Flowerbud News

Month: October 2023

  • Confusion as sacked NIPOST boss claims he’s been reinstated by Tinubu

    Confusion as sacked NIPOST boss claims he’s been reinstated by Tinubu

    The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has announced that Adeyemi Adepoju has been reinstated as the postmaster general of the agency.

     

    On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu relieved Adepoju from his role and appointed Tola Odeyemi as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of NIPOST.

     

    The announcement made by Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, was part of the leadership shuffle implemented for agencies and parastatals under the ministry of communications, innovations and digital economy.

     

    However, in a new statement published on NIPOST’s official X account on Saturday, the agency said the president had reinstated Adepoju.

    The statement said Adepoju was reinstated “due to his exceptional leadership and performance”.

     

    “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) has reinstated Rt. Honorable Adeyemi Sunday Adepoju as the Postmaster General of the Federation & CEO of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) due to his exceptional leadership and performance,” the statement reads.

     

    “Sunday Adepoju conveyed his appreciation to the President and other key supporters.

    He pledged to redouble his efforts to elevate NIPOST into a world-class digital postal service & align his vision with that of the Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy in contributing significantly to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

     

    “This reinstatement is a testament to Adepoju’s leadership skills and unwavering commitment to service. Nigerians can anticipate enhanced value & quality services from NIPOST, an agency dedicated to providing efficient, reliable, and effective postal services across the nation through a network of over 3000 post offices, offering a wide range of services including mailing, logistics, courier, and financial services.”

     

    A video of Adepoju in a jubilatory mood over the purported reinstatement has since surfaced on social media.

     

    In the video, he is seen arriving in a sport utility vehicle (SUV) into what looks like a NIPOST premises where he was acknowledging cheers from a jubilating crowd.

    However, the presidency has yet to release an official statement confirming the reinstatement of Adepoju as the postmaster general of NIPOST.

     

    Ngalale was not immediately available when contacted by TheCable for clarification on the development as calls to his mobile phone did not go through while messages sent failed to deliver

  • APPLY: FG launches tech initiative to empower 3m Nigerians, seeks trainers

    APPLY: FG launches tech initiative to empower 3m Nigerians, seeks trainers

    Bosun Tijani, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, has announced the launch of a programme to empower Nigerians with technology skills.

     

    Tijani, in a social media post on Friday, said the federal government intends to train three million technical talents (3MTT) by 2025 with the initiative.

     

    Tijani said the programme would create a pipeline of technical talent across Nigeria to help the ministry achieve its aim of making the country a net exporter of talent.

     

    According to the minister, the 3MTT would also contribute to the growth of the digital economy, and create employment for an unspecified number of trainers.

    In the first phase of the programme, Tijani said, 30,000 tech talents across Nigeria will be trained in the next three months.

     

    He noted that the scheme is not limited to the youths, as persons above 45 years can also apply.

     

    In a statement on the website of the programme, the ministry said interested organisations that want to provide trainers are required to download the document via this portal.

     

    The federal government said participants will learn software development, UI/UX design, data analysis and visualisation, quality assurance, product management, data science, animation, AI/machine learning, cybersecurity, game development, cloud computing and dev ops.

     

    “The training is hybrid, meaning that it combines online and in-person components. While the majority of the training can be done remotely, there are aspects that will require in-person training,” the ministry said in the statement.

     

    The government said financial support, covering the cost of training, will be provided for the first phase.

  • Oyo Govt to partner with Poultry Association of Nigeria to regulate industry

    Oyo Govt to partner with Poultry Association of Nigeria to regulate industry


    Oyo Govt to partner with Poultry Association of Nigeria to regulate industry

    By Adewale Owoade

     

    The Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, says the state government is ready to work with the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, on how to regulate the industry.

     

    Olaleye said this when members of the association visited him in his office in Ibadan, in commemoration of the 2023 World Egg Day.

     

    He also urged the association to create more awareness on the advantages of eating eggs.

     

    “You need to do more, you need to organise lectures, seminars, you need to go to schools, worship centres,and talk to our people on why they need to eat eggs.

     

    “We are set to work with the Poultry Association of Oyo State on how to regulate your industry.

    “We realised that at the moment, Oyo state is the biggest producer of day old chicks in the whole country.

     

    “And our poultry market is one of the largest in the country, meaning that if we must retain that position, we need to regulate the market.

     

    “We need to have the register of poultry farmers, processors, those who operate hatcheries and day old chick sellers.

     

    “We want to ensure that standards are complied with, the ministry is home of policies and regulations, and our intention now is to focus on policies and regulations for the growth of the market.

     

    “I can assure you in collaboration with poultry association of Nigeria we are going to achieve that within the next one year,” Olaleye stated.

     

    Earlier in his remarks, PAN Branch Chairman, Mr Oyekunle Omidokun, rolled out the importance of eggs to the body.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that World Egg Day was established in 1996 in Australia, by International Egg Commission, IEC, since then, egg fans across the world have celebrated egg day, which creates incredible nutrient power house, with this year’s theme being “Egg For A Healthy Future” (NAN)
    OWO

  • Profile of newly appointed FERMA Chairman, Kashim Imam

    Profile of newly appointed FERMA Chairman, Kashim Imam

    President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of the new governing and management team of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for a renewable term of four years. The most unusual appointment was that of the Chairman of the FERMA Board, Engr. Imam Ibrahim Kashim Imam, and 25-year-old first-class Mechanical Engineering graduate from Brighton University.

     

    Born on the 27th of December, 1998, Engr. Imam had shown promise from a young age. He had pursued his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Brighton University, where he graduated with first-class honors. His academic prowess continued as he pursued an MSc with honors at the same University. He completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in August 2022.

     

    Prior to his appointment, he served as a special assistant to Dave Umahi, the minister of works.

    His Father, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, is a Nigerian Politician. He ran for Borno state governor as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2003 and 2007, losing to Ali Modu Sheriff from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) both times.

     

    FERMA is an agency of the Federal Government which is concerned with road construction, improvement and connectivity between the States of Nigeria. It is to efficiently and effectively monitor and administer road maintenance with the objective of keeping all federal roads in good and safe conditions. The agency is under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Work.

  • Tinubu’s Finance Minister, Wale Edun gets World Bank appointment

    Tinubu’s Finance Minister, Wale Edun gets World Bank appointment

    Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has been appointed as the Chairman of the African Governors’ Forum of the World Bank.

    The African Governors’ Forum is a platform for African finance ministers and central bank governors to engage with the World Bank on issues of mutual interest.

     

    A statement on the Ministry of Finance’s X page said Edun’s appointment makes it the first of such for Nigeria.

    The appointment presents a unique opportunity for Nigeria and implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement said.

  • Nigerian Army task journalists on national interest in news reportage

    Nigerian Army task journalists on national interest in news reportage

    By Ibrahim G. Ahmad

    The  Commander 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Sani Ahmed, has called on journalists to put national interest above others in their news reportage.
    The call was made in a statement by the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations Headquarters 1 Brigade, Yahayya Ibrahim, and made available to newsmen in Gusau on Saturday.
    The commander made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zamfara State Council, at the Brigade Headquarters in Gusau.
    Ahmed commended the working journalists in Zamfara for their contributions towards timely dissemination of information on the operational activities of the troops.
    He appreciated the journalists for their synergy and support to the brigade which had aided the operational successes by the troops so far.
    He urged them to continue to partner with the troops in ensuring that peace and normalcy returned to the state.
    He said the union and its members had a vital role to play in the fight against terrorism and all forms of criminality in the state and the country as a whole.
    He added that the intensified security operations had led to the bumper harvest of farm produce and vowed to continue conducting harvest and farm patrol until farmers harvested their produce.
    The NUJ Chairman, Ibrahim Maizare, commended the efforts of  Nigerian Army in all the successful operations conducted which had yielded positively, especially in this year’s farming season.
    Maizare promised to continue to partner and collaborate with Nigerian Army and all other security agencies to achieve the return of normalcy in Zamfara and Nigeria in general.
    NAN
  • Sparking high tension cables electrocute 8 persons in Jos, killing 6

    Sparking high tension cables electrocute 8 persons in Jos, killing 6

    By Polycarp Auta

    A faulty power line of the Jos Electricity Distribution Plc. (JED) electrocuted eight persons at Kabong community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau on Saturday, killing six of them.

    The faulty line emitted sparks and electrocuted the victims in the various homes at about 3 a.m., just as it razed houses and shops in the community.

    Mr Istifanu John, Sole Administrator of the Jos North Local Government Council, who visited the scene, described it as very unfortunate.

    He said the accident inflicted other losses on the state and called on the JED to fix all faults that might have triggered the nightmare.

    “This is pathetic because it is an avoidable situation.

    “Those that lost their lives didn’t go anywhere to look for trouble; they died in their homes.

    “As government, we are pained by this development.

    “We call on JED to ensure that all faulty power sources are fixed to avoid this monumental loss in the future,’’ he said.

    John condoled with the bereaved families and called on residents to be wary about they use of electric appliances.

    In his remarks, spokesman of the traders association in the community, Mr Solomon Odidi, said seven shops were razed.

    Odidi blamed the incident on erratic power, supplied by the JED only at night.

    He commended the Plateau Fire Service for its timely response, which he said minimised the number of casualties and staved further damages.

    Odidi appealed to government to support the bereaved families and those whose properties were destroyed in the accident.

    NAN

  • Corruption not an African issue- Adesina

    Corruption not an African issue- Adesina

    By Lucy Ogalue

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwuni Adesina, says corruption is not an African issue.
    Adesina said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
    According to him, what is important is to continue to improve transparency, accountability and the use of public resources.
    “The global financial crisis that brought the world down in 2008, that was not in Africa. We have no Wall Street. That collapse came from greed, from corruption, from fraud.
    “You have people cooking the books that are in the financial industry in Europe, not in Africa.  Corruption is not an African issue.
    “The issue is that is not to say that there’s none. What you have to do is to continue to improve transparency, accountability and the use of public resources.”
    According to Adesin, he discovered during his first visit to Eritrea that the country has zero per cent corruption record.
    “During my first visit to Eritrea, I was talking to UN Development Programme staff. You know what they told me? That, in Eritrea, corruption is zero per cent.
    “Why do we not talk about that? That’s the kind of thing that we want to do. For us as a development bank, we take good governance very seriously.
    “As far as I am concerned, people’s resources do not belong in other people’s pockets. Governments must be accountable to their people,” he said.
    According to the AfDB boss, there has to be transparency on how resources are acquired and used. That’s why we have a governance programme.
    He said:“when you get money from us, we also support you technically. You are accounting for those resources.
    “I don’t want to minimise that Africa has a significant amount of illicit capital flows; it does  anything between 80 billion and 100 billlion dollars a year.
    “ But guess what? Those that are doing that are the multinational companies. And so what we have got to do is bring a searchlight to that.”
     On how Africa could improve its position in the global value chain, Adesina expressed sadness about the continent’s constant position at the bottom of the value chain.
    According to him, the fastest way to poverty is through exporting raw materials, but the highway to wealth is through global value chains.
    He said this could be achieved by adding value to everything you have, from oil to gas to minerals to metals and food. We must add value.
    “The issue is, we have to invest right; we have to make sure the governance environment is right; we have to make sure the incentives are right.
    “Africa must take a position that it is no longer going to be at the bottom but at the top,” he said.
    Commenting on the Bank’s support to food security in Africa, the AfDB boss said, “I don’t think that you can have development with pride unless you can feed yourself.
    According to Adesina,  the 81 shareholders of the AfDB provided it with an increase in the bank’s capital at the end of 2019, from 93 billion to 208 billion dollars.
    The AfDB boss said the figure was the highest capital increase in the bank’s history.
    He said the increase, however, allowed the bank to do an emergency support facility of 10 billion dollars in COVID crisis response for Africa.
    Adesina said the bank inaugurated a 1.5 billion dollars emergency food-production facility to mitigate the global geopolitical crisis leading to a food crisis in Africa.
     On the need to restructure the international financial systems,  Adesina said, “what is very important for us is the issue of the Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).
     “Africa needs to have a lot more resources for financing climate, but what is actually out there is not enough.
    “We have on the table right now the special drawing rights of the IMF. But when they were issued, 650 billion dollars were issued, Africa got 33 billion dollars.”
    “Its 4.5 per cent, its not good. You have small countries in Europe that got more and that is not fair and not inclusive.”
    According to him,  African Heads of State are asking for 100 billion dollars to be re-channelled from the countries that got it and don’t use it, or need it.
    “We might think of maybe just adjusting it a little bit. And calling it Supporting Development Revitalisation. That’s also SDRs,” he said.
    NAN
  • NUC knocks NBTE over top-up degree scheme for poly graduates

    NUC knocks NBTE over top-up degree scheme for poly graduates

    The National Universities Commission, Saturday morning knocked the National Board for Technical Education over the introduction of a “top-up degree” scheme for graduates of Nigerian polytechnics at the level of Higher National Diploma.

     

    The universities’ commission in a statement signed by its acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, noted that the move was in clear violation of its mandate.

     

    Earlier, the NBTE had announced a partnership with foreign universities where HND graduates could convert their diplomas to degrees through a one-year conversion course, following the dichotomy which has continued to exist between graduates of universities and polytechnics.

    The move had received praise from HND graduates across the country, but the NUC in a strongly-worded statement urged the NBTE to stay put on its plan.

     

    The statement reads, “The attention of the National Universities Commission has been drawn to the news (online) that the National Board for Technical Education has officially introduced a one-year top-up degree programme in Nigerian Polytechnics to enable holders of the Higher National Diploma to convert their certificates to the first degree with foreign accredited universities.

     

    “The online news, which was credited to the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Prof Idirs Bugaje, and the Board’s Head of Media Unit, Mrs Fatima Abubakar, revealed that the action was in furtherance of the advocacy for the removal of the existing dichotomy between degree holders and HND graduates in their various places of work, and to enhance the beneficiaries’ opportunities for further studies.

    The NUC wishes to inform the Management of the NBTE and the general public that the “Bill for an Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma in the Same Profession/Field for Employment, and for Related Matters”, which was passed by the 9th National Assembly in 2021, is yet to be assented to by Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, even though agitation continues to grow for the abolition of the dichotomy in Nigeria, there is, at the moment, no law that has removed the dichotomy between a university degree and the HND.

    Both the NUC Establishment Law (CAP N81, LFN, 2004) and its Operational Law: Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3 LFN, 2004) vest in the Commission the powers to superintend and regulate university education in Nigeria, lay down minimum academic standards in the nation’s Universities and other degree-awarding Institutions, and accredit their programmes.

     

    The statement further stressed that the National Universities Commission is the only body empowered by law to regulate university education in Nigeria.

     

    It added, “Thus, the Commission is the only constitutionally empowered regulatory agency for university education in Nigeria. Pursuant to the sustained commitment of the NUC to the development of a balanced, well-coordinated and productive University System that guarantees the delivery of quality education relevant to national development, and in the face of global competitiveness.

     

    “The university degree awarded by the Nigerian University System or any cognate Institution is not the same as the HND awarded by Polytechnics in Nigeria. In the Nigerian higher education space, the processes, contents and methods required for the acquisition of a university degree are substantially different from those needed for HND programmes;

     

    “At the post-graduate level, the requirements for admission into any Master’s degree programme in Nigerian Universities for candidates with HND are, among others, the acquisition of a Postgraduate Diploma from a recognised University in an area relevant to that for which the Master’s admission is being sought. To this end, it is implicit that beneficiaries of the NBTE’s Top-Up Programme shall be subjected to extant admission requirements by Nigerian Universities, should they desire to further their studies in the NUS.

     

    The statement also warned the unsuspecting general public and all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to note that the NUC “is not a party to and, indeed, disallows the so-called Top-up Scheme, being concocted by the NBTE.”

    Finally, the NUC warned the NBTE to focus on its mandate.

    In light of the above, the advice of the NUC is that the NBTE should focus on its core mandate and desist from introducing programmes that are outside its jurisdiction and not supported by any law in Nigeria. The Commission does not entertain any intrusion into its lawfully assigned mandate”, the statement concluded