Day: July 11, 2024

Mr Ukertor Moti, a Professor of Public Sector Management and Governance at the University of Abuja, has advised Africans to take significant steps to mitigate the effects of disinformation.

Moti gave the advice while addressing participants at a three-day regional conference funded by Global Affairs Canada, held in Ikeja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the regional conference aims at promoting partnerships and amplifying truth to safeguard democratic institutions and processes.

The conference was first held in Monrovia in July 2023.

Wednesday’s conference had the theme: ‘Countering Disinformation and Hate Speech in West Africa’.

It was organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development, West Africa, with the support of the National Democratic Institute.

According to Moti, disinformation and hate speech destabilise a system.

He said that the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) had led to both innovations and challenges particularly in information integrity.

He urged that the
challenges should be thoughtfully addressed.

Moti said that it was necessary to effectively address multi-faceted challenges posed by Al-enabled misinformation and disinformation.

He, therefore, advocated collaborations among stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers and technology companies, to address challenges posed by disinformation.

‘It is important to foster a global understanding and cooperation to tackle the spread of false information facilitated by the rise of man-made content and Al technologies.

‘Through enhanced collaborations, innovations and regulations, we can harness the benefits of AI while safeguarding against its risks.

‘Let us ensure a future where technology uplifts rather than undermines public trust and democratic values, ‘ he said.

The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Charles Ebuebu, said that disinformation and hate speech eroded trust, incited violence and polarised communities.

Ebuebu, who was represented by Mr Raphael Akpan, the NB
C Lagos Zonal Director, said that it was imperative to counter the threats with vigilance, integrity and steadfast commitment to truth.

He called for collaborations to develop innovative strategies and implement effective measures to combat the spread of false information.

Ebuebu said that countering disinformation and hate speech was crucial for trust, community cohesion and protection of the society.

He said: ‘With vigilance, integrity and commitment to truth, NBC believes that a healthier and more responsible media environment can be achieved in West Africa.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise Duties, has tasked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on improved security at land borders across the country.

The chairman of the committee, Rep. Leke Abejide, made the call during an oversight function at the NCS headquarters on Wednesday in Abuja.

He acknowledged the efforts of the NCS in the interception of arms and ammunition, particularly in its recent operations in Lagos and Rivers States.

‘These interceptions were not routine seizures. They potentially saved the lives of countless Nigerians and demonstrated the exceptional skills and dedication of your personnel in protecting our borders,’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NCS recently seized 844 riffles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Similarly, the NCS, Murtala Muhammed Area command, Ikeja, seized 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef Magnum semi automatic shot guns.

The chairman, however, urged the service not to be complacent with t
he outcomes, as the seized items were an indication that the country was facing enormous challenges and required more security at its borders.

‘Every weapon and illicit item seized is a victory, but every attempt to smuggle them into Nigeria is a call to redouble our efforts,’ he said.

According to the chairman, the committee will undertake a thorough investigation into all illegal activities taking place within bonded terminals, and free trade zones across the country.

‘Our objective is to bring sanity and order to these areas , ensuring they operate within the confines of the law and contribute positively to the nation’s growth,’ he said .

Abejide explained that the move was necessary to eliminate illegal businesses and activities that threatened national security and economic stability in those areas.

He said that the committee was advocating for the progress of the e-customs modernisation project, and urged the service to address issues of network outages to ensure a smooth transition.

The chairman
assured the NCS of the committee’s support in addressing its challenges, saying that continuous investment in resources, technology, and manpower was crucial to ensure greater success.

Earlier, the Comptroller-General (C-G) of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, acknowledged the importance of legislative oversight in ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the implementation of operations and projects within the service.

Adeniyi said that their insights and guidance were crucial in helping NCS to improve its services for the progress of the country.

‘You help us to better facilitate trade and to secure our borders while collecting revenues that are very vital to our economy,’ he said.

He assured the committee that NCS was committed to continuous improvement and innovation in all aspects of its services and project implementation.

According to the customs boss, feedback and recommendations from the legislature are crucial to enable them to streamline their processes, improve efficiency, and uphold the
highest standards of integrity and service.

He said that Customs was determined to instill discipline among its personnel in the discharge of duties, and had taken disciplinary action against those found wanting, to serve as a deterrent to others.

Also speaking, Caroline Niagwan, the Deputy Comptroller -General in charge of Tariff and Trade, said that the service was working assiduously to meet its annual revenue target of N5.1 trillion.

She said the service had collected N2.74 trillion as revenue in the first half of 2024, surpassing the expected revenue target of N2.54 trillion for the same period.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) has urged member countries to fulfill their financial obligations towards establishing the Africa Energy Bank.

To ensure the bank’s operationalisation, the APPO Secretary-General, Dr Umar Ibrahim, urged African oil-producing member countries to contribute their subscription fees of 83 million dollars.

According to him, the bank will be inaugurated in September.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nigeria had on July 4, secured the hosting rights for the Africa Energy Bank, which will be located in Abuja.

Ibrahim spoke at the 18th ordinary meeting of the APPO executive board in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where APPO’s headquarters is situated.

The Nigerian delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Nicholas Ella.

In a statement issued by Ella on Wednesday, Ibrahim reaffirmed APPO council of ministers’ resolution to confer the hosting rights of the Africa Energy Bank on Nigeria.

‘We are alig
ned with the resolutions of APPO council of ministers from last week. We will double our efforts to ensure we gather the necessary funds to initiate the Africa Energy Bank,’ Ibrahim said.

According to him, the oil producing member countries have formally written to the Nigerian government to discuss expedited steps to establish the bank.

‘On July 5, we formally wrote to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will discuss how quickly the bank building will be ready and the host country agreement prepared for signature.

‘We already have one member country that has signed the establishment agreement; we need one more signature to proceed,” Ibrahim said.

The permanent secretary while reiterating Nigeria’s commitment to the continental bloc’s ideals to enhance energy security, expressed President Bola Tinubu’s gratitude to the member states’ unwavering support and confidence in Nigeria’s bid to host the Bank.

‘The gathering of the 18-member countries of APPO in Brazzaville demonstrates our collective dedicatio
n to fostering unity, cooperation, and sustainable development within the African energy sector,” Ella said.

He pledged Nigeria’s determination to collaborate with other members to address the financial needs of Africa’s energy sector through funding oil and gas projects.

Ella urged member countries to harness the collective strength of our nations to build a brighter, more prosperous future for Africa.

‘Together, we will create an institution that addresses the financial needs of our energy projects and champion sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and economic inclusivity across Africa.”

Dr Ibe Kachikwu, a former Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, suggested a ten-year plan for the energy industry to encourage an ‘open era’ for investment and advised APPO to grow the bank’s capital base before investing.

During a brainstorming session on the continent’s energy future, Algerian executive board member Remini Amine said that local content, manpower, and infrastructure deve
lopment are key to unlocking Africa’s energy opportunities.

APPO member state representatives agreed that the Africa Energy Bank would bridge funding gaps in the sector.

The Africa Energy Bank is an initiative of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation and Afreximbank.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders in the Extractive Industries have urged inclusiveness of all stakeholders and host communities to address inequalities in the mining sector.

They made the call on Wednesday, at the 2024 Multi-stakeholder Roundtable on ‘Enhancing Inclusiveness in Promoting Transparency and Addressing Inequalities in Nigeria’s Mining Sector’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by Global Rights, in collaboration with the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

It seeks to address issues bothering on extractive Industries to avoid recurring mistakes observed in oil industries.

Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, in his remarks said ”the forum was imperative, aiming at discussing issues that NEITI had considered to prioritise in its new strategic renewed attention and focus towards the solid minerals sector,”.

Orji reaffirmed NEITI’s commitment to the partnership between the Global Righ
ts Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Ford Foundation in enhancing inclusiveness in the mining sector.

‘At the heart of our discussions at this roundtable are two major issues of common concern- fiscal justice and inclusion to put on the agenda as commitments and considered major components of the on-going reforms of the sector.

‘For us in NEITI, we also need our partner, Global Rights to consider specifically and pay greater attention to the issues of gender equity and inclusion, specifically, women inclusion.

‘Women’s participation in the mining and steel sector has become an issue of debate and advocacy globally.

‘This is in view of the negative implications a male-dominated extractive industry characterised by limited access for women in areas of employment opportunities, training, skills acquisition, investments and exposure to issues on managing natural resources endowments,’ he said.

The NEITI boss said the roundtable was also important to interrogate some manmade obstacles frustratin
g women participation in extractive sector activities.

He said gender inclusion in decision making was one of the areas of policy reform.

He listed public disclosure of data that identified specific social, economic, cultural, environmental challenges, women and children faced in oil, gas and mining host communities as some of the policy reforms.

Ms Abiodun Baiyewu, the Executive Director, Global Rights, said the end of oil was approaching, hence the need for Nigeria to enhance the extractive industries to boost the nation’s economy.

Baiyewu also decried the effect of unregulated mining activities affecting the host communities in Nigeria, adding that the extractive sectors had only contributed less than one per cent of our national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) .

‘With more than 40 minerals in commercial quantities found across the country, our extractive sectors contribute less than one per cent of the national GDP.

‘More than 80 per cent of the sector, artisanal mining in particular is unregulated and
the revenue accounted for, ‘ she said.

Mr Habibu Wushishi, the National Co-Chair, Federation of Nigeria Host Communities, expressed dismay over irregular mining activities that claimed lives among the communities.

Wushishi called on the government to adopt best global practices in the extractive sectors to address such issues across the nation.

The event had in attendance stakeholders from the host communities, royal highnesses, CEOs from various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and captains of industries among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), has granted Water Use Licences to BUA Cement and Penstock Energy Ltd.

During the presentation ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, NIWRMC Acting Executive Director, Hajiya Sakinatu Jimeta, urged the companies to use the licences as specified in the terms and conditions.

Jimeta, who said that the licences would be revalidated every two years, noted that the commission would ensure supervision of the companies.

Mr Uba Ajingi, Director of Allocation and Authorisation at NIWRMC, stated that the commission issued licences to ensure equitable water allocation for hydropower, irrigation schemes, and water supply.

According to him, this is based on catchment availability to avoid conflicts and ensure sustainability.

Rabiu Maska, Social Performance Specialist at BUA Cement, and Pamela Gold, Senior Manager of Legal and Regulatory at Penstock Energy Ltd, expressed gratitude to the commission for granting the licences a
nd pledged to abide by the terms of the agreement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIWRMC was established in May 2007 following a Federal Government Public Reforms Committee.

The commission’s objective is to regulate, protect, conserve, and control water sources for equitable socio-economic development.

NIWRMC has revalidated 50 licences for bulk water users under current regulations.

The commission is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the activities of the licensees to ensure compliance with licence terms.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Lagos State Government is set to hold the maiden edition of a pan-African carnival, ‘Afropolis’, for the promotion of black cultural heritage, creativity and innovation.

Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, who disclosed this during a Town Hall meeting in Lagos, said the Ministry was collaborating with Qudus Onikeku, a multimodal international artiste.

She said the goal of Afropolis, slated for Oct. 26 to Nov. 3, was to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, celebrate the diverse traditions and creativity of Africa as well as boost tourism.

Benson-Awoyinka said the carnival was a platform for African creatives to come together to showcase their talents, exchange ideas and collaborate on groundbreaking projects as well as create truly unique things.

According to her, the festival will feature a curated marketplace, traditional and contemporary performances, exhibitions, and much more.

She said it would bring together creatives, innovators, and enthusiasts
from across the continent and beyond, thereby boosting tourism.

‘Afropolis is not just an event but a celebration of our rich cultural heritage, creativity, and innovation of Lagos state.

‘Lagos, as the host city, is proud to be at the forefront of this cultural revolution. Our city is renowned as the largest black cultural melting pot in the world, and we continue to lead in various creative sectors such as music, fashion, gaming, tech, design, film, dance, AI, and research.

‘Our young talents are making significant strides on the global stage, and events like Afropolis provide them with the visibility and opportunities they deserve.

‘The essence of Afropolis lies in its ability to bring together a diverse array of creative minds.

‘Imagine the vibrant fusion of traditional and modern expressions that will be on display, from indigenous crafts to cutting-edge digital art,’ she said.

According to her, Afropolis will be held at J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, located around the Onikan sub
urb of Lagos, known as the third coolest neighbourhood in the world in 2019.

She explained that the Afropolis carnival would transform Onikan’s main street-J. Randle Road-into a vibrant hub of artistic and technological excellence.

Giving more details on the event, Onikeku said that Afropolis would be a pan-African gathering of creatives and curious people.

According to him, it seeks to promote African culture for economic competitiveness.

Highlighting programmes of the nine-day event, Onikeku said Afropolis would feature a maker fair, pop up fashion stores, arts and craft market and live performances.

He said that other features included street arts, street food, street vendors, music concerts, Djsets, master classes, meetings and networking other speed pitches.

‘The rest are talks and round tables, gaming, innovation, exhibition, children playground and urban culture display,’ he said.

According to him, Afropolis will also see a range of smaller break-outs as well as highly interactive sessions and m
aster classes focused on topics across creative sectors.

Onikeku said: ‘It is projected that Afropolis will attract more than 1,000 creatives and exhibitors from aArica and the diaspora.

‘We also expect more than 20,000 visitors, buyers and delegates from Africa, the diaspora and the rest of the world.

‘It provides a platform for young talents to showcase their ideas, and stimulate economic growth for local vendors, artisans and global African creatives to showcase their product or services.

‘It will position Lagos as a hub for technology, creativity and innovation by leveraging the festival to showcase African advancements in art, tech, gaming, design, fashion and other creative fields.’

He said that Afropolis would ensure that creatives were able to meet and network, and also meet with buyers, potential partners and investors.

Onikeku said Afropolis had the potential to ensure long-term economic and cultural benefits for local businesses and residents.

Michael Deecan, Netherlands Consul General in N
igeria, said, ‘This is a laudable initiative and I am looking forward to the event in October.’

Also, Blessing Azubike, Senior Programmes Manager, CC Hub, one of the partners for the carnival, expressed excitement being on the project.

Azubike said, ‘We are passionate about anything co-creation which is what we are on board to do, we will be serving on the technology component of the gathering.’

Ajibade Adewale, Group Head, Partnerships, Wema Bank, assured revellers of safety with their finances in the course of business transactions during Afropolis carnival.

‘We will ensure your transaction is taken care of digitally, we are also there to guarantee that your money is safe with CC Hub because we are partnering with them as well.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria