Connect with us

National

Prosperity Will Flow From NDDC -Ogbuku

Published

on

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has urged management and staff of the Commission to pray that the development and prosperity of the Niger Delta region continues to flow from the interventionist agency.

Ogbuku made the appeal during the annual thanksgiving service organised by the NDDC Christian Fellowship at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

He enjoined the staff to imbibe the culture of thanksgiving to attract more blessings from God, noting that the Almighty God had been faithful and merciful to the NDDC and thus deserved to be praised to pave way for a more prosperous new year.

The NDDC boss said: “We must give glory to God for making us who we are. I am elated that we have sustained the annual thanksgiving service because we have many things that we need to be thankful to God.”

Ogbuku appreciated both staff and management for taking out time to pray together for the progress of the Commission, stating: “We are planting God in NDDC premises. In furtherance to this, our directorate for Utility, Infrastructural Development and Waterways, UIDW, will design a place of worship to be incorporated into our headquarters complex.”

He lamented that over the years, people had wrong impressions about the NDDC, in spite of its efforts to drive the process of development of Nigeria’s oil-rich region.

The NDDC managing director assured that the current Board of the Commission was determined to reverse the wrong perception.

He appealed: “Let’s learn to love one another, because with love and unity we can do more for the people of the Niger Delta region.”

ALSO READ:  SERAP To Tinubu: Withhold Allocations from States Without Credible LG Polls

In his exhortation, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCCG), Remi Odebode, enjoined the NDDC staff to be thankful to God in every situation and commended the members of Commission’s Christian fellowship for their steadfastness in praising God.

Also speaking, the fellowship’s resident pastor, Mr. Udoma Sunday, observed that God had answered the prayers of the staff by bringing a new Board and a Chief Executive Officer “that is humane and eager to make a difference in the Niger Delta region.”

He said that Niger Deltans must continually praise and glorify God for blessing them with abundant natural resources.

National

Rivers political crisis: National Assembly to set up reconciliation committee

Published

on

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas says the National Assembly will set up a reconciliation committee to address the political differences in Rivers.

Abbas made this known while addressing members of the house at resumption of plenary from the Easter/Sallah break on Tuesday.

According to him, in the coming weeks, we shall work with the Senate to constitute a high-level committee on reconciliation.

”It will comprise of respected national figures that will facilitate dialogue, promote peace, and support the restoration of democratic order in Rivers and other conflict-affected regions.”

Abbas also condemned the unjustified killings of innocents Nigerians in Borno, Plateau, Benue, and Kwara by terrorists.

He noted that the resurgence of terrorist attacks in the North-East and communal clashes in Plateau have also resulted in fatalities.

”The House unequivocally condemns these attacks on innocent citizens. We acknowledge the need for renewed investment in security intelligence, surveillance technology, and inter-agency coordination.

”On behalf of the House, I extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and urge our security agencies not to only bring the perpetrators to justice but also redouble efforts to prevent further violence,” he said.

The speaker further said that environmental forecasts indicated that more than 30 states would face severe flooding during the upcoming rainy season.

He urged all relevant committees of the house to work with the Executive branch to review the country’s emergency preparedness, propose mitigation strategies, and provide oversight legislative frameworks on disaster risk management and climate resilience.

”As we prepare to address these immediate environmental challenges, we must also focus on our long-term legislative priorities.

ALSO READ:  Finidi George Resigns as Super Eagles Coach

”One such priority is the ongoing work of the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution.

”This committee has been diligently engaging stakeholders across the country and is expected to achieve substantial progress in the months ahead.

”Our goal remains clear. We aim to commence and complete the constitutional amendment process in good time with broad consensus and outcomes that reflect the will of the Nigerian people,” he added.

Abbas stressed the need for the house to move decisively to expedite the consideration and passage of critical bills that directly affected Nigerians’ stability, prosperity, and well-being.

He said that key among such bills was the much-anticipated electoral reform bill, which he said was fundamental to strengthening the country’s democratic processes.

He added that the house must also prioritise legislation in areas that impact the lives of all Nigerians including unemployment, poverty alleviation, fiscal reform, healthcare, education, and security. (NAN)

Continue Reading

National

Shettima: Lawful Sharing of Secured Data Will Make Africa’s Economy Thrive

Published

on

Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that African economies will thrive when the continent is able to lawfully share secured data.

He sated this in Abuja, Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA), with the theme, “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies” and the official launch of the Nigerian Virtual Privacy Academy (NVPA).

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, the vice president noted that the African economy will thrive when Africa can lawfully share secured data.

“We recognise that data is not merely a digital resource.It is a human story told in numbers. It is the fabric of trust in our economies. It is the currency of reliability in our institutions.

And as the African continental Future “Agreement expands the scale of its African exchange, our ability to share data securely and lawfully will define our capacity to thrive,” he said.

On the importance of the conference, he stated that such fora were not only welcome but essential, adding that they offer the chance to cross-pollinate ideas, to nurture human capital, and to strengthen mechanisms for mutual legal assistance.

He also spoke on the legal framework of NDPC, noting that “Nigeria’s legal framework for data protection is globally recognised as one of the most progressive.

According to the VP, “through it, we reassigned our alignment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. More importantly, our data protection ecosystem is now directly tied to the debris of the eight presidential priorities of this administration.”

ALSO READ:  Alleged ₦3.1bn Fraud: How I Delivered $15.8m Cash To Suswan In His Residence — Witness

In his addresses, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani said “Nigeria is fully committed to a future where technological progress is both inclusive and a right perspective.”

“ As we digitise government services, open up digital trade corridors, and advance the need for digital identity on the platform, we must ensure that our value chains are secure, fair, and transparent.

“This is not just about the platform, but it is about trust. And without trust, the digital economy cannot scale,” he said.

While launching the NVPA, the minister said, “This end permits me to again spotlight another of our strategic steps forward, the Data Protection Virtual Academy.

“This is the world’s first initiative aimed at delivering virtual training in data protection and privacy across both the public sector and the private sector.”

The President of NADPA, Iro Adamu, who was represented by the first Vice President, Immaculate Kassait from Kenya, stated that Africa was committed to a trust worthy digital environment.

“Our presence in Abuja serves as a testament to the unity and shared aspiration of Africa. Together we are committed to advancing towards a trustworthy digital environment that safeguards the privacy of individuals.”

“Human beings, regardless of gender, share common characteristics, that it’s necessary to safeguard, preserve their rights of personal data in this evolving digital landscape,” she added

According to her, the 2026 edition would be in Ivorian capital, Abidjan

The National Commissioner of National Data Protection Council (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, in his welcome address disclosed that the Nigerian data protection sector now has a cumulative revenue of over $10 million within the space of three years, adding that the ecosystem has also created about 23,000 jobs,

ALSO READ:  PMS price hike: NURTW, TOAN increase transport fares in Niger

“In terms of revenue to government, within less than two years, we were able to generate over $1.2 million to government in terms of registration fee, audit filing fee, and compliance fee on the part of data controllers and processors,” he said.

He called for a deeper collaboration among African data protection authorities for enforcement cooperation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing.

European Union (EU), Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunter, who was represented by the EU Head of Green and Digital Economy, Inga Stefanowcz, stated that the “EU is committed to working closely with Nigeria and Africa to deepen data protection.”

Continue Reading

National

Tinubu sends N1.78tr FCT budget to National Assembly for approval

Published

on

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has presented a budget of N1,783,823,708,309 as this year’s Appropriation Bill of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

In a letter read on the floor of the House by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the President said the budget presentation to the National Assembly was in line with the provisions of Section 299 of the Constitution which vest the legislative function of the FCT on the National Assembly.

He said the budget would prioritise investment in health, job creation, social welfare, increase agricultural production and capital development.

According to him, 85 per cent of the capital component of the budget will be dedicated to completing ongoing projects, while the remaining 15 per cent will go for new projects.

He urged the lawmakers to expedite action in the passage of the budget.

ALSO READ:  NANS debunks shutdown protest rumours
Continue Reading