NCC orders telcos to immediately reactivate barred lines of NIN-SIM verification - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

has ordered the reactivation of SIMs affected by National Identification Numbers (NINs), reports ITREALMS.

According to the Director Public Affairs at NCC Mr Reuben Muoka, noted that  over the weekend many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines due to the inability of some telecom consumers to verify their NINs with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs).

To win Dubai trip, reactivate your FirstBank's Verve card - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Customers using FirstBank Cards this season are in for exciting times as part of its Verve Card Reactivation Promo; to reward three customers with all-expense paid trips to Dubai for reactivating and using their Verve Cards to transact on PoS and online, reports ITREALMS.

The ongoing promo, ITREALMS gathered, kicked off on December 2, 2019 and would end on January 25, 2020.
The Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products, FirstBank, Mr. Chuma Ezirim, told ITREALMS that on the Dubai trip, 600 customers will be rewarded with N3,000 worth of airtime and 60 customers with N50,000.00 cash prize during the 2-month promo period. 

"The airtime and cash prizes will be delivered weekly and winners have begun to emerge already. Winners of the grand prize of a trip to Dubai will be announced at the end of the FirstBank Verve Card Promo," he said.

Further, he noted that FirstBank is also rewarding customers for all transactions done with their Visa Gold and Naira Credit cards this season. 

"Customers can get a percentage of their total spend with FirstBank Visa Gold and Naira Credit cards this season. This promo runs until January 8, 2020," he said.
Ezirim also informed ITREALMS in a press statement available to correspondent that they were pleased to reward customers for the use of their FirstBank Verve, Visa Gold and Naira Credit cards this season. 

"It is our own way of giving our customers more reasons to smile. We encourage our customers to reactivate their FirstBank Verve cards and keep transacting with their Verve, Visa Gold, and Naira Credit cards to enjoy these yuletide benefits from FirstBank," he said.

Ezirim also said that the promo supports the cashless policy whilst assuring customers of the safety and security of their transactions with FirstBank cards.

Chuks Egbuna/Editor

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Gambari urges FG to reactivate Nigerian Press Council

ITREALMS:

The Federal Government (FG) has been enjoined to reactivate the Nigerian Press Council and review its Code of Conduct so as to enable requisite discharge of its duties effectively as enshrined in the Constitution, reports ITRealms.

Chairman of Savannah Centre, Professor Ibrahim Gambari made the call while delivering the inaugural PSN Confab lecture on the topic "Towards 2019 Elections: Hate Speech and Implications For Ethnic Relations" in Abuja on Monday.

The Confab themed, "Hate Speech Vs Free Speech" was organised by the Peace and SecurityNetwork, PSN, in collaboration with the Centre for Information Technology andDevelopment, CITAD.

Prof Gambari, a former Nigeria's permanent representative to the United Nations, who was represented said Savanna Centre attaches great importance to the issue of Hate Speech, which he insisted is not Free Speech.

The Guest Speaker lamented that the level of hate and inflammatory speeches seen in recent times were the worst since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

According to him, "Freedom of Speech cannot be absolute, freedom of speech as its limit," adding that there was an urgent need for National Law to "redress hate speech now not later."

On the road to 2019 general elections, Savannah Centre enjoined media managers to demonstrate absolute patriotism by not promoting any individual or group above the nation.

While stressing the important roles that the media and civil society organisations must play in curbing hate speech, Prof Gambari, warned that "a major dislocation of Nigeria is a dislocation of the African continent."

He therefore, called on the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the Nigerian Press Council to work together to deal with hate speech ahead of 2019 elections while CSOs must redouble their advocacy.

Contributing, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mrs Funke Egbemode, who was a panelist, expressed concern about promulgating new law to deal with hate speech when there are existing laws that have not been enforced.

Mrs Egbemode posited that rather than making new law, government should be more interested in getting to the root cause of hate speech so as to guide against it.

She said many people are unhappy and would always find a way of expressing their feelings, insisting that "the laws won't fix it."

Another panelist, President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, Mr. Dotun Oladipo, said making new laws to regulate the social media gives the impression that the federal government "is out to gag the media."

Mr Oladipo, noted that enlightened and well-informed people are not that active on the social media especially on Twitter.

Pix: GOCOP President, Dotun Oladipo with Prof Eyinla of INEC and
NGE President Mrs Funke Egbemode at PSN talk on hate speech in Abuja.

He therefore, enjoined media managers in Ministries, Agencies and Departments, MDAs, to be more proactive by ensuring timely release of genuine information to the public via the Twitter.

Also speaking, the President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr Waheed Odusile, said the issue of hate speech must be looked at holistically.

He said politicians must be mindful of their utterances ahead of elections, adding that media has a responsibility not to report hate speech.

Prof Bolade Eyinla, who represented the INEC chairman, said the citizens must recognise the importance of respecting the rights of others.

According to him, social media platforms have become instruments for propagating hate speech, saying that all conscious citizens must condemn inciting the population through hate speech.

The Executive Director CITAD, Mr Y.Z Yau, also lamented that hate speech is increasing as we approach 2019 elections, calling on all hands to be on deck. 

According to him, there should be clear understanding about what is hate speech and free speech, steesing "it is important that we amplify that."

Earlier, the Manager of Peace and Security Network Nigeria, PSN, Mr. Adeolu Adewumi, said the Network was established in 2013, to support better coordination of conflict prevention, response and resolution in Nigeria.

He said the PSN Confab series gathers policy makers, government officials, community leaders, experts and development partners for the purpose of discussing and reinforcing a common narrative around mitigating Hate Speeches towards 2019 and ensuring the continued presence of peace and stability.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Pix: GOCOP President, Dotun Oladipo with Prof Eyinla of INEC and NGE President Mrs Funke Egbemode at PSN talk on hate speech in Abuja.