Month: June 2024

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is expected to receive the name lists of Members of the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures on Thursday.

This after the National and Provincial Elections were held and the results declared by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) last week.

READ | Sun sets on 2024 elections

‘It is an established practice in South Africa that after the announcement by the IEC of the results of the National and Provincial Elections, the IEC hands over the lists of Members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures to the Chief Justice who then hands them over to the Secretary to Parliament.

‘In line with this practice, Chief Justice R M M Zondo will on 06 June 2024 officially receive from the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission the lists of designated Members of Parliament (MPs) and members of Provincial Legislatures,’ the Office of the Chief Justice said in a statement.

The office said following that, the Chief Justice is expected to hand over the National Assembly lists t
o Parliament’s secretary ‘in preparation for the first sitting of the National Assembly’.

READ | Plans underway for establishment of the seventh democratic Parliament

‘The Chief Justice also transmits the lists of designated members of the Provincial Legislatures to the designated Judges President who will preside over the first sittings of the Provincial Legislatures,’ the statement said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has begun the development of its African Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) in Imo to ensure quality of export products.

Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of the bank’s board of directors, said this at the official launch of the AQAC, in the Ngor Okpala council area of Imo, on Monday.

Oramah, represented by the bank’s Executive Vice-President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Mrs Kanayo Awani, said that the centre was the second of its kind in Nigeria.

The president explained that the AQAC would promote African trade in line with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

According to him, although Africa’s export products represent only 30 per cent of exports in Europe and America, the products can hardly meet global standards, and have, therefore, suffered inhibited access to the global market.

‘With a cargo airport and abundant export products such as agricultural, textile, pharmaceutical and automotive, among others, Imo has the potential to beco
me a major international export hub in Nigeria,’ he said.

He thanked the bank’s technical partners, the Bureau Veritas; the African Organisation for Standardisation, and the Imo government for their support and collaboration which saw the project to fruition.

‘Africa loses an estimated $700m yearly at the export market due to inability to meet global standards, but the Afreximbank is working on accredited facilities for quality assurance and promotion of export trade.

‘This gathering is a testament that our strong political will backed by capital from Africa, represent a powerful force and our best chance as a people to achieve economic emancipation.

‘We are, therefore, pleased at the Afreximbank to announce the commencement of the AQAC project development in Imo to serve the people of Imo, Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea,’ he said.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) begins the development of African Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) in Imo

Also, Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo, thanked the bank for choosi
ng Imo as a ground for ‘providing home grown solutions to the challenges of export business confronting the African continent ‘.

He added that the project aligned with the Nigerian National Development Plan, and pledged his commitment to job creation through stimulation of the economy for a more productive life for Imo people.

‘We thank you for including Imo in the global map.

‘We assure you that with 64 nautical miles to the high sea, your decision to site this project in Imo will be justified through a viable Return on Investment (ROI), and our necessary support for your seamless operation’, he said.

Earlier, the bank’s Director of Export Development, Mrs Dorothy Oluwaji, restated the bank’s commitment to the strategic initiative, and thanked Uzodinma for his tenacity, drive, support and vision to make Imo an international export hub.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the event was the official unveiling of the project module.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

In a world where entertainment options are vast and varied, video games have carved out a significant niche, captivating millions across the globe. While traditional gambling activities like blackjack betting continue to draw interest, the rise of video games has not only transformed how we play but also how we impact society.

Once dismissed as mere pastimes or, worse, distractions, video games have evolved into powerful tools for positive change, influencing various aspects of society in unexpected and beneficial ways.

The Educational Power of Video Games

One of the most profound impacts of video games is in the realm of education. Educational video games have become a staple in classrooms and homes, offering interactive and engaging ways for children to learn complex subjects.

Games like ‘Minecraft: Education Edition’ and ‘Civilization VI’ teach critical thinking, problem-solving, and historical knowledge in a manner that textbooks often fail to achieve. The interactive nature of video games fosters a h
ands-on learning environment, allowing students to experiment and explore concepts in a safe and controlled setting.

Moreover, video games have proven effective in teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills. Titles such as ‘Kerbal Space Program’ and ‘CodeCombat’ offer players the chance to delve into the intricacies of physics, coding, and engineering. By presenting these subjects in an engaging format, video games help to demystify complex topics and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

Video Games as Therapeutic Tools

Beyond education, video games have found a significant role in therapy and mental health. The therapeutic potential of video games is increasingly recognized by psychologists and medical professionals.

Games like ‘SuperBetter,’ designed by game designer Jane McGonigal, use game mechanics to help players cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. The game encourages users to complete small tasks and challenges, promoting resilie
nce and a sense of accomplishment.

Furthermore, virtual reality (VR) games are being used to treat phobias, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and other mental health conditions. VR therapy allows patients to confront their fears in a controlled environment, gradually reducing their anxiety through repeated exposure.

This innovative use of gaming technology is opening new avenues for treatment and providing relief for many individuals who struggle with mental health issues.

Social Impact and Community Building

Video games have also become powerful tools for social change and community building. Online multiplayer games like ‘Fortnite,’ ‘World of Warcraft,’ and ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ create virtual communities where players from around the world can connect, collaborate, and build friendships. These games foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie, bridging cultural and geographical divides.

Additionally, video games have been used to raise awareness and funds for various causes. Charity gam
ing events, such as Extra Life and Games Done Quick, have raised millions of dollars for hospitals, disaster relief, and other charitable organizations.

Streamers and gaming influencers often leverage their platforms to promote social causes and mobilize their audiences for good. The gaming community’s collective effort has demonstrated the significant impact that video games can have in supporting and advancing social causes.

Promoting Physical Health

Contrary to the stereotype of gamers being sedentary, the advent of motion-controlled games and fitness-oriented titles has encouraged physical activity. Games like ‘Ring Fit Adventure,’ ‘Just Dance,’ and ‘Beat Saber’ combine gaming with exercise, making physical fitness fun and accessible.

These games offer a range of workouts, from cardio to strength training, and are particularly appealing to those who may find traditional exercise routines monotonous or intimidating.

The integration of gaming and physical health has also led to innovative solutions for
rehabilitation. Physical therapists are increasingly using video games to help patients recover from injuries or surgeries.

These games provide an engaging way for patients to perform repetitive exercises, tracking progress and adjusting difficulty levels to match their recovery stages. This gamified approach to rehabilitation enhances patient motivation and compliance, leading to better outcomes.

Economic Contributions

The video game industry itself has become a major economic force, contributing significantly to job creation and economic growth. Game development studios, eSports tournaments, and gaming-related merchandise generate billions of dollars annually. The industry supports a wide range of careers, from game designers and programmers to marketers and event organizers.

Moreover, eSports has emerged as a lucrative career path for professional gamers. These players compete in international tournaments, earning substantial prize money and sponsorship deals. The popularity of eSports has also led to
the creation of new infrastructure, including dedicated eSports arenas and training facilities, further boosting local economies.

While activities like Blackjack Betting have long been associated with entertainment and risk, video games have transcended traditional notions of play to become powerful agents of positive change. From education and therapy to community building and economic contributions, video games are making a tangible impact on society.

As technology continues to evolve, the potential for video games to drive social good will only expand, offering exciting possibilities for the future. Whether through enhancing learning experiences, promoting mental and physical health, or fostering global communities, video games are proving that they are much more than just a source of entertainment-they are a force for good.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Amb. Felix Ihonre, Nigeria’s Country Representative for World Junkanoo Foundation and World Carnival Commission, has called for peace in order to drive Nigeria’s cultural heritage and harness its potential.

Ihonre made the call in Abuja on Monday at a news conference on the upcoming World Junkanoo Festival for Tourism and Culture, scheduled to hold in Vaughan City, Canada, from July 4 to 8, 2024.

The country representative, who said that the culture and tourism activities only thrived in a peaceful society, urged the government at all levels to intensify efforts in their fight against terrorism, kidnaping and other vices.

‘I will like to say that since the inception of President’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, there had been a promotional atmosphere of culture and tourism activities in all parts of the country.

‘And there is need to intensify the activities to make sure that culture thrives but I will tell you that culture and tourism activities cannot thrive in the mix of terrorism.’

Ihonre added
that the cultural activities could not thrive in the mix of violence atmosphere, hunger and poverty.

‘That is why today we are happy to say that this present administration has really come up to say we want to fight terrorism and kidnapping. We want to fight every thing that serves as detriment to our cultural heritage.

‘The first aspect of our cultural heritage is agriculture and farming. Food security becomes a problem in the country today because there is violence every where.

‘Where farmers are supposed to go to farm, they are deprived to farm. This is why we are calling on both federal and state governments to intensify efforts in their fight and approach to reduce or eradicate completely the act of terrorism and kidnapping.

‘Herdsmen/farmers crisis should be removed completely. I happen to come from Niger Delta and when there was crisis from Niger Delta, we stood by the then government and we embraced peace in NIger Delta.

‘That was why Nigeria started to get good proceeds from the oil that is sus
taining the country today. If the Niger Delta youths that have oil are saying yes to peace, northern youths should also embrace peace.’

He called on northern youths to end violence situation in the north, adding that they have capacity to do it.

According to him, when the youths work with this present administration, peace will reign and we will have more foods.

‘I will tell you today that I happened to be somebody who grew up in Makurdi, Benue State. Yam happened to be one of our favourite foods, the so called ‘Opa’ happened to come from Benue, fruits and tomatoes that are feeding this country came from Benue State.

‘But today, there is violence in Benue State. There is violence in Edo, Maduguri and Bauchi and the rest. Why don’t we call it short and sheath the guns, machetes and fear situation in the area.

‘We are saying this because we want the next World Junkanoo festival to be hosted by Nigeria and we cannot host this programme, if there is no peace in this country.

‘The whole world will not want t
o come to Nigeria if there is no peace in this country.’

The country representative said the upcoming Junkanoo festival would provide investment opportunities for Nigeria, saying that Nigeria’s cultural heritage would be showcased to attract people living abroad to invest in the country.

‘The festival will provide us opportunities to have our pavilion and showcase Nigerian cultural heritage. This will attract many investors to come and invest in culture, tourism, sports and other sectors of Nigerian economy.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Some West African stakeholders are upbeat about the prospects of business startups growing up to become big companies owned by business moguls, complementing today’s major industry players as employers of labour.

They expressed this optimism in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a preparatory meeting ahead of the second West African startup awards scheduled to hold later in the year.

‘Startups are supposed to be unicorns and they’ve dovetailed into becoming future employers of businesses, huge ones.

‘They’re not SME’s, but businesses that will have both continental and regional impact.

‘We’re trying to build up young ones so that they can go into complementing the current business moguls.

‘Those business moguls, who are even the ones to mentor them now, so that they also grow up to do the same things that the big ones are doing.

‘So, for me, I think it’s a step in the right direction to create businesses,’ ECOWAS Ag.Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu said.

According to
Guinea Bissau’s Cesaltina Tavares, Communications Officer, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) Lomé, Togo, the sky is the limit for the growth of startups.

Tavares said that explained why EBID was prepared to give tremendous financial support to select startups, to enable them to achieve their dreams and boost the ECOWAS private sector.

‘My take in this event is that the startups really need institutions like us to improve the work they are doing already.

‘They are not just businesses. Startups for private sector is a dream.

‘So, on this note, we are here to support them with all our financial power.

‘So that we can improve the ECOWAS private sector. I believe that this is just the way forward,’ Tavares said.

Also speaking, Chinenye Akandu, Partnerships Executive of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that it was in realisation of the great potentials of startups that the foundation came to their rescue.

She disclosed that the foundation had doled out a whooping $100 million to identify, t
rain, mentor and fund 10,000 young african entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.

‘In terms of the collaboration between ECOWAS and other organisations in support of startups and entrepreneurs in West Africa.

‘I believe entrepreneurship and startups are like the life wire, the lifelong economic growth and development on the continent.

‘We at the Tony Elumelu Fondation are at the forefront in terms of supporting these young African entrepreneurs.

‘We believe that private sectors have a huge role to play in terms of economic development and social welfare across the continent. So entrepreneurship to us is the baby.

‘We believe that they have a crucial role to play on the continent and everything in terms of economic growth and development, entrepreneurship is the number one.

‘They are the live wire. They are the live blood. They are the seeds that you plant, and they are the seeds that will germinate and bring forth growth and development on the continent.

‘So, first of all, we started with $100 milli
on commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young African entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.

‘And we are actually in our 10th year of the program, the 10th cycle, and we’ve been able to empower and fund over 20,000 young African entrepreneurs,’ she said.

Michael Oyeyiola, Ecobank Manager, FCT and Northern Nigeria, said that buoyed by the potential of startups to boost West Africa’s economy, the bank had helped the ecosystem by way of their mentoring and capacity building.

‘We were deeply involved in the first part of this program, where we supported the ecosystem in terms of executing this program, financially and otherwise.

‘A significant role we actually played was also in terms of the mentoring and capacity development of those people.

‘Resourcing is one, but also helping those individuals to be able to navigate necessary partnerships, is necessary,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

An Economist, Mr Abba Adaudu, has decried the revocation of the licence of Heritage Bank by the Central of Nigeria (CBN) due to a breach of banking regulations.

Adaudu, who is also a financial consultant, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the revocation of the bank’s licence would have adverse effects as all its customers would flood the bank’s offices nationwide to collect their deposits.

According to him, the revocation of the licence of the bank has multiplier effects on the economy as many staff of the bank will lose their jobs and will again be thrown to the labour market.

Adaudu said that the revocation would have a lot of negative effects on the banking system as many people might be afraid to put their money in the bank.

NAN reports that the CBN on Monday revoked the banking licence of unlisted lender Heritage Bank Plc due to a breach of banking regulations.

According to CBN, the bank has continued to suffer and has no reasonable prospects of recovery;
thereby making the revocation of the licence the next necessary step.

The central bank said its action followed a period of engagement with the bank where it prescribed various supervisory steps intended to stem a decline in Heritage’s performance.

Adaudu, however, argued that as the nation was facing economic crisis presently, the revocation would trigger more hardship on the people as the economy, dependents and staff of the bank would suffer.

He advised that CBN would not have revoked the bank but dissolve its board as it did to the Keystone, Union and Polaris banks and takeover the financial institution for proper management.

He listed letters of credit, promissory notes, provision of admirable customer’s service, providing adequate information and providing account statement as some of the services the customers would lose.

‘Other services customers will lose are protecting customer deposits, honouring cheques, provision of access to financial services and protecting customer confidentiality,” he s
aid.

On the Minimum wage crisis between Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Adaudu said that Nigerian workers’ salaries were very meagre coupled with the hyperinflation facing the country currently.

He urged the Federal Government to constitute cooperative farming for successful businessmen in the six Geo-political Zones to curtail the current high prices of foods in the country.

According to Adaudu, no amount of money paid to the civil servants will be enough by the Federal / state governments if high rate of inflation is not lessened.

He said forming cooperative farming would assist to cushion the effects of food shortage and high prices of food in the country.

The economist added that empowering successful businessmen in the six geo-political zones would help to address the current food crisis in the country.

Adaudu explained that if this policy was implemented with adequate supervision and security to protect the farmers in these zones, more food and employment opportu
nities would be created.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria