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Gov Diri Harps On Implementation of Research Findings

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3 years ago

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Governor Douye Diri, of Bayelsa has stressed the need for the implementation of critical research findings of individuals and agencies as an integral part of national development strategy in the country.

Diri laid the emphasis when students of Senior Course 44 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Government House, Yenagoa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Governor was represented by his deputy Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

He called for the establishment of a special security outfit to effectively police waterways in the country, especially in Bayelsa because of its peculiar location and security challenges.

On research, he emphasized that no country will make any appreciable progress in terms of development without a significant investment in meaningful research and execution of its outcomes.

Governor Diri, lamented that although Nigeria has surfeit of research study findings, not much of such efforts had impacted the country’s development agenda.

The Bayelsa Chief Executive who noted that most brilliant research works had been swept under the carpet, however, expressed optimism that the outcome of the research being conducted by members of the Senior Course 44 Team would not go the way of others.

Pointing out the nexus between socioeconomic deprivation and insecurity,  he asserted that most of the security challenges in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country will be solved if there is equity and fairness.

While making a case for increased security on the waterways in Bayelsa, Diri, commended security agencies in the state, particularly the Nigerian Navy for swiftly rescuing a kidnap victim in Bayelsa.

governor Diri charged the various security agencies in the country to shun nepotism and unnecessary competition, but rather complement the effort of one another in the fight against crime and insecurity.

His words: “The essence of research is to contribute to development. Research will be empty or mere barking without biting if it is not attached to the development. All over the world, people have spent more money on research.

“In fact, reports have it that the money Singapore is spending on research is more than what the people of entire Africa invest in research.

“And the outcome of that effort has helped them to go far in terms of development.

“So, I believe it is time for Nigeria and Africa to implement the outcome of its research studies because most of such works have gathered dust and have even been eaten up by cockroaches in our shelves as a result of lack of implementation.

“But I believe that this will not go the same way. The Federal Government should, as a matter of duty,  make sure that the outcome of your studies every year, is taken as part of national development strategy,” he said.

In his remarks, Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies of the College, Rear Adm. Patrick Nwatu, took memory lane to his days in Bayelsa and lauded the development efforts of successive administrations of the state, which he noted, has made significant progress.

He assured the state government that the outcome of the research would

be made available to all relevant stakeholders and put to use for the good of the state and the country at large.

Earlier, the leader of the Team, Air Commodore B.O. Ifeobu, said they were in the state to conduct research on critical areas as part of their study at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji in Kaduna State.

He said the college is a service institution with the objective of developing professional knowledge and understanding of selected mid-level officers to prepare them for higher command and staff appointments.

 

 

 

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Nigerian officials probe plan to marry off scores of female orphans

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6 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs says it is investigating a plan by a lawmaker in central Niger state to marry off some 100 female orphans of unknown ages later this month.

Speaker of the Niger State Assembly Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji announced the mass wedding last week but called off the ceremony following widespread outrage.

Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the plans.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said she had petitioned the police and filed a lawsuit to stop the marriages pending an investigation to ascertain the age of the orphans and whether they consented to the marriages.

“This is totally unacceptable by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and by the government” of Nigeria, she said.

Last week, Sarkin-Daji announced his support for the mass wedding of the orphans, whose relatives were killed during attacks by armed bandits. He said it was part of his support to his constituents following an appeal for wedding funding by local traditional and religious leaders.

The mass wedding had been scheduled for May 24.

“That support I intend to give for the marriage of those orphans, I’m withdrawing it,” he said. “The parents can have the support [money], if they wish, let them go ahead and marry them off. As it is right now, I’m not threatened by the action of the minister.”

Despite national laws prohibiting it, forced or arranged marriage is a common phenomenon in Nigeria, especially among rural communities in the predominantly Muslim north, where religious and cultural norms such as polygamy favor the practice.

Poor families often use forced marriage to ease financial pressure, and the European Union Agency for Asylum says girls who refuse could face repercussions such as neglect, ostracism, physical assault and rape.

Raquel Kasham Daniel escaped being married off as a teenager when her father died and now runs a nonprofit helping children, especially less-privileged girls, get a formal education for free.

She said the ability of women to avoid forced marriage in Nigeria depends on their income and education.

“I was 16 when I lost my dad and I was almost married off, but then I ran away from home. And that gave me the opportunity to complete my education, and now I have a better life,” Daniel said.

“So, the reason why I prioritize education is to make sure that other girls have access to quality schooling so that it will help them make informed decisions about their lives. Education not only increases our awareness as girls about our rights but also enhances our prospects for higher income earning,” she said.

Thirty percent of girls in Nigeria are married before they turn 18, according to Girls Not Brides, a global network of more than 1,400 civil society groups working to end child marriage.

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Shell investigates smoke near Gbaran oil facility in Nigeria

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6 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 14 (Reuters) – Oil major Shell is investigating reports of smoke early Tuesday near its Gbaran Ubie oil and gas facility in Nigeria’s coastal Bayelsa state, a spokesperson said after residents reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke near the area.
The incident would not immediately lead to an operational shut-in, the Shell spokesperson said.
A fire was reported around 0600 GMT by residents in the nearby community, who said blasts were heard where pipeline repair works had been ongoing.
The Gbaran facility, which began operations in 2010, is by far the most important Nigeria LNG gas feedstock project, processing almost 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
“We are actively monitoring reports of smoke detected near our Gbaran Central Processing Facility in Bayelsa State. While the source appears to be external to our facility, we are in close communication with regulatory authorities to look into the incident and ensure the safety of the surrounding communities,” a Shell spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
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Shell did not immediately respond to the accounts of residents in the area.
Resident Ovie Ogbuku told Reuters: “At about 7 a.m. I heard the sound so deafeningly and it shook the foundation of the earth and we ran for our dear lives. The result is the thick smoke you are seeing now.”
Another resident Uche Ede said; “We have no idea of the cause of the explosion but we are grateful no life was lost because it was far away from homes.”
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Land operations in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta are prone to sabotage, theft, and pipeline vandalism, forcing oil majors to exit such fields to focus on deepwater drilling.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Nigeria tour: A Round Up

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6 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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Meghan and Harry spent three days in the African country, Nigeria in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Nigeria as part of a three-day tour, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Invictus Games.

The couple were personally invited on the trip by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa; they are not there in any official capacity on behalf of the royal family or the UK. The tour schedule, which started in the bustling capital of Abuja, has been jam-packed, including a visit to primary and secondary school Lightway Academy, where they met with students, and experiencing the work of Nigeria Unconquered, a charitable foundation dedicated to aiding wounded, injured, or sick servicemembers.

Naturally, the trip also provided the opportunity for Meghan to showcase a multi-day “tourdrobe”, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the couple stepped down as senior working royals in early 2020 – and she hasn’t disappointed, in a series of summery maxi dresses, elegant tailoring and striking separates.

See highlights from their trip so far, below.

On day three, the couple arrived at Lagos airport, where they were given an official state welcome.

The couple posed for a photo with children and Nigerian dignitaries.

 

The couple were greeted by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

 

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They then attended a basketball exhibition training match at Ilupeju Grammar School in Lagos. After the match, they posed for a photo with the Toronto Raptors basketball team president, Masai Ujiri, and the principal of Ilupeju Grammar School, Josephine Egunyomi.

 

The couple attended a reception hosted by the charity organisation Nigeria Unconquered, held at the Officers’ Mess in Abuja.

 

A visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

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