Connect with us

News

2023 census will be Nigeria’s best ever – NPC

Published

on

The National Population Commission (NPC) has assured that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will be the best ever conducted in the history of the country.

NPC’s Federal Commissioner in Gombe State, Mr Abubakar Danburam, stated this in Gombe on Tuesday during the inauguration of a 16- member Advocacy and Logistics Committee for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in the state.

Danburam said with the efforts so far made by the commission as well as the digitalisation of the exercise, the 2023 census would be better than any one conducted in the nation’s history of conducting census.

He said with the commission leveraging technology and modern approach to conducting census, there was no doubt that the 2023 exercise would be an improvement on the ones conducted in the past by the commission.

He said the priority of NPC in conducting accurate, reliable and acceptable census was as a result of the importance of census for development planning and other interventions that would help improve citizens’ wellbeing.

According to him, the 2023 census will address the irregularities associated with previous exercises.

“I can remember very well the 1963 census, there were lots of irregularities due to lack of development. The 1973 census, there was little improvement compared to that of 1963.

“Subsequent censuses came up with a lot of improvements. The current census to be conducted, from the level of demarcation, is digital.

“It is so because we are now matured enough to use the satellite image. The satellite image was used for the demarcation and the demarcation is called the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD),” he said.

He explained that the EAD was the foundation of the current census: “This demarcation was done meticulously and neatly. Every part of this country has been demarcated, no leftover, no overlap.

“This is giving us all the assurance that the census to be conducted will be digital and hopefully the best census conducted so far in this country.”

While inaugurating the 16-man Committee, Manassah Jatau, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State who doubles as the chairman of the committee, said the 2023 census would provide vital information about the socio-economic variables of the nation’s population.

Jatau advised the commission to take proactive measures to curb the threat of manipulation during the exercise as the NPC was working to conduct a credible census that would meet best global practice.

“The digital census is most likely to eliminate previous bottlenecks such as political, religious and cultural sentiments associated with accurate census in the country over the years.

“However, we should note that it is human beings that control and sometimes manipulate these machines that were meant for ease of carrying out tasks, jobs more accurately, with great precision,” he said.

To his committee members, the chairman said their duty was to enlighten, sensitise and get the support of residents of Gombe State towards the successful conduct of the exercise in May.

News

Application deadline for management of Nigeria’s $10bn Diaspora Fund extended

Published

on

The Nigerian federal government has shifted the application deadline for companies interested in managing the $10 billion Diaspora Fund.

Minister of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed this in a circular on Thursday in Abuja.

Accordingly, the deadline for May 6 has been shifted to May 13, 2024.

The minister urged prospective applicants to utilise the extra time to complete their submissions, ensuring they are thorough and competitive.

She stressed that the extension is designed to allow stakeholders additional time to adequately prepare their applications following the guidelines established for the fund.

“The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment wishes to inform all interested parties that the deadline for the submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Nigeria Diaspora Fund has been extended.

“The new submission deadline is May 13, 2024. This extension is intended to accommodate stakeholders who require more time to prepare their applications by the guidelines provided for the $10 billion Nigeria Diaspora Fund,” she stated.

Continue Reading

News

Sanwo-Olu, NESG harp on PPP for economic growth

Published

on

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has emphasised the role of public-private sector partnerships in driving accelerated sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.

He made the remark at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Public Lecture and Founders’ Forum held at the Lagos Business School on Thursday.

The event, which marked the official launch of the 30th anniversary of the Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) has the theme: “In the National Interest: Reflecting on the Past, Reimagining the Future.”

Sanwo-Olu said it was imperative that the public sector improved on its synergy with various actors pursuing a collective agenda of service for the citizens.

The governor highlighted the significant role the NESG plays in bringing together public and private sector leaders in the country in an ongoing dialogue to shape, influence and create a thriving competitive and successful economy.

“We’re not where we should be and we must continue to set goals to inspire ourselves to do better as a nation

“We may not always achieve our targets for our vision timelines, but that should not be an excuse for not trying,” he said.

He commended the NESG for its various interventions such as the flagship annual summit, roundtable and sectorial policy commissions, technical support work and policy innovation centre.

He, however, urged NESG to explore ways of deepening linkage between policy work and public consciousness that allows engagement with the citizenry.

Delivering the lecture, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Managing Partner, Compliance Professionals PLC, said that while there had been significant economic changes, more needed to be done to ensure accelerated economic growth.

Omoigui-Okauru said that there was need to build inclusive policies that reflect the realities of the nation rather than imposing replicas of other countries.

“In 30 years, we may have made some progress, but we can’t say we have radically transformed Nigeria.

“As we reflect on the NESG, there’s still a lot to be done in bridging the rural-urban divide and have an inclusive agenda.

“We see our journey as work in progress. We need to determine the parameters that would drive our success and put policies in place  to move us in the direction where we need to be.

“It is important for us to move away from self interest, think of ways to use technology and other frameworks to collectively achieve the Nigeria of our dreams,” she said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr Niyi Yusuf, Chairman, NESG, said the 30th Summit reaffirmed  the essentiality of public-private partnerships in tackling complex economic realities.

Yusuf, however, said that the journey to embracing market mechanisms has not been without its challenges.

He reiterated unwavering commitment in driving reforms through rigorous research, economic and social programmes, and inclusive summits, all aimed at shaping the socio-economic development of our nation.

“Thirty years ago, at a critical juncture in our nation’s history, the NES was born out of a necessity when the winds of economic challenges blew fiercely, necessitating a platform for robust public-private dialogue.

“Since our inaugural summit in 1993, the NES has been a progressive economic discourse rooted deeply in collaborative efforts between government leaders and private sector visionaries.

“Each Summit has crafted policies and strategies essential for removing barriers to competitiveness, growth, and inclusive development.

“Therefore, in commemorating this 30th anniversary, it is essential to assess and discuss the role of this public-private dialogue platform in Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape to provide us insights for future engagements,” he said.

The chairman assured collaborative efforts with the three arms of federal and subnational governments and private sector communities to propel Nigeria towards a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous future.

Dr Pascal Dozie, Chairman, NESG Advisory Board, listed political, economic, education and environment sectors as pathways to reimagining Nigeria’s future

Dozie, also pioneer Chairman of NESG Board of Directors, was represented by Mr Frank Aigbogun, Chief Executive Officer of BusinessDay.

He charged NESG to adopt new strategies in providing collaborative leadership in seeking answers to the following crucial questions.

“How do we strengthen democratic institutions and rule of law, foster culture of inclusiveness and representation?

“How do we promote transparency and accountability in governance and inculcate the culture of consequences for bad behaviour in every sphere of life?

“In economic reimagining, how do we diversify Nigeria’s economy, reduce dependence on oil, foster a business friendly environment and develop the much needed infrastructure base in a coordinated nationwide approach?

“How do we repurpose the educational system to focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, encourage technology entrepreneurship and innovation and address unemployment?

“For the environment, how can we develop sustainable agriculture and food security, promote sustainable practices, renewable energy and eco tourism?

“It is imperative that the NESG community leads from the front in not only providing actionable answers to these questions but also making sacrifices to ensure they are implemented,” he said.

 

Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of NESG, Dr Tayo Aduloju, said that strong institutions, political will, accountability by all stakeholders and the willingness for the government to allow private sector to drive growth were factors needed for a successful economic development.

“The challenge for us today is how to drive the country forward over the next 30 years in a way that is not just growth but growth that creates jobs and opportunities for everyone and no one is left behind.

“We are dealing with a country that is going through macro-economic volatility and instability.

“So, the lessons here at the forum are deep reflections of what should change in our approach, a stronger priority on execution, a deeper commitment on accountability of government systems to deliver and how economic barometers impact the ordinary man on the street.

“Our resilience to hold government accountable, to keep insisting that there must be an economy that works for all Nigerians, rule of law, an environment in which free enterprise is practiced, is what we must continue to fight for,” he added.

Continue Reading

News

NCS FoU Zone ‘B’ Nabs Fake Customs Officer

Published

on

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’, has apprehended a fake customs officer in Sokoto.
The suspect, Abubakar Ibrahim, was arrested on April 29, at Next Level Hotel, Sokoto.
This was disclosed in a statement by Isah Sulaiman, the Unit Public Relations Officer, on Thursday in Kaduna.
According to Sulaiman, the suspect, aged 28, has been impersonating and defrauding innocent Nigerians in the name of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He said that Ibrahim was arrested with the assistance of the Nigeria Police, Sokoto State Command.
“The suspect, found in NCS uniform, was handed over to the Customs Police Unit, Sokoto, Zamfara Command for discreet investigation, and will be arraigned in court in accordance with extant laws,” he added.
Sulaiman said that the NCS Zone ‘B’ Comptroller, Ahmadu Shuaibu, has reiterated his commitment to apprehend impersonators and prosecute fraudulent individuals posing as personnel of the NCS on social media and other platforms.
Shuaibu expressed appreciation to the Police for their cooperation and swift response leading to the arrest of the suspect.
He urged the public to disregard any social media account soliciting money for recruitment or auction, as the Service does not collect money for such exercises.
The Comptroller advised the public to follow only verified social media handles of the NCS with blue tick, such as Nigeria Customs Service on Facebook, @CustomsNG on X, and other platforms, including the recently created  WhatsApp Channel.
He encouraged the public to feel free to visit the nearest Public Relations Unit of any Customs Command for clarification on any issue concerning the Service.
Continue Reading

Trending