By Emmanuel Afonne

The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) said it would deepen collaboration with the Nigerian police to fortify the nation’s lottery sector.

The Director-General of the Commission, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, was quoted as saying this in a statement issued on Sunday by Mr Magnus Ekechukwu, Deputy Director/Head Public Affairs, NLRC, when he visited the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

The visit took place on Friday, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting underscored the existing collaboration between the two entities aimed at ensuring monitoring, evaluation and enforcement of the activities of the commission while upholding the rule of law.

Gbajabiamila expressed his appreciation for the warm reception extended by Egbetokun and congratulated him on his appointment.

The lottery commission boss, while recognising the pivotal role lotteries played in the entertainment and socio-economic development of the country, stressed the importance of maintaining transparency, fairness, and security in all facets of their operations.

He noted that their mode of operation which rested on transparency was instrumental in safeguarding public interests and the trust of stakeholders.

Gbajabiamila articulated the joint responsibility of both organisations in combating fraud, manipulation and unlawful activities that could potentially erode public confidence in the lottery industry.

He specifically highlighted the NLRC’s reliance on police officers in monitoring and enforcing compliance within the lottery sector.

“This visit aims to consolidate on the existing collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, which is crucial in maintaining the integrity of our nation’s lottery system and upholding the law.

“Through our combined efforts, we can effectively combat any attempt at fraud, manipulation or illegal activities that could undermine the public’s trust in the lottery industry.

“Specifically, the NLRC will require the service of police officers in the process of monitoring of lottery activities and enforcement of compliance.

“Therefore, we solicit your cooperation in directing Commissioners of Police nationwide to release police officers to assist the commission whenever the need arises,” Gbajabiamila said.

Egbetokun while responding assured that the Nigeria Police Force would support the NLRC in its oversight and enforcement roles and pledged to elevate the partnership to a new height.

He also assured Gbajabiamila that appropriate instructions would be communicated to Police Commissioners across the country to assist the commission in discharging its activities.

“I want to assure you that the Nigeria Police Force will assist you in your monitoring and enforcement duties.

“We will partner with you in investigating and fighting fraud, providing security needs for your personnel while you go about your lawful duties.

“I have taken note of your requests and instructions will be given as regards Police Commissioners Nationwide.

“I am aware of the existing partnership between the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Nigeria Police Force but I am assuring you that I will take this partnership to another level of mutual cooperation,” Egbetokun said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=========
Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Funmilayo Okunade
Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has ordered strict supervision and certification of building construction by relevant government agencies to forestall future building collapse in the state.

Oyebanji, represented by Dep. Gov. Monisade Afuye, gave the order on Sunday when he visited the scene of a building collapse in Ijero-Ekiti.

He also visited the victims of the incident, who were receiving medical treatment at the Ijero General Hospital, Ijero-Ekiti, where he sympathised with them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that six persons sustained varying degrees of injuries, when an Event Centre building collapsed in Ijero-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area, on September 2.

The governor directed all the agencies of government to ensure that all the public buildings of that nature were properly supervised and certified at every stage to avoid unwarranted fatalities.

He expressed deep concern over the high degrees of injuries sustained by the victims.

Oyebanji said that the incident could have been averted, “if proper building scrutinies and compliance with specifications were carried out by government agencies”.

He, therefore, warned that situations like that should not be allowed to recur in the state.

He gave assurance that his government would initiate measures to make Emergency Management Equipment available in all the local government areas to respond to any emergency situation.

“Let me sympathise with the victims of this devastating incident.

“Nobody prays for bad thing to happen but we need to be proactive in preventing occurrences of this nature, rather than being reactive.

“I know that if the building had been thoroughly supervised and certified fit at every stage of the erection, this incident could have been averted.

“It is just normal and procedural that all public buildings be monitored to ensure they are built to specifications and with standard materials.

“This is because the common feature associated with building collapse now is the use of substandard materials by the building contractors.

“We thank God that no life was lost.

“But as a responsible government, we won’t wait until people died before taking actions that can safeguard their lives.

“That is why it is most expedient that all government agencies must be responsive to their duties at all times,” Oyebanji said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Olajide Borode, also on the entourage, said the men of Fire Services were immediately deployed in the spot for rescue operation as soon as he received a distress call.

“We want to appreciate our people for commencing the rescue operation through evacuation of the occupants out of the building before the Fire Service men came to join.

“The Ekiti State  Bureau of Special Project will be here to do Integrity Test on the building to ascertain whether it can be salvaged or demolished outright,” he said.

Speaking, the Lawmaker representing Ijero Constituency in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Ademola Ojo, commended the governor for prioritising the safety of the citizens

Narrating how the incident happened, Ojo said: “A reception for a burial ceremony was ongoing when there was a deep crack on the wall.

“And suddenly, the roofing and Plaster of Paris caved in and fell on those who were seated inside the auditorium.

“This caused a stampede. Many were wounded in the process, while some others sustained serious bodily injuries.

“I was here with the council chairman and fire service men to rescue the people out of the rubbles.

“Those who were seriously wounded were immediately taken to hospital for treatment.”

The building, christened “F and G Event Centre”, located on the Ijero-Ido-Ekiti Road, with over 250 occupants, had its roof and walls receded around 4p.m on Sept. 2 during a burial reception.

NAN reports that the scene of the incident was littered with spilled food served at the event, broken bottles, shoes, male caps, female wigs and headgears, amongst others items. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Sam Oditah

By Taiye Agbaje
A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Robinson Uwak, has thrown his weight behind the actions taken by the African Union (AU) and the international bodies against the military junta in Gabon.
Uwak, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, condemned the latest coup in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the military officers had, on Aug. 30, ousted President Ali Bongo of Gabon few days after the country’s national electoral body proclaimed him (the incumbent) as the winner of the Aug. 26 general elections.
Reacting, Uwak said: “As a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, I know the values of democratic government as against military dictatorship.
“I, therefore, lend my voice in condemning the latest military coup in Gabon that removed President Omar Bongo.
“The actions of the coupists in Sudan, Tunisia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger and now Gabon has set the Africa Union several steps back in its efforts to entrench democratic principles on the continent.
“I support the actions taken by the African Union and the international bodies against the junta in Gabon, which includes the suspension of the country.”
Uwak, however, urged the African leaders to ensure good governance and adhere to democratic tenets to keep military coup at bay.
“I must note that the resurgence of coups in Africa is tied to the many years of institutional failures and social injustice occasioned by bad leadership, flawed elections, impositions and failure to respect democratic norms.
“For Africa to develop, therefore, it must evolve a democracy that would provide the needed development and take majority of the people out of poverty,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

======
edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Prince Clem Agba, the immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, said that Benin-Auchi-Okene-Obajana Road has yet to be completed due to insufficient funds for the project.

Agba spoke on the road project while sharing his thoughts with audience at the grand reception and dinner night organised in his honour by the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin.

According to him, budgetary provisions had always been spread thin on projects that were usually inserted in the budget by the National Assembly such that money budgeted could not accomplish the projects.

He said that “with the national budget, there had been a lot of challenges.  Yes, there had been improvements in terms of the cycle, but particularly as a person, I am not very happy with the content because we seem to spread ourselves so thin that we don’t have enough to do work.

“I hear people say that the National Assembly pads the budget. I wish they pad the budget because what they are doing is un-padding the budget.  If they pad the budget, that means they are putting more money in it, right?

‘’And, so, you have more money to work? Right? But what they are doing is that they are removing from what have been provided and then creating other projects, making us spread too thin, and not having enough money to work.

“This is one of the things that had affected the Benin-Auchi-Okene-Obajana road, which started 15 years ago.  Have I been a minister for fifteen years? I was only minister for three and a half years, yet I was the cause of the problem on that road because I tried to offer a solution.

“I found out that the problem of that road was insufficient funding, and each time budgetary provisions are made, our representatives from the State do not protect what is there. So, when the budget comes back, the amounts are lower and insufficient to do the work.

“We started with trying to use SUKUK funding, which is the Islamic interest-free loan to do it.  But with that we had to spread the amount across the country and I realized we moved very fast with the second Niger Bridge; we moved very fast with the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and we also moved very fast with the Kano-Kaduna road.”

Agba said that there was a presidential infrastructure development fund and the sovereign wealth fund that was making contribution into the fund and all the funds that were returned from corruption issues like the Abacha loot were going into these three projects.

“That was how we were able to practically complete the projects.  I thought that was one of the things we needed to do to fast track the work on the Benin-Auchi-Okene-Obajana road where there are three sections by three contractors that have been on the road for the last fifteen years.

“So, I approached my colleague, the minister of Works, on the need for us to use the tax credits and we spoke to the Chairman of the FIRS and he started working with the NNPC Ltd on this.  But the NNPC Ltd report, I must say, did not include that road.  So, it was a big battle for me, fighting to ensure that Edo State was included.

“I want to especially thank my two colleagues and brothers (Mr Sunday Dare and Prince Goddy Jeddy Agba) that are here because they joined me in that fight and in the lobby to get funding for it.  In the end, each section got an approval of N25 billion, which means N75 billion, and I was also able to get another N10 billion in budget 2023 for two sections.”(NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Philip Yatai

Former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, have called on the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 43 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, to promote democratic ideals.

They made the call at the maiden reunion of the Alumni Association of SEC 43, 2021, in Abuja on Saturday.

The reunion was tagged: “Getting Things Done: Embracing Memories, Forging Futures, Reuniting Heats and Forever Entwined with SEC43, 2021.”

Babangida, in a goodwill message, read by a member of the course, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), described promotion of democratic ideals as a “national call”.

He stressed the need for collective efforts in stabilising the polity and strengthening democracy in the best way possible for the good of all.

“We only need to keep reminding ourselves of the magnitude of this national call, since we are all expected to be strategic engineers of a functional socio- political, economic, and democratic order in Nigeria.

“These benefits will be enjoyed by every Nigerian.

“There is no doubt that you are all achievers as men and women who have made, and continue to make, immense and laudable sacrifices towards national progress,” he said.

He further called on the group to sustain the call for national integrity, stressing that commitment, collective drive and strategic orientation would serve as a motivation to make Nigeria a unique nation.

“I therefore commend you all on your years of service to the nation and I am convinced that you will not relent in furthering activities set to brighten our democratic ambitions as a country.

“Congratulations on this important move of solidarity and an effort in the promotion of national integrity and cohesion,” he said.

Also, Abubakar, noted that Nigeria is facing myriads of challenges, including poverty and insecurity, which would require a multi-disciplinary approach to tackle.

In a message read by Brig.-Gen. Solomon Inuwa, the former head of state called on the group to mainstream the sterling ideas they learnt from NIPSS, to help the country pull out of its current disturbing situation.

“I equally urge you to continue to work together as a team in adding value and utility to the Nigeria project.

“The challenges facing Nigeria are complex and cannot be solved by one person or one organisation.

“We need to work together, in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration to find solutions to these challenges,” he said.

Earlier, the Monitor General of the SEC 43, retired Col. Mustapha Anka, said that the set graduated from NIPSS two years ago and decided to come together to interact and socialise.

Anka said that the reunion was also to fashion out ways to positively impact society in line with the motto of the institute:  “Towards a Better Society.”

He said that the theme of their course was: “Getting Things Done: Strategies for Policy and Programme Implementation in Nigeria,” which he described as “all encompassing”.

“We were 85 in number and our membership cut across military, security agencies, private sectors, civil servants among others,” he said.

The Secretary-General of the course, Mr Chukwudi Oracle, described SEC 43 as a “think tank” that has all it takes to enhance national growth and development.

Oracle said that their members were experts in different fields, including economics, politics and social policy.

“We have all it takes to conduct research and provide analysis on a wide range of issues that are important to Nigeria’s development.

“One of the most important things that a think tank can do is to provide policymakers with the information they need to make informed decisions.

“This is especially important in a country like Nigeria, where there is a great need for evidence-based policy making and implementation,” he said.

He said that the SEC 43 had produced three permanent secretaries, three heads of service, eight Generals, four Assistant Inspector-General of Police and two Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

“Mrs Husseina Akila of FRCN became the National Deputy President of the Guide of Editors and Mr Dada Joseph elected as Deputy President of the African Association for Public Administration and Management

“Also, Mr Jude Egbo was re-elected as Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and many other members have distinguished themselves in their various professional fields,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Ahmed Ubandoma

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, says no fewer than 8.3 million Nigerians are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Edu said the figure is part of the total 16 million Nigerians affected by various humanitarian crises, with the three states worse hit.

The minister said this in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mr Rasheed Zubair, on Sunday in Abuja.

She said aside from the North-East, Benue in the North/Central had been tagged the capital of humanitarian crises in Nigeria by United Nations.

“We have a huge task on our hands, as we speak now, over 16m Nigerians are affected by humanitarian crises either man-made or natural disaster with over 8.3m of them based in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

”Several states in the North Central; and others spread across the country.

“The UN said Benue had become the humanitarian need capital in Nigeria, and as such, a lot of work needs to be done in the humanitarian angle,” she said.

She added that “One of the agendas of Tinubu administration is to ensure that poverty is alliviated in Nigeria in line with the SDG goal one.

“The president is coming up with a very robust program to lift Nigerians out of poverty.

“Our work is to see how we can get those in poverty out and those at the verge of getting into poverty increase to social safety to protect them from falling into poverty.

“In a couple of weeks, we will be fully launching into this plans to take out over 136 million Nigerians out of poverty as implementation has started to help cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.”

She said the ministry had come up with innovative ways of thorough verification of the social register for accuracy and transparency.

“We are bringing innovations to ensure transparency in Conditional Cash Transfer by carry out a thorough verification of the social register, validate and then expand it to accommodate more persons.

“We will be working with the World Bank while seeking approval from the President to begin the Conditional Cash Transfer to Nigerians” she said.

The minister promised to upgrade, rejig and expand the social safety net programme to accommodate more people through a transparent process.

“We want to increase the Social Safety Net for Nigerians in a transparent manner by counting the numbers together just as we counted COVID-19 cases using a digitalised system.

“We are very conscious of the fact that Mr President’s passion and true intentions are to ensure that we can lift Nigerians out of poverty.

“Party politics is over, now is time for governance, President Tinubu is a president for everyone irrespective of political party,” she said.

She therefore assured Nigerians that the ministry would soon come up with accurate and acceptable social register to curb the challenge associated with disparity in the register.

”Ministry would soon come up with a more acceptable Social Register, one that will be verified, validated.

” It will also be expanded to include those who should be there while taking off those who no longer belong within that bracket.

”We will also work with all tiers of government as well as various communities to identify persons eligible for the scheme.” she added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng).

By Grace Alegba

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has  inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence Girls in Engineering Club aimed at grooming young experts to drive the nation’s rapid industrialisation process.

The inauguration took place on Saturday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 300 undergraduates and young female engineers were inaugurated under the APWEN Lagos Skill Up Initiatives tagged “Skill Development on Industry Trends And Cutting Edge Technologies”.

Speaking at the event, APWEN Lagos Chapter Chairperson, Mrs Atinuke Owolabi, described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative force helping to reshape industries, solve complex problems and enhance living and livelihoods.

Owolabi said AI was helping humanity to address complex challenges in various sectors, but there had been gender disparity in the field, hence inauguration of the club to bridge the gap.

She explained that with AI, young engineers would be able to apply their techniques into machines and get things done within a short time.

She said that the selected female engineering students would be taught in many areas of artificial intelligence disciplines in order to be employers of labour rather than looking for jobs.

“Artificial intelligence is a transformative force in today’s world, and it has the potential to reshape entire industries, solve complex problems, and enhance our lives in ways we could have only dreamed of a few years ago.

“It is no exaggeration to say that AI will play a pivotal role in addressing some of the greatest challenges facing humanity, from climate change to healthcare, from transportation to education.

“Yet, for too long, there has been a gender disparity in the field of engineering and AI.

“But today, with the inauguration of this club, we take a decisive step towards changing that narrative. We firmly believe that diversity drives innovation,” she said.

Owolabi said empowerment of young female engineers would provide a level playing field and ensure that innovations to shape Nigeria’s future were driven by inclusive innovations.

She told the young engineers that the world needed their unique perspectives, creativity, and unwavering determination to lead innovations for Nigeria’s development.

“Embrace challenges, seek knowledge, and never be afraid to ask questions. In this club, you will have access to resources, mentors, and a community of like-minded individuals who share your passion.

“Together, we can harness the power of artificial intelligence to create a brighter, more inclusive, and more innovative world,” she said.

On his part, an ICT expert, Mr Haastrup Adesoji, who is also a member of the faculty, said the training would give the students about six months opportunity to learn different skills.

Adesoji said Nigeria had a lot of talents but there was a vacuum in harnessing technological opportunities, hence the intervention by APWEN to close the gap between the academia, industry and government to drive innovations.

Dr Imhade Okokpujie, Senior lecturer/researcher, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, and Mrs Oluwatosin Essien, a software engineer, said women engineers should take the lead in mentorship of the younger generation.

This, they noted, would help Nigeria catch up with the rest of the world, to take its pride of place in the fourth industrial revolution for rapid development and quantum leap of the country’s GDP.(NAN)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Isaiah Eka

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has organised its first-ever cultural carnival in Akwa Ibom to promote national unity and its diverse cultures and traditions.

The State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Chinyere Ekwe, disclosed this on Saturday during the ceremony at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Vamp in Nsit Atai Local Government Area for the 2023 Batch ‘B’ stream II corps members.

Ekwe said that the reason behind the carnival was to promote the oneness of Nigeria and bring the corps members together.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the colourful cultural carnival display by various platoons showcased multiple ethnic groups

The coordinator said that the NYSC carnival coincided with the host community’s festival day, adding that it would avail the corp members an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the cultures of their host communities.

“NYSC scheme is a trailblazer in the promotion of the unity and integration of Nigeria and has been at the forefront of preserving our rich cultural heritage.

“Hence the introduction of the cultural carnival in the orientation course.

“Today’s event is also embellished with the Local Government Day Festival for the host communities to showcase their cultures.

“A clear understanding of the culture and traditions of the host communities where the corps members will be posted to serve is very important in ensuring a successful year.

“It is meant to remove prejudice, eliminate ignorance, and confirm at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups.

“My dear corps members, I wish to inform you that though our tradition may vary from one ethnic group to another, the operational norms and cultures are similar all over the state,” Ekwe said.

In her remarks, the Nsit Atai Local Government Council Chairman, Ms Emem Ibanga, commended NYSC for commencing the cultural carnival during the orientation course.

Ibanga said that the introduction of the cultural carnival for corps members would continue to promote national unity and integration among Nigerians from various ethnic backgrounds. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

A university don, Prof. Michael Ikupolati, has tasked President Bola Tinubu not to listen to unnecessary criticism but focus on goals that will birth a new Nigeria.

Ikupolati, who is also the Provost, the University of America, said this in Abuja on Saturday at the convocation ceremony of the university in Nigeria.

While urging Nigerians to give the president the opportunity to settle down and find solutions to the challenges currently facing the country.

“The current president should be given some time to settle. What he has started to do now is what we call the foundational aspect of economic or national development.

“When you are building up your foundation, nobody can see the building, all you can see first is people labouring and that is exactly what is happening now.

“We can’t see the beauty of what he is doing but I can tell you that he is leading a foundation for the geometrical growth in the economic development of Nigeria if he does not derail and focus on the future,”he said .

According to him, any leader that holds yesterday too tight to his chest will not see tomorrow, but if you can focus on tomorrow and the goal and the general good of the people, will see the beautiful job .

“So I advise the president not to listen to unnecessary criticism but focus on the goals and look at Nigeria as one entity so that he can put things in place for the purpose of development.

“You can see that the country is destroyed for over 63 years, and to rebuild it cannot take 63 days, it is take some time.

” He must also make use of a good people, people that can deliver, people that have the ability to do and the willingness to do the work.

” We need leaders that have the willingness and the ability to perform and if you can just get them, we will be able to move forward.

“Pareto Principle says you only need 20 per cent of your resources to achieve 80 per cent of your goal, so he can identify 20 per cent of Nigerians with technocrats, he will be able to achieve the goal,” he added.

The President and Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Prince Gamaliel, said the America brought the institution to Nigeria to contribute to its manpower.

Gamaliel noted that there was need to give unparalleled education to Nigerians and not allowing students to rely on their certificates but ensure they possess the skills needed to transform their lives

“We are contributing something to Nigerian society and one of the most important things Nigeria needs is leadership. After independence, we left the education system in Nigeria in what I called indigenisation of education.

“We have now brought it back to take Nigeria forward. Every problem of Africa and Nigeria inclusive begins in the classroom because all the politicians come from the classrooms.

“If they are better equipped in the classrooms they would come out to be better leaders but if we have failed in the classroom what we see outside is the product we have from the classrooms.

“We must give unparalleled sound education and not just certificates but give them the experience that is needed for life. And that is why we are here to give people the skills,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Simeon Obida, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the Convocation Ceremony called on the government to make education compulsory, affordable and accessable to all Nigerians.

Obida also called on Nigerian leaders to give the educational institutions a facelift, especially in the area of research to enhance a learning and teaching activities. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)