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Galaxy Backbone tasks African countries on 4th Industrial Revolution

Emmanuel Ukoh
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The Managing Director Galaxy Backbone, Professor Muhammed Abubakar has called on developing countries to embrace the fourth industrial revolution using digital innovations.

Prof. Abubakar stated this in Abuja at a partnership meeting with Voice of Nigeria, VON, Director General Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

He said that the world is changing and developing countries like Nigeria could not afford to lag behind as it did in the past.

Prof. Abubakar observed “that five of the continents had progressed digitally and are using robots and Information Technology solutions to solve world challenges and only Africa is still waiting which must be changed’’.

The Galaxy Backbone Chief advised VON  “to lead in the advocacy role in passing the message on the dangers associated with Africa failing to meet up in the fourth revolution using digital knowhow in the world’’.

He assured the Director General that “the partnership would be a win-win in the protection of content, increased bandwidth and improved services in line with the digital economy policy of the Nigerian government’’.   

Director General Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu called for collaboration “that would improve VON abilities to reach out to more listeners using the digital capabilities of Galaxy Backbone in the ICT’’.

He assured Galaxy that a technology page will soon be created on VON website to promote the achievements in the digital transformation drives of the Nigerian government.

 

 

Emmanuel Ukoh

Anti migrants protest erupts in Turkey

Confidence Okwuchi
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Anti migrants protesters have attacked houses, shops and car s owned by Syrians  in Turkey’s capital, after tensions flared over the alleged killing of a local teenager.

The violence erupted after reports that a Syrian refugee had stabbed two Turkish men in a fight.

report says hundreds of locals descended on an area of Ankara where a community of Syria migrants and refugees live.

Videos online showed groups of men overturning cars and vandalising shops.

Anti-migrant sentiment in Turkey has been rising in recent years, with a number of politicians campaigning for harsher restrictions.

Tensions have flared recently with the arrival of thousands of Afghans fleeing a rapidly escalating war in their country.

The United Nations estimates that Turkey currently hosts the largest number of refugees worldwide, including more than three million Syrians.

Report says the attacks in the Altindag neighbourhood came after 18-year-old Emirhan Yalcin was killed in a fight between Syrian refugees and locals in the same area earlier in the day.

Prosecutors said an investigation was launched and two people were arrested.

After reports about the incident spread, hundreds of protesters flooded the streets of Altindag.

it  said crowds chanting anti-Syrian slogans were seen in videos attacking businesses and homes belonging to Syrians.

Riot police were deployed to the area to quell the violence. Turkish reports say police evacuated some Syrians from the neighbourhood by buses.

The Ankara Governors office said the violent protests had ended with “intense efforts of the police force”. But on social media, some people criticised the police for what they saw as an inadequate response to the violence.

In a tweet, the pro-minority opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party, HDP called for an immediate stop to attacks on the migrant community in Turkey.

BBC/Confidence Okwuchi

Italy and Argentina climb FIFA World Ranking

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Italy and Argentina have risen to fifth and sixth respectively in the FIFA World Ranking following their triumphs at Euro 2020 and the Copa America, while Belgium remain in top spot.

The Azzurri, who defeated England on penalties in the European Championship final at Wembley last month, climbed two places to fifth.

Argentina moved up two spots to sixth after winning the Copa America final against Brazil, who moved into second place and bumped world champions France into third.

Belgium, who were knocked out by Italy at the quarter-final stage of the Euros, remain the top-ranked international team in the world, while defeated finalists England stay fourth.

The United States moved up 10 places into 10th place after winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while Mexico, who they defeated in the final, climbed two places into ninth.

Qatar were the biggest movers, ascending 16 places to reach 42nd spot after reaching the semi-finals of the Gold Cup, equalling their highest-ever ranking.

The next ranking update will be published on Sept. 16.

 

NP/Mercy Chukwudiebere

Islamic cleric urges politicians to invest in youths

Lateefat Ibrahim
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Politicians in Nigeria have been urged to invest in improving the wellbeing of youths ahead of the 2023 General elections in the Country.
The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Dr Basheer Yankuzo
stated this during an interaction on the significance of the  Islamic  New year (HIJRA), with Voice of Nigeria, in Minna North central Nigeria.
Dr Yankuzo who is  also a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Mathematics in FUT Minna , further enjoined  leaders to always  make efforts of changing the mindset of the youths who dominates the larger population  to be more productive for the country to  catch up with other developing nations across the globe.
Use  opportunities  positively
Dr Yankuzo who advised Muslim faithfuls in the country to see the Islamic new year as a month of reflection rather than celebration, said people should endeavor to  use  opportunities  positively within the 12 months in the Year than expecting from what they have not work for.
He mentioned that the Islamic new year, the Hijra commemoration globally should be a situation where the Muslims reflect and proffer solutions on the challenges affecting the communities.
” Hijra is telling us about creativity and also about the issue of changing mindsets ,and proffering solutions to challenges affecting the Community , not just celebrating or commemorating on the day,” Dr Yankuzo said.
He further said Muslims and their leadership should reflect on the situation of Insecurity , unemployment, poverty and design a road map of how to end them for the development of the society.
“Unless we change the way we are thinking and change the minds sets of youths and the entire population to appreciate the importance of sacrifice, Patience, perseverance  and endurance , the society would not developed, ” he said.
He however called on the government to organise series of training for the youths across the country, on  leadership and other developmental issues with a view  of changing their psychology for a greater nation, rather than  making use of their services for political or selfish gains.
Lateefah Ibrahim

British Olympic silver medallist CJ Ujah suspended for doping violation

Emmanuel Ukoh
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British sprinter CJ Ujah has been suspended from competition after testing positive for a banned substance.

Ujah, 27, was part of Team GB men’s 4x100m relay team which won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this month.

He has been provisionally suspended, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said.

The AIU said a test showed the “presence/use of a prohibited substance (Ostarine and S-23).”

A UK Athletics spokesperson said the governing body does not comment on ongoing processes.

Ujah, who has yet to comment, won the 100m at the British Championships in June.

Britain’s men’s quartet missed out on the 4x100m title by just a hundredth of a second in Tokyo.

Anti doping rules

World Athletics Anti-Doping rules state that in instances where an athlete who has competed as a member of a relay team, committed an ADRV “the relay team shall be automatically disqualified from the event in question, with all resulting consequences for the relay team, including the forfeiture of all titles, awards, medals, points and prize and appearance money”.

Enobosarm, or Ostarine, is listed as an anabolic agent – banned at all times – in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances.

The UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) website said it has “similar effects to testosterone”.

S23 is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (Sarm), which, according to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) “have similar anabolic properties to anabolic steroids”.

Ujah can request analysis of the B-sample – kept for storage while the A-sample is analysed – and should that confirm the Adverse Analytical Finding [AAF], the case will be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport [Cas ADD].

In turn, the International Testing Agency (ITA) said: “The Cas ADD will consider the matter of the finding of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation [ADRV] and the disqualification of the men’s 4 x 100 relay results of the British team”.

Three other athletes have been suspended after tests carried out during the Tokyo Olympics.

They are Moroccan 1500m runner Sadik Mikhou, shot putter Benik Abramyan of Georgia and Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno Odhiambo.

 

 

BBC

TETFund injects N2.5 trillion in varsities, others  in 10 years

Confidence Okwuchi
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The Nigerian  Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has injected more than N2.5 trillion in the development of infrastructure and staff development in public Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria in the last 10 years of establishment of the Fund.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of TETFund, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, who made this known on Thursday, also disclosed that the agency was targeting more than N500 billion education tax collection by 2023.

He spoke at the 3rd edition of Tax Payers Forum with the theme: TETFUND Intervention: Catalyst for Transforming Tertiary Education in Nigeria” held in Lagos.

Ibrajim-Imam, disclosed that for this year alone , TETFund budgeted the sum of N300 billion to over 226 higher institutions across the country in 2021.

He noted that the agency had budgeted N120 billion to education in 2020,  that this was increased to N300 billion in 2021, while tasking the Federal Inland Revenue Service on increasing the education tax collection to N500 billion in the next two years.

According to him, more than N30 billion was set aside for academic staff training in the various institutions across the country.

Construction of 160,000 Additional Bed Spaces
Ibrahim-Imam, said in response to the challenges of acute shortage of hostels in Universities in the country, the Board of Trustee of TETfund has approved the construction of 160,000 additional bed spaces in the institutions across the country.

The event which had the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Olufemi Hamzat, as guest of honour was attended by captains of industries, academia and other  stakeholders.

Lagos State, Governor in his speech  however, insisted that funding for the education sector must be prioritised.

Sanwo-Olu noted that  TETFund was then established as a child of necessity to intervene in the ailing universities system and that universities in Nigeria would have been worse than the current situation without TETFund.

He appealed to private companies operating in Nigeria to be consistent in their remittances, while also charging TETFund to create Silicon Valley for Nigeria and focus on how to take research to the market.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was represented by the Pro-chancellor of University of Benin, Dr Sonny Kuku, commended the stakeholders for their contribution.

He assured them of the determination of the Nigerian Government to transform the entire landscape of public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, in his welcome address, said the Tax Payers Forum served as the platform to honour and identity individuals and companies that have made tremendous contributions to education through the consistent payment of education tax and have invariably contributed to the development of education.

He explained that the 2  per cent education tax is remitted annually by companies through the FIRS to TETFund for allocation and onward disbursement to beneficiary institutions across the country.

Bogoro noted that the education tax over the years has been channeled into different activities and areas in line with the mandate of the Fund as enshrined in the establishment Act.

According to Bogoro“Infrastructure has been given special attention in this regard, because of its decay and collapse across public tertiary institutions in Nigeria at the onset. 

“A careful observation will reveal that the Fund has between January to December 2020 alone carried out

16,982 various infrastructure projects across beneficiary institutions. Considering the projects carried out since inception, based on annual allocation to institutions over the years 2011 to 2021, it is estimated that a total of over 152,838 various infrastructure projects have been carried out across various public tertiary institutions.

“These projects include construction of lecture theatres, classrooms, hostels, offices, laboratories, road networks and fencing of institutions in different parts of the country. Tertiary institutions

across the country are dotted with TETFund projects which bear the insignia of the Fund distinctly inscribed on each project.

“Additionally, we have sponsored over 10,632 lecturers in the local Ph.D. program, over 9,072 lecturers in the local master’s degree programme across the country between 2011 and year 2020.

“The Fund has also sponsored well over 4,485 lecturers to overseas institutions for Ph.D. programs and over 3,192 Master’s degree candidates also overseas, across tertiary institutions within the same period.

“The Fund has further supported 71,263 Lecturers in Federal and State Colleges of Education under its teacher supervision program, bringing to a total 98,644 the number of academic staff across public tertiary institutions that have benefited from the academic staff training and development programme of the Fund,“ he explained.

Confidence Okwuchi

Ethiopia denounces Tigray-Oromia rebel alliance

Emmanuel Ukoh
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Ethiopia’s government has denounced a military alliance between two rebel forces – the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

It says the agreement shows that the two forces are working in unison against the stability of the nation.

The two armed groups are engaged in separate conflicts with the government but say they will now share battlefield information and fight in parallel.

Ethiopian rebel group forges alliance with Tigray forces

The authorities in Addis Ababa say they are not surprised by the public statements from the groups.

The spokesperson for Ethiopia’s prime minister says it proves the government’s longstanding claims that some of the country’s rebel groups have been working together.

It accuses the TPLF of mobilising various factions including the OLA to destabilise Ethiopia leading to a spike in intercommunal violence and the mass displacement of people.

The TPLF, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by the government but says it is the legitimate regional government of Tigray, has denied the allegations.

For now, the alliance between the two groups risks deepening the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia which has forced two million people from their homes and left more than five million in need of humanitarian assistance.

 

 

BBC

Lukaku rejoins Chelsea on five-year deal

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Romelu Lukaku has returned to Chelsea on Thursday for a reported club record fee of £97 million ($135 million) from Inter Milan, seven years after his first spell at Stamford Bridge came to an end.

“Romelu Lukaku is back in Chelsea blue,” the English club said in statement.

It said; “The Belgian has signed a five-year contract and will add attacking firepower to Thomas Tuchel’s squad of European champions.”

 

 

NP/Mercy Chukwudiebere

President Buhari mourns Shagari’s widow

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the family of the late former Nigerian leader, Shehu Shagari on the death of his widow, Hadiza Shagari.

Mrs Shagari died on Thursday at age 80.

President Buhari’s condolence message was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari condoles with former President Shehu Shagari’s family over the passing of Hajiya Hadiza Shagari.’

President Buhari described the deceased as a pillar of strength and support, holding the fort for the family while her husband busied himself with service to the nation.

He described the departed as a pillar of strength and support, holding the fort for the family while her husband busied himself with service to the nation.

President Buhari extended condolences to government and the people of Sokoto State, urging the family to be consoled by the good deeds of Hajiya Hadiza.

The President prays Allah to forgive the sins of the departed and reward her with Paradise.

 

 

PR/Mercy Chukwudiebere

PDP urged to unite to win Anambra election

Confidence Okwuchi
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The National Coordinator of the People’s Democratic Party Coalition, PDPCo, Dr Emeka Kalu has appealed to the Party in Anambra State and at the national level to unite to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

Kalu said it was necessary for the party’s stalwarts to work for the candidate of the party in the election.

He said, “Anambra State governorship election is at the nook, the party is bound to work towards winning the election, our national convention is fast approaching; the party is expected to start making inputs to ensure smooth operation.

“The party will surely conduct primary elections for elective posts – all these should be the centre point of our discourse not going back to old things that had been settled, dusted and harmonised.”

Kalu lauded the party’s leadership for resolving the crisis, which almost consumed the party, recently.

He stressed that the PDP Governors Forum, Board of Trustees, National Working Committee, party executive, former governors, former ministers, serving National Assembly caucus members, youths and women wings of the party worked harmoniously to return peace to the party.

He explained that the shift of the party’s national convention from December 2021 to October of the same year was taken to ensure all nerves were calmed for unity and harmony to thrive in the party.

He urged every member of the party to work in making inputs to ensure PDP takes over government in the 2023 general elections.

“This is expected to be the drive and focus of each and every one of us, all stakeholders no matter one’s ranking. We are all equal in contributions as no effort is ever undermined or overrated beneath or over the other in this liberation race for a better Nigeria now and in future,” he added.

 

NP/Confidence Okwuchi

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