Unseen hands navigating AI bias, censorship, and battle for fair digital future by Remmy Nweke - ITREALMS

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In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS by REMMY NWEKE delves into the urgent battle against AI bias and digital censorship. Explore how unseen forces are influencing artificial intelligence, the growing calls for regulation, and the crucial fight to ensure a transparent and fair digital future for all.

Preface:
As the digital tide continues to rise, sweeping Artificial Intelligence into every conceivable corner of our lives, the past week has underscored a burgeoning crisis that demands urgent attention: the insidious specter of AI bias and the chilling potential for censorship.

What began as a technological marvel is rapidly evolving into a complex ethical battleground, prompting fierce debates, calls for stringent regulation, and an intensified global effort to ensure AI serves humanity, rather than subverting it.

USPF hands over emerging tech centre to OGITECH - ITREALMS

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The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has handed over a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) project to the Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH), Igbesa, Ogun State, reports ITREALMS.

The project named: Emerging Technologies Centre (ETC), sited at the Institute’s campus, ITREALMS gathered, is aimed at enhancing learning experience of students while providing a platform for digital innovation, research, and development (R&D) for the overall economic growth of Nigeria.

Unubiko Foundation hands over renovated court, advances plans on school, others - ITREALMS

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In line with its objective of promoting infrastructure development in communities as well as justice and peace, the Unubiko Foundation has handed over the renovated Amaelu-Abam Customary Court to the community.

In addition, on December 25, 2022, the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Atan-Abam; the Atan-Abam Women Development Centre and the renovated Ovukwu Abam Secondary School, Atan-Abam, would all be dedicated and handed over.

Lai Mohammed says 'Nigeria is in safe, competent hands'

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that with President Muhammadu Buhari piloting the affairs of Nigeria, the country is in very safe and competent hands, hence there is no cause for alarm, reports ITRealms.

The Minister said this at a mini town hall meeting with the staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Madrid, Spain, and a cross section of Nigerians living in the European country on Saturday.

He said contrary to the fake news being peddled on the Social Media, Nigeria is making steady progress, especially in revamping the economy, tackling insecurity and fighting corruption - the three cardinal programmes of the Buhari Administration

''Don't believe everything you read on the Social Media. Nigeria is neither at war nor in crisis,'' Alhaji Mohammed said. ''Contrary to what you may be reading on the Internet, the Buhari Administration is putting Nigeria on a solid footing, after the years that were eaten by the locust.''

He said naysayers are spending millions of Naira to distort the true situation of things in Nigeria and to make the Administration look bad.

The Minister said the Administration's achievements should be evaluated against the background of the tough challenges that it has faced since coming into office on 29 May 2015

''It is said that if you don't know where you are coming from, you won't know where you are going,'' he said, listing the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, the low foreign reserves at $24 billion, the fact that the federal government was borrowing to pay workers' salaries, and the fact that many states were unable to pay salaries as some of those challenges.

Alhaji Mohammed also said when the Administration came into office, unpaid pensions had run into billions of Naira in many states, contractors had abandoned sites across the country because they were being heavily owed, infrastructure was in poor state, power generation was 2,690 megawatts, billions were being paid as 'fuel subsidies' to fat cats, corruption was the order of the day, while 20 of the 27 local governments in Borno were under the firm control of Boko Haram.

''Today, the trend is being reversed, and the results are showing: Foreign reserves is now $42.8b, the highest level in four years, inflation has fallen for 12 consecutive months to 15.13%, 108 billion Naira has been saved from removal of maintenance fees payable to banks before Treasury Single Account (TSA), the nation is being saved 24.7 billion Naira monthly with the full implementation of the TSA and the elimination of ghost workers has saved the nation 120 billion Naira.

''With improved macro-economic conditions, capital inflow is on the upswing, reaching $1.8 billion in the second quarter of 2017, which is almost double the $908 million in the first quarter, Nigeria’s stock market is one of the best-performing in the world, delivering returns in excess of 40 percent, Nigeria jumped 24 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, and earned a place on the List of Top 10 Reformers in the world,'' he said.

The Minister also told the meeting that the Administration's agricultural revolution is moving Nigeria close to self-sufficiency in many staples, especially rice, that the home-Grown School Feeding Programme has created jobs for 61,352 cooks, and it is providing 6.4 million school children in 33,981 schools across 20 states with one meal a day, that power generation has increased to 7,000 megawatts, that Boko Haram has been massively degraded and that the Administration's is embarking on a massive infrastructural renewal.

Alhaji Mohammed, who urged the Nigerians to download the FGN-iAPP in order to get authentic news from Nigeria, later fielded questions from the Nigerians, with many of them seeking to know when Nigerians in the diaspora will be able to vote, how they can access the national identity card, how they can get authentic information from Nigeria and what the federal government is doing to end the herder-farmer clashes.

Nigeria's Ambassador to Spain, Mrs. Susan Aderonke Folarin, led the staff of the embassy to the town hall meeting, which was held at the embassy premises.

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Umoren hands over to Ekuwem as SSG @Akwa-Ibom

ITREALMS:

The erstwhile Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren, has handed over to his successor, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem in Uyo, capital of the state, reports ITRealms.

Reports reaching ITRealms newsroom, showed that the formal handover ceremony was held Wednesday, January 17, 2018, at the SSG conference room.

The ceremony, ITRealms reports was also witnessed by the Permanent Secretary in the office of SSG, Mr Uduak Iwoh, Executive Secretary Finance & General Purpose Committee, Barrister Janet Daniel, Directors, staff of the office and well-wishers of the new SSG.

ITRealms recalls that the newly appointed Secretary to the Government of Akwa-Ibom State (SSG), Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, was on Tuesday this week sworn-in at the Government House Banquet Hall, Uyo, capital of Akwa-Ibom State.

The swearing in which was performed by the Executive Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Emmanuel Udom on Tuesday afternoon, tasked Ekuwem to use his wealth of experience in adding value to the state in his new position.

The occasion graced by friends and family members also saw Dr. Ekuwem adorned in his full regalia of his “Obong Ifiok Ibaka” title, saw the governor insisting that the unity of Akwa Ibom State is non-negotiable, stressing he was poised to ensure the whole state irrespective of tribes as part of his government’s political inclusiveness agenda.

“Akwa Ibom is all one, joined by a common destiny and aspirations and our unity in non-negotiable, our common ethos and fidelity to the Akwa Ibom project remains sacrosanct,” the governor said.

He also noted that the greatest asset by God to Akwa Ibom is her people, hence the people will make the different once united, just as he assured that every part of the state has a sense of belonging.

“I enjoin you to celebrate this mutually inclusive tendencies and put those naysayers, to shame that we will never be derailed from the path of unity and collectively sworn to uphold,” he declared, tasking Dr. Ekuwem on the high expectations of the government and the people who came to witness his swearing in.

Udom reminded Ekuwem that he must work to justify the reason for his appointment which was mainly to add value to the government industrialization process.

“We are happy that your name has gone across everywhere and it was your integrity that worked for you when you contested for and won as the President of Nigeria Internet Group” he said, urging Ekuwem to bring his leadership quality to bear so that the state could unite and bring everybody together, added, “from this moment nothing should divide the state as development has also been spread across the three senatorial districts.”

Akwa Ibom, Udom said, is one family, adding that nobody ever predicted where they were to be born, and sued for unity and love among all in the state.

He thanked the immediate past Secretary to Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren for a cordial working relationship with him from the time Umoren was the permanent secretary of the office of the governor till his appointment as then Secretary to Government.

Bassey Atim Bassey/GEE

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Etisalat, Etihad offer new packages for premium GEM customers

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Fastest growing and most innovative telecommunications company in Nigeria, Etisalat has joined hands with the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Etihad Airways to package unbeatable offers for its premium GEM customers. This partnership aimed at strengthening the GEM reward system and offer Etisalat GEM customers unparalleled lifestyle and loyalty benefits including discounted flight tickets and new roaming package.

With the partnership, Etisalat GEM customers will pay less than $3000 for family holiday to the UAE which is inclusive of flight tickets, hotel stay for 4 nights and 30-day visa for a family of three. Similarly, Etisalat GEM customers are entitled to 20 per cent discount on flight tickets to the UAE when they choose to fly Etihad Airways whilst getting roaming discounts during their holiday.

Commenting on the partnership, Chief Marketing Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Francesco Angelone said the partnership was conceived to deliver the highest quality of service and satisfaction for the company’s GEM customers.

"The goal of our partnership with Etihad Airways is to add value to the lives of our GEM customers and make holiday trips and vacations more enjoyable for them with value-added incentives. We believe that this partnership with Etihad Airways will provide unparalleled satisfaction to our GEM customers," he said.

Speaking on the partnership, Maurice Phohleli, Etihad Airways' Vice President, Africa Sub Sahara and Indian Ocean, said: "We are confident our collaboration with Etisalat on this promotion will reward new and existing guests with travel options that provide great value. 

Etihad Airways prides itself on building strong relationships with its guests and, with the summer holidays here, we intend to show our appreciation by rewarding GEM customers for their loyalty."

Etisalat GEM is the reward program from Etisalat that offers amazing reward to loyal high value customers who attain a pre-defined threshold on the network over a 12-month period. To become an Etisalat GEM customer, subscribers only need to spend a minimum of N120, 000 on Etisalat products/services.
 
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