Metro
COVID-19: NCAC to Launch Campaign on Use of Face Mask
Having successfully produced and kitted select frontline service providers and various care givers in the forefront of the battle against covid 19 pandemic, the Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC ), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has disclosed that the next stage of the culture agency focal agenda is to launch a nation wide campaign to encourage Nigerians to brace for the use of facemask in public places.
The NCAC boss had last week produced and kitted security agencies, the media and a select group of professionals in the front line of the covid 19 pandemic with branded facemasks made exclusively from adire and Ankara fabrics, and also gave out sanitizers made from the natural resources sourced locally in order to promote home grown efforts to the pandemic and also open certain cultural economy.
Explaining the need and exigency for the #protectnaijafacemask campaign, Otunba Runsewe stated that there are imperical facts that wearing facemask has about 100% capacity to prevent the spread of the micro droplets, usually transmitted through the mouth and sneezing through the nose.
“We at NCAC is the firm believe that a population wide facemask wearing is very important and essential to the suppression and prevention of the communial transmission of the covid 19 pandemic, hence the frontal awareness efforts by NCAC to prepare and positively change the attitude and minds of nigerians to facemasks lifestyle” he stated further.
Drawing key example from the Czech republic which successfully adopted facemask strategy and thereafter, with the consequent low covid 19 impact in the entire European countries, the NCAC boss who had in the past drove the national campaign to diversify the nigerian economy through tourism, with” oil is good but tourism better and sustainable” campaign, further disclosed that the nation wide awareness drive on the use of facemasks, will help create a post covid 19 cultural economy that will see the nigerian women, widows and youths producing facemasks as part of NCAC intervention.
” We are already grounded in providing skill acquisition as part of our cultural mandate and with this campaign in focus, we can through our various offices in the six geopolitical zones empower the rural women and unemployed youths to take to tailoring and produce an average of ten million facemasks in three days, made from local fabrics and according to our standard.
” This campaign is a must do and not talk and no action. This cultural agency of government is on strong footing to deliver on this expectations” Runsewe assured, noting that as much as covid 19 protocols of social distancing, strict hygiene are important, the desirability and importance of wearing facemask cannot be overemphasized.
“Indeed, the spread of the disease across our nation with a population of 200million people is a bit scary and despite the the great intervention of the National Center for Disease control, we must be seen to be culturally supportive through this campaign which also is not in any way the scientific solution to mitigating the scrouge but as a knowledge and awareness based effort from NCAC to empower Nigerians to wake up and live with reality of facemasks wearing in public places as a new way of life.
On getting a national musical and entertainment response to the #protectnaijawithfacemask campaign, the national and cum pan African cultural influncer, noted that the possibility would be exploited and be given the face of “we are the world” musical extravaganza of the 90s to raise fund and awareness about mitigating poverty in the world.
“You can bet we shall adopt that musical effort but it shall be cultural in content and context and we may request musical and cultural troupes to come up with something unique that will appeal to national unity and consciousness.
“The artistic community shall be part of this campaign and we are definitely looking beyond the covid 19 situation to the next level of truly responding and creating a new culture entrepreneurs that can challenge our collective national strength for a better cultural economic tomorrow, to project Nigeria to the world as a nation conscious of it’s richness in culture and with a people with strong resolve to overcome any challenge of life” He explained further.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has inaugurated an 11-man Committee to conduct a thorough investigation and review of the decisions on dismissal and suspension of Cadets by the Disciplinary Committee of the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano.
A statement by the Deputy Director (Information & Public Relations), Mr. Bolaji Kazeem, and made available to National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reveal that the committee which had the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs as Chairman comprises representatives of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF); DIG of the Zone; Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement; Director, Police Service Department; Legal Department; Federal Civil Service Commission.
Others are the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Registrar POLAC and Director, Human Resources Management – Member/Secretary were inaugurated at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.
The Minister pointed out that a thorough investigation and review of the decisions must be conducted following passionate appeals received from some students and parents/guardians of the affected students.
Gaidam revealed that the Disciplinary Committee of Police Academy, Wudil, Kano after various investigations and consideration, unanimously recommended the suspension and discharge of some cadets who were found guilty of committing various infractions in the school including smoking Indian hemp, drinking alcohol, damaging property among others.
In his words, “The recent incidents that have brought us to this moment are a cause for concern, but they also present an opportunity for reflection and improvement. We must approach this investigation with diligence, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to the truth”.
He noted that the objective is not only to address the specific cases at hand but also to reinforce the standards of conduct that define our academy and the values we hold dear and commitment to uphold the integrity and excellence of our esteemed institution—the Nigeria Police Academy.
According to him, “The Nigeria Police Academy stands as a beacon of hope and a pillar of our nation’s security framework. It is here that we mold the future leaders of our police force. However, we are acutely aware that the challenges we face are significant. We cannot afford to allow this credible institution to be turned into a breeding ground for criminals, drug addicts, troublemakers, and law-breakers. Our mission is clear: to produce well-disciplined, thoroughly trained, and professional police officers who not only understand the law but embody it in their actions”.
The Minister charged the committee to be mindful of the broader implications of their work as the integrity of our academy reflects on the entire policing system in Nigeria. It is our duty to ensure that every cadet who walks through these halls emerges not only as a law enforcement officer but as a paragon of virtue and professionalism. Gaidam stressed.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary/Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Yusuf Abubakar Argungu stated that the Ministry received an avalanche of appeals and requests for the review of the decisions of the Nigeria Police Academy, and the Minister directed for the constitution of a committee to look into the matter for fairness and justice before the approval of the Ministry
Leading payment services bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank (MMPSB) continues to delight its existing customers with various freebies for every transaction.
The bank recently announced the launch of a new 100MB data offer for new customers. The initiative aims to encourage people with little or no access to banking services to set up their own mobile wallets using the bank’s USSD banking platform. The promotion is available to Glo customers using the bank’s USSD bank code, *995#.
A few weeks ago, MoneyMaster introduced a 10 percent data bonus on top-ups of 1,000 naira and above for existing and new customers on the Glo network. The offer was rated as one of the best offers in the country in terms of the amount of data offered. Data purchases are valid for 30 days, and any unused data can be rolled over to your next plan.
Commenting on the data offer, Julius Arhebun, head of agency banking at MoneyMaster, said: “as a payment service bank, one of our core mandates is to promote financial inclusion. This offer builds on the various financial education we have been providing online and across our various customer touchpoints.
“With this new 100MB offer, we want to encourage Nigerians in the unbanked and underbanked pools to be financially included by having at least a mobile wallet. The account number of this mobile wallet is derived from their mobile number, and can be easily recalled,” he noted.
MoneyMaster PSB is a leading provider of innovative digital financial products and services that transform lives and contribute to sustainable living. With a mission to deepen financial inclusion, MoneyMaster has been instrumental in providing financial technology services to bridge the gap between the banked, unbanked and underbanked.
Leading real estate and property firm, Adron Homes and Properties, has announced the postponement of the earlier advertised seventh edition of the Adron Homes Games, with the theme Fit to be the Biggest.
The postponement, according to a statement signed by the Group’s Managing Director, Adenike Ajobo, and made available to Pointblank.ng, is as a result security concerns as the company prioritizes the security of its staff, attendees and participants.
Recall that the sports fiesta, originally billed to take place on November 29 and 30, 2024, was scheduled to hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Read the statement in full:
POSTPONEMENT OF ADRON GAMES 2024
Adron Homes wishes to announce the cancellation of the much-anticipated Adron Games 2024.
This decision, was made in the best interest of all participants, stakeholders, and the broader community. The postponement is necessitated by heightened security concerns in certain regions that could potentially jeopardize the safety of staff, attendees and participants.
As an organization that is committed to the well-being of its staffs, partners and everyone involved, priority is designated to safety and security above all else. Also, the organization is taking this opportunity to rethink and restructure its sporting initiatives to ensure public inclusivity
and as part of efforts to enhance and expand the impact of its wellness programs, the Adron Games will evolve into a broader, more inclusive sporting initiative.
This transformation will foster collaboration, unity, and healthy competition among a wider array of participants, and will embody the same spirit of excellence, teamwork, and wellness that the Adron Games has championed over the years.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this decision may cause and hereby extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued staff, participants, partners, ambassadors and supporters for their understanding and continued trust in Adron Homes.
Adron Homes remains committed to inspiring excellence and fostering community engagement through corporate wellness initiatives such as Adron Games at all times.
