In an initiative that will see the growth and development of payment services within the East Africa region, leading digital fintech platform provider, Ukheshe, has announced the conclusion of a new agreement with the Kenya-based lender KCB Bank Kenya.

Through the agreement, KCB will sponsor Ukheshe’s Bank Identification Number (BIN) number, which will allow Ukheshe to immediately issue both physical and virtual cards across East Africa where KCB has an extensive footprint.

According to Victor Ndlovu, Vice President of Ukheshe Africa, the deal will include other innovative digital products such as QR issuing and acquiring: “By joining forces with KCB we are well-placed to address several open loop market opportunities while boosting wider consumer adoption. Payment options across various segments will benefit such as payroll, companion cards, multi-currency prepaid cards, travel cards and gift cards, together with social security and other government benefit programs such as insurance claims.”

Ndlovu says financial inclusion remains a massive challenge in the region and across the continent where millions of people are either unbanked or severely underserved. “With a shared objective of contributing to economic growth and financial freedom on the continent, Ukheshe and the KCB will meet the bourgeoning demand for viable cash alternatives.”

In recent months, Ukheshe has ramped up efforts to establish and enhance key partnerships in Africa as the continent shifts towards digital channels, products and services across all categories.

“Embracing a digital-first approach is not only a win for African consumers but for fintechs, banks, payment processors, as well as issuers and merchants. Our agreement with KCB will escalate our impact in transforming the payment space while collaborating with key industry players to stimulate the uptake of digital payments,” notes Ndlovu.

Commenting on the collaboration, Executive Director for Ukeshe Africa, Mark Dankworth, says: “We’ve found a long-term strategic partner that shares our vision of simplicity and transparency in payments whilst driving financial inclusion and opening up new pathways to innovation. We look forward to a highly productive working relationship.”

“We are keen on continually expanding our digital offering and card business to serve customers and deepening financial inclusion. KCB has been at the forefront of digitising transactions to offer customers seamless services,” says Annastacia Kimtai, KCB Director Retail Banking.

In addition to providing fintechs, telcos and banks with payment solutions, Ukheshe creates customer focused products and services more efficiently with its rich Eclipse API ecosystem.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on January 29, 2021 arrested 10 suspects over computer-related fraud known as ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’

They were arrested at their Academy in Bwari axis of Abuja where they were said to be learning the trade of cyber trickery.

The suspects aged between 20 and 30 years, are Sixtus Jude, Moses Samuel, Isalan Johnny, Dapet Nimshak, Samuel Ogboche, Victor Samuel, Victor Asuquo, Ibrahim Yunusa, Yahaya Usman and Chijoke Ikwuoha.

They were arrested with different incriminating items such as mobile phones and computers.

The promoter of the Academy is however on the run,
Investigations showed that the sponsor recruits and train young individuals who show interest in internet fraud.
The sponsor gets his percentage of their earnings based on an agreement between him and the recruits. He also serves as a conduit for laundering the money gotten from internet fraud by some of the suspects.

The suspects will be prosecuted when investigation is completed.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom once more calls on Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political affiliations to uphold unity, peace and dialogue as panacea for the myriad of problems confronting the country.

The Governor’s advice is in reference to the statement credited to a group known as Muslim Solidarity Forum which asked the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah to tender an unreserved apology over his Christmas Day message or leave Sokoto State.

The Governor finds the statement as a contradiction of provisions of the Constitution which accord Nigerians the right to live freely in any part of the country.

He says the statement of the group directing Bishop Kukah to apologize or leave Sokoto State is a clear affirmation that Nigeria is being controlled by forces which are bent on setting the country ablaze if their interests are not guaranteed.

The Governor states that Nigerians – both Christians and Muslims need to set aside religious and other sentiments to come together in humility to fast and pray for peace and unity of the country, rather than the current situation where some persons are fanning embers of disunity and hatred.

He says the Holy Bible admonishes the people to pray for their leaders and stresses that what is happening in the country at the moment is beyond human comprehension and cannot be tackled by President Muhammadu Buhari alone.

Governor Ortom advises that people who love Nigeria should desist from making inflammatory statements capable of heightening tensions and taking the country to the precipice of chaos and disintegration.

He says Bishop Kukah is not the first to speak out against impunity, injustice and the collapsing security situation being witnessed in parts of the country. He says “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” as captured in the Bible book of John 8:32.

The Governor commends the Federal Government for issuing a statement to caution the group and reminding its members of provisions of the Constitution which guarantee the right of Nigerians to reside in any part of the country.

He states that Bishop Kukah remains a true patriot who speaks to give direction and make recommendations on the way the people should be governed in an equitable and just manner.

The Governor maintains that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens and no individual or group has the right to threaten others and whip them into silence.

He states that calls such as the one made by Muslim Solidarity Forum can only lead the country to a state of lawlessness which does no nation any good.

The Governor says what Nigerians ought to be worried about at this time in addition to insecurity is the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the dwindling economy which has seen the naira fall to 500 to one dollar in the open market, a situation that is rendering millions of youths jobless

He calls for sober reflection on the projection made by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that Nigeria may become the poverty capital of the world if nothing is urgently done to improve the productive sector.

The Governor reiterates the need for attention to be given to the productive sector, in order to create jobs for the people to avert the projection that more Nigerians will be destitute in the near future.

Governor Ortom says democracy is built on the rule of law and freedom of speech is also anchored on the rule of law and to the extent that it does not infringe on the rights of other people.

Terver Akase

Nigerian businessman, Prince Obieze Nestor, who was arrested by the police in Dubai after he flaunted wads of money online, has allegedly died in police custody.

It was gathered that Obieze, who was said to be into oil and gas, was arrested on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, few days after he posted the video on his Instagram page.

According to a source, “After he posted the video, the police stormed his house and arrested him. They didn’t allow anyone to visit him, not even his lawyer or his girlfriend had access to him.

He was arrested by C.I.D. of Dubai and I believe he was tortured during interrogation. He died in police custody and he has been deposited in the mortuary”.

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Sector Skills Council on Construction with the core mandate of tackling the skills and productive needs of the construction industry.

While delivering his speech at the occasion, the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu, (FNSE), who performed the inauguration pointed out that the establishment of the Sector Skills Council is a deliberate decision of the Federal Government to address the challenges of skills gap, skills supply, skills quality and skills demand of the building sector in the construction Industry.

The Minister spelt out the scope of their mandate as follows: Establishment and maintenance of strategy for the coordination and incorporation of emerging trends in skills development, Development of competency standards and qualifications, Developing a sector skill development plan and maintenance of skill inventory, influence how training is delivered in Nigeria, productivity improvement and consistency in reducing skills gaps and shortages.

The Council is also expected to inherit the National Occupational Standards in some critical trades, a labour market information system and a secretariat with modest personnel from the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), he added.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Babangida Husseini enjoined members of the newly inaugurated Council to justify the confidence reposed on them by their appointment while urging them to think out ways that the sector can reduce  the problem of youth unemployment. He commended the Honourable Minister Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN  and the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing for the various intervention programmes they have introduced toward the attainment of the Ministry’s mandate

In his welcome address, the Chairman Inauguration Committee of the Sector Skills Council on Construction, Dr. Samson Ameh Opaluwa disclosed that the National Board for Technical Education had obtained an approval of Government through the Federal Ministry of Education to implement and regulate the National Skills qualification Framework (NSQF) in Nigeria in 2014.

He revealed that in constituting the Sector Skill Council, deliberate efforts were made to ensure the representation of a broad spectrum of the stakeholders in the construction industry in Nigeria adding that it was expected to be a stakeholder and private sector –led as two third of the nominees were representatives of the Private Sector while one third  was made up of relevant government regulatory bodies and actors in the construction and housing sector.

 Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Engineer Gianfranco Albertazzi who is also  joint Managing Director Borini Prono & Co Nig Ltd  pledged that the council will do Nigeria proud by  qualifying and equipping  a very large  number of citizens to contribute more consciously to the county’s development as well as create an informed middle class, trained in the art of building. He called for the support of stakeholders both from the government and private sector to achieve their mandate.

Members of the Sector Skills Council include: Federation of the construction Industry (FOCI), representatives of Artisans, Indigenous Contractors, one from each geo-political zone, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Representatives of Awarding Bodies (NIOB), Representatives of training providers, one from each geo- political zone, Facilities Management Consultants, Builders Structure Consultants and Service Consultants.

Others are National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), Director of building services, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Standard Organisation of Nigeia (SON), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Family Homes Funds Ltd (FHFL), Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Architects Registration Council (ARCON), Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) and Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBONI).

Boade Akinola

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja warned that stoking ethnic and religious prejudices will not augur well for the development of the country, adding that his administration will continue to create the enabling environment for religious freedom as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.

Speaking when the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) led by its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, paid him a courtesy call, President Buhari said:  

“The Federal Government will continue to promote religious freedom as it is a constitutional responsibility. I must thank the Muslim ummah for promoting inter-religious dialogue in the country. It is self-evident that if the country must work, we must continue to work together in spite of our ethnic, religious and political differences because Nigeria is our collective project.

 “Accordingly, the Federal Government under my leadership does not and will not allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies. It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society.”

The President assured the delegation that government was doing all within its powers to bring the current state of insecurity to the barest minimum, calling on the local community to assist the security forces as they perform their roles:

“The Federal Government has worked tirelessly to combat insecurity and other challenges that are confronting the country. Security is a protracted problem but we are not relenting in our efforts. Not only are we equipping the military, we are also boosting their morale to perform their constitutional duties without undue interference.  We are also encouraging locales to enhance their intelligence gathering and timely remitting to the security Agencies.

“I acknowledge that security is the first responsibility of Government but Government cannot do it alone. It requires stakeholders, such as yourselves. Therefore, I urge you to lend your support to the security agencies by providing information that may stem the tide of crimes and insecurity in the society.” 

He also spoke on efforts of his administration towards making life better for the average Nigerian:

“We are diversifying the economy and putting appropriate mechanisms in place to reduce poverty and more fiercely combat corruption, regardless of the status of those involved. 

“Programmes such as N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Home-Grown School Feeding are just some of the interventions made to empower Nigerians and cater for their needs. 

“The National Social Investment Programme alone has directly benefited four million Nigerians through job training and financial assistance.” 

President Buhari called on the leaders to continue “speaking to our people and to help amplify this message through your very tried and tested networks” and to give full backing to the Alternate School Programme which he launched on Tuesday. 

He said the it was “designed to not only address our high out of school rates, but it will boost our levels of Girl Child education while also equipping our youth with the right tools in making decisions at every turn of their lives when confronted by peddlers of evil and hateful messages… and also address the public health crises that the world is currently facing.”   

The President used the opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to support  government efforts on COVID-19:

“As Government continues to work towards managing this crisis, it is also critical that you lend your voices in support of those basic but fundamental protocols that can significantly curtail the spread of this disease – Washing of our hands, Using facemasks and ensuring social distancing as much as possible have been proven to be our first line of defense in the fight against this virus.

 “Furthermore and much more important, when the vaccines which we are working hard to procure for the nation arrive, please, please join in the drive to educate people that these vaccines are meant to save lives and protect everyone.”

Earlier in his address, Sultan Abubakar commended the President for the successes achieved so far in the Northeast, calling on the Government to deal decisively with the banditry that is raving the Northwestern States of Zamfara, Katsina,  Sokoto and some parts of the North Central.

While expressing confidence that security forces, with better synergy among them, will overcome present challenges, he solicited for the cooperation of all the governors with the federal government irrespective of their political leanings, calling on Nigerians to support the new leadership of the armed forces.

The NSCIA leader also appealed to Nigerians, particularly religious leaders to refrain from making inflammatory comments that tend towards sowing discord in the polity and exacerbating the current level of insecurity in the land. He asked that religious leaders making subversive comments should be called to order.  

The Sultan equally identified with the ‘Hate Speech Campaign’ of the Minister of Information and Culture. He said ‘Hate Speech’ is aggravating insecurity in the country and that “we have to act.”