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Stakeholders Commend Ndukwe’s Appointment as MTN Nigeria Chairman
Stakeholders in the telecom industry have been unanimous in applauding the emergence of seasoned telecommunications technocrat Engr. Ernest Ndukwe has the Chairman of the Board of Directors of MTN Nigeria.
Prominent among the group is the New Dimension Shareholders Association, a prominent group of Capital Market Investors and Shareholders in notable companies quoted on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
In a public statement signed by its President, Patrick Ajudua, the New Dimension Shareholders Association stated, “the appointment is a welcome development because he is tested and well experienced in the industry.”
The Association expressed optimism that the new MTN Board headed by Dr. Ernest Ndukwe will ensure transparency, compliance with corporate governance, and value addition to the shareholders.” In a similar vein, the President Proactive Shareholders Association, Taiwo Oderinde, urged the new board to shun any corporate governance lapses capable of dragging the image of the firm through the mud.
He noted, “The new Chairman, Dr. Ndukwe, is a man with a wealth of experience and connections in the telecommunications sector. As a one-time head of NCC, I believe with the support of other members of the board, he will bring this to bear in his new responsibility. I congratulate him and he should not let the shareholders and other stakeholders down.”
Dr. Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is fondly called Mr. Telecoms for his vast experience and rich contributions to the growth of telecommunications industry over the years.
A highly respected telecommunications professional, Dr Ndukwe’s career has gone full circle, starting from the private sector as the Managing Director of a notable telecommunications company, he moved into government service at the helm of the industry regulatory agency as EVC of NCC and back to the private sector and now Chairman of Nigeria’s largest operating company MTN.
Cerebral and a hands on manager, Ndukwe was an adjunct faculty at the Pan Atlantic University/Lagos Business School and also a Director of the School’s Infrastructure Center. His passion for human capacity development in the industry led to the birth of the Digital Bridge Institute, an international centre for telecommunications and information technology studies, during his tour of duty as EVC of NCC.
Indeed, Dr Ndukwe would always state that the greatest legacy of his tenure in government is the liberalization of access to telecoms in Nigeria and making the benefits and impact of ICT available to the masses especially the poor and the most traditionally disenfranchised groups.
A recipient of the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR, Ndukwe is a past Chairman of Administrative Council of African Telecommunications Union, ATU, and a past Chairman of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly, WATRA, which he helped pioneer.
He was also a Vice Chairman of Telecom Development Advisory Group (TDAG) of the ITU representing Nigeria. In April 2014 he was decorated with an ITU Gold Medal Award “in recognition of his important contribution to global Information and communication technologies and to the work of ITU”.
Ndukwe has represented Nigeria at various international events and is a regular resource person at international conferences including International Telecommunications Union, ITU. On special invitation he has served as adviser to a few countries in Africa on Telecom Policy and regulation.
For two consecutive years (2008 – 2009) he was adjudged the African Regulatory Personality of the Year. The Nigerian Communications Commission under him was severally voted the best regulatory agency in Africa.
A fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers, FNSE, Nigerian Institute of Management, FNIM and Nigerian Academy of Engineering, FAEng, he holds honorary Doctorate degrees from five leading Universities in Nigeria and was also honoured for Outstanding Contributions In Public Office by the Commonwealth Business Council and the London based IC Publication amongst other esteemed laurels.
Ndukwe’s elevation as Chairman of the Board of MTN, to many, is the elixir needed for the continued transformation of MTN as the leading telecoms company in Nigeria. In his new position, Ndukwe is expected to deploy his rich and vast knowledge of telecommunications engineering and evident expertise in management for the continued growth and development of MTN Nigeria in particular and the ICT industry in general.
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Participants at the event
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Jim Ovia
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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