Gowon says NYSC gave credibility to Nigeria’s elections - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), has commended the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for boosting the credibility of elections in Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

Gowon made this assertion in an address delivered on his behalf by General Ahmadu Ali, pioneer Director General of the scheme, at a sensitisation workshop on the National Youth Service Corps Act, CAP. N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

While listing the achievements of the scheme, the former head of state said its “collaboration with INEC has given credibility to our elections.”

Some other achievements of the NYSC, according Gowon, include: “National unity has been achieved by the deployment of corps participants to states other than their states of origin.

“The scheme has contributed to so much in educational development of the country. In the health sector, the contributions of the scheme to our health care delivery cannot be quantified. The scheme is involved in Legal Aid work, rendering pro bono Legal services to the indigent members of the society.”

Gowon said though the original enabling statute was repealed by Decree 51 of June 16, 1993, which is now National Youth Service Corps Act CAP. N84, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, “the objectives of the Act have remained constant and very relevant to the contemporary challenges of our dear nation Nigeria.”

According to him, the establishment of the scheme was not misplaced. 

“I am very proud to note that the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps in 1973 by my administration was not misplaced, judging from the laudable achievements of the scheme,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ali, while giving his personal remarks before presenting General Gowon’s address, called for the expansion of the scheme beyond the shores of Nigeria.
He said the time has come for the NYSC programme to be expanded to other African Union countries.

The ex-DG advised professional bodies against making requests for deployment to specific areas.

Also speaking during the opening ceremony of the sensitization workshop, the DG, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, said “given the current realities of the continuing relevance of the NYSC, we have recognized the need to provide avenue for enlightenment of Nigerians on the enabling Act and the various aspects of our operations. This is based on our firm belief that the roles of stakeholders are better played if the provisions of the enabling law are clearly understood.”

The DG however advised professional bodies who request for corps members for specific areas to desist.

Ibrahim said: “I consider it appropriate to remind professional bodies who have been inundating us with requests for posting of Corps members to specific areas of endeavours for Primary Assignment that such requests are not in tandem with the provisions of the NYSC Act from which our posting policy is derived.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Corps members are assigned to serve in areas where their services are required in line with national needs, with priority given to rural transformation.”
The DG therefor urged Nigerians “to familiarize themselves with the NYSC Act for better understanding of the policies and operations of the Scheme.”

A minute’s silence was observed in the course of the programme for Precious Owolabi, a corps member serving with Channels TV. 

Owolabi was killed during this week’s clash between members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, popularly known as Shiites, and the police in Abuja.


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Motorcycle, Tricycle licenses: FRSC, JTB agree on new enforcement date - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Following further consultations between the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Joint Tax Board (JTB), the two bodies have agreed on a shift of date slated for enforcement of the use of motorcycle and tricycle riders licence and number plates from the earlier 1st August 2019 to a new date of 2nd October 2019. 

This is to allow the JTB to further sensitise the State Governments, especially the Boards of Internal Revenue of the States on the proposed clampdown. The shift in date is to also give room for the State Boards of Internal Revenue to make requests for the number plates and driver's licences for motorcyclists and tricyclists, especially in States where the items are currently in short supply.

The grace period would also be utilised for further consultations with relevant stakeholders and sensitization of the general public so as to secure the support of all on the need to adhere to road traffic laws to enhance the success of the ongoing campaign against insecurity in the country.

According to a press release signed by the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, the earlier ultimatum given by the Corps Marshal for commencement of enforcement was sequel to reports of pervasive use of motorcycles and tricycles for urban transportation without the riders being properly licensed, or operating without registered number plates as prescribed by law.

In the earlier press release, FRSC relied on Section 10 Sub Section 4(h) and (i) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, which made possession of class A driver's license and number plates mandatory for riders of motorcycles and tricycles before they can operate on the nation's roads.

"By this extension, all Motor Licensing Authorities (MLAs) across the country are advised to make necessary arrangements that would facilitate easy acquisition of the Class A licence and the number plates to avoid any ugly incidents," Kazeem reiterates the need for all applicants desiring fresh class “A” License to first present themselves for driving tests at the Vehicle Inspection Office before advancing to the capturing unit for continuation of the process.

It would be recalled that the Corps Marshal had earlier issued directives to FRSC Commanding Officers nationwide to engage the relevant stakeholders and Associations on the proposed clampdown, while the Corps Public Education Officers were equally directed to carry out elaborate advocacy and sensitization of the riders on the need to register their motorcycles and tricycles.

"The general public is by this information updated on the shift in the date of enforcement earlier set for 1st August but now shifted to October 2nd, 2019 and for all concerned to take appropriate measures to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law by October, 2019.

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Oyo SUBEB warns teachers who extort students - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Government of Oyo State said on Thursday that it will deal ruthlessly with any school teacher found to be extorting students of fees it has canceled, reports ITREALMS.

Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, who issued the stern warning on behalf of the state government during an inspection tour some schools in Ido Local Government Area of the state said that acts of indiscipline would not be condoned by the government.

A statement by the Media Officer to the SUBEB Chairman, Olamide Adeniji, quoted the Chairman as saying that the government would immediately clamp down on any school found to be contravening the order of Governor Seyi Makinde canceling the payment of fees in schools.

According to the SUBEB Chairman, any recalcitrant public Secondary or primary school that is caught forcing students to pay levies that have been canceled will face severe punishment.

The statement also indicated that the SUBEB Chairman and other top management staff of the board had visited schools within Omi-Adio axis in Ido Local Government area following complaints by parents that schools in the area have continued to demand fees from students and pupils.

Dr. Adeniran warned teachers against sabotaging Government’s efforts at bringing succour to the populace.
He said: “It is very sad to note that these Head Masters and their teachers are recalcitrant to our policy to ensure that basic education is free.

“We are not witch-hunting anybody, rather what we are doing is to cleanse the system.”

Speaking further at Hope Center Primary School, Omi Adio, one of the suspected schools, Dr. Adeniran wondered why teachers would disobey Government’s directives, at the detriment of the future of their pupils.

“A situation whereby children are locked out by teachers because they did not pay fees that Government has suspended would not be condoned or tolerated by this administration,” the Chairman emphasised.

In another development, Dr. Adeniran has frowned at the slow pace of ongoing FGN-UBEC/SUBEB Projects at Ogbomoso zone.

The Chairman expressed the displeasure while inspecting projects at Ogo-Oluwa, Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, and Oriire Local Government Areas.

He promised that the Board will ensure speedy completion of the projects, stressing "I am not happy with the situation of projects in Ogbomoso zone. The Government of Oyo State will ensure these projects are completed, so we expect these contractors to come to our office and give us reasons why these projects have been abandoned."

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9mobile to redeem 2018 Prize for Literature - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS) has reiterated commitment to the development and promotion of talents and assures of fulfilling its commitment to the finalist of the 2018 edition of the 9mobile Prize for Literature, reports ITREALMS.

The winner from the shortlist for the 2018 edition of the 9mobile Prize for Literature competition comprising "What it Means When a Man Falls Down from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah, a Nigerian; Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo, also a Nigerian; and Asylum by Marcus Low from South Africa, will be announced soon."

The Executive Management of 9mobile will like to sincerely thank all the eminent scholars that have served as the Patrons and Judges of the 9mobile Prize for Literature initiative for their excellent service over the years since the debut of this flagship literary Prize in 2013.

Acting Director, Marketing, 9mobile, Layi Onafowokan, noted that the 9mobile Prize for Literature, launched in 2013, is the first pan-African literary Prize that celebrates African first-time writers of published fiction. It is open solely to writers from African countries, resident anywhere in the world. 

Zimbabwe's NoViolet Bulawayo won the inaugural edition of the prize in 2014 with We Need New Names, while South African novelist Songeziwe Mahlangu won with Penumbra in 2015. Fiston Mwanza Mujila from the Democratic Republic of Congo won in 2016 with Tram 83, and in 2017 Nigeria's Jowhor Ile won for his first book And After Many Days.

Uj. N. Dominic/Editor

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Stevenchuks emerges Nigeria's distributor of Mayonnaise - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Stevenchuks Global Associate Ltd has become the official wholesale/retail distributor of Laser Salad Cream, Laser Baked beans, Laser Ketchup and Golden Country Mayonnaise in Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

Laser Salad Cream, Laser Ketchup, Laser Baked beans and Golden country mayonnaise are not unpopular products in the Nigerian market. It has always been the choice of individuals who are unwilling to sacrifice quality for any other thing.

While they are all originally produced in the United Kingdom (UK), these products have acquired a large customer base which cuts across continents simply because they have been consistent in the delivery of quality foods. Their mastery of the art has granted them several licences from different standardization agencies of the world. In other words, you can be assured that taking any of the aforementioned products will not expose you to the many risks inherent in low-quality foods.

For those unfamiliar with these products, the company said, "Laser Salad Cream, Laser Ketchup, Laser Baked beans and Golden Country Mayonnaise are also the official cream salad, Ketchup, baked beans and mayonnaise of the Big Brother Nigeria ( Big Brother Naija) TV show."

By purchasing from Stevenchuks either in wholesale or retail, customers, they said would have eliminated the risk of buying a counterfeit product.

"... But you have also secured the chance to procure these products at an incredibly cheap price at all times."

Dealing with us eliminates the additional cost attached by the middlemen and the extra stress required to purchase these food items from the market or a nearby store. From the comfort of your home, all you need to do is to visit here, select your desired product and pay on delivery. 

"Depending on the volume of purchase, we can offer free door-to-door delivery to buyers from anywhere in Nigeria" the company informed.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Africa Investor Week 2019 gets date - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The date for the forthcoming annual Investor Africa Week 2019 has been announced from 7th- 9th October 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa, reports ITREALMS.

This years’ Africa Investor Week will avail participants to learn, debate, invest, and connect with leaders on the future challenges facing Venture Capital / Private Equity, according to organisers.

The must attend Africa Investor Week event, the organisers has been designed exclusively for investment Community Fund Managers, Venture Capital firms, Private Equity firms, Family Offices Representatives, Investment Managers, and VIPs with investment interest in the continent.

The event will be hosted at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and will feature over 70 speakers/panelists, forward thinkers in Private Equity.

"We believe it is fair to say that we share a mutual long-term vision regarding the development and prosperity of African business communities hence the importance to debate the most pertinent and important topics facing the region," part of the official statement said.

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GreenTec Capital signs MoU with Senegal - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Senegalese General Delegation for the Acceleration of Entrepreneurship for Women and Young People (DER), under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal, signed a partnership agreement with GreenTec Capital Partners, the premier German investor into African Start-ups. The purpose of the agreement is the foundation of the first regional Venture Building Center in Africa to tackle investment challenges by providing investment tickets between € 10,000 and € 500,000 for entrepreneurs at the cusp of their growth stages.

The needs of Start-ups, MSMEs and SMEs in Africa today revolve around a balanced combination of financing and operational support.

The entrepreneurial boom and the entrepreneurial spirit on the African continent are primarily supported by the growth of new ecosystem stakeholders such as incubators, hubs, and accelerators. This momentum is nevertheless hindered by the systemic operational deficiencies that still exist within the ecosystem today. Additionally, the Start-ups are most often not well prepared to use conventional financing vehicles such as venture capital.

The agreement was signed by the Minister Delegate for Entrepreneurship, Papa Amadou Sarr, and the CEO and co-founder of the German investment company, GreenTec Capital Partners, Erick Yong, joining the mutual ambitions of the two entities to the benefit of young Senegalese entrepreneurs by:Providing financing of the digital sector
Strengthening the operational capacities of Start-ups,
Setting up a common infrastructure to enable startups to develop sustainably.

A new and better structured ecosystem is needed to enable entrepreneurs to move efficiently from the proof-of-concept stage with low revenues (post-accelerator) to a stage of sustainable growth, thereby overcoming the "valley of death." The relevance of this partnership is rooted in the alignment and the sharing of resources between different actors, ranging from the public and private sectors and including development banks and civil society organizations. The joint initiative will further enable entrepreneurs with high potential to get better access the support they need to grow. Accessing support in the form of personalized operational assistance will create value for entrepreneurs who have matured past the phase in which incubators and accelerators have added value. This will help to further improve the quality of Start-ups and improve their chances of success.

The guiding principle of this initiative is that Africa must not be a passive observer of its own development, but an active player that invests resources and co-designs the agenda of development. Following this thought, it is in line with the political will of Senegalese President, H.E. Macky Sall, that the Republic of Senegal has decided to integrate the venture building model developed by GreenTec Capital with the coordination of DER. The DER, created in 2017 and operational since March 2018, has been provided with a budget of $ 5 million per year, until 2023 to achieve these goals.

DER, the Senegalese General Delegation for the Acceleration of Entrepreneurship for Women and Young People is an initiative of the President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall. Its priority is to support and finance Senegalese entrepreneurs in the Senegalese National Development Plan’s priority sectors, which are agriculture, the digital economy, tourism, crafts, services, and several others.

The collaboration between The Republic of Senegal and GreenTec Capital Partners coincides with the ambitions of the French initiative Digital Africa led by Karim Sy. Mr. Sy has guaranteed to lend the full support of the French initiative to this new ecosystem building centre, which is based on the sharing of resources and the catalyzing of actors in the African entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Through its innovation fund the DER has already invested in 44 Senegalese startups in 2018, with ticket sizes ranging from € 10,000 to € 100,000. In 2019, the DER aims to support more than 150 digital Startups and SMEs, by investing more than 10 million euros, while supporting an additional twenty Start-ups with the GreenTec Capital venture-building model.

It is not a coincidence that the day of the signature of the agreement between the DER and GreenTec coincides with groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of "The DER Innovation HUB." The objective is to position Senegal as a major player in the field of innovation on a regional level. The Hub will host major technology companies, innovators, incubators, and accelerators... and of course the GreenTec Capital Partners team.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Ndukwe to replace Dozie @MTN as chairman, Omobola Johnson, Ahmad get onboard - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Former telecoms regulatory chief, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has been named the chairman-designate for MTN Nigeria following a board shake-up, reports ITREALMS.

He will be taking over from the pioneer chairman, Dr. Pascal Dozie, who has been on the saddle for the past 18 years, effective September 2.

In May this year MTN Nigeria was listed at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) with majority of the shares owned by South Africa’s MTN Group, in a 2 trillion naira ($6.54 billion) debut, and has elevated the telecoms company into the second-largest stock by market value at NSE.

Ndukwe, would be joined in the new board structure by the former minister for Communication Technology, Dr. Mrs. Omobola Johnson, ex-Nigerian pension regulatory chief, Muhammad Ahmad, ex-banker Andrew Alli, and tax consultant, Mrs Ifueko Okauru.

Confirming this to ITREALMS in a press statement, the Chief Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Ferdinand Moolman said “(The) combination of extensive experience across the worlds of technology, finance, regulatory and policy development and corporate governance offers a hugely synergistic set of skills that will be of great benefit to us as we move into a new phase of growth.”

Chuks Egbune/Editor

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Deyda Hydara death: AFEX demands prosecution of Gambian ex-President Jammeh - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a regional network of freedom of expression organizations, has called on African and world leaders to take immediate steps to bring former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh to justice for the 2004 killing of Mr. Deyda Hydara, a prominent Gambian journalist and editor.

AFEX made the call following the testimony of Lieutenant Malick Jatta before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) at a public hearing in Banjul on July 22, 2019, during which he gave a detailed account of how Mr. Hydara was murdered and revealed that he and two other military officers, Alieu Jeng and Sana Manjang, were part of the hit squad that shot and killed Mr. Hydara on December 16, 2004 on the orders of then President Jammeh.

Mr. Hydara, a former President of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), was co-founder and editor of The Point, an independent newspaper.

Lt. Jatta told the Commission that the journalist was murdered on the direct orders of President Jammeh in what was dubbed “Operation Magic Pen”. He said the late Captain Tumbul Tamba, who commanded the hit squad, was communicating with then President Jammeh on the phone during the operation, and was heard saying to him “Yes Sir, Your Excellency”. Lt. Jatta added that the commanding officer later gave him an envelope containing dollars, which he said was a "sign of appreciation from the big man".

This is the first time that there has been any direct information on the circumstances leading to the death of Mr. Hydara in the 15 years since the mysterious killing of the prominent Gambian journalist in 2004.

AFEX called on regional leaders within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to work with relevant United Nations bodies and mechanisms to launch an independent international investigation into the killing of Mr. Hydara to identify all those involved in the heinous crimes and the roles that each of them played and ensure that they are brought to justice.

Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Chair of the Steering Committee of AFEX, said: “In the light of ongoing efforts at the regional and international levels to promote the safety of journalists and combat impunity for those who attack them, any failure on the part of regional and world leaders to take decisive action to ensure accountability for the murder of Deyda Hydara would make a mockery of those efforts and embolden those attack and kill journalists simply for performing their professional duties on behalf of the society.”

AFEX called on the government of The Gambia to refrain from granting any amnesty or immunity to any of those implicated in the killing of Mr. Hydara, including former President Jammeh.

It also called on regional and international bodies, particularly ECOWAS and the AU, to put pressure on the government of Equatorial Guinea to immediately extradite former President Jammeh to The Gambia as a first step in bringing him to justice.

AFEX solicited the support of the global media and freedom of expression communities, urging them to join it in waging a sustained campaign for an end to impunity for crimes against journalists, using as linchpin the Deyda Hydara case and the recent incident concerning Mr. Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for The Washington Post newspaper in the United States, and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Arab News Channel, who was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2018 by agents of the Saudi government.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Google unveils new products, features @3rd Google for Nigeria - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

This afternoon, the third Google for Nigeria came to a close with Google unveiling a number of new products and features to make it more helpful to more people in Nigeria and across Africa, reports ITREALMS.

The unveiling ITREALMS reports, includes navigation instructions in a Nigerian voice for both motorcycle and car driving modes, new Street View imagery, Gallery Go, Google Go updates, Google Lens and Bolo, and a Nigerian culinary experience from Google Arts and Culture. Google has also partnered with the Nigerian Government to make an online safety curriculum available to all primary and secondary school students in the country, reaching an estimated 56 million Nigerian students every year.

Google has introduced a dedicated travel mode in Google Maps to provide directions and navigation for motorcycles in Nigeria. This will also be available in Benin Republic, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda from today. Google has also launched navigation instructions in a Nigerian voice for both motorcycle and car driving modes. In the next few months, Google will introduce a new directions experience for Lagos that is optimised for informal transit, bringing Danfo routes into Google Maps.

To help make it easier to visually explore places in Nigeria, Google is publishing more panoramic imagery on Street View. Starting with imagery of Lagos two years ago, today Google added Street View imagery of Abuja, Benin City, Enugu and Ibadan - with almost 12 thousand kilometers of roads added.

With the growth of Android, more and more Nigerians have phones that take pictures. But not everyone has access to reliable, high-speed internet or cloud backup to quickly find a photo.

That is why Google has launched Gallery Go - a fast and smart photo gallery designed for users who don’t have a reliable internet connection. Gallery Go brings many of the best features of Google Photos on device, to help them find, edit and manage their photos even when they are offline. The app is only 10MB to keep the phone light and fast, so that you can spend more time capturing memories.

Gallery Go is available today on Google Play for devices running Android 8.1 (Oreo) or higher and will come pre-installed as the gallery app on the Itel S15 and select A55 devices, which will be available in Nigeria soon. Google launched Google Go last year, making it easier for people to discover the best of the internet even on low-RAM smartphones or unstable network connections.

Today, Google announced updates to make Google Go even more useful. The Discover feed has been integrated within Google Go to help people stay in the know with their interests. It provides an ongoing look at the things they care about, like the latest content on their football team, people of interest, music and news stories.

From next week, users will also be able to access the Assistant directly from Google Go in a new Nigerian voice. Using only their voice, they will be able to ask Google to call their mum, play the latest Burna Boy video, or find the best Jollof in town.

Google Lens helps people to find out more about the world around them through their camera and photos. That’s why Google has launched Lens inside Google Go, to help people read, translate, and search the words they see simply by using their camera. Users can open Lens, point it at a sign, and listen to the words read out loud. If they don’t speak the language, they can translate it into their own. Today, Google is also launching support for Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

Bolo is a speech-based reading app that helps kids learn how to read in English. It encourages them to read out loud and then provides individual, customised feedback to help improve their reading capabilities. We launched Bolo in India earlier this year and today, we’re bringing it to Nigeria and Ghana.

Google Arts & Culture has cooked up a project, ‘Come Chop Bellefull: A Taste of Nigeria’, which pays tribute to Nigeria’s vibrant and diverse food culture. People across the world can now explore Nigerian regional cooking and culture through 2,000 high-resolution images and 30 stories created in collaboration with The Centenary Project at the Pan-Atlantic University.

In 2017 Google committed to train 10 million people in Africa on digital skills over 5 years. To date, 4M Africans have been trained. Google has also trained 15,000 developers and awarded 33,000 scholarships to help African developers become certified on Android, Web, and Cloud technologies. 35 startups have graduated through the Launchpad Accelerator Africa program and, last year, Google awarded $6-million to 36 non-profit organisations across Africa through the Google Impact Challenge.

Building on this, Google is committing an additional $4 million to support youth empowerment, gender equality and agriculture, alongside piloting new initiatives to power the social impact ecosystem and promote research on what the future of work looks like for African youth.

Says Google Nigeria country director Juliet Ehimaun Chiazor: “Every day, people in Nigeria, Africa and around the world turn to Google for help. We hope that the products and updates we're announcing today will make Google even more helpful for fueling people’s hustles and getting things done. We remain committed to bringing the transformational power of technology to everyone in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.”

Remmy Nweke/Dop

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CBN approves three new banks - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved three new bank licences, reports ITREALMS.

CBN in its latest update on the website available to ITREALMS increased the number of current bank licensee to 23 with two deposit bank and one non-interest bank.

This is coming as CBN also issued a licence to a non-interest bank, increasing the number to two in the country.

The new deposit money banks are Titan Trust Bank Limited and Globus Bank Limited, whilst TAJ Bank Limited joined Jaiz Bank as a non-interest bank.

ITREALMS recalls that last June, CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, disclosed that the bank wconsidering a recapitalisation exercise for deposit money banks in the country.

“In the next five years, we intend to pursue a programme of recapitalising the Nigerian banking industry so as to position Nigerian banks among the top 500 in the world,” he said.

ITREALMS further recalls that in July 2004, the CBN introduced policy to recapitalize the banking sector from N2 billion to N25 billion with effect from December 31, 2005.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Germany, Norway support Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Between September 4 and 5, 2019, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), under the Distinguished patronage of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and the Chairmanship of HE Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS), will host “The Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum".

The Federal Government of Germany and the Government of Norway are providing financial support for the delivery of the forum. Billed to be an annual event, the KAPS Forum will bring together political leaders, diplomats and experts to dialogue and share ideas on the most critical evolving peace and security trends on the African continent.

The forum also seeks to deepen collaboration between KAIPTC and international organisations such as the United Nations, African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the business community.

The theme for this maiden edition is ‘Peace Operations in the Context of Violent Extremism in Africa.’ 

Speaking at the media briefing for the KAPS Forum, H.E. Hans-Helge Sander, Deputy German Ambassador to Ghana noted that; “This Forum will provide an excellent occasion to discuss collective actions on how to strengthen a proactive international and continental effort to prevent and effectively counter violent extremism in Africa”.

The Deputy Ambassador also briefed the media on Germany’s long-standing and strong support to KAIPTC through the provision of Police and Military Advisors as well as a GIZ support mission. “Because of the already existing support the German government offers, we are delighted to support KAIPTC´s maiden edition of the “Kofi Annan Peace and Security” Forum in Accra”, he affirmed.

The Commandant of KAIPTC, AVM Evans noted that “the KAPS Forum is in memory of Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations who dedicated his life to mobilizing political will to address evolving human security threats”.

Commenting on one outstanding feature of the forum, he added that “our forum will be a working forum and we will ensure that when recommendations are made, they are followed through until progress is made”.

The Forum will bring together two hundred high-level delegates including eight former African heads of state and diplomats from governmental and intergovernmental organizations (including the African Union and its Regional Economic Communities, United Nations and European Union). Security professionals and representatives from policy and research think tanks, development partners, training institutions and civil society groups have been invited and are expected to attend the forum.

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Lagos NUJ congratulates Lateef Jakande @90 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, heartily congratulates His Excellency, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (LKJ), on his 90th Birthday Anniversary on 23rd July, 2019, reports ITREALMS.

A statement issued and signed by the Chairman Dr. Qasim Akinreti and the Secretary, Mr Alfred Adebayo Odifa described the 1st Executive Governor of Lagos State as legendary, visionary and selfless politician whose legacies pervade the entire length and breadth of Lagos State.

The Union noted that unlike many politicians who amassed stupendous wealth and resources after serving in many capacities and acquiring mansions and flashy cars, the octogenarian lives a modest life in retirement.

The Union described the octogenarian as a model Journalist, Politician and Administrator par excellence who remains a reference point of governance in Lagos and Nigeria in general.

The Union prays for long life for “Baba kekere” as he is fondly called.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix: Presentation of a birthday card to Baba Jakande at 90 by NUJ members after a world press conference at Jakande’s Ilupeju's residence in Lagos.

Abuja boils: Police confirms protest by El-Zakzakky group, journalists shot - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed a violent protest by members of the El-Zakzakky Group in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this to ITREALMS, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Force Public Relations Officer at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Frank Mba noted that there the protest has been violent.

Particularly, he said, the Central Business District and the Three Arms Zone were mostly affected.

“The Police are taking adequate measures to bring the situation under control,” he said.

Mba further said that citizens should remain calm and avoid the affected areas in the interim.

“The Police will keep the public abreast with further development,” he assured.

Meanwhile, some two journalists have been reportedly injured during the protest. As at the time of going to press, one journalist each from Channels TV and TVC were suspected to have been injured and currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

 Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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7th African Domain Name System Forum kicks off in Botswana - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Africa Top Level Domains Organization (AfTLD), and AfRegistrar, has concluded plans to host the 7th African Domain Name System Forum (AFDNSF) under the theme “Building Trust in the African Domain Names System for a Thriving Digital Economy” reports ITREALMS.

The three-day Forum, ITREALMS gathered, which kicked off today in Gabrone, Botswana, comes with the objective to help the growth of African DNS Industry to ensure that it is at par with the rest of the world.

The Forum will bring together representatives from Internet organizations, registries, registrars, registrants, country code Top Level Domain (ccTLDs), new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) applicants, policy makers, Internet service providers, Information Technology businesses, brand owners, legal firms, academics and civil society to share their experiences and best practices.

Open to anyone interested in engaging with key players and experts in the field, and learning more about the issues pertaining to the Domain Name industry and the business opportunities it can provide, the discussions will focus on the African DNS industry with an emphasis on current challenges and opportunities it is facing, and how they can be overcome and utilized.

A press statement equally made available to ITREALMS by the duo of the Director, Corporate Communications and PR at BOCRA, Mr Aaron T Nyelesi and the Communications Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at ICANN, Ms. Luna Madi, quoted the Vice President (VP) of Global Stakeholder Engagement (GSE) in Africa at ICANN, Mr Pierre Dandjinou, as noting that the continent of Africa is rising with respect to its digital potential and it must make its influence felt at the global Internet governance table to protect its interests.

"With this in mind, ICANN is committed to providing equal opportunity to inform the region’s different communities about the domain industry and engaging with them on how best to not only strengthen Africa’s online presence, but also improve their participation within ICANN.

BOCRA has in the past noted a stagnating local DNS growth - a result of various challenges such as: limited knowledge of the DNS market, high costs ICTS and internet access, limited ICT skills etc, which when combined inhibit growth despite the considerable input despite the considerable investment into ICT infrastructure deployment across the country. BOCRA is hopeful that this Forum will provide will help remedy some of these issues.

Mouhamet Diop, Chair of AfRegistrar notes that Internet penetration in Africa is still lagging behind with respect to the global penetration rate. The amount of local content on the Internet is still very poor, and its impact on the global economy is very limited. To rollback this trend, AfRegistrar collaborates with other organizations such as ICANN, AfTLD, Africa Organizations, ISOC, and among others, the private sector to promote jobs for the youth, sharing of knowledge and training on issues related to the domain name industry in Africa.

Dr Alex Corenthin, AfTLD Chairman highlighted that AfTLD helps African ccTLD managers discuss issues regarding the management of ccTLDs and other TLD registries. It also presents a common position of African ccTLDs on key global issues in the Domain Name System (DNS) industry at the global level. The Africa DNS Forum is a key event for the regional players of the DNS, including the ccTLD managers.

In line with Africa's growing Internet presence, the Forum will address key issues that directly concern the regional industry. Among this year’s topics are data protection and privacy, registry and registrar platform development, Universal Acceptance initiatives in Africa, and investment opportunities in the regional DNS industry.

ITREALMS further reports that a 2017 ICANN Market Study highlighted poor infrastructure and high internet access costs as main contributing factors to limited Internet access and usage in most African countries. With this in mind, the 2019 agenda will focus on how to create a sustainable DNS market, challenges to the African market, DNS security, privacy and data protection issues, and the African digital economy.

This year's Forum follows on the success of the preceding forums, held in Durban, South Africa (2013), Abuja, Nigeria (2014), Nairobi, Kenya (2015), Marrakech, Morocco (2016), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2017) and Cotonou, Benin (2018).

Remmy Nweke/ DoP

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2019 Digital Rights, Inclusion Media Fellows @PI - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Following an extensive selection process involving 261 applications from 39 countries, Paradigm Initiative (PI) is has announced the 2019 Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellows,reports ITREALMS.

The duo who emerged as the 2019 fellows, ITREALMS reports, were Damilola Adeniran and Rose ‘Matlhohonolofatso Moremoholo.
The Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship was designed to embed early-career media professionals in the digital rights and digital inclusion ecosystem in Africa, through the work that Paradigm Initiative does in advancing digital rights and digital inclusion, in order to bring them closer to the issues and empower them as digital rights and inclusion champions during and after their Fellowship. 

The inaugural 2018 Fellowship saw two fellows, Victor Ekwealor (Nigeria) and Emmanuel Vitus (Togo), immersed in the ecosystem, touring our offices, and authoring illuminating articles on the role digital rights and digital inclusion play in Africa, focusing on the work of Paradigm Initiative.

Tope Ogundipe, Director of Programmes at Paradigm Initiative, stated that “the Fellowship experience begins with a briefing session that connects Fellows with Paradigm Initiative’s team members from Cameroon (Francophone Africa), Nigeria (covering Anglophone West Africa), Tanzania (Eastern Africa), Togo and Zambia (Southern Africa). That session is followed by a tour of Paradigm Initiative’s Nigerian offices in Ajegunle, Yaba, Aba, Abuja and Kano. Focusing on digital inclusion and digital rights, Fellows are immediately immersed into the work our organization does in connecting youths in underserved communities to ICT-enabled opportunities, while also advocating for their rights in the digital space’’.

Adeboye Adegoke, Paradigm Initiative’s Program Manager on Digital Rights for Anglophone West Africa noted, “Although the work of expanding digital access to underserved communities and advocating for the digital rights of people across Africa have become very important in light of their connections to the emergence of progressive, open and inclusive societies, little is known of what this work entails, and public awareness of the work of advocates working in this field is poor.

"Our Media Fellows will work to help improve public awareness of the issues, and raise the profile of digital inclusion and digital rights advocacy in Africa. Their tour of our Abuja office, focusing on digital rights, will deepen their appreciation of the work done by actors in the ecosystem’’.

Tosin Abolaji, Program Manager, Digital Inclusion, added: “By touring our digital inclusion centres in Ajegunle, Aba and Kano, the Fellows will experience, first-hand, the impact of our work in improving the livelihoods of underserved youth in Nigeria through digital skills’’. 

Also, he said “Our 2019 Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellows are young and accomplished media professionals with a track record of impact in Africa. Both 2019 Fellows, Damilola Adeniran and Rose ‘Matlhohonolofatso Moremoholo, are early-career media professionals who have gained rich experiences in media practice and will benefit greatly from the Fellowship that runs from September 2019 to January 2019.’’

Damilola Adeniran, with OrderPaper Nigeria, is a young multiple-award winning writer and sustainable development advocate based in Abuja, Nigeria. He was the first Nigerian to win the blog4dev contest organised by the World Bank. Damilola also represents Nigeria in the Youth Transforming Africa Program. In addition, his writing on violent extremism and sustainable peace in Nigeria won a PeaceWriteNow prize from the Embassy of Ireland in June, 2018. His works have been published in Nigeria and the United States of America both in English and in French. At OrderPaper Nigeria, Damilola has produced several reports on legislation, corruption, digital inclusion, and human rights. 

He has also been involved in a community development project known as ConsTrack, designed to ensure the transparent implementation of constituency projects by members of Parliament in Nigeria. The ConsTrack project won at the inaugural Global Tech4Dev competition organised by Chemonics International in the U.S.A in 2017. 
Damilola is an alumnus of the Federal University of Technology Akure and also completed a leadership and management course at the prestigious Lagos Business School in 2017.

Rose 'Matlhohonolofatso Moremoholo is a Journalist and a mother born and raised in Lesotho. She obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Media Management (PDMM) at Rhodes University’s Sol Plaantje Institute (SPI) through the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) scholarship for African women. 

Prior to this she completed her BA (Hons) in Broadcasting and Journalism from the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in 2014 and has been working as a journalist at The Post Newspaper for four years. During her enrolment in PDMM Rose was appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the institution’s annual newsletter called IlizwiLolwazi (Voice of Knowledge), produced by students. 

The newsletter was themed Women in Media. Having been a practicing journalist for at least four years, Rose has been fortunate to write feature stories on issues of not only of national but also global concern. 

She values teamwork, trust, integrity and communication and believes that without these values it is impossible to break limitless boundaries of success. She finds peace and strength in giving a platform to the voiceless to see them have a say in policy making, national reforms and service delivery from politicians who often forget their constituencies.

The Paradigm Initiative Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship is an 18-week Fellowship that connects media and practice, in order to reduce the gap between digital rights and inclusion actors, and the media people who can help them amplify their work.

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First Bank partners Eventful to support SMEs in fashion industry - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

To provide access to market and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs in the Small Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) of the fashion industry, First Bank of Nigeria Limited partnered with Eventful Nigeria Limited on fashion souk, reports ITREALMS.

The platform, ITREALMS gathered creates an opportunity for players in the fashion industry to exhibit and sell their wares to the thousands of event participants.

Speaking at the event held in Lagos recently, the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, said the bank has over the years, since its founding, been very supportive of the entrepreneurial space and SMEs, adding that the role of the bank is that of an enabler.

“FirstBank has been involved in every sector of the economy since 1894, so if you think about that there is no sector we have not been involved in, in fact this particular fashion souk, we are the pioneer sponsor and we sponsored it right from when it started.”

Ani-Mumuney explained that the fashion industry over the years has grown incredibly and added that it has helped to grow other businesses.

According to her, “Just like Nigerian music, the fashion industry is still in its infancy. We have great talents and potential in the fashion industry. Let’s consider the developed fashion industry of Italy for instance and the entire value chain of fashion, it tells you that there is a lot to be done. We still need to have fashion zones in core Cities and States, so that within a particular zone, you could have the cutters, button hole creation and others.

“The great thing is that we have a market here, but beyond that is that we could easily become the fashion hub for Africa, especially its export across continents. The fashion industry is diverse and versatile with many roles carried-out by individuals with uniquely different skill-set. Some persons could focus on finishing; some could focus on sketching, garment making and other areas. Indeed, Nigeria are fashion freaks, with a large and diverse market.

Also at the event was Nollywood actor and producer Kunle Afolayan whom had his clothing line Ire Clothing, displayed. Afolayan, the Chief Executive Officer of Ire Clothing said he started the clothing line with just the Kunle Kembe, and presently, it has expanded to about five, six collections.

He also stated that what inspired Ire clothing is because of his love for arts and anything that deals with the Nigerian cultural heritage and helps to document culture, “so with Ire clothing, we use Africa fabrics, Anakara, Adire and others.”

Afoloyan explained that he has modified the old Yoruba Kembe style to something that is now pop culture so that the younger generation can also wear it, adding that there are T-shirts and Kunle’s Dansiki which is a bit smaller than the traditional Dansiki, and face caps.

According to him, “The brand story we are trying to tell is that we want people to embrace their own culture and tradition; use it to their advantage and use it to the world. I think the fashion industry is striving and it’s been here for a very longtime and it is doing better because a lot of our people are exporting our clothing abroad.”

In his remarks, veteran comedian, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali baba, said the fashion souk is a platform of opportunities and a collage of business ideas, providing a platform for people to network and express business innovations.

According to Ali baba, “To expand the frontiers of the fashion industry, there is need for exposure and the social media is helping a great deal to improve the employment needs of Nigerians. Once the employment statistics increases there will be higher purchasing power and people will tend to invest and spend more in fashion. In a country of about 200 million people, one should be able to do one million sales in months. But I think we will get there someday. We need to grow our textile industry and revamp the textile companies, which implies that we have to revive the production of cotton so that players in the industry can have access to raw materials, thereby cutting down production cost.”

Also speaking at the event, popular television presenter and model, Uti Nwachukwu, expressed satisfaction with the event, commending the organisers for creating an avenue to convene fashion vendors under one roof to provide their wares at discounted and affordable rates, while giving customers the opportunities to patronize their brands.

He further stated that the fashion souk gives the vendors an opportunity to showcase what they have to sell and creates opportunity for them to advertise their products.

“A lot of vendors and customers here are happy. It is a give and take situation that works well. The fashion industry in Nigeria is the most underrated industry; there is so much potential, and greatness in the fashion industry.

“We have great designers that will shine in any part of the world. It is a great gesture the bank is making by supporting the industry. I just wish the bank can help these designers to get to international level of exposure. Our designs are wonderful, African prints are in fashion in different parts of the world. Finance and exposure are the key challenges facing the industry, if it is properly addressed, things will work out well,” Nwachukwu said.      

Chuks Egbune/Editor

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PIX: L – R: Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus, Chief Executive Officer, Eventful Nigeria Limited and convener of the Fashion Souk; Her Excellency Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, Publisher, The Guardian Newspapers at the Fashion Souk.

President Masisi survives helicopter crash - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The President of Botswana, Mr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Saturday survived a helicopter crash at Francistown airport, reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this to ITREALMS in a press statement, the office of the President and the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) informed that a BDF presidential helicopter carrying His Excellency the President was forced to make an immediate precautionary landing.

This, they said, took place while helicopter was taxiing at Francistown airport upon arrival from Mathangwane at 1730hrs today 20th July 2019.

While taxying for landing at Francistown Airport the pilots reported an engine fire indication were upon they promptly executed an engine shut down and landing on runway 13 at the airport.

The emergency response at Francistown Airport also responded to provide assistance with fire retardant foam.

"All five (5) passengers and the three (3) aircrew members are safe and without injuries," the press statement said.

Further, the BDF wished to assure the nation that all required maintenance and safety procedures are taken to assure the safe passage of His Excellency the President as well as any other principles in their care.

"The same care is taken for the safe operation of all BDF flights regardless of who is on-board," part of the statement read.

With regard to this incident, the Commander of BDF has ordered an investigation through a Board of Enquiry to determine the cause of the engine fire the actions of the aircrews and all other circumstances surrounding this incident.

Chuks Egbune/DoP

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DG NITDA, Pantami wins Outstanding Promoter of Local Content prize @Titans of Tech - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The efforts of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in the development and promotion of local content in ICT sector has been further affirmed by an array of industry players and stakeholders at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos at the weekend.

The Director General/CEO of NITDA Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) was awarded the prestigious Titans of Tech Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership in the promotion of local content for national development.

NITDA’s unwavering commitment to local content under Dr Pantami, has enhanced the purchase of indigenous brand of ICT devices by over 60% within the last three years. Local hosting of data doubled in value and local software consumption has significantly increased as attested to by the diversity of IT experts and business people at the Award ceremony. 

The cumulative effect of these efforts, is that ICT contribution to GDP reached an unprecedented mark of 13.63% in Q4 of 2018.

Organisers of the Award further recognised the purposeful approach of Dr Pantami to ICT regulation in Nigeria. Organisers and stakeholders opined that the leadership of Dr Pantami is restoring confidence in indigenous technology development which has led to more foreign direct investment in the IT sector than any other sectors since 2018.

The Award was received on behalf of Dr Pantami by Dr Vincent Olatunji, the Director of e-Government Development and Regulations department of NITDA.

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