Democracy Watch Nigeria expresses worry over incessant attacks on INEC facilities


… Int’l community is watching Nigeria closely

… Projects earth shattering legal battle between Tinubu and Nwajiuba

A coalition of 92 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the auspices of Democracy Watch Nigeria (DWN) have expressed worry over widespread callous attacks on facilities belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The coalition while addressing journalists during a press briefing in Abuja, the Convener, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel and Secretary, Alhaji Babananga Nengari said it was troubling because all the security agencies recently assured INEC of adequate protection of its facilities even as it has commenced the distribution of voting materials across the country.

“Ironically, the offices and facilities of INEC has frequently and systematically been attacked in what seems to us as a coordinated and simultaneous attacks across Nigeria especially in the southern part of the country. The attacks in Imo state is making it the seventh attack in four months. They were coordinated attacks in INEC offices in Ogun and Osun states respectively.

“Democracy Watch Nigeria has noted with dismay that these attacks are coming after INEC had met with the nation’s security chiefs and several reassurances by the Inspector General of Police which is the lead agency for international security that security has been beefed up to protect INEC installations and facilities nationwide. It is worthy of note that INEC is not a security agency and no successful election can take place without adequate protections of lives and property of citizens.

“For an effective election process, citizens need proper reassurance of their safety otherwise this would impaire negatively on the turn out of registered voters on elections. In these attacks, Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), electricity generating sets, and election materials, infrastructure, etc. were burnt and destroyed.

“The electoral management body has assured every registered voter that they would not be disenfranchised. Consequently, the commission has commenced the reprinting of all burnt PVCs across the country. This is coming when issues about the funding of INEC’s budget had long been concluded for the 2023 General Elections for a country that is in a dare need of funds to finance it’s budget. The funds for the replacement of PVCs and other facilities would have been saved if not for these consistent and incessant attacks”, the Coalition emphasised.

Dr. Nwambu further he was aware that INEC is working relentlessly well to comply with the election timetable and to ensure a transparent, peaceful, free, fair and credible elections come February 2023 amidst intimidation, threat to life, including various cases in court to compel the chairman and other national commissioners to resign, or to prevent the commission from deploying the BVAS technology.

He frowned at the several attempts been made by just a very few desperate politicians to infiltrate the voters register of INEC, and hack into the website to manipulate elections in their favour noting however that, in all these, INEC has remained resolute and steadfast in ensuring the conduct of the general elections synonymous to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“By this medium, we, the members of Democracy Watch Nigeria hereby pass a vote of confidence on Prof. Mamood Yakubu, the National Commissioners and the management of the commission on their insistence on doing the right thing, complying significantly with the relevant laws and the Electoral Act 2022.
We hereby call on all registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs, civil servants, traders, market women, students, youths, women and every eligible person who has registered to go to INEC offices from 12th of December 2022 to 22nd January, 2023 to collect their permanent voters’ cards as their votes must surely count in the general elections”, he added.

On the part of the judiciary, he said there has been an increased number of cases bothering on the candidature of various political parties on different positions hinting that the Commission is faced with 600 cases bothering on same issue.

In a case by case consideration the coalition noted that, the Adamawa APC is facing serious litigation on the authentic Governorship candidate of the party.

The Abia state APC is also not left out as it is having its own share of litigation between Dr. Uche Ogah and Chief Ikechi Emenike on who is the authentic Governorship candidate.

He recalled that, the APGA in Abia state is having its own tussle and examplified in a case filed by Chief Chikwe Udensi challenging the APGA governorship primary that produced Prof. Greg, Justice Binta Nyako nullified the primary and ordered for a fresh primary within 14 days.

Similarly, in Akwa Ibom state, the PDP is at the Appeal Court now on who the authentic Governorship candidate is. The APC is also in the Appeal Court while the Governorship candidate of the YPP, Senator Bassey Albert has been jailed for 42 years for an offence he allegedly committed between 2010 and 2014 while serving as commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom state.

“In the same vein there is a case that would be decided on Monday, 12th December, 2022 by a high court in Abuja between Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and Bola Ahmed Tinubu who won the presidential primary election of the APC. This Judgement on Monday will shake the political fabric of our nation. It would determine whether the nation is indeed compliant to our beloved Electoral Act 2022 or whether it is lip service.

“Nigerians and the international community are watching and waiting for this Judgement. This would definitely make or erode the public perception on the belief that the Judiciary is really the hope of the common man.

“Hon. Nwajiuba posited his stand on 3 germane issues: that the Primary and Secondary School Certificates of the candidate was not submitted to INEC sequel to fundamental requirements of law; that the candidate had in the past deposed to an affidavit that he attended certain secondary schools and that the provision of section 90(3) of the Electoral Act which bothers on the disclosure of sources of funds in excess of 50 million naira has been breached by the candidate, as the candidate has failed to furnish same to INEC. This is sequel to the the purchase of expression of interest and normination forms at the cost of 100 million naira.

“Hon. Nwajiuba argued that other political parties might as well take advantage of this lacuna thereby destroying the chances of the APC.

“He went further to section 84(13) of the 2022 Electoral Act which states that where a political party fails to comply with the provision of this act in the conduct of it’s primaries, it’s candidate for the election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.

“The above, no doubt, are earth shattering issues for which the Judiciary should brace up to the challenge of doing justice to ensure transparency and the dominance and supremacy of the rule of law preparatory to the 2023 general elections”, the Coalition concluded.

Allegations of lopsided appointments against ITF DG, Ari, malicious – Group

By Abdulateef Bamgbose

The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Own Companies (SSASCGOC), has drawn the attention of Nigerians to an attempts by sponsored agents and media organizations to blackmail the Director General of the Industrial Training Funds (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, while describing the publication as malicious.

The Association raised the alarm in Abuja, on Friday following a malicious publication by SaharaReporters that serially linked the Funds to allegation of lopsided appointment and promotions in the ITF.

The secretary General of the Association Othman Balarabe, while responding to the allegations at the press briefing stated that the reaction was coming on a heel of the publications attributed to a faceless group, a self-styled Northern Human Rights Group (NHRG) by an online publication SaharaReporters.

“The attention of the two workers’ Unions in the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) – the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) – has been drawn to the above publication that was published on the website of Sahara Reporters on 8th December, 2022.

“The story which is attributed to a faceless group the Coalition of Northern Human Rights Groups (NHRG) was based on a protest letter by the – group, to the office of the Minister of Trade and Investment (Sic), alleging lopsided appointments and monetization of the promotion process, fraudulent awards of contracts, mandate deviation, nepotism and outright diversion of public funds, against the DG and Management of the ITF.”

While it is not in our place to hold brief for the Director-General and Management, who are quite capable of defending their integrity that is clearly being assailed and tarnished. We, as representatives of the entirety of the ITF workforce are constrained to react to this malicious publication whose purpose is to sow seeds of discord while appealing to Nigerians and stakeholder to cross check their fact at the various offices of the ITF.

“Administrative and Vocational Wing; Lagos Island Area Office Complex; Modern Library Complex and Central Stores in the Headquarters complex; Classroom Blocks at the ITF Staff School, Headquarters Auditorium and Gymnasium and Access road and; Intro-tech Laboratory at the ITF Staff School.

“The commissioning ceremonies were performed by our supervising Ministers – Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo and Ambassador Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, who lauded the DG’s achievements and parsimonious application of lean resources. Eight other projects have been completed and awaiting commissioning namely: Gusau Area Office Complex and Vocational Wing; Minna Area Office Complex and Vocational Wing; Aba Area Office Complex and Vocational Wing and Access Road; Awka Area Office Complex, Vocational Wing, and Access Road; Yola Area Office; Maiduguri Area Office; Abakaliki Area Office; Owerri Area Office in Imo State; the Multi-purpose Building in Maitama, Abuja; the proposed Institute of Hospitality Management at Oba Akran in Lagos and; a special Agriculture Greenhouse at Ofadaland in Ogun State. On-going projects include ITF staff quarters in Port Harcourt, Yola Area Office Complex and Vocational Wings, Uyo Area Office and Vocational Wings, ITF Multipurpose Training Centre, Abuja and Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC),

Enugu. It must equally be placed on record that the House of Representatives’ Committee on Industry, during an oversight function visit to the Fund commended the Director-General and Management of the Fund for industrial harmony as well as for achieving so much in the face of paucity of funds.

In conclusion, the report should be discountenanced, as it is tissue of lies and untruth that have no basis in fact. As a responsible media organisation, SaharaReporters should have done well by cross checking the information they got from what is clearly a faceless and non-existent organisation.

Discords and cause disaffection within the Fund. This is based on our firm understanding of the operations of the Fund, our deep appreciation of what the DG has done since his appointment in 2016 and the implication of the story on the image and reputation of our dear institution. In view of the above, we as the executive officers of the two unions wish to react as follows:

“On the allegation of ‘nepotism, lopsided appointments and promotion of workers and monetization of the processes’ the NHRG and Sahara Reporters are merely trying to ‘give a dog a bad name in order to hang it’ because since the assumption of office of the DG, the ITF has operated transparently and in keeping with his pledge to heal wounds and work as unto God in the discharge of his duties. Therefore, every activity, be it employment, promotions and appointments and others have followed due process which accounts for the industrial harmony that has prevailed in the Fund since his appointment.

“With regards to the recruitments that Management conducted some years back, it was obvious to everyone associated with the ITF, even before his assumption to office that the Fund was short-staffed owing to retirements and other sundry reasons. The DG, therefore, commenced the process of recruiting staff to plug the gaping manpower gaps in a transparent process that involved the Federal Character Commission (FCC), the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the ITF Governing Council.

“It is, therefore, preposterous that several years since the recruitment exercise, the DG would be accused of ‘lopsided appointment and bias recruitment’ as if he had sole responsibility for such an exercise, or rode roughshod over the other parties to populate the Fund with ‘indigenes of Plateau State and environs’ as the story suggested. Indeed, instead of the suggestion of ‘running the agency as his private estate with the bulk of recruitment into the agency reserved for indigenes of Plateau State and environs,’ the ITF was commended by the Federal Character Commission for adherence to laid down processes in the recruitment exercise. There is nothing that suggests the desperation of the medium to impugn the name of the DG than the assertion of “promotion in the agency has been monetised and, in most instances, based on religious and ethnic considerations”.

As staff of the Fund, we wish to state that the promotion exercises are conducted with the supervision and active participation of the supervising Ministry and the Governing Council based on clearly defined parameters in line with the Civil service rule and condition of service. The transparency of the Fund’s promotion exercise has been further enhanced by the introduction of the Computer Based Test (CBT) under the leadership of Sir Joseph N. Ari.

Having witnessed the process of our promotion exercise, the FMITI adjudged our exercise as one of the best and therefore, directed the Fund to prepare a template that will be adopted by other agencies under the Ministry. Consequently, the issue of lopsided appointments alleged by the publication is not only mischievous but equally satanic and devilish. Interestingly, the last recruitment made by the Fund was in 2019, and the necessary approvals were obtained, and the quota system was duly followed as in accordance with the directive of the Federal Character Commission. From 2019 to date, no other recruitment.

“We, as the Unions, will be first to complain should there be any attempt to subvert the process in favour of others. Anybody familiar with the ITF will testify that the ITF Unions are reputed for their activism.

“Regarding allegations of ‘fraudulent award of contracts in the Fund, without recourse to the civil service rules (Sic)’, we state without fear of contradiction that all processes concerning the award of contracts in the ITF are followed to the letter. For a medium that hypes its investigative journalism credentials, we are amazed that it did not cite any instance of such alleged infractions. Indeed, because of the transparent adherence to procedures and due process in its affairs, the ITF was ranked amongst the first from over 500 agencies of the Federal Government that were surveyed in 2020 in terms of service delivery, transparency and integrity.”

“It is equally spurious and quite laughable that a man that is described by most stakeholders’ as ‘the architect of Modern ITF’ and ‘Mr Infrastructure,’ who has virtually transformed the ITF both in terms of its ability to actualise its mandate and physical infrastructure is being accused of ‘outright diversion of funds and mandate deviation’.

“It is public knowledge that since the assumption to office of the Director-General, he has initiated several skills Acquisition programmes that have equipped thousands of Nigerians with relevant technical skills, who were empowered with start-up kits to start their businesses. It is equally on record that since his appointment in 2016, the DG has completed and commissioned over ten projects namely: The Mechatronics Workshop and Administrative Block at the Industrial Skills Training Centre”.

The Senior Staff Association of ITF has described its DG Sir Joseph Ari as the best thing that has happened to the Fund in recent time. They said that the negative report by Sahara Reporters ascribed to a faceless group is not only false but satanic in its entirety but that Sir Ari is clear headed Leader that has maintained the principle of the federal character in all facet and has dutifully added value in terms of infrastructural development of the fund.

CSO Chides Reuters over report of infanticide

A rights group, Northeast Advocacy for Peace and Justice (NAPJ) has described a report by Reuters, a London based news agency alleging forced abortion of unborn babies in facilities run by the Nigerian Army as a fabrication aimed at undermining national security.

The CSO in a statement signed by its convener, Ambassador Abdullahi Gambo stressed that the said report was a conspiracy to derail peace efforts and the fight against insurgency in the country.

NAPJ insisted that the report was a premeditated, high wired and international attempt to thwart the successes recorded by the Nigerian Army in the battle to finally eliminate BokoHaram/ ISWAP in the country.

“The report is clearly targeted at the Nigerian Army with the sole aim of giving the security forces a bad name and painting the soldiers as violating conventional laws of engagement”

The Northeast group which has been deeply involved in advocacy for Peace in the region over several years described the Reuters report as an attempt at undermining national security and called on security agencies to unmask sponsors of such fabricated report.

“it is disheartening and worrying that Reuters would give its medium to enemies of Nigeria and publish such damaging report against the military that has worked extremely hard to contain the activities of BokoHaram / ISWAP.”

The news medium claim to have began its investigation since 2013, about a decade ago. All these years, Reuters never blew the whistle or raised alarm. The report is coming out now that the military is almost eliminating the threat of BokoHaram/ ISWAP in the country. The women, soldiers and those they claimed to have interviewed are fictional and make belief characters that do not exist in real life.

There is no doubt in our minds that Reuters is sponsored by the west to defame the Nigerian Army. Severally, countries like the US and UK have been issuing security alert warnings to their citizens of impending attracts on some cities and public places in the country, all in a bid to create panic in the citizens and discredit the security forces in the country. No attack has taken place and the citizens of these countries have returned and are moving about their daily activities.

Ambassador Abdullahi Gambo while condemning the news medium described the report as a figment of the imagination of the sponsors of Reuters.

The report is concocted to discredit the Nigerian Army on the abortion programme and killing of children in violation of international laws. It’s aim is to get the international community to desist from cooperating with the Nigerian military and sale of weapons to the country.

It is our firm consideration that the foreign sponsors and international groups funding the activities of BokoHaram/ ISWAP are responsible for such damming report.

The northeast group passed a vote of confidence on the Nigerian military and asked the government and people of Nigeria to discountenance such cruelly fabricated report and call for support to the Nigerian military

Ambassador Gambo warned the UK and the US and other foreign countries to stay away from causing panic in the county. Severally, families and members of the terrorists who surrender are profiled and handed over to authorities. Several women have given birth while under custody. They are subjected to the best available medical facilities.

The claims in Reuters report are wild fabrications and sponsored narratives and propaganda written to tarnish the reputation of the Nigerian military.

Nigerian Army, where Reuters got it wrong

By Philip Agbese

During the 2010 Jos riots and the subsequent months, international news wire service, Reuters, did a disservice to Nigeria that many people might not have noticed but which was nonetheless bad, horrible actually for a news outlet that is perpetually steeped in virtue signaling. At that time, Reuters was engaged in reporting the crisis in a manner that further pitched one side of the crisis against the others by constantly highlighting casualties on an ethno-sectarian basis, an approach that was intended to sustain a tit-for-tat killing spree as each side was engaged in constantly trying to avenge the casualty figures reported for its side by Reuters.

Being the resilient nation that it is, Nigeria weathered that storm and remained in existence despite this kind of psychological operation ((PSYOP), a war designed to undermine Nigeria and unravel the country for whatever benefit that global media operations like Reuters are after. Wikipedia described PSYOP as “operations to convey selected information and indicators to audiences to influence their emotions, motives, and objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of governments, organizations, groups, and individuals.”

It went on to explain that “PSYOP can encourage popular discontent with the opposition’s leadership and by combining persuasion with a credible threat, degrade an adversary’s ability to conduct or sustain military operations. They can also disrupt, confuse, and protract the adversary’s decision-making process, undermining command, and control. When properly employed, PSYOP have the potential to save the lives of friendly or enemy forces by reducing the adversary’s will to fight. By lowering the adversary’s morale and then its efficiency, PSYOP can also discourage aggressive actions by creating disaffection within their ranks, ultimately leading to surrender.”
Reuters’ latest so-called investigative report against Nigeria, “The Abortion Assault: Nigerian Military ran secret mass abortion programme in war against Boko Haram” is a dangerous deployment of PSYOP that must be condemned by all right thinking persons as an irresponsible attempt at manufacture of dissent, which refers to a cause that is so unpopular that it is solely driven by money, fake news media, or rogue intelligence agencies, which Reuters is proving to be.
The opening lines of the report, which is marketed to be an investigative piece, actually read like a fiction novel, more vested in holding the reader spell-bound than conveying vital information, which ought to have been the intention of a news outlet. The writers’ style belied their confusion as they struggled to make sense of whether they are running a first person narrative, or a third person reported account. What they succeeded in doing was to largely assume the omniscient tone, a see-all-know-all format that is favoured by fiction novelists, which totally dismissed the entire report as something that should only be found on the fantasy section of fiction novels.
According to a research and policy group, Humanitarian Outcomes, “As of the end of 2019 there were 74 identified organisations working in the northeast, including 6 UN agencies plus OCHA and IOM, 28 INGOs, and 33 Nigerian national and local NGOs.” These NGOs have at various times raised alarm about issues, often accusing the Federal Government especially the military of one thing or the other but not once has any of them raised the issue of 10,000 forced abortions. Even the UN representatives interviewed in the report denied knowledge of what Reuters is insinuating.
In Reuters’ own words, “This investigation is based on interviews with 33 women and girls who say they underwent abortions while in the custody of the Nigerian Army.” This presents an interesting scenario. It reported there were 10,000 forced abortions but it was only able to sample 33 women and girls. St. Olaf College recommended that “Generally speaking, the smaller the population, the larger the sampling ratio needed. For populations under 1,000, a minimum ratio of 30 percent (300 individuals) is advisable to ensure representativeness of the sample. For larger populations, such as a population of 10,000, a comparatively small minimum ratio of 10 percent (1,000) of individuals is required to ensure representativeness of the sample.” So how come Reuters conveniently disappeared 9,977 other “victims” of the atrocity it reported and never bothered to interview them? How did speaking with 33 alleged victims become 10,000 forced abortions?
It is interesting to note that the news outlet doubted its own report and acknowledged it is part of a damaging operation targeting Nigeria. For instance, it stated that “Reuters was unable to establish who created the abortion programme or determine who in the military or government ran it. Nigerian military leaders denied the programme has ever existed and said Reuters reporting was part of a foreign effort to undermine the country’s fight against the insurgents.”
Reuters also exposed how its reported 10,000 forced abortions was a concoction of figures provided by sources that were so unreliable that they could not be named. The report is so trashy that the International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor declined to comment on Reuters’ findings. The entire report was replete with phrases and clauses that hinted at uncertainty about the allegations being made, which makes one wonder why that organization proceeded to publish the report under such circumstances.
A five page statement that Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, issued has totally rubbished the Reuters report for the hogwash that it is so there is no point rehashing the strong points that the military has raised about the sanctity of life and the military’s adherence to rules of engagement that ensure that even hardened terrorists are treated humanely when captured to talk less of their victims.
The tragic facing part, however, is that Reuters may succeed in its intention for publishing the report unless the Nigerian military and the Federal Government chose to be deliberately strategic and robust in their response to the propaganda attack. A critical factor to achieving this is to properly contextualize Reuters’ attack, identify its collaborators and anticipate the next moves in the PSYOP that has been revived against Nigeria. In terms of contextualizing the environment around the report, it is important to note how the publication was hastily pushed out at a time when there has been successive killing or capture of terrorists – Boko Haram/ISWAP and bandits; focusing on the publication could create distractions that would interfere with the progress of the counter-terrorism efforts.
It should equally be noted that Reuters, a news platform that ought to be neutral, openly participating in the propaganda war against Nigeria signals a desperation on the part of those that have been propping up the terrorists with propaganda support. In the past they have used groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch without the kind of defining success they have in mind.
The Nigerian Army (and the Federal Government) should attenuate Reuters’ attempt to bring it into disrepute and promote terrorist propaganda against the Nigerian State. This should be done by outlining and highlighting the successes that have been recorded in dismantling the foreign-backed terror infrastructure that they want to gain root in Nigeria. The government should promote its rehabilitation and reintegration programmed for victims and repentant terrorists because these are the kind of success stories that make those running evil entities like Reuters to bristle and froth at the mouth. There is a whole lot of good things that the Nigerian Army is making to happen and that should be the focus and not wasting efforts on Reuters’ irresponsibility.

And for the records, Reuters got it wrong when it surmised that the pack of conjectures, half-truths, fictions, and the lies in its report would be swallowed by all and sundry hook, line, and sinker. Reuters got it wrong when it thought it could easily pick up with doing damage in Nigeria from where it left off in the 2010 Jos Crisis. The dynamics have changed in a manner that have left the Reuters goons behind. Its propaganda efforts will fail worse than those of its collaborators that had attempted to undermine Nigeria in the past.

Agbese is a UK trained human rights expert writing from Abuja.

NYSC-TF AS PMB’S GREATEST LEGACY

By Vincent Pam

A leader is not just a person that is known for his personalities, a leader is one that is remembered for the impact of the critical decisions he took while in position of authority, and this impact becomes the core element of his legacy when he’s long gone.

We say that, “The Youths are the Pillar of a Nation”, and we all know that the strength of a great nation is determined by the number of successful Youths in a nation.
It is without doubt concerning the place of the youths to lead tomorrow, and the future of this nation lies solely in the hands of our youths. Knowing that they majorly contribute to the Human capital in any nation, leading to her growth, it would have been unfair to not take their future into paramount considerations, nor put them first, not just them, but also their growth, their future, and their lives.

It is very heartwarming at this moment in time to be alive, when Nigeria is blessed with good leaders, and most especially, still in President Buhari led administration.
These are leaders that looked at the future of the nation and consider just how well our growth as a people is important to the success of governance, and how well the greater need of securing the future of the youths in this country.

It is worthy of note to state that the NYSC Trust Fund is one of the few bills passed by the National Assembly that received the highest number of memoranda from the public in support of it’s passage. This mass appeal towards the bill points to the acceptability of the trust fund chiefly because of the role the NYSC scheme has played in shaping the Nigerian economy and the lives of a average Nigerians amidst scarce resources. The Trust Fund therefore comes handy in consolidating funding lacuna in order to actualize the vision and mission of the scheme especially in the area of job creation and skill acquisition.

Our place as a nation in the continent and the world Is only further emphasized with bills such as this one, making it known who we are, and how we conduct affairs. It’s good to know that the full nation is coming to the realization of acknowledging that NYSC is the best way to imbibe the spirit of Nationalism in our youths. Now is the time for our young individuals to understand that the Nation that they’ve once thought of giving up on, actually cares about their welfare and survival. This is the time they need to understand that they are Nigerians and not just Igbos, Yorubas, Hausas and other tribes in the country. Meeting people from different parts of the country has helped many individual understand other cultures and promotes unity amongst diversity. This had NYSC made possible for our Nigerian youths. Wouldn’t it be considerate enough to engrave a life print of support in the action of the NYSC Trust Fund full acceptance by Mr President?

How then can we quickly forget the many benefits that we have enjoyed since the creation of the NYSC. Majority in this country have gone pass the obvious delusive opinion and rumors about NYSC being a time waster. We all have seen its ripple effect as an evidence which has countered ever libels against the scheme. From the mandatory COVID-19 tests are carried out on prospective corps members before their admittance into the orientation camps, to the top-notch basic amenities provided by the scheme to corps members, and top security measures being put in place by the efforts of the sagacious officials. Without also forgetting the renovations been carried out on several orientation camps across the country. This goes a long way to show that the Nigerian government and the NYSC officials have the corps members at heart and they take their health and safety as a priority. The onus is on those who disagree in the face multiple evidence.

As laudable as this piece of legislation is, one can also make haste to point out that it is one thing to make a law with far-reaching benefits as this Trust Fund is, and easily managed such a way that its aims and objectives are actualized over time. In making this assertion, one can draw attention to the urgent need to depoliticize the operations of the fund in terms of who benefits from it and not turn into a cash cow of sorts to political leaders, since NYSC scheme is itself apolitical. Mr President can have a good rest mind at its political-exclusive-political-exclusive-involvement in any corruptible participation.

I’m enchanted by the realization that the Fund and its operations will be building on the successes already established by the scheme over the years, and the Trust Fund instrument will help galvanize our youths development plans in creating sustaining growth and peace stability.

It is therefore a great step at this moment in seeing to our youth financial stability. As it is known, “Money is the answer most needs, and money can move a mountain”. No level of success can be achieved without the involvement of a functional fund/funding.

The impact and outstanding influence of the NYSC scheme in different sectors across the Nation, has made it now well-convincing and believed that recent efforts to set up the NYSC Trust Fund deserves the full support of all and sundry considering the fact that it will provide the impetus to boost the Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Programme for corps members. It is imperative if the nation must avoid the pitfalls of similar funds set up to empower targeted sections of the population.

All that is required at this time is a speedy conclusion, and a timely assent to it by the President. Assenting to this bill would see Mr President legacy designed in a plated gold in the heart of all youths, and many generations to come. The BUHARI led administration would go down in history as the trailblazers that made the world stood still. This action would create monumental history that will unaffected by time and seasons, and never to be erased from record, because such Bill would benefit every generations that ever existed to witness it.

Mr President, we implore you to create a legacy for this administration through NYSC Trust Fund bill, and history will keep smiling to our youths forever, the success of Nigerian Youth, is the success of Nigeria itself.

Pam wrote this article from Abuja.

CSO lauds NEDC on outstanding reconstruction of northeast

The Network for Good Governance in Nigeria has applauded the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) for its extraordinary contributions to the development of the region.

According to a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Adam Abu, the group said the NEDC has effectively tackled the menace of poverty, illiteracy, and ecological challenges in the North-Eastern states.

Abu noted that the NEDC has gone beyond resettlement, rehabilitation, integration, and reconstruction of infrastructure for victims to develop the northeast into a safe, economically vibrant, ICT-driven 21st-century region.

Outlining the recent projects of the agency, Abu said the construction of the 54km Ngalda-Mutai road abandoned due to the activities of Boko Haram was a welcome development.

He said the road is economically-strategic as it links many agriculturally viable communities of Fika and Gujba local government areas of Yobe State.

In education, Abu said the establishment of a mega school in each senatorial district across the northeast will impact positively the children whose learning was hampered by insurgency.

He also noted that the provision of ICT centers, educational materials and other will further enhance understanding.

Abu added that the NEDC has shown its commitment to healthcare with numerous interventions.

“The Borno State specialist hospital, the federal neuropsychiatric hospital, the 7 division military hospital Maimalari Cantonment and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH ), and others are addressing the challenges in the health sector,” he said.

“The NEDC has forged partnerships with some international bodies, one of which was with the United Nations Office of Projects Services (UNOPS) to upscale activities at the two oxygen plants in Borno State.

“The agency recently took over from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) the responsibilities of routine food distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in designated camps, host and liberated communities in Borno and Adamawa States.

“The interventions are endless – in housing, road networks, food and non-food items, security, emergencies, markets, and many others”.

The group, therefore, applauded NEDC’s managing director, Mohammed Alkali, for adhering to the mandate of the agency

Describing Alkali as a patriot, with an unblemished record of integrity and accountability, Abu said he has ensured strict and prudent utilization of the agency’s resources to meet the needs of the common people.

He also praised the MD for the synergy between the board and the management which has made the operation of the NEDC seamless, unlike other agencies where rancor is the order of the day.

Abu, however, called on the Federal Government and foreign bodies to continue to show support for the NEDC.

New professions give a boost to employment

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

An updated directory on occupational titles released by China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) will soon be printed.

Seventy-four new professions have been included in the directory in five batches, such as B&B managers, family education tutors, educational tourism guides and robotics engineering technicians.

These emerging new professions not only offer new job opportunities and choices, but also drive the development of relevant industries and reflect the trends in new technologies and demands. They are an indicator of China’s economic development.

According to statistics released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China’s digital economy grew from 22.6 trillion yuan ($3.24 trillion) in 2016 to 45.5 trillion yuan in 2021, accounting for 39.8 percent of China’s GDP.

The prospering development of the digital economy catalyzes the emergence of digital professions. Half of the 18 new professions unveiled this year are related to the digital economy.

Yang Weiguo, dean of the School of Labor and Human Resources at Renmin University of China, said that the digital economy has become a part of people’s lives and led to the emergence of new products and business models, thus boosting new professions.

As China is pressing ahead on a green transition path, green jobs, including carbon emissions managers, appraisers of carbon sink measurement and consultants for structure energy saving and emission reduction, have embraced a golden age of rapid development.

An official with the MHRSS said that carbon peaking and neutrality is necessary for China to achieve higher-quality and sustainable economic and social development. It is changing the energy and economic structures, promoting industrial upgrading and generating green jobs, the official added.

For instance, the B&B business, in just a few years, has developed into a large industry that involves millions of employees, including B&B managers, a new profession that emerged in recent years.

As urban rail transit systems are constantly put into use, the urban rail transit sector is seeing a massive demand for professionals. The new profession of urban rail transit repairer exactly lays a solid foundation for ensuring a better life for the people.

Besides, a number of new professions are generated as people pursue a better life, such as beverage concoctors and educational tourism guides.

An MHRSS official noted that new professions are the professions not included in the 2015-version directory on recognized occupations, but already involve a certain number of jobholders and require a certain degree of professionalism.

The recognition of new professions is of great significance for the labor market. Li Chang’an, professor at the University of International Business and Economics, said the country’s recognition and regulation of new professions, which are generated amid economic and social development, will raise the social recognition and credibility of new jobs and match more job-seekers with employers, thus contributing to the employment.

Wang Bo, an educational tourism guide, is quite glad to see such recognition. “I could only say that I’m a supervisor for summer or winter camps when I introduced myself in the past. Now I could use the new profession title to address myself and I hope I can be recognized by more parents and children in the future,” Wang said.

According to the Tourism College of Zhejiang in east China’s Zhejiang province, all of its 30 graduates majoring in B&B management have secured a job this year, which indicated a huge demand from the job market.

Today, there are nearly 100 million employees engaged in new professions across China, such as online delivery couriers, online marketing operators and online tutors, and the number keeps growing.

It is reported that human resource and social security authorities will set relevant standards for the new professions and launch training and evaluation programs.

“The recognition of new professions and the making of corresponding vocational standards will provide a basis for setting vocational education majors and training courses, and for the compilation of relevant textbooks, which helps better connect talent training with the market and society,” said Li.

Digital industrial clusters prosper in China

By Wang Zheng, People’s Daily
The rapid development of the digital economy over the recent years in China has led to a tide of the construction of digital industrial clusters.
A batch of digital industrial clusters with international competitiveness has taken shape and grown strong across China, injecting fresh impetus into the high-quality development of the Chinese economy.
Digital industrial clusters, led by new development philosophy, include enterprises and relevant organizations driven by digital factors and engaged in digital product manufacturing, digital services, and digital technology application. They have strong core competitiveness.
According to China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) on the development of the digital economy, the country aims to raise the proportion of the added value of core digital economy industries in its GDP to 10 percent in 2025, up from 7.8 percent in 2020.
The China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID) said over 60 percent of China’s 25 advanced manufacturing clusters are engaged in the digital economy. The prospering development of the digital economy is driving the upgrade of industrial clusters.
China Speech Valley, an industrial base focusing on speech recognition technologies in Hefei, east China’s Anhui province, reported revenue of 137.8 billion yuan ($19.71 billion) from its main businesses last year. Led by leading artificial intelligence and speech technology company iFLYTEK, the industrial base is home to 1,423 enterprises. The annual average growths in its output value and number of enterprises have both exceeded 30 percent over the past five years.
A digital security industrial cluster in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, is home to leading Chinese video surveillance product and solution provider Dahua Technology, top-notch manufacturer and supplier of video surveillance equipment Hikvision, as well as over 4,300 other innovative enterprises engaged in the industry. The revenue of core businesses of the cluster reached 272.08 billion yuan ($38.9 billion) last year, up 17.2 percent year on year. It has the world’s largest two producers of digital video recorders and cameras, with a market share of over 50 percent.
Represented by global leading provider of optical products Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company and laser technology developer Huagong Tech, the Optics Valley in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province, has received total investment exceeding 200 billion yuan during the past three years and owns more than 15,000 optoelectronic enterprises. The industrial cluster has witnessed a series of breakthroughs, such as the making of the world’s first 128-layer 3D NAND flash memory chip and China’s first 400G silicon photonics optical module.
Platform-based synergetic online development and production is one of the features of digital industrial clusters. For instance, Chinese tech firm Xiaomi, establishing over 100 enterprises in its ecological chain in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, has created more than 100 hot-selling products. So far, the Chinese company has gathered over 4,000 online development teams on its platform.
The new model of work division is another feature of digital industrial clusters. Gao Yingmai, director of the Digital Economy Strategy Research Office of CCID, told People’s Daily that different from the models of one-to-one division adopted by traditional industrial clusters, digital industrial clusters use platforms to connect businesses.
Data alignment and interaction as well as artificial intelligence-enabled analysis make industrial collaboration more precise and efficient, Gao explained.
For instance, these platforms could detect shortages of key spare parts and then seek suppliers, and could also predict fluctuations in the market and thus ensure a reasonable inventory and timely production, Gao noted.
Digital industrial clusters can achieve synergy in R&D, orders, production, quality, inventory and services, said Fan Qiuci, an expert with the AliResearch, a research arm of Alibaba Group. Fan said the clusters can digitalize and align various systems for a closed synergy loop, so as to stabilize and strengthen industrial and supply chains,
An official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that China will strengthen digital industrialization, industrial digitalization and its data-to-value capability, so as to build digital industrial clusters with international competitiveness in different fields in a phased manner.
According to the official, the country will accelerate the development of industrial clusters, with market potential and dominated by innovative players. China will also build a development pattern led by major enterprises, followed by small- and medium-sized enterprises and constantly joined by innovative companies, to continuously integrate the digital economy with the real economy and traditional industries.
Besides, China will also speed up its efforts to build a national big data center and actively explore the new models of data flow and transaction, to fully turn digital dividends into development potential, the official added.

Nigeria, Seychelles sign BASA, begin direct flights soon

Following the approval of the Federal Executive Council of the Memorandum on signing and ratification of Air Service Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Seychelles, the two countries have formerly ratified the Agreement.


Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika using the platform of the ongoing International Civil Aviation Negotiation (ICAN) event holding in Abuja, led officials of the Ministry to sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement ( BASA) while the Republic of Seychelles Minister of Transport, Mr. Anthony Derjacques, signed on behalf of his country.
During the ceremony, according to a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Public Affairs, James Odaudu the two Ministers underscored the importance of the BASA as it will promote air services and connectivity between both countries, enhance business, and promote tourism.

They both agreed that the signing would further promote the African Union Agenda 2063 and called on citizens of both countries to latch on the opportunities of the BASA for their mutual benefits.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Aviation has either signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and initial Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Senegal, Benin Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Finland, Cameroon, Morocco, Suriname, India, Sudan and Uganda.

The Ministry has also had discussions on how to further implement the open skies Agreement, signed 30 years ago, with the United States of America.

International Civil Aviation Day: Nigeria Remains Committed to ICAO’s Ideals – Sirika

As the global aviation community comes together to celebrate the 2022 International Civil Aviation Day, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has restated the nation’s commitment to the ideals of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Public Affairs, James Odaudu.

According to Sirika, the theme for International Civil Aviation Day 2022 which is, “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development” aligns with the belief of the Nigerian government that Aviation is a channel to achieving the development of other sectors as it remains the fastest and safest mode of domestic and international movement.
This belief, he says, has informed Government’s commitment to the development of the sector for which it developed a roadmap at the inception of the Buhari administration.

The implementation of the roadmap has led to a number of record-breaking achievements in the nation’s aviation industry which have been variously acknowledged and applauded by ICAO.
“Globally, it is a well known fact that aviation doubles every fifteen years but in the case of Nigeria, it has more than doubled and in another fifteen years, it will quadruple”.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics , aviation became the fastest growing sector of the economy pre-covid and during covid, the third fastest growing sector and after covid, according to Airport Council International, ACI, we are at a 111% of pre-covid numbers. Apart from Colombia, we are the only country on earth that recovered so fast, and we have added even 11% of pre-covid numbers”.

These statistics, according to Senator Sirika, reinforce the continuous commitment of Nigeria to the ideals and aspirations of the International Civil Aviation Organization whose regulations have continued to guide the industry in ensuring the safety records that the country has established.

The Minister, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, the government and people of Nigeria, congratulates the President of the ICAO Council, Salvatore Siacchitano and members of the global aviation community presently in the country for the ICAN22 event on the Day and hopes that Nigeria will continue to have the privilege of hosting more ICAO events in the future.

The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.