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Embrace ICT For Your Own Good, Edo Deputy Speaker Urges Assembly Staff

Published

10 months ago

July 12, 2023

The Deputy Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Maria Edekor, on Wednesday, called on members Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Edo Assembly chapter, to ‘upskill’ their knowledge in Information Communication Technology (ICT) so as to expand their capabilities.

Edekor, who made the call when members of the association visited her at the assembly complex in Benin, said being ICT compliant would make them more proficient in their duties and improve quality of government services.

She noted that governor Godwin Obaseki had digitalised the state public and civil service, adding that the state had moved away from analog to digital economy and e-governance.

Edekor said: “This is the 21st century and every staff working in the ministry and in the judiciary are ICT compliant.

“ICT has helped workers in the ministry to automate government services that previously required bureaucratic hassles.

“I am very saddened to see that the staff working in the Edo state house of assembly operates an analog system. You have been left behind.

“I have asked my colleagues how an analog system can perform an oversight function over a digital system.

“If you are in Edo State, you will know that your counterpart in the ministry and Judiciary have been upskilled and their lives have been transformed.

“I wonder how someone will get to a director here and do not even know how to operate computer or a laptop.

“If you were to be transferred to the ministry or other agency of government in this state, you cannot fit in because you have been left behind technically,” she said

Edekor further stated that as a former commissioner in the ministry of Social development and Gender issues, she reformed the ministry by training and retraining of all staff in ICT.

She explained that she had worked in different capacities as a lecturer, commissioner and heads of different bodies such as the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), adding that she knew how effective service delivery could be, using ICT.

“Many of my staff then that we trained, some of them have gotten job with international organizations because of the digital skills they acquired while working in Edo state.

“People are always afraid of change and the changes are for your own good. Do not be afraid that you might lose your job with the reform that is coming.

“Nobody lost their job in the ministry where the digital reforms started. I was able to function in different capacities because of the experiences I have gathered in ICT over the years.”

According to her, the EdoBEST programme in the state is a testimony of how digitalised system can enhance productivity and performance. Edo teachers can comfortably compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world using ICT.

“So be prepared to develop yourselves. If you do not change, you will be left behind.Whether government buys laptop for you or not, try and buy one and learn how to use it, it will help you a lot,” she added.

The deputy Speaker noted that she would be working with the Speaker and other members of the house to design a road map and strategic work plan for the assembly.

“By the special grace of God, I am going to work with you people and I will begin to advocate seriously for your upskilling by training you to become ICT compliant.

“I want to be remembered for a positive change in people’s lives. I want to see that the human beings that come my way are better than the way I met them.

“I am very happy to have you in my office, my doors are opened for conversations and ideas of how we can do things differently”.

Earlier, the chairman of PASAN, Haruna Farouk, said the staff would appreciate the deputy Speaker, if all she had said would be carried out to enhance their performance.

Farouk said: “From all you have said, we can see that you have the welfare of staff at heart. We will gladly make ourselves available for the ICT training so that we are not left behind.”

News

Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.

The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.

The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.

After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.

The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.

The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.

Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.

Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.

The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.

News

Three Killed In Abuja Community Clash

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as baban bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, told our correspondent that a baban bola attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.

The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.

In the attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they were, however, yet to be identified.

“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Ms Adams narrated.

A resident in the community, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.

“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, The PUNCH gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.

News

24 Injured In Kano Mosque Explosion

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

No fewer than 24 persons were critically injured on Wednesday following an early morning mosque explosion at Gadan Village, Gezawa local government area of Kano State

The Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during “Subhi Prayer” and that some people got injured.

“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.

“The scene was cordoned-off and twenty-four victims including 20 male adults and 4 male children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

According to him, forensic analysis at the preliminary stage revealed a suspected petrol explosion, of which a full investigation is ongoing.

He said that the principal suspect had been identified and arrested adding that the suspect is now with the Police.

“The suspect is Shafi’u Abubakar aged 38 years who said his action was purely in hostility following prolonged family disagreement over sharing of inheritance of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard,” Haruna said.

While the suspect is currently in police custody, he noted that a detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course.