. . . NPA to revoke company approvals

. . . Lagos CP to arrest, prosecute offenders

The Lagos Marina is set to regain its beauty and serenity, with the planned stoppage of barge operations along the coastline.

The Federal Government, in conjunction with Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, ordered the stoppage of all such operations, which have desecrated the once beautiful and peaceful Marina coastline.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is to revoke barge approvals granted some companies operating in Lagos.

The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who defied the early morning downpour to inspect the activities around the Marina coastline, made the stop-work order during an unscheduled visit to the Marina.

They went around the coastline, seeing the long row of trucks and containers that have constituted health and security hazards on the Marina. Amaechi and Sanwo-Olu kept on shaking their heads on seeing the devastation of the coastline that used to be the pride of the State, attracting crowds of visitors.

Amaechi and Sanwo-Olu found the “unwholesome” activities on the coastline “shocking” and “unacceptable”.

The Minister spoke of an urgent need to sanitise the entire Marina coastline and restore its tranquillity and beauty.

He ordered that trucks must immediately stop coming to Marina to load.

Amaechi said the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) did not grant anyone permission to carry out barging operations, insisting that all such activities must stop immediately.

“The Federal Ministry of Transport has agreed with the Lagos State Government to ensure that whoever is making use of the Marina coastline should stop. We have agreed with the Commissioner of Police to stop those using the roads and we have agreed with NPA to cancel all barge permits pending when each person will come back to NPA, NIWA and Lagos State Government to renew such approval,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute anyone who flouts the order to stop “unauthorised activities” on the Marina.

He said the State Government would do everything to bring sanity to the coastline.

“We are also talking to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing because we understand that some of the approvals were from the Federal Ministry of Works. So, we are also taking up that responsibility and we would do what we need to do,” the Governor said.

Also at the inspection were the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, representatives of NIWA, Ministries of Works as well as Waterfront Infrastructure Development and the Police.

Gbenga Omotoso

Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy

LASG

ForAGreaterLagos

Justice Mohammed Tukur Muazu Aliyu of the Kaduna State High Court, on Monday, September 14, 2020 sentenced Adamu Aliyu to six months imprisonment, for fraudulently transferring N40, 000 to himself, from the account of an unsuspecting Automated Teller Machine, (ATM) user, under the false pretence of aiding the victim to effect a transfer.

The convict was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna zonal office on one-count charge of theft to which he pleaded guilty. His plea prompted prosecution counsel, Jamilu Musa to ask the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

The six months prison sentence is without an option of fine. Trouble began for Aliyu when the Kaduna zonal office of the Commission received a petition from one Isiaku Abdullahi, who alleged that he went to an ATM point in Kakuri, Kaduna State on July 30, 2020, to make a transfer to his brother, where he met the convict who offered to assist him in making the transfer using his ATM card.

According to Abdullahi, he gave the convict his ATM card, revealed his password to him and gave him his brother’s account number to help him make the transfer to him. Not long, he received a debit alert showing that the convict had transferred N40,000 to himself, prompting him to make his way into the banking hall to lay a complaint, where he incidentally met the convict again and raised the alarm that caused bank officials to cause his arrest and subsequent prosecution by the EFCC.

– As Pantami commissions Imo ECC

The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has disclosed that over 1,500 COVID-19-related calls were received and processed through the Commission’s Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) in the peak of the pandemic in Nigeria. 

The EVC made this disclosure during the commissioning of the ECC in Owerri, Imo State over the weekend by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.   

The event which was hosted by the Executive Governor of the State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, had in attendance, the Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande; Chief Uche Onwude, NCC Board Member; Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Ibrahim, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), among other dignitaries.

According to Danbatta, “During the total lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECCs played a remarkable role by providing a platform for members of the public to seek lifesaving information or support and reporting COVID-19 related cases by dialling ‘112’ from any of the networks. I am happy to report to you that over 1,500 COVID-19-related calls were received and processed by the ECCs in the peak of the pandemic.”

The EVC said the ECC project, equipped with necessary Information Technology (IT) tools and personnel, is a one-stop shop through which members of the public can access help from any response agency, stating that the centre is essentially aimed at enhancing the security of lives and property of the citizens.

He listed the response agencies to include the Nigeria Police (NPF), the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Fire and Ambulance Services, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and all its affiliate State Emergency Management Agencies, among others.

While restating the Commission’s commitment to operationalise the ECCs in all the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the EVC said 19 ECCs have been activated so far. The beneficiary states include Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Plateau, Enugu, Benue, Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Oyo, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Adamawa, Kogi, Anambra and Imo States and FCT.

“We have no doubt that, if put to maximum use, and kept functional at all times, the ECC facilities will serve to complement the State Government’s efforts at enhancing the security of lives and property of citizens,” Danbatta said.

Speaking during the tour of the ECC facilities, the Minister thanked the State Government for giving the necessary support to the NCC to facilitate successful implementation of the project, which has been bringing succor to the people Imo State.

He assured of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to support more initiatives aimed at achieving the tripartite agenda of the President which focuses on addressing security issues, improving the economy and curbing corruption. 

The Minister noted that the country’s economy will reap huge benefits from effective implementation of more Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-driven projects across the country.

The Executive Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, thanked the Minister and the NCC for the ECC initiative, which he said has enhanced security of lives and property in the State.

Nowadays there is another opportunity to monitor the child’s whereabouts – to track the location of them using special software

Parents have always managed to set geographical boundaries – where their children could go and where they could not – back in time. Nowadays there is another opportunity to monitor the child’s whereabouts – to track the location of them using special software. Yet, according to Kaspersky’s (https://africa.Kaspersky.com) special survey for parents, not many parents in Nigeria realise this.

According to the “Responsible Digital Parenting” survey*, 79% of Nigerian parents do not track the location of their child. The reasons for this vary: 54% have never thought of tracking the location, while 28% do not know how to do it. There is an option to have the software, which lets parents locate their children on a map and set a safe area for them to stay in, installed on their children’s devices. However, 38% of parents in Nigeria claim they do not have it installed on any of their devices.

“Modern times offer a wide range of tools which can help in preventing accidents in real or digital life. It is crucial to know how to use them, what their benefits are, and, actually, use them. Tracking your child’s location can definitely save you a lot of trouble – its advantages lie also in the fact that it allows to control not only digital, but also real life of the child,” commented Andrey Sidenko, Head of Child Safety at Kaspersky Network.

To secure and protect your child both in digital and in real life, Kaspersky strongly recommends following this advice:

Learn more on the topic of children’s cybersecurity: explore modern trends, apps, the way of behaviour that has to be adopted in order to safeguard against dangers (for instance, the basic security rules while on the Internet); update your network security knowledge periodically, use the Kaspersky blog www.Kaspersky.com/blog to do this.
Communicate with your child and define the borders which are not meant to be crossed: discuss with them safe locations both real and webpages.
Install a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Safe Kids (https://bit.ly/3c2loiA) to monitor your child’s activity successfully.
Reference:

*​ The “Responsible Digital Parenting” survey was implemented in conjunction with Toluna research agency in the end of 2019 – beginning of 2020. 5000 respondents from META region and Baltic states participated in the survey.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.

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INK&Co.
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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), kickstarted a virtual training programme for 1000 youths in Yobe State.

The training programme will focus on GSM repairs, hardware and software engineering, and Entrepreneurship development will to keep them up to speed with the current technological trends and also in line with the present administration’s resolve to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, thereby creating jobs and wealth.

The training programme is taking place at five centers namely; Federal University, Gashua, Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Atiku Abubakar College of Legal Studies, Nguru and Federal College of Education, potiskum all in Yobe State simultaneously.
The NITDA Director General, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, while delivering his good will message stated that this programme is in fulfillment of the promise made by Mr President, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

“You may recall that the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami upon assumption of office proactively changed the landscape of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with revolutionary policies and programmes with National Digital Economy policy and strategy for a Digital Nigeria,” he said.

Abdullahi said that National Digital Economy policies and strategies anchored on 8 pillars which includes; Digital Literacy and skills, Service infrastructure, Soft Infrastructure, Indigenous Content Development and promotion which he said the programme supports the five pillar of the National Digital Economy Plan and Strategy.

According to Mallam Abdullahi, Capacity building is one of the mandates of the Agency aimed at building and boosting the potentials of citizens across the country.

“Youths are assets to the country and also play significant role towards the drive to Digital Economy simply because innovation and technology evolves around youths which makes them to bring out the embedded potentials deposited in them,” he said.

The DG pointed out that, NITDA has been doing a lot in its drive to achieving its mandates, this he said are evident from trainings, deployment of Digital Hubs across the country, promotion of local contents, Data Protection, IT clearance among others.

“NITDA will continue to lead effort on creating an enabling environment for technology innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem”, he added.

The NITDA boss applauded the Executive Secretary of NCDMB Engr Simbi Kesiye Wabote, for his relentless effort and passion towards the development of youths across the country which at the end of the day will bring about growth and development of the nation.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote during his welcome address stated that youth empowerment is one of the key pillars for growth and development of any nation adding that “youths play pivotal role in nation building.”

“This training programme is designed to impact and boost the potentials of youths which end to end process of learning is adopted to aid them key into the trend of technology as a yard stick for job creation and revenue flow,”he emphasized.

At the end of the training programme, participants are expected to benefit from mentorship, renting and ffurnishing of shops, payment of stipends among others to enable them start their businesses without initial hiccups start ups do face.

While encouraging the participants to take full advantage of the training programme which will bring out the embedded potentials in them and also make them have a source of living, he said ICT is contributing immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, adding that, “Everything is revolving around IT and we need to key into it in order to inject new ways of doing thing to the country.

Wabote applauded the Director General of NITDA for the various initiatives, programmes, policies and strategies he is putting in place towards the growth and development of the IT sector and the nation at large.

 —Award, a challenge to do more, says Danbatta

The National Association of State Assembly Legislators (NASAL) has honoured the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta with a National Service Excellence Award for his transformational leadership in deepening access to telecommunications services across state constituencies of Nigeria in the last five years. 

The Award is coming few months after the President renewed Danbatta’s mandate as the country’s chief telecoms regulator for another term of five years. 

Director General of NASAL, Hon. Uchechukwu Chukwuma, who led a five-member delegation to the Commission to present the award in Abuja recently, said “the award from NASAL not only underscores the remarkable leadership role by Danbatta in deepening the development and growth of the telecoms sector at the grassroots but also demonstrates the pivotal role of the EVC as a change agent, a catalyst for national development and a great Nigerian patriot.”

He said in the last five years, NASAL, as the body of state lawmakers in the country, has consistently monitored the activities of the Danbatta-led NCC and observed notable improvements in telecoms services across state constituencies in Nigeria.

“Danbatta’s efforts have manifested in enhanced access to the Internet by our people, which has given them the opportunity to participate and ventilate their views constructively. As you know, citizens’ participation in political activities is one of the attributes of an ideal democracy and Prof. Danbatta has helped to promote this ideal,” Chukwuma said.

The NASAL’s award to Danbatta is justified by the statistics from the Commission which showed that when Danbatta came on board five years ago, 217 access gap clusters were identified in the country, with 40 million Nigerians excluded from access to telecoms services. Five years after, however, the access gaps have reduced to 114 clusters with additional 15 million Nigerians now connected.

While receiving the award on behalf of the EVC, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who appreciated NASAL for the recognition, said the award was both an encouragement and a challenge to the EVC and his team to do more.

“It is heartwarming that NASAL has found our EVC and CEO deserving of this award. The award is an acknowledgement that his accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. We at the NCC, value this gesture, which writes the history of Professor Danbatta’s achievements in a very distinctive and enduring way,” Adinde said.

Adinde amplified the justifications adduced by NASAL for recognising Danbatta, by citing various indicators that measure the performance of the telecom sector, which clearly show that the sector has been growing over the years and more impressively, in the last five years of Danbatta’s leadership.

“From the recent industry statistics and other relevant macro indicators, the telecoms sector, under Danbatta, has recorded positive growth in terms of active voice subscriptions, internet subscriptions, teledensity, broadband penetration and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said. 

While noting that the last five years of Danbatta has witnessed a number of policy initiatives that have spurred industry growth and improved service delivery, Adinde restated the EVC’s commitment to ensuring that the Commission maintains its reputation as a foremost communications regulatory organisation.