Cease attacks on press, free speech, journalists urge African governments

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September 28, 2019

Over 200 journalists across Africa, who gathered in Ouagadogou, Burkina Faso, during the week for a conference on free speech and freedom of expression have urged African leaders to end attacks on journalists and free speech in their respective domains.

In a communique signed at the end of the International Festival of Freedom of Expression and Press (FILEP) organised by the Norbert Zongo Press Centre (CNP-NZ), the journalists also urged some governments to ensure the release of journalists who have been detained for carrying out their legitimate duties.

The theme of this biennial FILEP meeting is “Feathers, microphones and cameras for a free and united Africa”. It held between September 25-28.

At the event were representatives of media organisations, journalists, the African Federation of Houses and Press Centers (FACMP), media rights organisations, human rights defenders, and other media personalities.

The three-event commenced on Wednesday with an official opening by the Burkina Faso Speaker of the House conference

The conference which involves an international symposium on the theme of the festival with several sub-themes and constituted panels of debates started with an inaugural conference by a professor, Théophile Obenga.

The debates allowed the invited journalists to brainstorm in the challenges facing reporter in their domains and offer solutions to these.

Zamfara: Governor shuts down school, suspends staff over Qu’ran desecration.

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September 28, 2019

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Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, has sent all staff of Shattima Model Primary School, Gusau, on indefinite suspension following the alleged desecration of the Holy Qur’an in the school.

Yusuf Idris, the governor’s director-general of press affairs, said the school has also been shut down pending an investigation by the state basic education commission.

NAN reports that pages of the Holy Qur’an were discovered around 11:00am on Friday in the school’s sewage.
Matawalle, who is currently in the US to woo investors, said the government will fish out “perpetrators of the act”.
“Government will deal ruthlessly with anyone with a hand in this dastardly act, however highly placed,” he was quoted to have said.

According to the statement, the governor directed the immediate deployment of three additional security guards to all public primary schools in the state capital to beef up security.

He urged residents to be more vigilant and asked them to report suspicious movements in their areas to security agencies or Sharia commission officials for prompt intervention.

Several cases of alleged desecration of the Qu’ran had been recorded in the state.

The incidences reportedly occurred at Danturai Primary School, the state library, Farida General Hospital, Government Day Secondary School, Sabon Gari, and Rabi’a Jumaat Mosque, among others, all within Gusau metropolis.

FG honours 82 diligent civil servants

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September 28, 2019

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A retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Aliyu Bisala, and 81 other civil servants were recognised for their outstanding performance by the acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, at a dinner and award ceremony held to mark the end of the 2019 civil service week at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Friday.
In a speech read by the Ag HSCF at the ceremony, she said the recipients had demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment, dedication, competence and efficiency in the course of their duties, adding that the recipients were grouped into three categories.

They are Presidential Distinguished Public Career Award, which is to honour retired permanent secretaries; Presidential Merit Award, which is to recognise directorate cadre officers; and Head of Service Commendation Letter for intermediate cadre officers.

Apart from Bisala, 31 other civil servants were rewarded in the Presidential Merit Award category, while 47 were awarded medals in the Head of Service Commendation category. Three other civil servants were also rewarded for winning an essay competition.

Yemi-Esan explained that the recognition was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s vision and policy of recognising hard work and integrity as well as improving service welfare.

She said, “It is expected that this will spur other officers to exhibit similar virtues of the recipients and be more dedicated. Therefore, I wish to extend the appreciation of the entire civil service to Mr. President for being so gracious in hosting this event.”

Ogunleye, Durodola and Ibanga join IPC’S Governing Board to mark 20th Anniversary

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September 28, 2019

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The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, has announced the reconstitution of its Governing Board, as the organisation prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of its establishment in October, 1999.

The announcement was contained in a statement by the Executive Director and Secretary to the Board, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, at the end of the organisation’s board meeting and annual staff/management retreat in Lagos on September 20 and 21, 2019.

Mr. Arogundade said the three new members of the Board bring its total number to six. The three new members are:

Ms. Victoria Ibanga, a seasoned journalist, is a former Visiting Fellow of Freedom House in the United States and Alumna of Women’s Edition, PRB, USA. She is a former General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, current National Treasurer of the body and the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Next Edition Online newspaper;

Mrs. Funke-Treasure Durodola, a multiple award winning international broadcast journalist, is a seasoned news anchor, producer and presenter, media trainer and Fellow of the Thomson Foundation, UK. She is author of ‘Pronunciation Guide for Second Language Speakers of the English Language’ and until her recent retirement, Assistant Director of Programmes at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Lagos Operations;

Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, a lawyer, seasoned journalist and Editor. He is a former Editor and Deputy Editor-In-Chief of Punch Newspapers and a former Director of News and Current Affairs at Television Continental, TVC. He was the pioneer Head of Corporate Communications of Arik Air and a former Vice President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. Mr. Ogunleye is the current Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Nigeria’s leading journalism training institution.

According to Mr. Arogundade, both Mr. Edetaen Ojo and Mr. Wale Adeoye retain their positions on the Board as Chairman and member respectively, while Senator. Babafemi Ojudu, journalist, human rights activist and one of the founding Editors of The News Magazine and Special Assistant to the President on Political Affairs, voluntarily stepped down as a member on the account of his current political engagements.

Mr. Edetaen Ojo, a journalist and former Judicial Editor of The Guardian newspapers, is a renowned advocate for the right of access to information; He was honoured by the African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) with an award for freedom of information activism in 2011 while in 2017 he got the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. He is the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda and Chair of the Board of the Media Foundation for West Africa of which IPC is national partner in Nigeria.

Mr. Wale Adeoye, an environmental rights activist, is an award winning journalist who has previously worked with The Punch and The Nation Newspapers. He is a four time winner of the Nigerian Merit Award (NMMA), first Nigerian to win the Steve Biko Scholarship instituted by Institute for Advanced Journalism (IAJ), South Africa and Alumni of the United Nations Institute for Research and Training, (UNITAR), Cologne Switzerland. A former CNN African Journalist of the year and winner of the Diamond Media Merit Award, he is the Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights.

Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the founding Coordinator of IPC and newly designated Executive Director by the Board, has worked across the print, broadcast (Radio) and Online media including the National Concord, Vanguard newspapers, Panos Radio and Voice of America as a journalist. A media development specialist with passion for media professionalism and independence, he is also a media trainer, researcher, advocate for freedom of the press and author of ‘Media and Elections: The Professional Responsibilities of Journalists’.

“The scholarly, intellectual, professional and gender diversity of the new Board demonstrates the commitment and readiness of IPC to continue to deliver on its mandate as Nigeria’s leading media development and press freedom organisation”, Mr. Arogundade said.

“We are also sure that given their vast experience and commitment to media professionalism, the board members will add value to our work in the areas of capacity building, media monitoring, campaigns, advocacy, networking and partnerships to advance the course of media freedom, media independence, safety of journalists and enhance the role of the media in development and democratic governance”, he added

According to him, the board members would be publicly presented during the forthcoming public lecture and airing of a documentary as part of a series of activities to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of IPC, the details of which will be announced soon.

Husband allegedly sets wife ablaze in Akure

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September 27, 2019

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A man known as Ojo Daniyan has been arrested by the men of the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly committing arson and murder. Daniyan allegedly set his wife, Dorcas, ablaze at Irese Road, Akure, the Ondo State on September 14, 2019, around 11:00 p.m. while the deceased was asleep.

It was gathered that before the incident happened, the deceased and her husband had had a disagreement over the proceeds from the land sold by the deceased.
This raised suspicion that the husband carried out the dastardly act.

A source said a few hours before the incident, Daniyan took home a keg full of petrol but no one knew what he wanted to use the petrol for. However, some hours later the fire started and he was in the room with the deceased.

“When the fire started, it was one of the neighbours that perceived the smoke coming out from the room, we rescued the woman initially and rushed her to the Federal Medical Center, Owo, where she gave up the ghost, ” the source said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Femi Joseph, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday, said the suspect was in the police custody and the command had commenced an investigation into the matter.

Joseph stated, “We have arrested the husband of the deceased. He is undergoing interrogation. He is still denying his involvement in the crime but circumstantial evidence shows that he knows one or two things about the incident. We have commenced an investigation into the incident.”

Our members are dying over unpaid salaries- EKSU ASUU

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September 27, 2019

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Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ekiti State University (EKSU) chapter, has lamented the increasing rate of deaths and illnesses among members over unpaid salaries spanning over nine months.

The union claimed that many of its members have lost their lives while some are bedridden due to lack of fund to attend to their immediate needs.

Addressing a press conference at EKSU in Ado Ekiti on Friday, ASUU chairman, Dr. Kayode Arogundade, explained that the geometric increase in the wage bill of the university from N380 million to N502 million caused the inability of the institution to pay up to date thus subjecting workers to untold hardship.

He said the union would no longer tolerate or cooperate with the university authorities j over unpaid salaries and wages, since it has been affecting the lives of its members .

Arogundade said except the university pay up all salaries, that he could no longer guarantee good working relationship between his members and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eddy Olanipekun, who is a former ASUU chairman in EKSU and Ilorin zone.

The ASUU boss urged governor Kayode Fayemi to implement the outcome of the Prof Bode Asubiojo-led visitation panel , which vividly addressed the issues of tax, wage bill and other academic issues in the university .

He said the union won’t contemplate to sue the state government for implementing the new tax law in the university , since members have been paying even above what was stipulated by the personal incone tax 2011.

“It surprises us that the university is owing nine months salary when we are being owed four months subvention. We found out that it was because the wage bill has increased to N502 million when the subvention is N260m. The shortfall comes from our IGR, which will be difficult for university to meet monthly.

“We won’t issue empty threat but when we are ready, we will strike. The VC understands our language. We won’t care to take them to court for interpretation . We are paying higher than what was contained in the tax law. Govrrnment must look inwards and increase the IGR rather than saying we should go back to 2018 tax law that will create more burdens.

“If the government found it comfortable to implement new tax law, they should also implement the white paper’s recommendations on increased wage bill”, he stated.

Verdant Zeal’s Innovention Series remodelled

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September 27, 2019

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……introduces new pillars

The Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Group has reinvigorated her annual Innovention Series, the 2019 edition of the program is expected to take a new shape with the introduction of new sessions and exhibitions for all participants that cuts across social and corporate Nigeria.

In a discussion with the convener, Dr Tunji Olugbodi said, “after staging 8 editions of the program, we are determined to take the series to a new height through the introduction of exhibition booths for various organizations that intend to showcase their products to participants. Also, we are introducing four more new sessions’ with various panelists’ addressing contemporary developmental themes while the main sessions’ will be headlined by a key-note speaker”

According to him, “we have adopted the global theme of “Unstoppable Africa”, for the next three years before giving Africa’s rising profile and potential in the world. Also, we are focusing our conversations around specific pillars for the yearly program, these are- Development accelerators; Youth Empowerment; Technology for Growth; Entrepreneurship and Leadership. These pillars would guide our conversations and reflect in the agenda that we set for Africa”, he added.

Initiated in 2010, the Innovention Series, a brainchild of Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Group, it was instituted as a platform to examine the question of Africa’s development, hone in on opportunities for growth while focusing on leveraging inherent strengths. It attracts patrons from both the public and private sectors and has become a strong voice in stimulating pragmatic conversations that challenges the status quo.

Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Group is a multidisciplinary business solutions provider in Africa with her subsidiaries in Ghana and Gambia with specializations in Branding, Consultancy, PR Management, Media Consulting, Digital Marketing and Events Activation. The company has led many leading numerous campaigns for clients across all the sectors of the economy in the last twelve years.

Anglican Church of Southern Africa votes to support boycott of Israel

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September 27, 2019

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The highest decision-making body of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) on Thursday unanimously resolved to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel until that state ended its military occupation of Palestine.

The resolution was passed in Johannesburg at the Church’s Provincial Synod, which takes place every three years and represents Anglican communities in South Africa as well as Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini (Swaziland), Mozambique, Angola and St Helena.

According to the resolution, “the situation in the Holy Land demands the attention of the Christian Church precisely because that is the place where Jesus Christ was born, nurtured, crucified and raised.”

The resolution also cautions against conflating the current nation-state of Israel with Biblical Israel. A differentiation was also made between the political ideology of Zionism and the religion of Judaism.

Condemning anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the strongest terms, the ACSA resolution also acknowledged that there were similarities between Apartheid South Africa and what is happening in occupied Palestine and that in some respects the situation there can be described as worse than Apartheid. It is for this reason, the resolution notes that “Southern Africans have a special responsibility to stand by the oppressed in the same way that others in the international community stood with us during our own oppression.”

According to the Anglican Bishop of Namibia, Luke Pato, the resolution was introduced at the Synod to develop practical ways of ending the occupation. “It is the right time, it is God’s time for the occupation to end and for Palestinians to be liberated,” Pato told the Afro-Palestine Newswire Service.

Pato – who seconded the resolution – explained that the resolution was a continuation of the Anglican Church’s long-standing support of the Palestinian liberation struggle, when Archbishop Desmond Tutu first led a delegation to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in the 1980’s.

Southern African delegates will also request that the Anglican Communion Office in the United Kingdom consider a similar resolution for inclusion on the agenda of the Lambeth 2020 Conference, which next year brings together active Anglican bishops from 165 countries worldwide.

The resolution also encourages every diocese within the Anglican Church to pass a similar resolution at their next Synod and to work with the South African Council of Churches to achieve justice for the Palestinians.

Palestinians have welcomed the passing of the resolution.

“Palestinians simply want to achieve peace, freedom, justice and dignity, and this resolution is an important step in forcing Israel to comply with international law and end its illegal occupation of Palestine,” Palestinian ambassador to South Africa, Hashem Dajani, told the Afro-Palestine Newswire Service. Dajani hoped that other denominations and groups would replicate the Anglican Church resolution.

Speaking from the besieged Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesperson, Basem Naim, said that the resolution was an important show of solidarity with the Palestinian people and their cause and “encourages us to continue our struggle against the occupation.”

GTBank Fashion Weekend 2019: Get Ready for Africa’s Biggest Fashion Experience

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September 27, 2019

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This November, industry leaders, style connoisseurs and fashion enthusiasts from across the globe will converge in Lagos, Nigeria for the 4^th edition of the GTBank Fashion Weekend. Holding Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th of November 2019 at the GTCentre, Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, the 2-day event will put a spotlight on Africa’s emerging fashion industry whilst showcasing the talent and creativity of indigenous small businesses in the fashion space.

Since 2016, the GTBank Fashion Weekend has been at the forefront of promoting enterprise in Africa’s rapidly growing fashion industry. Over the years, the event has brought together renowned fashion experts and personalities to interact with hundreds of thousands of young Africans passionate about fashion and entrepreneurship. This year, the GTBank Fashion Weekend, which is free to attend, will feature over 30 distinguished fashion leaders, designers and industry experts, whilst providing more than 130 indigenous small businesses with free stalls to showcase and sell Africa’s finest ensemble of apparel and fashion accessories.

Attendees at the 2019 GTBank Fashion Weekend will be treated to an exciting repertoire of fashion moments, from fashion and entrepreneurial masterclasses facilitated by internationally renowned fashion experts to enthralling runway shows that will present the latest in fashion styles and design trends. There will also be pop-up stands where talented indigenous designers will display their works and interact with some of Africa’s most passionate fashionistas, an Arts & Crafts Village that showcases the beauty and dexterity of traditional African design.

Commenting on the 2019 GTBank Fashion Weekend, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Segun Agbaje, said; “Africa is home to some of the most creative fashion talents on the planet, and we are delighted and proud to provide them with a global platform that connects them to the world. As we work towards the 4th edition of the biggest fashion showcase in Africa, our goal is to not only showcase the wealth of talent, innovation and enterprise that abound in Africa’s fashion space, but to also grow the continent’s contribution to the global fashion industry by empowering budding entrepreneurs at home with everything they need to thrive on the world stage.

He further stated that “At the heart of the GTBank Fashion Weekend is our vision of promoting enterprise in industries where we believe that we can help small businesses grow and dominate. In fashion, as well as in food and the creative industry, we see not just the amazing talents and passion of our people, but how, by championing their entrepreneurial spirit, we can enrich millions of lives, uplift communities and grow our economy.”

GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The Bank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation. The Bank is also going beyond the traditional understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility as corporate philanthropy by intervening in key economic sectors through non-profit consumer focused fairs and capacity building initiatives for small businesses.

Armed Robbers break into Bank at Ise-Ekiti

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September 26, 2019

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Robbers attack bank in Ekiti

Ekiti State has again suffered another gruesome armed robbery attack at a bank in Ise Ekiti, which led to the death of a police officer.

The robbers, who were said to be about 10 in number, arrived the quiet town at about 2.30 p.m. on Thursday shooting sporadically into the air as they drove into commercial bank permission.

Witnesses said the robbers besieged the bank and were in the operation for over 25 minutes.

It was gathered that they came into the town in two vehicles through Ikere road.

On entering the bank, they shot a mobile policeman attached to the bank. The policeman was said to have died instantly.

Bank staff and customers were reported to have sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The spokesman for the Ekiti Police Command, Caleb Ikechukwu, said the robbers attacked the bank with dynamite and gained entry into the banking hall.

“I can confirm to you that a bank was robbed at Ise Ekiti this afternoon,” he said.

“The robbers broke the security door with explosive material, precisely dynamite.

“Our men are on their trail and we shall ensure that none of them escapes.

“Members of the public should go about their normal duties and be rest assured that we are ready to protect their lives and property at all times.”

It was a similar story two weeks ago when three policemen and four other persons were shot dead in Ilasa-Ekiti by robbers who invaded a commercial bank shortly afternoon.

The eight-man gang of robbers invaded the bank and also destroyed the security door with dynamite before gaining entry into the hall.

INFINIX Unveils New Smartphones in Nigeria

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September 26, 2019

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In addition to its entertainment product collection, one of the leading smartphone brands in the emerging markets around the world, Infinix mobility has unveiled the HOT 8.

The product which is the latest in the HOT series was recently launched in the University of Lagos in partnership with Google, Vskit and Boomplay.

According to the company, HOT is a mid-budget series phone designed for young people who are passionate about entertainment in the interconnected world. Inheriting Infinix’s brand spirit of providing the most cutting-edge technologies at affordable prices, HOT series has been committed to breaking the boundaries of combining the most relevant features in one device, letting customers amplify their entertainment experience in the digital space.

The Marketing Manager, Amanda Zhang, Infinix Mobility, said; “The Infinix HOT series aims to empower young people with boundless entertainment experience fueled by transformative mobile technology. We observe the trends of online and offline entertainment in global emerging markets where technologies apply. We found that young people desire to connect and share their life with their communities in various ways, such as social networking, gaming, streaming, and partying which was one of the reasons why campus launch concerts like the one that happened at Unilag for the Hot 8 will be consumer focused in partnership with Google, Vskit and Boomplay.”

“The launch of HOT 8 is a great example of how Infinix spares no efforts in delivering on its promise. By integrating a bigger battery, a bigger display and other key features, we not only aim to satisfy consumers’ entertainment desires, but also inspire them to explore a world of creativity with one device at smaller cost.
“The HOT 8 comes with a price tag of N36,500 while the HOT 8 lite is 32,500.

“Coming in with a 5,000mAh battery which enables four days of battery life with just three hours of charging through the 2A fast charge technology, a 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display, a triple rear camera, and a DIRAC Sound & Party Mode as the key features, HOT 8 will allow consumers to enjoy a world of entertainment at their fingertips. The HOT 8 released four color schemes, in addition to the classic colors: Midnight black, Champagne gold, Aqua blue, also released the first gradient of the HOT series ;Cosmic purple.” Zhang added.

Speaking further , Amanda also noted that; “ Infinix Mobile was launched in 2013 and the target was the young generations. It is a premium online-driven smartphone brand with “THE FUTURE IS NOW” as the brand essence. Infinix is committed to providing the most cutting-edge technologies, bold and stylish designs, keeping consumers on trend and up-to-date. Infinix’s portfolio spans five product lines – ZERO, NOTE, HOT, HOT S, and SMART.”

Ghanaian Bank Goes Live on Inlaks, Temenos Solution

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September 26, 2019

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Inlaks

Inlaks, one of the fastest-growing ICT infrastructure and systems integrator in sub-Saharan Africa and Temenos, the banking software company, have announced that Consolidated Bank of Ghana has gone live on TemenosT24 Transact release 17.

Consolidated Bank of Ghana Data Migration Project in Accra drove the implementation of Temenos T24 Transact for CBG (a financial institution formed from a merger of seven independent banks).

Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited (CBG) is an indigenous Ghanaian Universal Bank operational in all 10 regions of Ghana with 120 branches. After months of intensive development and testing, effective project planning and leadership, stakeholder support, strong governance and effective training, the project has been deemed successful.

Temenos T24 Transact is a cloud-native, cloud-agnostic and real-time core banking solution with exceptional functionality; offering services on Retail and Corporate Banking as well as Wealth Management sectors. With T24, the Consolidated Bank of Ghana is guaranteed to experience a dynamic shift in operational excellence. The banking solution is known to enhance increased flexibility and productivity, resulting in improved customer service, market for new products, substantial cost savings and improved speed/efficiency of implementation processes.

Speaking on the project, Executive Director, Inlaks, Olufemi Muraino, said: “We are very pleased to have been a part of one of the greatest digital transformation strides in the history of Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited. CBG will benefit immensely from Temenos’ best-selling solutions which will strengthen and render more effective the performance of their core banking system. Being whole-heartedly committed to achieving our vision to be the foremost ICT provider in sub-Saharan Africa, Inlaks, in collaboration with world-class OEMs like Temenos, will continually support the growth and digital advancement of institutions in that region.”

Managing Director Middle East and Africa at Temenos, Jean-Paul Mergeai, said: “We are delighted to support Consolidated Bank of Ghana during this exciting time of integration and great progress. Bringing together the operations of multiple banks is a journey that Temenos is excited to be a part of and has extensive experience in around the globe and within the Middle East and African region specifically. By choosing Temenos T24 Transact, Consolidated Bank of Ghana have positioned themselves perfectly to future-proof their business as well as drive growth and accelerate product innovation. Ghana is a key growth market for Temenos and we are fully committed to working as a trusted partner with Consolidated Bank of Ghana now and well into the future.”

The Managing Director, CBG, Daniel Addo, also said: “The joint effort of Inlaks and Temenos teams has indeed been commendable. We value all the benefits that the successful go-live of T24 has accrued to the banking operations since implementation. As we strive to be the preferred Ghanaian bank providing simple, secure and differentiated banking experience to customers, the completion of this migration project has further reinforced our strategy to attain that goal”.

Kristalina Georgieva becomes IMF’s Managing Director

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September 26, 2019

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Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva has been selected as the new managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

Ms Georgieva, who was previously chief executive of the World Bank, becomes the first person from an emerging economy to lead the IMF.

Ms Georgieva has been appointed for a five-year term, starting on 1 October.

She will succeed Christine Lagarde, who is leaving to become head of the of the European Central Bank (ECB).

Ms Georgieva was the only nominee for the job.

The 66-year-old economist, the daughter of a civil engineer, studied political economy and sociology at the Karl Marx Higher Institute of Economics in Sofia while Bulgaria was still under communist rule.

After graduating in 1976, she got her first taste of capitalism in the UK, as a British Council scholar at the London School of Economics.

Speaking after her selection by the IMF’s executive board, she described herself as “a firm believer in its mandate to help ensure the stability of the global economic and financial system through international co-operation”.

Ex-SGF, Chief Ufot Ekaette dies at 80

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September 26, 2019

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Chief Ufot Ekaette, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federal is dead. The consummate administrator who dedicated himself to duty in the course of his distinguished public service.

Ekaette who served as secretary to the government between 1999 and 2007 and was the pioneer minister for Niger Delta was 80 years old.

Ekaette was born in 1939 in Ikot Edor, Onna Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

He attended King’s College, Lagos, graduating in 1960, then went to University College, Ibadan where he earned a B.Sc in Economics in 1964. He joined the Federal Civil Service on 28 July 1964. Ekaette was principal secretary to Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (1968–1975).

Later Ekaette served in the Federal Ministries of Industries (1975), Information (1977–1979), Education (1979) and National Planning (1979–1983).

He was secretary, Public Service Department and Head of Service (1984).

He was director, External Finance at the Federal Ministry of Finance (1985–86). Ekaette was appointed Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industries in January 1986, later Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in 1988.

He was Director-General, Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (June 1988 – March 1989), Director-General, Federal Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports (1989) and Director-General (Planning), Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (1990). In 1990, he was appointed Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State under Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga. In 1996, he became a non-executive director of First Bank of Nigeria, a post he held until May 1999.

While expressing grief about his demise, President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in New York expressed shock and grief over the death of the former SGF, describing him as “a consummate administrator.”

A statement by Malam Garba Shehu, said Buhari also noted that Ekaette “dedicated himself to duty in the course of his distinguished public service.”

Shehu said the president in a condolence statement also extolled the late Ekaette “as a gentleman who had given his best in the service of his country.”

He also quoted the president as noting that “the late Ekaette would always be remembered not only for his remarkable public service record, but also because of his immense contributions towards bringing peace in the once troubled Niger Delta region.”

According to him, Buhari condoled with the Ekaette family, the government and people of Akwa Ibom State over the death of the former SGF, regretting that “his demise was coming at a time when voices like his own are needed to move Nigeria forward in the face of daunting challenges.”

The statement added: “President Buhari, however, assured that ‘his contributions would never be in vain as the country would always appreciate and remember his great contributions.’

“The President prays God Almighty to comfort the Ekaette family, friends and relations, and grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.”

Ekiti State University Staff stage Protest

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September 26, 2019

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The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, has today staged a protest on the campus.

The protest which originated as a result of the increment of their respective taxes by the government.

The workers in their voluminous number barricaded the entrance to the administrative block with several solidarity songs to express their grievances on the increment.

However, the development has paralysed activities at the administrative block of the University.

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