Month: May 2021

Management of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, OAUTHC, has given an update on the interview for applicants seeking employment opportunities in the medical facility which was earlier scheduled to hold between Monday, 31 May and Friday, June, 2021.

Director of Administration, S.O. Fawole in a statement titled, ‘Postponement of recruitment exercise at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife’, issued in Ile-Ife on Monday regretted the unavoidable postponement.

The statement read, “This is to inform all applicants who have applied for the various advertised posts, which appeared in THE PUNCH and THE GUARDIAN Newspapers of Monday, 19″ October, 2020, that the interview earlier scheduled between Monday, 31 May and Friday, 4 June, 2021, has been rescheduled to hold between Monday, 7” June and Friday, 11 June, 2021.

“Applicants are advIsed to log on to www.oauthc.com for Computer Based Test (CBT) registration. Registration commences as from Tuesday, 1 June, 2021 and ends on Friday, 4 June, 2021 at 12:00noon.

“PLEASE NOTE, ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER FOR THE CBT.

“ALL INCONVENIECY ARE HIGHLY REGRETTED”.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Yakubu Mahmoud has assured Nigerians that the Governorship election will hold in 2022, Nigerian Tribune reports.

Mahmoud, who was represented by the National Commissioner of the commission, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola gave the assurance in his remark at the opening of the National Retreat On The Validation Of The Draft INEC 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (SP) And Strategic Programme Of Action (SPA) held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mahmoud stated that the commission is committed to the discharge of its statutory responsibilities of improving and sustaining democracy in the country.

He added that in order to develop a system to institutionalise continuous improvement at all levels towards its mandate, the commission had since 2012 adopted the use of strategic planning to carry out its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.

” To further strengthen the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections, the Commission is preparing the 3rd Strategic Plan and Strategic Programme of Action 2022 to 2026.

” These drafts, Strategic Plan and Strategic Programme of Action were developed following a comprehensive review of the INEC 2017-2021 SP&SPA, and have been reviewed both at States and Zonal levels. Therefore, these documents are blueprints designed to help the Commission develop a pragmatic roadmap that will serve as a practical guide for its work in the next 5years”, said Mahmoud.

In his speech, the Project Coordinator, European Centre For Electoral Support (ECES), Hamza Fassi-Fihri, said that the retreat took place at a period the Commission was busy engaging with several other important aspects of the electoral process, adding that the electoral environment would depend on the review of the electoral legal framework and of the constitution review process.

Fassi-Fihri added that the Strategic Plan would provide a global vision of the Commission’s principles of action and detailing key resources that would be necessary towards the delivery of successful, credible and inclusive elections for all Nigerians.

The Federal Government has revealed its plans to raise the TraderMoni facility from N10,000 to N50,000 under the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs), as part of ongoing efforts aimed at improving business activities across the country.

Special Adviser to the President on National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs), Dr Nasir Mahmoud, disclosed this in Abuja during a paper presentation on the NSIPs during the just concluded two-day on ‘Sensitisation Workshop on Effective Media Reporting of Humanitarian Sector’ organised for Media Correspondents and Ministry’s Press Crew held at the instance of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

According to him, no fewer than 37 million Nigerians are currently active in commercial activities necessitated the roll-out of the TraderMoni, FarmerMoni and MarketMoni schemes.

He explained that the upward review of the fund was to enable the beneficiaries to engage in substantial investment, noting that the initial N10,000 being given to beneficiaries some years ago, was insufficient for them to carry out any meaningful enterprise.

“For TraderMponi, it has not gone down the drain. I mentioned during my paper presentation that it is still one of the special intervention programmes through which we empower petty traders and market women.

“What happened was that what was done when it was under the last President was pilot. One because it was when the election was approaching, and then a lot of things were opened up, but the only good thing we are left to do is to begin to plan how best to handle this kind of programme.

“We have to do some totalling after data collection, to know exactly who are the Traders; where they are, and what type of intervention do they need? And then we are also looking at sustainability. It won’t make any difference to give somebody N10,000 as a one-off and then go away. We must find a way to do it, so that it will become sustainable, just like the GEEP.

“The GEEP is meant to give empowerment to small businesses, especially those that were affected by COVID-19. But we have to do it in such a way that when you take a loan and develop your business, a time comes when you pay that loan for other people because you can never go down at the same time.”

While giving updates on the N-Skill scheme, he also unveiled the Federal Government’s plans to empower over 14 million Nigerians including out-of-school children and physically challenged through the implementation of the programme.

While responding to question on the alleged duplication in the various NSIP schemes, Dr Mahmoud who dismissed the report, disclosed that while the N-Power programme was targeted at unemployed secondary school leavers to tertiary institution graduates, the N-Skill programme was aimed at providing intervention for over 14 million out of school children and physically challenged citizens.

Dr Mahmoud who assured that the process for the take-off of the N-Skill programme is almost concluded observed that beneficiaries who do not have access to schools will go through basic education including the English Language.

He added that the N5,000 disbursed under the GEEP scheme was for the poorest of the poor across the country so as to enable them to meet critical needs.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, disclosed that Ministry has cleared all the outstanding allowances of N-Power beneficiaries.

“On the N-Power backlog, I don’t think we still have that issue, we have sorted that out with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and we have gone through a very tedious process and at the last count, we have paid up. Now we have moved to the Batch C of the N-Power.”

Nigerian university workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), have again warned the federal government against paralysing academic activities in tertiary institutions with the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) both parties signed.

SSANU decried the growing insecurity across tertiary institutions in the country, saying none of its members is safe again.

The workers, who spoke through their President, Mohammed Ibrahim Haruna, shortly after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that was held in Abuja weekend, said that only three out of eight demands have been addressed partially by the government.

He said that the suspended strike may resume soon if the issue of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and others continue to make SSANU members poorer than expected is not quickly addressed.

The leadership of the unions had on February 5 directed all its branches to commence strike with a view to pressing home their demands bordering on alleged injustice on sharing formula of N40 billion Earned Allowance and non-payment of minimum wage arrears.

Other contentious issues raised included inconsistencies in the implementation of the IPPIS, delay in renegotiation of FG/NASU and SSANU 2009 agreement, non-payment of retirement benefits of out gone members among others.

On the issue of growing insecurity, SSANU demanded that the federal government should license the use of guns for local security on various campuses to protect the institutions.

SSANU said the measure will help all the security agencies which are already overwhelmed with different security challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, cultists’ clashes, terrorism and other criminality ravaging the country.

SSANU’s alarm came a few hours after the students and staff of Greenfield University, Kaduna, a private university in Kaduna State, regained their freedom from their abductors after paying huge amounts of money and motorcycles as ransom.

“We are here to deliberate on a wide range of issues. Topmost among those issues are the security of our members who work in the university environment. Our members can’t travel freely, they can’t move around with ease, anytime they do so, they get kidnapped. This is unacceptable!

“We are calling on the federal government to license our security men on campuses who are our members, train and re-train them from time to time and monitor them. By doing this, security challenges in our institutions will reduce,” Haruna said this while addressing journalists after the meeting.

Gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have attacked the Abia Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, setting the office on fire.

The Public Relations Officer of the service, Godwin Ogbonna, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.

Mr Ogbonna, however, said he had yet to get details of the attack on the facility, situated at the Ubakala axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.

“It probably happened Saturday night. I do not have details about the incident, the time it happened and extent of damage yet but no casualty was recorded.

“I tried to go to the office from my house on Bende Road, Umuahia today (Sunday) but the whole road was blocked so I went back home.

“I hope I would be able to find my way to the office Monday to see things for myself and ascertain what was damaged,” Mr Ogbonna said.

NAN reports that unidentified gunmen have sustained attacks on Federal Government’s facilities in Abia in the last one month, killed some operatives and left many with gunshot injuries.

The list of the facilities included at least eight police formations and offices of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Independent National Electoral Commission.

Meanwhile, palpable fear and tension now pervade the state, especially Umuahia, ahead of Monday’s sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

NAN

Management of the University of Abuja has expelled forty six students over their involvement in various acts of misconduct in breach of their sworn matriculation oath.

Head, Information and University Relations, Dr Habib Yakoob, conveyed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He disclosed five other students were rusticated for one semester, the cases of three others involved in sundry offences would be retried, while seven accused persons were exonerated, discharged and acquitted.

According to him, the Senate at its 175th Regular Meeting held on Thursday 27th May 2021, considered the report and recommendations of the Students Disciplinary Committee, and after due diligence, approved the expulsion, rustication, retrial and exoneration of the affected students.

Yakoob further noted that the expelled students cut across several departments. While 15 of the students were in their 400 level; 20 were in 300 level; eight, 200 level; and three, 100 level.

He added that the affected students have been directed to hand over any university property in their possession, including identity card, to their heads of department and unit. They have also been advised to vacate the campus immediately.

“The university authority wishes to restate its unwavering determination to protect its values, and strongly warns students to respect and uphold their matriculation oath as they would be held accountable whenever they breach it,” he said.

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma over the death of former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak describing his death as ‘Professional Assassination’.

IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement said, IPOB members were not responsible for the killing.

He further charged Governor Uzodinma to disclose how Gulak died without further delay.

According to Powerful: “Today is not sit-at-home. People are going to church and this was why we shifted the date to tomorrow. This is political assassination; we are not in the same party as Gulak.

“Uzodinma and APC know about Gulak’s death, we do not know anything about his movement, talk more of him being in Imo State. Nigerians believe this because they hate IPOB, Biafra.”

Reacting to Gulak’s death a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State and personal friend of Gulak, Dr Umar Arɗo, confirmed the incident on Sunday.

“Inna lillahi wa inna illaihi rajiuun. Allahu Akbar.

“I just confirmed the sad and gruesome death of my friend and classmate, the former Hon. Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, former Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President and former Special Adviser Political to President Goodluck Jonathan, Barr. Ahmadu Ali Gulak.

“Barr Gulak was said to have been killed last night by unknown gunmen in Owerri, Imo State.

“May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, bless his soul and reward his good deeds with Aljannah on the Day of Resurrection. May Allah (SWT) also give all his children, relatives, friends and loved ones, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. And may Allah (SWT) bless us with faithful deaths when it is our turn to die. Ameen.

“Please let all and sundry accept my heartfelt sympathy over this personal painful experience even as I draw solace that he lived a good, helpful and productive life, well illustrated by the fact that he died while in service of his dear country,” Ardo said

A professor of soil science at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Emmanuel Osodeke has emerged as the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, during a three-day conference, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State today Sunday.

Osodeke, until his appointment was the Vice president of ASUU.

He took over from Biodun Ogunyemi, a professor of education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State whose tenure ended last week.

Other members of the union, who were elected alongside Mr Osodeke, include Chris Piwuna of the University of Jos as vice president; Olusiji Sowande of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, as treasurer while Ade Adejumo, a professor from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was elected as financial secretary.

Also, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Austen Sado, was elected as investment secretary; Adamu Babayo from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was elected the union’s internal auditor while Stella-Maris Oke from Cross Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was elected as the new welfare secretary.

Osodeke while reacting to his electoral victory in a telephone conversation with Vanguard said:

“We do things collectively in ASUU, so, it is not a one-man show, but Nigerians can be rest assured that we will not stop our agitation for a better funding of the sector and a better and more humane treatment of our members.

“The sector is in bad shape. It is not attracting foreign students and foreign lecturers like we used to have in those days. Now, Nigerians are sending their children to schools in Ghana and Republic of Benin. Why should that be?

“In the 1970s to the 1980s, we had a number of foreign students and lecturers on our campuses, but now the reverse is the case. If we really want to match up with other nations who are making progress, we must give priority attention to education. No nation can develop more than its level of education.

“The struggles are continuing and we are not going to relent until our expectations are met. It is all for the development and greatness of our dear country, “he said.

Osodeke took over from Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi who led ASUU during a period it engaged the government in a long battle for a better funding of the sector, welfare demands and the call for the abrogation of the contentious Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System, IPPIS.

ASUU went on strike for nine months last year over the demands. IPPIS particularly has been a major source of faceoff between the government and university workers because of its alleged inconsistency and inability to meet some specific needs of the university system.

Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued warning to Nigerians over a new computer virus that has the ability to damage sensitive information.

The virus, according to NITDA is known as IGVM Ransomware, it is a a file that prevents access to data such as documents, photographs, and videos, according to the agency.

The agency’s Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Hadiza Umar disclosed this yesterday, Saturday in a statement forwarded to newsmen.

She said the virus “corrupts the computer by encrypting files with the IGVM extension and attempts to extort money from victims by requesting for ransom in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in exchange for access to data.”

Web injectors, pirated software, spam emails, malicious software bundles, fake software upgrades, and deceptive online adverts, she said, might all be ways for the crypto-virus to propagate.

“The primary task of IGVM ransomware virus is to check your computer system for target file formats and encrypt them using a private Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) key and once the virus locks the files, it then runs several commands via Command.Exe to delete Volume Shadow Copies from your system.”

“It equally prevents the victims from restoring their file copies for free, using Windows tools.”

Usman added that the virus has the ability to modify the system files by adding some domains to the Windows Host.

“These domains are mostly computer or IT-related websites. So the attackers capitalise on this measure to prevent the victim from seeking help or information online,” she said.

She reminded Nigerians to ensure that all vital data is regularly backed up and recovered.