Curator

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Babajide Komolafe GUARANTY Trust Bank Plc said that its newly introduced mobile application, GTWorld will not replace its USSD banking service but rather complement it. Managing Director/Chief Executive, GTBank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, stated this while fielding questions from journalists during the launching of GTWorld. Agbaje stated that while the USSD platform was targeted at all mobile phone users, GTWorld was targeted at Smartphone users. He said that USSD Platform was introduced to ensure that all the customers of the bank can conduct mobile banking irrespective of the kind of phones they use. We are aware everybody will not have a Smartphone, so the USSD platform will be sustained to ensure that those who do not have Smartphone can use their phones to conduct banking transactions. Built on the back of the bank’s customer-centric digital strategy, GTWorld features biometric authentication, such as facial recognition and fingerprint, which recognizes a cust...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Favour Nnabugwu LAGOS State Government has conducted a verification exercise of non-pensionable staff in 20 local governments and 37 local community development areas of the State. The exercise was carried out by the State establishment department under the Lagos State Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions, in conjunction with the Office of the Head of Service and Office of the Auditor General Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson told Vanguard Insurance last week that recommendations of the committee have been approved for implementation by the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. He said the department has also, in conjunction with the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, carried out an exercise on workforce planning and streamlining of contract appointment at the Lagos Water Corporation. In the same vein and in line with extant provisions, approvals for payment of severance allowance...

http://ift.tt/2phXU47 By Tare Youdeowei AS it turns out, children are not left out of the gadget and smart devices craze. Whether it is an acquisition by observation or just plain smart, it’s a matter for another day. Truth is smart phones are here to stay and they play a key role in the development of children. In school, even public and unity schools, children are using smart devices to aid learning. The monopoly of the textbook is fast fading. At home, usage doubles for some. Parents have phones, tablets and laptops lying around, children use them. This is healthy till they come across damaging websites or dangerous people on social media platforms. You might wonder how a child can be on social media but face it, if you are mentally equipped for social media, they are more than equipped. Nevertheless, no matter how smart children are, they are not psychologically equipped for the internet, hence the need to keep them safe from predators and damaging sites in cyberspace. Here, ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Amaka Abayomi & Elizabeth Uwandu LAGOS State Governor,   Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the rapid advancement in technology, especially the internet, will make learning a lot easier for Lagosians. He made this known at the launch of the first digital library in the state, which is one of Africa’s  largest learning platforms where, among others things, a global competitive economy would be built;  and which would make Lagos the next technological hub in Africa. The library is also expected to provide access to knowledge for all through the collection and citation of digital content by online portal. Present at the historic launch were the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, who represented Ambode; Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh; Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun; Director, Lagos State Library Board, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal and private and public stakeholders in the educa...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Wole Mosadomi M inna— A Minna high court, yesterday, granted former governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, and his one-time Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Commerce, Alhaji Umar Nasko bail. Justice Aliyu Maiyaki, in his ruling on the application for bail by the two accused persons, who were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged corruption and other offences, said he was granting them bail because the offences for which they were charged “are ordinarily bailable.” The judge granted Aliyu N150 million bail with two sureties in like sum. He is also to provide two sureties with landed properties in Minna worth N200 million each, and that the Certificates of Occupancy, C of O, of the landed properties be deposited with the Court Registrar for the duration of the trial. Nasko was granted N100 million bail with two sureties in like sum. But in his case, his surety must have properties worth N150 m...

http://ift.tt/2jSrjKO By Chinonso Alozie THE provost of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Mrs. Blessing Ijioma, said that the institution’s microfinance bank was not affected by “headwinds in the economy.” The provost revealed this to Southeast Voice in Owerri, as part of the end of year report and financial statements of the bank. She said, “I am delighted to welcome you all to the fourteenth annual general meeting of the bank, Alvan Microfinance Bank Limited. It is with great pleasure that I present to you the audited financial statements of the bank for the year ended December 31, 2015“Although the economic climate has not been clement, we look forward to presenting to you results which will meet your expectations. As you may observe, we were not significantly affected by the headwinds in the economy. We wish to assure you that the enormous support and relentless backing of the college management, board of directors and other stakeholders have been of immense benefits ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chinonso Alozie THE Imo State government has been urged to provide good drinking water to communities that were still facing the challenge. A survey carried out by Centre for Constitutional Governance, CGC, which copy was given to Southeast Voice in Owerri, alleged that such situation was evident in three local government areas in the state. They are Ikeduru, Oru West and Ehime Mbano while the quality of life of residents in those areas should be given quick attention by the government. As captured by the survey, the challenges vary as some have the stream as the only source of their water while some neither have borehole nor stream. According to the report, “The citizen report card is an international best practice tool for contributing to service delivery. By means of collecting feedback on the quality and adequacy of public services from actual users. The citizen report card provides a rigorous basis and a proactive agenda for communities and local gover...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J 13 persons missing after attack by armed men They prevent us from going to fish, farm, etc – Villagers Village head appeals to federal, state governments for security, relief materials By Ike Uchechukwu UBAMBAT OKOYONG—NATIVES of Ubambat Okoyong community, Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State, have cried out that they have been put under siege by warlords allegedly from Oku Iboku, Akwa Ibom State, who unleashed mayhem on them, last week, culminating in the disappearance of more than 13 villagers and devastation of properties worth millions of naira. The inhabitants, who spoke to NDV, disclosed that the people were defenceless and being prevented from fishing, farming and other business activities by armed men because they offered shelter to fleeing indigenes of Ikot Offiong that is embroiled in a land tussle with Okuiboku. Why Oku Iboku is attacking us —Eyo Secretary of Ubambat Elders Council, Mr. Michael Eyo, who corroborated the claim, stated...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Akpokona Omafuaire OMADINO — PUPILS up till now sit on bare floor to study in Delta State, while the head teacher and staff of a government-owned school in Delta State have neither offices nor chairs and tables to write on. NDV made the startling discovery at 77-year-old Jelu Primary School, Omadino and intriguingly, an oil-rich community in Warri South Local Government Area. It was an appalling spectacle as human excreta littered the school’s toilets and classrooms with pupils, some without uniforms, sitting on the bare floor to learn. A gaze upward showed that the ceilings of many of the classrooms had been destroyed long ago with the ramshackle floor and environment infested with reptiles. The neglect of the school founded in 1940 by both community leaders and government is mind-blowing. With just one block of six classrooms, there are no windows, doors, chairs, chalkboards and staff room when NDV visited. It was learned that most members of the commun...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Anayo Okoli U MUAHIA —THE immediate past governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial district, Senator Theodore Orji, said that contrary to insinuations, he has no plans to leave the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. There were speculations that Senator Orji had made plans to abandon the crisis-ridden opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, with some political watchers speaking on the purported action. In a telephone interview  with newsmen, the former governor said that he had never contemplated leaving the PDP for any reason and that joining the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC or any other political party was news to him. “I have never contemplated leaving the Peoples Democratic Party. At no time did I discuss with anybody and no time did I mention such to any individual or group because it is not in the pipeline and will never be there. “Why would I want to leave my party,...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Peter Okutu ABAKALIKI —EBONYI State government, weekend, called on farmers to always make use of quality seeds, especially during the 2017 planting season as it would ensure food security of the nation. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Barr Uchenna Orji made the call at the headquarters of the Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, Onuebonyi, Abakaliki during a one day conference by the South- East Zone of the National Agricultural Seed Council, NASC, in the State. Orji who commended the organizers for the initiative stated that the usage of quality seeds by farmers would not only ensure commercial production of food for exports but also check mate the importation of food into the country for consumption and other purposes. The Commissioner further enjoined the National Agriculture Seed Council to intensify efforts towards ensuring quality control of seeds supplied to farmers in Nigeria, especially for the 2017 planting se...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Crude oil price below $52 Oil Price will stay at $55 in 2017 – World Bank By Udeme Akpan, Ediri Ejoh & Prince Okafor T HE Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC has raised alarm that the volatile market remains under threat because of an alleged over-production of non-OPEC members. The Secretary General of OPEC, Dr. Sanusi Barkindo disclosed in a presentation that the organisation has observed over-production from some nations, particularly the United States in recent times. He said that in the January 2017 OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report, non-OPEC supply was anticipated to grow by 120,000 b/d in 2017. Barkindo disclosed that in the April report, this number had risen to 580,000 b/d, driven mainly by expectations for rising growth in the US, as well as in Canada and Brazil. He pointed out that in the US alone, expectations for 2017 were for a decline of 150,000 b/d back in the November 2016 report, while in the April report it is now estimat...