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Heirs Holdings and the Tony Elumelu Foundation have provided $5,000 in seed capital to young African entrepreneurs to spur economic growth across the continent. The announcement was made during the Future Investment Initiative New Africa Summit in Saudi Arabia, where the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Founder of TEF, Tony Elumelu, discussed the role of
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Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri was awarded the men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday after securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title and winning Euro 2024. However, Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony in protest. The decision to award the prize for the world’s best player to the deep-lying midfielder was unexpected, with Real Madrid’s Liga
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Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri was awarded the men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday after securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title and winning Euro 2024. However, Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony in protest. The decision to award the prize for the world’s best player to the deep-lying midfielder was unexpected, with Real Madrid’s Liga
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the third stanza of the National Anthem as the National Prayer of the country. FEC also approved that the first stanza of the National Anthem should be rendered at all official functions, while the three stanzas should be reserved for special occasions such as Independence Day, Democracy Day,
National Anthem now National Prayer – Nigerian govt
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the third stanza of the National Anthem as the National Prayer of the country.
FEC also approved that the first stanza of the National Anthem should be rendered at all official functions, while the three stanzas should be reserved for special occasions such as Independence Day, Democracy Day, the inauguration of the National Assembly, Children’s Day, Armed Forces Remembrance Day, and Workers’ Day.
This development was made known by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, while briefing the press on the ongoing programs of the agency nationwide at the NOA office in Umuahia, Abia State, on Tuesday.
The NOA DG, who was represented by Mrs Theresa Maduekwe, explained that his office, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, submitted several proposals seeking to enhance national value orientation and character, and all the memoranda were approved by FEC.
According to Mallam Issa-Onilu, NOA, as the custodian of national symbols, was approved to be the source of all official symbols to ensure standardization.
He noted that September 16 was approved to be observed as National Symbols Enlightenment Day, while citizenship studies are to be made a compulsory component of the Nigerian educational system from primary to secondary school levels.
He further said that FEC approved the mandatory inclusion of the charter as a component of pre-resumption retreats for Federal Executive Council members, National Assembly members, the Judiciary, and other government appointees, among other approvals.
The agency urged Nigerians to key into various Federal Government economic transformation and social intervention programs, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration removed fuel subsidies to redirect funds toward more sustainable economic initiatives, adding that the previous administration before Tinubu did not budget for subsidies in 2023.
Some of the intervention programs, according to the NOA DG, include the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund, Student Loan Scheme, Special Purpose Vehicle, Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiatives, Agricultural and Food Security Initiatives, among others.
Also speaking, the Abia State Director of NOA, Mrs Regina Iroha, said that her agency is embarking on mass sensitization of Abia residents on the policies and programs of the Federal Government and the need to embrace them, as well as the importance of sustaining peace and unity in the country.
As the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act awaits domestication in Akwa Ibom State, a civil society organisation, Connected Development (CODE) has encouraged the state government to muster sufficient political will to train its staff in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, on the provisions and importance of the law. Prof Adewale Aderemi, Director, Democratic Governance
Train MDAs, others on provisions of FOI Act – CSO tells Akwa Ibom Govt
As the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act awaits domestication in Akwa Ibom State, a civil society organisation, Connected Development (CODE) has encouraged the state government to muster sufficient political will to train its staff in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, on the provisions and importance of the law.
Prof Adewale Aderemi, Director, Democratic Governance at National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) gave the charge in Uyo on Friday during a capacity building workshop for all the 26 state legislators and aides, organized by CODE in partnership with OXFAM.
Aderemi who spoke on ‘Strategies and Steps in Domesticating Freedom of Information Act’, said such trainings would not only enable government officials to understand the importance of disclosing information on request for accountability but reduce corruption and enhance intelligent public relations.
He also noted the importance of wider consultations of relevant stakeholders before promulgation of the act so as to capture local realities and allow the people own it (law) thereafter.
According to him, “For any law to work well, you need to take ownership of it. You need to direct your interest and know that you designed it and calibrated it to suit your own local exigency.
“The National Act may not tick all the boxes in regards to Akwa Ibom, I think that in domesticating it, Akwa Ibom should make it work. The state as a matter of urgency should not only pass the bill but should muster sufficient political will to make it work and train its MDAs , record keepers on the provisions of the Act
“It is important that in promulgating that act there should be a wide spread consultations so that local realities are captured.”
Presenting a paper on ‘Social Media and State Legislation’, Ruth Okafor, Programme/ Community Development Associate of CODE urged the legislators as well as the executives to consider using social media to engage meaningfully and robustly with the public especially the youths.
She noted that effective use of social media in engagements should not foreclose the use of other traditional and conventional methods of communication such as the radio, television or newspaper.
Okafor explained that the use of social media by government does not only increase accessibility and reach but cost effective for public engagement and feedbacks even as she noted that it enhances transparency and accountability.
She said, “Government bodies and legislators should also use social media to proactively disclose information. They should be shown how other governments, agencies use platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to publish reports, budgets and other public interest information.”
Train MDAs, others on provisions of FOI Act – CSO tells Akwa Ibom Govt