30/ NEWS
22.04.2016
Okorocha, Ambode Parley on Way Forward for Imo indigenes in Lagos Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha and his Lagos State counterpart, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode met at the first National Forum on the economy organised by The Nation Newspaper at the Airport Hotel Ikeja, Lagos, recently to discuss on the way forward for Lagos State and the Imo indigenes. The duo thereafter met with the Imo indigenes under the umbrella of Imo State Towns Development Association, Lagos (ISTDAL). Eminent Sons and daughters of Imo State in Lagos and environs were on ground to receive the governor who came to parley with them. Okorocha in his address thanked Imo indigenes for their useful contributions to his government and the development of the state and advised them to be good ambassadors of the state. According to a release issued by the Information Officer of the Imo Liaison Office in Lagos, Mrs. Chizoba Udokamma, Okorocha charged them to continue in their efforts at ensuring that Imo moves to a greater height, promising that his administration will do its best to give all Imo people better opportunities. Okorocha also commended Ambode for his cooperation with Imo people and the entire Ndigbo in Lagos State and appealed to him not to relent. "I am pleased with the cordial relationship you have with Imo
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
L-R: Ambode, Steve Asimobi and Okorocha putting heads together the in Lagos
indigenes in Lagos and I will like you to continue with that." Special Assistant to Okorocha on Liaison in Lagos, Bar Steve Asimobi appealed to Ambode to provide a portion of land for the construction of Imo Cultural Centre in Lagos where Imo indigenes will exhibit their cultural activities and other social gatherings. Asimobi also called on Ambode to appoint an Imo indigene as one of his advisers. Responding, Ambode commended Okorocha and the entire Imo people in Lagos for their continued support for the government of the state and promised to provide land
for the construction of Imo Cultural Centre in Lagos. He called on Imo indigenes to pay their taxes regularly in order to benefit from the government. "I am determined to carry everyone along, especially Imo indigenes. But they should pay their taxes so that we can serve them better." Ambode also assured that the state government would soon commence road reconstruction work at Maza Maza, FESTAC, Satellite Town and other areas that need urgent attention. "We are now focusing attention to Okota and Ejigbo area and very soon, we get to other places because we are out to serve everybody."
Avon HMO Provider Celebrates Worthy Hospitals Leading Health Maintenance Organisation, Avon Healthcare Limited (Avon HMO) has rewarded three hospitals as part of its ongoing Provider Incentive Programme. Three Lagos-based hospitals, National Air Force Hospital (Ikeja), Med-In Specialist Hospital (Ogudu) and Bee Hess Hospital (Akowonjo) and their HMO officers received diesel supply and plasma TVs. The Avon HMO Provider Incentive Programme rewards hospitals and HMO officers who are timely, consistent and accurate in submitting utilisation data on primary care as well as secondary and tertiary care services. Mrs. Adesimbo Ukiri, MD/CEO of Avon HMO, described this incentive as a key step taken by Avon HMO to advance the collection, availability and use of robust medical utilisation data. “In Nigeria, we are seeing an increase in chronic diseases and escalating healthcare costs. If HMOs are to offer health plans that truly cater to the current and future needs of our people, we need comprehensive data to guide our product development initiatives”, Ukiri added. Launched in 2015, the programme is part of the company’s vision to set new standards and drive the industry forward. Ukiri explained further that the data being collected would identify and track disease
Medical Director, Med-In Specialist Hospital, Dr. Olugbenga Awosika,(left), receiving a gift from Group Head, Provider Services, Avon HMO, Dr. Adebanjo Oni, (right) during the Avon HMO Provider Incentive
prevalence and patterns, especially at primary care levels and inform our disease prevention and wellness initiatives. She noted that this approach highlights why managed care organisations such as Avon HMO provide more than just health insurance. “Ultimately this will help achieve better patient experience, minimise disease re-occurrence and reduce re-admission rates for the same diagnosis,” she added. Head, Provider Services, Avon HMO,
Dr. Adebanjo Oni, said he hoped that the efforts of Avon HMO would kick start a transformation in the HMO industry and lead to increased awareness on the importance of maintaining accurate and robust medical data. Dr. Olugbenga Awosika, Medical Director, Med-In Specialist Hospital, Ogudu, Lagos, one of the rewarded hospitals, stated that one reason why his hospital is in partnership with Avon HMO is because “Avon is innovative and purpose driven.
Honeywell Reiterates Commitment to Skills Development For Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, training and impartation of knowledge to bakers to make their business more result-oriented will continue to be a priority, according to the Managing Director, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola. Jaiyeola, speaking at the company’s Apapa, Lagos office during the 29th Certificate Award Ceremony of the Honeywell Flour Mills Plc Baking School, reiterated the company’s vision to equip bakers with the most important resource, that is the knowledge required to run profitable operations and build enduring businesses. “This vision is driven by the understanding of the impacts small and medium scale businesses can have in our country as engines of job creation and enablers of wealth distribution, of which the baking industry represents, being one of the largest SME in terms of numbers and size in the country”, he said. He added that “at Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, we believe the Nigerian bakers need a broader mix of skills; this is why for close to a decade we have committed resources to the training of over 374 Master Bakers from
Over 200 Artistes to Participate in Afenmai Masquerades Festival
L-R: Executive Director Marketing, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc., Mr. Benson Evbuomwan; Best Graduating Student, Oluchi Kalu and Executive Director Manufacturing, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc., Dr. Nino Ozara, during the 29th Regular Course of Honeywell Baking School Graduation in Lagos
different parts of the country in a total of 29 regular courses and one executive course. Jaiyeola, represented by Executive Director, Manufacturing, Dr. Nino Ozara noted that “in an increasingly competitive world, we believe improved quality of thinking
usually provide the necessary competitive edge – an idea that opens new doors to success, a technique that solves a problem, or an insight that simply makes a sense of it all by being at the fore-front in the training of bakers in Nigeria”.
The fifth edition of the yearly “Mass Assembly of Afenmai Masquerades and Traditional Troupes” organised by Afenmai Heritage and Cultural Studies holds on Saturday, April 23rd, 2016, at the Ikelebe Sports Arena, Auchi. Founder and Creative Director, Afenmai Heritage and Cultural Studies, Alhaji Usman Abudah, said the event would start by 11am. In press statement made available to THISDAY, Abudah said masquerades and traditional troupes from the six local government councils of the Edo North Senatorial District, numbering over 200 artistes would be participating. He also disclosed that an exhibition of handloom weaving, sculpturing, and publications by Afenmai writers, skin decoration and costume production will be featured. Abudah noted that the maiden edition launched in March 2010 by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka at Auchi, is a package to unfold the creative themes of the Afenmai people whose natural awareness of realistic approaches to life that ought not to be allowed to be swallowed up by pretentious “western cultural attitudes” that would never be abandoned and left to sink.
NTA, Arewa24 Announce Partnership The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and AREWA24, the all-Hausa language entertainment and lifestyle satellite TV channel has announced a broad programming partnership agreement involving all 17 NTA terrestrial broadcast stations across Northern Nigeria. Under the groundbreaking content-sharing agreement, Northern Nigerian NTA stations will broadcast a selection of AREWA24’s most popular original shows, including the channel’s award-winning dramatic series, "Dadin Kowa," and four other programmes. NTA and AREWA24 share a common interest in providing Northern Nigerian audiences with the most popular, locally relevant and highest quality Hausa-language entertainment programming. Initial NTA launch markets include: NTA-Abuja, NTABauchi, NTA-Kaduna, NTA-Kano, NTA-Maiduguri and NTA-Sokoto, with other stations rolling out in the coming months. According to the Managing Director, NTA Television Enterprises, Maxwell Loko, "This new content-sharing partnership with AREWA24 allows our Northern Nigerian NTA stations to continue providing their viewers with original, high quality and popular Hausa language programming across a variety of genres and formats." In addition to Dadin Kowa, the initial slate of original AREWA24 programming to be aired on the NTA stations includes “Kundin Kannywood,” a behind-the-scenes look at Kannywood, its actors, directors and influencers; “Alawar Yara,” a children’s show; “Matasa@360,” a weekly magazine series that explores contemporary youth culture in Northern Nigeria from diverse perspectives; “Waiwaye,” a magazine show focused on arts and culture; “Tauraruwa,” a chronicle of female role models from diverse walks of life; and, “Zafafa Goma” (Top-10), the channel’s music countdown program hosted by AREWA24’s own Hausa Hip Hop star, Nomiis Gee. “AREWA24 is excited to work with the NTA to bring some of our best original programming to NTA audiences throughout the North,” said the Channel Promotion and Development Manager, Kabiru Riruwai who is managing the partnership from the AREWA24 side. “Due to the extensive reach of the NTA network and its historical significance across the country, this programming partnership gives Northern Nigerians from all walks of life access to high quality and locally relevant Hausa language entertainment and lifestyle programming”, Riruwai said further. Celestine Umeibe, AREWA24’s Head of Commercial Operations, added, “This content-sharing partnership with the NTA is a clear win-win arrangement for both parties and is consistent with our shared mission of further developing media in Northern Nigeria.” AREWA24 currently produces 13 original series at its production studios in Kano, including Dadin Kowa, a daily Breakfast Show, Kundin Kannywood, Waiwaye, Matassa@360, Alawar Yara and Tauraruwa (Role Models); plus two music-oriented series, Hip Hop and Top 10. Other series include, “Taka Leda,” the channel’s leading sports format, a cooking show and “Daga Masu Kallon Mu,” which answers questions from AREWA24’s viewers.