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NIMC DG features at Tony Blair Institute tech policy accelerator programme

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The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has invited the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz, as a key participant in the institute’s Tech Policy Accelerator, a tech policy programme for leaders. The inaugural of the Accelerator programme takes place in London, the United Kingdom on Monday November 21st, 2022.

Giving the background to the Tony Blair Institute Tech Policy Accelerator programme in the invitation letter to Engr. Aziz and personally signed by Sir Tony Blair, the institute observed that “the technology revolution is the central issue of our age” which is set to present “some profound challenges.”

According to the institute, “too often” however, “the debate around technology is focused on narrow, short-term issues rather than the wider long-term implications.” It stated that “the political leaders willing to grasp this complexity and harness the opportunities will be those who shape the future.”

Blair wrote: “At my Institute, we have built a practical programme to equip current and prospective leaders to master it. This includes new ideas, but also new coalitions between those who are at the forefront of innovation and those shaping policy. Through such thinking, the idea is to build a new platform for prosperity in the 21st Century.”

The former British Prime Minister (1997-2007) went on to inform Engr. Aziz that “we believe you are an important part of making this happen, so I want to invite you to join our inaugural Accelerator” which is for “a select group of leaders in policy and politics to reimagine the role of state in harnessing tech-enabled progress.”

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) approved Engr. Aziz’s participation to fly the Nigerian flag at the forum, being the only Nigerian invited. He will be joining leaders invited from over 20 countries including Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Singapore, United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, to the Tony Blair Institute Tech Policy Accelerator inaugural programme.

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Engr. Aziz Director-General of NIMC in November 2015 when the total National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment figure stood at seven million.

Through innovative ideas, policy direction driven by a can-do spirit, as well as support from President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honourable Minister, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), he has led the NIMC workforce in the face of challenges to reach an all-time high NIN enrolment figure of over 90 million. Despite this achievement however, Engr. Aziz continues to press further to accelerate the pace of NIN enrolment for all Nigerians within the shortest time possible.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change works in more than 20 countries across four continents to support leaders with strategy, policy and delivery by providing fresh analysis, practical policy solutions and embedded support in response to the world’s biggest challenges; the institute’s vision is driven by the insights of its founder and executive chairman, Tony Blair who served as Prime Minister of Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007. Blair was the Labour Party’s longest-serving prime minister, and the first and only person to date to lead the party to three consecutive general election victories.

3.5GHz Spectrum Auction: NCC announces publication of final information memorandum

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced the adoption and publication of the final version of the Information Memorandum (IM) to guide the upcoming auction of the remaining lots of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) Spectrum for the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) services in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Commission had published a daft IM and requested stakeholders to make comments and inputs into the document to enrich its contents.

Subsequently, stakeholders’ comments were collated and discussed at a Stakeholder’s Engagement forum hosted by the Commission on November 15, 2022 at Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on the same subject.

All comments have been considered and a final Information Memorandum to guide the upcoming auction is now available on the Commission’s website (www.ncc.gov.ng) with the link: https://www.ncc.gov.ng/media-centre/public-notices/1297-public-notice-final-im-3-5ghz-spectrum-band-2022.

The Commission requests all stakeholders to check public notices in the dailies and visit the website to study and review the final IM.

Uzodimma’s N1bn donation to Tinubu’s campaign violates Electoral Act, HURIWA tells INEC

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…calls for sanctions…

…wants identities of donors released

Prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Friday, said Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma violated provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 with the announcement of a N1bn donation to support the 2023 campaigns of All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement to Newssphere, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Imo governor to divulge the details of the so-called “2,000 South-East businessmen” donors and the exact amount they donated in line with the Freedom of Information Act of 2015 or it would be deemed that the money was drawn from the public till and other legal actions could be triggered even if not from us but certainly from a multiplicity of groups who campaign for accountability, transparency and good governance.

The group alerted the Independent National Electoral Commission and anti-graft agencies to the contravention of the Electoral Act 2022 by Uzodimma and his so-called businessmen and charged INEC to serve them with the appropriate sanctions.

On Thursday, November 17, 2022, Uzodimma, at a Town Hall meeting between Tinubu and business leaders in the South-East zone, said 2,000 business owners across the zone have contributed N1 billion to support Tinubu’s presidential campaigns.

“However, this flagrantly violates Section 88 (8) of the Electoral Act which stipulates that no individual or group can donate more than N50 million to a candidate,” HURIWA’s Onwubiko said.

“Also, Section 88 (2) of the act states that the maximum election expenses to be incurred by a presidential candidate should not exceed N5 billion.

“HURIWA calls on INEC which is empowered by the Electoral Act 2022 to demand information on the amount donated by Uzodimma and his faceless businessmen as well as the source of the funds. Nigerians deserves to know this and the governor should release the details in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

“INEC must act on Section 88 (8) that Uzodimma has already violated. The electoral body should fine him five times the amount donated in excess of the limit as recommended by the Electoral Act 2022.

“Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission should work with INEC to probe Uzodimma for the identities of the phantom and non-existent businessmen tagged as donors.

“Who knows, perhaps, these are alleged proceeds of money stockpiled somewhere kept for years but brough out now that the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the redesign of three naira notes and if not, let the names of the donors be publicised and the law must take its full course. INEC and the anti-graft agencies must investigate the source of these illegal and ourageous fund to set an example to other parties mulling similar apparently dubious and unlawfully idea.”

NCC commends Ondo Govt broadband plan through Odua Infraco, sets up committee

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commended the Government of Ondo State for its commitment to deployment of broadband infrastructure through the Odua Infraco, urging other states to come on board the efforts to make the service available to their citizens.

A delegation of Ondo State, led by the Chairman of Ondo State Information Technology Agency, SITA, Olumbe Akinkugbe, had visited the Commission to seek advice on the best ways to enjoy seamless deployment of broadband in the state, taking a cue from the recent Broadband Technical Awareness Forum (BTAF) organized for State Governors in Abuja by the Commission.

Director, Legal and Regulatory Services of the Commission, Josephine Amuwa, who received the delegation on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, commended the visitors for their timely pursuit of the programme and assured them of Commission’s commitment to achieving milestones in broadband infrastructure deployment in the State.

“We consider the meeting a watershed in our efforts at transforming Nigeria into a major digital hub in Africa, through transforming all the states of the Federation. We are particularly elated by the fact that your request for this engagement came on the heels of the Broadband Technical Awareness Forum (BTAF) organized by the Commission, for which we received a very positive scorecard from you,” she said.

Amuwa listed the challenges impeding the progress of broadband infrastructure deployment to include Right-of-Way issues; indiscriminate charges and levies; hostilities by local communities; among others.

Consequently, a tripartite committee to discuss the Ondo State Government plan with the Odua InfraCo, and the Commission, was set up to deliberate and harness mutual benefits; and to recommend the best ways to drive the actualization of such mutual benefits to the nation, the State and citizens. The committee is to report to the Ondo State Executive Council through NCC’s EVC on monthly basis.

The collaboration particularly targets how to use Information Communication Technology (ICT) to deliver more government services and simplify government operations.

NASENI trains 100 youths on POP production, installation in Nasarawa

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R-L: The executive vice chairman, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Prof. Mohammed Haruna and the district head of Gora, Alhaji Jafaru Adamu presenting a tool box to a trainee during the NASENI skills acquisition training in Nasarawa State

In a bid to curb capital flight and the shortage of skilled manpower out of the country, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has commenced the training of over 100 youths in Nasarawa State, in methods of casting Plaster of Paris (POP).

Speaking during the opening ceremony of a five-day NASENI Skills Acquisition training and youth empowerment programme themed “Modern Methods of Casting Plaster of Paris (POP) and its applications in Nasarawa State” billed for November 14 to 18, 2022, in the state, the executive vice chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, said the application of POP in Nigeria’s built environment – probably introduced by the Togolese who came for greener pastures in Nigeria – cost the nation dearly in terms of capital flight.

According to him, Nigerians depend on the expertise of these experts from neighbouring countries that specialise in casting and moulding PoP into beautiful, appealing designs for ceilings, pillars, exterior and interior decorations.

“The absence of appropriate tools and equipment for design, preparation, moulding and casting made POP labour-intensive, with attendant inconsistency or non-uniformity were such pattern would have added beauty and utility. The extra manpower needed in manual handling of the designs translates to extra expenses and time-wasting.

“The advancement in portable electric power tools and computer-aided design and mould-making is not only beneficial in terms of profitability but also in terms of beauty and safety. This advancement that the trainers will be exposed to will also benefit traditional bone-setting practitioners in accuracy, precision and optimal utilisation of material,” he said.

The NASENI boss posited that the programme – the first-phase of the north-central region skill development for young people in various trades – will ensure the acquisition of skills for jobs’ creation and self-employment.

Haruna pointed out that the ongoing skill development training and youth empowerment programme of the agency across the country is aimed at introducing modern and technological ways of carrying out already existing occupations and trades, to make practitioners more efficient and enhance growth and sustainability.

The NASENI boss averred that the specific training selected for each state and location is based on training need analysis and feasibility.

He highlighted that a component workforce domiciled in Nasarawa State has huge employment opportunities, for contract services and businesses in Abuja, the fastest growing capital city in Africa. Haruna added that this and similar training sessions will equip the youth to compete favourably with those coming from neighbouring countries.

In his keynote address, the Nasarawa State governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule harped on the prospect of wealth creation in the POP vocation if the right expertise is developed, adding that this is a development that will not only bring youth empowerment but job satisfaction.

Represented by the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Umar Gurku, Sule said this hope sponsors the state’s continual partnership with NASENI and similar organisations to carry out skills acquisition training for youths in the state.

Sule maintained that his administration is keen on creating and enabling an environment for the artisans to thrive in the state, to facilitate professionalism and innovation.

Earlier in his remarks, the former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Solomon Ewuga, lamented the dearth of vital artisanal development agencies and called this development “the bane of skills development for skilled workers in Nigeria”.

Ewuga, who is also a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), lauded the Haruna-led NASENI for the skills acquisition programme, saying it will help in easing off the high level of difficulty in the built industry by strengthening the skills of youths in the state.

He further urged the trainees to put their best into the training, stressing they should pay attention to what they will be getting from the training as no knowledge is a loss.

Earlier the vice chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed congratulated the trainees for the opportunity. “It is, indeed, the training that will transform and give you the necessary skills and make you expert in the field of POP.

“It is an area that was rightly pointed out that we lack skilled manpower in this very vital sector of our society.

“Our hope and expectation are that at the end of the training you will become skilled, serve our society and the country will no longer have to go to Cotonou or Benin Republic to get people to come and do POP and other finishings in the country.

“We hope that you will not only acquire the skills but the values associated with artisans and this type of skilled work. These values will embolden honesty, commitment, integrity and transparency in the course of your work,” he said.

He commended the NASENI EVC for the transformation he has brought to NASENI by moving the agency from unknown to a household name in Nigeria. NASENI’s presence has been well established in all six geopolitical zones of the country.

In his goodwill message, chairman of the Keffi local government area, Muhammad Baba Shehu, stated that the importance of the training cannot be overemphasized, seeing as it has the potential to spur economic growth, reduce poverty, create employment opportunities and ensure self-sufficiency among the teeming youths, bearing in mind that this will raise the economic well-being of youths and expose them to available opportunities they could not access before now, due to their lack of expertise.

“Let me, at this juncture, congratulate our teeming youths that are direct beneficiaries of the skills acquisition training and youth empowerment on modern methods of casting Plaster of Paris and its applications in Nasarawa State. [You must know] that to whom much is given, much is equally expected.

Accordingly, I charge you to take advantage of this ample opportunity and key into the viable programmes,” he added.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Yusuf Audu, thanked the organisers and President Muhammadu Buhari for the honour, promising the beneficiaries will put the knowledge gained into good use.

NCC convenes stakeholder forum on december 5G auction

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The proposed auction of two lots in the 3.5GHz Spectrum for the deployment of 5G services, set to take place in December 2022, is gathering steam and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has concluded arraignments to host an engagement session with stakeholders to discuss and provide more insight into the Draft Information Memorandum that will guide the process.

The Commission had earlier announced the plan to license additional lots in the 3.5 GHz spectrum band for the deployment of 5G (fifth generation) Global System of Mobile communication).

The interactive session with the stakeholders will take place at the Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, by 9.00am prompt on the 15th of November 2022.

The engagement session will feature comments and submissions made by the different stakeholders on the Draft Information Memorandum. The outcome of the submission will be taken into consideration by the Commission in publishing the Information Memorandum for the auction.

The process for the auction of the proposed lots of frequencies for 5G services, commenced on 21 October 2022 with the publication of the Draft Information Memorandum on the Commission’s website.

Stakeholders have been advised, in an earlier statement and subsequent advertisements, by the Commission to study the Information Memorandum and make their comments and questions available to the Commission.

 

Attack on Ezza Communinity senseless, calls for mediation- SDP House of Assembly aspirant, Oriri Richard

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The Social Democratic Party, SDP flag bearer for Ado State Constituency, Benue State, has condenmed the heinous attack on the Ezza Community in OKPOBLA, Apa Ward, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

Expressing displeasure on a telephone conversation with the Ezza Community through their Youth leader, Comrade Otubo Jeremaiah on Wednesday, the Member, Benue State House of Assembly hopeful come 2023, described the attack as inhuman, barbaric, archaic and unjustifiable.

He said, “Any anger that can lead to the destruction of lives and properties is against God which must be condemned strongly in its entirety”.

The Social Democratic Party-SDP candidate who immediately contacted the DSS representative in Ado over the attack, called on all relevant government agencies in Benue and Ebonyi States to be proactive in resolving the lingering crisis between Effium Community and Ezza who live within the boundary areas. This is a conflict that has lasted for more than a year now, claiming many lives and hundreds of millions of properties destroyed in the process.

The recent attack on Ezza Okpobla Community has claimed 21 lives who are mostly children and women. Out of the 21 innocent Nigerians of Ezza origin killed, Chief IGWE ANYIGOR losses 9 of his family members out of the 12 persons killed in his Compound to the attack, while 9 others were killed at different locations in the Community. In all, 3 men, 6 women and 12 children loss their lives in the dastardly act committed by the assailants while 5 others still missing.

Ogun INEC office set on fire by hoodlums

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Some suspected hoodlums have at midnight on Thursday set an office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital one fire.
DAILY POST reports that the hoodlums, numbering about eight had scaled the perimeter fence, jumped into the premises and set the INEC building on fire from the back.
They were said to have soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw same into the building at different angles to light up the INEC office.
Our correspondent learnt that the security guard at the facility, Azeez Hamzat, had made a distress call to the police around 1AM, saying the facility was on fire.
The police from Ibara division were said to have mobilized detectives to the scene, while contacting fire fighters, who raced to the scene to put out the fire.
It was gathered that the store, the Registration Area Officer’s office and the conference room were affected by the inferno.
A source also told our correspondent that non-sensitive materials were also affected by the fire.
“No life was lost and no injury was sustained in the fire,” DAILY POST learnt.
It was shocking – Ogun REC laments
Meanwhile, the Ogun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye, has confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking.
“It is correct that our office was set on fire. The police are investigating. I do not know what to say. I’m in shock myself. We called the police and other security agencies at night. The fire brigade put the situation under control. The level of damage is still being assessed.
“It is very shocking and untoward. The security agencies are doing their very best. We are meeting again later today to come up with other strategies (toward securing our facilities),” Ijalaye said.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.

Digital connectivity enhances quality of life – Danbatta

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The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said in Lagos that the quality of life is now being measured in terms of digital connectivity that promotes businesses, social and economic wellbeing of the citizens.

Danbatta, who spoke today through NCC’s Director of Digital Economy, Dr. Augustine Nwulunne, in a keynote at the 2022 Africa Tech Alliance Forum in Lagos on Wednesday, said digital connectivity has a major role in advancing the gains of development and sustaining the future, as well as attaining the needed quota in attaining a sustainable future and actualizing the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The EVC, who spoke on the theme, “Creating a Sustainable Future through Connectivity”, cited studies to buttress the centrality of digital connectivity to quality of life and stated that the NCC is dedicated to activating regulatory initiatives aimed at deepening connectivity for the overall economic development of Nigeria.

“Connectivity and development in Nigeria have not been fortuitous, rather they have been as a result of measured, painstaking and strategic policies implementation in the telecommunications sector by the NCC and relevant stakeholders, and we are committed to driving robust and vibrant telecoms sector to enhance further growth of Nigerian economy in all its spheres,” the EVC said.

According to him, telecommunications sector has become an enabler of economic growth, providing the necessary digital succours that bring greater efficiency in service deliveries in education, healthcare, transportation, commerce, financial services, and other sectors of the economy with greater impact on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as enhancing other sectoral growth correlating to each of the 17 goals on the SDGs.

The highlight of the event was the decoration of Danbatta with an award of “5G Core Leadership Award” while the Commission was named as the corporate organization with “Best Digital Economy Project of the Year 2022” for the regulatory efforts of the Commission in driving commercial deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria.

Danbatta said the NCC, through various policies and initiatives, has provided an enabling environment for a fair and liberalized telecommunications industry, by emplacing appropriate regulatory tools and providing relevant regulatory services for mobile network operators (MNOs), who are the primary providers of telecommunication services in the country.

“The Commission has provided the enabling environment to stimulate the deployment of necessary infrastructure pertinent to the provision of universal and affordable connectivity. The resultant effect of this is that today, we now have over 210 million active telephone lines, representing 110 per cent teledensity; and over 150 million Internet subscribers as well as 45 percent broadband penetration which has enabled over 80 million broadband subscriptions.

“Telecommunications has been credited with lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty; diversifying the economy and providing over $70bn to Nigeria’s GDP; it has also provided thousands of Nigerians with various employment opportunities. A glance at Nigeria’s historical data on its GDP portrays the upward trajectory of the country’s GDP since the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector. In 2001, Nigeria’s GDP was $74.03 billion, in 2005, it grew to $176.13 billion, and it currently stands at $440.78 billion, and telecom has been a key driver of this growth,” he said.

The EVC told the audience that the Commission is also driving implementation of various policies and frameworks including the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030; and the ongoing deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network and other digital interventionist projects aimed.

Media, Telecom Regulator’s Partner – Danbatta

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Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said the media remains an indispensable partner in information dissemination to the diverse stakeholders of the telecom industry, hence, has earned the respect of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Danbatta, who spoke on Monday at the NCC Head Office in Abuja while playing host to the Management of Media Trust Group, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Mounir Haliru Gwarzo, said the Commission will continue to seek ways to expand its collaboration with the media as critical stakeholders.

Danbatta expressed satisfaction at the rate media organizations are adopting digitization and contributing through awareness and adoption of digital culture while assuring that NCC will strengthen its existing cordial relations with the media and its propagation of the notion of “instant society” where delivery of information is at great speed.

“We will expand the relationship with the media to leverage new and exciting opportunities. We count on every important interface that the media provides for the NCC. We wouldn’t have been able to do this job and succeed without the support of the media. We always use the media to provide information to the public because you have what it takes to reach out. We don’t have that reach. So, we appreciate the very important work that the media is doing.

“The media organizations are at the forefront of providing information about where to find the knowledge. When you read the media, you come across instances of references as to where knowledge can be accessed and used for different purposes,” he said.

Danbatta assured the Daily Trust Group, owners of Daily Trust Newspapers, Trust TV and Aminiya, a multimedia digital platform, that the Commission reckons with the credibility of the Group, and that their ingenious performance is seen in the ways the media entity has diversified service delivery.

He explained that the Commission prioritizes consumer engagement at the grassroots, which, he said, has made it to initiate outreach programmes delivered in indigenous languages to bring information to the doorsteps of consumers.

Leader of the Trust Group delegation, Gwarzo, said the visit was prompted by the need to commend the Commission on its sterling accomplishments and assured that Media Trust, through its publications, is ready to strengthen its relationship with the Commission as part of its support for the digital economy agenda of government.

He also applauded NCC’s achievements, including the successful rollout of Fifth Generation (5G) services while explaining that the technology will also bolster the type of speed required for simultaneous multi-location printing of the that Daily Trust newspapers across its operations in several parts of the country.

Gwarzo was accompanied to NCC by many staff of the Media Trust Group, including Group Executive Director Finance and Corporate Services, Nura Mamma Daura; Chief Operating Officer, Trust Television, Ibrahim Shehu Adamu; Head, Business Development, Naomi Adaghebalu Esezobor; and Benjamin Hon, Head, Market Research and Intelligence.

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