Day: June 7, 2024

Miss Oluwateniola Olowoporoku, an 11-year old pupil on Friday called for concerted efforts towards effective management of the nation’s natural resources.

She made the call in Abuja during sensitisation tagged ‘Head Girl Initiative Capacity Building’ which she organised in partnership with Springhall British Primary School Abuja.

An initiative with the theme: ‘Natural Resources Governance’, is meant to educate students on importance of protecting the nation’s natural resources.

‘Our school has always been a beacon of knowledge and leadership, and today we embark on a journey that reinforces our commitment to sustainability and responsible stewardship of our environment.

‘Nigeria is blessed with so many natural resources like trees, water, minerals, and even fresh air. They’re super important because they help us live our lives every day.

‘We use trees to make paper for our books, water to drink and grow food, and minerals to make things like cars and phones.

‘But here’s the thing, these resources aren’
t endless, that means we have to be careful about how we use them. And that’s where natural resource governance comes in”, she said.

Olowoporoku said the Head Girl initiative was aimed encouraging young persons’ participation in protecting God-given natural resources

Mrs Juliet Ukanwosu, Executive Director Extractive 360 in a presentation on, ‘All about Natural Resources in Nigeria’, urged more sensitisation of young persons on effective use of resources.

Ukanwosu explained that the knowledge the children had received in the course of the programme would go a long way to shape their adulthood and prepare them for desired leadership roles in the future.

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‘The amount of values and knowledge that we impact on them is what will shape the adult and the leaders that they will become tomorrow

‘So it’s important that we begin to catch them young and to imbibe in them the right values and the right knowledge as they grow,’ she said.

Mrs Etareri De
kpe, Olowoporoku’s mother, expressed gladness over daughter’s passion to share her knowledge with her peers and school mates.

‘Anything natural resources is my sector However, she is inquisitive about natural resources; their uses, among others.

‘She came up with the idea to also extend the knowledge to her school mates and I said why not, she created the whole road map for the initiative.

‘I just had to help her as her mother by sponsoring it,’ she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Vento International Trading Limited, an international furniture organisation, has partnered with an NGO, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative (APBPI), to promote positive behaviour and moral values among Nigerian children.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Coordinator for Vento, Mrs Muberra Yigit, stated this during a courtesy visit to her office by APBPI officials, on Friday in Abuja.

Yigit said that her organisation was passionate about education of young children, hence the need for partnering with APBPI to promote positive behaviour in the society, particularly among children.

According to her, promoting positive behaviour among children will assist in moulding their lives, thus making them to become responsible citizens.

She said that her company would continue to support the APBPI school programme, focusing on truancy and substance abuse.

The Director of Campaign Team for APBPI, Mr Bamidele Mann, said that the partnership would further boost the NGO’s activities and make i
t to get the desired positive behaviour from Nigerian children.

He noted that Vento’s past support had enabled APBPI to reach more children, aligning them with the right attitudes and behaviours essential for building better character.

‘We are thrilled to partner with Vento international trading limited, sharing a common goal of shaping Nigeria’s future by investing in its children,’ Mann said.

The Director, Advisory Model for APBPI, Mr Sam Obashun, thanked the firm for what it had been doing in the past, especially in the area of building a new Nigeria through children’s behaviour.

Obashun expressed the firm’s commitment to carrying out its corporate social responsibility that would make a significant difference in the lives of the children.

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‘Together, we are making positive impacts, fostering a culture of responsibility, respect and empathy among our young citizens.

‘Vento international trading limited’s commitment to CSR has made
a significant difference in the lives of numerous children, promoting a brighter future for Nigeria.

‘We commend its dedication to giving back to the community and we look forward to continued collaboration,’ he said

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Hidayet Bayraktar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria, says cultural diplomacy will deepen and strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the envoy made this known at the opening of a solo art exhibition by Imal Silva titled ‘An Ode to Existence”, on Friday in Abuja.

Bayraktar said the artwork of the earth was a platform for environmental activism.

‘Also, art strives to create and develop an artistic space for sustainability by fostering connections among diverse communities.

‘In our bid to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria, we, as Turkish embassy, support Nigeria artists and display their precious artworks at our embassy’s exhibition hall.

‘The artist’s work, `An Ode to Existence’, portrays the expression of nature’s colours which serve as a way to convey the beauty, complexities of nature, seasons, landscapes and natural phenomena.

‘Through contemporary art exhibitions and cross-cultural
dialogue, we do not only share the wall of our embassy, but also we aim to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria.

‘My profound gratitude goes to the artist for the gift of creativity in his work and also to extend my thanks to the curator Mrs Beste Gursu, for her relentless efforts towards the Nigerian artists.’

Speaking, Silva lauded the Ambassador and his wife for the opportunity and the platform to exhibit his work to an audience of art lovers.

‘The platform created is not just for me alone but for many other Nigerian artists. I thank the curator for the encouragement, about a year plus this exhibition wouldn’t have been possible.

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‘My abstract renditions about the earth and our responsibilities toward the earth and also within that one year plus I was able to write some poems for mother earth to us,” he said.

Also, Gursu thanked the Ambassador for opening his doors to artists from the two co
untries to exhibit their work for a period of 20 months.

‘I thank ambassador Bayraktar for opening the embassy doors for the period of 20 months, allowing us to organise our first five events, four of which were Nigerian artists and one from a Turkish artist.

‘At this point, I want to appreciate the ambassador for the support he is giving to Nigerian art and artists.

‘Our exhibition today is that of an abstract work by Silva after our figurative Nigerian art exhibition, this is the first time we are presenting an abstract work in Nigeria,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), have urged the media to refrain from attempts to blackmail institutions of government and ensure accurate information before publication.

The CSOs, Coalition for Peace In Nigeria (COPIN) and the Iconoclast Media, made the call in a joint statement on Friday in Abuja.

The statement was signed by the National Coordinator of COPIN, Mr Emeka Akwuobi and the National Secretary of Iconoclast Media, Dr Mayago Mayago.

The group faulted a media report on an alleged invasion of an Ogun State High Court premises and arrest of two suspects by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to the group, apart from the claim of invasion, the media platform also called on President Bola Tinubu to among others, ‘curb DSS excesses’.

It said the DSS had, however, debunked the claim, explaining that the suspects were apprehended outside the precinct of the court.

The CSOs said the establishment Act of the DSS had wide powers, including the detection and prevention
of threats to national security, public safety and assets of government.

The statement said investigation by the groups showed that the intelligence agency acted based on a report it received on alleged destruction of property and arson against the suspects.

According to the group, the DSS, in our estimation, has a track record of observing the rule of law and following the due process of law in the execution of its mandate.

‘That informs why it ensures that suspects in its custody are held based on remand orders, pending when they are arraigned in court or granted administrative bail.

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‘We, therefore, call on President Bola Tinubu to disregard the call by the media platform to interfere with the statutory duties of the DSS.

‘We also, call on other CSOs, individuals, groups and stakeholders in the project Nigeria, to give valuable support to the government and her institutions to facilitate the delivery of dividend of democracy,’ the group said.

The group also said the media platform, in its ‘scathing’ editorial, failed to observe the time-honored journalism tradition of balancing reports.

‘While acknowledging that the media platform has a right to its opinion, the DSS has a history of respect for harmonious relationship with the judiciary,’ the group said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The ‘Singer 2024’ on Hunan Satellite TV Mango TV has gathered music talents from all over the world upon the background of a ‘beautiful diversity’ of the music civilization community. The starting lineup of Singer with Chanté Moore, a singer from the United States, and Faouzia, a Moroccan-North African singer, has conveyed the borderless charm of music with different styles of songs on the stage of Singer. During the time of their participation in the program in China, they have deeply understood the Chinese culture, experienced the urban charm, and conducted a deep cultural exchange as well as mutual learning with Chinese singers and audiences.

Chinese fans were overwhelmed by international talented singers who were making friends with their songs

On the stage of the four episodes that have been broadcast, Chanté Moore has made a bold challenge with singing the ‘Wrecking Ball’ in rock ‘n’ roll-style, setting the whole scene on fire with an dynamic performance and successfully won the championship. Her uni
que voice and passionate interpretation not only made online singers feel the ‘power of music’, but also conquered a lot of audiences.

The overseas rising star Faouzia, who won the ‘Singer 2024’ weekly championship for two consecutive weeks, has repeatedly refreshed the audience’s understanding of her musical style. Upon reminiscing her previous performance on the stage, each song of Faouzia has shown the multi-level understanding of the music by the new emerging forces born after 2000 in the music industry, and has gained many audience favor. There are over 160 top-searched topics about her all over the network, and the total amount of communication topics has reached 2.5 billion.

Experiencing the Chinese authentic culture with music as the bridge and amazing international friends with the charm of tradition

This international music competition is not only a collision on the musical level, but also a deep integration of multiculturalism. As the starting lineup, Chanté Moore and Faouzia have developed a gr
eat interest in Chinese traditional culture and folk customs during the competition. Not only did they hang out in the streets of Changsha and taste the beauty of Hunan cuisine, but they also checked in many times on ancient streets with local culture and full of everyday life, and shared the gastronomic scenery of Changsha on their overseas social media platform, calling for more friends to visit China.

On the occasion of the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, Chanté Moore and Faouzia have also put on costumes of Han-Chinese in brand-new style and experienced the folk customs of Dragon Boat Festival from zero distance. In the process of experiencing the making of Zongzi, Chanté Moore has expressed her great admiration for Chinese ethnic culture. In an exclusive interview with China Daily, she has also appealed to more foreigners to come to China and experience Chinese culture with a humble and studious attitude.

The broadcasting of ‘Singer 2024’ has caused extensive discussion around the world due t
o the affectionate performances of many international singers. The overseas dissemination has continued to soar. The live data of Mango TV International App has continuously rocketed. The total number of official content plays on overseas social media platforms has exceeded 12.4 million, covering more than 100 million users.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Ali Khwaja, Chairman of KTrade Securities, a Pakistani-based stock and commodity outfit, says the U.S. inflation can impact negatively on the developing world.

Khwaja, who communicated this during a virtual analysis of the KTrade Securities research report, said the highlight had become important because the U.S. grappled with persistent inflation.

He said that no country was immune to fallout of inflation, adding that the U.S. was not immune to fallout either.

‘Concerns are about possible 1970-style stagflation amid slowing economy and stubborn inflation.”

According to him, small and medium businesses can bear the brunt due to compounding impact of high inflation in the mass market.

‘Inflation effects often add up; when things become too expensive that people start cutting-down on expenditure and new hiring in businesses, a recession is in sight.

‘Next year, when people try to remortgage their homes, they will find it is very expensive, as seven per cent is a very high interest rate.’

He quoted t
he Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, to have expressed confidence in curbing inflation, saying it was not as high as it was after the Producer Price Index (PPI).

He cited the recent data from the U.S. Labor Department to have pointed to a 0.5 per cent uptick in the PPI for April and a rebound from the 0.1per cent dip in March.

‘Earlier, the U.S. Commerce Department stated consumer prices witnessed a 3.4 per cent year-on-year increase in the first quarter, much higher than the two per cent target.

‘These figures dented hope; yet for rate cuts within the year, dealing another blow to market expectations after several wrecked rate-cut prospects since the beginning of the year.

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‘This will change dynamics, because interest rates are already at 23 year high as the impact of high interest rates has not come to small business owners and real estate owners.

‘Debt contracts they had are not up for re-pricing; when re-pricing kicks in later this yea
r, it will be a massive hit to consumers that can lead to recession later this year and through 2025.”

The chairman explained that the costs of debt servicing are soaring; particularly in currencies across Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India which are at historic lows.

‘In some cases, central banks have to intervene to defend their currencies; when a protectionism policy is adopted, it will be very difficult to control inflation.

‘The reason why the world had a period of low inflation and high growth was because of the benefit of trade.

‘Yet over the last five years, protectionism has led to lesser trade, higher tariffs on consumption and higher fuel prices, all of which contributed to higher inflation,’ he said.

He decried manipulation of economics for political gains as a way to likely backfire, stating that higher inflation led to political and societal friction by creating a gap between the rich and the poor.

Khwaja also said such could strain the economy of any country.

He quoted Dr Abid Suleri, Executive-Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), saying if high inflation persists, the new government faces challenges in meeting expectations of the electorate.

‘The first thing the new U.S. administration might do after the election is to reassess the real value of dollars.

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‘It has two options; in my opinion, one is to depreciate the value of U.S. dollar vis-a-vis other major currencies; which is a step no outgoing government will like to take.

‘Otherwise, the U.S. itself will become more and more non-competitive; not only against China but also against the EU, Japan and other trading nations,’ Suleri said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, has called on private companies to help in building more affordable housing units in the state to bridge the deficit gap.

Akinderu-Fatai made the call at the official inauguration and handover of the 270 home units, Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate (Cluster 1), on Thursday, in Lagos.

He said the occasion was a step toward alleviating the housing deficit in Lagos.

Akinderu-Fatai added the housing project would bring succour to the people of the Igando-Ikotun in Alimosho Local Government Area.

He emphasised that there were more people who needed affordable housing in Lagos than the government could currently provide on its own.

He said, ‘We are also using this medium to call for more private participation in strengthening our resolve to reduce the challenge of housing deficit in the state.

‘Though we have made significant financial investment through budgetary allocations towards completion of all existing housing schemes, we still need p
rivate sector’s support and contributions in order to speedily achieve the Lagos of our dreams.’

The commissioner said the project, with long and challenging journey, started in 2001 and had since faced multiple delays due to funding issues and changes in leadership.

Akinderu-Fatai highlighted Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s dedication to completing the project and his vision for a 21st-century Lagos.

The commissioner expressed optimism that Clusters 2 and 3 of the projects would be completed, adding 576 more homes.

He said, ‘As we hand over the keys to the new homeowners, we reaffirm our commitment to completing Clusters 2 and 3.

‘We will continue to work assiduously to overcome any challenges, ensuring that every promised units are delivered.

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‘This project is a clear indication that when we combine vision with dedication, the results are transformative.

‘May I, also add that Mr Governor, in his m
agnanimity has graciously approved that all existing subscribers with full payment for either a unit of two bedroom or three bedroom flat be given allocation from this very cluster at no additional fees to the selling price.

‘This is to appreciate their trust and commitment over-time in our dear state.’

He, however, said that other subscribers with more than 50 per cent commitment on the initial selling price would be considered with an option to balance up at the current selling price.

He added, ‘Please be informed that when the clusters two and three of the scheme is delivered in due course, there will be an additional 576 homes to the housing stock in the area, thus bringing us to the original vision of the project.’

Akinderu-Fatai urged the new homeowners to go beyond simply receiving their apartments, encouraging them to feel a sense of responsibility for the entire estate.

Also speaking, Sanwo-Olu, at the inauguration of the 270 home units, expressed delight for bringing these homes to reality.

Ac
cording to him, housing is the fundamental human rights and the cornerstone of social economic stability.

He expressed the resolve to make a significant investment to affordable housing to bridge the housing gap between the demand and the supply, pledging to partner with investors.

The governor urged the home owners to take proper care of the building, advising them not to do things that would endanger the lives of others.

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He thanked the ministry and contractors, promising to come soonest for the inauguration of the clusters two and three.

The journey of Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Scheme began in 2001, with the ambitious goal of delivering 846 housing units to sub-urban dwellers in the state.

However, due to funding issues, the project was abandoned and transferred to the Lagos Building Investment Corporation in 2006.

In spite of the significant interest and financial commitments from over 924 subscribers, the project stalled again and was take
n over by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure in 2013.

With very minimal progress recorded, the project was returned back to the Ministry of Housing in 2016 by former Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), says adherence to code of practice and use of standard materials are critical to attaining building construction sustainability in Nigeria.

Prof. Samson Duna, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NBRRI, stated this at the presentation of the 2023 NBRRI Scorecard to stakeholders on Thursday in Abuja

Duna said the institute carried out a robust research on building collapse in Nigeria.and the outcomes were revealing, while far-reaching recommendations were made.

‘The investigation reveals that substandard materials, poor workmanship, poor supervision, lack of proper topography and soil investigation, absence of building or planning permit ,corruption ,inadequate designs are major factors of building collapse,’ he said.

The institute’s CEO appealed to construction industry workers to use materials that meet the standard specification in construction and follow the code of practice.

He said that the Code of Practice is a guide enabling profes
sionals in the construction sector to do the right thing as expected and not to cut corners.

Duna added that the code of practice covers construction areas like the labour, material, machines and manpower.

He added that, when construction workers adhere to the code of practice, the case of building collapse would be a thing of the past.

‘My advice and appeal to professionals in the construction industry is that they should adhere to the standard requirement for the use of any material in construction.

‘If you want to be sure that you are using quality materials like steel; you have to take it to the lab and test it to ensure that the material you are using meets the standard specification.

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‘If you are asked to produce a grade of 25 or a grade of 30, ensure that you use a mixed ratio that is standard to give you that specification of the required grade.

‘Most of our infrastructure does not last long because we hardly adhere to spec
ifications, ‘ he said.

Duna said that through the Institute’s intervention in conducting studies on building collapse, the incidence was declining.

He said that NBRRI as a research institute had come up with some of the best labs in the country, in measuring construction materials like cement, concrete, steel among others

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improve the security situation in the country for the better.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, said this when the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Annika Hahn-Englund, led a delegation to pay him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

‘We are gradually winning the war against terrorism and violent extremism going by the various measures put in place so far to tackle the menace headlong

‘Nigeria is the best-kept secret on global investment hence your investment is safe and secured in Nigeria.

‘We look forward to more mutually beneficial collaborations in areas such as economics, business and migration control’, the minister told his guests.

Tunji-Ojo commended the historic relationship between both countries, saying Nigeria’s trade volume with Sweden was now valued at $183 million.

He said that Sweden was one of Nigeria’s important trade partners.

‘We value our relationship with Sweden. Trade relationships from 1995 have been on
the increase from $29.6million. At the moment it is US $183m which is a 6.7% annual increase in terms of trade volume.

‘This shows that the collaboration and partnership are working because when your growth rate goes to about 6.97 per cent which is almost 7 per cent per annum, it shows that the relationship is working well’, he said.

The minister emphasised that the Federal Government was making efforts to ensure that the security situation of the country improved tremendously to stimulate more foreign investment and cooperation.

Earlier, Hahn-Englund said the purpose of her visit was to know more about the priorities of the Ministry of Interior, get updates on the security situation in Nigeria and discuss Swedish investments in Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

By Raji Rasak/ Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Foundation on Wednesday sensitised students of Badagry Senior Secondary School on tree planting to mark the World Environment Day.

Speaking at the programme, Mrs Henrietta Obioma-Igwe, Manager, Programme and Development of the foundation, said tree planting and conservation efforts were key to maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment.

World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5, and aims at raising awareness and celebrating environmental action, with a focus this year on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.

‘Tree planting minimises or prevents the environmental challenges impacting on our environment and survival.

‘Trees provide shade, cool the air through transpiration, and block winds, regulating local climates.

‘Trees produce oxygen, which is essential for human and animal life.

‘Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to prevent climate change,’ she said.

She said that the foundation had chosen Badagry because it is a border community, adding that the town is a point of contact to anybody coming into the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the programme the foundation planted 70 trees in Badagry Senior Secondary School.

Mr Kenneth Adeoni, Principal of the school, expressed delight at the sensitisation brought to the students.

‘Now, we are happy because the sensitisation is for the children who are the leaders of tomorrow.

‘This has gone a long way to let them understand that we need to protect our environment for tomorrow.

‘The sensitisation has gone a long way to let them understand that we need to protect our environment with the issues of climate,’ he said.

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The principal urged Nigerians to protect their environment by planting trees.

‘To protect our environment, we need to plant tress consistently and for the fact that we have planted trees, we also nee
d to nurture them very well.

‘This sensitisation will help the students to understand environment through tree planting,’ he said.

He commended the foundation for its consistency in piloting the programme, adding that the programme is impacting in the lives of the students.

Adeoni promised to ensure all the 70 trees planted in the school are all well nurtured.

Also speaking, Miss Mautin Tunde, Assistant Chief Education Officer, District 5, said the major challenge facing the world was climate change.

‘The only solution to this is by planting trees.

‘I will implore the teachers and students of the school to ensure they sustain the trees NNPC foundation planted here today.

‘I will urge them to sustain and nurture them to grow because this is the only way to save lives,’ she said.

A student, Olanrewaju Olawoyin, said the programme had taught him that planting trees was of utmost benefit to mankind.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria