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Enugu To Participate In 2nd Phase Digital Switchover

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The Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Alhaji Is’haq Kawu has listed Enugu as one of the states to participate in the second phase of the digital switchover of the commission.
Speaking yesterday in Enugu during a courtesy call on the State’s Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, Kawu said that the next move was to accelerate the process across the country.
He said that one state was chosen in each of the six regions of the country, adding that selection of Enugu was informed due to its socio-cultural relevance to the South East.
“The estimated population of the state as at December 2016 is 3. 692 million while the total number of households are projected to be 820, 117.
“The projected Television Households in Enugu State represent about 91 per cent of the total households at 742, 210,” he said.
Kawu solicited the participation of the state government in the financing, procurement, manufacture and distribution of the Set Top Boxes (STB) that would enable residents of the state watch Digital Terrestrial Television.
“The essential components of the switchover include the installation of digital transmission systems by our licensed Signal Distributors and the distribution of thousands of Set Top Boxes.
“Without the boxes, no one can watch Digital Terrestrial Television in the state because these boxes will be the new way to watch television,” he said.
He said that the usage of the STBs had economic underpinning as it would open opportunities for local councils to access revenues from television licensing.
“The commission will be willing to facilitate setting up of a manufacturing plant for production of the boxes in the state to service the remaining states of the zone.
“This is a win-win situation for all of us because the digital switchover is a platform for jobs especially for the young people,” he said.
Kawu said that the commission had on December 22, started the switchover in Abuja following the pilot phase that was effected in Jos in April 2016.
“In Jos we gave our viewers a bouquet of 15 television channels, while the Abuja Switchover is offering 30 television channels to viewers in FCT.
“We missed two deadlines to achieve the transition in 2012 and 2015; but the Nigerian government has committed itself to achieving a national transition by June 2017.
“This is a major logistical, technical and financial challenge for all Nigerians but it is a process the NBC is committed to completing for Nigerians,” he said.
Kawu said that the process was a fulfillment of an international obligation by the government to ensure the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting services.
Responding, Ezeilo said that the state government would continue to accord the commission all necessary support in the discharge of their obligations.
She commended the commission for inclusion of the state in second phase of the digital transition.
“We assure you of our commitment toward the discharge of your duties in the state,” Ezeilo said.

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FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

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The Nigeria Immigration Service 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, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

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.

He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.

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FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.

This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.

The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.

The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.

From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.

From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.

Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.

From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.

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KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus

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The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.

The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.

The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the  Polytechnic, recently.

Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.

He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.

This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly,  Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.

The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.

Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.

He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.

The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.

Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.

 

Chinedu Wosu

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