NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
FCTA, UN Women move to strengthen childcare services in FCT

FCTA, UN Women move to strengthen childcare services in FCT

146 total views today

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in collaboration with UN Women has taken steps to strengthen childcare licensing, regulation, and service delivery in the FCT.

The Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi disclosed this at a training of officials of the secretariats and other social workers on childcare services in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training had participants from various key players in the child welfare sector, including government representatives, childcare service providers and international partners.

Benjamins-Laniyi said that the goal was to build the capacity of the workers with a view to upscale the standards of operations in the childcare ecosystem of the FCT.

She said that the training was also organised to review existing structures, identify gaps in the childcare framework, and proffer sustainable solutions for the betterment of childcare services across.

She added that the training, organised in collaboration with UN Women and Caring Africa, became necessary toward adopting global best practices in providing standardized childcare Services in the Territory.

“We are here to interface directly with experts in childcare services to train and retrain our staff with standard modules of registering and administering childcare services within our regulatory framework that oversees operations of orphanage homes in the FCT.

“It is believed that this gesture will go a long way to upgrade our capacity and refine our approach to our services, especially, in an ever-evolving world of childcare economy,” she said.

Mrs. Beatrice Eyong, UN Women’s Country Representative to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, acknowledged the grassroots impact of childcare and economic implications.

Eyong appreciated Benjamin-Laniyi for her dedication and continuous engagement to protecting the rights of women and children in the FCT and beyond.

Also, the Head of Child Development Department in the secretariat, Mr Idris Yahaya, said that the training would significantly improve the existing standard of operations concerning childcare.

Yayaha, a Deputy Director, added that the move would, in the long run, improve childcare service delivery across the territory.

“When a child is entrusted to care givers, for whatever reason, it entails all care on the child’s health, environment, safety, cognitive development, education and of course, record-keeping.

“Therefore, as a regulatory body, the training will improve our knowledge on childcare toward a more standardised and improved service delivery,” he said.

He disclosed that 136 orphanages and homes had been licensed and awaiting ministerial approval for crèche regulation, while the Development Control Department inspects buildings designated for new crèches.

On her part, the founder and Chief Executive Officer, Care Gap/Caring Africa, Ms Blessing Adesiyan, commended the Women Affairs Secretariat for reviewing the Guidelines for Operation of Orphanage in the FCT.

According to Adesiyan, the training will enhance effective implementation of the guidelines when approved.

She said that one of the quality indicators of good childcare was healthy development through promotion of emotional security, cognitive skills, and social interaction.

“There is also the need for a safe and clean environment with emphasis on hygiene, safety, and child-appropriate facilities, while qualified caregivers constitute trained staff with an understanding of child development and positive discipline.

“Engaging activities such as age-appropriate learning and play, outdoor engagement, and structured routines are also critical, including appropriate caregiver-child ratio to ensure personalised attention.

“There is also the need for parental involvement to encourage communication between caregivers and parents.” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Yakubu Uba

UK services sector sees first decline in 18 months

UK services sector sees first decline in 18 months

168 total views today

The United Kingdom’s services sector shrank last month for the first time since October 2023 as concerns over trade tensions weighed on firms, according to new figures.

Service sector companies reported their weakest levels of new work from overseas for more than four years as recent US tariff plans caused caution globally across the sector.

The S&P Global UK services PMI survey scored 49 in April, down from 52.5 in March. It was the weakest reading for more than two years.

Any reading above 50 means the sector is growing while a score below means it is contracting.

The monthly reading was below the 49.9 level predicted by economists.

Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: “UK service sector output slipped into contraction for the first time in one-and-a-half years as heightened business uncertainty weighed on order books during April.

“Export conditions were particularly weak, with new business from abroad falling to the greatest extent since February 2021.

“Survey respondents often commented on the impact of global financial market turbulence in the wake of US tariff announcements.”

He added that businesses in the technology and financial service sector highlighted “risk aversion and delayed spending decisions among clients.”

US President Donald Trump announced wide-ranging tariffs at the start of the month, although many services are expected to be exempt from the import tax.

The latest industry figures showed that new business decreased in April for the third time in the past four months.

Businesses continued to report “unfavourable domestic demand conditions” but stressed that a marked decline in overseas markets was the main cause of recent weakness.

Reduced workloads and delayed spending conditions also resulted in cautious hiring activity, the research found.(dpa/NAN)

Poor digital banking services frustrate Nigerians

Poor digital banking services frustrate Nigerians

848 total views today

 

By Ibukun Emiola (News Agency of Nigeria)

 

A father of two and an artisan, Mr Sola Famakinwa, lamented how the recent poor banking services in Nigeria have negatively affected his business, leading to untold losses.

 

Famakinwa is one of many Nigerians who have been frustrated and deprived of excellent digital financial services while using mobile or internet banking.

 

“Digital banking services are not too good at this time. My experience with my bank has affected my business negatively, especially since online banking services are very poor, one cannot do a transfer to customers due to network failure.

 

“Presently, we have a money transfer transaction that has been hanging for the past 3 days. This incident has made us lose our credibility with our customers,” Famakinwa said.

 

According to him, running day-to-day business activities has become difficult amidst economic challenges that have made life tough for common Nigerians.

 

Another respondent, a Civil Servant, Mrs Olanrewaju Idowu, said other negative aspects of digital banking services can sometimes discourage people.

 

“I can call the banking system a necessary evil because the rate at which they deduct money, called charges, is not encouraging at all, among other things,”

 

Also, a Staff of a private company, Gboyega Balogun said poor digital banking services affected his livelihood due to delays in online service and unfriendly customer service to complaints on failed transfers or declined PoS transactions.

 

“Most times the queues are much and people are choked up and discouraged when they are not attended to in a good way.

 

“Most people now use other apps like Moniepoint and Opay and they prefer them to going to the bank because these other apps don’t deduct their money unnecessarily without notice or knowing.

 

“Most banks deduct fees for digital banking services without ensuring customers know the reasons behind the action(s),” Balogun said.

 

Another respondent, a Banker, Mr Olaoluwa Sijuade, said he had a very bad experience with the digital banking services in spite of being a bank staff himself.

 

“I sent N3 million through Moniepoint into Guaranty Trust Bank and it took almost a month before it was successfully.

 

“Sorting this took much of my time and strength plus mental health, but we give glory to God it was sorted out successfully,” Sijuade said.

 

Regulatory directives to address the issue

 

Addressing this disruption, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has provided some policies and directives to address poor banking services.

 

According to the apex bank, banks must respond to customer complaints within 72 hours, adding that banks that fail to do so will be fined N100,000 per day.

 

But this directive has remained a mirage as many Nigerians have many unresolved complaints for months with no respite in sight.

 

A Trader at Sasa Market, Mrs Aina Ajagbe, said she had been coming to the bank for weeks over the same issue.

 

“Each time, I came I spent N2000 for transportation. Apart from wasting transport fare, I am also wasting time that I could have used to sell my goods each time I visit the bank,” Ajagbe said.

 

A Businessman, Mr Mayowa Olayinka, said a failed PoS Transaction transfer he did in September has yet to be resolved in spite of going to the bank several times.

 

“What the CBN said is only on paper but in practice, Nigerians are suffering untold hardship with how banks handle customers’ complaints on digital transactions, from poor customer relations to unresolved transfers among other things,” Olayinka noted.

 

In an interview with Mr Williams Uko, the Head of Strategy and Research, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), said the apex bank has guidelines to reverse failed transactions immediately.

 

“Ideally, the bank has taken the money, and has kept it, right? There was a problem. It’s supposed to refund it immediately.

 

“But what some institutions do is, while they are still trying to reconcile, they hold on to the funds. That was what the CBN was kicking against.

 

“As soon as a message comes that it has failed, there should be an instant reversal, which oftentimes, it’s not,” Uko said.

 

Also, the Head of Digital Skills and Services, Nigerian Communications Commission, Mrs Hauwa Wakili, identified vandalisation as the biggest issue hindering connectivity.

 

According to her, vandalisation of connectivity infrastructure is now a criminal offence, adding that digital financial services require internet connectivity to make the services seamless.

 

“So, even the traditional banks that we used to know them, are adopting and are using improved, more innovative equipment that relies heavily on the internet.

 

“And that is why you see the demand for 5G technology because of speed and the volume of transactions,” she said.

 

Wakili stated that the 74 per cent financial inclusion that was achieved, which is also a modest improvement, was largely due to these digital payments.

 

“So, digital payments heavily rely on that connectivity and that is why we have also increased our collaboration with CBN.

 

“So, that again, we work together to harmonise wherever there is internet provision, there is digital infrastructure, there is connectivity, they also deploy their services.

 

According to her, the CBN and NCC report stated that 301 communities are still financially excluded, adding that the issue of vandalisation must be resolved so that it helped bridge the connectivity gap.

 

Experts’ opinion on the matter

 

A bank staff, who spoke on the situation, stated that the present disruption in the banking system was because the top five banks in Nigeria are changing their banking application almost at the same time.

 

He added that these banks serve about 80 to 85 per cent of the banking population in Nigeria.

 

“With the teething face that comes with upgrading or changing of banking applications, core banking applications at that, there is bound to be disruption in digital banking services.

 

“So that was what happened or what was seen in recent times. But by and large, I guess it will settle at some point. I hope it will be quickly too,” the banker said.

 

A FinTech Expert and Founder of Imalipay, Mr Oluwasanmi Akinmusire, said the financial sector in Nigeria has been facing many challenges in delivering seamless digital services to its customers.

 

“With a population as large as ours, you can tell that, ultimately, and unfortunately, we are still dealing with a lot of exclusion from financial services.

 

“One major factor that makes this so is the continuous loss of talent to other countries. Chiefly, the very best minds in technology who are supposed to drive innovation and stability in the sector from a service delivery point of view.

 

“We don’t have to go too far to ask why this is so. These talents have decided to make other countries their home, thereby leaving a serious gap that becomes challenging to fill,” Akinmusire said.

 

He stated that it was pertinent that a more deliberate approach be taken which would be to ensure “our talents” which are Nigerian technological experts and professionals, are sold into the vision of Nigeria.

 

“It is not enough to offer large salaries anymore. With the world becoming smaller every day through technology, the competition is becoming steeper for the scarce talents out there,” Akinmusire said.(NAN)

 

***This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email