By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

Some staff of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU),Awka, Anambra, on Thursday staged a peaceful protest over non-payment of their four years salaries.

The protesters lamented that since they got their employment letters in 2019, they  had yet to be captured in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the group displayed placards with different inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions included : ‘Federal Government, do come to our rescue’, ‘It’s been 4 years of employment with NAU without pay’ and ‘Senate and House of Reps, our case needs urgent attention’.

Others read: ‘We are dying of hunger and depression’, ‘We are now Debtors’, ‘Presidency and Head of Service, save our souls’, among others.

Addressing newsmen, the group’s spokesperson, Mr Echezonam Ibezi, said he could not understand why they were yet to get their salaries after going through the processes of employment.

“Since Jan.1, 2019, when we got our employment letters and resumed work, we have not been paid a dime till today.The school management said we have to be captured in IPPIS.

“At some point, about 120 persons were sent text messages to go to Enugu for IPPIS capturing and after that, the remaining 1,311 persons were yet to be captured.

“They keep saying they are working on it, but this is four years running, nothing has been done, no salaries.

“We come to work regularly, the students I taught from year one have all graduated. What is our crime? We are suffering, many of us cannot afford to pay our rents and pay other bills.

“We are holding this protest to call the attention of the National Assembly, the HOS and Nigerians, to our plights. The Federal government should come to our rescue,” he said.

Responding, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, NAU, thanked the protesting staff for being civil.

He said that the management was working to resolve the problem and assured them that their concerns would be considered (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

Busayo Onijala

Some education stakeholders have adopted a code of conduct for use by primary and secondary schools in Lagos State to ensure a safer environment for learning and growth.

They adopted the code as a working document at a seminar organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Society for Family Health(SFH).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNESCO’s “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3)” project, working on school rules and regulations, is being implemented by SFH.

It contains regulations for students’ general conduct, dress code and grooming, disallowed items, health and environmental regulations, sexual behaviour, school activities and exam malpractice.

The document also highlights various offences that might be committed by students and staff, and accompanying punishments.

Dr Adejare Afolabi, Deputy Director, Planning, Policy, Research and Statistics at the Lagos State Education Ministry, said that the document would help instil peace and order in the school system.

Afolabi, who represented Mr Abayomi Abolaji, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, noted that it would be difficult for any organisation to operate and maintain order without rules and regulations guiding the conduct of its members.

According to him, any nation that will be great must ensure that the future leaders are properly brought up so they can conform with basic standards.

“Once there are rules, every child knows what to do and what not to do while also being aware of consequences for disobedience.

“These rules will protect schools and students from anything that can endanger them.

“It contains students rights, expectations from students, administrators, parents as well as teaching and non-teaching staff in order to avoid misconduct,” Afolabi said.

Giving an overview of the project, Dr Segun Oyedeji, a Deputy Chief of Party, SFH, said it envisioned that young people in South Saharan Africa were empowered, educated, healthy and should become resilient.

According to him, they should have the capacity to reach their full potential and contribute to the development of their community, country and region.

He said SFH was contracted in 2019 by UNESCO to develop an assessment to determine the level of inclusion of rules and regulations in Nigerian schools.

This assessment, he said, was geared towards implementing the “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future(O3)” project in Nigeria.

“This is to reduce gender-based violence directed at school learners and to create a safe space for learners at all levels.

“The assessment of school rules and regulations was to ascertain if issues including HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. School-Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV), and others are included or integrated.”

Oyedeji said that while carrying out research for the project, all school rules and regulations were assessed to determine the level of inclusion of school-related gender-based violence concerns.

These, he said, included bullying, physical and verbal violence, corporal punishment, sexual violence and learner sexual abuse, sexual harassment and adolescent dating violence.

“The purpose of the study was to generate evidence to inform and guide programming of the UNESCO 03 programme by identifying deficiencies in the policy and programming environment for learners.

“Designing and implementing solutions to overcome these challenges, thereby enabling learners to reach their full potential, unhindered by gender-based violence and other harmful practices.”

In her goodwill message, Dr Comfort Otegbeye, Vice President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Lagos chapter, said the initiative by UNESCO was a welcome development, adding that it was long overdue.

Aisha Dadi, the Project Director of the UNESCO project in SFH, stressed the need for the Lagos State government to ensure they monitored the implementation.

She said they should ensure that both parents and students were adequately informed of the rules, and consequences of breaking them in different forums including PTA meetings, orientations at the start of new sessions, among others.

“The code of conduct document will make Lagos schools be on the same page,” she said.

NAN also reports that directors and teachers present made recommendations, observations and amendments to the content of the document which will be made available to schools in September.

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Oluwole Sogunle

By Kemi Akintokun

Mr Babatunde Fashola, a former Minister of Works and Housing , on Tuesday said that research capacity should be properly utilised to enhance the country’s economic growth .

Fashola made this known during a visit of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Foundation Board of Trustees to the institute.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fashola, who is the Chairman of the NIMR Foundation,  led members of the board of trustees on the visit.

He said: “Anybody that is interested in improving the human condition and human civilisation must be interested in research.

“We are sitting on a goldmine in this country because it is already here from what I have seen in NIMR after touring the facilities.

“You need to refine a mine gold for it to come out fine and this can be linked to research because we have the capacity, and all that is needed is investment or fund to put the capacity into use.

“Research is a big employer of labour in the world, so any investment put into research will help to proffer solutions to problems, create jobs, provide supports for supply, input, output and more.

“This is another sector of our economy that should be opened up and it requires all of us to come together because the government cannot do it alone”.

The former Governor of Lagos State added that the foundation had raised over N300 Million to support the country’s scholars on various research works.

“We have raised about N300 million and we still need more funds to support,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of NIMR, Prof. Babatunde Salako, said the institute was able to make significant contributions through some of the  groundbreaking research works.

Salako said the institute would continue to uphold its mandate which bordered on carrying out research on health issues that were  of public importance to the nation.

The D-G who reiterated his call for the establishment of a research council, said it would help to address the issue of funding.

“We are alive to our mandate as an institute saddled with a lot of responsibilities to increase and improve the health indices of the country through research works.

“The country can do more in research as a country, if we have a research council in place that will finance research works directly to enhance our capacity,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Taiye Olayemi

Prof Lai Olurode of the Department of Sociology, University of Lagos (UNILAG), on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to work on upholding academic research findings.

Olurode made the call during a Valedictory lecture held in his honour by UNILAG, as he bowed out of the service of the university.

The title of the lecture was “Knowledge Sector, Public Interest and Power Structure”.

He said it had been observed that right from the outset, civilian amd military governments had been uncomfortable with even freigned discussions on politics.

He frowned at the situation in which the the knowledge sector stands untolerated by those who control power.

According to him, those in power believe that knowledge is subservient to power, rendering the academics completely helpless.

” What is currently obtainable is that power is by far better remunerated than producers of knowledge and public interest is poorly served.

” Research findings are hardly respected in government circles. Unless recruited to serve specific interest, academics have limited roles in influencing public policy.

” Government must begin to reckon with academic research findings to ensure formidable policies are made through such,” he said.

Olurode noted that going forward, the academics need to seek elective or appointive positions to be able to push their findings to the front burner.

” They can also sidetrack the state and get involved in community development through non governmental organisations  to deploy their academic training in the service of conmunities through running community talk shows on public issues.

” The academics should be more creative rather than feel completely despondent or unpatronised as other skilled professionals,” he said.

Earlier, Prof Fraca Attoh, Head of Sociology Department, UNILAG, said “Prof Olurode represents a man of integrity, very hardworking individual and not pretentious.

“He tells the truth, he believes so much in honesty and justice, those are the virtues that distinguish him.”

Also, Oba Abdulazeez Olatunbosun, Akire of Ikire-Ile in Osun State, described Olurode as a responsible and reliable fellow with good sence of judgement.

He said the professor makes peace with his environment as he understands the reality of life that honesty, justice, equity, fairplay are essential ingredients of life.

“Professor Olurode is a personification of goodness, an uncompromising fellow who calls a spade a spade.

” His love for his hometown is ennormous, he promotes the busines of his people,” he said.

Professor of Jurisprudence and international law, Akeem Olaniyan, the head of the muslim community in UNILAG, said he had learnt a lot from Olurode.

” Prof Olurode, being the immediate past head of the muslim community here in UNILAG, I have learnt from him firmness and the principles needed to lead the society.

” He was very firm and I learnt from him, how to discipline the students,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Olurode was given a plaque of recognition in honour of his contributions to the growth of the university. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

By Mustapha Yauri

The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, has followed due process in the purchase of Zaria Hotel for the institute, a document has revealed.

A report exclusively obtained by a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent confirmed that the popularly hotel in the ancient city was purchased at the cost of N1.313 billion from the Africa Continental Hotel, managers of the facility.

The report revealed that the owners of the hotel accepted the offer vide a letter dated June 7, 2023, which was signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of Africa Continental Hotel, Mr Aliyu A. S. Yar’adua, addressed to the Rector of the college, after diligent consideration of the transaction.

“We hereby confirm the acceptance of the Federal Executive Council’s approval for the purchase of our Hotel, in the sum of N1,313,000,000 (One Billion Three Hundred and Thirteen Million Naira Only), inclusive of all taxes, as conveyed by your letter.

“While looking forward to early conclusion of the transaction and please accept the assurances of our warmest regards,” the letter read in part.

The document also revealed that the purchase of the hotel was concluded after serious negotiations and procurement processes were diligently followed and perfected.

Several memos in respect of the purchase, ranging from expression of interest to valuations by the Federal Ministry of Works and Messrs Habibu & Co independent valuers, were cited as evidences.

Similarly, due diligence/post qualification reports; approvals by the Federal Ministry of Aviation for the purchase of the hotel, dated March 7, 2023; and ministerial Tenders Board of March 2023 were tendered to absolve NCAT from any shady deal.

Besides, “Certificates of No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement were conveyed to the Aviation Ministry, followed with “Due Process Review Reports” for the purchase of the hotel confirmed that the transaction was wholly transparent.

In addition, the Ministry of Aviation conveyed the Federal Executive Council approval to the college for purchase of the hotel, vide FMA/PROC/HQ0.895/I/55, dated 2nd June, 2023, to absolve NCAT from any financial misdemeanor.

The report therefore challenged any interested party to contradict the college and advised the public to disregard allegations of fraud/corruption in the purchase of the hotel.

It further explained that the hotel was bought to ameliorate the accommodation problem of the college; house students in a secured and comfortable environment.

The facility is also expected to boost the internal revenue base of Africa’s hub of aviation, NCAT. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Taiye Olayemi

The Odu’a Investment Company Ltd. (OICL) says it will launch the “Odu’a Investment Foundation”, to rejig the standard of education in the South-West region of the nation.

Chief Bimbo Ashiru, Group Chairman, OICL, at a news conference in Lagos said that the three priority focus of the foundation were on youth empowerment, education and healthcare.

Ashiru said this was one of the objectives of OICL’s  five-year  strategic plan, to plough back to the people of the South-West states of Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos.

Ashiru explained that the youth empowerment aspect of the foundation would cover Information Communication Technology (ICT) capacity building for youths; creation of innovation hubs and incubation centres; strategic job creation; investing and supporting youths in the agriculture sector.

According to him, the education aspect will also cover institutional and infrastructural support; literacy education; girl child education; adult literacy; vocational technical skills training; grants and scholarship for indigent students.

He said healthcare aspect of the foundation would focus on reproductive health; adolescent health projects; control of communicable and non-communicable diseases; institutional support and capacity building.

“The vision of the foundation is to create an enabling environment where everyone can live a healthy, peaceful and productive life.

“The mission statement is to improve healthcare, expand educational opportunities and promote youth development and information technology in Southwest Nigeria’.

“Some of the objectives of the foundation is to promote, develop and empower the teeming youths of South-west Nigeria with a focus on education and health-physical, mental and social.

“We also plan to deliver significant long-term education and youth development benefits in our stakeholder communities.

“The foundation will serve as a conveyor of goodwill from OICL to the good people of South-West extraction while enhancing the quality of life and livelihood of the people,” he said.

According to him, OICL will also inaugurate a seven-man advisory council to protect the corporate image of the foundation by effectively representing and promoting its interests and relevant stakeholders.

He listed Dr Awolowo Dosumu as Chairman of the foundation; while Dr Olusegun Olugboyegun; Chief Onikepo Akande; Dr Biodun Shobanjo; Dr Victoria Samson; Chief Wole Onipekun and Mr Aderemi Makanjuola would be the members.

“These are highly revered sons and daughters of Southwest origin with proven record of impeccable character and they will be inaugurated on Thursday, July 27.

“They have distinguished themselves in their chosen field of endeavours and have given their acceptance to serve and act on the Advisory Council of the foundation as “Think- Tank”.

“The Oduá Investment Company Limited, the investment hub of the South-West Nigeria in September 2021 incorporated the Oduá Investment Foundation(OIF) at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) .

“This is to serve as an independent social corporate arm of the company to give back to the society and improve on the life and livelihood of citizens within the confine of the owners states.

“This will complement the efforts of the state governments in impacting lives meaningfully to its people.

“Oduá foundation is a non-profit making organisation established to sustain the ideals of the founding fathers of OICL,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Adewale Raji, Group Managing Director, OICL, said members of the advisory council were selected from each of the southwestern states, based on their antecedents.

Raji said they were to serve the foundation for two years after which they would be succeeded by a board of trustee.

According to him, a full-time Programmes Manager had also been employed to work with the council.

Also speaking, Mrs Folusho Olaniyan, Independent Director, OICL, revealed plans to work with lots of local and foreign partners aimed to attract substantial funding for the foundation.

Mr Seni Adio, Odu’a Director, said the essence of the foundation was to have a formal structure that would become an institution to focus on healthcare, education and youth empowerment.

“We are happy that the members of the advisory council are excited about their new responsibility,” he said.  (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

By Femi Ogunshola, News Agency of Nigeria (NANFeature)

As the wind of change sweeps across the financial landscape, embracing enhanced treasury management is no longer an option but an imperative.

It is, therefore important, for institutions of higher learning in the country to recognise the immense value of treasury management and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop curricular that would expand treasury management beyond account and finance.

By doing so, they will pave the way for a new generation of financial professionals, armed with a comprehensive understanding of treasury management principles.

Finance experts affirm that in the realm of financial management, the intricate interplay of numbers, assets, and investments shapes the landscape on which accounting and finance have stood tall.

“The hidden within the realm of finance lies a captivating secret, the distinct and awe-inspiring world of treasury management, an artful blend of strategy, risk management, and financial wizardry”, said the Chartered Institute of Treasury Management (CITM) in a recent report.

“Treasury management is the term for all the activities and processes involved in managing a company’s or organisation’s money.

“This includes tasks like cash flow forecasting, investing, risk assessment, and day-to-day operations like banking and invoicing, according to a report by Nomentia, a cash and treasury management firm.

“Treasury management is the process that involves collecting and managing cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities of a company. In business, it is a key aspect of organisation’s financial stability”, says CFI.

CFI seeks to enhance skills and productivity in finance and banking professionals’ knowledge and productivity.

Mr Olumide Adedoyin, the Registrar, CITM, shades more light on why institutions of higher learning in the country should emulate the counterparts in other parts of the world.

“Treasury management possesses a unique allure that sets it apart from its well-known cousins, while accounting and finance focus on tracking and analyzing financial data, treasury management delves deeper“.

According to him, higher institutions in those countries have recognised that treasury management is aimed at optimising the organisation’s financial resources, mitigate risks, and maximise profitability.

He told a recent stakeholders workshop on treasury management that in Nigeria’s higher institutions budding financial professionals are imparted with the age-old wisdom of accounting and finance.

To Adedoyin, it is essential to acknowledge that the rudiments of treasury management differ significantly from what is conventionally taught.

“The conventional curriculum, though invaluable, often neglects the nuances of treasury management, leaving aspiring professionals ill-equipped to tackle the challenges that lie ahead”, he said.

The registrar said it was imperative to bridge the gap between theory and practice, adding that for universities to produce graduates with requisite knowledge especially in the areas of treasury management, partnership is imperative.

He said CITM offers a transformative pathway to harness the full potential of treasury management because of its potential to equip individuals with specialized skills and knowledge.

This, according to him, is essential to navigate the complex world of financial management with finesse in an era where financial landscapes evolve at breakneck speed.

According to him, institutions offering post-graduate courses in finance and accounting must embrace the need to partner the institute with a view to deepening their programmes towards treasury management.

“Through this collaboration, institutions gain access to cutting-edge materials, world-best practices, and the professional touch and by integrating treasury management into their curriculum, they empower their students to shine in a competitive global economy,” he said.

Daniel Akeju, a financial analyst, is of the opinion that managing the treasury has become the only way to push the narrative when it comes to building a sustainable economy.

He said there must be a paradigm shift on national development process by equipping professionals with the latest skills and global best practices in their disciplines such as treasury management.

`As a professional within the finance gamut I am of the opinion that the nation’s institutions of higher learning should buy into build a virile workforce and this can only be achieved by training and retraining of our workforce”, he said.

He said expanding the horizon of accounting and finance graduates towards the more comprehensive treasury management should be embraced by finance and economy stakeholders.

He said there is need for the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure that universities running treasury management at master level collaborated with professionals in treasury management with a view to producing well-grounded graduates.

He said it was essential for governments to collaborate with organisations such as the CITM and regulatory bodies like the NUC to build a strong economy and align the nation’s higher education with global best practices.

According to him, the collaboration will significantly benefit the country by promoting the practice of treasury management, enhancing financial education, and ensuring that the curriculum of universities and higher institutions meets the demands of the industry.

“The Federal Government can leverage CITM’s expertise and resources to develop and implement sound financial policies, risk management frameworks, and efficient cash flow management strategies.

“By incorporating CITM’s guidance and adopting best practices, the government can optimize revenue generation, manage public debt effectively, and enhance fiscal discipline, leading to economic stability and growth,” he said.

As the global finance and accounting community shift attention to more comprehensive and transparent treasury management, experts say Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.

It is incumbent on institutions of higher learning and stakeholders to partner to ensure that future mangers of the nation’s financial resources are well equipped with the right skills to do so. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Mrs Grace Okorie, the Proprietress of D’Green Grace Academy, Jikwoyi, Abuja, has urged all tiers of government to tackle insecurity and poverty, to address the high rate of out-of-school children in the country.

Okorie said this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the 2023 graduation ceremony of the school, on Saturday, in Abuja.

She said that poverty, hunger and insecurity contributed to the high rate of out-of-school children in the country.

“It is not just about getting the students off the streets and back to school, it is also because of poverty index.

“If you get the children back to school and the parents cannot afford food to eat, they will pull the children out, then to the streets to hawk for them to eat.

“If government can address the poverty level, it will go a along way to address the menace,” she said.

Okorie added that if government could also address insecurity, it would enhance the education system of the country.

“Insecurity is a general issue. The truth is that even parents most times are scared of sending their children to school.

This is “because sending your child to school, a whole lot could happen to that child, it is either the child is kidnapped or riot breaks out in the area.

“Government should really look into insecurity issue,” she said.

The proprietress, however, urged President Tinubu to take a second look into the Students Loan Bill he recently signed into law, especially the criteria to accessing the loan.

“I have read through the conditions. If you know somebody who is a director, I think you don’t really need a loan because the person should be able to help you.

“The people who need this loan are poor people who knows nobody.”

Okorie added that instead of loan, government should make education generally affordable.

She also urged government to put strict measures to curb examination malpractices in schools.

She said that D’Green Grace Academy was committed to bringing out the best of every child, morally, educationally, socially and spiritually.

“We believe that no matter how a child is, if you have the right teaching techniques you can bring out the best in him or her.

“We also believe that school is not just about reading and writing, it also involves teaching morals, especially in a society where we have moral decadence,” she said.

Okorie also advised parents to do their best to instill moral values in the minds of their children at the tender age and be an example to them.

“An adage says charity begins at home. So, we expect the parents to discipline their children rightly. When I say discipline, it does not necessarily mean flogging a child.

“There are other ways to discipline the child that you don’t even need to flog him. When you train the mind of the child, the child knows what is right and wrong from the very tender age.”

The Chairman of the Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) of the school, Mr Zitta Wilfred, advised parents to continue to invest in the future of their wards through education.

He said that through education, values would be added to the lives of children, who would in turn impact on the society and the nation.

“Lack of proper education is one of the reasons we have the issue of kidnapping, boko haram and other social menace,” Wilfred said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Bestman Menekpugni, while congratulating the grandaunts, encouraged them to remember the values the school had instilled in them while going into the larger society and higher academic pursuit.

“To the parents, no matter how God has blessed you, I want to say your children in elementary schools have no need for smart phone until they gain admission into higher institutions, because it destroys them faster than their pairs in school,” he said.

On behalf of the grandaunts, Miss Zitta Israel appreciated their parents for investing in their future.

Israel also appreciated their alma mater for equipping them with sound education and skill needed to face the new phase of their lives and to excel in the future.

NAN reports that highlights of the occasion include presentation of awards and certificates to the grandaunts, grammar coach, chorography, cutting of cake.

Others are debate on “the real cause of Nigeria’s problem – government of the citizens”, spelling bee, British accent, cultural dance, vocabulary coach and spoken words.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Nkiru Ifeajuna/Idris Abdulrahman