African ICT Foundation rebrands, shops for new BoT - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The African ICT Foundation has commenced search for a new Board of Trustee (BoT) to position the foundation to meet its key objectives beginning in 2019, reports ITREALMS.

The African ICT Foundation, ITREALMS recalls, is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan research and educational institute whose mission is to formulate, evaluate, and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovation and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity, and progress in the ICT ecosystem Africa.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Bassey in a press statement available to ITREALMS, the foundation was established in 2008 to discover new opportunities in ICT that will have positive impact on the African economy, tackle attended challenges, and avoid potential pitfalls.

He disclosed that a key aspect of the rebranding is the inauguration of a new Board of Trustees to drive the affairs of the Foundation in the coming years, for effective delivery of its objectives hence the need for a new board.”

He said: “At inception it had as its board member: Dr. Samuel I. Ikiddeh, Chairman, Engr. Emmanuel E. Ekuwem- Member, Engr. Lanre Ajayi, President – Member, Mr. Aliyu D. Ibrahim, Business Development Manager, Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC)- Member, Dr. Olufunsho Olusanya, Rector, ICT Gateway Polytechnic, Itori Ogun state and Rev. Oke Omezi, Legal Practitioner and Pastor of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Mr. Usman A.Rufai , Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Science Computer science Department ,University of Lagos, and Prof. Effiong Johnson (Dean of Student Affairs, University of Uyo).”

Bassey explained that the Foundation is poised towards providing policymakers in the continent with high-quality information, analysis, and recommendations they can trust.

While expressing confidence of the new Board of Trustee to meet the objectives of the Foundation, he promised that in all ramifications, it will adhere to a high standard of research integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, and independence from external direction or bias.

He stated that Africans can nominate respected ICT personalities who have made their mark and creating impact in Africa’s ICT ecosystem by visiting the Foundation’s website: africanictfoundation.org.

The Foundation, he said, “will be led by a board of experts in the ICT industry in Africa and African descent that are internationally recognised in policy issues and have recognised footprint in the industry.”

He said the board will be a team of policy analysts and fellows includes authors and recognized experts in the fields of telecommunications, public policy advocacy, economics, tax policy, trade, privacy, cybersecurity, and life sciences, among others. Stressing that the board will run the Foundation through a secretariat based in Nigeria with other offices in Africa.

Upon inauguration, he said, the board, which shall consist of the Chairman of the Board/President, Vice Chair/Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and representatives of other African countries, the board shall elect its officials.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Shell trains, equips 30 firefighters in Abia - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Shell Nigeria Gas has re-trained 30 firefighters in Abia State and donated firefighting equipment to the state fire service. This intervention was triggered by two recent fire disasters in the state which resulted in deaths and loss of property worth millions of naira, reports ITREALMS.

Over 150 shops in the timber and furniture section of the Nkwo Ngwa Market in Aba was gutted by fire mid-November barely five weeks after an explosion on a pipeline belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Umuaduru and Umuimo communities of the state killed a number of persons.

The SNG intervention, according the company’s Managing Director, Ed Ubong, was to demonstrate the company’s continued care for the people and support to Nigerians particularly those in the company’s areas of operations.

“Some of these disasters are either avoidable or preventable. The major gaps are in training and equipment, hence our quick response to retrain the firefighters and provide them with modern equipment to support their operations,” Ubong said, adding that SNG would strengthen its gas distribution network in the Abia State to help in its rapid industrialisation.

The equipment donated included tunics and personal protective equipment (PPE). The state’s Commissioner for Transport, Charles Chinedum Elechi, received the items with a commitment that the state would improve on its safety record in a manner that would promote industrialisation and development.

Speaking at the donation, the state’s Fire Service Comptroller, Victor Gbaruko, described the training of his personnel particularly in hydrocarbon firefighting, as an investment worthy of emulation by other big players in the economy of the state.

The 20-year old SNG is fully owned by Shell and is the first gas distribution company run by any oil major in Nigeria. SNG’s extensive gas distribution network in Abia, Ogun and Rivers States has boosted manufacturing output and helped these states to grow their internally generated revenues while providing local employment opportunities.

In 2017, SNG executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Rivers State Government for the distribution of gas to industries in the Greater Port Harcourt area and its environs. The agreement provided further opportunities for SNG to promote gas as a more reliable, cleaner and cost-effective alternative to liquid fuels in Nigeria.

SNG has built a reputation for safety and credibility and is the only gas distribution company in Nigeria whose facility is ISO 14001 certified. The company has implemented various development projects in the areas of its operations, donating or renovating schools, providing information communications technology (ICT) centre, equipping science laboratories and launching numerous Road Safety Education and Awareness campaigns in 2016 and 2017.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Pix: L-R: Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Gas, Ed Ubong ; Abia State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Kate Onyemaechi;  Permanent Secretary, Governor’s Office, Bernard Ogbonna; Commissioner for Transport, Kingsley Imaga; and Abia State Fire Service Comptroller, Victor Gbaruko, at the donation of equipment to the state Fire Service in Umuahia… recently.

Metele killings: Defence Minister to visit Chad over Boko Haram attacks on soldiers

ITREALMS:

The Honorable Minister of Defence, retired Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali has been scheduled to visit Chad this week to hold a bilateral meeting with his Chadian counterpart General Daoud Yaya, owing to increased attacks and killings of Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram sect, reports ITREALMS.

Premium Times had reported that a source in the Nigerian Army said that 153 others are yet to be accounted for, even as on Monday, November 19, 2018, the terrorists invaded a military base in Metele village, Guzamala local government area of Borno State. Villagers also said that over 118 soldiers may have been killed in the attack.

   
Reacting the Public Relations officer to the Hon Minister of Defence, Colonel Tukur Gusau, said the visit is in continuation of consultations with Minister’s of Defence of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Troops contributing countries (TCC) which includes Cameroun, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin Republic.

“It may be recalled the Hon Minister paid a similar visit to Niger Republic in September 2018 during which he held a similar bilateral discussion with his Nigerien counterpart,” he said.

The  Minister's visit to Chad, Gusau said, will revolve around strengthening the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to enable it achieve its mandate of eliminating security threats and creating a safe and secure environment in its area of responsibility.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Echo Lab in Nigeria to bridge medical diagnosis gap - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Echo Lab in partnership with Integrated Diagnostic Holdings (IDH) has launched a state of the art laboratory in Lagos to address advanced and comprehensive laboratory services, reports ITREALMS.

The group said the rationale for this move was to close up the knowledge and technology gap lacking in the medical diagnostic field as well as consolidate the sector through the experience of IDH who happens to be an international player in the industry.

Chairman of the company, Dr Benson Ayodele Cole said in Lagos that the partnership has aided in the eradication of challenges of human error in the diagnosis process through the procurement of latest equipment in the field.

Rather than assumptions as the case was before, he said the newly acquired types of equipment are supported with computer-aided abilities to reduce human interference.

The Echo Lab boss said this expansion of diagnostic services in the country seeks to also tackle the issue of medical tourism as well as harness the medical diagnostic market.

Echo Lab who already have 10 locations Nationwide now renders services in pathology, molecular diagnostic, genetics testing and radiology as part of the expansion.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Ikeja Electric bags Corporate Pacesetter - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The leading electricity distribution company, Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), has won two prestigious awards - Corporate Pacesetter (Power Sector) and HSE Campaign of the Year awards, in recognition of its HSE Initiatives and innovative approach in educating Nigerians through the use of its proprietary Power Play game, reports ITREALMS.

Presented at the 2018 Nigeria Safety Award for Excellence (9jaSAFE Award), a respected body set up to recognize the outstanding performances/initiatives of companies/organization, Individuals/groups, Schools/institutions towards promoting and raising safety consciousness.

Speaking on the awards, the company’s Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE), Engr. Jamiu Badmos noted that the recognition further testifies to our consistency, commitment to high safety standards and our drive to always improve our safety initiatives.

He said: “We are proud to be honored with these awards which not only establish us as a pacesetter in the energy sector, but also confirms that we are on the right track through all our various initiatives over the years”.

“Our track record speaks volume about our commitment to the highest standard of safety. In 2017, Ikeja Electric won the Corporate Pacesetter and Best use of Social Media amongst over six hundred (600) nominations received across the country. We also won an award in as an organization committed to Safety Excellence in 2016, while at the maiden edition in 2015, we won the Best Health & Safety Practicing organization in the Power Industry,” he explained.

In addition, Mr. Olabode Jegede, a staff in the Technical Department of Ikeja Electric emerged as one of the 9jaSAFE Torchbearers for his passionate implementation and enforcement of safety standards in operations and maintenance operations.

According to Engr. Badmos, the successive awards and others accolades were earned as result of the unrivalled commitment of the Board and Management coupled with outstanding passion of our staff for safety excellence. Through its impactful HSE policies, fatality among its staff has dropped to zero while the third party fatality has declined significantly.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Pix: Third from left, Mr Steve Doriigi, Operation Manager, Ikeja City Mall and third from right, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State and Ikeja Electric Safety Officers displaying their awards during 2018 Nigeria Safety Award for Excellence (9jaSAFE Award) in Lagos.

Ositelu promises to scrap EFCC, ICPC, reform Police - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) would be collapsed into a reformed Police Force to be established under the Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Isaac Babatunde Ositelu, reports ITREALMS.

The Accord Party flag bearer, also promises radical restructuring of the internal security apparatus of the country would give birth to an efficient and effective police service that would be technology driven and people oriented. He said that the reformed Police service would be made accountable, decent, responsive and responsible to the Nigerian nation and not to the few elites who seemed to undermine the discipline required in the police as an institution of the state. 

 
In a statement released to the media on Saturday, 24 November 2018, Ositelu said that when he is voted into office as the next President and Commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the federal Republic of Nigeria, his government would embark on effective and efficient management of the nation’s resources. He said that the cost of governance would be significantly reduced under his watch. While saying that the executive arm of government would lead by example, he said that the cost cutting initiative will include the streamlining of the security agencies involved in the management of corruption and fraud.

He said emphatically that his government would scrap the EFCC and ICPC and strengthen the Nigeria Police Force to perform its constitutional responsibilities of curbing crimes and criminalities. Justifying the need for the harmonisation of the work of the EFCC and ICPC with that of the Police, he said that the creation of these agencies had led to needless envy, corruption and even insubordination among the rank and file deployed from the Police to EFCC and ICPC which are considered ‘juicy’ agency to work for because of the special incentives available to the operatives.

Rather than create room for animosity among the security operatives, Ositelu said that a well incentivised Police will live up to its responsibility of curbing criminalities across the country. He pondered if the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Police cannot effectively and efficiently carry out its legal mandates if properly mobilised. According to him, the Police would be given all the needed supports in its human capital development to enable it come out sharper and materially ready to tackle the menace of crimes and criminality in the public and private institutions across the country.

The party standard bearer said that the reformed Police will be restructured into a police service that would be intelligent driven. He stressed that the move would consequently make the police service a collective responsibility of the citizens and other state apparatus for a better society. He posits as well that by creating a police service with infallible national crime database, the call for community policing would be seamlessly persuasive and integrated into the nation’s internal security architecture. According to him, this is the panacea for achieving drastic reduction in criminal activities. 

Speaking also on the planned far-reaching revitalisation of the education sector, he said that the retooling of the nation’s education sector would make the unionisation of the institutions less attractive to the academic staff of the nation’s citadel of learning. According to him, market driven forces would incentivise the academic staff to focus more attention on research based commitments to the institutions.

Taken aback at a recent revelation that the tertiary institutions in Nigeria had been on a cumulative four years strike since 1999 to 2018, he said, no nation can afford such luxury of wastefulness in its human capital development schedule. Noting the needless disruptions to the education sector, going by the incessant strikes arising from disputes between the federal and state government, he said that Nigeria would derive more benefits from strategic restructuring of its education sector. Drawing a parallel from the incentives available to the tertiary institutions in America and other developed nations, he said that the higher institutions of learning in Nigeria would be made true centres of learning that would serve as the pillar of support for commerce and industry.

On the source of funding for the institutions, since he planned to make them less dependent on statutory allocations, the Presidential candidate of Accord Party said that the schools would be refocused to produce quality research works that the private sector would be interested in buying. Aside from attracting private sector funding for research experiences, he said that the schools can also market some of their unique products that compete with international best offers.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Alaka bridge closed for 2 nights - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Lagos State Ministry of Transport has closed the Alaka Bridge inward Eko Bridge to traffic for two nights, Saturday 24th November 2018 from 11:00pm to 5:00am on Sunday 25th November 2018 and also on Monday night 26th November 2018 from 11:00pm to 5:00am on Tuesday 27th November 2018, reports ITREALMS.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, confirmed this in a press statement made available to ITREALMS at the weekend, saying the closure is to carry out emergency rehabilitation of the deteriorated road pavements.

He also advised that in this regard, “only the service lane from the National Stadium will be available to motorists desirous of using the Eko Bridge to connect the Lagos Island. Similarly, motorists can also use the Eric Moore Road through Brewery to exit at Costain.”

Lawanson explained that this exercise does not prevent motorists coming from the Lagos Island using the Alaka Bridge inward Stadium.

The State Government, he said, therefore appealed for caution and cooperation from all road users especially night crawlers by obeying all traffic signs and ensuring smooth traffic flow during the rehabilitation period, which has been deliberately fixed for the night in order to minimize discomfort on road users.

“Finally, the State Government while regretting all inconveniences has directed all relevant Traffic Agencies especially LASTMA to ensure free flow of traffic and security agencies to ensure safety for all workers and materials deployed for the exercise,” he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Nokia introduces 'Future X' - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Nokia has introduced its 'Future X for industries' strategy and architecture, developed by Bell Labs, to drive dramatic productivity improvements across a wide range of industry sectors, reports ITREALMS.

As technologies such as industrial Internet of Things (IIoT); edge cloud supporting augmented intelligence and advanced security analytics; and end-to-end 5G capable networks become a reality, they will radically speed up the digital transformation of industries such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation and energy, as well as governments and cities.

Nokia's holistic approach promises to help drive a new era of productivity and human-machine interaction that will unlock trillions of dollars of economic value in the next decade.

To date, the digitalization and automation of enterprises has yielded productivity benefits, predominantly by shifting business support functions from physical to digital operations. While these gains have been notable, only about 30 percent of enterprises - largely in IT-centric industries - have been able to realize the 'digital opportunity'. 

Importantly, traditional asset-intensive industries - which comprise more than two-thirds of GDP in the U.S. - have yet to experience the full benefits of this digital transformation, known as Industry 4.0.

Physical industries depend on a variety of emerging business- and mission-critical applications that, when digitized and automated, offer the potential to make power grids smarter, factories more productive, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) responsive and reliable, cities safer and more livable and much, much more. 

In short, there is the potential to transform human existence and radically enhance industries and infrastructure in what will be the 4th industrial revolution.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Wanted! A generation of robots says Dell - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Dell Technologies has obviously declared wanted, a generation of robots, saying that Gen Zers are tech-savvy, but lack needed soft skills and crave more human interaction; even so, senior professionals fear displacement by digital natives, reports ITREALMS.

Generation Z, ITREALMS gathered, is entering the workforce with a tech-first mentality that will propel businesses further into the digital era while potentially deepening the divide among five generations in the workplace.

According to global research commissioned by Dell Technologies, post-millennials – those born after 1996 and known as Gen Z – have a deep, universal understanding of technology and its potential to transform how we work and live.

Corporate fellow and vice president of Technology Strategy, Dell Technologies, Danny Cobb, said that these digital natives have advanced technology and data science skills, but what is surprising is the level of digital maturity they are bringing to the workplace.

“Yet we haven’t raised a generation of robots. Gen Z sees technology not only as a tool for enabling human progress, but also as a means for leveling the information empowerment playing field. Their combination of vision and optimism is remarkable,” Cobb said.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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AIG Shehu resumes @Zone 2 Onikan, replaces Adamu - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

A new Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Mr. Lawal Shehu, has  resumed at Zone 2 Command Onikan, Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

CSP Dolapo Badmos, Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, confirmed this to ITREALMS, noting that the new Assistant Inspector General of Police to head the Zone is AIG Lawal Shehu. 

Shehu who took over from AIG Adamu Ibrahim who recently retired, resumed duty on Wednesday.21st of November, 2018. 

Born on 24 December 1960, AIG Lawal Shehu is an indigene of Katsina State, who joined the Nigeria Police Force as Cadet ASP in 1988 and has worked within the force in various capacities.

ITREALMS gathered that prior to his promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, he headed Bauchi and Nassarawa States as Commissioner of Police.

Further, ITREALMS gathered that on his promotion to the rank of AIG, he was deployed to head the force's Border Patrol Unit, and was later moved to Criminal and Intelligence Department, Force Headquarters Abuja, the office he occupied until his redeployment to Zone 2 Command Onikan, Lagos. 

AIG Lawal is an ardent reader of books and is married with children.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: IGP Idris