News
FG Approves E-govt Master Plan, Mulls Executive Order on OGP
The Federal Government has approved its e-government master plan to ensure all government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, are delivered electronically.
It also said an Executive Order on Open Government Partnership, OGP, has been drafted to strengthen the country’s capacity to rank higher in the next Global Open Budget Index.
Ministers of Communication and Justice, Adebayo Shittu and Abubakar Malami, stated these separately at the 4th National Steering Committee meeting of the OGP in Abuja on Tuesday.
Shittu also said the Federal Government would establish an e-government services company, through the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), to provide platform for the masses to reach those in government and access direct information on all government activities.
He said: “Only recently, we received the Federal Government’s approval for the e-government master plan, which is a policy formulated drafted by the Ministry of Communications about two or three years ago.
We are working on that to ensure that we internalise this policy throughout the spectrum of government.
“Through the NIPOST, we are trying to establish an e-government services company which would enable the ordinary masses of this country to be able to reach the government and be able to access all of government information apart from the services that the government offers in various ways.
“I want to assure this gathering that within the next couple of months, this new e-government services company would along with other new companies we plan to register and establish for the benefit of Nigerians.”
Speaking on the proposed Executive Order on OGP, Malami said the government would ensure that openness and transparency were embedded within the Federal Government’s reform agenda; so that OGP would remain an agenda of government beyond 2019.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice further said the Federal Government had also put measures in place to ensure that all federal MDAs set up OGP units under the Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement.
According to him, the OGP Secretariat has been directed to work with the Head of Service to ensure that a service-wide circular is issued with a view to implementing the recently approved Federal Executive Council memo on OGP.
He listed some of the progresses made by the country on the internalisation of OGP processes to include; publishing of more budget related documents than previous governments, release of the full audit report on 2016 budget, the improvement and pilot testing of the new National Open Contracting Platform, and the efforts made to publish Public Register of Beneficial Owners of Corporate Entities.
Malami, who was represented at the meeting by the Minister of state, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed said: “The OGP Secretariat has drafted an Executive Order on Open Government Partnership for your review and comments.
“The Executive Order seeks to strengthen the capacity and structure of the OGP Secretariat, ensure that it is fully embedded within the Federal Government’s reform agenda and provide it with quasi legal mandate pending when a legal framework can be developed and approved.
This is with a view to ensuring that OGP remains an agenda of the Government of Nigeria beyond 2019.”
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
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.
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.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
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.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
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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