people
PDP: We will not accept rigging in Edo election
Ahead of the Edo State governorship election slated for 19th of September 2020, the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have vowed to resist any attempt by opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to rig the election. PDP made the vow during the flag-off of the incumbent governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki governorship re-election campaign in Benin Saturday. Among those who spoke on the issue were the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus. Mr Nyesom Wike (Rivers State governor) who is also the chairman of the PDP National Council, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State. National chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, while stressing the need for a free and fair election come September in Edo State, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provid...
Adamawa governor urges prayers to end insurgency, kidnapping, coronavirus
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa on Sunday appealed to religious leaders to intensify prayers to end insurgency, kidnapping and COVID-19 pandemic. Fintiri made the appeal at the inauguration of new executive officers of Zawiyyatu Dariqatit Tijjaniyat Foundation of Nigeria, Adamawa branch in Yola. The governor, represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji Bamanga Nuhu, said kidnapping, insurgency and the pandemic were among major challenges slowing the nation’s development. Fintiri expressed readiness to support religious bodies to ensure peaceful coexistence among faithful in the state. He congratulated the new executive officers and urged them to contribute their time and experience for the success of the Foundation. The governor advised members of the Foundation to embrace ...
Only 20% of the Cybersecurity Workforce is Represented by Women
Women represent around 20% of the global cybersecurity workforce, according to a report released by Cybersecurity Ventures. This comes a mere two years after Frost & Sullivan pointed a menacing finger at the 1.8 million vacant cybersecurity seats by 2020 and the dearth of skills and people within an incredibly critical industry. There is a lack of female representation within this industry and a lack of actual skills needed to populate the growing number of requirements from organisations facing a rising cyber threat. The answer, according to Anna Collard, MD of KnowBe4 Africa, is to encourage women to cross-skill and expand into cybersecurity roles and to make the industry more welcoming as a whole. “Cybersecurity isn’t just ones and zeros, it’s the people factor, it’s understanding t...
President Buhari reads riot act to ministers, MDAs over discord with National Assembly
President Muhammadu Buhari has read the riot act to ministers, ministries, departments and agencies, warning that any disrespect to the National Assembly will not be tolerated. According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari issued the warning after meeting Senate President Senator Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila at the State House, Abuja. Garba said the meeting, which lasted for almost an hour, was characterized by an engaging discussion on a range of key issues of National importance particularly the role of the Legislature as a critical component in supporting their common goal and commitment towards improving the lives of the people of Nigeria. The statement read in part: “In the course of their...
Only 44% of South Africans are Optimistic about the Future of their Business
Sourced from Women in Tech Africa. To lay bare the scale of challenges small businesses are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to understand their ongoing challenges and areas for further support, Facebook published the Global State of Small Business Report. Compiled in partnership with the World Bank and the OECD, it surveyed over 30,000 small business owners and employees from around the world in over 50 countries. In South Africa, the survey reveals that despite the challenges, SMBs are optimistic, but that there is a long-term jobs crisis on our hands. Over 44% of operational SMBs on Facebook feel optimistic about the future of their business, with 42% of female-led SMBs on Facebook (and 66% of male-led SMBs) currently operational or engaging in revenue led activities. /* custom ...
Kanye West ‘drops out’ of 2020 presidential race
Kanye West has reportedly dropped out of the 2020 presidential race less than two weeks after announcing his bid for the White House. On Tuesday, Steve Kramer, a member of West’s campaign team, told Intelligencer that after amassing a 180-strong campaign team in Florida, the rapper would allegedly no longer be contesting the election. “He’s out,” Kramer said, telling the publication that he was in the process of getting “all our stuff cancelled”. He later added: “I have nothing good or bad to say about Kanye. Any candidate running for president for the first time goes through these hiccups.” According to the report, West had attempted to get his name on the ballot as a third-party candidate, but needed to collect 132,781 signatures by Wednesday (15 July) to be eligible to run in Florida. K...
IBM Appoints First Female Regional Head for Africa
Image sourced with Learn Bonds IBM has appointed Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh to Regional Head for North, East and West Africa – making her the first women to hold the position. According to technext, “Kyerematen-Jimoh served as the Chief of Staff to the Senior VP of Global Markets and Sales in IBM’s corporate headquarters in New York, prior to this appointment. She was also the first female Country Director in Africa, leading the company’s operations in Ghana”. “Angela takes up this position with a wealth of experience from 20 years of extensive working in the financial services and technology industries in Africa and Europe. She has worked in various top positions in banking including UBS Investment Bank, ABM AMRO in London and GTBank Ghana.” Kyerematen-Jimoh says “I’m humbled to be taki...
NMA warns Lagos not escalate impasse with medical doctors
File Photo The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has appealed to Lagos State Government to speedily and holistically address the demands of the striking doctors, under the aegis of Medical Guild. The NMA made the appeal in a statement jointly signed by Dr Adenekan Adetunji and Dr Ramon Moronkola, the Lagos State Chairman and Secretary of the association respectively. The NMA leaders said that this was to prevent avoidable escalation of the issue. Adetunji and Moronkola had closely monitored the developments surrounding the ongoing industrial dispute between Lagos State employed doctors, under the auspices of the Medical Guild and the state government. “We are aware of the extension of the ultimatum set by the Medical Guild for the LASG to address its demands. “Indeed, we were optimistic t...
Communal clash between Lungudas in Adamawa, Wajas in Gombe claims score of lives
Scores of people have been reportedly killed, while many were injured in the renewed communal clash between the Lungada ethnic group in Adamawa state and their Wajas counterpart in Gombe state. Locals in the troubled area confirmed that no fewer than ten people were killed in the latest uprising on both sides of the conflict, including a councillor with Guyuk local government council, whose identity is not known as at press time, Adamawa State Police command which has confirmed the reoccurring skirmishes, however, did not confirm the casualty figure. Pique by the reoccurring crisis and the attendant loss of lives and property, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Guyuk local government and parts of Lamurde local government predominantly occupied by the W...
Why Senior Citizens Should Choose Online Banking
While citizens are encouraged to remain indoors and work from their homes as a result of COVID-19, research around the world also highlights that senior citizens are among the most vulnerable to the pandemic. This is one of the compelling reasons for senior citizens to consider efficient ways of banking to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The adoption of digital banking channels over this period empowers consumers of all ages with tools to easily manage their money from anywhere and at any time; allowing them to protect their health at the same time. “As a bank for all, we continue to scale our efforts in educating our customers on the ease and safety of using our digital platforms. To those customers over the age of 55, we want to emphasise the endless benefits such as cost-savi...
Leading a Remote Workforce: a Success Story
At a time when the whole world has been forced to make drastic changes to the way in which it operates, one has to wonder whether being at the helm of any organisation is an enviable position. As the cumulative effects of South Africa’s recent economic downturn and current world events make themselves felt, the ability to adapt to new models of working has been the fundamental driver of maintaining operations. Canon South Africa MD, David Preston, has been working from his home country in England when lockdown took effect, and when asked what challenges he’s had to overcome in the wake of the lockdown restrictions, being abroad is first on the list. However, he is quick to add that this has proved more of a mental challenge than anything else because, practically, it’s been a matter of usi...
GirlCode to Host Virtual Hackathon Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
GirlCode has announced that its inaugural hackathon will be taking place – this time as a virtual event held in August to coincide with the Women’s Month celebration. The organisation says that COVID-19 has presented a unique opportunity to provide innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide, hence the seventh instalment of the annual hackathon is dubbed “Hack from Home”. GirlCode notes that the global pandemic’s impact on the vulnerable populations of South Africa is unprecedented but with various lockdown restrictions imposed, technology was and still is relevant to allow us to work, transact and to keep us connected. The hackathon’s objective is to entrench and elevate interest in coding and in turn, afford tertiary students eager to join the software industry with an opportunity ...
