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Okowa Signs 2022 Appropriation Bill of N479bn
DAN DENT (ASABA)
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday in Asaba assented to the state’s 2022 Appropriation Bill of N479 billion.
The governor also signed five other Bills, including Delta State House of Assembly Service Establishment Bill 2021, Delta State Registration of Community Development Associations Bill 2021, Delta State Debt Management Bill 2021, Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Bill 2021 and Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, 2021.
Signing the Appropriation Bill, Okowa assured Deltans that the state would strive to implement capital projects embedded in the 2022 budget as well as complete all ongoing projects before the end of his tenure.
He commended the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill, and said that his assenting to the Bill before end of December would avail the state government the opportunity to further plan towards its implementation from January, 2022.
“You just witnessed the signing into law of six bills that were passed by the House of Assembly this last quarter of the year, 2021.
“We thank God for the good work the House has done; the very important one is the Delta State Appropriation Bill 2022, now signed into law.
“I must thank the House for giving speedy attention to the Bill because with the signing into law today, it will help us to plan and to start early in 2022.
“I do know that it went through a full legislative process and I must thank the House for the great job that they did which enabled us to pass the Bill on the 30th of November.
“I want to reassure Deltans that we will continue to do our best. We are very much aware that there are financial challenges in the country today, but we will continue to do our best within the limits of the resources available.
“We are very much hopeful that there will be a turnaround in 2022, and I hope that we will be able to execute the capital projects that are contained in our budget, both the new ones and the ongoing before the end of our tenure,” he said.
On the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, Okowa said that the law would enable the government to tackle erosion and flooding issues in the state head-on.
“I want to also appreciate you for the passage of the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, signed into law today.
“We are very much aware that there is a lot of devastation in the ecosystem in some parts of our state. This is following through the advice that was given to us by the World Bank.
“We can now actually focus more in dealing with flood and erosion challenges across the state,’’ he said adding that the Delta State House of Assembly Service commission Amendment Bill was very important for the smooth running of the service of the House of Assembly.
On Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, the governor said that the law was very key to the effective management of the hospital to enhance universal health coverage in the state.
“This law is very important to us because we have decided that there is a need to have a separate law governing the establishment of this hospital.
“And, I can attest to the fact that there is a lot of decency and commitment in the management of the hospital.
“There’s obviously a public-private-partnership in the management of the hospital and I know that it’s been helping our people a lot.
“They have rendered quality services to the people since they opened for operation in 2020 and I thank God for the basic and specialist health services they have provided for Deltans and non-Deltans who live in the state.
“One needs to visit the hospital and see the number of patients being attended to on daily basis; so, I want to thank the lawmakers for the passage of the Bill which has been signed into law,” he stated.
Okowa said Delta State Debt Management Law seeks to regulate and manage the State’s borrowing and debt portfolio in line with international best practices, explaining that “It seeks to establish the Debt Management Department in the Ministry of Finance.
“It is one of the requirements to ensure the functionality of the Ministry of Finance as it concerns the debt management of the state.
“It is our hope that this particular department would be able to manage the debt of the state even beyond my tenure.”
He lauded the Assembly for the prompt passage of the Bill to regulate the activities of community development associations in the state.
“Another important bill is the one to regulate the activities, operations and leadership structures of development association in the state.
“Like the Speaker had earlier said, there are many of our communities where people tend to ignore even the constitutions written by the communities and lord themselves over other persons in the community.
“This bill will enable us have some levels of regulation over what happens in our community development associations.
“To make them more functional and to ensure that these associations are tenured and that people will no longer lord themselves over others in the communities, even against the constitution that brought them into power.
“I thank the House of Assembly by ensuring that these six bills were passed this end of year. You have done quite a lot for us,” he stated.
Presenting the Bills, the Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Sherrif Oborevwori, said that the Bill went through all legislative process before being passed.
He said that with the timely presentation of the Appropriation Bill, 2022 and its subsequent passage by the House, the State was on a good start for year 2022.
“I am confident that the budgetary provisions for 2022 will meet the yearnings of our people and the developmental needs of the State, because it is indeed a realistic budget,” he said.
On the passage of Debt Management Bill, the speaker said the State had complied with the requirements of the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme, and the World Bank Disbursement Linked Indicator 7.
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DIGITAL LITERACY: DG NITDA CALLS FOR CURRICULUM OVERHAUL TO MEET 21ST CENTURY NEEDS
DIGITAL LITERACY: DG NITDA CALLS FOR CURRICULUM OVERHAUL TO MEET 21ST CENTURY NEEDS
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
In a bid to foster digital literacy and cultivate talent through collaboration, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has emphasised the urgent need to work together to review the existing school curriculum and develop a comprehensive one that incorporates digital skills at all educational levels.
The Director General, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE received the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, Prof Ismail Junaidu during a courtesy to NITDA HQ in Abuja.
According to him, this is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to create millions of jobs by leveraging digital technologies and achieving a digital literacy rate of 70% by 2027.
Inuwa made these remarks during a meeting with the management team of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), led by its Executive Secretary, Professor Janaidu Ismail, at NITDA’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that digital technology has an important role to play in the design of the curriculum, content and processes due to evolution of technology.
This disruptive technology has substituted the way of doing things worldwide of which Nigeria as a country is not to be left behind.
“We must lead in developing a competency-based, outcome-focused curriculum that addresses the demands of the 21st century.
This will enable us to produce a skilled workforce capable of meeting the needs of the Nigerian market and attracting investment from other countries.
Integrating digital skills into the curriculum is crucial for national development and economic growth,” Inuwa stated.
He further asserted that government policies and objectives especially that which relates to sustainable development, 21st century skills, digital economy, creative arts and digital technology will create a pathway for nation building.
Inuwa also explained that things have scaled up to meet up the new normal, like computer precision to digitalisation which is the central focus of the curriculum to provide citizens with the required knowledge and skills and digital technology for growth and development.
In his earlier remarks, the Executive Secretary of NERDC Prof. Ismail Janiadu stated that their institution is charged with the primary responsibility of curriculum development for the country at all levels and this cannot be done without the infusion of digital literacy as a critical area for the development of any country.
The ES noted that the visit was to scale up the existing relationship, partnership and engagement and to explore potential areas that both organisations will have a tie towards national development.
Janaidu added that the institution is also responsible for undertaking and promoting book development, and local authorship for quality assurance, conducting educational research for public policies formulation and implementation and developing Nigerian languages and promote other languages to enhance education delivery and for public use.
The Professor also commended NITDA for its significant contributions to advancing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) across Nigeria.
He praised the Agency’s efforts, which span across almost all states, and highlighted the impact these initiatives have had on driving growth and development.
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Id el Kabir: LAWMA Advocates Proper Waste Management
Id el Kabir: LAWMA Advocates Proper Waste Management
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has urged residents to properly bag and dispose of their waste, especially animal waste, during and after this year’s Id el Kabir celebrations.
Managing Director/CEO of the agency, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has noted that comprehensive measures were being implemented to ensure a clean and hygienic environment during the festivities, with service providers working assiduously.
He said, “We have put in place a robust system to manage waste effectively during Id el Kabir. Our goal is to ensure that the celebration is enjoyed in a clean and safe environment. We are working tirelessly to ensure this”.
Gbadegesin reiterated LAWMA’s commitment to addressing improper waste disposal practices that could lead to environmental degradation, encouraging residents to engage only assigned PSP operators and avoid cart pushers, whose activities undermined the Authority’s efforts.
“We urge residents to cooperate with us by bagging and containerising waste generated during and after this period, for seamless evacuation by PSP operators. Cart pushers often dispose of waste indiscriminately, causing environmental harm. We cannot condone their activities, to keep the city clean and safe”, he noted.
The LAWMA boss also admonished residents to shun dumping waste on road medians, canals, uncompleted buildings, and other unauthorised locations, adding that the Authority would provide back-up services for PSP operators, in areas with service gaps, to ensure effective waste management.
He admonished motorists to drive cautiously during the festive period, to safeguard the lives of sanitation workers who would be performing their duties on the streets and major roads across the city.
While wishing all residents a happy celebration, he urged them to contact LAWMA’s toll-free lines at 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617, for prompt assistance.
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NDSF’24: Nnamani to speak @Internet Governance for Development
NDSF’24: Nnamani to speak @Internet Governance for Development
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the most interconnected facility in West Africa, the Digital Realty Nigeria, Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, would lead speakers to the 2024 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Digital Realty Nigeria, formally known as Medallion Data Centres Limited is a Lagos-based number 1 peering point for the region.
Confirming this, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa, a project of ITREALMS Media group, Sir Remmy Nweke, said that Engr. Nnamani, the immediate past National President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) would be the guest speaker at the 2024 NDSF on the theme “IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy & Safer Civic Space in Nigeria.”
Nnamani, who was also the former member of the Executive Board cum Treasurer of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), would join the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, and chairman of 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development, Mr. Edetaen Ojo.
Pointing out that the 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development has been confirmed to hold at the prestigious, Welcome Center Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos by 10am.
Nweke recalled that for over 16 years, Engr. Nnamani has led the Digital Realty datacenter in Lagos, which boosts all submarine cables in the region, long distance providers, metro fiber providers, mobile services providers, fixed services providers, Over-The-Top (OTT) providers, Internet Exchange, Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and global Tier1 service providers, among others.
He pointed out that over 68 per cent of all internet traffic exchanged at the Nigeria Internet Exchange takes place at Digital Realty’s datacenter in Lagos, Nigeria, just as the company recently completed its ultra-modern 1MW IT Load state-of-the-art datacenter called LOS2 in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Also, Engr. Nnamani is reputed for promoting the establishment of telecom infrastructure in several African countries including Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, and Angola to name a few.
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