Month: July 2023

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Oranjemund Private School and Suiderlig Secondary School shine at regional science fair

The Oranjemund Private School and Suiderlig Secondary School were awarded the top primary and secondary schools respectively, at the ||Kharas Region Science Fair which ended here on Friday.

The science fair started at Keetmanshoop on Wednesday and the two schools each walked away with a microscope voucher worth N.dollars 14 000, donated by the Anglo Foundation and the Debmarine-Namdeb Foundation.

From the 104 projects presented at the fair, Likius Ashipala from Suiderlig Secondary School was the overall winner of the science fair and walked away with a laptop, after showcasing an electricity tampering sensor device that sense and detect illegal tampering of electricity

Ashipala in an interview with Nampa said: “I did this because even though electricity companies are doing their best to protect their properties from illegal connections while delivering electricity to the nation such activities still happen.”

This device can detect illegal activities and at the same time, notify the electricity company. The device uses senses that are beyond human hearing, so things that human can hear it will pick up vibration and detection, he added.

Ashipala was also awarded overall winner for the senior secondary category.

Joy Linane from Oranjemund Private School took the Junior Primary overall winner award, while David Halweendo from Ambrorius Hamutenya Primary School and Summer Mature from Oranjemund Private School shared the senior primary overall winner award.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the science fair chief judge, Connie Willemse urged schools to invest more in the science fair at their respective school in order to prepare learners for the regional fair.

“Schools let’s invest more in the science fair as it offers a learning experience for the learners. To the learners even if today you don’t walk away with an award let this be a learning opportunity for you to do different next time, you can be second best this time but you can come back next year and be your best,” she said.

Meanwhile, 12 learners were chosen to represent the region at the national science fair taking place in September in Windhoek.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Customs to collaborate with NEPZA, others to boost nations economy

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), says it will collaborate with Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) to accelerate up Nigeria’s economic growth.

The Acting Controller-General of NCS, Mr Wale Adeniyi made the pledge when NEPZA’s Managing Director, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba and his counterpart from OGFZA, Senator Tijani Kaura visited him on Friday.

Adeniyi, while commending efforts of personnel, promised the Service readiness to partner with both agencies for the good of the country.

According to him, NCS is ever committed to collaborate with necessary Government’s Agencies in the task of ensuring national economic development.

“That is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu led administration.

“So, I will like to express my commitment that we will forge this collaboration, we will work closer and we will get collaborations towards productive results for our economy,” he said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NEPZA, highlighted the roles of Free Trade Zones in job creation, poverty reduction and national economic development.

Adesugba said for NEPZA and OGFZA to achieve their mandates as agencies saddled with the responsibility of developing the sector, there was the need for effective collaboration with the NIS.

He recalled the recent meeting of stakeholders in the sector in Abuja where they brainstormed on how to reposition the sector for optimal performance.

He said it was resolved that they meet with the NCS on the meeting’s outcome to further seek the way forward in the industry.

“We are very happy that we are going back to our various authorities and we are taking with us the fact that we will be working together.

“It is not going to be business as usual, we are going to be working with very vibrant team of Customs officers.

“And they are going to develop the capacity of all the officers and some of the stakeholders in the processes of the free trade zone to ensure investors are attracted to the freezones in Nigeria rather than go elsewhere.

“We want to work with Nigeria Customs and all other stakeholders that have anything to do with the free zone scheme to ensure that investors have sucour in Nigeria.

“And to ensure we are competitive, limit bureaucracy and the one stop shop part of the scheme actually works and we can’t do these without the Nigeria Customs, so that is why we are here,” he said.

Adesugba used the opportunity to congratulate Adeniyi on his appointment as the Acting Controller-General of NCS, while commending President Tinubu for making the right choice by appointing.

He described the NCS boss as a well trained and experienced Custom officer who rose from the ranks to become the Acting Controller-General.

On his part, the Managing Director of OGFZA, who also congratulated the NCS boss, stressed the need for effective public private sector collaboration towards developing the nation’s Free Trade Zones.

Tijani Kaura said he was impressed by the outcome of the meeting as it showed clear willingness by the Customs to support the free zone.

He expressed optimism that the collaboration would be on the interest of the nation, as well as ensure rapid economic growth and progress for the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a five man Committee was set up at the end of the event to deliberate on ways of possible partnership among the three agencies.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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KOICA trains 29 Nigerian teachers on smart education in South Korea

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) said it would train twenty-nine teachers in South Korea on Smart education project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Teachers were drown from six states, namely Cross River, Bauchi, Anambra, Nasarawa, Kano and Ekiti reflecting the six-geo-political zones in the country.

NAN reports that the training which will last from July 29 to Aug. 19, 2023 is part of the activities of the Smart School Education project that was signed in 2021 between the two agencies.

Mr Son Sungil, Country Director of KOICA, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday that teachers play vital roles in the life of students and the success of the smart school project.

“This teacher training marks the 3rd in a series of training provided by KOICA for the Smart School Project.

“In December 2022, twenty (20) principals from Smart schools were trained in Korea, and another twenty (20) education stakeholders.

”This includes SUBEB chairman led by the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, on a Smart Education Study visit to Korea.

“Currently, the Korean government, through KOICA, is supporting 6 states out of the 36 states and the FCT where UBEC had built Smart Schools.

“The support includes training of teachers, principals, and education stakeholders, the creation of digital content for mathematics and science subjects for Primary 4 to 6 and Junior Secondary 1 to 3.

”Also the installation of content development studios in each of the 6 Smart Schools,” he said.

Sungil, noted that teachers were selected from the Smart schools based on their performance and will understudy Korea’s Smart School Education system and methodology.

However, on their return to Nigeria, they are expected to mentor Nigerian teachers on how smart schools operate.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Africa must leverage on Russia’s goodwill to develop – Prof. Okoli

Prof. Maurice Okoli, the President, Nigerian Community in Russia, has emphasised the need for Africa to leverage on Russia’s huge reservoir of goodwill to develop the continent.

Okoli said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 2nd Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Summit on Friday in St. Petersburg.

NAN is one of the media partners of the Summit and its Managing Director, Mr Buki Ponle, is also attending the event.

The two-day summit was declared open on Thursday by the Russian President Vladimir Putin with many African leaders in attendance.

It aims at strengthening comprehensive and equal cooperation between Russia and African nations across all areas of society including politics, security, economic relations, science and technology, and the cultural and humanitarian spheres.

According to Okoli, the world is changing with a lot of things happening and definitely Russia is a huge country that plays important role in the world.

“When you talk of the energy sector Russia is almost the number one.

“Something like fertilizer, grain technology and atomic energy, so it cannot be ignored.

“On African side also there is need for continued corporation. Africa is open to all countries.

“Africa needs development, it needs partnership and new initiatives

“I can say there is a second scramble for African countries all the major powers are coming in for business, for influence. Definitely Africa is ready.

“I can say that the last frontier of business with about one billion population, with a lot of resources and young population definitely the eye of the world is in Africa.

“And I can tell you that Russia has a good reservoir of goodwill in Africa and that goodwill was created by Soviet Union,” he said.

While appreciating the role played by Russia in Africa’s liberation movement, Okoli said that the massive economic and political assistance remains relevant.

“When Africa was struggling for independence in the late 50s and early 60s Soviet Union created a very important role in providing massive economic and political assistance to the liberation movement across the African continent.

“So, by that single act Africa will never forget and has not forgotten,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Yiaga Africa seeks alternative means of voter identification during elections

Yiaga Africa, a non-governmental organisation promoting participatory democracy, human rights and civic participation has called for the abolition of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as the sole means of voter identification during elections.

Dr Hussaini Abdu, Board Chairman, Yiaga Africa, made the call in Abuja on Friday, during the official presentation of the organisation’s Report on Nigeria’s 2023 General Election.

Adbu said that the measure would address myriad of challenges associated with collection of PVCs and voter accreditation, which disenfranchises a lot of voters during elections.

He stressed the need for the review of the requirement for voter identification, following the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System that stores biometric information of voters.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should, therefore, abolish the use of PVC and adopt the use of other legally acceptable means of identification for voter verification such as driver’s license, international passport, national identity card,” he said.

He also called on the National Assembly to amend the electoral legal framework to enable INEC to produce the voter register from the national identity database compiled by the National Identity Management Commission.

This, according to him, will reduce the cost of elections, facilitate regular updates to the register and foster harmonisation of the national database.

The chairman said that the report further called for more policy reforms for INEC to strengthen the electoral process.

According to him, electoral reforms can deliver credible elections if stakeholders, especially INEC and political parties, comply with the rules and guidelines.

“An overhaul of the appointment process of INEC commissioners is needed to restore public confidence in the electoral commission.

“In addition, there is a pressing need to unbundle the commission and shift certain institutional responsibilities it bears currently to other institutions.

“For example, the responsibility of political party registration and regulation, and electoral offences prosecution should be removed from the commission.”

On strengthening INEC’s institutional independence, Abdu said the report recommended that professional skills and qualification should be considered when making appointments into INEC.

He also said that the appointing authority should subject nominees to public scrutiny before transmitting nominations to the Senate for confirmation.

“We also want INEC to be unbundled and as such, recommend that the National Assembly should, through legislation, establish a Political Party Registration and Regulatory Commission and an Electoral Offences Commission.

“This will reduce INEC’s enormous and onerous responsibilities, which in the long run will improve its efficiency, effectiveness, and credibility,” he said.

He equally advised INEC to address the ambiguities, complexities, and inadequacies of the electoral legal framework and enhance the integrity and accuracy of voter registration.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Nature Conservation: Activist advocates intensified tree planting

Ms May Ikokwu, Chief Executive Officer, Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), has advocated intensified planting of trees to not only reduce soil erosion but conserve ecosystem.

Ikokwu made the call in on Thursday in Abuja an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in commemoration of World Nature Conservation Day (WNCD).

The theme of World Nature Conservation Day 2023 is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.

Ikokwu reiterated the need for conservation of nature for healthier and happier living.

“Plant trees to reduce soil erosion, reuse and recycle. Stop indiscriminate cutting of trees just because their uses have not been identified, nature is economical and makes no mistakes.

“Volunteer for community clean-ups and use non-toxic cleaning supplies,” she said.

The culture advocate, who described nature as impeccable shield for humanity, urged all to conserve it.

According to her, developing attitudes like switching off lights when leaving a room, reducing wastage of water while washing plates or brushing the teeth, are also ways of conserving nature.

Ikokwu said that only collectively preserving nature would make the planet’s natural resources available for its inhabitants.

“According to experts, the planet’s natural resources consist of air, sunlight, soil, minerals, fuels and water.

“All of these things are found in nature and used by people. Currently, there are nearly 8 billion people that populate the Earth.

“This number is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2037. And they need to survive with natural resources that are conserved from now.”

“Currently 1.1 billion people lack water in the world, while a total of 2.7 billion face water scarcity at least one month in a year,” she said.

According to her, in Nigeria, many homeowners have boreholes, because there is no supply of water from the city’s water systems; that is where they exist.

“With so many homes drilling boreholes the water pressure of the aquifer is greatly reduced.

“This is a call for responsible ministries to ensure supply of water to the homes of tax payers,” she told NAN

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nature Conservation Day is marked on July 28 every year.

It acknowledges that the foundation for a healthy society is a healthy environment.

It is also a day to increase awareness about the importance of protecting natural resources.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria