By Justina Auta

Two Non-Government Organisations — Invictus Africa and BudgIT Foundation, on Wednesday, introduced “Womanity Index”, a tool to track annual ranking and reports on gender equality and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

The Executive Director of Invictus Africa, Ms Bukky Shonibare, at a news conference in Abuja, said that the index would also focus on issues affecting women, especially girl-child education, women’s health, economic empowerment and political representation in Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

She explained that it would be carried out through field and technology-based data collection to assist state and local governments to understand the context and identify gaps, as well as challenges peculiar to each state in addressing GBV.

She said “the Womanity Index is novel as it helps subnational governments, as primary duty bearers, to know their performance in their efforts to prevent and respond to GBV in their states.

“It will also identify the gaps and challenges that impede their performance, and the specific actionable recommendations which, when implemented, will result in ensuring laws and policies that guarantee GBV prevention, effective support systems, and allocation of adequate budget and spending to address GBV.

“It will also aid accountability by duty bearers (governments) and provide the relevant data and evidence needed by citizens to track implementation and advocate for effective GBV prevention and response,” she said.

Mr Gabriel Okeowo,the Country Director, BudgIT Nigeria, said data from the research in some states would serve as reference documents on GBV to ensure state-specific recommendations.

“So this first work is very important and will serve as a base line.

“We will then have a basis of comparison to be able to say as at 2023 this is where this state is and as at now this is what the results is showing,” he said.

Mr Folarin Johnson, the Senior Project Officer, Nigeria Governor Forum World Bank SFTAS programme, said the index would enable government measure all interventions on GBV in their various states.

According to him, it is a research and it is not just about the field data collection.

“We are going to be building on some of the data that are in existence.

“So the reason this partnership exist is for everybody involved to bring out what they have done in the past and it is what will form the basis of what it is.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Segun Giwa

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged youth to embrace digital learning platforms in accelerating skilling, up skilling and employment opportunities.

Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, UNICEF Communication Specialist, said this on Thursday in Lagos at a two-day workshop organised in collaboration with National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos Office, for young people and journalists across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day workshop is tagged: “Media Dialogue on Digital Learning Platforms.”

Ejiofor said the programme was aimed at galvanising the media to support advocacy on digital learning solutions with a focus on bridging the digital divide, especially for girls and young people in hard-to-reach communities.

She noted that UNICEF had collaborated with governments and other partners in creating the enabling environment for skills development that would enable young people to thrive and better able to respond to the country’s social and economic needs.

Ejiofor also said that the deployment of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP), an online offline and mobile digital learning platform that supports learning and skills acquisition for Children and youths as well as the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) platform, were avenues to skill as well as connect young people to opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and social impact.

Mr Joannes Yimbesalu, UNICEF Programme Specialist, said that the workshop was an opportunity to explore, learn and share ideas on the benefits and opportunities available to young Nigerians on the NLP, YOMA and U-Report digital platforms.

Yimbesalu enjoined the media to help amplify these digital platforms to the youths.

In her remarks, the NOA Director in Lagos, Ms Adetola Adegboyega, said that the training was important due to the importance of technology in day-to-day activities.

Adegboyega who noted that journalists were also an important aspect of the training, said that they would help in disseminating information on the opportunities offered by digital learning. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Victor Adeoti/Vincent Obi

By Segun Giwa

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Wednesday in Lagos, commenced training of selected youths and journalists in the South-West zone on digital learning platforms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day training is tagged: “Media Dialogue on Digital Learning Platforms.”

In her opening remarks, UNICEF Communication Specialist, Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, said that the programme was aimed at exposing youths to the advantages of digital learning platforms.

Ejiofor said that the media were also involved to do the advocacy on the digital learning platforms and give the platforms necessary publicity.

According to her, embracing the digital learning platforms by the youth will reduce unemployment and crimes in the country.

Ejiofor said that the primary purpose of the dialogue was to understand the various digital platforms and how young people could make use of them positively.

The UNICEF communication specialist also said that the training would expose the youth to how to write their curriculum vitae, where to submit job applications and how to make use of digital platforms for wealth creation, among others.

“We brought many experts to this programme to help us know more about digital learning platforms of both the private and government organisations,” she said.

In her remarks, the NOA Director in Lagos, Ms Adetola Adegboyega, said that the training was important due to the importance of technology in day-to-day activities.

Adegboyega, who noted that journalists were also an important aspect of the training, said that they would help in disseminating information on the opportunities offered by digital learning.

Also speaking, UNICEF Programme Specialist, Mr Joannes Yimbesalu, said that the programme was an opportunity to explore, learn and share ideas on digital learning.

In her presentation, Head of Communication, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Ms Taiye Tunkarimu, said that the agency was saddled with creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for all Lagos residents.

Tunkarimu said that the agency was also working toward reducing unemployment and crimes in the state.

She stated that the agency had trained no fewer than 16,000 youths on digital literacy, tech talent drive and vocational skills, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Victor Adeoti and ‘Wale Sadeeq

By Victor Adeoti

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun have commended the Jennifer Etuh Foundation (JEF) for donating a hospital and skill acquisition centre to Ifewara community in Osun.

The duo gave the commendation on Wednesday during the inauguration of the hospital built by the foundation in memory of the late Mrs Jennifer Ramatu Etuh, wife of the Chairman of JEF, Mr Thomas Etuh.

The establishment of the hospital is part of the vision of late Mrs Jennifer Etuh to provide accessible and affordable world-class healthcare services to women and children in rural communities.

In his remarks, Adeboye thanked Etuh for siting the hospital in his hometown, adding that the late Jennifer Etuh was one of his “spiritual daughters”.

The cleric who noted that the late Jennifer and her husband were very dear to him, said that in spite of his intercession while she was sick, “the Lord decided to call her home”.

Adeboye called for prayers for the family of the Etuhs, admonishing people to contribute their quota to improving the society and helping the people around them.

Also speaking, Adeleke appreciated the foundation for building the health facility in the state.

He said that his government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state.

The governor said his administration had provided free medical care to over 25,000 residents of the state under the “Imole Free Sugical and Medical Outreach.

In his remarks, Etuh said his wife gave clear instructions on what should be done with her investments following her health challenges, before her demise.

He said the late wife’s instruction gave birth to the medical centre.

“Before her demise, considering what she was going through, Jennifer gave clear instructions on what was to be done with her investments and this was to ensure others do not experience what she unfortunately passed through.

“It was the burden she carried before her demise that gave birth to the blessing, now known as the Jennifer Etuh Foundation (JEF).

“By the special grace of God, we are here today inaugurating a new hospital in the home town of her spiritual parents, Pastor and Mrs Enoch and Folu Adeboye,” he said.

Etuh noted that two similar medical centres on the instruction of his late wife, had been built and inaugurated in Odu (Kogi State) and Kagoro (Kaduna State).

He said the foundation intended to build two more hospitals.

Etuh disclosed that the foundation would soon inaugurate another hospital in Gombe State. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), has said that the approval of the concessioning of its two projects by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) would attract N180 billion revenue to Nigeria.

A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Ifeanyi Nwoko, Acting Head, Media and Publicity, ICRC), said the projects included the Cassava Bio-mass and Bio-ethanol Value Chain and National Fire Detection And Alarm System (NAFDAS).

Nwoko said the concessioning was to create wealth, reduce poverty, improve food security and nutrition, provide jobs and renewable energy, and reduce carbon footprint.

“While the NAFDAS project will generate a total of N75 billion in the 15-year concession period, the cassava bio-ethanol value chain will generate a total revenue of N105 billion within the five-year concession period.

“The cassava bio-ethanol value chain, which will be done on a pilot phase, aims to build a Bio-technology Industrial Park on a 20-hectare plot across 20 universities, academia and research and development institutes.

“In the pilot phase, 5,000 special hybrid cassava (TME 419) stems will be planted per hectare, (totalling) 100,000 stems for the 20 hectares,” he said.

In addition, he said the project would supply organic fertiliser, boosters, conditioners, pre and post-emergent herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and knapsack sprayers.

“The project also seeks to double cassava production from the current 62 million tons to an output of no fewer than 120 million tons.

“With improved tropical agro-ecology, bio-technology, intense mechanisation, and effective partnership resource mobilisation, Nigeria can double output to 120 million metric tons in five years,” he said.

Nwoko said the key goal of the cassava-bioethanol pilot project was to demonstrate the efficacy of a private sector-led approach in promoting investment in renewable biomass and creating wealth.

“Also in providing jobs, reducing poverty, improving food security and nutrition, providing renewable energy and reducing carbon footprint,” he said.

Nwoko said the project was proposed to be financed with a grant from the Federal Government and Concessionaire investment totalling N11.9 billion.

The ICRC spokesman said the revenue stream presented by the project includes sales of cassava stem, cassava flour, garri, starch, and Bio-ethanol.

“Total revenue for the five-year concession period is N105,610,000,000,” he said.

He said that the NAFDAS project would provide fire mitigation hardwares, softwares, and equipments that would be linked to a cloud network.

Nwoko said the project would be supervised by the Federal Fire Service through a private entity.

“Through the use of this technology, call, and response time in fire incidents will be automated thus drastically reducing avoidable incidents,” he said.

Nwoko said more lives and properties would be saved, and generally ensure efficient fire prevention, detection and management.

“This means that smoke alarms and other fire detection hardware will be linked to a server which will alert the system when the user is in distress without them having to call for help,” he said.

He said the project would begin in seven states on pilot basis, before rolling it out to all states across the country.

Nwoko said the total cost of the project was N3.5 billion, while the government targets to generate N75 billion within 15 years of the concession.

“Share of revenue to the government was projected as 40 per cent of subscription revenue totaling N17,262,850,871, an average of N1,150,856,724 over the 15 years proposed concession period.”

He added that the revenue stream included margin on installations and annual subscription fee from users.

Nwoko said both projects would be executed under the regulatory guidance of ICRC with the revenue shared between government and the concessionaire at a ratio decided in the concession agreement. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Maharazu Ahmed