Ekiti State partners UNOPS, SHS on $2bn deal

ITREALMS:

The government of Ekiti State, SHS Holdings, and UNOPS have today, July 1, 2020, entered a deal to build at least 50,000 affordable homes over the next decade worth some $2bn, reports ITREALMS. 

All of the new affordable homes built will include renewable energy and disease preventative technology – including solar panel roofs, waste-to-energy technology and mosquito-repelling coatings.

The Nigerian state is the latest to join one of the largest affordable housing initiatives in the world, part of UNOPS Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments (S3I) - which will deliver 1.3 million homes across multiple countries on three continents over the next decade. The partnership will create thousands of local jobs at the factory and on construction sites and will spur economic growth among a host of local industries.

As part of the agreement signed today, UNOPS and SHS will seek to mobilize resources from third party investors to fund this initiative whose gross development value (based on the sales value of completed homes) is estimated to reach US$2 billion. SHS will supply proprietary state-of-the art technology as well as oversee the development of housing by qualified contractors. UNOPS will bring to bear its comparative advantages in the mandated (by the UN General Assembly) areas, such as: infrastructure, procurement and project management. The Government of Ekiti will identify and allocate suitable land for potential developments, and help create an enabling environment for foreign direct investment and mortgage finance.

S3I aims to break down barriers and create attractive opportunities for private sector investors to engage in long-term development initiatives – with a focus on affordable housing, renewable energy and health infrastructure.

Ekiti State Governor, H.E. Dr. Kayode Fayemi said: “We are very excited to partner with UNOPS and SHS to deliver affordable housing to the people of Ekiti State. This partnership will not only deliver 50,000 homes in our communities, it will also increase foreign direct investment into Ekiti State, and put thousands of our people in jobs. This is how our promise of developing Ekiti, and improving the lives of the people can be achieved. This partnership has come at an important time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reminded us of the need to deliver quality social infrastructure to the people. I am excited that UNOPS and SHS have chosen Ekiti State as the first destination in Nigeria for this project, and we will do everything to ensure we create a model that can be replicated across the country.”

Speaking on the announcement, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Executive of S3I (Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments), Vitaly Vanshelboim, said: “We are very pleased to support this contribution to Nigeria’s national development priorities and in particular, to help meet the critical need for affordable housing, through innovative approaches to construction and mortgage financing. UNOPS is strongly committed to helping find new ways to finance inclusive, resilient and sustainable development activities that generate positive social, economic and environmental impacts.”

Dr Allen Zimbler, Chairman of SHS Holdings, said: “SHS Holdings is proud to participate in signing a collaboration agreement with the Ekiti State Government of Nigeria and UNOPS in respect of building at least 50,000 sustainable housing units for key government employees and other eligible citizens, in sites to be identified within the State. SHS is committed to making housing accessible to all, using a robust and reliable construction technology, and employing proprietary energy efficient solar rooftops, waste to energy technology and mosquito-repellant coating. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Development of the Ekiti State Government and to creating opportunities for the employment of significant numbers of local citizens in the process.”

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Buhari names Prof Adesugba, MD, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

President Muhammadu Buhari has named Professor Adesoji Adesugba as the new Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority(NEPZA), a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, reports ITREALMS.

Sources close to the Presidency, informed ITREALMS that the approval was contained in a letter addressed to the Minister, dated 26th June, 2020 and signed by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the President.

A press statement also available to ITREALMS in Abuja, Tuesday, the Media Assistant to Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Julius Toba-Jegede, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo hailed President Mohammadu Buhari over the appointment of Prof Adesoji Adesugba.

The Minister who expressed confidence over the choice of Adesugba said his wealth of experience coupled with his academic exposure would add value to the attainment of NEPZA's core mandate,urging the new appointee to pilot the affairs of the agency with transparency and open-door policy that will accelerate Federal Government's target for economic zones across the country, especially in the area of job creation.

Prof. Adesugba, an accomplished specialist in Investment Promotion and Economic Development, is a lawyer and a veteran of business promotion within and outside Nigeria

An accomplished specialist in Investment Promotion and Economic Development, Adesoji Adesugba is known for his proficiency in organizational development and institutional reforms. He has combined the best in private sector entrepreneurial acumen with an expert ability to navigate public sector practice.

Adesugba is the National Legal Adviser of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Chairman of its Education Committee. Adesugba lectures part-time as a Professor of Business Administration at the Roegate College in Dublin, Ireland, and also lectured Investment Promotion at the Baden International Business School, Baden, Switzerland. Until recently, he was a visiting Professor at the American University of West Africa, Banjul Gambia.

Adesugba is the founder and the Provost at the Business Entrepreneurship Skills and Technology (BEST) Centre and a Vice President at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). Prof. Adesugba is also the founder and President of the first Gemological Institute in West Africa, the Gemological Institute of Nigeria (GIN). He is also the founder and the National Coordinator of the Gemstones Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMMAN). Prof. Adesugba is a Vice President at the Nigerian Chamber of Mines.

A certified international arbitrator and mediator, Prof. Adesugba worked as the Chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), a Federal Government of Nigeria agency set up for the resolution of industrial disputes. Before working at the IAP, Prof. Adesugba served as a Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), where he was responsible for the development of strategies to promote and target investments into the Nigerian economy.

Between 2005 to 2007, Adesugba was seconded from the NIPC to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) as the Head of Marketing, Communications, and External Relations, to help reinvigorate the privatization exercise of the Federal Government of Nigeria. At the BPE, he served as a member of the National Council on Privatization, subcommittee on marketing, media, and publicity.

Prof. Adesugba started his career in the public service as a Superintendent Collector Grade II, at the Nigerian Customs Service in August 1982 and rose to the rank of Chief Superintendent before leaving the service for the NIPC in 1999.

He serves on the boards of various non-profit organizations dedicated to youth empowerment, economic development, gender, and policy issues.

Prof. Adesoji Adesugba obtained his doctorate in Business Administration with the highest distinction from the California Southern University in the USA. He has an M.Sc. degree in Investment Promotion and Economic Development from the Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland, UK, and his MBA from the Ogun State University in Nigeria, his first degree was a B.Sc. degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos in 1981.

Adesugba also studied law and obtained his LL.B. from the University of Lagos in 1987. Adesugba was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. Prof. Dr. Adesugba has a certificate in Chinese Economic Development from the Normal University, Beijing China; a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK); and a certificate from the Columbia Law School in New York.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and a Fellow of the Chartered Taxation Institute of Nigeria.

Adesugba is also a media and communication enthusiast and serves as the Chairman, Editorial Board of Sahel Standard Media Group.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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New centre for digital innovation, transformation loading - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates, have signed an agreement on 29 June 2020 to establish an International Centre of Digital Innovation, known as I-CoDI, reports ITREALMS.

I-CoDI will help ITU Members, Sector Members and other key stakeholders to integrate innovation into their national development agendas and activities. The Centre, to be based in Geneva, Switzerland, will also have a virtual component.

"Innovation is at the heart of the digital revolution and an essential part of the fabric of ITU," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. "We welcome the decision by the TRA, a long-standing partner of ITU, to establish its future International Centre of Digital Innovation in Geneva. It will help catalyse efforts to turn today's digital revolution into a development revolution for all."

"The growing digital innovation divide is at the heart of the digital divide," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. "Innovation has been recognized as a powerful engine for promoting development, addressing socio-economic challenges and increasing the overall competitiveness of countries. I look forward to working closely with the TRA to establish I-CoDI and contributing to the development of innovation strategies to accelerate digital transformation and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".

The I-CoDI design phase will be completed by the end of 2020.

H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of the TRA, said that "this experience reflects the success of innovation and creativity policies pursued by the UAE, which resulted in hundreds of projects and initiatives that contributed to achieving the UAE's leading position in innovation. The UAE is no longer a country that imports ideas, but rather a source of innovation and success in various sectors."

I-CoDI builds on CoDI, the Centre of Digital Innovation (CoDI) launched by the UAE in 2013, as part of the UAE's efforts in digital transformation and enhancing the digital journey of the UAE citizens and Government, through research, innovation, education, training, skills development, quality assurance and of advisory services.

Engineer Majid Almadhloum, Director of CoDI at the TRA, stressed the importance of this initiative and added that "ITU's aim to transfer the experience of CoDI indicates its uniqueness and importance in serving the goals of global societies aimed at achieving sustainable development and digital transformation. We are proud of our accomplishments to this day, and we will continue working to achieve more success."

At the 2014 World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-14), Member States mandated the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau to strengthen ITU membership capabilities to integrate ICT‑centric innovation in their national development agendas and promote a culture of innovation through enhanced partnership and a multi-stakeholder cooperation in a converged ICT ecosystem.

Chuks Egbune/DoP

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SoftBank unveils $100m opportunity fund for people of colour - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Earlier this month and following the death of George Floyd, SoftBank announced a $100m investment fund for minority-owned businesses. 

The Opportunity Fund will invest only in companies led by people of color, and is the first such fund to be created in response to growing protests, in the US and worldwide, against racism and lack of equal opportunities for black people. While the initiative is not the first of its kind in the US or abroad (South Africa has several financial institutions dedicated to providing financial support to black entrepreneurs), its significance is much stronger now.

The US is in fact home to several financial institutions dedicated to supporting low- and moderate-income communities of color. However, as their relevance grows in the wake of the current crisis, their number has been steadily declining over the past years. One of the oldest such institution still in business today is the Unity National Bank. It is Texas’ only black-owned bank and an example of what purpose-driven businesses can accomplish for their communities and their country.

The Unity National Bank was established in the early 1960s and has since then supported the banking and capital needs of low- and moderate-income communities across Texas. While it used to operate in a banking industry with 47 African American-controlled banks in the early 2000s, the recession of 2008 took its toll on its peers. In 2019, the US had only 22 remaining black-owned banks.

Since 2005, the Unity National Bank is majority-owned by Nigeria-born oil executive Kase Lawal and his family. Kase Lawal is also Chairman of CAMAC International and seen as one of the few successful black entrepreneur in the energy sector, which remains an industry widely dominated by white men. He currently serves as Board Chairman of the Unity National Bank and, under his leadership, the bank has been able to weather the storm since 2008 and keep expanding. In 2018, it opened in Atlanta, its first expansion beyond the state of Texas, in order to consolidate and serve the African American community better.

Its lending program is focused on supporting and rebuilding its community, especially via commercial and mortgage loans. Unity National Bank has forged a network of partners and agents that are able to support the very core of its activities, from lending to supporting financial literacy across community.

While the bank, like other African American-owned banks, has struggled in recent years due to its smaller size and financial performances, its management is putting the foundations in place for the business to continue growing. It recently partnered with Citigroup and introduced a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which reportedly allowed the saving of 3,000 jobs. The PPP loans, acclaimed for their support to small black-owned businesses, even earned Unity National Bank a visit by Vice President Mike Pence this year.

“Kase Lawal is real, a legend. He is an improbable driver for black empowerment through entrepreneurship, even as most people never saw him coming and counted him out. I am not surprised that he will rise to the occasion, walk the walk and execute during these times when our communities are dealing with the scourge of Covid19 and difficult economic conditions,” stated NJ Ayuk Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “His humanity and humility lets him walk with the little guy and still keep his virtue. He may seat with Presidents and Ministers yet never loses the common touch or forgets where he came from. He is always thinking about the poor and the upward mobility of those who have not been dealt a fair hand by our economy,” added Mr Ayuk.

Now that the Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on American jobs and lives, and even more so for African American communities, and at a time when the world calls for better support to black entrepreneurs and businesses, the Kase Lawal-chaired institution is set to benefit. It remains one of the few institutions in the US with a true purpose of working with communities and linking their fate together to create a better future for African American families and gives countless of talented young women and men the means to build a successful future.

As the world seeks new ways to build equal societies, developing successful business models that promote equal opportunities and bring much-needed capital to talented communities is becoming the need of the hour. In doing so, looking at black-owned banks and businesses and learning from their experience would prove very beneficial. Beyond looking at pure business principles and balance sheets fundamentals, these companies are driven by a true social purpose which could well be the kind of basis the world needs to build fairer societies.

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CWG 5th AGM: Financial year ends with N9.56Bn net revenue - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:
The fifth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CWG Plc 

ended in Lagos with a record net revenue of N9.56 billion for the financial year ended 2019, reports ITREALMS.

The 2019 AGM which held on the 25th June 2020, saw the company declaring net revenue of N9.56Billion, representing a 23 per cent increase from 2018 gross profit growth rate of 25 per cent.

The 2019 AGM was held online by the largest system integration company in Nigeria, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world, which has forced many organizations to constitute a remote-working policy.

Reading the summary of the 2019 financial year report which ended in December 2019 to shareholders, the Chairman of CWG Plc, Mr. Phillip Obioha, noted that the value-added revenue and gross profit were due to the re-introduction of some valuable IT services and an increase in customized service businesses.

“In 2019, revenue and total profit growth were as a result of the renewed partnership with our strategic partners. OPEX was reduced by 23 percent, 2019 over 2018, due to different optimization exercises that were carried out in the year. We also closed 2019 with a positive EBITDA of N892m and PBT of N634m. Right now, we are charting a course of a new organization that would be around for the next 50 years,” he told the shareholders.

While assuring the shareholders that CWG Plc will continue to innovate and create cutting-edge technology and services that will be relevant today and fit for the future, Mr. Obioha stated that CWG is well-positioned and equipped to redefine innovation that provides solutions to the technologically-based institution gaps that are seen in potentially viable and critical sectors of the Nigerian economy and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of CWG Plc, Mr. Adewale Adeyipo, has attributed the performance in the 2019 financial year to what he described as the ‘five pillars’ strategy the company adopted two years ago. The five pillars, according to him are Growth, Profit, Liquidity, Brands and Dividend.

He disclosed that strict adherent to the five pillars has helped CWG to deliver on its mandate to enable the growth of its clients.

“That is the level of focus we have delivered with the five pillars we created. If you also want to go to some certain deliverables; then we can begin to talk of our BillnPay platform presentment platform, which is an app of CWG 2.0. On BillnPay last year, we recorded a transaction volume of over N12 billion, which is a major chunk of over 3000 percent of what we had in 2018, 2017 and 2016 combined. So, I can tell you that the underlining principles that have kept us focused are these five pillars,” he said.

He added that these pillars have created an essential guide on what CWG Plc does and how to do it, explaining that CWG evaluates every decision and determine what will be the contribution of the decision on any of these pillars.

“These pillars have enabled us to create some focus and clarity. It has given us insights on what we need to take seriously and what we need to stop doing. With these pillars, we measure the success or otherwise of our company,” he further stated.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Pix: L+R Adewale Adeyipo - CEO, CWG Plc, Philip Obioha - Chairman Board of Directors, CWG Plc and Tosin Kembi representing DCSL corporate services limited, Company Secretary in the just concluded CWG Plc 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Development institutions commit to support transformation - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Three leading international financial institutions, the African Development Bank the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have pledged multi-pronged support for the transformation of Sudan as it opens a new chapter to overcome political and economic challenges, reports ITREALMS.

At a high-level Sudan Partnership Conference held virtually and hosted in Berlin on 25 June, the three multilateral organizations and several governments affirmed their strong support for the country’s Transitional Government and its economic recovery efforts.

Over $1.8 billion dollars in pledges for Sudan poured in during the conference, which marked an important step in the African nation’s re-engagement with the international community.

Sudanese Finance Minister Ibrahim el-Badawi highlighted the comprehensive reforms that the Transitional Government of Sudan has launched to put in place a transparent, productive and resilient economy.

“We will pass an anti-corruption law, create an anti-corruption commission and reform the enabling environment for business and investment,” el-Badawi said during the panel discussions on the country’s economic reforms and the way forward.

He promised an era of transparently managed budgets that will focus on health, education and other sectoral reforms, including a transformed public service and a Family Support Programme. The Minister also called for partnerships at “every step of the way,” a position echoed by his colleague, Minister of Labour, Lena el-Sheikh Mahjoub.

The conference marked an important milestone in Sudan’s re-engagement with the international community. African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina assured the Sudanese government of the Bank’s continued support in the country’s transformation journey.

“You can be very sure of strong support from all of us, starting from the African Development Bank in this herculean task,” said Adesina. He went on to praise Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and the country’s leadership “If you are looking for leaders who actually have good ideas about how to come out of tough times and make the economy more resilient, you couldn’t have asked for a better person than Hamdok.”

The Government has approached the Bank for support in the preparation of a long-term development strategy, which will consolidate ongoing reforms to ignite growth, lay the foundation for sustaining high and inclusive growth and spur transformation towards a knowledge-based economy. The Bank currently has a $511 million portfolio in this African country.

IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, reiterated the urgent need to extend support to Sudan. The IMF and Sudan on June 23 reached an agreement to put in a place a 12-month Staff Monitored Program (SMP) aimed at narrowing large macroeconomic imbalances, reducing structural distortions hindering economic activity and job creation, strengthening governance and social safety nets. The SMP will also facilitate progress toward debt relief under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative.

World Bank President, David Malpass, reiterated ongoing and planned support for Sudan’s reform programme. “At the Government’s request, we have been working to design the Sudan Family Support Program It’s an ambitious cash transfer program to mitigate the impacts of the economic crisis. The program is costed at $1.9 billion and seeks to cover cash transfers of $5 monthly per person to 80 percent of the population, using digital and other delivery mechanisms. Following months of intensive technical work, it is now being piloted and readied for implementation.”

A communique issued at the end of the Sudan Partnership Conference congratulated the African Development Bank for its steadfast support for Sudan through its funding of the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and for efforts to clear the country’s arrears to the Bank.

Nenye Dom/Editor

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Eze commends Buhari over Gov. Buni's CTC chair - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has commended President Mohammadu Buhari on the resolution of APC crisis which led with the setting up of Cate Taker Committee, reports ITREALMS.

The CTC led by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, he said, is the right tonic for the crisis in APC to be put to rest.

A press statement available to ITREALMS, Eze said that the history of democracy and good governance in Nigeria cannot be complete without the mention of Chief Victor Giadom, whose sterling leadership and public spirit brought back orderliness and harmony to the party.

He also said the party which won elections overwhelmingly with 25 Governors out of 36 States in her kitty has lost grip of five States to her opponents and was on self destruction until the entrance of Chief Giadom who came into the scene and calmed the storm by frustrating the heinous plots to destabilize a party which party members have sacrificed their lives and blood to build.

Chief Eze said Nigerians and the entire world are celebrating the peace that have been restored to the party and that efforts are being made to reposition it for the greater challenges ahead.

"Courtesy the forthrightness of this bold man from Rivers State who took the bull by the horn and courageously surmounted the challenge that nearly tore the party apart," he said.

With Chief Giadom officially handing over the affairs of the party to Gov. Mai Bunni, he said, all is now set to hit the ground running for the project of rejigging the party and restoring her to the winning ways.

Eze maintained that Giadom remains a patriot whose courage, sacrifices and selflessness are worth reckoning. 

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Nwibani writes Abe: Urges him to return, make peace with leader - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Eric Nwibani, has written an open letter to Senator Magnus Abe, urging him to return to his friend, leader – Rt Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and make peace with nature, reports ITREALMS.

According to him in the letter made available to ITREALMS, “It is common knowledge that you, until three years ago enjoyed the best of friendship and strong collaboration with the man, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi whose highest political investment, you said you are.”

Part of the letter read: 

"The friendship earned you uninterrupted and rapid growth in your career. It is true that you met Rotimi Amaechi at the Rivers State House of Assembly in 1999 but testimonies abound to the effect that it is not true that you emerged minority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly without the support of your friend Rotimi Amaechi. 

"As for the rest of your journey through Dr. Odili’s administration as Commissioner for Information, Amaechi’s administration as Secretary to Government to your Eight years in the Senate, it has been God using Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to painstakingly push you up there.

"I’m aware of the efforts of very prominent Ogoni leaders to stop your nomination for the Rivers South East Senatorial District in 2011; preferring erudite Professor Ben Nanem. On the strength of your friendship with this same person, you emerged amidst unprecedented rejection by Ogoni people. Most, if not all of the prominent Ogoni leaders vowed to withdraw their support for Amaechi if he insisted on Magnus Abe. They made good their threats afterwards. He lost their friendship. Imagine the sacrifice.

"There is no gain saying that you had a good outing in the Senate and worked with your principal, Chibuike Amaechi to build what we have today as the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State. 

"Your intelligence and sagacity can't be taken for granted but I doubt if many people who have dutifully followed your activities recently can “justify your fight against Amaechi.

"I have wondered for over Eighteen months how you sleep at night remembering that you stopped your party and indeed all Sixteen National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) Candidates, Governorship and Deputy Governorship Candidates, all those who would’ve functioned in different capacities as appointees of the State and Local Governments, Local Government Chairmen and Councillors etc, should the party had won elections. I still wonder.

"Distinguished Senator, thousands of Party faithfuls in their closed doors cry to God on a daily basis for justice against those who have kept them in their current situation. Many Rivers people and residents alike (most of whom are not politicians) attribute the sufferings of our people today to the internal crisis of the APC which prevented them from having a credible alternative in the 2019 elections. You may not know but it is a fact. I’m not sure, it is something to be proud of.

"On the recent developments in our Party which culminated into the dissolution of the National Working Committee; the happenings in Rivers APC heralding this latest development and how it affects Ogoni people, I have these to tell you:

Many have argued that you were part of Igo Aguma’s Zoom meeting where the decision to illegally ‘suspend’ the Victorious Victor Giadom was taken, though unconfirmed, one begins to wonder what happened to your conscience. 

"Assuming you didn’t participate in the meeting, one wonders why you didn’t argue against such a decision to illegally ‘suspend’ your Ogoni brother with whom you enjoyed very special cordiality spanning over three decades even after the decision was taken. Assuming also, you couldn’t stop his purported suspension, one wonders how you can explain the choice of an Ikwerre man as his replacement.

"How do you explain your support for the futile effort to dethrone an Ogoni man who has risen by the special grace of God to be Acting National Chairman of the ruling Party in Nigeria that an Ikwerre man may take his place. Hypocrisy of an unimaginable and dangerous dimension.

"Your supporters were mobilized to invade the old Secretariat of Rivers APC on William Jumbo Street, Port Harcourt, vandalizing properties worth millions of Naira and you weren’t suspended. You stopped the Party in Rivers State from fielding Candidates for the 2019 elections and you were not suspended. Thanks to Rotimi Amaechi who wouldn’t allow all the moves to have you suspended.

"A man who has many friends had five farmlands, one of his friends came asking to be given the first farmland and he gave without hesitation. Same friend came back to ask for the second farmland, he gave him with joy. Same friend returned to ask for the third farmland which was the second largest of them all and he gave him freely. The day he came for the fourth which happened to be the very last and the largest one of the farmlands and he thought it wasn’t farming season yet and asked that he concentrates on the second largest farmland, he became a wicked friend, whereas there are many other friends of his who are yet to have a corner in anyone of the farmlands to farm," he submitted among others.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Building resiliency in times of uncertainty - ITREALMS

Commentary@ITREALMS:

The recent months have likely been the biggest challenge for all organisations across the continent. With almost no warning, millions of businesses – indiscriminate of size or stature – suddenly went from operating as usual to facing enormous challenges under the weight of uncertainty.

Companies in the region have had to find new ways of working, while establishing new pathways to productivity. Business resilience remains one of the most important and relevant ways for organisations to bypass legacy challenges and to explore new opportunities. Organisations that are paying attention to how digital can reshape their systems are not just readying themselves for the uncertainty of today, they’re fortifying their futures.

Building resilience

In building resiliency, organisations need to focus on building a resilient community amongst employees, customers, partners and suppliers. Having issues of cash flow front and centre forces the cost of talent into the limelight – but it doesn’t mean putting profit before people. This is where the CFO and HR team need to come together, working more closely than ever before. Together, the CFO and HR need to evaluate skills and resources, minimise temporary and long-term loss of staff, and look after their people. All of this will build a resilient business.

Focusing on bringing an overarching view of the health of the organisation is key; data is crucial to shape every discussion, aiding in quick decisions and allowing for agility and innovation. Building resilience is not finance’s job alone, this could be collaborating with the CIO and R&D teams, to ensure any future innovations align with customer strategies as well as the business’ purpose. Or it could mean working more closely with HR to ensure the business can meet changing customer demands.

Right now, cloud based applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (https://bit.ly/38dlrX6) and Human Capital Management (HCM) (https://bit.ly/3igOaio) are immensely valuable as they help build business resilience and innovation in an extremely complicated market. These solutions provide insights that can offer improved control over factors such as supply chain management, inventory and purchasing. They integrate systems and data, connecting systems and information so that data becomes transparent and accessible and relevant. These applications also help the organisation use business intelligence (BI) to analyse data, to create KPIs that are based on strategic targets, and measure performance versus targets to meet goals based on current market conditions.

With this strategic approach, companies are able to manage the complex balancing act more deftly between legacy and adaptability, without whittling away at the bottom line. It has also stimulated greater interest in how digital applications can benefit the organisation. These applications need to support the balancing act between the business and its potential, between the CFO, CHRO, CIO and all lines of business, and ensure that they deliver more value to the organisation.

Learning through others

A leading financial institution in Africa (https://bit.ly/2Vv3kGW) decided to invest into a cloud based human capital management (HCM) system so that employees and the executive could gain deeper control over their own career development and performance. The investment was designed to support the company’s new focus on human capital, empowered growth and improved insights into performance. It was a step away from disconnected systems and multiple sources of information towards a more compliant and connected environment that aligned people to strategy and business to market demand.

This is not a unique case study. Organisations around the world are recognising that investing into technology is one of the best ways for any organisation to create an agile and adaptable foundation. Technology is the great enabler as it allows for process, people and systems to pivot to meet new demands or markets.

Right now, the word ‘unexpected’ defines almost every market, company, business and region and its condition. The intelligent applications used by the Africa-based financial institution provided the analytics, strategy and talent management tools that the company needed to embed agility into its workforce. This is an agility needed right now as the SADC region turns to face the ripples of disruption caused by the pandemic. With legacy infrastructure challenges and limited connectivity, the region was working hard to shift into technology gear so it could fully tap into its potential before the pandemic. Now, the situation is somewhat more challenging.

Digital applications and cloud solutions allow companies to gain access to credible data that can be used to fundamentally change how the business operates. From streamlining processes to cutting away dead areas of the business to leaping into entirely new business directions, data can help direct the company’s decision making at critical points in time.

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (https://bit.ly/2Zn4sgT) system is designed to equip the business with resilience and agility. Both of these are beyond vital right now. Why? Because while agility gives businesses the ability to jump and swing when conditions demand, resilience is what ensures the business has what it takes to make that jump, to take that swing.

ERP platforms have evolved so much over the past few years. We can now provide insights into spending patterns, customer demand, market requirements and overall business productivity. If integrated with a cloud based HCM (https://bit.ly/2VxI8jx) solution, ERP can show the business the hidden corners of essential business operations for almost immediate short-term benefits. Want to know more about business spend, profitability and employee retention? That’s what this technology can reveal.

Organisations should strategically consider adoption of the right tools that answer the most important questions – how can we improve efficiency, how can we transform business process, which areas need prioritisation?
*Contributed by George Ferreira, Senior Sales Director: Applications at Oracle South Africa and SADC

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Amaechi: Let Project Managers Report Progress on Rail Projects - ITREALMS

Commentary@ITREALMS:

Nigeria is doing a lot in the railway sector. The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is a very passionate political leader overseeing the sector. His passion for success in that sector is outstanding and his achievements are quite huge. His weakness however is the muddled up nature of project implementation reporting.

Anytime you listen to the minister narrating progress report, you cannot but get more confused than educated. When he speaks, he appears more political. That is not bad. But he has failed to allow professionals to issue for the public progress reports on major projects. Again, because the Minister is only a politician who wants to deliver on projects, he at times mixed up critical projects details.

I agree there are project consultants but their reports are never used to brief the public. The situation is so bad that you get so many contradictory reports on state of project implementation. For example, more than five differing reports have emerged on the Lagos-Ibadan SGR projects. The reports especially on stage of implementation are unclear. The same apply to other rail projects like the Ibadan -Kano Line, the Coastal railway line,the Port Harcourt -Maiduguri line and many others.

Don’t get me wrong- the minister is doing very well. He is arguably one of the best ministers within the cabinet. Yet, he should allow professionals to handle progress update after issuing his political review. This is in his best interest. Nigerians will be able to appraise progress without current muddling up of the space. The Minister should allow a designated official of the Chinese firm to issue update on the projects. This is the model adopted in Kenya. It helps to ensure right messaging and clears misinterpretation.

Railway project implementation is too important to be reduced to mere political reporting. There is a standard format for project reporting. I know there are technical reports. The head of the technical team should be involved in the media briefing. More critically, the Nigerian Railway Corporation should play more frontal roles. The technical strength of the NRC should never be relegated especially at a time the nation is undergoing such massive railway expansion and modernisation.

There is urgent need for Minister Rotimi Amaechi to embrace standard format of project reporting to the public As noted in many classical books, “depending on the size and complexity of your project, the project management report may be required weekly or monthly. It is provided to all project stakeholders to help keep them up to date on the progress of the project and any pressing challenges the project may be facing.

“The majority of project management reports are single pagers, but may have appendices or links to more information for anyone who wishes to delve into the details. However, in some circumstances, it can be much more in-depth. For example, there is a government template that is ten pages in length.”

What is included in a project management report?
Project management reports should include the following key characteristics namely the project name;the project number (if you have one);name of the project manager;project sponsor;start date of the project;expected end date;customer name and information; and the date the report is released.

Other key metrics of project success include the following : schedule progress against plan-is the project ahead of or behind schedule?; current cost versus budget-are you under budget or over?; current scope compared to plan-has the scope changed since the project began? ; planned versus actual resourcing-are any resources missing or overallocated?

Other issues include: an overview of risks namely – are there any high risks that need to be managed? ; current quality findings- has quality testing been done? Were there any issues?

There are top level project managers involved in the various railway projects . They know the standard reporting procedures. Reports indicate that such projects reports are submitted regularly. The Minister has a duty to ensure accurate release of information on the stages of project implementation. Hence at every media briefing, he should have the project manager with him.

As at today, most Nigerians can hardly speak with certainty the exact implementation stages of most railway projects. Against the background of covid-19 , programmes may have changed. But the reality of the situation should be clearly communicated. As at now, that is not the situation. This needs to change going forward.

The Minister should realise that information sharing with the public is always the saving grace of political office holders. Hoarding vital communication with bureaucracy is always the undoing especially in case of communication crisis. For the future of the present office holders and overriding need for the public to know, time is now to allow professionals to brief the public on progress of work on the many mega rail projects.

Additionally, to help accountability and transparency organisations, information sharing is critical. It is a sure precondition for good governance.

*Contributed by Jude Aghai, analyst at Railway Accountability Hub, writes from Wuse, Abuja, Nigeria. His email-erimedia2013@gmail.com


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