Month: October 2023

(FLOWERBUDNEWS)  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria needs an institution that will produce cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for education, business, medicine, security among others.

Osinbajo expressed this view in his keynote address at the First Board Meeting/Fund Raising dinner in aid of the establishment of the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM) on Wednesday in Lagos.

He said that once in the life of a nation or community a vision emerged to do something truly extraordinary; something truly game-changing and  capable of decisively impacting the development of a nation.

“I think we are at such a moment here today; we gather to give life to an elite school of Science and Technology.

“Indeed, there must be an institution whose sole objective is to inspire innovation, inventions and research that address the most crucial problems of the nation and the world.

“How do we solve peculiar African health challenges such as Sickle cell Anaemia, fibroids and cancers?

“Clearly we need an institution able to provide the atmosphere to invent agricultural inputs that will guarantee the huge yields per acreage or volumes in dairy and livestock to meet the food security needs of a country headed for the third position in population size in a few short years.

“An institution that will produce cutting edge AI applications for education, business medicine, and security.

“ One that can design the educational innovation required to train millions of children in or out of classrooms all across the country and provide the techniques for delivering opportunities in technology on scale.’’

Osinbajo said that Nigeria must  produce world class economists, managers of commerce in a world increasingly disrupted by technology and innovation.

He said the nation must convert its best young minds to creative thinkers, innovators in science, technology, the economy, commerce and public finance.

According to him, Nigeria already has several tertiary institutions of science and technology and management sciences all over the country but NUTM comes with a difference.

“But what is proposed is an Institution intentionally created as a world class centre for the training of the best Nigerian minds and talents.

“The institution must also engage the best academics and scholars, locally and internationally.

“This is not an institution that we have seen the likes before locally; the comparators are the deliberate creation of thinkers in the public and private sectors like ourselves all around the world.

“The vision is clear but the key of course is funding.

“ As is the case with comparable institutions all over the world, the NUTM must have considerable resources to support high quality research.

“The implications of this are vast; to excite research NUTM ought to be able to attract to residence Nobel laureates and international leaders of thought and innovation; that will cost money,’’ he said.

He said a remarkable thing about the initiative was that the people behind it were all people who had been successful in creating high-quality institutions in other fields whether it be in the private or public sector.

The vice president  pledged Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that  the initiative succeeded as it was not just a project  but a vital national resource.

On his part, NUTM board member, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, said the aspiration was to build a world-class university in Nigeria that would provide such academic excellence and rigour that would be globally competitive.

The immediate past Minister of Trade and Investment said that the proposed institution would play a central role in repositioning Nigeria and Africa for competitiveness in the 21^st century.

“It will provide top-tier education for our children and unlock the many benefits that the ecosystem of a world-class school will produce.

“This university will specialise in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and is positioned to be a landmark centre of excellence that will serve not only Nigeria, but also Africa and beyond,” he said.

In a presentation, NUTM board member, Dr Pramath Sinha, said that the institution would leverage learnings from young institutions in countries like India and would focus on research and innovation.

He said that NUTM would target to be among top 50 young universities in the world.

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) The Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Kaduna State University (KASU) Prof. Abdullahi Ashafa, on Wednesday urged  the Federal Government to shift its foreign Policy from African centered to citizens centered.

Ashafa, a Professor of Diplomatic and Military History, made the call during a Discourse on “Xenophobia in South Africa: Its Origins, Trends and Remedies”, organized by the History Department of KASU.

He said Nigeria must abandon its “father Christmas“ foreign policy which leaves it with nothing to show for it, to a more rewarding foreign policy beneficial to Nigerians.

He said that rather than cry over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, the Federal Government should make the country attractive as a destination for greener pasture.

According to him, the foreign policy of a country depends on the strength of its economy, military and leadership.

He therefore called on Nigerian leaders to live up to their responsibilities to make Nigeria great and attractive.

“We are living in past glories by telling South Africans our roles in their liberation struggle, which they have all forgotten and treated as event of the past.

“Our country has retrogressed and became irrelevant because we have been surpassed by countries that once looked up to Nigeria as a destination for better living.

“We have been sleeping for too long, governed by corrupt, gluttonous, predatory and irresponsible clique of elite.

“We have allowed our corruption, terrorism, banditry, lawlessness and laziness, bad roads, non-functional institutions and infrastructure to define us, which allowed the world to treat us as bunch of criminals,“ he noted.

The professor further said: “If anything, the South African events should wake us up as Nigerians once woke up Ghana in the 1980s, with the popular slogan ‘Ghana Must GO’.

“Today, Ghana is the envy of not only Nigerians but the rest of African countries,“ Ashafa said.

He however advised the South African Government to educate its citizens to embrace the African identity and run an inclusive government to attract more skilled Africans to create an ‘America in Africa’.

The DVC explained that, as the most industrialized economy on the continent, South Africa is the only country that could provide economic opportunities to African professionals.

The South African justice system, he said,  must also wake up to its responsibilities, stressing that over 400 foreigners were killed between 2008 to date and none of the  perpetrators was convicted.

On his part, Prof. Jeremiah Methuselah, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts, KASU, said  the Xenophobia was not fear of foreigners but deep-seated hatred of South Africans against their fellow Africans.

Methuselah blamed the unabated attacks on fellow blacks Africans, on economic competition, false nationalism, the feeling of superiority over fellow blacks and exclusive nature of the country’s governance.

He explained that the many years of apartheid has robbed the South Africans of their self-esteem and isolated them from other Africans, stressing the need to help them out of their current psycho-phobia.

Another discussant, Dr Suleiman Shehu, Director, Centre for Basic Studies, KASU, noted that apartheid was abolished in 1994, but the mental effect remained with the South Africans.

According to him, Africans need fellow Africans to move forward as a continent, adding that embracing inclusive policies would help attract more ideas and skills needed for growth and development.

Earlier, the Chairman of the event, Dr Terhemba Wuam, Dean Students Affairs, KASU, said that History Department had continued to set agenda in discussing issues of national and international interest.

Wuam, the immediate past Head of the department, said that the 90 per cent of those controlling the South African economy were western foreigners.

He said that the intense competition on the 10 per cent economic opportunities by the indigenous population and other Africans was among major factors fueling xenophobic attacks. (NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Zambia’s central bank said on Wednesday it opposed government moves to remove lawmakers’ oversight over acquiring more public debt.

The Bank of Zambia said in a written submission to parliament in Lusaka that the National Assembly should ensure the government proposed constitutional changes failed.

“It is our considered view that National Assembly oversight is critical over these important public functions in a democratic dispensation like ours,” the Bank of Zambia said.

The government proposed constitutional changes in August to remove lawmakers’ right to approve new government loans and the ratification of international treaties – triggering an outcry from rights and opposition groups.

The government has said the changes are needed to get loans and treaties through when parliament is in recess.

Opposition politicians have accused President Edgar Lungu of trying to crack down on dissent – a charge dismissed by the government.

The proposed changes come as the government has increased public debt – drawing warnings from the International Monetary Fund.

A parliamentary committee is receiving submissions on the proposed constitutional amendments before presenting a report to the full assembly for debate.

The government requires a two-thirds majority in parliament to pass the amendments. No date has been set for a vote.

The Law Association of Zambia has also taken the matter to the constitutional court seeking to have the draft law withdrawn. (Reuters/NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS)  President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja presided over maiden Federal Executive Council (FEC) after his inauguration for the second term in office, and challenged the Ministers on service delivery.

Even as some of his ministers and lieutenants stormed at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal venue in Abuja to witness the judgement of the tribunal in the petition by Mr. Buhari’s rival and Peoples Democratic Candidate in the February 29 polls, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the president’s men at the venue is his cousin, Mamman Daura, and his close associate, Isa Funtua.

While presiding over the FEC, Mr. Buhari charged his ministers to double their efforts to ensure good service delivery to the people.

He gave reasons for creating new ministries, enjoined the ministers never to fail in meeting the expectations of Nigerians.

Mr. Buhari particularly challenged the `returning Ministers’ to redouble their efforts in the second term.

“I expect you all to redouble your efforts in this second term. To enhance service delivery, we decided to restructure some functions which led to the creation of some new ministries.

“For example, to achieve our goals of economic diversification and inclusive growth we merged the Ministry of Finance with that of Budget and National Planning.

“We also created the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to fully institutionalize our various interventions to support some of the poorest and most distressed citizens of our country,’’ he said.

While reminding the ministers of the oath they took on Aug. 21, the president urged them to offer selfless service to the nation.

Those attending the meeting include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita.

Others are National Security Adviser to the President, Babagana Monguno (rtd Maj.-Gen.)  and some presidential aides

With additional agency report

(FLOWERBUDNEWS)  Enugu State Government has approved the 2^nd edition of Coal City International Half-Marathon to be held within Enugu metropolis in November.

Inaugurating members of 2019 Coal City International Marathon Organising Committee on Tuesday in Enugu, Permanent Secretary,  Enugu State Ministry of Youths and Sports, Henrietta Ani, said the marathon would hold on Nov. 23.

Ani charged members of the committee to work for the success of the 2^nd edition of the half-marathon, adding that Zippsports was partnering the ministry to organise the event.

“Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had in June this year approved the state’s hosting of 2019 edition of the Coal City International Marathon.

”Today, I am inaugurating you to go out to the field and work for its success,’’ she said.

The permanent secretary said that local and foreign athletes from different parts of the world would participate in the international marathon.

Later, Managing Director of Zippsports, Nzube Ndiokwelu, enjoined members of the organising committee to work assiduously for the success of the marathon.

“We had financial, technical and logistic challenges in the previous edition and will not allow such to repeat.

“I am enjoining all members of the committee to work for the success of the 2019 marathon edition as  one big family,’’ Ndiokwelu said.

He explained that Zippsports was the franchise owner and marketer of the marathon, while Enugu State Ministry of Youth and Sports is providing the platform as other interested marketers were invited to market the marathon.

Responding, co-Chairman of the committee and Chairman of Enugu State Athletics Association, Mbonu Obiukwu, said the committee would overcome the problems encountered in the maiden edition of the marathon in 2019. (NAN)