Category: National

Sending a subscriber at least five promotional SMSs a day can be frustrating! Some of these promotions are unrealistic and require you to go through many procedures, of which at the end you will spend money.

Many subscribers in Cameroon say this is enough! The companies have resulted in sending them so many text messages which are seemingly useless to them. They say the services are becoming frustrating and annoying and they have started hating the company. This comes on the heels of campaigns for flight mode activation by midday on April 24, 2023, as a protest for poor services in the private telecommunication sector.

“My SMS space is already full because of numerous messages from these telecommunication companies. I am so tired of them and funny enough I can’t be able to unsubscribe from these messages”. A subscriber complained.

“It is so annoying, you buy airtime or data for huge amounts indicated to be used for a month, and within minutes or hours, it’s finished. You even call them to inquire what is happening but no concrete response,” user, Hure Hamidou lamented.

“At times you receive messages to subscribe or dial some codes to win money to stuff and when you dial the codes you discover that they start cutting your mobile data or airtime. I even went to the extent of visiting their office but there was nothing fruitful that came from it. I just hate their services now, if I see a better service I will just switch” Nyah Nicolas said.

So far, MTN Cameroon’s Mobile Money service and Orange Money services are the major services that every Cameroonian is talking about. Just to remind you that these companies are the top private telecom companies in Cameroon.

The services offered by these companies became a threat to local money transfer companies including Express Union which had dominated money transfer in Cameroon for more than 10 years with little competition.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji-Uzor Kalu, has urged the incoming governments at all levels to partner the Church in accelerating the reconciliation of Nigerians.

Kalu made the call in Abuja on Friday at a mass to mark his 63rd birthday anniversary.

Kalu said there was an urgent need for the incoming administration to drive the needed peace and reconciliation in the country for the unity of Nigeria and Nigerians.

He said he would be fully committed to help drive the reconciliation among Nigerians, the Church and government.

Kalu said there was so much hatred amongst Nigerians, noting that government must partner fully with the Church to further drive good governance in the country.

“I am going full out to reconcile the church and the government, and this is major, the government can not do it alone, the Church needs the government and the government needs the Church.

“So it is a partnership that can work and work very well, so I am going to be in front, driving it to make sure there is a true reconciliation between Nigerians, the church and the government.

“I tolerate all races in Nigeria and I want Nigerians to tolerate everyone and not descriminate, ” Kalu said.

He said he would use his contacts, as a recognised global business man, to support the incoming government, adding that the Church needs to work with the government.

“We need to tackle the challenges in the economy as soon as possible.

“No election is perfect, there is need for the reconciliation of our faith, and our people; there is so much hatred in the land everywhere you go amongst Nigerians.

“People should continue to make peace, let Nigeria not be like Sudan, I call on my fellow politicians to continue to work for the unity of our country.”

Kalu dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu was sick, adding that the APC government would address the challenges faced by Nigerians.

“Our President-elect is not sick, it is not true, he is in good health and is safe.

“We need to think about the less privileged, about the masses, about the society; we need to think deeply that people must eat, we will come back to restructure this government.

“Nigeria has moved forward, and we will make effort to reconcile our self and the Nigerian people because Nigerian people have a very bad impression about the party I belong to.

“I nearly lost election in my constituency; this is where I have been state governor for eight years and people are saying elections were not credible, but the election is very credible.

“I want to praise the INEC; On my election I didn’t do anything; I was in my house, there was no money to give to anybody, I had no agent in my polling unit.

“I have not seen any election in the world that is very perfect, you must have issues,” Kalu said.

He said the 10th Senate collectively would be loyal to Nigerians, while urging Nigerians to also be loyal to the 10th assembly.

In his homily, Archbishop of Abuja Ignatius Kaigama, also prayed for peace and reconciliation of the country.

He said God had helped the celebrator in his 63 years of existence to overcome his challenges, saying that the celebrator had every reason to give God thanks.

He advised Kalu to continue to make God central in all his endeavour and urged him to remain courageous, inspite of challenges.

He urged politicians and leaders to fully identify with their Christian faith and not to be indifferent and anonymous on their faith.

He also urged the senator to continue to always speak out in favour of truth and Justice.

The clergy said the lawmaker had enormous responsibility, having been very impactful in the Senate.

“So we hope that he will drive the process of making Nigeria a better place; we are eager, we are thirsty, we are hungry for a better Nigeria and I think he is one person that can do that through his enormous contributions in the Senate.

“So whatever roles he plays in the Senate, let him play it well and maximally, so that we can have that desired change for a better Nigeria.

Participants at the mass were the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, Chris Ngige of Labour Ministry and that of the Ministry of Niger- Delta Affairs, Umana-Umana.

Others were lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly, captains of industries, top government functionaries and diplomats.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated Mr. Paul Andoh as the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for confirmation by the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipal Assembly in the Western North Region.

The Municipality has been without an MCE for some months now due to the demise of its former MCE, Mr. Alfred Amoah in a ghastly accident at Apedwa near Tafo in the Eastern Region on July 12, 2022.

The nomination of Mr. Paul Andoh was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Joojo Rocky Obeng, the Western North Regional Minister.

Mr. Andoh described as a visionary political actor, was the 1st Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai constituency.

The Nominee, in this political career, served as a polling station chairman, Coordinator and Assemblyman for Zongo electoral area in Sefwi-Bekwai as well as chairman for Development Planning and Finance Committee at the Bibiani Municipal Assembly.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some internal members of the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) Governing Council have described recent orchestrations by some supposed Concerned Alumni of the University seeking the removal of Reverend Prof. Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, as Chairman of the Council as baseless and without recourse to law.

According to them, on Wednesday, April 12, some made-up Alumni of the institution held a press conference demanding the removal of the Chairman of the Council.

They cited about 15 leadership mishaps including legal breaches, administrative inertia and infrastructure challenges among others.

Rebating such claims at a press conference on Monday, Mr. Uriah Stonewell Tetteh and Mr. Frederick Appiah, the spokespersons for the internal members of the Council, said the allegations was originated by some staff of the university and were tantamount to bringing the name of the institution into disrepute.

‘The press conference by the concerned Alumni appeared to have been born out of frustration of some disgruntled staff of CCTU who do not want to respect the dictates of the Technical University Act 922, (2016) as amended, just because they failed to get the Council Chairman out of office even before the reconstitution of the Governing Council.

‘The group has defied all legitimate structures and resorted to the use of friends, past students, subordinates to malign and vilify the integrity and reputation of the members of the Council,’ the Internal Members of the Council said.

Mr. Tetteh also said the allegation that the Council Chairman had unilaterally kicked against decisions to speed up the development and progress of the university was an unfounded and palpable falsehood as per the Section Five of the Technical University Act, 922(2016).

He said the allegations of the stoppage of strategic projects (Hostel Complex) on campus by the Chairman of the Council was false.

‘No Council will halt a project being executed having followed the due processes.

‘Per the Amendment Act of the Technical University (2018), Act 974, section eight, section 31 of Act 922 amended ‘a Technical University shall not acquire or hold moveable and immovable property, sell, lease, mortgage or otherwise alienate or dispose of that property without the approval of the Minister for Education given in consultation with the National Council for Tertiary Education (now Ghana Tertiary Education Commission),’ Mr. Tetteh said.

Furthermore, he said the alleged stoppage of a market project funded by the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) was also false because the University’s Council did not know about the acquisition of that piece of land and the erection of the market.

He said the Vice-Chancellor and his management team arranged with the developers to build the market on a private site instead of the University’s land and approval for the acquisition of the piece of land for such development was not sought from the Governing Council by Management before erecting the market structure.

Mr Tetteh said the University Council, was informed of the need to pay an amount of GH74, 250.00 for 0.27 acre, less than a plot of land, something he said the Council considered too exorbitant considering the critical financial situation of the University.

He said the decision of the Vice-Chancellor and his Management team to start the project without the approval of council was irregular and unacceptable.

On the alleged stalling of the construction of a shopping mall and a fuel station, he said the project was related to the signing of a memorandum of understanding for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement between the Management of the University and Oguaa Akoto Enterprise Limited to construct the projects on the University’s land.

He said it was however surprising to note that the Vice-Chancellor and his management team released the University’s land to the private developer to start the project without recourse to the University Council.

According to him apart from breaching the process of acquiring property as enshrined in section eight of Technical Universities (Amendment), Act 2018, Act 974, section 31, the project included a disco pub, casino and other units which will not inure to the benefit of the university and promote academic work.

Mr Tetteh said that project would rather influence students to resort to various social vices, adding that, the irregularities in the service agreement were captured in the 2021 Annual Audit Report which was circulated by the Auditor General and the Minister of Education.

He said the Auditor General recommended that Management should seek retrospective approval from the Minister for Finance, and Parliament for the PPP Agreement accordingly.

Mr Tetteh said the management of the University was also directed to seek the University Council’s approval retrospectively to legitimize the MOU, failure of which the project should be halted.

He said it therefore came as a surprise that the Council Chairman was being attacked for insisting on the right things to be done, the Members said.

Going forward, the Internal Members of the Council urged all staff and stakeholders to follow laid-down structures and desist from engaging in activities and utterances that dent the reputation of the institution.

‘It is our view that members of staff would do well to use laid-down channels to get their grievances resolved,’ the Internal Members of the Council advised.

‘For stakeholders like alumni, I will suggest that they should liaise with their National Alumni Association to make their concerns known to Council for consideration,’ the Internal Members of the Council said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen has urged Nigerians to stand in solidarity with security organisations by providing information that will help to rescue the remaining Chibok schoolgirls still in captivity.

She made the call in Abuja on Friday during prayer session to seek the face of God to rescue the girls, nine years after the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno, by Boko Haram.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 276 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno were abducted by Boko Haram sect on April 14, 2014.

Tallen said government had been working consistently to ensure the release of the remaining schoolgirls, as well as ensure the welfare of the rescued girls and their families.

She said “let the release of these children be the parting gift of this administration because I know how we have made every effort to ensure that.

“I know Mr President had pushed and got the security to do all they could; let God just wipe our tears and let the remaining 97 girls in captivity be released and that is why Nigerian women are crying to God today.”

Earlier, Col. Obinna Ezuipke, Head of the Intelligence Unite of the Joint Military Taskforce in the North- East, Operation Hadinkai, said out of the 276 abducted girls, 57 girls escaped in 2014, while 108 girls were released in 2018.

He added that three Chibok schoolgirls were recovered in 2019, two in 2021 and nine in 2022, with a total of 178 girls rescued and 96 still in captivity.

Also, Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director of Action Aid Nigeria, said Nigerian women believed in the capacity of the military and urged the force to redouble the efforts to secure the release of the remaining girls.

“We want to say well done to the Federal Government for all the efforts so far, but more needs to be done to secure the release of the remaining girls.

“We do believe in the capacity of the security of this country, the lives of our children should not be politicised. We need our children back,” she said.

Also, Mrs Ladi Bala, National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), stressed the need for drastic change from the political leaders to address challenges affecting the nation.

Bala called on the in-coming administration to give priority to women in appointive positions to ensure the safety of women and equity in all sectors.

Also, representatives of the women wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Mrs Hope Daniel and the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Amina Abdulganiyu, prayed for the release of the remaining chibok girls and other girls in captivity.

They also prayed for peace and security in the country.

The prayer session also featured prayers from other women faith associations for wisdom and guidance to the in-coming administration to judiciously steer the affairs of the nation and grant comfort to the families of the abducted schoolgirls.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The South East Forum for Senate Presidency, a pressure group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the party to zone the office of the Senate President to the South-East.

The Spokesperson of the group, Mr Nkem Ayanta-Lafia made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

He said following the outcome of the 2023 general elections, the South-West has produced President-elect in Sen. Bola Tinubu and the North-East produced Vice President-elect, in Sen. Kashim Shettima.

The spokesperson said that since the party’s National Chairman was from the North Central, it was important that the position goes to the South-East.

He said that the balancing of various offices in keeping with national diversity, was a kind of national healing and re-integration that Nigeria needed at this time.

Ayanta-Lafia said that the five states in the South-East zone produced six senators-elect on the platform of APC, representing 40 per cent performance.

He said there was no zone apart from the South-West and North-East where the president-elect and vice-president- elect is from, no zone given the number of states had done better than the South-East.

“We urge the leadership of the ruling APC, which possesses a majority of Senators-Elect in the coming 10th Senate to zone the position of President of the Senate to the South east Zone.

“We are appealing to the ruling party to back the emergence of a South easterner for the position.

“`The position will not only assuage the feelings of non-inclusion of the Igbo people in the mainstream of national affairs, but also afford them the opportunity to have a greater stake in the ruling APC.

“We call appeal to other senators-elect from other geopolitical zones interested in the position to, in the interest of national cohesion, unity and equity, jettison them and support the South east zone,” he said.

Earlier, Ayanta-Lafia said that the forum is made up of representatives of various sheds of political and cultural persuasions in the South-East.

He said that the group is campaigning, lobbying, advocating and networking with other integral parts of Nigeria for the realisation of a President of the Senate of an Igbo extraction.. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria