Deactivating your Facebook account by Brenda Zulu - ITREALMS

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When there is fire in the room and you cannot quench it, it is wise to leave the room.

If as a Facebook (FB) account holder something happens to you that brings you in the lime light of everyone and you cannot handle it, the best is to leave FB for a while.

Official series: Eight steps to secure your PalmPay account - ITREALMS

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In today's digital age, securing your financial transactions and personal information is more important than ever.

According to the 2023 NIBSS Annual Fraud Landscape report, incidents of “Fraud loss via Internet Banking increased by 325% between 2022 and 2023, with Mobile, Web and POS being the most exploited channels by fraudsters in the country.”

Fraud alert: EVC of NCC has no LinkedIn account, beware! - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has raised alarm over fraudulent LinkedIn account impersonating its Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, reports ITREALMS.

NCC in a press statement endorsed by the Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka and made available to ITREALMS, said the commission wishes to draw public attention to a fraudulent LinkedIn account impersonating the person, and office of the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Danbatta.

Hotseat! FMoCDE unable to account for N13.9bn, four months after - ITREALMS

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The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMoCDE) is on the hotseat at the National Assembly and precisely at the Senate chambers, today, over the unaccounted N13.9billion it collected from service wide votes from 2017 to 2021, reports ITREALMS.

The Senate, ITREALMS recalled had through its committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday gave the Ministry, 48 hours ultimatum to account for N13.9billion it collected from service wide votes from 2017 to 2021, which expired today.

Twitter bars Simon Ekpa account - ITREALMS

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Twitter has barred the social media account of Simon Ekpa on the microblog @Simon_ekpa, reports ITREALMS.

The barring which took effect Tuesday, December 13, 2022 was due to violation found on the account.

CSOs demand account of huge NURTW revenue in Lagos - ITREALMS

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Foremost Anti-Corruption and accountability Civil Society Organizations, the Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Enough is Enough (EIE), PLAYYA, Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership (CACOL) and Campaign Coalition against Bad Governance (CACOBAG) have condemned the recent appointment of Mr. Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as M.C Oluomo, as the chairman of the newly constituted Parks and Garages Management Committee of Lagos State by the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to manage and oversee the commercial Motor Parks and garages in the state.

The appointment of Oluomo was contained in a statement delivered by the State's Commissioner for information and strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso.

The groups in a statement signed by their Directors said the appointment was illegal on the ground that there is currently no known law in Lagos State backing this appointment. Moreso, according to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) the management of all parks, garages and bus-stops within the State falls under the purview of the Local government Councils, and not the state government.

The groups referred to Section 1(e) of the fourth Schedule to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered) which provides thus: “The main functions of the local government council are as follows: (e)Establish maintenance and Regulation of slaughter houses, slaughter slabs, Markets, “Motor Parks” and Public conveniences (emphasizes ours).

Recall that Oluomo who was the Chairman of NURTW (Lagos Chapter) was sacked by the national body of NURTW, earlier in the week, for not showing remorse after his initial suspension for insubordination, abuse of office and incitement.

The appointment of MC Olomo as the Chairman; Alh. Sulyman Ojora, as Deputy Chairman; erstwhile AIG of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, as the government liaison officer in the committee; Taiwo Olufemi salaam, as secretary and 21 other members has takeneffect. They are to report to the State ministry of transportation.

Though the groups commended the motive behind the committee of the state government “To Ensure that activities and events of NURTW are not allowed to threaten the law and order in the state, however, the civil society organizations pointed that the Lagos State Parking Authority Law provides for a Chairman and a six (6) members only, of the Authority; therefore, constituting a 25 - member committee contradicts the State Parking Authority Law.

“The state Parking Authority Law is clear, Section 2 (a & b) has spelt out unambiguously the composition of the Authority. More so, the position of liaison officer is unknown to the law.

“However, section 12 (1&2) of the Parking Authority law provides for a general manager who shall be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and who shall be in charge of the general administration of the Authority and transaction of its day- to- day business.”

Recall that HEDA wrote to the Lagos State lawmakers through the Speaker, just recently asking them to repeal this same law on the ground that the role of managing parks, garages and bus-stops falls exclusively on the shoulders of local government councils as enshrined in Section 1 (e) of the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered).

It's on these grounds that our groups calling on the Lagos State government to rethink its decision and follow the rule of law as it's appropriate in the interest of Peace and Order that the Governor has promised the people.

We also demand a probe into the collection of multiple taxes and levies imposed on buses, tricycles and motorcycles in Lagos State. It has been investigated and confirmed that N123 billion is being collected per annum. The amount is likely to have increased as the levies collected daily are as follows:


Big Bus - named "LT" b/w N14,000 & N15,000; Small Bus - named "Danfo" b/w N8,500 & N9,000; Tricycle named "Keke" b/w N1,400 & N1700; Motorcycle named "Okada" b/w N800 & N1,200.


We expect the State Governor to expedite actions in this matter, without any delay.

Absa unveils account opening app on Apple, Android stores - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Leading banking institution in South Africa, Absa has unveiled a new banking app available on Apple and Android app stores respectively, to shore up customer’s ease of opening bank account, reports ITREALMS.

This, Absa official told ITREALMS has become pertinent given the rise in digital and inter-connected world, and driven in largely by a collective reliance on mobile phone technology and coming a few days after Absa’s world first ChatBanking on WhatsApp service made its debut.

ITREALMS gathered that in South Africa, 38 million of the population are mobile users. That is over half the country which is about 67 per cent.

Aupa Monyatsi, Managing Executive for Virtual Channels at Absa Retail & Business Banking was also quoted in a press statement available to ITREALMS weekend that Absa introduced a quick, simple and convenient end-to-end account opening for new customers, through the Absa Banking App which could be downloaded from the Android and Apple stores. This innovation follows the launch of the world first ChatBanking on WhatsApp service and is another innovative way Absa is fast becoming a digitally-led bank, that is centered around the ever-changing needs of customers.

This “download your account” feature enables new customers to Absa, to open a Cheque account, order their card and start transacting on the Absa Banking App, all within minutes, from anywhere and at any time, by simply “downloading” it from the App stores.

“Overall, this new capability is not only expected to enhance the customer’s digital experience, but we expect to leverage this in our branches, bringing digital experiences to the branch environment and making it easier for our customers to join and bank with us regardless of where they may be,” says Aupa Monyatsi, Managing Executive for Virtual Channels at Absa Retail & Business Banking.

“With this innovation comes the need to ensure that the security of our customers is at the heart of our digital experience, this is why the digital onboarding experience for this feature includes a high-quality facial matching check with the Department of Home Affairs to verify the customer’s identity, ensuring that we have the most up to date information of our clients. Security is supremely important for us.” said Monyatsi.

Further, Monyatsi said, the new version of the Absa Banking App is now available in the Apple and Android App stores, and anyone with a South African ID can become an Absa customer, by following these simple steps:

1. Download the Absa App

2. Choose the account you would like to open

3. Tell us who you are

4. To keep you safe, we will verify your cell phone number

5. Take a selfie, and we will do facial matching with the Department of Home Affairs to confirm you are who you say you are

6. Tell us where you live

7. Let us know what you do for a living and your income

8. Click Apply.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Citizen Adeyemo asks CBN to Account for stamp duty collection in 2016

Commentary@ITRealms: 

It is no longer news that the Central Bank of Nigeria had through a circular issued on Jan 15, 2016 directed Deposit Money Banks to deduct 50 naira stamp duty on each deposit on every deposit made into current accounts with a value of 1000 naira and above in order to boost government's revenue drive in compliance with the Stamp Duty Act of 2004.

It would be proper for Nigerians to know how much was realised from the stamp duty contributed in 2016. This stamp duty was introduced due to the drop in revenue accrued to the government from crude oil sale as result of fall in its price and pipeline vandalism.

To Nigerians, stamp duty means, paying 50 naira for an "unseen" stamp to make bank deposits. Unfortunately, the federal government has directed banks as from January 2017 to extend the 50 naira collections to the savings accounts. What an extra burden!

Why was the government taking loans and still making moves to obtain another $30bn loan? Why has the finance minister put Nigerians in the dark as touching the trillions on naira made from the stamp duty collections? How much revenue is expected to accrue this year when it has now been extended to the savings account? These questions and more are begging for answers.

This 50 naira deducted from each deposit 1000 naira and above is transferred into the account of NIPOST. Some people abandoned their current accounts and moved to the savings account last year because of the deduction, but now the deduction is now inevitable.

For over a month, there has been reduction in oil pipeline vandalism as this has increased the revenue of the government. I believe the federal government must consolidate the peaceful atmosphere obtained in the pipeline sector and make it a permanent one.

The PMB administration has been shouting diversification of the economy while Nigerians are crying of hardship already, yet another burdens has been added. Nigerians aren't happy with this kind of pseudo-diversification.

Imagine the number of banks available in Nigerian as well as the number of transactions made on daily basis. Consider the number of deposits made on-line even when banks are shut. Unfortunately, we have not been told the targeted revenue from the stamp duty collection for 2017.

Nigerians are still doubting if transparency and accountability are still the watchwords of the PMB administration. The change and anti-corruption mantra that brought the PMB administration on board will be nothing to write home about if nothing meaningful is done now.

The Ministry of Finance and concerned agencies such as NIPOST, CBN and should as a matter of urgency release the figures of the money accrued to government coffers for 2016 as well as the target for 2017. Nigerians need to know.

*Contributed by Adeyemo Olajire Philip.@oneolajire

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FakeTwitter account for Kemi Adeosun

ITRealms:

The Honourable Federal Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has denied having any Twitter account, describing any such Twitter handle as fake, reports ITRealms.

The minister through her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Festus Akanbi, informed ITRealms insisted that “recession is just a word.”

According to him, the attention of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has been drawn to a fake Twitter handle in her name saying that “recession is just a word.”

He explained for the avoidance of doubt, that the Honourable Minister does not own a twitter account.

“The Twitter handle currently trending, and any other Twitter handle presently in existence is not, and cannot be that of the Honourable Minister, as a Twitter account has not yet been set up for her,” Akanbi said.

Investigation by ITRealms revealed that the parody Twitter account for Mrs. Kemi Adeosun

Pointing out that it is obviously fake and does not represent the views and opinions of the Honourable Minister.‎

He insisted that at no time did the Honourable Minister, who addressed the media immediately after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council, make such a statement.

Assuring that the Minister has consistently demonstrated empathy for the plight of Nigerians hard hit by dwindling oil prices and the impact on the economy.

The account was explicit that @Mrskemiadeosun on Twitter is a caricature Twitter account of the Honourable Minister of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria and has the photo of Mrs. Adeosun.

As at the time going to press, ITRealms gathered that the Twitter handle got 119 tweets, 20 following 20 Tweet accounts, while 8,198 followers has patronized it whereas it has been listed in 25 places and was created since November 2015.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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