NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag training

Economy

Jaiz Bank gets training school

Jaiz Bank gets training school
By Mohammed Lawal
Training
Zaria (Kaduna State), April 20, 2018 (NAN) Jaiz Bank Plc has established a modern training school at Samaru-Zaria, Kaduna State, to strengthen the operations of the bank.
Alhaji Hassan Usman, the Managing Director of the bank, said this on Friday to newsmen at the inauguration of the institution.
Usman said that the school was design empower the capacity of its workers to ensure efficient and quality service delivery.
According to him, the bank is aspiring to be one of the top 10 commercial banks in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training school was christened after the Chairman of the bank, Alhaji Umar Mutallab.
Usman, who was represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Alhaji Mahe Abubakar, said: “Jaiz bank is planning to launch itself from a tier less bank to one of the 10 top banks in Nigeria.
“Jaiz bank is already five years old, and we are into our second five years of existence, therefore, we have decided to have a five-year plan that will launch us to the top 10 banks, which is tier one.
“That entails moving about 25 folds from where we are presently and you don’t embark on that kind of ambitious journey without plans and without training,” he said.
According to him, the training school was donated to the bank about two-three years back by the chairman and renovated by the bank to facilitate the attainment of set target.
He said the essence of the school was to prepare the staff for the ambitious plans for the year 2018 to 2022, adding that for a bank it is the only Islamic Banking Training School in the country.
“However, there are other Islamic Banking Training Centres owned by universities, but for a bank this is the only one across the country.
“We are starting with over 30 trainees and hopefully we will train every member of staff of Jaiz bank in this academy, In-sha Allah,” he assured.
Usman said the bank was no longer a regional bank, stressing that Jaiz is licensed to be a national bank almost two years go.
He listed branches of the bank to include Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Ilorin and Lagos.
“In fact, in Lagos alone, we have four branches and we are planning to venture into the eastern region, we are targeting Enugu, Oweri, Onitsha and Aba.
“We are duly licensed to be a national bank and we are listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange as a tier one commercial bank.
“Our goal is to be the leading non-interest bank not only in Nigeria but in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, we want to lead in this model of banking in the whole of African continent,” said the managing director.
Usman appreciated the bank’s customers for their patience, support and cooperation, and assured them of sustained good plans and investment in training to give them the best services they could obtain anywhere in the world.
Hajiya Hadiza Bala, Head of Human Capital Management Division of the bank, said the trainees would receive two months intensive training.
She advised the trainees to avail themselves of the unique opportunity to acquire skills that would enhance their professional career for the good of the bank and the nation at large.
While assuring that Jaiz was not meant for Muslims alone, Hadiza also announced that the bank had over 100,000 customers and shareholders across Nigeria comprising Muslims, Christians and traditionalists. (NAN)
KLM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Expert advocates training for medical graduates

Expert advocates training for medical graduates
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Training
Abuja, April 12, 2018 (NAN) Dr Biodun Ogungbo, Consultant Neurological Surgeon, Abuja, has called on executive intervention and legislative action for training of medical graduates with attractive terms and conditions of service.
Ogungbo made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that government should develop a package for measure for local training that may dissuade emigration.
“Right now, many young doctors are frustrated and disillusioned. Medicine has failed to deliver or meet their expectations.
“Poor job prospects, poor salaries, poor conditions of work and service, poor remunerations and poor training facilities are all they have.
“We need to stop destroying our young doctors and pull them out from under the bus; the future of healthcare in Nigeria is in the private sector,” he said.
Ogungbo said there was need to encourage entrepreneurship that delivers more hospitals in more corners of the country, saying it can be achieved through single digit loans and removal of heavy handed bureaucracy.
He also called for the need to create a soft landing for medical doctors in the diaspora, saying government must encourage them to return through collaborations with the teaching hospitals and public private partnerships.
“We believe that Nigeria may be able to have a good chance to leap from a position where the changes its young doctors and medical tourists are looking for overseas can be mostly found in Nigeria; with huge savings for individuals and the economy.
“We believe the best time to take action and achieve the desired results is now as some newly qualified doctors are leaving to Europe, North America, Middle East and elsewhere to seek specialist training or earn a living.
“Our medical schools exist to train doctors to work in Nigerian hospitals. If that is agreed, then it should also follow that it is uneconomic for Nigeria to lose elite, trained and highly skilled doctors to other, mostly richer countries,’’ Ogungbo said.
He said the reduced number of medical doctors and other specialists was interfering with the delivery of quality of care in the country, saying it is fuelling medical tourism.
The expert said lack of doctors in numbers and lack of well-trained specialists in particular, impacts on care and promotes poor outcomes.
“We do not have enough doctors in Nigeria. We are also losing the ones we have managed to produce and train, to other countries, to the detriment of our healthcare system.
“Our patients, including government officials and their families, are leaving the country for medical tourism because our healthcare system is in distress.
“Some patients are even travelling abroad to see Nigerian doctors who had left the country,’’ he said.
Ogungbo however recommended for urgent action by the government to retain the majority of our doctors within the country in order to promote the health of all citizens.
“The common good is for many of our doctors to remain in Nigeria to service its healthcare needs, accessibility and affordability of good quality healthcare in Nigeria,’’ he said. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Confab to modernise African news agencies opens in Rabat

Confab to modernise African news agencies opens in Rabat
By Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Rabat (Morocco), March 26, 2018 (NAN) Journalists from Nigeria and seven other countries commenced deliberations in Rabat, Morocco on Monday on ways to revolutionise the operations of African news agencies.

Welcoming the participants, the Director-General of the Morocco Agence Press (MAP), Mr Khalil Idrissi, charged African news agencies to fashion out ways to ward off the challenges posed by the social media.

Idrissi, represented by the Regional Manager of the agency in Rabat, Mr Rashid Mamouni, noted that news agencies were threatened daily by the social media worldwide.

According to him, the challenges and threats posed by the social media are reducing news agencies and the traditional media to irrelevance.

He advised news agencies to adopt strategies to overcome the challenges to increase their visibility and relevance in society.

The two-day training, facilitated by MAP is also a gathering of the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies.

The meeting is being anchored by two young digital media entrepreneurs, Abderrahman Khomsi and Soufiane Moudden.

They are scheduled to make presentations on developing social media strategies and building social media strategies through trends watching as well as managing and growing a community.

Other issues to be discussed at the forum include appraising the tools to efficient reporting and performance monitoring as well as the keys to efficient publishing.

The participants are drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.
(NAN)
MST/SN

=======

Edited by Silas Nwoha

Economy

Service delivery: Management staff to undergo refresher courses

Service delivery: Management staff to undergo refresher courses
NAN-H-49
Training
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, Feb. 16, 2018 (NAN) Mr Olajide Odewale, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, says management staff of the ministry would undergo refresher courses on change management to enhance service delivery.
Odewale said this at the closing ceremony of the five-day Specialised Change Management Training Workshop for the staff of the ministry and its parastatals on Friday in Abuja.
The permanent secretary said that the ministry would improve on the quality of training for the staff and increase the number of participants as well.
“We will see how we can conduct refresher courses for management staff because it is my responsibility to enhance the capacity of human resources in the ministry.
“This training is an on-going process; it is not going to end with this batch.
“I assure you that as many staff that will like to attend the course would be given the opportunity to do so,” he said.
He said that training in change management course did not start with the batch of participants.
“It has started many years and some of us in this side of the classroom have had the opportunity of going through the training process.
“I don’t know how many of you did `Orosanye’s School’ in 2008/2009.
“We attended lectures conducted by the Head of Service through consultants on series of topics on change management as part of condition for promotion examinations.
“We all had to struggle to make sure that we understood what we learnt; we memorised the ones we did not know for us to pass the examination,’’ the permanent secretary said.
Odewale, however, urged the participants to put the lessons they learnt into practice.
Alhaji Arabi Dasuki, the Acting Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, said that the `Orosanye School’ was gradually coming back to civil service.
Dasuki also urged the participants to put what they learnt into practice in the discharge of their duties.
Also speaking, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, National Coordinator, SERVICOM, advised the participants to be drivers of change in their various organisations.
“The bottom line of our reforms is the quality of service that touches the lives of people.
“Therefore, the end of what you have learnt is to know when to put it into action. So let your actions show in a way you service people.
“Let it show in a way you serve people and the way you touch lives of all citizens,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 70 participants from the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as well its parastatals attended the workshop.
The parastatals are National Bureau of Statistics, Centre for Management Development, Budget Office and Nigerian Institute for Social Economic Research. (NAN)
CIA/SA/MST
Edited by Salif Atojoko/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Institute to train 60 policy makers on IDPs education

Institute to train 60 policy makers on IDPs education
NAN-HG-8
Girl-child
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Feb. 13, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Lilian Salami, Director-General, National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), says the institute will train 60 policy makers in security education to address challenges of education for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.
Salami told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja that education in the IDP camps, especially for girl-child, was neglected and should be a priority for all policy makers.
“We will be training about 60 policy makers from the 26 of March because they are responsible for the children that are displaced and they must ensure their education and other intervention are carried out effectively.
“We have not been emphasising on the aspect of education for children in the camps, we feel is very crucial and should be treated holistically.
“There is much emphasis about their nutrition, sanitation and health, but not much attention is given to their education, they were in school before they were displaced and they should continue their education while in camp.
“The ministry of education should have impact in the camps; there is need for such peculiar persons to be properly situated in the Nigeria educational system,’’ Salami said.
She added that state ministries of education would be involved in providing space for classes, teachers and instructional materials in order to ensure that each child was educated while in camp.
The director-general stated that such approach was an informal one that would be introduced into the camps before the IDPs are re-integrated back into their communities.
She said the institute had engaged in other training such as the girl-child education, adding that no meaningful development could take place if the issue of girl-child education was not factored into the educational system.
“As managers and administrators we have a crucial role to play in revitalising and repositioning the Nigerian education system.
“We emphasises on equity for the girl child, they should have equal opportunity like the boy-child.
“In the institute we have trained about 87 persons including head teachers, policy makers and educational planners across the country who will ensure the girl-child goes to school.
“We are also developing science teachers from unity schools in all the 36 states of the federation on the best way to teach science subjects to the students, so that students can assimilate better,’’ she said.
Salami called on the government, philanthropists and private organisations to support the institute financially in revamping and repositioning the educational sector in Nigeria.
On the proposed merger of some federal agencies, the director-general explained that the institute has a peculiar mandate for building capacity in educational sector in collaboration global partnerships.
According to her, NIEPA is partnering with the World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF to train managers, planners and administrators of education sector in the country.
“NIEPA is one of four of its kind globally. And NIEPA does not only cover Nigeria, but the West African sub-region,’’ Salami said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institute was established in 1992 to breach the gap through capacity building, training, consulting, research in educational planning and information dissemination. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Group trains 150 nurses, 20 doctors on postpartum depression

Group trains 150 nurses, 20 doctors on postpartum depression
NAN-HG-2
Depression
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2018 (NAN) Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa, an NGO, says it has trained 150 nurses and 20 medical doctors on ways to identify and provide support to women suffering from postpartum depression.
Dr Onyedikachi Ekwerike, President of the organisation, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
He said the network provided the training as part of its effort at tackling the rising cases of postpartum depression in the country.
Ekwerike, who is also a Clinical Psychologist and Mandela Washington Fellow, described the condition as a mental illness mainly affecting the nursing mothers, saying the medical condition is grossly misunderstood by many health workers.
He said that women who had the condition experienced one or more of the following signs and symptoms: mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, crying and reduced concentration.
Others include appetite problems, insomnia and difficulty bonding with the newly born baby.
According to him, postpartum depression is a treatable medical condition affecting one in seven women, but added it is imperative that awareness about the condition be more widespread across Africa considering the rising number of the victims.
Ekwerike noted that through education, screening and support, PSN Africa is changing the narrative about postpartum depression and is helping mothers receive the help and treatment needed to feel better.
“Postpartum depression, a serious mental illness that can affect women after childbirth, is a condition that is highly overlooked and misunderstood.
“With the prevalence of postpartum depression in Nigeria, and indeed Africa at large, one organisation has been leading the way in raising awareness about the condition.
“Recently, PSN Africa concluded an innovative and highly successful campaign tagged `Feel Something, Say Something 2.0’, having secured a grant from Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation.
“The grant was given to the organisation to educate and screen 2,000 women for postpartum depression across 10 hospitals in Lagos state, Nigeria.
“The hospitals we visited included Randle General Hospital and Ifako General Hospital.
“Others were Orile Agege General Hospital, Island Maternity Hospital, Ikorodu General Hospital, Amuwo Odofin Mother and Child Health Center, Harvey road Health Centre, Mushin General Hospital, Ajeromi General Hospital, and Gbagada General Hospital,” he said.
Ekwerike urged women to always speak up if they feel the signs and symptoms of the medical condition after their child delivery.
He explained that speaking up by a woman suffering the medical challenge would attract immediate help, besides giving other women in similar conditions immense social support.
“Postpartum depression can strike any woman; in fact, recently, two well-known Nigerian celebrities publicly shared their experiences with postpartum depression.
“A writer, Ese Walter-Ark, recently shared a personal account of her difficult struggle with postpartum depression in an open post on her Facebook page where she described her endless quest for happiness which she could not find after her baby was born.
“She explained that as the depression escalated, she felt she had no choice but to leave her child with her family and flee.
“The experiences are not uncommon among women suffering from postpartum depression.
“PSN Africa strives to continue doing the vital work of raising awareness about this condition in order for more women to realise they are not alone and that with proper support they can feel better,’’ Ekwerike said.
NAN reports that the organisation was founded in 2015 and it is said to be committed to raising awareness about postpartum depression in Nigeria in particular and indeed Africa. (NAN)
KRY/OSA/MST
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

FG trains 16,800 artisans nationwide

FG trains 16,800 artisans nationwide
NAN-HG-4
By Ella Anokam
Artisans
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2018 (NAN) The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) in collaboration with N-Power says it is training 16,800 artisans nationwide under the Federal Government Artisans Empowerment Programme to boost the sector.
Dr Joshua Olorunkiya, the Programme Manager, made this known on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Olurunkiya, who spoke on the sidelines of the “Train the Trainers” workshop for Skill Acquisition Programme for Construction Artisans, said the programme would be implemented from January to December 2018.
The Build Vocational Training programme is a CORBON and N-Power initiative in partnership with the National Social Insurance Office (NSIO) of the Presidency to empower youths and tackle unemployment.
Olorunkiya noted that the programme have about 200 training centres nationwide to accommodate 700 trainers on the average to facilitate the training.
The expert regretted that currently there was lack of skilled workforce in the country, adding that there is high level of unemployment in the country.
“So when the current administration came on board one of its agenda was to create jobs particularly to engage the youths and one of the sector considered was the construction industry that engages more of the youth.
“Base on this, government came up with the programme to train artisans nationwide in six major trades including masonry, iron bending and fabrications, painting and decorations, electrical services and installations, plumbing and tiling.

According to him, the federal government has also procured tools to be given to the artisans at the end of the one-year programme for them to start their means of livelihood from there.
“Every trainee that successfully complete the programme will be certified and registered by CORBON as a skill artisan then the incident of quackery can be reduced.
“When you look at the construction industry, most of the artisans in the country today are from Togo or other neighbouring countries and they are making huge amount of money.
“It is of no use to engage an artisan who is not skilful on the basis of sentiments when you can engage someone who can do the job better from another country.
“That is the brain behind the programme and to do that successfully, government through the office of NSIO is bankrolling the programme.
On this note, he said that the government deemed it fit to engage the builders because as professionals they were certified to translate every construction design information into reality.
Olorunkiya said the first three months in the programme would be used for theoretical session, whereby the artisans would be thought the attitudinal reorientation, work ethics and simple business management.
He further noted that the remaining nine months would be fieldwork and practical demonstrations, and based on that their proficiency would be accessed for them to be certified as qualified artisans.
“There will also be evaluation and monitoring which will be done all through and certificate will be issued by CORBON,’’ he said. (NAN)
ELLA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Society to train 4000 youths, women on nation building

Society to train 4000 youths, women on nation building
NAN-HG-3
Peace
By Mohammad Tijjani
Kaduna, Dec. 20, 2017 (NAN) The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) of Northern states and Abuja on Wednesday said it would train 4,000 of its members, youths and women on peace and nation building.
Malam Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, the Chairman, Publicity Committee of the Local Organising Committee, made this known to newsmen in Kaduna.
Arrigasiyyu said the Annual Islamic Vacation Course of MSSN of Northern Nigeria would hold from Dec. 22 to 28.
According to him, the society has been organising series of training to enhance the capacity of its members to contribute to the national development of this country since its inception.
“Also to educate them to uphold the true teaching of Islam so as to contribute differently in all aspects of our life.
“The theme of the vacation course is `Turning Our Diversity into Strength for National Building’,’’ the spokesman said.
He said it was everybody’s responsibility to ensure that citizens were well sensitised to accept efforts towards for achieving national peace and development.
“Devoid of our ethnicity, region and religion; hence we resolve to train 4,000 youths and women for peace and stability of the country.’’
He said the male participants would be camped at Kaduna Polytechnic Tudun Wada campus, while their female colleagues would be camped at Queen Amina Collage also in Kaduna metropolis.
According to him, the State Police Command has pledge its maximum support to ensure that the event was successful.
“We therefore strongly believe that other security operatives will give their maximum support to ensure a hitch-free training,’’ Arrigasiyyu said. (NAN)
TJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

NYSC coordinator tasks corps members on skills acquisition

NAN-H-6
Training
By Temitope Salami
Sagamu (Ogun), Dec. 9, 2017 (NAN)Mr John Okpo, Ogun State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),  has tasked corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) to be self-reliant.

Speaking at the graduation of 1,535 corps members in its the SAED programme, Okpo, tasked the corps members to distinguish themselves by optimally applying their skills towards the economic growth of the nation.

The graduation ceremony, organised for the 2017 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 corps members, presently undergoing orientation, was held at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun.

“These ones have been exposed to several sub-skills under the 12 skill sectors of the SAED approved by the NYSC directorate part of which includes but not limited to fashion designing, landscaping and make-up artistry.

“Bead/jewelry embroidery, cosmetology, catering, craftsmanship, food processing and information/communication technology.

“It is believed that within the next few months, some of those trained will begin to create wealth for themselves and become employers of labour.

“To achieve this, you must continuously develop yourselves with your trainers stationed across all local government areas within the state, post-camp, to master your skills.

“I also urge you to leverage on the collaboration between the NYSC and partner financial institutions to assess soft loans to grow your businesses,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, an industrialist, during her pep talk to the corps members, urged them to exude discipline and dedication to achieve business excellence.

“You must take your own destiny in your own hands and look for how to make an impact by being a solution provider.

“Billionaires are solution providers and ones who have learnt to perfect their skills and trade over time to the benefit of others.

“If you must excel in craftsmanship and enterprise, you must pay attention to quality,” Ezenwa said.

In an earlier address, Mr Kayode Fagboyo, the Ogun State Director, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control pledged the support of the agency in enabling SAED meet its objectives.

“We have streamlined our registration process for products so that those who want to register their products could get it done quicker within 90 days, ” Fagboyo said.

A corps member, Miss Olafunke Afolabi, a 28-year-old Computer Science graduate from Auchi Polytechnic in Edo thanked the NYSC for then training.

She, however, called for more support in expanding the scope of the programme to accommodate more skill-sets to meet the yearnings of the youths who had diverse interests.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SAED programme, inaugurated by the NYSC board in 2012, had since graduated over 10,000 trainees in Ogun since inception.

NAN reports that the NYSC SAED, facilitates the training and mentoring of young graduates in various endeavours to make them self-reliant. (NAN)
TDS/ACO/SH
============
edited by Abiodun Oluleye/Sadiya Hamza

General news

Board trains 10, 000 youths on vocations in 20yrs – GM

 

NAN-H-41
Training
By Sunday John
Lafia, Oct. 18, 2017 (NAN) Nasarawa State Vocational and Relevant Technology Board (VRTB) has trained over 10,000 youths since its establishment in 1997, the General Manager, Mr Ibrahim Adamu,  has said.

Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Wednesday that the centre trained an average of 500 youths yearly.

He said that the four training centres of the board located in Lafia, Doma, Nasarawa and Wamba were well-equipped and had staff strength of 137.

Adamu explained said that the government established the board to empower the youth in different skills to make them self-reliant, reduce poverty and curtail unemployment.

He said the centre equipped youths with skills, such as plumbing, tailoring, barbing, tracking, driving, carpentry, welding and auto mechanics.

Adamu said that the centres trained students from primary one to six using the national school curriculum and availed them with skills, while adults among them received training in diverse fields.

“For the students in primary school, upon completion, they either proceed to technical colleges or open their own workshops to practise the skills they have learnt.

“For the adults, apart from the training which is free, we also give them N3,000 each as monthly stipend to enable them to buy soap to wash their clothes.

“The trainees are encouraged to write the Labour Trade Test Examination to acquire a certificate that they can use to seek employment,’’ Adamu, an engineer, said.

He said that the government, through the board, was working out modalities to provide graduating students  working tools and help them access loans to set up businesses.

Adamu commended the state governor for reappointing him as the head of the board and promised to consolidate on his past achievements and those of his predecessors.

He appealed to the government to increase funding to the board to enable it to meet up with regular practical schedules for trainees.

“Funding is one of the major challenges confronting the board because skill acquisition requires regular funds to purchase equipment for practical work.

“I appeal to parents to take advantage of the free training and send their children to any of the centres.

“This will also help to reduce social vices in the state,’’ Adamu said. (NAN)
SDJ/VIV/JCE
==========
Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Chukwudi Ekezie