Page 18 News

Page 18 News

Pg 18 News

Korean agency invests $8.56m on Nigeria’s e-governance-Minister

By Zakariyya Adaramola

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has invested $8.56 million on training and implementation of the Nigeria’s e-governance project, the minister of communication Barrister Adebayo Shittu has said.

Shittu said this in Seoul at the capacity building training for e-government in Nigeria, according to a statement from his media aide Mr Victor Oluwadamilare.

The project, according to the minister, has three components: establishing an e- government master plan, capacity development programme, and establishing an e- government training center in Nigeria.

He said the collaboration with the Korean government would enhance Nigeria’s capability for efficiency, transparency and accountability in governance, with its attendant benefits trickling down to the masses.

Shittu, who is the head of a 14-man delegation to the training programme, said the program was designed for senior government officials who would lead in the implementation of the e-government programme.

Shittu explained that the training was geared towards ensuring that Nigeria makes the best use of the opportunity of e- Government to increase the nation’s capability for efficiency, transparency and accountability in governance.

Planners hold professional education programme

By Simon Echewofun Sunday

The 2016 Mandatory Continuing Professional Planning Education Programme (MCPPEP) jointly organized by Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC) and Center for Human Settlements and Urban Development, Federal University of Technology, Minna is set to commence in two centers.

The TOPREC Registrar, Tpl. Ibrahim Yunusa, in a statement, said the two centers are Royal Tropicana Hotel, Kano from April 6-7, 2016 and Immaculate Royal Hotel, Owerri, Imo State from September 28-29, 2016.

The theme of this year’s programme is ” Entrepreneuship in the Urban and Regional Planning Profession”.

The programme seeks to expose participants to the various opportunities in the contemporary world of entrepreneurs in physical planning and the objectives of the 2016 MCPPEP include establishing business ideas.

Other objectives of the programme include turn those ideas into viable businesses, and building their business to enable them become employer of labour and a contributor to the economic development of their town, cities and states.

Tpl. Yunusa urged town planners to take advantage of this capacity development training for sector relevance and professional rating.

C/River plans mega trade fair to resuscitate Tinapa

From Eyo Charles, Calabar

As a way of revamping activities at Tinapa Business Resort Ltd, government of Cross River State has concluded arrangements to stage monthly trade fair which will climax in a mega-trade fair in December 2016.

New managing director of Tinapa Business Resort Ltd, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong announced this during signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Cliqit, an e-commerce business management and development platform alongside Mr Gerald Konwea, founder/CEO of Cliqit.

Ekpenyong said the Calabar International Trade Fair (CITF) will attract more than 10,000 vendors to the resort and with attendant clientele.

He emphasised that the introduction of the trade fair to the Calabar Carnival is expected to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state up to N5 billion.

He also said that the Trade Fair will alao create about 15, 000 jobs and 10,000 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME’s) and empower people of Cross-River state with skill acquisition and go-to market strategies, which shall ultimately contribute to the development of the state.

“founder/CEO of Cliqit, Gerald Konwea, who is the brain behind the project, described the project as a history making venture which is why the Guinness World Records was involved.

“This is going to be arguably the biggest trade fair in the world. There are though big trade fairs in Germany with up to 7,000 vendors and there are even bigger trade fairs in China. But from what we are planning with the Cross River State government, it certainly will earn a place in the Guinness book.

Nigerian astronaut to land in space by 2030

By Zakariyya Adaramola

The Federal Government is putting all the structures on ground to ensure that a Nigerian astronaut lands in space on or before 2030, the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said.

The minister stated this when the management team of Defence Space Agency led by Air Vice Marshal Victor Udo paid a working visit to his office in Abuja.

According to Dr. Onu, FG would work very hard in the years to come to strengthen all the structures of the Nigerian space agencies that would help us to ensure that a Nigerian lands in space in fourteen years’ time.

“We believe that this is achievable and we are working very hard to make sure that all the structures that are needed is provided. The space programme is a very important programme for a country like Nigeria”, he said.

The minister noted a special military space agency is major asset which nation like Nigeria should have for the purpose of protecting our own national interest.

Earlier the Director-General of the agency AVM Tommy Udo had said that they are seeking for the ministry’s support to achieve the desired efficiency.

He called on all the stakeholders to support the passage of the Bill establishing the agency which has passed first reading at the National Assembly.

Nasarawa govt to create 30,000 jobs for unemployed youths ?

?from Hassan Ibrahim, Lafia?

?Nasarawa state government said it has concluded arrangements in partnership with Institute of Technical Education (ITE) from Singapore to provide employment to over 30, 000 unemployed youths in the state through skills acquisition programme.

?Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura who spoke through his media aid, Ahmed Tukur, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Lafia, said that the intensive training exercise will take in all the six skills acquisition centres across the state which include; Doma, Lafia, Assakio, Wamba, Nasarawa and Agwada.?

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Al-makura, said that the state government has taken delivery of 28 containers of assorted training kits worth over N350 million, while the group of expatriate trainers are expected in the state in the coming weeks.?

?He added, “Very soon we are going to receive the Singaporean experts that will come and stay here in Assakio to put the buildings up, install the equipment, train the trainers.? The essence of this is that we are giving holistic approach to technical education, so that every student that go through the system will have both the practical and theoretical knowledge to live on their own, our target is to make the state a centre of artisans for Nigerians”

?The governor explained that the hired specialist will trained people on many skilled acquisition skills, which will include:, electricians, technicians, welders, tailoring, POP specialists fand masons, among others.?

?He further stressed that the state will patronize the graduates of the technical schools after completion of their training and encourage the private sector to also engage them.?