AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Some bluechip companies and organisations are supporting hosting the Realnews 12th Anniversary Lecture at the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday, November 19, starting at 10 am.

The organisations include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Shell Nigeria, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Zenith, and Access Bank Plc.

Expressing Realnews’ appreciation to the organisations, Maureen Chigbo, its publisher, prayed to God to bless them and give their management the wisdom to lift their organisations to greater heights and prosperity.

Chigbo also expressed her deep appreciation to all the banks, institutions, companies, and other organisations that have placed online advertisements on the Realnews website in the last 12 years. “Without their support, we would not have remained in business all through the years to do what we love best – investigative journalism,”   

The theme of Realnews 12^th Anniversary Lecture is “Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Democracy, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources”. The Lecture which will be chaired by Ms. Beatrice Eyong, Country Chair, UN Women, will be delivered by Ambassador Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Dr. Karim El Aynaoui, Executive President of Policy Center for New South, Rabat, Morocco, will keynote the conference.

The lecture, which will be held at the Sheraton Hotel by 10 am will feature Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman as the Special Guest/discussant along with Engr. Shehu Tijjani, Managing Director, Amal Technology Ltd.

Chigbo, the publisher of Realnews, said there will be an investiture of all the speakers into The Realnews Hall of Fame immediately after the Lecture. Chigbo explained that the Realnews Hall of Fame was established to honour only those who played key roles during the anniversary lectures.

Realnews, a general interest magazine, is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism. We have expertise in reporting the oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges. We aim to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they face in their day-to-day activities. We do this bearing in mind that government can only act to influence the lives of people positively if they are aware of their true situation. Hence, our objective is to use our investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors we focus on and produce an unbiased report that will influence the government and decision-makers to take actions that will make society better.
 
Realnews is populated by seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. The online publication believes that journalism as the fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute its quota towards building a fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and citizens have the freedom to pursue their interests anywhere in the world without hindrance. Its editors have a combined experience of several decades in active journalism practice and are highly dedicated to serving humanity. Hence its motto: “For God and Humanity.”
 
The Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate our society’s best minds and tap into them to enrich the discourse on our national development.

The 11^th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of the ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Senegal, on the “Threats of Illicit Funds Flow to the African Economy”.

The 10^th Anniversary lecture in 2022 on “Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections” was delivered by Brig General Buba Marwa, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; 9^th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews in 2021 was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective”; 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience; Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa while Prof. Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 Lecture. The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President. The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 19, 2015, under the theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid? The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

No directive for workers to change salary accounts — FG

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has clarified that no instruction has been issued for federal workers to switch the financial institutions linked to their Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System salary accounts.

According to a statement released by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations, on Monday, the OAGF assured employees that IPPIS prioritises their welfare and would not implement any measure likely to cause confusion or undue alarm.

The clarification follows concerns over potential directives that could require employees to change their bank accounts for salary payments, as some banks undergo system upgrades.

The OAGF stressed that any request to change salary accounts remains a personal decision for each worker and that the IPPIS Office has not issued any general order to this effect, as there is no justification for such a directive.

The OAGF also urged financial institutions to enhance customer confidence by ensuring consistent and reliable service delivery to individuals who have opted to domicile their salaries with them.

It highlighted the role of designated agencies in assessing the health and stability of financial institutions and expressed confidence in these agencies’ capacity to fulfil their duties.

The statement read, “The OAGF explained that any application for a change of salary account is always a personal decision of the worker concerned, adding that the IPPIS Office has not issued any general directive to this effect as there was no reason to do so.

“The OAGF tasked financial institutions to implement necessary strategies to boost customer confidence and guarantee efficient fulfilment of their obligations to persons whose salaries are domiciled in such financial institutions, as well as to Nigerians in general.

“The OAGF noted that there are agencies statutorily mandated to determine the health and viability of financial institutions and expressed optimism that these agencies are up to the task.”

Employees with legitimate reasons to update their salary accounts on the IPPIS platform were advised to adhere strictly to official procedures for such changes.
Culled from Punch

Hamzat, Abiru To Speak on Impactful Empowerment For Nigerians At TheGazelleNews Annual Public Lecture

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

TheGazelleNews, a leading online newspaper, is set to host its much-anticipated annual public lecture on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

This year’s lecture will focus on a topic of crucial national importance: “Poverty Alleviation: Fantasies, Expectations, and Realities of People’s Empowerment.”

The event will convene distinguished speakers, thought leaders, and government officials to address the challenges and practical solutions surrounding poverty reduction and empowerment in Nigeria.

It will feature Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, as the Guest Speaker, who is expected to bring a wealth of experience in governance and infrastructure development to the discourse. As the Keynote Speaker, Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, a renowned legislator and financial expert, will share valuable insights into policy-driven approaches for sustainable poverty alleviation.

A dynamic panel discussion will follow, featuring prominent personalities: Engineer (Dr.) Adekunle Olayinka, FNSE – Special Adviser on Works to the Lagos State Government; Ms. Abisola Olusanya – Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Lagos State, who will provide perspectives on the agricultural sector’s role in empowering communities; Comrade Tosin Adeyanju – Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), focusing on community development through structured funding and Honorable Rasaq Ajala – Executive Chairman, Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, who will be contributing insights on local government initiatives.

Goodwill messages will be delivered by: the Senate Leader, Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, Senator Yunus Abiodun Akintunde; the Chairman of Winners Golden Group, Honourable Idowu Osuolale Obasa; and the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and National Orientation, Chief Sunday Dare.

The event will be graced by prominent personalities in government and public service, with Nigeria First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, serving as the Special Guest of Honour; Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Chairman of the occasion and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, will be the Chief Host.

The Father of the Day is seasoned politician noted for his connection with the people especially at the grassroots level, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS), and Mother of the Day, Her Excellency Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, reflecting her longstanding commitment to social empowerment and women’s issues and of course her role as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.

In a celebration of excellence and dedication to public service, TheGazelleNews will present its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, Chairman of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC).

A highly respected political figure and royal prince from the Akinsemoyin ruling house of Lagos, Prince Olusi has made impactful contributions as a former Lagos City Councilor, House of Representatives member in the Second Republic, and Commissioner in Lagos State. His award highlights a career marked by unwavering dedication to Lagos and its citizens.

The day’s proceedings will be hosted by the dynamic compère duo, Gbenga Adeyinka and Feyikemi Niyi-Olayinka, who promise to guide the audience through an engaging and memorable event.