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NBC Warns Broadcast Stations Against Hate Speeches

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Ahead of the forthcoming elections, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it will impose heavy sanctions on broadcast stations which  promote hate speeches.
The Director General of the commission, Mr Is’haq Kawu, said  this on Thursday in Enugu at  the inauguration of  Family Love FM 99.9 at the European Quarters in  Ngwo.
Kawu was represented at the event by a director in the commission, Mr Armstrong Idachaba.
He said that the commission had taken note of hate speeches from some parts of the country, adding that it  would guard against its  infiltration in  the broadcast industry.
“We are already seeing signs of hate speeches among Nigerians and would not tolerate it in the broadcast industry as we prepare for the 2019 elections.
“Our broadcast stations should rather be used to engender tolerance, mutual respect as well as promote unity among Nigerians,” he said.
Kawu said that the broadcast industry had witnessed tremendous growth in the last few years owing to the complete deregulation of the sector.
He said that there were about 800 radio stations in the country, adding that what was expected of them was  healthy competition.
“We now have a very competitive private sector that is experiencing great growth.
“Competition in the sector now has multiplier effects in the country in terms of job creation and education.
“The competition among the various players in the industry must continue to be friendly, ‘’ Kawu said.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Group Managing Director of Multimesh Broadcasting Company Ltd., Mr Godfrey Ohuabunwa,  said that company was conceived 32 years ago.
Ohuabunwa said that the station would usher in a new dimension to broadcasting in the South East Zone of  Nigeria.
“Our passion for broadcasting has its roots on the need to affect the society that is virtually derailing from basic tenets of upright living and morality.
“This decay has affected our society much so that there seem not to be value for life, stewardship and right standing with God,” he said.
He said that programmes of the station were structured toward the improvement of family values and standards.
Ohuabunwa appealed to regulators in the industry to provide a level playing ground and opportunities for private sector participation in the industry.
He also appealed to relevant government agencies to review downwards customs duties and taxes payable on communication and broadcast equipment for greater results.
“One of the problems which has continued to bedevil this industry is the cost of operations and roll out,” he said.
The Tide source reports that the company is also licensed as a private cable satellite broadcasting company and one of the biggest satellite distribution Pay TV companies.
It also has a radio station in Rivers, Abia and Abuja.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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