Business
Return East-West Road Project To IDF, Reps Tell Minister Assure HYPREP Of Support On Clean-Up
Miffed by the poor state of the Ogoni axis of the East-West Road in Rivers State, the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, has lent its voice to the need for the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to return the construction of the road project to the Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) where it was originally placed by the Federal Government to facilitate its timely execution and completion.
This is even as the committee has promised to support the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) on the ongoing Ogoni clean-up project and other interventionist activities embarked upon by the agency to improve the wellbeing of the people.
The committee, which gave this indication during an oversight visit to some project sites in Eleme and Gokana Local Government Areas on Wednesday, strongly condemned the deplorable condition of the Ogoni axis of the East-West Road, and directed Senator Akpabio to return the road project to the IDF without further delay.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the committee members in Eleme, Chairman of the committee and member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Dekor said the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs does not have the capacity to handle the road project, and therefore, directed the Minister to return it to the IDF forthwith.
He wondered why the road project was in the first place removed from the IDF by the Minister, stressing that the people of the Niger Delta deserve some measure of respect from the Federal Government, particularly in terms of giving them what rightly belongs to them and ameliorating their sufferings.
Dekor decried the poor state of the Ogoni axis of the East-West Road, irrespective of the fact that huge revenue resources are coming from the area, going by the calibre of companies and federal agencies and instructions located within the area.
The lawmaker noted that he had personally led protest over the deplorable state of the road, and regretted that nothing concrete was still being done by the Federal Government to change the trend, contending that the situation, as observed by the committee members during the oversight tour, wherein trailers and other heavy duty trucks were frequently falling on the road, was indicative of the number of lives being lost on the road on a daily basis.
Consequent upon this, Dekor affirmed that the East-West Road as it is today is terribly bad, and urged the Federal Government to do something urgently to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
He placed on record that the road is an important carriageway leading to several states and communities within the Niger Delta region and even beyond, and therefore, contended that it deserves priority attention from the Federal Government.
Dekor, however, commended the new HYPREP team led by Prof. Philip Shekwolo for the good works it is doing in Ogoniland, and expressed delight that the committee members were able to visit some ongoing water project sites as well as clean-up sites in the area.
He assured that the committee would do what is right legislatively to ensure that the remediation project succeeds.
Dekor particularly praised the Rivers State Government and HYPREP for the massive water project in Eleme, and expressed the hope that the facility would be made functional soonest in order to provide potable drinking water to Ogoni people.
On his part, HYPREP’s Director of Operations, who is also overseeing the Coordinating Office in Port Harcourt, Prof. Philip Shekwolo thanked members of the committee for the oversight visit, and assured that the agency would continue to discharge its core mandate of improving the wellbeing including the health and other needs of the Ogoni people.
He said HYPREP had embarked on several interventionist activities and projects, geared towards improving the living conditions of the people, and listed the Centre of Excellence project, provision of training to the people, among other initiatives as some of the bold steps taken by the agency to better the lot of the people.
The committee members also paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Gokana Local Government Area,Hon Confidence Deko who assured that the council would work with the lawmakers to ensure that Ogoni people are given the best in the clean-up project, asserting that the local government was the worst hit by environmental degradation.
He, however, appealed to HYPREP to make its presence felt more in the local government, and assured of his administration’s readiness to work with it to give Ogoni people all that they deserve in the remediation project.
The committee visit ongoing clean-up sites in Kpor and B-Dere Communities in Gokana Local Government Area and the water project site in Eleme Local Government Area.
By: Donatus Ebi
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter