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.”

4th edition: Eight writers to headline Read Nigeria Projects - ITREALMS

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Read Nigeria Project, a nationwide chain of reading events administered by Adwinsa Publications (Gh) Ltd and Abeokuta Book Club has set aside 13th day of August, 2022 to host eight Abeokuta-based writers, reports ITREALMS.

The eight writers include Darasimi Adeoye, Demola Ayomide Miracle, Lade Ajayi, Joseph Oluwayemi, Kolapo Mariam, Stephen Ezekiel, Esther Ogunsakin and Quadri Yahya in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.

NACA donates 8 ambulances to Oyo Govt, assures of more support - ITREALMS

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The efforts by the Government of Oyo State Government in controlling the spread of HIV in the state were on Friday recognised when the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) donated eight ambulances to the state. Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Gambo Aliyu Gumel, who was represented by Mr. Alex Ogundipe, handed over the keys of the ambulances to Governor 'Seyi Makinde, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun.

He noted that the donations were in recognition of the Makinde administration's efforts in the health sector.

New Year babies: Nigeria, eight other countries record 200,390 newborns

ITREALMS:

Estimated 200,390 babies were reportedly born on the 2018 New Year’s day globally, reports ITRealms.

The Acting Representative of UNICEF Nigeria, Mr. Terry Durnnian, made this disclosure to ITRealms, saying that the record represents some nine countries under surveillance, just as UNICEF urges nations around the world to ensure the newborns survive their first days of life.

UNICEF pointed out that Kiribati’s Christmas Island, a small island in the Pacific, welcomed 2018’s first baby while the United States, was the last.

Over half of these births, UNICEF noted are estimated to take place in nine countries comprising Nigeria -20,210; India - 69,070, China — 44,760, Pakistan — 14,910, Indonesia — 13,370, United States of America — 11,280, Democratic Republic of Congo — 9,400, Ethiopia — 9,020 and Bangladesh — 8,370.

While many babies will survive, some will not make it past their first day. In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died every day of the year, on the day they were born. For almost 2 million newborns, their first week was also their last. In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month. Among those children, more than 80 per cent of all newborn deaths are due to preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

 “This New Year, UNICEF’s global resolution is to help give every child more than an hour, more than a day, more than a month - more than survival. We call on the government and partners to join the fight to save the lives of millions children by providing proven, low-cost solutions,” he said.

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016. But despite these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month account for 46 per cent of all deaths among children under five.

Further, ITRealms reports that next month, UNICEF will launch Every Child Alive, a global campaign to demand and deliver affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn. These include a steady supply of clean water and electricity at health facilities, the presence of a skilled health attendant during birth, disinfecting the umbilical cord, breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, and skin-to-skin contact between the mother and child.

 “We are now entering the era when the entire world’s newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd Century. Unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely won’t. A child born in Sweden in January 2018 is most likely to live to 2100, while a child from Nigeria would be unlikely to live beyond year 2072,” Durnnian said.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Eight killed on Sunday mass attack @Ozubulu

ITRealms:

Eight worshippers were on Sunday killed with 18 others injured at the St. Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area in Anambra State by a native, reports ITRealms.

The police in Anambra, ITRealms gathered, also confirmed Sunday that a gunman killed eight worshippers and injured 18 others in an early morning attack on.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Anambra Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Umar, said in Awka that the remains of the dead had been deposited at Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi.

Umar also said that the injured were taken to the hospitals, stressing that preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the attack was carried out by a native of the area. “From our findings, it is very clear that the person who carried the attack must be an indigene of the area.

“We gathered that worshippers for 6 o’clock Sunday mass at St. Philip Ozobulu were in the service when a gunman dressed in black attire covering his face with a cap entered the church and moved straight to a particular direction and opened fire. “The man after shooting at his targeted victims still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers,’’ he said.

The commissioner said information available to police showed that the attacker was speaking undiluted Igbo Language at the time he was firing at worshippers.

Umar said though no arrest had been made but that the police already learnt that the attack followed a quarrel between two natives of Ozubulu residing overseas.

He described the act as sacrilegious, and said it was wrong for the perpetrators of the act to extend their quarrel into the church. He added: “such conduct shows the people behind the act do not fear God.’’ He said the police had launched a manhunt on those behind the act and gave an assurance that everybody behind the act would be brought to justice.

Further, Umar described any insinuation that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram elements as false and urged the people to go about their normal businesses. He said the police were on top of the situation.’’(NAN)

Ozo Nweke Ozo with additional report courtesy: Vanguard 

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ACSIS-SCASI elects Cisse Kane, eight others into exco for 2016-2020

ITRealms:

The African Civil Society on the Information Society (ACSIS) has elected a set of new nine executive officers for the next four years, the under leadership of Dr. Cisse Kane, reports ITRealms.

A press statement from ACSIS secretariat, the new executive committee was elected by accredited 175 members for 2016 through 2020 tenure.

According to the chairperson of the ACSIS 2016 Electoral Committee, and former president of ACSIS, Nana Delphine Mekounte, the electoral process which lasted for three days online enabled members across the African continent to exercise their civic rights.

She disclosed that the election saw the emergence of Dr. Cisse Kane (Senegal) as President, Mr. Remmy Nweke (Nigeria) as Vice President; Adjidjatou Barry Baud (Guinea) - Treasurer; Mr. Akinremi Peter Taiwo – Coordinator West Africa; Tijani Mahamat Adoum (Chad) - Coordinator Central Africa; Evelyn Namara (Uganda) - Coordinator Eastern Africa; Christminfa Gbenou Sagbohan (Benin) - Coordinator African Diaspora; Aicha Jeridi (Tunisia) - Coordinator Northern Africa; and Chenai Chair (Zimbabwe) - Coordinator Southern Africa.

Mekounte also commended the sincerity of purpose, patience and cooperation throughout the electoral process by members.

“Thank you for your choice of leaders for the next 4 years, this is a citizen's duty,” she asserted, advising any member who may be in doubt to revisit their online ballot link earlier shared to see for themselves how and records of the exercise.

As said by her, 175 voters were registered for the 2016 election, while the actual number of vote cast was 78, which amounts to 45 per cent participation. She noted that earlier, majority of voters had agreed that the single candidate positions should not be placed in competition, which the Electoral Committee endorsed.

Hence she explained that the Committee placed in contest the post of the Vice President and Treasurers, which had two and three candidates respectively.

She further said that for the post of Vice President, were Mr. Remmy Nweke and Mr. Michel Tchonang Linze, while the Treasurer position had Ms. Addjidja Tou Barry Baud, Mr. Ade Bada and Ms Sende Dora.

At the end, she said, Mr. Nweke was elected with 49 votes against 25 votes by Linze, just as Addjidja got 45 votes to emerge the Treasurer.

Recall that Africa Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS) was formed in June 2003, during the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, to promote inclusive information society in Africa.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Eight emerge finalists @ MasterCard’s Win-a-Trip Few- Can-Win promo

ITRealms:

 A total of eight finalists Thursday emerged in the MasterCard competition; Win a Trip Few Can Win, which held in Lagos, for MasterCard debit, prepaid and credit cardholders, reports ITRealms.

Also gathered by ITRealms was that winners were asked to share unique stories on how using their MasterCard product has positively impacted their lives for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Lisbon, Portugal to watch the UEFA Champions League Final Lisbon 2014.

The finalists –Obisakin Timilehin, Obafemi Kehinde, Olubunmi Afolabi, Ibrahim Bawa, Jideofor Ntephe, Amaka Anowi, Chibuike Alagboso and Patrick Ikwueme– were announced in Lagos, after they presented their inspirational stories, together with 17 other shortlisted entrants,to a panel of celebrity judges.

The judges - Stephen Keshi (legendary head coach of the Super Eagles); Ali Baba (Nigeria’s foremost comedian); Tolu “Toolz” Oniru (The Beat 99.9fm’s host); Uche Pedro nee Eze (founder of BellaNaija.com) and Omokehinde Ojomuyide (Vice President and Area Business Head, MasterCard in West Africa) – then selected the top eight finalists, based on the quality of their MasterCard stories. 

Videos of the eight qualifiers have been posted on MasterCard’s facebook page (www.facebook.com/MasterCardMEA) where the public is invited to cast their vote for their favourite story. Following this round, the top four winners will each receive a MasterCard Priceless Moments collection package to the UEFA Champions League Final Lisbon 2014.

“The finalists’ stories are so inspiring, and demonstrate how MasterCard is positively making an impact in their daily lives,” says Ojomuyide. “Nigeria already appreciates the immense benefits that cashless transactions have to offer and this campaign truly captures how consumers are embracing the security and convenience of electronic payments.”

Some of the eight finalists described how their MasterCard payment cards enabled them to purchase products from online international merchants and as a result, helped them to grow their businesses.

Bawa, a 26 year old entrepreneur, says: “My MasterCard story is a story about buying and selling, as simple as that may sound. I believe that life is much easier when you can sit down at the comfort of your own couch and conduct a financial transaction successfully.”

Other finalists described specific life-changing experiences, where having access to a payment card helped them to overcome challenging situations.

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