The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has warned corps members who will be participating in the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State, not to be involved in any act that could make them run foul of electoral laws.
Ibrahim also specifically warned them not to post results of the election on social media while urging them to build on the performance of their counterparts in Edo State as part of the process to free and fair elections.
The DG made this known on Friday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during his official visit to the state ahead of the forthcoming governorship poll.
Addressing the corps members, the DG urged them to always maintain the neutrality that they were known for. He also advised the corps members to always be security conscious and aware of their environment.
“You should not compromise the integrity of the scheme and not post results of the election on social media,” the NYSC boss warned.
The DG later visited the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, saying the visit was important because traditional institutions were also stakeholders in the electoral process and were in the best position to speak to their subjects on peaceful conduct during elections.
”The traditional institutions are also stakeholders in the electoral process. Please help urge the good people of Akure and Ondo State in general to protect corps members,” he appealed to the monarch.
“I assure you of the support from the NYSC. Our corps members are digital corps members, always tell them what you want. I want to urge you to tap into their resources of corps members around you,” Ibrahim added.
Responding, Oba Aladelusi said the peaceful, free and fair election in Edo could be replicated in Ondo.
The monarch said he believed in the corps members and was sure of their neutrality, saying, “Whoever emerges is our governor, your corps members have been doing well so far.”
Since the establishment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), it has been consistent in deepening and protecting the rights of consumers.
Indeed, one of the core mandates of the NCC is to protect the rights of telecom consumers in Nigeria.
The protection of the rights is enshrined in Chapter VII of the NCC Act (NCA 2003), that gave legality to the Consumer Affairs Bureau, a key department of the NCC.
At an interactive session recently in Abuja, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, enumerated the efforts of the commission in the protection of the rights of telecom consumers.
Danbatta who was appointed NCC Executive Vice Chairman in November 2015 , and reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2020 and confirmed by the Senate on July 21, 2020, reiterated the commitment of NCC to protect Nigeria’s telecom consumers.
“The consumer is king; hence our consumer-centric regulatory initiatives to ensure consumer protection; information and education have continued to top our agenda.
“To further empower consumers, in 2016 we introduced the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code, which gave consumers the power to opt-in or out of unsolicited messages on their respective networks.’’
The executive vice chairman said that it was because of the importance attached to consumer protection that the NCC declared 2017 as “ The Year of the Consumer,’’ and set out with various projects to bring telecom consumers closer to the commission and their various network operators.
“The commission also upgraded the NCC-Free number 522 as secondary complaints mechanism to further empower and resolve consumer complaints.
“We also issued directives on data roll-over and another on forceful subscription of data services and value-added services (VAS).
“The two directives have ensured effective protection of telecom consumers, Danbatta said.
He recalled that in 2019, the commission revised the NCC Consumer Complaints and Services Legal Agreement (CC/SLAs) with the operators in order to ensure prompt response to consumer complaints, and also reviewed the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations at a Public Inquiry.
“We initiated the Mobile Services Management Systems, in collaboration with other agencies aimed at protecting consumers from the negative effect of substandard devices on the networks and the health of telecom consumers.
“The Mobile Services Management Systems project, when fully implemented, will help in combating the proliferation of fake, counterfeit and cloned communication devices in the telecommunications industry.
“Similarly, we have developed regulations on E-Waste,’’ Danbatta added.
According to him, the regulations will ensure that we are also able to rid our environment of indiscriminate disposal of malfunctioning and disused gadgets, which are capable of posing health risks to consumers.
“I also need to mention our commitment in protecting the lives and property of telecom consumers by getting rid of improperly registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards. We conduct periodic audit of the networks to ensure the MNOs do not harbour improperly registered SIM cards on their networks any further,’’ he emphasised.
Danbatta announced that 19 Emergency Communications Centres (ECC) have been activated across the country.
“ The 112 national emergency number allows Nigerians in distress to get help in emergencies.
“The 112 number has become a major channel of communication during this COVID-19 period as over 1,200 COVID-19 related calls were made to the 112 national emergency toll free number between March and June 2020 from the various ECCs across the country.
When Danbatta spoke at the 2017 Lagos International Trade Fair and Exhibition, he reiterated the commitment of the commission in its fight against the abuse of customers’ rights and privileges.
He emphasised that consumers of telecommunications services deserved to get value for their money and be treated as very important stakeholders in the scheme of things as far as service delivery is concerned.
Danbatta maintained that his administration is fighting to protect consumers from unfair practices through availability of information and education to make informed choices in the use of ICT services.
“Our objective is to engage, empower, educate and inform the consumers about their rights and responsibilities, opportunities and solutions that are available in the industry.
“The essence of this is to reassure the consumers that the issue of protecting them from unfair practices is no mere talk.
“We have put the service providers on special notice about our current monitoring of user experience on issues of poor reception, wrong billings and deductions, automatic roll over among other issues, and if they fail to improve services to the detriment of the consumers, will face appropriate regulatory actions and sanctions,” he said.
The performance of NCC has not gone unnoticed, as Yahaya Garba, Commissioner for Federal Capital Territory of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), during a visit in July 2019 to NCC headquarters in Abuja, commended the commission for effective protection of telecom consumers’ rights.
“For us at PCC, we would like to commend the NCC in recognition of its efforts in implementing the National Telecommunications Policy, regulating the telecom sector and protecting the rights of consumers and operating companies alike,” he said during the visit.
Garba particularly stated that PCC initiated the visit to get familiarized with the NCC’s functions and operations with regards to telecom consumer protection, deepen areas of collaboration and solicit ICT capacity building for PCC staff by the telecom regulator.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman Danbatta, emerged the winner of the 2019 Zik Prize, in the professional leadership category.
Prof. Pat Utomi, member, Advisory Board of the Award, via a webinar on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, said that Danbatta and Mr Kennedy Uzoka, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) are the winners in that category.
“Prof Umar Garba Danbatta is a square peg in a square hole. An academic professor, Danbatta has, through the NCC, led the charge to drive Nigeria’s industrial revolution and knowledge-based economy leveraging telecommunications,” he explained.
According to Prof. Utomi, telecom contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria has grown by 70 per cent from 2015 to 2020, whilst broadband penetration has leaped from 8 per cent to 42 per cent, in the same period.
“His leadership has enhanced transparency and innovation in the sector, such that recently, NCC was acknowledged by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as one of Africa’s foremost regulator,” he observed.
In a letter of nomination in July 2020, jointly signed by the Chairman of the Board, Sen. Jubril Aminu and Utomi, the NCC boss was described as “an outstanding public servant, whose initiatives and reforms had contributed to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) playing a leading role in the socio-economic development of Nigeria.”
Zik Prize was set up in 1994 in honour of Nigeria’s first President, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Besides deepening the protection of consumers’ rights, the NCC has also deepened the purse of the nation.
According to Danbatta, NCC remitted N362.34 billion into the Federal Government Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), from 2015 to date.
Danbatta, who spoke at the interactive session, said that the revenue was realised through spectrum fees and operating surplus, which he noted helped to boost the revenue generation drive of the present administration.
Danbatta also said that NCC had continued to collaborate with academics to support the development of the innovative services and life-changing solutions with the use of information and communications technologies to promote indigenous content.
“ The commission has so far released N336.4 million as research grants to the academia and has endowed professional chairs in two Nigerian universities.
“More importantly, we have empowered the Nigerian youth by promoting their ingenuity and innovation in the development of locally-relevant technology solutions.
“ The latest of such was the 2020 NCC Virtual Hackathon, where we gave N9 million in grant to three top promising tech startups for solutions, aimed at addressing the impact of COVID-19 and diseases in thematic areas of health, community, productivity, economy and transportation.’’
Danbatta, however, restated the commitment of the NCC to continue to protect consumers and ensure they have value for their money, and appealed to consumers to report any infraction by mobile network operators to NCC
The Kogi state Chairman of the Central Labour Forum ( CLF), Comrade Moses Momoh on Friday charged members of the state House of Assembly to support government’s policies and programmes that will uplift wellbeing of the citizenry.
Comrade Momoh gave the charge at a reception held at the NUJ press centre, Lokoja in honour of Alhaji Ibrahim Isah Amoka, the former Chairman of kogi state council of NUJ, on his appointment as the Clerk of the state House of Assembly.
He described the Clerk, Alhaji Ibrahim Isah Amoka, as the Ambassador of Journalism and the Senatorial District of the state, for his immense contributions to the wellbeing of humanity.
The forum chairman commended the governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello for the appointment which he described as a gift for labour unions and pledge for their support for the government.
He equally thanked governor Bello for the establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology located in the central senatorial district and appealed for more appointments for members.
He hailed the Supreme Court judgment which affirmed the Election of the Governor, stressing that the judgment was the confirmation of the overwhelming love of the people for the governor .
In their separate remarks, Habitat Umar, representing central women in Labour, the Chairman , Kogi State Council of NUJ, Comrade Adeiza MomohJimoh, the former Chairman of NUJ Emmanuel Bola Boro and the Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution, Comrade Abdul Miliki acknowledged his humane disposition to the welfare and wellbeing of his members.
In his response, the clerk of the house, Alhaji Isah Amoka thanked the forum for the honour bestowed on him, promising not to disappoint the confidence repose on him, insisting that Journalism remains his port of call.
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ has threatened legal action against Ministries, Departments and Organizations frustrating the use of the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act. in the state.
They have also commended some members of the House of Representatives for working against the obnoxious Federal Water Resources Bill.
This was part of the communique reached at the end of its October Congress in Uyo yesterday endorsed by the state chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk and chairman of the Communique Drafting Committee, Comrade Idongesit Ashameri.
According to the communique, “congress notes the consistent refusal of MDAs in Akwa Ibom State to provide certain information requested by journalists, thereby flouting the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, and called on the MDAs to do the needful to avoid a resort to legal action to get the required information.
“Congress commended members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State for joining forces with some of their colleagues to resist the position held by a lawmaker from Katsina State that the obnoxious National Water Resources Bill had been passed by the House.
“The Bill should not be reintroduced as a fresh Bill and urged them to sustain the resistance among the lawmakers opposed to the Bill and kill it at the commencement stage since the process for ts enactment has started again.
It reaffirmed the endorsement of Comrade Helen Udofa, a former Treasurer of the State Council, by the NUJ, Zone F, at its meeting in Uyo, for the position of National Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, at the forthcoming Triennial Delegates’ Conference of the association in Minna, Niger State.
The Congress also urged the State Government to step up remedial work in erosion- threatened areas within and outside the capital city and called on relevant agencies of government to regulate dredging activities in the state as many parts of the state is threatened by sand excavation.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu on Friday, gave directive that schools in the country can now resume normal academic activities by October 12th 2020.
The directive was also extended to public and private tertiary institutions, even though the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU in public universities have been adamant to resume owing to differences in the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System IPPIS.
Making the announcement on Friday, in his office, Adamu explained that he had taken pains to consult with stakeholders in the sector, some of which included the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Provost of Colleges of Education, Rectors of Polytechnics, Vice Chancellors of Universities, State Governors among other development partners.
He said he was skeptical to order the reopening of schools even though he was also under intense pressure to do so.
According to him, ‘I had indicated at the Wednesday 8th July, 2020 Federal Executive Council meeting that until the curve of infection rate of Covid-19 is flattened and adequate preparations put in place, it will be unsafe to reopen schools”.
He said consequent upon these consultations, schools for exit classes in the 104 Unity Colleges were directed to resume and sit for their examination and gladly no single case of Covid-19 infection was reported.
His words, “After due consultation with the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 ,we have decided that all our 104 Unity Colleges should reopen on the 12th of October 12th, 2020.
” State and Private School owners will work out the modalities for the re-opening of schools under their purview”.
With the latest instruction from the government, school owners are expected to ensure social distancing procedures, develop and display at schools, simple context specific reference protocols on day to day actions and conduct risk assessment with a view to understanding the gaps in the system that can increase the risk of transmission.
The Minister emphasized that there should be safety and hygiene procedures in all stages and phases of the school reopening process which will promote behaviours that will reduce spread.
The resumption formalities is also expected to conform with the establishment of a staff/students committee for regular surveillance ,monitoring and enforcement of COVID 19 guidelines, including regular temperature checks for all visitors coming into the schools, using infrared thermometers.
The Minister however warned that any school owner that does not comply with the guidelines and outbreak occurs in such institution owing to negligence ,risks closure.
“Let me warn that any school owner that does not comply with these guidelines and an outbreak occurs in the school due to negligence, risks closure. Be vigilant, strict and rigid in the implementation of Covid-19 protocols for the safety of our children and ourselves as we reopen schools.
“Nothing should be taken for granted, let me use this opportunity to thank and appreciate the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and other stakeholders for the various roles they have played which have brought us this far,”he stated.
Recall that while the emergence of Covid-19 infections destabilized the world in early March 2020, governments all over the globe were compelled to impose drastic measures to curb the spread, a development that also resulted in academic activities grounded.
However, while researches for vaccines are ongoing in advanced climes, countries are adopting cautious mechanism to return to normalcy.
A second class traditional ruler, Alh. Nasiru Momoh and 30 other prominent people in Adavi local government area of Kogi State have been arrested and detained at the state CID, Lokoja over an alleged false alarm.
The arrest, according to our correspondent was sequel to an alleged alarm raised by the traditional ruler who is the Asema Uka (Otumi – Ajoko), and others over the imposition of an unpopular candidate which could ignite crisis in the area.
A source close to the party, said some leadership of the party are not comfortable seeing the traditional ruler and some APC stalwarts supporting an All Progressive Congress chairmanship aspirant which is said not to be the anointed candidate of the governor.
The council leader who is the SSA security, Mr Omuya is said to have ordered for their detention. The affected people who were said to have been invited for a meeting by the police have been detained since Tuesday without being charged to court.
Among those arrested and detained are the immediate past chairman of the council, Alh Ajoge Enesi, an APC stalwart, Major Abdullahi Aliyu(rtd), the youth leader and many others.
Our investigations further revealed that the council poll has caused serious crises within the ruling party as the APC is accused of only giving forms to those who are regarded as the governor’s anointed without going through primary to elect Party’s candidate.
The imposition of candidates for the December 12 local council elections by the APC, according to our correspondent has caused serious crises in Dekina, Mopamuro, kabba bunu and many other local government areas in the state.
When contacted, the police public relations officer, William Aya could not be reached for his reaction, but a senior police officer who craves anonymity said” the detention is an order from above’ and that they will only be charged to court if there is further directive.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday upturned the August 17, 2020 verdict of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which had sacked Governor Duoye Diri from office and ordered fresh poll to be conducted within 90 days.
A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Adezila Mshelia set aside the tribunal’s verdict and affirmed Diri’s election in its judgment delivered on Friday.
The three-man election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja had, in a split decision of two-to-one, nullified the November 16, 2019 Bayelsa State governorship election as a result of the unlawful exclusion of the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party and its candidate, King George, from the exercise.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Diri, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission had filed separate appeals against it.
The Court of Appeal upheld the appeals on Friday by holding that ANDP was not unlawfully excluded from the election.
BY IDIBIA GABRIEL, KADUNA A member representing Zango/Jaba Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji has facilitated the release of relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to about 500 victims of Southern Kaduna crises who suffered huge material lost especially bunt houses during the attacks. The Zonal coordinator of the Agency, Abbani Imam Garki made the disclosure during distribution of relief materials in Zonkwa to Southern Kaduna Victims. Mr Garki ,who spoke through his Director, commended the member of house of Representative for his doggedness and responsive leadership toward his people.
According to him, the federal Lawmaker has been pushing consistently and disturbing for the release of the relief materials to help ameliorate the suffering of his people who have suffered unwanted attacks by Fulani herdsmen militia without any state government support. He said that “Hon. Magaji is the brain behind the actualization of the items”, calling on the victims to remain calm and embrace peace as a prerequisite for providing an enabling environment for sustainable development in the region.The DG noted that the Agency would soon return, in company of the Federal lawmaker to carry out an extensive assessment of houses affected by the herdsmen activities so that victims could be assisted with building materials to hasten their return to their various Communities. In his remark, the rep member, Hon. Magaji reiterated his readiness to continue to exemplify credible representation on behalf of his people in need of supports. Hon Magaji said, when the crises started he went roundabout and met the DG of NEMA who promptly acted with passion and compassionately to ensure the items were released. While he thanked the DG of NEMA for his quick intervention, Magaji stressed the need for all emergency Management Agency to operate in like. manner.
He explained that even though the government cannot be able to compensate people of all the things that were lost during the crises, saying that only God can comfort the Victims. Meanwhile, some of the victims who received items, in a separate interviews, commended NEMA and the Federal Lawmaker for acting promptly. According to them the items would help cushion their trauma, adding only their safe return to their homes wouldl give them some comfort rather than staying in an IDP Camp.
The Federal Government has directed all educational institutions in Nigeria to resume academic activities by October 12th,2020.
The directive also includes tertiary institutions in the country.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu made the announcement on Friday in his office.
Recall that educational institutions in Nigeria had been under lockdown following the Coronavirus pandemic that plagued the country since March this year.
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s comparison of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
President Buhari during his Independence Day speech had compared the oil price in Nigeria to those of neighbouring countries and even Saudi Arabia, stating that it made no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than other oil-producing nations.
According to him, “In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.”
He also revealed that petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. It now sells at N161 per litre.
Reacting, the President of the TUC, Quadri Olaleye, in a statement, said Nigeria should never be compared with other countries, adding that the country had achieved nothing despite six decades of oil exploration.
Olaleye said successive governments had looted, laundered and wasted the country’s resources while patronising hospitals outside the country.
“It is like comparing black and white and this is very bad.
“It is so ridiculous to compare Nigeria with Saudi, Dubai, or any other country, not even in Africa because with the natural resources that we have, we could rule the world, but government is not interested.
“There is no need for this comparison because it looks like the president is defending fraud and the impoverishment of Nigerians.
“The truth is Nigeria has achieved nothing with all the money made from oil since over six decades of oil exploration in commercial quality. Absolutely nothing.
“All successive leaderships have done is loot, launder and buy properties in foreign land.
“So, if the president is defending the hike in pump price, what does he want to do with the surplus they will make from the hike.
“I am really sure that they will come up with the same old story of providing infrastructure when Our roads are nothing but death traps.
“Our leaders are not patriotic at all. In Saudi Arabia now, roads, water, and to some extent, jobs are not big issues.
“But then on the other hand, Nigerians contend with estimated bills because power firms had refused to provide meters,” he said.
