Politics

OYSIEC Begins Training of Ad-hoc Staff

By Web News 404

…Urges them to Eschew Misconduct 

By Nashirdeen Sheriffdeen

Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, on Monday, began training for the Ad-hoc Staff to work with the Commission in the local Government Councils Election in the state, holding on April, 27.

The training slated for two days was scheduled to hold across the geo- political zones of the state to eliminate stress and aids understanding of concepts by participants.

The OYSIEC Chairman, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju, SAN, while addressing the Electoral and Assistant Electoral Officers, Ward Collation Officers, Returning Officers and Supervisors in Ibadan and Oyo town,  called on the participants to see themselves as representatives of the people of the state and also place premium on their interest.

He described the trainees as partners in progress, admonishing them to ensure their conduct  conform with the electoral guidelines of the commission.

He harped on the need for them to make Integrity and hard work their watch word while on duties, and eschew any form of misconduct.

Olagunju hinted that distribution of non-sensitive materials started today, while that of sensitive materials will begin on Thursday morning.

He assured residents of the state of prompt delivery of election materials on the day of election across the polling units in the state.

” I am impressed with the turn-out and your interest in the electoral process, you are our partners at the commission, we require your support and commitment to achieve a free, fair, transparent and credible election.

“ I am appealing to you to be part of this legacy, you are not representing any political party, you are representing the people of the state, let prosperity judge you  and ensure you avoid misconduct.

“ Distribution of sensitive materials will begin on Thursday, we will start with the local governments in Oke – Ogun Axis, while local governments in Ibadan are to receive last.

While speaking on the topic” Vital Keys To Conducting Free, and Fair Elections” the facilitators of the training, Prince Adedoyin Oyeniyi and Dr Omoleke Muslim,  charged participants to be alive with their responsibilities and contribute meaningfully  to the success of the forthcoming elections.

Prince Oyeniyi explained that every electoral process must pass through integrity tests of transparency, credibility and fairness for people of various communities to live the kind of lives they aspired.

Training for the Presiding and Assistant Presiding officers will hold on Tuesday in twelve centers across the state.

Security

Training and retraining of soldiers will go a long way – Lt. Gen. Lagbaja

By Web News 350

Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja says training and retraining of soldiers will go a long way in transforming the military into a well-equipped and highly motivated force.

Lieutenant General Lagbaja stated this while declaring open the division training officer’s training week 2024 at the Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Odogbo Barracks, Ojoo, Ibadan

The Chief of Army staff, who was represented by the Chief of Training, Army, Major General Sanni Muhammad, explained that the Training Week presented another unique opportunity to educate the Divisional Training Officers and empower the Division Training Schools towards the attainment of the Army training objectives for 2024.

Lieutenant General Lagbaja noted that the Division Training Schools have critical roles to play in enhancing combat readiness and developing a well-trained and motivated force for the Nigerian Army.

“In my Training Directive for 2024, the roles of the Division Training Officers as well as other staff and instructors in the divisions have been adequately captured and I expect all of you to make concerted efforts to ensure the successful implementation of the Training Directive.”

“ I am pleased with the topics and lecturers selected for the Training Week as well as other resource persons assigned to lead the various discussions. I am sanguine that your deliberations will inspire you all to effectively plan, implement and supervise training activities in your various divisions. therefore urge you to participate actively in this Training Week and make meaningful contributions to enhance our training activities. “

“I wish to reiterate some key areas which you need to focus on as you deliberate and develop mechanisms to improve your training engagements. You should all devote attention to the enhancement of realism in training.

“ Training realism is one of the key measures of training effectiveness. Deliberate effort should be made to continuously identify the Disclosure, Transmission, Reproduction or Retention of tasks, threats, and standards required to operate effectively in respective areas of responsibilities to reach specific measurable levels of performance. I also urge you to take a keen interest in the development of junior leaders.”

On his part, the General Officer Commanding, the GOC 2 division of Nigerian Army Ibadan, Major General Bamidele Alabi said the training Week was an annual event organized to refresh officers on various aspects of training in the Nigerian Army.

He said this Year’s Divisional Training Officers’ Training Week lectures would include a presentation on the Nigeria Army forecast of events, war gaming, effective training documentation and reporting, as well as, interactive sessions.

“These presentations are carefully designed to improve the capacity of DTOs and other officers towards improving training activities at divisional level.”

Major General Alabi said the training would enhance the capacity of soldiers to achieve the Nigerian Army training objective for troops, as a way of preparation.

“Selection of topics for presentation, and the resource persons, intends to bring a wide range of ideas and experiences, to enrich the training week.”

“I, therefore enjoin all participants to freely express their opinions and ideas that will aid in achieving the objectives of the training. I do not doubt that the activities of the training week will enrich your knowledge through the variety of lectures, presentations and group discussions that would be given by various resource persons“

The GOC therefore, urged the participants to make maximum use of the training to understand the dynamics of adequate preparation and planning of training activities for troops.

“This is because the training presents a practical opportunity that would enable you to interface with each other.”

The Theme for the Training Week is “Maintaining Training Standards Through Effective Planning and Reporting.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group 

Politics

NPC Trains 35 LG Comptrollers from Edo, Delta

By Web News 583

By Oghenero Eghweree

The National Population Commission, NPC has trained thirty-five Local Government Comptrollers from Edo and Delta State on skills regarding profiling, distribution and retrieval of census materials.

Addressing participants at the workshop held in Asaba, the Delta State capital, the Federal Commissioner, Delta State, Sir Richard Odibo, noted the program was part of preparations for the conduct of Nigeria’s first fully digital census in 2023.

The Federal Commissioner represented by the Delta State Director of the National Population Commission Mr Patrick Lotobi, explained that the event was also aimed at training the Comptrollers on their functions and expectations at the local government level.

He added other objectives of the exercise to include preparation of the personnel on how to relate with local and international observers.

Resource persons from the academia were invited to enlighten the twenty-five trainees from Delta State and eighteen of their counterparts from Edo State on Effective Communication Skills and other relevant topics.

The workshop was tagged: Concept Note on Training of Local Government Comptrollers on Critical Census Process.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Agriculture

Experts Harp On Making Cocoa Beans Competitive In The World Market

By Web News 553 Post a comment

The Executive Director, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN, Dr Patrick Adebola says, farmers in Nigeria must embrace modern methods of cultivation to make their Cocoa beans competitive in the international market.

He stated this in Osogbo, during a day training organised for selected farmers in Osun State in collaboration with the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC on Best Agricultural practices and safe use of pesticides on Cocoa.

Represented by the Director of Training, CRIN, Dr Sunday Agbeniyi, the Executive Director said, it was imperative to train Nigeria farmers and support them to be abreast with modern methods of nursing, growing and harvesting their Cocoa to make the products competitive in the international markets and add more value to them.

Dr Adebola expressed concern over the low value attached to Nigeria’s commodity by European traders, blaming it on the wrong application of pesticides on their far.

He said the challenges of climate change and its impact on farming also underscored the need to build the capacity of farmers to respond to emergencies so as to mitigate the effect of the inevitable natural development.

The CRIN Chief executive officer lamented that Nigerian cocoa farmers and exporters had been exempted from premiums that their counterparts from Ghana and Cote’divore enjoyed.

In a remark, the Executive Director of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NERC, Dr Ezra Yakusouk said government was working assiduously to make agricultural products serve as viable alternatives to crude Oil.

Dr Yakusouk who was represented by Trade Promotion Advisor of the NEPC in Osun State, Mr Benson Hussein said government was concerned about the competitiveness of Cocoa because of its Strategic position among the various crops.

The NEPC boss added that apart from quality farmers would be exposed to hybrid seedlings and methodology that would increase their yield.

Declaring the training open, the Osun state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Adedayo Adewole said the training for farmers in the State was timely given the comparative advantage the state had in the area of cocoa farming.

Represented by the Director of produce, Mr Oluwafunminiyi Adegbite, the Agric Commissioner said Cocoa cultivation was the number one priority on the Agriculture agenda of government, adding that farmers are being supported with improved seedlings and pesticides.

In an interview with, the Chairman of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, CFAN, Osun State chapter, Alhaji Raji Musa said more than government policies and fund, poor knowledge remained the major challenge of the Cocoa value chain in Nigeria.

Alhaji Musa canvassed that such training must not be one of,but a consistent programme done for farmers across their various locations if Nigeria was to go back to the days that cocoa was one of the mainstay of the economy.

Other participating farmers commended CRIN and NEPC for the free training and called for consolidation of same.

Adenitan Akinola

Security

Training, Retraining Of Soldiers Will Help Counter Insecurity – Chief Of Army Staff

By Web News 1379

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya says training and retraining of soldiers will strengthen the physical and mental resolve to overcome security challenges facing the country. 

Lieutenant General Yahaya stated this at the flag off of the maiden edition of inter formations orienteering and adventure championship 2021 of the Nigerian Army held at the national park, Igbeti , Oyo State. 
General Yahaya who spoke through corps commander electrical and mechanical engineering,  major General Dickson Ehirobo  explained that the inter formations championship became imperative at giving the personnel the opportunity to gather more combat knowledge in facing security challenges in various operations accross the country. 

He noted that the Exercise would strengthen the fitness and perseverance of the personnel and enable them have the mental resolve to overcome the contemporary challenges in the country. 

The Chief of Army staff said he looked forward to a keen competition by participants at the championship with a view to ensuring the attainment  of the sportsmanship and improvement in combat efficiency. 

He added that the scope of the competition would promote esprit-de-corps in various capacities such as physical fitness,  map reading/navigation,  administration in the field as well as minor tactics. 

In an address of welcome,  General officer commanding, GOC, Major General Gold Chibuisi said the championship was aimed at Enhancing the operational readiness of troops under a competitive atmosphere would further reposition the Army for the professional defeat of all adversaries.

The participants were drawn from Army Headquaters Garrison, Abuja, 1 division, Kaduna, 2 Division, Ibadan,  3 division Jos, 6 division Portharcourt, 81 division Lagos, and 82 division Enugu. 

Rasheedah Makinde