Tuesday 21 August 2018
C002D5556
Four primary school teachers get all-expense paid trip to showcase Edo’s education reforms in Canada
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our teachers championing the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) Programme in schools across Edo State have clinched an all-expense paid trip to Canada to attend and showcase the state public education reforms at the 27th edition of the Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) convention. The teachers are Idehen Ejiye Isaiah of Eguare Primary School, Ujiogba in Esan West Local Government Area (LGA); Erhabor Osasumwen Priscillia of Aisologun-Akenzua Primary School in Ikpoba-Okha LGA; Ogboko Edoghogho Yvonne of Okogbo Primary School, Okogbo, in Orhionmwon LGA, and Noragbon Enogie Osaru, head teacher, Emotan Primary School, Oredo LGA. The trip, according to the special adviser to the governor on Basic Education and chairman-designate, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Joan Osa Oviawe, is a form of motivation for the selected teachers, who will showcase in practical terms the reform by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to Edo people in the Diaspora. “SUBEB created an online portal two weeks ago, asking teachers in Edo State to apply or nominate someone for the all-expense paid trip to Toronto, Canada. “The criteria included that they should tell us about themselves and why they think they
are the best for the trip. At the end, we got 89 entries. After screening we came up with the semi-final list. Those picked were made to face a panel. One Head Mistress, Noragbon and three teachers finally got the slot to represent Edo State in Canada after the final selection. Their passports were processed on Wednesday,” Oviawe said. In a message to the selected teachers, the SUBEB boss explained that the trip would be a mixture of educational and sightseeing experiences, as the teachers will meet with Edo people in Diaspora, visit schools in Canada and also key government functionaries. According to Oviawe, “You are going to Toronto on the Governor’s entourage to attend the annual convention of Edo people in Diaspora. By God’s grace, we will aim to leave by August 29. So, prepare yourself. After the convention, you will stay behind and will visit schools in Toronto and surrounding areas. If there is time, we will visit Ottawa, which is the Canadian capital. “We will do a tour of the Canadian Parliament and visit the residence of the Governor General of the country. The Governor General is the symbolic head of state of Canada, representing the Queen of England. If there is time, we may also visit Montreal, the French speaking part of Canada. Part of the school visit will be to observe their open day among other events.”
A1 NEWS
BUSINESS DAY
Nigeria’s $3.9bn e-commerce industry to spur economic growth JUMOKE AKIYODE-LAWANSON
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lthough e-commerce in Nigeria is predominantly urban, the industry recorded about $1.9 billion in 2016, and has been projected to reach an estimated $3.9 billion by 2020 if the right regulations to guard online sales are put in place to match up with global standards, experts say. Electronic commerce is a thriving global industry and has become more popular in Nigeria with increased internet penetration and high numbers of smartphone ownership. In advanced climes where access to the internet, and of course, literacy levels stand at appreciable levels, e-commerce has become a lifestyle for many. Interest-
ingly, global retail sales, of which e-commerce makes up a major part, is projected to rise further to an estimated $27 trillion by 2020. Osita Anthony Aboloma, director-general, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said earlier this year that Nigeria would only be able to benefit from the digital advantage of e-commerce, which could add a significant value to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), if the industry was well monitored to ensure optimal service. “With the increasing volumes of consumer complaints being received on the quality of products sold online by the SON, Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other sister regulatory agencies, it has become necessary to have a
robust regulatory framework in place for this sector. “For instance, products like mobile phones, electrical and electronic devices cannot be physically viewed and tested before purchase online, while the claims on what they can do have been found in many cases to be inaccurate or sometimes out rightly false,” Aboloma said. Also, at an e-commerce forum organised for government agency representatives and stakeholders earlier this year, the issues of lack of trust, security and safety and poor knowledge were all raised as challenges hindering the rapid growth of e-commerce in Nigeria. According to Ezekiel Oseni from the Bank of Industry (BoI) at the event, Nigeria does not have enough regu-
lation around e-commerce and so retailers often hide behind the anonymity of the online space to sell substandard goods to unsuspecting customers. “Apart from the five principles recently introduced by the CPC, which include among others, that any item to be sold online must have full disclosure of description to clearly state its colour, size and any relevant information; sellers must ensure consumer protection privacy, prompt respond time to complaints and redress and to ensure that consumers are not exploited.” Oseni also mentioned that the BoI would not support any substandard product to go into the market, unless it had met all the regulatory requirements.
NNPC, First E&P sign GMoU with host communities in Bayelsa
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s part of its commitment to social performance and demonstration of value to its neighbouring communities within the Niger-Delta communities, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) joint venture have signed a global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) with the KEFFES Rural Development Foundation (KDRF) in Bayelsa State. The KRDF is the governing arm of the eight communities that have been identified as the communities to the Assets. The KEFFES communities comprise of Koluama 1, Koluama 2, Ezetu 1, Ezetu 2, Foropa, and Fish Town, Ekeni and Sangana. “KEFFES” is an acronym formed from the initial letter of the names of each of the eight communities. The GMoU is aimed at formalising the partnership between NNPC/FIRST E&P, KDRF and the Bayelsa State government as critical stakeholders in the development of oil mining leases 83 and 85 (the Assets). FIRST E&P is Nigerian oil
and gas company established in 2011 and commenced operations in July 2012. At the signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Bayelsa State, the representatives of the eight communities expressed their delight with the GMoU, which seeks to among other things, encourage socio-economic development within the communities. Speaking on the rationale behind the GMoU, Emmanuel Etomi, general manager, corporate services, FIRST E&P, said the joint venture partners were interested in the wellbeing of their neighbouring communities and wish to contribute to their development. “We are particularly happy with our neighbouring communities represented here today. Since we opened conversation and started engagement with them, the response has been good. At every level of our development, we have ensured that the communities are involved because they are critical to our collective success. “As a company, we are particular about our social performance and interested in the good of all our valued community stakeholders”.
L-R: Feyisayo Fatona-Ajayi, head of Lagos office, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG); Lawrence Anukam, directorgeneral, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA); Christian Wessels, founder, Sunray Ventures; Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, director, communications, public affairs and sustainable development, Lafarge Africa; Jide Jadesimi, executive director, business development, LADOL, and Tunde Olatunji, chairman, house committee on industry, Osun State House of Assembly, at the NESG stakeholders’ workshop to unlock investments for a sustainable circular economy, in Nigeria held in Lagos. Pic by Olawale Amoo
TCN tells BEDC localised tripping not its affairs MMA2 to witness disruption over HARRISON EDEH, Abuja
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enin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) recently alleged that the national grid was highly unstable, with over 2,000 tripping in its network between January and July 2018. In reply, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the alleged statement was clearly misleading because in the subsequent part of the same report, BEDC claimed significant improvement in its services, which could not have been possible if the national grid was weak as alleged. “BEDC has no imbedded generation hence it depends entirely on the national grid and could not have recorded such improvement if the national grid has not also improved,” TCN clarifies in a statement. According to the state-
ment signed by Ndidi Mbah, general manager, public affairs of TCN, since the BEDC does not have embedded generation and does not own its own transmission network, achievements like improved electricity supply to over 54 communities, provision of 24-hour supply covering over 20km in Asaba among others, though commendable, clearly cannot happen if the national grid was as problematic as alleged in the report. The statement further noted that TCN had good working relationship with BEDC management and that both companies were working towards improving power supply to BEDC consumers. TCN, hence, said it would not join issues nor engage in unnecessary blame game with BEDC; however, for the sake of clarity, most of the so-called 2,000 tripping were actually on 33/11kV feeders in BEDC’s network due to faults.
termination of staff appointment IFEOMA OKEKE
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perations of not less than five domestic airlines may be disrupted following the decision of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) National Executive Council (NEC) to picket the activities of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of MMA2, over termination of appointment of union members. In a communiqué issued to the media yesterday, ATSSSAN states it condemns in the strongest terms the uncivil manner by which the management of BASL ingloriously terminated the appointment of 26 of its staff that voluntarily joined ATSSSAN. According to the communiqué, “The NEC commended the intervention of
the State Security Services (Airport Command), the Airport Police Command, the Military Commandant (MMIA Airport) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the roles they played in seeking amicable resolution of the issue. “NEC thus condemned the deliberate frustration of the efforts of above government agencies by the management of Bi-Courtney. To this end, the NEC resolved that if the management of Bi-Courtney does not recall the terminated staff and allow unfettered unionisation of wiling staff of the company within two weeks from the date of the publication of this communiqué, ATSSSAN shall embark on a series disruption of operations at MMA2 until the management of BASL complies with its demands.”