enables access to over two hundred essential applications, including: WhatsApp to send voice messages in any language, Boomplay, YouTube, Facebook and the Google Assistant to control certain device functions with your voice.

Orange applications will also be available on the phone: My Orange, Orange Money and Livescreen to enable users to keep up-to-date on their favourite topics.

In Africa, price is often an obstacle to purchasing a mobile phone and, by extension, accessing the internet. This is why the Sanza XL will be on sale for around 28 USD and will be progressively launched in 7 countries, followed by the other Orange Group countries in 2020. By extending the Sanza range with the Sanza XL, Orange, a champion of digital inclusion in Africa and the Middle East, is reasserting its commitment to supporting its customers and offering internet access for all.

Orange is present in 19 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has around 125 million customers as of 30 September 2019. With revenues of 5.2 billion euros in 2018, this area is a strategic priority for the Group. Orange Money, its mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has 45 million customers. Orange, a multi-service operator and benchmark partner of the digital transformation, provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.

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Guild promotes Isah to acting president, cautions FG against regulating social media - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has promoted its Vice President, West, Mr. Mustapha Isah to the post of acting president, to fill-in the gap created by the exit of the immediate past president, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, who was recently appointed the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming as NGE cautioned the Federal Government against regulating social media, describing it as inimical to the growth of press and defiles democratic tenets.

Announcing this development, the Standing Committee of NGE, ITREALMS gathered, had constituted itself into an Electoral College to effect the promotion and relaying on Article 13(4) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors Constitution.

Thus, they elected Mr. Mustapha Isah as Acting President of the Guild, to fill the vacant position of Mrs Funke Egbemode as President, upon her appointment and acceptance of offer as Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation in Osun State.

The communique arising from the meeting personally endorsed by the acting president, Mr. Mustapha Isah and General Secretary, Mrs Mary Atolagbe, the Standing Committee also revealed it discussed the state of the nation and the media and took particular note of the ongoing plans by the Federal Government of Nigeria to ‘sanitise’ the Social Media space and thereby resolved as follows:

That the Federal Government should rescind the decision to regulate the Social Media, as such measure is in clear contravention of Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), which guarantees every Nigerian citizen the right to “freedom of expression, including the right to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”

The Guild reminds the Federal Government of the dire consequences of similar attempts in the past to gag freedom of speech, as such initiatives were usually misconstrued by security agents and some public officials to harass, arrest and in most cases, illegally detain journalists and other Nigerians for holding their opinions.

Advising the Federal Government to seek ways to maximize social media to disseminate information on the activities and policies of government, rather than its current attempt to stifle it: the Guild urges the government to engage the founders and promoters of social media, namely: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter among others – to creatively find ways of sieving information disseminated through their respective channels, to curtail extremisms of violence and hate speech.

Recognising that Nigeria is already in the red zone of nations with very poor record of Press Freedom and Freedom of Speech, the Guild notes, for instance, that the 2019 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders places Nigeria in a distant 120th position among 180 nations under review. Also, in the 2019 Global Impunity Index published by the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), which chronicles countries where criminal groups, politicians, government officials, and other powerful actors resort to violence to silence critical views, dissent and particularly the media, Nigeria ranks as high as the 12th position, sharing the top bracket with impunity-prone and conflict-riddled nations like Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Mexico, Pakistan etcetera.

Sadly, this is not a good profile and the Federal Government of Nigeria should not take further actions that would add to this unpleasant tar on the nation by seeking to ‘sanitise’ Social Media but, should rather build bridges and collaborations with the Nigerian media and promoters of social media. Such synergy and partnership in an Information Age, is the best way to make the most of the advantages of social media which far outweigh any perceived disadvantages.

The Guild notes that Nigeria has enough extant laws, including the Cyber Crime Act 2015, to deal with issues of ‘hate speech’ and ‘Fake News’. It urges the government to test such laws in the courts of competent jurisdictions in accordance with due process of the law rather than create another legal instrument and atmosphere that would give agents of state the latitude to harass and criminalise citizens especially journalists.

The Guild observes that in most cases, it is the officials of governments at all levels that push out Fake News and hate speech by their words and actions; stressing that it behoves government actors to check their actions and utterances.

The Guild uses this opportunity to call on government and security agencies to release forthwith all journalists being detained nationwide, as their continued detention run contrary to the grains of the Constitution.

Further, the Guild congratulated Mrs Egbemode on her appointment and wished her well.





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NCC restrategises to implement FG directive on data - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Rising to the occasion of the five-day ultimatum issued by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulator has assured on implementing the Federal Government’s directive over illegal data deductions, reports ITREALMS.

Pantami, ITREALMS recalls, had on the 5th of November 2019 issued directive for prompt resolution within five days, consequently NCC said, its reviewing the cost of data downward, as efforts have been advanced to carry out the Minister’s directives.

In a letter from the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), received by the office of the Honourable Minister on the 8th of November 2019, the telecommunications regulator, intimated Dr Pantami of the strategies been taken to stem the tide of short changing subscribers by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

In its earlier attempts to tackle the challenges, the Commission informed the Honourable Minister that it had issued a directive to all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on the attendant penalties associated with Automatic Renewal and Forceful Subscription to Data and Value Added Services. The penalties include considerable financial sanctions on the erring operator.

The letter stated that, in response to the directive of the Honourable Minister, the Commission reviewed the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 on its rule-making powers and process. The Commission is in the process of carrying out a study on the End-of-Session Notification for Data Services and depending on the outcome, may issue a direction in accordance with the Act.

Furthermore, in a bid to protect consumers, the Commission also notified the Honourable Minister of their regulation of the initial directive to include refunds to the consumer in established cases of unauthorized subscription.

As said by her spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman, NCC also assured the Honourable Minister that it has been working assiduously round the clock to enforce the Federal Government’s directives and has requested the good graces of the Minister to extend the deadline which expires today, 8th November 2019, to enable it properly re-strategise and fully implement long term solutions as directed, to the challenges.

Dr Pantami has graciously granted an extension with the understanding that the Commission will resolve these issues within the shortest time possible. The Honourable Minister, hereby assures the general public that the current administration will neither tolerate acts of injustice nor the shortchanging of its citizens as it is working tirelessly to ensure that subscribers get full value for their money.

Chuks Egbuna/DoP

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Stakeholders set for Nigeria on 4th Industrial Revolution at WES - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Stakeholders are set to grace the 2019 emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution event at the WorldStage Economic Summit (WES), reports ITREALMS.

WES 2019 with the theme ‘Getting Nigeria Ready for Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ will hold on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 by 10.00AM at the prestigious Event Centre, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lagos, Nigeria.

According to a statement by the organizers, World Stage Limited, the Federal Government will be making strong presence at the summit through the Director Generals of some strategic agencies which include the National Identity Management Commission, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Corporate Affairs Commission, Security and Exchange Commission, while private sector will be represented by the leadership of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Computer Society, Association of Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Labour Congress, NACCIMA, NUPENG among others.

The lead paper will be presented by Dr. Babatope Ogunniyi of the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, while there will be a panel discussion on the theme of the summit with emphasis on the Relevant laws and policies requirement for Fourth Industrial Revolution; Developing infrastructure, industries and Business Models for Fourth Industrial Revolution; and Urgent reviewing of education curriculum, Developing Skills and building capacity through massive investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

According to Mr Segun Adeleye, President/CEO, World Stage Limited, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is throwing up many questions that stakeholders must answer before setting agenda for the country.

“The questions begging for answers include why and how Nigeria missed out in the first three industrial revolutions and how it needs to leapfrog with the 4th industrial revolutions,” he said.

“The questions of how the fourth industrial revolution will impact on agriculture where Nigeria has a competitive advantage, and oil, the mainstay of its economy must be answered.”

The WorldStage Economic Summit (WES) is conceived to address economic challenges through diagnoses and application of practicable solutions with public and private sector engagement in a research and innovation driven platform to inspire new thinking in business initiative, policy formulation/implementation, economic reform and development.

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Senator Tinubu urges Nigerians to apply prophet teachings -ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Senator of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to ensure the application of teachings of Prophet Muhammad as muslims mark his birth, reports ITREALMS.

Tinubu who thanked God for Nigerians to witness another Eid-el Maulud celebration, in commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, said, its a call to reflect once again on the life of the Prophet and his teachings on moral excellence, steadfastness, charitable acts, peaceful co-existence and tolerance.

“Beyond this, it is a call to examine our adherence to these teachings as it affects various aspects of our lives,” she said.

Equally, she noted that as the family is a major building block of society and a reflection of the nation, “we must ensure that the teachings of the Prophet are applied in our various homes, as this will help to curb crime, corruption and insecurity that manifest on a larger scale in our nation.”

Further, she urged Nigerians to continue to rise to the call of patriotism, doing all to ensure the success, peace and prosperity of the President Muhammadu Buhari led APC administration.

“Nigeria belongs to us all, and together we will make it great again! Once again, I wish you all Happy Eid-el Maulud Celebrations, enduring peace and progress!” Senator Tinubu declared.

Chuks Egbuna/DoP
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Minister commends Igbomina on development efforts - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has commended the communal effort of the Igbomina, a sub-national group that cuts across three states, in complementing the efforts of the government in the provision of infrastructure and social services for the community, reports ITREALMS.

The commendation came at the 2019 Igbomina Day celebration in Isanlu Isin, Kwara State, on Saturday.

“I want to most sincerely congratulate the organizers of the 2019 Igbomina Day, especially for making the issue of development the focus of the celebration. I say this because community development projects like this complement the efforts of the Federal and State Governments to bring development to the people. And we can't have enough of them,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed, himself an Igbomina, said the developmental needs of the community motivated him to facilitate the development of infrastructure and provision of social services for the people of the area.

“The rehabilitation of some township roads in Oro and Omu Aran, which I facilitated and where work is either completed or ongoing, is an example of such efforts.

“I am also happy to announce that one of my friends, whom I approached for support, has agreed to provide medical equipment for the Primary Health Centre at Oro as well as educational materials for the University of Ilorin. I am making more contacts which I expect to come to fruition soon, and help bring development to our community,” he said.

The Minister said the community is also a beneficiary of the Federal Government project for the rehabilitation of the Ilorin-Kabba road, which will resume as soon as the rains are over and funds are made available.

He said another huge project coming to Kwara State is the recent award, by the Federal Government, of a N58 billion contract for the construction of the Bida-Sachi-Patigi Road and the Napenko Bridge along that road, which links Kwara with two other States, Niger and Kogi.

Alhaji Mohammed said when completed, the bridge, which is the shortest link between the north and the south, will boost economic activities for people in Kwara, Kogi and Niger States.

The biennial Igbomina Day Celebration is the largest congregation of all members of the socio-cultural group across Kwara, Osun and Oyo States.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix:  President, Sons and Daughters of Ogbomina, Mr. Timothy Niyi Adebayo (left), conferring a Merit Award on the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (right), at the 2019 Igbomina Day in Isanlu-Isin, Kwara State, on Saturday.

The imperative of ‘people’s manifesto’ - ITREALMS

Commentary@ITREALMS:

In the 20 months since I wrote “Drafting a people’s manifesto” and “Further notes on the people’s manifesto” (February/March, 2018), a sufficient number of significant things have happened and are happening in our country, Nigeria, in the Nigerian Left, to the Nigerian Left and in the world to raise the level of the urgency of the broad suggestion I alternately called “draft” and “notes”. The use of these terms to describe my attempt was a cautious way of indicating that I was not, and could not be, publishing a manifesto on behalf of the Nigerian Left. I could only suggest, propose and urge—not as a detached outsider, but as an active insider.

One possible manner of appearance of an authentic “people’s manifesto” is clear to me and I expressed it in my piece, “Preliminary notes on RevolutionNow” (August 15, 2019). What I said then can be re-stated, perhaps more clearly: Variants of RevolutionNow (August 5, 2019) may be attempted again and again until a particular attempt initiates a popular revolt which will simultaneously produce an authentic “people’s manifesto” and a substantial and effective unity of Left forces.

This follow-up piece is also not a manifesto, nor can it be. And it is not a call for revolution. The preceding paragraph is a statement of possibility informed by history and experience: distant, recent and current. Having said this we should also quickly add and emphasise that no serious Left formation or serious Left programme can be based—solely or even substantially—on the possibility of popular political eruptions.



You only have to recognize that possibility of spontaneous revolts while struggling, campaigning, mobilizing and organizing. History and experience have sufficiently shown us that the absence of this recognition of possibility and therefore, the need for “sideline” preparations for it—is the dominant reason for “betrayals” and “hijackings” of popular political upheavals when they occur. Put differently, “betrayals” and “hijackings” of popular revolts are indicators of the level of organization of the Left. Most of the present seemingly chronic and insurmountable obstacles in the path of Left unity will evaporate at a revolutionary conjuncture we may not be able to predict.

The “manifesto of the Nigerian people”, or the “people’s manifesto”, as indicated in an earlier piece, and now being strengthened, has a double character or two forms. In the first place, it is a Nigerian Left’s manifesto in the ordinary sense of the term, “manifesto”: a “public declaration of intentions, motives or views”, of what it intends to do, at the very least, if it comes to power or office.

In the second place, it is a Nigerian People’s Charter of Demands presented to the Nigerian state by the Nigerian Left, in the name of the Nigerian people (popular masses). Hence the people’s manifesto, or distillations from it, can be used for elections as (campaign platform) and for general popular struggle. History shows us that this dual character of the “people’s manifesto” lies at the roots of its popular acceptance, its power and its resilience. These are primary tests of a “people’s manifesto”.

The events or “things” to which I referred in the opening sentence of this piece include Elections 2019 and the recent Supreme Court’s effective “closure” of the exercise; the steady decline of the state of the country’s physical infrastructure; the steady rise in the levels of unemployment, poverty and “insecurity”; the steady increase of the burden of living and reproducing life imposed by the Nigerian state on the masses of the Nigerian people; intensifying violent struggles within the ruling class for the control of political power and the economic surpluses extracted from the labour of the working and toiling masses—struggles in which the same masses are foot-soldiers and primary victims; and, generally, the steady decline of the quality of life of the broad masses of the Nigerian people - the “minimum wage” and its politics notwithstanding.

The significant events of the last 20 months also include the successful holding of a Conference of Marxism—resulting, among other things, in the establishment of a vibrant discussion platform for Marxists. This came as a qualitative addition to older but not-too-vibrant platforms for socialists and Leftists. Also appearing as a significant event is RevolutionNow and the current trial of its leader and a number of its lead partisans; the increasing fascist encroachment on the Nigerian people’s civil and democratic rights; the appearance of new popular-democratic platforms with credible leaderships—at the same time as the appearance of potentially-willing foot soldiers of full-scale fascism.

Finally, the significant events include the current world-wide popular protests in virtually all the continents and regions of the world. Here it is unnecessarily scholastic to start classifying the protests as “revolutionary”, “democratic”, “progressive”, “reactionary”, etc. The first task is to determine whether a protest is popular or not. Then identify and determine the “specific weight” of each ideological tendency in the protest. For the Left, that is where the lessons reside. Do not expect a “pure” protest.

The central message of the “people’s manifesto” at this point in history should be that the various negative and undesirable aspects of Nigeria’s current reality—as partially sketched above—can be arrested and reversed by the efforts of the Nigerian masses acting directly (that is, spontaneously), and as mobilized through their popular-democratic formations and coordinated by the Nigerian Left. But, then, who or what is the Nigerian Left? What are its antecedents and credentials? How does it intend to carry out its promise? How is its message, together with the description of the reality on which it is based, different from what the masses have been hearing over the years, since independence, from regime to regime?

These questions must be answered in the “people’s manifesto”. But before they are answered in the manifesto the Nigerian Left must answer them to itself. The latter is a condition for the former. And if it cannot answer anyone of them convincingly to itself, then it has to return to the drawing board. And in returning to the drawing-board, the identified three forms of struggle (direct, popular-democratic and Left) and their coordination should be more thoroughly interrogated. And remember: “Without a guiding organization the energy of the masses would dissipate like steam not enclosed in a piston box. But, nevertheless, what moves things is not the piston or the box, but the steam”.

Since the “people’s manifesto” will be a formal document it has to be appropriately structured, with a “table of contents”. The following six-point structure is an illustration: Who are the Nigerian Left? What country do Nigerian people now have?; What country do Nigerian people desire and deserve to have?; For a popular-democratic Nigeria: How the desirable will become the realizable; Immediate steps to be taken on coming to power or office; and Exhortation on the essential continuity of the struggle until victory, and beyond victory.

So, what should be done? I recall what I proposed about 10 months ago: “The next qualitative step (for the Nigerian Left) is not the formation of new parties or groups, or renewed attempts to register those already in existence, but the establishment of a Centre for coordination, ideological education, research, documentation and publicity.” But two questions now emerge: Can there be more than one Coordinating Centre? Yes, there can be. But I believe that the Nigerian Left is tired of the futility of multiplicity of formations. How many successful conferences on Marxism or similar efforts have we had in the last decade? And, can be there be more than one “people’s manifesto”? Yes, there can be. But how many Left declarations and platforms have we had in the last decade and how many have survived? From the Nigerian Left history now demands a qualitative step forward - to save the nation.

*Edwin Madunagu, mathematician and journalist, writes from Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
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Pantami to Nigerians: Insist on use of PoS @NIPOST - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has advised Nigerians to insist on the use of Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminals at any outlet of Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) office nationwide, especially if they are to make payments, reports ITREALMS.

The Minister through his spokesperson, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, said in a press statement available to ITREALMS, directed the Post-Master General of the Federation to henceforth revert to PoS in all NIPOST offices.

“The Post-Master General, is to ensure that all its offices revert to Point of Sales (PoS) and bank teller transactions immediately. The general public and all customers of NIPOST, are hereby encouraged to insist on Point of Sales (PoS) or bank teller transactions, when conducting business with NIPOST.

This directive, he said, is in line with the anti-corruption programme of President Muhammadu Buhari and the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and ordered the Post-Master General (PMG) to suspend all existing cash payment plans within NIPOST entities nationwide.

“The Post-Master General, is to ensure that all its offices revert to Point of Sales (PoS) and bank teller transactions immediately. The general public and all customers of NIPOST, are hereby encouraged to insist on Point of Sales (PoS) or bank teller transactions, when conducting business with NIPOST.

“This directive is a temporary measure to tackle corruption, as we are currently working on fully automating the systems as a permanent solution to the challenge.

Further, Dr Pantami directed the Post-Master General to immediately implement strategies that will bring an end to unnecessary delays in its service delivery to customers.

“The current trend of delays in postal services will not be condoned by the office of the Honourable Minister under whose purview, the supervision of NIPOST falls.

“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy are committed to protecting the rights of all Nigerians and will not tolerate any act of corruption under its watch,” Pantami maintained.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Happy Eid-El-Maulud - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

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BREAKING: 2019 e-Nigeria confab gets new dates – ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has shifted its three-day 2019 e-Nigeria International Conference, Exhibitions and Awards to commence on November 28, reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this to ITREALMS, Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs Hadiza Umar, said that the 12th Edition of e-Nigeria International Conference, Exhibitions and Awards has now been slated to commence on Thursday, 28th November, and end November 30, this year.

She also told ITREALMS that the event earlier scheduled to hold from 12th – 14th November, with the theme: ‘Leveraging Technology and Indigenous Innovation to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals’, “will now hold from 28th – 30th November, 2019”

The conference, she said, would feature discussions on “Creating New Job Opportunities and Economic Development Through Technological Innovation; Harnessing Indigenous Innovation and Creativity for Poverty Reduction in Nigeria; Leveraging Disruptive Innovation for Achieving Good Health, National Security, Anticorruption, and Sustainable Energy Systems; and Implications of Data Protection Regulation for Open Data, Big Data Analytics, and Smart Initiatives in Building a Productive National Economy.”

ITREALMS recalls that e-Nigeria is an annual Information Technology Conference hosted by NITDA, a Federal Government Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The event is hosted in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders from both the public and the private sector as well as Non-Governmental Organisations and Academia. It serves as a platform for ICT awareness creation, development of appropriate regulatory instruments and best practices in order to facilitate the positioning of Nigeria in the global Information Society.

Chuks Egbuna/DoP

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Senator Adeyeye’s ouster pain, laments Fayemi - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has described Wednesday’s ruling of the Court of Appeal that nullified the election of Senator, representing Ekiti South, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, as painful, reports ITREALMS.

Dr Fayemi said more painful was the fact that the ruling of the Appellate Court that sat in Kaduna, remained final in the matter.

He therefore urged Senator Adeyeye to remain calm despite the judicial pronouncement, saying that the ruling, though shocking and unexpected, is not the end of his political career nor his public service.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, described Senator Adeyeye as a dogged fighter and a politician of repute who is loved by his people. He said he was convinced that the former Senate Spokesman would bounce back and play more significant roles in the nation’s politics.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Senator campaigned vigorously during the last election and got the endorsement of the people of the district, adding that that made the Court of Appel’s ruling quite disturbing.

“As we continue to deepen our democratic culture, we cannot but witness occasional setbacks of this nature. It is part of the sacrifice for our nation building.

“We must accept the decision of the appellate court- which is the final arbiter in this particular election petition, with equanimity, though painfully.

“The court’s ruling notwithstanding, Senator Adeyeye remains a credible politician with huge democratic credentials. While many may see this as a temporary setback, I urge him to brace up and see it as part of the sacrifice for the growth of democracy in the country.

“I am convinced that Senator Adeyeye will bounce back, in view of the pride of place he occupies in the hearts of his people.” The Governor said.

While congratulating Senator Abiodun Olujimi for the victory, Governor Fayemi also urged her to be magnanimous in victory and ensure that Ekiti interest is paramount in her agenda at the Senate.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix: Prince Dayo Adeyeye

Techpreneur faults FG, NASS on social media bill - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

A Lagos-based techpreneur, Mr. Ebenezer Dare, has faulted both the Federal Government and the National Assembly (NASS) and called on them to define what they really want to regulate in the name of proposed Social Media Bill, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking on the vexed issue of the plans by the Federal Government and National Assembly to gag the system, Mr. Dare, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Hostlag, a domain names and web hosting company, wondered if the Nigerian government truly wanted to regulate foreign applications developed by foreign companies or the people.

He said that regulating the people for instance, will FG sit down with those social media companies in the process of making their regulations and if not, “how do they want to achieve the said bill?”

For him, both the FG and National Assembly must understand what they want to regulate and then come up in alliance with the application companies, insisting that no law is developed in a vacuum, especially in a democratic setting like Nigeria.
And if it is the applications they want to regulate, he urged them to rename the said bill and not call it social media bill.

“If software and websites will be included, that's no longer social media,” he objected, stressing that is relevant now is more education rather than regulation of any sort.

“What I think we need is more of education rather than regulation,” he said.

FG, Dare said, needs to appeal to the emotions of social media activists, youths and other social media users.

“We need to do something that will affect their psychology about the danger of sharing fake news or hate speech because an average social media user will only share news that affects his or her emotion without confirming the source or the genuinety,” Dare submitted.

Insisting that what Nigeria needs on this social media usage is education.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Pix: Dare

NIPOST: No more cash payments orders Pantami - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has ordered with immediate effect the stoppage of every cash payments in the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) office nationwide, reports ITREALMS.

This order, ITREALMS gathered, follows series of corrupt tendencies discovered by the Minister’s office at NIPOST, decrying that it has led to some unscrupulous elements, taking undue advantage of the cash payment system under NIPOST to engage in corrupt practices.

A press statement by the Minister’s spokesperson, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, noted that in line with the anti-corruption programme of President Muhammadu Buhari and the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Post-Master General (PMG) has been ordered to forthwith, suspend all existing cash payment plans within its establishments countrywide.

Part of the statement read, “The Post-Master General, is to ensure that all its offices revert to Point of Sales (PoS) and bank teller transactions immediately. The general public and all customers of NIPOST, are hereby encouraged to insist on Point of Sales (PoS) or bank teller transactions, when conducting business with NIPOST.

“This directive is a temporary measure to tackle corruption, as we are currently working on fully automating the systems as a permanent solution to the challenge.

Further, Dr Pantami directed the Post-Master General to immediately implement strategies that will bring an end to unnecessary delays in its service delivery to customers.

“The current trend of delays in postal services will not be condoned by the office of the Honourable Minister under whose purview, the supervision of NIPOST falls.

“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy are committed to protecting the rights of all Nigerians and will not tolerate any act of corruption under its watch,” Pantami insists.

Chuks Egbuna/DoP

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