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NGO To Partner Govt On Firms’ Resuscitation

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8 years ago

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An NGO based in Akwa Ibom State, the Ibom Development and Empowerment Assembly (IDEA) says it is poised to partner with the state government to revamp moribund industries.
Addressing journalists in Uyo on Thursday on the objectives of the organisation, the Chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT) of the NGO, Prof, Alfred Itah said the body comprised seasoned academics and professionals.
Itah, who is a Professor of Microbiology,University of Uyo, said the NGO would give technical advice based on research to the state government for the revival of ailing industries.
“The group is founded by people of like minds with patriotic zeal to work in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom Government to develop and empower the citizens.
“We are here to galvanise ideas, itemise them and advise the state government on the implementation,” Itah said.
He enumerated some moribund industries in the state to include the Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC), Quality Ceramics, Qua Steel Company, International Biscuits and Sunshine Batteries.
Itah commended Governor Udom Emmanuel’s efforts at industrialisation and expressed the willingness of the body to serve as think-tank to advise the governor on rapid industrialisation of the state.
Itah said that the body was impressed by the governor’s investment in the agricultural sector with emphasis on large scale cultivation of cassava and tomato.
He also commended the governor’s ingenuity in the management of scarce resources.
The BOT chairman said that given the calibre of professionals in the body, it was planning to set up IDEA Microfinance Bank to assist the citizens with easy funds for economic activities.
Corroborating the BOT chairman, the organisation’s National Secretary, Prof. Ukana Akpabio, said that the body would soon draw up a blueprint on how to develop the resources of the state.
Akpabio, a Professor of Polymer and Industrial Chemistry, University of Uyo, said that NGO would educate the citizens on how to harness the natural resources in the land.
The NGO’s Director of Agricultural Development, Prof. Mathias Eka, said that the state had enormous potential in agriculture which  he said had not been tapped over the years.
Eka said the group would liaise with relevant government agencies on agriculture to boost food production through education and professional advice.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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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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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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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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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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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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