Education

ICRC Charges Journalists On Conflict Reporting

Published

9 years ago

November 28, 2016

Nigerian journalists have been charged to intensify efforts at ensuring adequate coverage of under-reported armed conflicts and deadly violence in communities so as to reduce tension and promote peace, security and sustainable development in the country.

They have also been told that it was only through professional investigative journalism that potential triggers of armed conflicts and violence in communities can be forestalled and mitigated by the proactive response of security agencies, voluntary humanitarian organisations and governments.

The Abuja Communications Coordinator, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Aleksandra Matijevic Mosimann, stated these in her remarks at the opening session of a two-day training event for select journalists, at Ritz Continental Hotel, Abuja, last week.

The training opportunity, organised in partnership with the Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS)s, brought together ….. print, radio and television journalists drawn from across the North, South and the Middle Belt of the country, and focused on, “Humanitarian Reporting: How International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Protect Journalists.”

Mosimann explained that the strategic annual workshop was designed to build the capacity of journalists in the area of ‘humanitarian reporting’, while creating a platform for national media discourse on issues faced by professionals in reporting armed conflicts and violence.

She emphasised the importance of the event to help increase awareness of international humanitarian law, deepen understanding of activities of ICRC and NRCS to the promotion of peace, unity and development, as well as share expertise on how the provision of First Aid could enhance chances of survival of victims of violent conflicts, including insurgencies, cult-related violence, herdsmen-farmers’ skirmishes and communal disturbances.

According to her, “The ICRC is working on ensuring that stakeholders in the media industry understand the weight of responsibility that comes with reporting on humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and other situations of violence as well as understanding the protection that they are entitled to under the IHL.”

Speaking as a resource person, the Communications Assistant, ICRC, Sylbil Sagay, said the aim of international humanitarian law was to prevent suffering during armed conflicts, adding that ICRC had the responsibility to provide desperately needed voluntary legal expertise to support the efforts of the Nigerian authorities to ratify and implement IHL treaties.

The National Head of Communications, NRSC, Nwakpa Okorie Nwakpa, explained that the society’s volunteers provide First Aid, evacuate casualties and collect dead bodies from scenes of conflicts, and hand same over to the authorities, while ensuring that relevant information was recorded to help families track missing relatives and loved ones.

He highlighted the vital role volunteers of the Red Cross play in focusing efforts at providing access to difficult-to-reach areas where both Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other victims of armed conflicts and violence facing severe food shortages, and providing reliefs to those who urgently need them.

“The Red Cross also meets with the elders of negatively impacted communities seeking their support in identifying those affected to enable them effectively distribute food and essential household items to IDPs, returnees and residents,” Nwakpa added.

He challenged journalists to focus more attention on coverage of unreported cases and victims of armed conflicts, cult-related violence, insurgency, militancy and other hot spots of death and human cruelty and annihilation, and the challenges they face so as to provide first responders and governments with necessary information that could aid responsible handling of the problems.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Education

RIVCHPP Set To Take Health Insurance Scheme To Tertiary Institutions In Rivers State

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is set to take the health insurance scheme to schools, especially tertiary institutions, in the state.

This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, when she led a team from RIVCHPP on an advocacy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education on Friday, 16th January 2026.

Dr. Agala, who solicited authorisation from the Ministry for RIVCHPP to write to the institutions under Ministry’s mandate so as to begin enrolment of students in the various schools , said that for the health insurance agency to expand universal health coverage of the state, then students need to be enrolled into the programme.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary announced that the agency has also started talks with the State branch of Nigeria Association of Proprietors of Private Secondary Schools (NAPPSS) to ensure that no one in the state is left out from having the opportunity of accessing quality healthcare services without passing through financial hardship.

Dr. Agala also commended the innovative policies that the Permanent Secretary have brought to bear towards improving the educational exploits in the state, saying that the changes align to the interest and mandate of Governor Siminialayi Fubara stance on education.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary appreciated the Permanent Secretary for giving the team audience, pledging her team’s dedication and commitment to clients’ satisfaction, calling on schools to embrace the S-SHIP package dedicated for the well-being of students in Rivers State.

In her remarks and response, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr.(Mrs. ) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, who warmly welcomed the RIVCHPP team, promised to share with and disseminate all information about RIVCHPP to all public schools in the state so that the schools will be willing to give RIVCHPP opportunity to sensitise them on what RIVCHPP is all about and the benefits of signing up with RIVCHPP.

Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu advised RIVCHPP to be proactive and consistent in the mandate of providing affordable and quality health care to Rivers residents.

The visit witnessed a presentation of RIVCHPP’s sensitisation/campaign materials to the Permanent Secretary by RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary

Education

University Don wants AI to be made compulsory course

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study

He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.

To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalize capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code

AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall.

The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. “Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course.

This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others,” he said.

The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.

Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, “Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI – has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it.

Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations.

Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeoman’s job as its founding Dean.

The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.

Education

FG, ASUU Set Date to Sign Agreement

Published

2 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government is set to formally sign an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities following weeks of negotiations.

The development may be linked to the 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff proposed by the FG last month and accepted by the union.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.

The circular, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

It was titled ‘Invitation to the Ceremony for the Signing of Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.’

The circular was sighted by our correspondent on Saturday and confirmed by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

“This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities.

“It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed

Attendance at the ceremony was declared mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance attached to the agreement and its implementation.

Last month, the industrial crisis that had burdened Nigeria’s university system for 16 years following the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement saw the union accept the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff.

It was reported that the deal, effective from January 1, 2026, would be reviewed after three years

Why FG Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Non-Implementation of Council Autonomy

Under the new terms, professors will earn a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development, greater university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact also guarantees that no staff member involved in past industrial actions will be victimised.