ONLINE JOURNALISM AND INTERACTIVITY

 

Use the above DIAGRAM to critically explain the process of FEEDBACK and INTERACTIVITY in online journalism

Consultation with stakeholders on 5G ongoing –NCC

 

The Nigerian Communications Commission says it was still consulting with stakeholders on the deployment of the fifth generation of mobile network, 5G.

The commission, in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs on Tuesday, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, said it had not concluded plans for the deployment of 5G.

The commission explained that it produced a draft consultation document that defined the implementation plan for the deployment of 5G in Nigeria.

The telecoms regulator also said it had embarked on discussions with the academia on the new mobile network and was funding 5G related research projects.

These collaborations, according to the commission, will ensure that the country is provided with the best in terms of research findings and policy input for the implementation and deployment of 5G technology.

It said the document provided guidelines for the relevant areas of the technology and the expectations of the commission from the operators.

“For the avoidance of doubt, as with the previous technologies such as 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G, the commission will not commence 5G deployment without due consultation with all relevant stakeholders,” the statement said.

The NCC said the engagements were targeted at enabling the development of robust policies, which would put Nigeria in the best place to contribute maximally to the digital economy goals of the nation.

Culled from: https://punchng.com/consultation-with-stakeholders-on-5g-ongoing-ncc/?amp=1

17, 602 teachers take exam

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria on Tuesday said over 17, 602 teachers from across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory would take its Professional Qualifying Examination scheduled for this weekend.

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, TRCN, Prof. Olusegun Ajiboye, said this during a press briefing in Abuja.

According to him, Osun State has the highest candidates with 1, 727 teachers followed by Adamawa with 1, 623 candidates, closely followed by Lagos with 934 candidates.

Culled from: https://punchng.com/teachers-take-exam/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1605073295

OSUN 2021 BUDGET: Oyetola To Construct 335 Meters Flyover In Osogbo

 The Osun State governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday presented 109.8 billion naira budget to the state House of Assembly for the 2021 fiscal year, OSUNREPORTERS NEWS gathered.

Presenting the budget tagged, “Budget of Providence”, Oyetola said the budget was dedicated to post COVID-19 pandemic recovery

While presenting the 2021 appropriation bill at the Osun State House of Assembly complex on Tuesday, Oyetola disclosed that his government ready to construct a flyover at the popular Olaiya junction, Osogbo.

According to him, the flyover of 335 meters will be constructed running from Fakunle area to MDS popular market in the state capital, Osogbo.

He also highlight the successes of his government in road construction and rehabilitation across the statae, assuring residents of his commitment to remain prudent and provide social amenities in his financial spending.

The governor added that, bulk of government revenue for the year 2020 came from Federal Allocation highlighted the need to boast Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the State.

Speaker of the state assembly, Timothy Owoeye had earlier commended the executive for making the 2020 budget lived up to expectations even in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

He said the State House of Assembly would continue to embark on effective oversights to ensure timely completion of government projects in the State. 

Culled from : http://www.osunreportersng.com/2020/11/osun-2021-budget-oyetola-to-construct-335-meters-flyover-in-osogbo/

Its in the Interest if our Youth to Keep the Peace Says President Buhari

 

Nigerian youths would do well to keep the peace, as it is in their own interest ultimately, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President spoke Monday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in audience the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment.

“Our own generation is on the last lap, we are exiting,” President Buhari said in response to the recent EndSARS protest, and the mayhem and destruction of public and private property that came in its wake.

“It is in the interest of the youths to keep the peace. They want jobs, infrastructure and development. I have sent a team led by the Chief of Staff (Professor Ibrahim Gambari) to go round the country, talk to traditional rulers, who will then talk to the youths. The views of the youths have been heard,” the President added.

He said that the current administration inherited severe infrastructural deficits, “and that is what we are fighting to correct. We can’t just sit, fold our hands, and do nothing. We are doing our best within the limits of resources.”

President Buhari rued the fact that COVID-19 has shrunk the global economy, noting that “this is something you can’t see, smell, or hear,” but which has wrought devastation on lives and

livelihoods round the world.

On climate change, he said Nigeria was concerned about the recharge of the Lake Chad, which has great implications on security, irregular migration, and livelihoods.

The Deputy Secretary-General said she was on a courtesy call with her team to flag interest on challenges that concern the UN, particularly COVID-19, climate change, security, and humanitarian responses to the diverse challenges.

Culled from : https://www.nta.ng/news/20201109-its-in-the-interest-if-our-youth-to-keep-the-peace-says-president-buharu/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

we've developed a robust Youth Policy christened 'The 4 Es' - Gov Oyetola

 

This is what Governor Gboyega Oyetola said in his official Twitter page

Today in Lagos, I attended a South West stakeholders meeting, where we discussed the #ENDSARS protest, its aftermath in our region & the way forward.

The meeting was attended by other South West governors, ministers, Obas, security officials, the IGP, DG, DSS & FG officials, including the CoS to President Muhammadu Buhari

We noted that the #EndSARS protest has certainly awoken our youths to their civic power, & we need to convert that power to positive advantage.

With their huge population & the technology advantage, our youth constitute a major political force & we cannot afford to take them for granted.

We also expressed the need for us as leaders, to urgently fashion out ways of not only catering for the interest of our young people in governance but also ensuring their active inclusion in the devt. process

He also mentioned "In Osun, as a youth-friendly govt., we've developed a robust Youth Policy christened 'The 4 Es' - Youth Empowerment, Youth Engagement, Youth Entrepreneurship & Youth Education. We shall soon unveil the policy & work towards its full implementation.

Also, in our 2021 Budget, which we are taking to the House this week, we have designed programmes for the engagement of Osun youth in Agriculture, Mining, ICT, Culture & Tourism and Commerce among others. We remain committed to the growth & devt. of our young people.

Buhari congratulate Joe Biden

 

Nigeria President President Muhammadu Buhari congratulate the new elected president of the United state of American

According to his official twitter page here is what President Muhammadu Bihari said

Congratulations to US President-Elect Joe Biden on his election at a time of uncertainty and fear in world affairs. His election is a reminder that democracy is the best form of government because it offers the people the opportunity to change their government by peaceful means. 

In a democracy, the most powerful group are not the politicians, but voters who can decide the fate of the politicians at the polling booth. The main fascination of democracy is the freedom of choice and the supremacy of the will of the people.

Respect for the will of the people is the very reason why democracy remains the best form of government, despite its limitations from one polity to another, and from one society to another.

I urge Mr. Biden to deploy his vast experience in tackling the negative consequences of nationalist politics on world affairs—which have created divisions and uncertainties—and to introduce greater engagement with Africa on the basis of reciprocal respect and shared interests.

President-Elect Biden’s remarkable track record gives us hope that he will add value to the presidency and world affairs. We look forward to greater cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic, political and security level.

Lekki shootings: Army files papers, lists top generals, senior officers as witnesses

The Nigerian Army has filed papers at the registry of the Lagos State Panel of Judicial Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on the night of October 20.

One of our correspondents saw about three military men on Friday filing papers at the panel’s registry.

Saturday PUNCH investigations revealed that the army had filed papers ahead of its appearance before the panel.

Among the documents filed by the army are the witness statements of the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo; the Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, VI, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Nsikak Edet; Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig. Gen. Francis Omata; Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Brig. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi; and Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, VI, Lt. Col. Salisu Bello.

It said it was also bringing before the panel expended and unexpended blank ammunition, which was used to disperse the crowd by firing into the air on 20th day of October, 2020.

The army has also submitted 13 flash drives containing the recorded videos of the soldiers’  involvement in the incident.

Our correspondent gathered that the testimony of the Army was listed as number one on the panel’s list for Saturday (today).

Confirming the earlier report by The PUNCH on the scheduled appearance of the army before the panel, the source added that the army’s testimony was listed as number one on the panel’s list for Saturday (today).

But it is unclear whether the army will still appear before the panel today as scheduled as the panel on Friday adjourned further hearing in the Lekki tollgate shooting till November 10.

The adjournment followed the inability of the panel to watch till the end on Friday the video footage of the incident submitted by the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate.

The panel was able to view only four hours of the 20-hour video footage.

#EndSARS lawyer clashes with LASG, others over CCTV footage

Before the commencement of the footage viewing on Friday, counsel for LCC, Mr Rotimi Seriki, had suggested that only the portion relevant to the probe should be viewed.

Backing him, counsel for the Lagos State Government, Mr Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), said he had had the opportunity of watching the video and the portion relevant to the probe should be from 5pm of October 20.

But counsel for the #EndSARS protesters, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, insisted that the entire 20-hour footage be viewed on the grounds that “we should not sacrifice quality for speed.”

The panel chairman, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, ruled that the entire footage be viewed.

Though the panel normally ends its sitting by 4pm, the footage was watched till about 5pm when there was a power outage in the building.

Seeing that after over four hours of viewing, nothing eventful had been seen in the soundless video, Justice Okuwobi asked Ogunlana if he still wanted the entire 20-hour video to be watched, to which Ogunlana responded, “I will wait; it’s a marathon.”

But intervening, Owonikoko submitted that lawyers had a duty to assist the panel, stressing that having viewed the video, the portion relevant to the panel’s mandate would be from about 5pm on October 20.

“We can all agree on what portion of the footage is relevant to this panel,” Owonikoko said, adding that for transparency sake, Ogunlana should be given a copy to also go and watch.

Aligning with Owonikoko, LCC’s lawyer, Seriki, recalled that he had earlier suggested that the viewing should be limited to the portion relevant to the mandate of the panel, explaining that the LCC only made the entire 20-hour footage available to demonstrate transparency.

Seriki argued that the panel could not afford to waste time watching the entire footage because it had only six months to sit and it still had petitions from victims of human rights abuse by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad to contend with.

But Ogunlana maintained his stand, saying every second of the footage was important to him because “people died on my side.”

Facing the lawyers for Lagos and LCC, Ogunlana said, “We lost lives here, you lost money.”

However, intervening, a representative of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Bernard Onigah, urged the panel to narrow the viewing to the relevant portion.

In the end, it was agreed that a copy of the footage should be given to Ogunlana, so he could go and view after which he should decide whether the panel needs to view the entire footage.

Justice Okuwobi approved Ogunlana’s request for 48 hours to view the footage and then adjourned till November 10 for further proceedings into the Lekki incident.

#EndSARS protesters appear before Lagos panel, demand audience

Meanwhile, three of the #EndSARS protesters on Friday appeared before the panel, demanding, through their lawyer, Ogunlana, to be granted an audience.

Ogunlana, on behalf of the protesters – Victoria Oniru, Dabira Ayuku and Perpetual Kamsiyuchukwu – said he intended to cross-examine the Managing Director of the Lekki Concession Company, operator of the Lekki tollgate, Abayomi Omowuwa, who started his testimony before the panel on Tuesday.

Though counsel for the Lagos State Government,  Owonikoko, and LCC lawyer, Seriki, earlier opposed Ogunlana’s appearance on the basis that “#EndSARS” is not an entity known to the law, they later withdrew their objection when Ogunlana called out his three clients.

“I am not representing spirits or ghosts. We’re here to tell the truth. These are part of the people running underground, being threatened,” Ogunlana said in response to the objection by Owonikoko and Seriki.

Owonikoko had described #EndSARS as a nebulous entity with no structure or leader, questioning where Ogunlana got his instruction to appear before the panel.

Seriki, on his part, had said since the LCC Managing Director was before the panel on a subpoena, “he cannot be cross-examined by every Tom, Dick and Harry.”

Following the withdrawal of an objection to Ogunlana’s appearing, Justice Okuwobi, in a ruling, admitted the protesters as a party and allowed their lawyer’s appearance.

LASG rejects FoI request for CCTV footage

The Lagos State Government has rejected a Freedom of Information request for the CCTV footage of the shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020.

This is contained in a letter written by Deyemi Bamgbose on behalf of the state Attorney General.

A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had written a letter to the state government last week invoking the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

Effiong had in the letter addressed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, requested the CCTV footage in the interest of the public.

However, in a response dated November 3, 2020, titled, ‘Re: Urgent Request Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2011’, the state government said it could not make the CCTV footage available because the FoI Act was a federal law and it didn’t apply to states.

The government also cited a 2018 Court of Appeal judgement to back its claim.

The letter read in part, “I am further directed to inform you that the laws of Lagos State do not include the Freedom of Information Act which is a federal law that is not applicable to the state. As such, your request cannot be granted.”

The state government said in the case of EDOSACA vs Osakue and others in 2018, the Court of Appeal ruled, “My strong view on it is that given the provisions of the said Act as presently enacted vis a vis Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution and Items 4 and 5 of Part 2, 2nd schedule thereof, the applicant is not bound to comply with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.”

Saturday PUNCH, however, reports that another Court of Appeal in Akure in April 2018 had ruled that the FoI Act was applicable to all states of the federation but the Lagos State Government selected the ruling that could justify its decision not to honour the FoI request.

The FoI Act, which was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, makes it mandatory for public records to be made available to those who request it.

However, Lagos State and many others have in the last few years refused to honour FoI requests even as civil society groups accuse them of running an opaque government.

The Lagos State government is known for ignoring FoI requests on its activities from journalists and civil society organisations.

An FoI request by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project to the state government to explain how a $90 million World Bank loan for the upgrade of public schools was spent was rejected by then Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), in 2014.

Sanwo-Olu meets Buhari, presents document on destruction

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, on Friday met with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, joined the meeting, which held behind closed doors inside the President’s office.

The agenda of the meeting was not made public. But the Presidency, in a tweet posted on its Twitter handle, @NGRPresident, said Sanwo-Olu presented to Buhari documents detailing the violence unleashed on the state in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.

The message read, “President @MBuhari this afternoon met with Governor @jidesanwoolu of Lagos.

“The governor presented a report on the extent of the destruction suffered by Lagos State in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests.”

The message was accompanied by pictures depicting where the governor was presenting the report to the President and where Buhari, the governor and Gambari were going through the report.

Sanwo-Olu did not grant any press interview at the end of his meeting with the President.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had yet to issue a statement on the meeting.

Ministers from the South-West during the week called on the Federal Government to assist the Lagos State Government in restoring some of the public facilities destroyed in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests in the state.

They identified 15 police stations, the state High Court building and others as parts of facilities destroyed during the period.

The ministers also urged the government to investigate the involvement of the army in the reported shooting of protesting youths at the Lekki tollgate.

Don’t embark on new protest, Lagos warns youths

The Lagos State Government on Friday warned the youths to shun any act that might threaten the peace of the state, which it said was battling to recover from the shock of the carnage unleashed by hoodlums who hid under the #EndSARS protests.

The state government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said there were hints of a new protest, saying that the police had warned that no protest would be tolerated.

The statement read, “Any protest under any guise will be disrespectful to the memory of those who died in the violence and unfair to ordinary Lagosians, who have remained peaceful, despite the hardship that the original protests sparked.

“It is clear that the original protests, despite their good intentions, have caused more havoc than they were planned to resolve.

“The government hereby appeals to our patriotic youths to shelve any plan for a protest and join the practical efforts to find a solution to the problems that have been thrown up by the actions taken in recent weeks.”

The state government enjoined parents and guardians to advise their children not to be used “as tools of destruction by enemies of our society.”

It said anybody who had any grievance against the disbanded SARS should approach the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution to make their case.

“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu advises all Lagosians to remain calm and confident that the government will guard jealously the emblem of peace that Lagos is famous for. Any person or group of persons who plans to fuel any crisis in Lagos should drop such thoughts or be ready to face the law,” the statement added.

By Olalekan Adetayo, Eniola Akinkuotu, Oladimeji Ramon,Jesusegun Alagbeand Bola Bamigbola

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Culled from: https://punchng.com/lekki-shootings-army-files-papers-lists-top-generals-senior-officers-as-witnesses/