By Ibukun Emiola

The University of Ibadan has set a target to train 10,000 new researchers and students on the use of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) geospatial tools.

Mr Ahmed  Olanrewaju, Principal Systems Analyst, Management Information System Unit, University of Ibadan, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday.

Olanrewaju said the plan was to explore the benefits of adopting ESRI technology to enable students and research communities have more access to spatial technological tools for research.

According to him, it is also to help in utilising its efficient data repository for information archiving Technology.

Olanrewaju said that since the University of Ibadan received the technology grant from the ESRI in 2014, it had utilised it to optimise research and enhance teaching.

“The university has radically migrated from traditional data collection and analysis processes to dynamic technology-driven research processes,’’ he said.

According to him, the benefit of adopting ESRI technology is enormous because UI students and research communities now have access to spatial technological tools for research and it utilises its efficient data repository for information archiving.

“This means that people who want to build on previous research; once they have the necessary approval, can access the required data sets and add to the knowledge pool.

“This is a very big one for the university as there would be no need to duplicate effort and time will not be wasted generating previously captured information,” he said.

He further stated that even non-science-based faculties of education and others have been adopting the use of technology for location-based data collection and analysis.

Olanrewaju stated that the university had been able to increase the number of students and researchers who now use location-based digital surveys compared to what was obtained in the past.

He said a major step taken by the university was to innovatively remove the problems students face in accessing software licenses.

Olanrewaju added that technology support services were now provided for those who had technical issues during working hours.

“For the first time, simultaneously, research in multiple locations is now coordinated, and data is collected and archived seamlessly. Through the use of this technology, researchers now have the capacity to even collect location-specific audio data.”

“Another major progress recorded is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) student programmers now use ESRI tools with their python knowledge to access special geo-spatial-data-sets for machine learning,” Olanrewaju said.

According to him, the university has set a target of training 10,000 new researchers and students to adopt the use of the ESRI geospatial tools. Presently, about 5,000 are using the technology, an improvement from 3,800 users in the last year.

He said the institution had been working on a project that will collect data sets from the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“At the end of the day, over 15,000 records will be accessed from respondents, which will be the first large-scale data collection in UI using ESRI tools,” he said.

Olanrewaju also said there was a need to enact policies for the adoption of location based technology research in Nigeria; for instance, researchers must collect and work with precise location-based data.

“Once students signup for research work, the University of Ibadan can now provide technology tools and platforms for use just as is obtainable in other universities around the world.

“Also, the university can do many things within the same ecosystem to harmonise research and provide access for use by government, industries, and stakeholders for the development of the country.

“Universities do not have to be maintaining several software to run their e-learning. ESRI technology is capable of supporting multidimensional e-learning for the tertiary institutions,” he said.

Some of the students who spoke on the use of the technology, Abiodun Awokoya from the Faculty of Arts, Thomas Adesina and Oluwadamilare Akindipe said that it had contributed immensely to their research work because ArcGIS has lots of tools and an easy user interface coupled with lots of documentation and an active community for support. (NAN)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The Dangote Group has reaffirmed commitment to environmental sustainability with enunciation of seven key pillars that underpin its operations.

The pillars are institutional, social, economic, financial, environmental, operational and cultural sustainability.

The company reaffirmed the commitment at an environmental journalism workshop in Lagos with the theme: “Reporting the Environment for Sustainability”.

Mr James Adenuga, Acting Group Head, Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) & Sustainability at Dangote Group, said that the seven key pillars centred on people, planet and profit, to mitigate climate change.

Adenuga represented by Mr Adeyemi Adun, Group Environment and Sustainability Specialist at Dangote Industries Ltd., spoke on the topic: “Reporting the Environment for Sustainability’’.

He said the group would remain committed to building a socially responsible and impactful business that would serve all stakeholders.

Adenuga described sustainability as development that would meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future.

He said the group invested funds in environmental research yearly to drive its decision making.

He added that the group partnered the UN for training on sustainability and climate change advocacy.

“The issue of sustainability should start from the home and should not be for governments and companies only, to solve global environmental problems one after the other,” Adenuga said.

Mr Aliu Akoshile, Executive Director at Climate Africa Media Initiative & Centre (CAMIC), called on journalists to take reporting of the environment seriously because `it is binds everyone together’.

“If the environment is not conducive, there won’t be development; journalists have a lot to do in order to report fairly,” Akoshile said.

Akoshile spoke on the topic: “Journalism and Climate Change.”

He hoped that the training would encourage journalists to appreciate efforts of corporate organisations such as Dangote Group toward achieving environmental sustainability in Nigeria.

Akoshile also urged journalists to do investigative reports to address some environmental issues.

He hoped that the training would enable journalists to pay adequate attention to their environments and climate.

Akoshile urged that companies should be assessed by their contributions to the society.

He listed challenges of climate change reporting as scientific complexity and communication, limited resources and newsroom constraints, skepticism, denial and disinformation, among others.

Akoshile urged journalists to seek partnerships with non-governmental organisations and corporations in climate reporting, as well as engage local communities and indigenous voices.

He said that environmental journalism required critical thinking and interrogation of issues, adding that journalists should hold governments accountable.

A research analyst at Africa Check, Mr Allwell Okpi, urged journalists to give attention to fact-checking to avoid misinformation.

Okpi said that journalists must identify the original source of information and verify the content before publishing.

He urged journalists to be factual about names, titles, places, quotes and video clips in their stories to avoid misinformation.

“Bloggers seek online traffic, everyone who creates and shapes information has agenda,” he said.

Okpi warned journalists to avoid relying on transferred information in news reporting.

“Once there is transfer of information, there would be distortion, and journalists must avoid that,” he said.

He said that journalists must get their sources and experts to explain jargons for easy understanding.

Okpi spoke on “Fact Check and Investigative Journalism.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 60 journalists participated in the training organised by Dangote Group in partnership with CAMIC. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==========
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving N25,000 wage award as palliative for federal pensioners in the country.

Mr Godwin Abumisi, National President of NUP, said this in an address to mark the 2023 Pensioners and Older Persons Day on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme for the celebration is, “Subsidy Removal and its Negative Effects on the Lives of the Pensioners/Older Persons’’.

According to Abumisi, the union is grateful to the Federal Government for its commitment towards the welfare of the pensioners by graciously approving N25,000 wage award to them.

“We trust that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs who is entrusted with the responsibility of handling the payment would expedite action on it.

“This is without further delay to assuage the pains and sufferings of the pensioners and the older persons.’’

He appealed to government to extend the payment of the wage award from three to six months as was done for other regular workers.

The NUP national president said that for any approved palliative to get to its members across board, government agencies should handle the disbursement.

Abumisi said that such agencies must have accurate database records containing the account details of all pensioners for easy access and delivery such as PTAD, PENCOM, among others.

“We consider the above channels as effective, seamless means of getting across to our members with any form of palliative,” he said.

He said NUP members were being faced with lingering challenges that needed immediate solutions.

The challenges,  he said, included the non-harmonisation of pension and omission of 2015 pension review.

He said listed other challenges as the nonpayment of arrears of pension increment of 15 and 33 per cent, and the consequential adjustment of 2007, 2010 and 2019, respectively.

Abumisi said that another challenge was the non release of the timely monthly accrued rights to the contributory pensioners which exposed them to untold hardship.

According to him, the total accumulated accrued rights stand at about N140 billion.

“We hereby call on the Federal Government for its timely intervention to save the souls of this category of pensioners from untimely death,” he said.

He also appealed to the president to expedite action on the payment of the outstanding balance of N33 billion to Nigeria Airways workers.

Abumisi described the theme of the event as apt and in tandem with the prevailing economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

F

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Minister of Works Sen. David Umahi says that the ministry needs a total of N217bn to reconstruct 260 road projects and eight bridges across the country.

The minister disclosed this while inaugurating four road project committees on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the committees were being inaugurated not just to maintain the road but also to ensure that contractors implement the contracts signed.

The task force committees are to monitor the reconstruction of Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway (Section I, II and III) and dualisation of East-West road Section III:Port Harcourt (ElemeJunction) Oone Port Junction road in Rivers.

“The directors in this ministry met and we agreed to constitute a taskforce that will be resident in these locations for efficient supervision.

“They will redesign the roads to meet the site situations and article two of the contract we signed that under section 51 of General Conditions of contract gives us the permission and legal right to redefine the projects.

“Which means we can rescope the projects and quality,  we are leveraging on that to save our people from the hardship. We will use one foot thick concrete to rebuild the road. We are already working on the bills to redefine it,” the minister said.

Umahi said the Federal Government is giving serious attention to the roads between Benin and Warri and the road between Eleme and zonne Port.

“Let me graciously announce that the ministry contacted Mr President on 260 projects that need very immediate and quick intervention across the federation.

“The projects are from the motions of the National Assembly, outcry of the public and compilations from controllers of our states and the total cost is N217 billion.

“We have sent it to Mr President and the National Assembly is aware and he has directed that we submit at FEC for discussions,” he said.

He added that the roads are key factors for the revolution of the nation’s commerce, education, security and power and that President Tinubu is committed to the nation’s road infrastructure.

Still on approval of funds, the former Ebonyi  governor said the president had approved funds for the rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

The minister decried the failures of several parts on the East West Road saying, “Last week, we had a lot of failures on our East West Road between Warri and Cross Rivers.

“We had 12 points that totally collapsed and if we have another flood, the entire section may collapse. Three bridges totally collapsed and we have to reconstruct all of those roads.

“I will also announce that Mr President has not only approved but released money for immediate attention of these 12 points and three bridges that collapsed on our East-West roads between Warri and Cross Rivers.

“Also reconstruction of Shendam-Lafia bridge and Enugu bridge that collapsed a week ago and the president has released money for the reconstruction of those two bridges.

“The projects are being worked upon so that we can allay the fears of our people. These are life-threatening emergencies and we must move very fast to begin on all those roads,” he said.

The minister recalled that his team spent 14 hours traveling from Abuja to Benin “and that wasn’t palatable.” He therefore called for the diversion of the road from Benin city.

“I have spoken to the governor of Edo and we need to divert the highway and that can be done even if it is one lane.

“We also identified four sections between Benin and Warri and the situation is so terrible. We witnessed five kilometres of continuous trucks that parked and we could not find it easy to pass.”

He said the reconstruction has a time line of 18 months, adding that the Nigerian Union Journalists (NUJ) would be part of the monitoring to ensure transparency and good reportage of the projects as part of the new policy of the administration.

“Let me also advise our contractors that no new project under my leadership will be done asphalt. We are doing all our projects on concrete. Let it be known that it is our policy.

“Any contractor that can’t cope, it is not compulsory. On ongoing projects, if you have done 80 per cent, we expect the contractors to complete it without asking for increment.

“All ongoing projects have N6 trillion funding gap and we cannot increase our projects. We will not do any variation of price on asphalt any longer,” he added.

Umahi said no contractor is compelled to continue with their projects saying they have the right to terminate such contracts if  no longer convenient for them.

He said that the Nigerian masses deserve sustainability and integrity of the roads constructed for their daily use.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Opeyemi Gbemiro

Elder Statesman and legal icon, Afe Babalola, on Thursday said if there was anything called life after life, his prayer would be to return to life as a farmer.

The 94-Year Babalola, who is the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), expressed this view at the opening ceremony of the 2023 annual edition of Afe Babalola Agric Expo, (ABAEX-2023) in Ado-Ekiti.

He described farming as the most profitable and energy charging profession if well pursued.

Babalola instituted ABAEX eight years ago to give millions of naira annual cash reward and tools as well as encourage more farmers’ to participate in food production.

“If I am to come back to this world, and asked what I love to do, I will pray to return to life as a farmer, and not as anything else; farming is an act of God; farming is of God; it is the only profession identified with creation.

“Any country that has genuine interest in growth and development must first embrace farming, ditto the citizens.

“Aside being a major source of employment generation, farming varnishes hunger and discourages laziness and stealing in any form.

“Those who started acts of corruption in Nigeria are not farmers but educated people who are invariably public officers.

“ An average farmer is known to be hardworking, contented and perseverance.

“People say I am a successful lawyer and wonder why I should have anything to do with farming, but I tell them, I will continue to identify with farming because I grew up with it and enjoyed it.

“ It may surprise many Nigerians that there is nothing we consume in my home that I buy from market; I grow them and I am proud of that; if many others can emulate me, Nigeria will be better for it,” he said.

He called on all tiers of government, especially Federal Government to focus more on agriculture, right from the grassroots, and through the local government councils, while every individual, no matter their profession, should also embrace farming.

“Farming is best done at the local government level, and by extension, the grassroots; this is why I am again calling on the Federal Government to allocate local government funds to them directly, and not through state governments, many of which often divert such funds,” he added.

He said he had established Industrial park in ABUAD which accommodates over 100 industries to further boost food production.

According to him, the industrial park will buy farm products like mornings, rice, maize and others, direct from farmers, so as to put a stop to incidences of wastage and economic losses on the part of farmers.

Babalola promised to continue to invest his money and everything humanly possible in Agriculture, and lift as many farmers that showed interest, until Nigeria had a change of attitude in that regard.

Speaking earlier, the Local Organisng Committee, (LOC) Chairman of ABAEX- -2023, Prof. Abiodun Ojo, explained that the agricultural revolutionary vision of Babalola was to transform Ekiti into a prosperous society, through agricultural rejuvenation of farmers with financial support.

He said ABAEX programme provided agricultural extension services to the farmers to evaluate their farms for productivity yields in large scale.

Ojo said that that the programme was implemented in all the local government areas of the state, adding the sum of N32 million had so far been committed to 2023 edition.

In her welcome address, the ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samaranda Ayorinde, said the institution was doing as much to promote agriculture in diverse ways with huge investment in the country.

The vice chancellor commended Babalola for his patriotism and generosity.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idowu Ariwodola and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Ehigimetor Igbaugba

Police in Cross River on Thursday debunked alleged abduction of Prof. Cyril Ndifon, suspended Professor of Law and Dean of  Faculty of Law, University of Calabar.

Police spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo, stated in Calabar that Ndifon was not kidnapped but was picked up by government security agents.

She noted that the rumoured abduction was aimed at causing panic.

“Police hereby state that Prof. Ndifon was not kidnapped as speculated, but arrested by a government security agency for interrogation.

“Police also advise members of the public to disregard information on social media platforms about the purported abduction as it is subversive.

“It is misleading and a calculated attempt to cause panic or breach of the peace enjoyed in the state,’’ Ugbo stated.

She assured that the police would get to the source of the “obnoxious rumour’’.

 The professor’s son, David Ndifon, had earlier told newsmen that gunmen invaded their residence at Akpabuyo in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River and fired gunshots sporadically before taking the professor away.

He said the incident happened between the 11 p.m. on Wednesday and the early hours of Thursday.

“We have been trying our best and making necessary calls to ensure his safe return,’’ David had said.

The university placed Ndifon on suspension over allegations bordering on sexual harassment of students, among others. (NAN)

Edited by Mark Longyen/Alli Hakeem