NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

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Defence/Security

Ondo, NIS collaborate on irregular migration, human trafficking

By Bridget Ikyado

Ondo State Government has pledged to work with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to mitigate irregular migration and human trafficking in the state.

Prince Boye Ologbese, Commissioner for Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations made this known when he led a delegation from the state on a working visit to the Acting Comptroller-General of the Service, Mrs Caroline Adepoju in Abuja.

“We can develop initiatives that prioritise the best interest of our citizens, facilitate legitimate travel and immigration and uphold the rule of law,” he said.

The commissioner sought the assistance of NIS to track the statistics of indigenes who had left the state.

He also said that the state government would appreciate prompt issuance of passports to its officials on assignment outside the country.

Ologbese said the state established the Diaspora Relations office in 2021 to connect and engage indigenes of the state in the diasporas to promote socio-economic development in the state.

“As part of our responsibilities, the ministry is equally billed to discourage irregular migration and human trafficking, among others.”

According him, the ministry has been collaborating with foreign missions, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NAPTIP and the International Organisation on Migration,  to achieve its mandate.

The commissioner said the collaborations has resulted to the repatriation of some youths trafficked by road to Libya.

“As we speak efforts are ongoing to rescue some of our youths presently trapped in Benin Republic and other locations, ” Ologbese said.

He appreciated the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender, headed by Mrs Olamide Falana, for its involvement in curtailing the menace.

“The office organises regular radio programmes to educate the public on snags involved in human trafficking”.

He said the ministry had finalised plans to organise sensitization programme across the three senatorial zones which the NIS would be included.

Responding, Adepoju expressed the service’s readiness to develop stronger bonds, meaningful partnerships and build a future where immigration processes are secure, efficient and welcoming to all.

She also said the NIS would welcome any support to curb the menace of trafficking in persons, and related criminalities.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Christian pilgrims who performed the exercise in 2023 together with the NIS Boss, have visited and congratulated her over the appointment.

Rev. Mutong Bitrus who led the group prayed for her success and confirmation as substantive C-G.

In her remarks, the C-G appreciated the group for the  prayers and pledged to do her best in making the NIS more efficient and responsive.

“We will do anything we can to secure our borders from illegal smuggling, human trafficking etc,” she added.

Adepoju said NIS would work in synergy with schools to educate the youth about the dangers of illegal migration.

She advised Nigerians to follow the right processes in acquiring visas and passports. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

General News

UK govt. pledges close collaboration with NAN toward success of Tinubu administration

 

By Lizzy Okoji

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Richard Montgomery on Thursday pledged to work closely with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) toward the development of stronger ties between both countries.

Montgomery made the pledge during a courtesy call on the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Buki Ponle in Abuja.

The British envoy said the collaboration between the high commission and NAN became necessary, especially at a time both countries “are in their transition periods’’.

The high commissioner who is the new British envoy in the country expressed delight at being in Nigeria “at such an exciting time’’.

“I know that the News Agency of Nigeria is a long-standing news agency and one of the biggest in Africa.

“I also know that because Nigeria is watched by so many other countries, the news that you produce is very important for the citizens here and also all over the world.

“I am happy that you are giving me time today and it is an incredibly exciting time with the transition of the two administrations.

“This is my first open media engagement. I am very appreciative of the role that you play and I look forward to good collaborations,” Montgomery said.

Responding, the managing director of NAN urged the government of the United Kingdom to support the new administration in Nigeria led by President Bola Tinubu so that it will achieve huge success.

According to Ponle, as commonwealth nations, both Nigeria and the UK have had very successful, long-standing close ties across many sectors.

He said that Nigeria would be looking forward to enjoying the support of the UK government in boosting its economy, trade relations, and strengthening the security situation in the country.

He added that Nigeria would be looking forward to deepening diplomatic relations with the UK under the leadership of President Tinubu and King Charles III.

“We are highly honoured to receive you here and as you have rightly pointed out, this is the first media house you are visiting since you arrived Nigeria two months ago, because you came at a critical time – during transition to a new government – although government is a continuum.

“We need your assistance to fight insecurity. We need your assistance in the area of the economy, especially where trade imbalance is concerned.

“We look up to you for support in terms of whatever you could do to make this new administration a success.

“Yes, it has been receiving global goodwill but we want that to be sustained.

“We need more positivity, more visibility in terms of reforms and everything to make this administration a success we count on you,” Ponle said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Life Style

China collaborates with WHO to trace origin of coronavirus

China will maintain contacts with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in search of the origin of COVID-19, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

WHO experts arrived in Wuhan, considered the ground zero of the outbreak on Jan. 14, and self-isolated until Jan. 29, and thereafter
visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which houses a laboratory known for its experiments on viruses, and the seafood market where the
first Coronavirus cases emerged.

“China will continue to adhere to openness and transparency, we will continue our cooperation with WHO to identify the origin of COVID-19,’’ Wang said at a briefing.

The diplomat stressed that scientists should solve this complex issue, which affected many countries and regions, through global cooperation.

The Chinese government, according to Wang, supported WHO experts in their Wuhan mission.

“We hope that other countries will also take a scientific approach, continue to share their scientific research and its results with WHO, and play a constructive role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all mankind,’’ the spokesperson noted.

Notably, Beijing has expressed hope that the United States would also invite WHO experts to trace the COVID-19 origins there.

“We hope that the United States will be as open and transparent as China and will invite international experts to conduct relevant research’’Wang told reporters.

Earlier in the day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the United States would not recognise the WHO mission’s findings on the origins of the Coronavirus unless they were verified via its own intelligence.

A WHO team member, Marion Koopmans, reacted to Washington’s statement by pointing out that it came before the mission even released the report.

The WHO already sent missions to China in February and July of 2020.

The current mission worked since mid-January and had its last day on Wednesday.

It tackled the issues pertaining to where the Coronavirus had originated and how it got to spread around the globe.(Sputnik/NAN)

General News

Nigeria, France partner to make power institute world class

By Constance Athekame

Mr Ahmed Nagode, Director-General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), says Nigeria and France are collaborating to make the institute world class.

Nagode told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the bilateral agreement was signed in 2016 by the two countries to improve vocational training in the power sector.

According to him, it is an agreement between NAPTIN and Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) under the Ministry of Finance.

“We have already contacted the project and programme management team and they are working with us in some critical areas like corporate governance

“This is to ensure that instructional assessment is carried out and NAPTIN becomes a world class vocational institute.

‘’This is a very massive project that involves massive infrastructure development,’’ Nagode said.

He said that the project team had started the procurement exercise based on best practice.

“This will lead to more laboratories, equipment, more training demonstration plans that will make Nigeria the hub of vocational training in Africa,’’ Nagode said.

According to him, the project will effectively check foreign trainings in the power sector as well as allow other African countries train in Nigeria.

“It will also help us to bring in more courses based on technological need of the present day world, more demonstration plants to NAPTIN and by extension Africa.

“It will also afford us the opportunity to train our instructors through the best trainers and this is an area I am very delighted about because you need to go out to train people for excellence,’’ he said.

Nagode added that the agreement would significantly transform vocational training in the power sectors and build skills of young Nigerians to be self employed,’’ he said.