News

Obaseki Charges Youths On Innovation, Harps On Digital Solutions

Published

7 months ago

October 12, 2023

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the State’s adoption of an e-government platform and investment in digital infrastructure would provide new opportunities for youths to innovate and create digital solutions for use by government and the private sector.

The governor said this on Thursday during a Zoom call with participants in the MTN ICT and Business Skills Training Programme, in which youths from across the country participated in a four-week intensive training session.

The governor disclosed that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) age provides youths with opportunities to build careers in the digital economy, applauding MTN for training youths in innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to him, “For many of you, this will be a redefining experience because you have acquired skills in business and ICT that could possibly redefine your life. It is important that as a country that is in a hurry to industrialise and increase productivity, we must begin to engage our young people, train and get them ready to take advantage of the opportunities that exist. For opportunities that do not exist, young people should be able to create these opportunities.”

Obaseki further noted that the world has gone digital, stressing that it was important that young people embrace technology.

He said, “For us in Edo, our entire government platform today runs on a digital platform. We don’t use paper. We recognise that as a government. And if we do, we know that many businesses that rely on us must also go in that direction.

“It is important that we support the entrepreneurship instinct in young people. By moving onto a digital platform in Edo State, what we have done is to create opportunities in over 50 ministries and agencies to interact digitally and come up with support solutions for citizens. It is not unique to Edo. The world has now become digital.

“The skills you have learnt in the last four weeks are applicable globally and therefore it is important that you continue to hone your skills, invest and improve on yourselves. What you have done is not an end in itself. If anything, it is just the beginning because upskilling is a life-long experience. You have gone through this exercise this year with MTN, but that shouldn’t be the end, you should continue to look for other opportunities to improve yourselves.”

News

JUST IN: CBN Raises Interest Rate To 26.25%

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the benchmark interest rate to 26.25 per cent.

This was disclosed by the Governor of the CBN who doubles as the Chairman of the MPC at the end of the 295th MPC meeting held in Abuja.

At the March MPC meeting, the benchmark rate had been increased by 200 basis points from 22.75 per cent to 24.75 per cent.

The MPC has maintained a hawkish stance since it resumed meetings this year in a bid to tackle Nigeria’s persistent inflation.

As of April, Nigeria’s inflation rate had risen to 33.69 per cent.

A number of analysts have projected a rate hike while some suggested that the apex bank may consider a hold stance as the growth rate of inflation moderated month-on-month.

Details later…

News

JUST IN: Peter Obi, Other Protesters Storm Labour Party Secretariat [PHOTOS]

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi along with other protesters from the six Area Councils have stormed the National Secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja.

Although the reason for the canonical like atmosphere is not yet clear, but it can be deduced from the banners, drumming and singing by various cultural groups representing prominent ethic groups that the gathering is a solidarity match in support of the National Chairman, Comrade Julius Abure.

News

JUST IN: Fubara Wins As Court Voids Tenure Extension For Rivers LGA Chairmen

Published

3 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has voided the tenure extension for local government chairmen in the state.

This was as the court declared Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which extended the tenure of local government chairmen by 6 months after expiration of their tenure, invalid.

The 27 lawmakers in the camp of the Minister of Federal Capital, Chief Nyesom Wike, had this year, in the face of the crisis, enacted a law extending the three-year tenure of the serving LGA chairmen by three months.

However, the court, in its decision Tuesday, held that the new law was inconsistent with the 1999 constitution and Section 9(1) of Rivers State Law No. 5 of 2018, which fixed 3 years for local government chairmen and councillors.

The court gave the ruling that the recent extension of local government chairmen’s tenures was invalid in suit number PHC/1320/CS/2024, a case instituted by Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam & 6 Ors vs. The Governor of Rivers State & Ors.

In his judgment, HHon. Justice D.G. Kio declared that Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which sought to extend the Chairmen’s terms by six months, conflicts with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.

The court affirmed that the lawful tenure for local government chairmen and councillors remained three years, as stipulated by the 2018 law, stressing that any attempt to extend the tenure was not only unlawful but also violated the officials’ oath of office.