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Ember Months: FRSC Warns Drivers Against Drink-Driving

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) last Friday cautioned motorists against drink- driving during the Yuletide, which it said usually resulted in road crashes.
The FRSC said that many lives had been lost, especially during Christmas as a result of  alcohol consumption by drivers, adding that it was collaborating with other stakeholders against the practice.
The Head of Operations, Mrs Dayo Odeleye, who represented Mr Vincent Jack, the Sector Commander, Ondo State, gave this warning while speaking with newsmen after an ‘Ember Month Flag Off’ in Ore.
The Tide source gathered that the programme, which was tagged, “Right to Life not Negotiable’ was organised for commercial drivers and other road users in Ore.
Jack also urged road users to ensure that their vehicles were always in good condition and that they should cooperate with FRSC officials on the highways during and after the ember months.
“Road accidents around this time of the year are caused by human errors, especially drivers, who drink alcohol before setting out on their journeys.
“We are making serious efforts with stakeholders to rid-off alcohol sellers at motor parks for the safety of lives and property on our highways,” Jack said.
Earlier, Mr Phiilip Ozonnandi, the Unit Commander in Ore, had urged drivers to desist from the use of expired tyres and speeding, which he said were major causes of road crashes.
The commander also said that the FRSC personnel would be deployed to the Benin-Ore expressway to arrest erring motorists, who violated traffic rules throughout the festive period.
“We can no longer fold our hands and watch loss of lives and property because of speeding.
“I urge drivers to install speed limiter in their vehicles, which is more useful in the reduction of speed to save lives and property,’’ Ozonnandi said.
Meanwhile, Prince George Adenikinju, the Caretaker Chairman, Odigbo Local Government Area, also admonished drivers to always sensitise their members on road use and good conditions vehicles.
In his response, Mr Sulimon Maruf, the Zonal Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ore Unit, who spoke on behalf of commercial drivers, urged his members to adhere strictly to traffic rules.
He also said that the FRSC effort was to ensure that drivers do not end up in hospitals or mortuaries, which could put their families in disarray.
In attendance at the event included representatives of transport unions including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACCOMORAN).
Also present were the FRSC Marshals, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) and Public Complaints Commission.

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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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