Former NAFDAC DG, Dora Akunyili is dead

June 7, 2014



The Akunyili family has officially confirmed the death today in India of Prof. (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili. She was 59.
A statement signed by former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, on behalf of the family, said she died at 10 a.m. Nigerian time in a Specialist Cancer Hospital following a two-year battle with the disease.
“In spite her illness, Prof. Akunyili was unwavering in her belief in a better Nigeria,” Mr. Obi said. “That was why she defied her condition and was part of Anambra State Handover Committee and the National Conference.”
He recalled that the he visited her in India, she went beyond her own need for prayers, expressing concern for the abducted Chibok girls, security and other challenges facing the country. She remained prayerful for the release of the girls and for God to help President Goodluck Jonathan to overcome all the challenges facing Nigeria.
Dora-Akunyili1
“She therefore urged all Nigerians to remain prayerful and committed to building a better society for our children,” he said.
Mrs. Akunyili died four weeks after she was flown to Bangalore, India for further treatment, following ongoing treatment in Abuja, where she was participating in the National Conference despite her obvious condition.
She is widely acknowledged for her groundbreaking work as the first Director-General of the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC), where she helped to break many drug cartels in the country, and as Minister of Information.
News Express reported today the former Minister spent her final hours in the peaceful presence of her husband, Dr. Chike Akunyili, and her brother, Dr. Francis Anayo Edemobi. It was learned that both of them traveled to India with her on May 11.
“Popularly known as The Amazon, Professor Dora Akunyili was a first class patriot who deeply loved Nigeria and served the country with all she had, irrespective of whatever risks [were] involved in doing so,” the newspaper eulogized. “She demonstrated this in all her assignments – from the classroom at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to the Presidential (Special) Task Force (PTF), Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, and the on-going National Conference in Abuja, of which she was a member until her death.”

BUSINESSDAYONLINE

Ozumba named new UNN VC as Okolo bows out

on June 07, 2014 at 5:03 pm in News
By Tony Edike



 ENUGU – Renowned professor of gynecology, Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, is now the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Prof. Ozumba, former provost of the UNN medical school, defeated more than forty other contestants, including current Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Prof. Polycarp Chigbu., to emerge victorious.
The erudite scholar, who had contested in 2009 for the post of vice chancellor, following the expiration of the tenure of Prof. Chinedu Nebo, now minister of power, attended Government College, Umuahia, before proceeding to the University of Lagos, UNILAG, where he studied medicine.
After joining the services of the university, Ozumba rose rapidly and was elevated to the academic status of Professor after seven years of teaching. Apart from publishing more than 300 books, Prof. Ozumba, had training in different foreign universities, since after graduating from the University of Lagos and belongs to several local and international professional bodies.
After serving as Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, UNN, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, was subsequently appointed Provost of the UNN College of Medicine in 2004 to 2008 and would be remembered for instituting the Prof. Chukwuedu Nwokolo annual lecture series for academic excellence, as well as founding the University of Nigeria College of Medicine Alumni Association, UNNCOMA.
Meanwhile,  the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Bartho Okolo has said that he was leaving the university “better, richer and stronger” than the one he inherited at inception of his tenure five years ago.
Speaking during a farewell ceremony organised by the University of Nigeria for Okolo, the 13th vice chancellor of the institution, Okolo said he was leaving office a happy man, knowing that all the choices his administration made were for the best interest of the University.
He said that some of the decisions his administration took might have been despised by some people, but the results of his choices would impact positively on the University in the years to come.
“I have no doubt in my mind that I am handing over a university that is better, richer and stronger than the one I inherited five years ago. Even detractors and pessimists acknowledge the far reaching developments that have taken place in our university”, he said.
Prof. Okolo said that although his administration was maligned by some disgruntled individuals in the University, he bears no grudges against anyone. “It is my wish that no other Vice-Chancellor experiences the kind of distraction, disrespect and impudence that I had to endure in the course of my tenure.
However, for the records, I do not bear grudges, largely because the dramatis personae are not deserving of my long term emotions”, he said.
He implored the University community to support the in-coming administration to enable it achieve greater development for the University, stating that UNN is not likely to go back to where it used to be.
Chairman of the occasion and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Oleka K. Udeala described Okolo as “an award winning Vice-Chancellor, a magician of no mean repute and a man who sees danger as his business”.  Udeala, a professor of pharmacy, was the first alumnus to be appointed Vice Chancellor of the institution.
VANGUARD

Skill acquisition will empower youths for job creation—Oni

By MOSES NOSIKE
Greg Oni is the Chief Activation Officer/CEO, Connect 2 Consumers Limited. He is an icon in the Nigerian brand world. Oni was Director Development at Towncriers.
satHis 16 years of working experience with multinationals in experiential marketing has put him in a good position to connect consumers to brand. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard Business, he reveals how his company has created jobs for a lot of youths. Excerpts:
Can you explain the focus and vision of your company?
Connect 2 Consumers is an experiential marketing agency. The basic thing is connecting consumers to brand and connecting the brands to consumers – creating a connection between them.
Taking the brand to where the core target audience is by creating unforgettable experience. Based on our experience, our business is to bring brands to life.
All over the world now, the position of brand managers has not really changed from managing brands only, but has been extended to the frontiers of being called or recognized globally as activation managers because the major thing they do is to bring brands to life.
Our vision is to build our clients’ businesses through tested, proven experiential marketingtechniques using Cutting-edge innovations in both conventionaland unconventionaltactics in modern day brands activation.
You see, traditional marketing theories and practices are rapidly changing, becoming less relevant, moving forward experiential marketing is a fundamental basis for the future of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         marketing strategy.
How were you able to create jobs for youths in your company?
The kind of jobs and business we do is one that involves third party. In the area of creating jobs, we have engaged the youths successfully. For instance, we engage them in the area of job employment on various projects at different occasions depending on the magnitude and scope.
By engaging them constructively it helps to reduce youth restiveness in the society because it is said that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. So, in our own field of operation, we do create both temporary and permanent employment for our youths.
At the same time, while we employ them to work on specific projects, they are adding value to their lives by acquiring experiences and skill that would enhance them in the future.
How do you see brand activation world today compared to five years ago when you started working with multinationals here and outside the country?
There is tremendous improvement compared to what we had then. Those days brand activation had been in existence but it has not been in the forefront, because if we go by what Ogilvy said that a time would come when all advertising agencies would become direct marketing agencies.
It’s happening now because if you look at managing brand itself, it’s not managing brand alone but to ensure that you reach your core target audience and how do you reach your core target audience? It is by creating the necessary experience and engagement.
It’s like when you say, “I hear, I see, I remember and I don’t forget” it’s experience and you spread that interaction. Now, it has moved on from the conservative system of managing brand to a global approach, going back to what Ogilvy said, it’s happening right now. Globally in terms of project spread for brand management, there is a global shift.
Every brand manager which I prefer to call activation manager because apart from managing brands they bring brands to life. Everybody is looking out for return on investment; I need immediate result. How do I get immediate result? By creating direct marketing communication platform to reach your consumers wherever they are at the right time.
Your company is proposing an empowerment skills for secondary schools, tell us how it will work?
We discovered that many children or students have lost interest in going to school as they feel or think what do I benefit from going to school? So, we found out that secondary schools are more affected.
Because of this lack of interest among them, we are coming up with a programme that says, if I go to school early and meet up with the attendance, at the end of that term I get rewarded. If you take a look around Lagos sometimes, secondary school students don’t get to school early. So the programme is a way of encouraging promptness among them. As I speak now plans are in top gear to work with some multinationals that have similar plans towards this direction.
A lot of them have been doing a lot of activities in schools but they have not looked at this motivational aspect of it that would serve as motivation and encouragement to attend schools.
Moreso, we are going to use the print media – social media and it would be driven via activation to create the experience and engagement across those selected secondary schools from JSS1-SS3. However it is first of its kind in the country.
What do you think our youths should be engaging themselves in even outside the school curriculum to equip themselves for the future?
I can say here that time has really changed because I remember then as a young man, the basic thing back then for us was to acquire experience and how do we improve ourselves with it? We were not looking at the immediate gratification or reward of money or fantastic office.
But experience! We were all looking out to learn new things and acquire experience and become a professional. But today, many youths are not ready to study and learn new things that would improve the quality of their lives. They are not ready to acquire skills and experience.
You don’t wait for government or anybody to push or establish you. If you acquire the skills, you can be an entrepreneur and also be employer of labour in the country.

VANGUARD

Insurance companies receives N28.7 billion as premium in 2012 – Daniel

The Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel, on Friday said insurance companies received an estimate of N28.7 billion in 2012 as premium on compulsory insurances in the country.
Daniel, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), made this disclosure at the 2014 Insurance Seminar for Insurance Correspondents.
The compulsory insurance packages are the Group Life, Builder’s Liability, Occupiers Liability, Motor Third Party and Health care Professional Liability Insurances.
According to him, the volume of premium written in 2012 alone is a clear indication that insurance is gradually growing in the country.
“I am glad to let you know that even though the one trillion naira targets for compulsory insurance are yet to be attained, considerable progress has been made given the statistics available.
“This is evident in the number of policies written by companies under this class of insurance between 2009 and 2012, which rose sharply from 72,180 to 152,181, representing 111 per cent increase.
“Also, the volume of premium written in this class rose sharply from N14.93 billion in 2009 to N28.68 billion in 2012, representing an increase of 92 per cent,’’ he said.
Daniel said also that the volume of claims settled by insurance companies under the country’s compulsory insurance had also increased.
He attributed the increase in patronage in insurance products to the added interest being shown by various state governments like Imo, Anambra and Delta to insurance policy.
Daniel said the increase in patronage could also be attributed to the reforms taken by the commission in its bid to provide the enabling environment for insurance to strive.
These reforms, according to him, are the introduction of Risk-Based Supervision, Migration to International Reporting Standards, Claims Settlement Reforms and Financial Inclusion and Literacy programmes.
To deepen insurance practice in the country and settlement of claims, Daniel said the commission was working to set up nationwide call centres to aid them in addressing this.
“By first week of June, NAICOM will unveil the first ever Insurance Call Centres to listen and address complaints from Nigerians on insurance claims and settlements.
“I can assure you that through the call centres, we will listen and follow up complaints to make sure that insurance companies do not default in paying real claims,” he said.
NAN

BUSINESSDAY

Diamond Bank targets better customer service delivery with app upgrade

Diamond Bank plc is looking to drive customer acquisition and efficient service delivery with the upgrade of new mobile-based banking application. This move, according to the bank, is an indication of its commitment towards providing cutting-edge banking services to its customers round the clock.
With this upgrade, subscribers of the mobile app can carry out more banking transactions beyond funds transfers and bills payment in a secured environment at any time of the day. Some of the unique features recently added to the app are flight bookings, credit card repayments, account statement generation and debit card activation or deactivation.
These are in addition to previously available services like funds transfer to Diamond and non-Diamond Bank accounts, payment for BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS), bills payment, airtime purchase, Diamond Bank branch and ATM locators, etc.
Speaking on the features of the app, Ayona Trimnell, divisional head, corporate communications, Diamond Bank, said: “We are delighted to introduce additional benefits to the Diamond Mobile app and a One Thousand Naira cashback reward on its first use. What we have done with this upgrade is to expand the bouquet of offerings on the app to include a host of new services that help make banking with Diamond a convenient and interesting experience.
“Now, Diamond Bank customers can book local and international flights, fund their credit cards, maintain beneficiaries, generate their account statements, etc, all on the palm of their hands through the mobile app.” The Diamond Mobile app can be downloaded free of charge via the Google Play Store, the BlackBerry app World, the Apple Store and the Samsung Store for android, BlackBerry, Apple and Samsung devices, respectively.
“Diamond Bank staff will demonstrate the world of possibilities available with the Diamond Mobile app at the Co-Creation Hub (CC HUB), Yaba, Lagos later this month and we invite IT professionals as well as members of the general public to be part of this product demonstration. Our staff will be on hand to show the various exciting features of the app as well as assist with the installation of the app on the devices of the guests.”

Ben Uzor Jr

FG to attract investments in power sector — Nebo

By BusinessNews Staff on May 25, 2014
  
The Federal Government will continue to create the enabling environment to attract investment in the power sector for efficient generation and distribution, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has said.
Nebo said in Awka that there has been a lot of improvement in power generation despite the challenges in the sector. He said this was as a result of the successful privatisation programme in the sector which was concluded about six months ago.
Nebo said that vandalism and poor gas supply remained a big challenge to growth in the sector.
The federal government, he said, is already applying effective measures to check the menace, and assured that all would soon be a thing of the past. The minister said he was certain that power generation and distribution companies could drive the sector without financial constraints as they had the resources to do so. He further called for equal emphasis on distribution as against generation where most investment interest had been directed.

   
“The federal government is already tackling the challenges of vandalism which is actually shutting out gas supply with the deployment of high-tech protection systems. We are also trying to stabilise the market as well as the national grid itself. The Gencos and Discos cannot say they do not have the finance to drive the power sector because they promised they could do so.
“What the government is doing now, is to create enabling environment by attracting financial institutions from all over the world and multinational development partners to come to their aid. The major trend is that these investors prefer to fund Gencos as opposed to Discos, and in a matter of time both would be getting fair share,’’ he said.



[Vanguard

Audit training

Members be informed dt d long awaited audit training has been agreed 2 start on Monday 19th May,time 3pm-5pm.Amount:FREE. Interested?! contact d Director of Audit (07061667172)or d president(08036863566). PAC...