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positive

Naira appreciates slightly to end week on positive note

by admin October 25, 2024

The naira appreciated consecutively against the dollar at the official foreign exchange market to close the week on a good note.

FMDQ Data showed that the naira gained slightly at N1600 per dollar on Friday from N1601.20 exchanged on Thursday.

Friday’s gain is the second time the naira has appreciated in the week under review.

However, the naira shed its value three times against the dollar this week.

In comparison with the exchange rate of N1600.78 per dollar last Friday, the country’s currency gained N0.78 at the close of the week under review.

Meanwhile, at the black market, the naira lost N15 to close at N1740 per dollar after starting the week with N1725.

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October 25, 2024 0 comment 7 views

Nigeria

Times hard but Tinubu’s economic reforms yielding positive results – Presidency

by admin October 22, 2024

The presidency has insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms are yielding positive results.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this via a post on X.

Onanuga, however, admitted that the times are tough but there is a brighter future ahead.

He wrote: “The economic reforms of the PBAT administration are yielding dividends. The road is rough, the times are tough, let us persevere for a brighter future. Surely, there is a beam of light at the end of the tunnel.”

Onanuga churned out some statistics that said: “In the first quarter of 2024, Nigeria recorded trade super plus of N65.527 trillion. But by the second quarter, that number rose to N65.945 trillion, a 6.5 percent increase.

“By half year 2024, we had exported enough to cover half of Nigeria’s N28.77 trillion budget.”

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October 22, 2024 0 comment 9 views

Nigeria

Oloyede as living expression of positive force

by admin October 14, 2024

BY the time the strong-willed, former Education Minister in the President Olusegun Obasanjo government, Oby Ezekwesili, lent her voice to the controversial JAMB result forgery saga involving a minor from Anambra State, I concluded that Nigeria was in for a most interesting time. The ‘steely’ character had argued that JAMB, rather than the minor involved, fell short of her expectations. Apparently on account of her respectable profile, including being a pastor of the renowned Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, many Nigerians seemed to believe Ezekwesili. Meanwhile, not many of the former minister’s adherents realized that the far tougher element in JAMB Registrar Oloyede would make Ezekwesili bend or make a full turnaround having failed to access the truth readily available to her from JAMB. Oloyede earned the credit of upping the ante at the board to clearly make it the most technologically trendy Federal Government board in the education sector. The former Vice-Chancellor of the better by far University of Ilorin damned the landlocked location of his university to emerge as the most digitech friendly of all times in Nigeria. The visionary was precocious in spotting possible opportunities that should accompany the rather nascent deregulated telecommunication sector. Promptly, he sought to use it to buoy, at least, the testing capacity of the university. Consequently, UNILORIN, under ProfOloyede perfected the unprecedentedly massive deployment of computer based tests in the early years of undergraduates in that university.

The story of what had been perfected at UNILORIN not only became the talk of the town but one that also emerged as a worthy study for test and evaluation scholars and experts from far and near. JAMB moved into UNILORIN for a comprehensive learning of the details. Thus evolved CBT test for JAMB even as it had to combine that with the paper-based test for a few years. Fate eventually did it. Fate did it for JAMB, literally the entire nation. The experiment that began from Better By Far University bourgeoned and later yielded heavily for the nation at large. In 2017, the CBT maestro was appointed as the registrar of JAMB. No time to feel complacent at JAMB in spite of the fulfilling trajectory. For Oloyede, like many scholars of digitech would wish to postulate and demonstrate, internet as a strand of it should be technology of freedom with limitless capacity to disrupt age-old traditions and practice. Indeed, enthroning new experiences serially is the vision of the new sheriff in town. Even as IT experts at JAMB and others he keeps attracting to the self-conceived tasks with no less adventurous spirit may be trying to perfect some contraptions, relentless Oloyede would soon throw up another and even another such that even the ultra-talented ones among the IT folks have always wondered on how best to earn Oloyede’s full marks. Right in Oloyede’s first year JAMB, he raised the bar. Mock exam would commence but would be optional. All eyes were therefore on JAMB as the news hit the town. Unknown to the leader with uncommon carrying capacity, saboteurs had been insistent on marring the novel layer of exam. It was time to test run the facility for the proposed CBT mock exam and it was discovered that it was far from possible. Naysayers had dug so deeply into the IT facility that the only option was to postpone the exam.

Oloyede that had extracted and re-extracted what seemed like sincere and infallible assurances suddenly became taciturn! However, like Prof AttahiruJega, the ultra-credible, firebrand, former ASUU leader who later became the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Oloyede had to settle for a humble pie in the face of insurmountable situation. Jega had postponed a national election against all expectation of the electorate and the international community and heaven did not fall. Why not an Oloyede? Oloyede therefore announced the mock exam would be shifted without boring the public with unnecessary details. But there was no sparing any energy again. He extended his overture to the best IT folks in town, including some hired to service some World Bank projects. He wanted the best available. Eventually, both the mock exam and the main exam held successfully. Yet, the JAMB chief examiner was no one to be caught napping in relation to the rule of law. He carried over the transparency campaign he had initiated at the University of Ilorin. Like UNILORIN, JAMB being a public institution, Prof Oloyede believed, must be subjected to surrender value by promptly rendering reports of its activities, including financials, every blessed week. Then came a big story which ended up being echoed by virtually all worthy news platforms in the country. JAMB returned N5 billion being the excess of the earnings from the sales of forms and allied services. It was unprecedented.

Indeed, it exceeded all of the returns ever turned in since the inception of the board. Transparency at JAMB had, under the inimitable Oloyede, come to set a new standard for the country. Tongues wagged ceaselessly. Salutations by the young and old patriots went viral across social media platforms. Many began to wonder loudly on the need to query past JAMB leadership. For Oloyede, it was not about personal pride but simply expressive of his life as a responsible academic with towering standing who is also a Muslim, if you like a responsible family man and community leader. Oloyede till date is the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. It should also interest us to note here that, together with Bishop Father Kukah representing the Christian community, Oloyede was co-secretary of the National Conference set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014. Participating in the conference for Oloyede was obviously neither mere jaw jaw nor some cheap opportunity for self-enrichment. Everyone should be able to walk their talk. Rather than allow himself to get soaked in the eulogies resultant from the N5 billion returns, Oloyede forged ahead to strengthen JAMB as institution that should be able to weather unpredictable failings such as had undermined the maiden mock exam and some other processes of the Board.

Interestingly, Oloyede’s consistent insistence on either the best or nothing mantra has never taken away anything from his team-player compliance even as he makes efforts to fulfil diverse civilizational aspirations. Beginning with the very first examination he conducted in 2017, he democratized the entire process ensuring gender balancing as well with invigilators and other exam officials duly recruited from all relevant spheres.

Not given to playing any petty god in any context, he literally elevated yours sincerely and others to the level of ‘Registrar-in-Council’. Membership of my team (subject to annual rejig on merit) was to avail him standby back-up for the entire duration of exam annually. A team of tested scholars and highly experienced administrators, no fewer than six of that team had served or currently serving as Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Deputy Registrars of Nigeria’s leading universities around the country. My team, till date (most delighted to have been signed on for the 2024 exam as I write) is always saddled with the responsibility of maintaining minute-by-minute contact with all centres nationwide and expected to update the registrar on the wellness or otherwise of the conduct of the examination. And we’re always delightfully equipped to achieve that.

The said Registrar-in-Council, like the boss of the board, has no closing time, especially on challenging days and day one and day two of exams must be deemed so annually even as we are often pleasantly surprised. No year again has presented any extremely tasking experience as that of of 2017 when we had to work all night! Although all efforts are often mustered to ensure zero hitch, my team routinely lives the Boys Scout motto of “Be Prepared” to stall any eventuality that may result from the Shakespearian proclamation that “Since the hope of man hangs in the balance, let’s reason with the worst”.

For JAMB however, the sturdy Septuagenarian with the energy of a young groom, Professor Is’haqOlanrewajuOloyede, has been leading his team from glory to greater glory. Best wishes always sir.

Akanni, PhD, is an academic.

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October 14, 2024 0 comment 12 views

Uncategorized

COVID-19 Looms In Paris Olympics, Many Athletes Testing Positive

by admin July 31, 2024

Three years after the Tokyo Olympics were held amid strict precautions and with no fans because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the virus has forced athletes to withdraw from events at the Paris Games and has others donning masks again. This time the impact is much more limited though.

Several athletes have tested positive, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister who was a medal hope in the women’s 1,500 metres freestyle but had to withdraw from the event.

A team spokesperson said, however, that the decision was made to save Pallister’s energy for the 4x200m freestyle relay which starts on Thursday. Likewise, British swimmer Adam Peaty, who tested positive a day after he just missed out on 100m breaststroke gold, sharing silver with American Nic Fink, said he would focus on a “fast, full recovery” to give his best in relays later in the week.

“Adam’s okay, he’s not dying. He’s alright, just a bit of a cold,” Peaty’s British teammate Matt Richards said after his 100m freestyle heat on Tuesday.

“We’ll avoid it (COVID) as best we can,” Richards said. But “we’re here to race. If we get a little bit ill whilst we’re racing we’ll keep racing. It’s how we do it.”

Several Australian women’s water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 in the days leading up to the opening ceremony, forcing them to isolate from other team members.

However the team played on Tuesday, smashing Serbia 8-3…

July 31, 2024 0 comment 12 views

Uncategorized

How Tinubu Tasked Nigerians In Diaspora On Positive Contributions

by admin July 28, 2024

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged Nigerians in the Diaspora to make more positive contributions by bringing their skills and expertise to develop the economy of Nigeria.

The President said this at the opening session of 2024 National Diáspora Day celebration and National Diáspora Merit Award in Abuja on Thursday, stressing that Nigeria is among the top 10 countries with the most international migrants in the World.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume in the event with the theme “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development” President Tinubu admitted the complexity and scale of migration of Nigerians globally and advised them to always use proper channels to seek greener pasture elsewhere.

Citing data, the President noted that 169 million international migrant workers left their countries of origin primarily to seek work, with Nigeria having a significant diaspora population.

He lamented that the current trend where the youth now embark on migration, many of them irregular, has the implications for collective growth and urged citizens not to forget their homeland.

He noted that through initiatives such as the Nigerian Diaspora Commission and presidential town hall meetings with diaspora communities, engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora is being harnessed for national development.

He lauded the Nigerians in the Diaspora for their positive contributions such as remittances of funds, adding that Nigeria received huge remittances of over $21 billion last year from Nigerians in the Diaspora.

In his remarks the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas urged cooperation between the government and the Diasporans, citing the positive results achieved so far.

The Speaker who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Benjamin Kalu said the government acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the country’s development, particularly in areas such as education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and healthcare.

He also announced plans to explore ways to grant voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora, recognizing their relevance to nation-building.

“A constitutional amendment bill has been presented to the House of Representatives, and the government is committed to making progress on this issue.”

“The diaspora community is in safe hands and I encourage you to continue contributing to the country’s growth.”

“The government is committed to investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure to retain skilled workers and attract those who have ventured abroad.”

“The National Assembly stands ready to enact necessary laws to support the return of skilled professionals and contribute to the country’s growth and implore those in the diaspora to remain committed to Nigeria’s progress and invest in local initiatives,” he added.

…Nigeria Rakes In $99 Billion In Five Years From Diaspora Remittances

Meanwhile, Nigeria reportedly raked in nearly $99 billion from Diaspora remittances in the last five years.

Chairman of NiDCOM, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa said this in her address, adding that that the National Diaspora Day Celebrations prescribed by the National Diaspora Policy is set aside to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate the over 20 million Nigerians in the Diaspora (both the modern and historic Diaspora) who are contributing immensely to national development.

“Let me also state that the contributions of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasized. According to the World Bank statistics recently, Nigerian Diaspora has remitted over 99 billion US dollars into the system in the last five years. This is huge and highly commendable.

“Our Diaspora are known to be hard working, highly productive, patriotic, and resilient. They are also pace setters in their different fields of endeavors. It therefore falls on us to celebrate our very best, not minding that a few do fall below standard.

“Since its establishment five years ago, the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) have had so much to celebrate. This is because the passion and consistency that saw to the establishment of the Commission has been well sustained by the legacy team that built it,” she said.

The National Diaspora Day 2024 provided a platform for Nigerians in the diaspora to engage with the government and discuss ways to drive national development. The event underscored the government’s commitment to diaspora engagement and its recognition of the community’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s growth.

July 28, 2024 0 comment 10 views