Lack of coordination, bane of Nigeria's infrastructure devt - Minister O lURMI A OEOSUN
N
abOnal Plann.in8 Min· ister, In: Sharnsudeen
Ufmao has blamed lack of ooonllnaUO'l ammg various governmcot agencies for the parlous state flf infrastructure development h the COWItljt Usman, who spoke at President's DUlnej' hnd Fellows Night of the N getk. Ihstitute of ATchitectsat ~Neekend in AbQJa also Ilickoo hcles in the design
and Ilr(lCLtrement processes of the N1g~ 18 Independent Power Projects (NIJi'Ps) 'Programme. The NPC buss said that as It is being l:onsttuted today; there was uv propel linkage In infra· structU!'l dt.>ve1opment in the COWIUT
He ~aJd. .. ~I.gerla does not currently have an inLegrated NaUontll t.nfr:astructure Devel· opmenf Master Plan. At the national level a number of In· frastrur:ture plans exist. thls
Includes the Power Sector Road-
ed Infrastructure Deve10pment
map, the National Transport Master PIan. Gas Master Plan.
Master Plan for the COWltnt
Most of Ulem are well developed. but the problem Is that they are not integrated. We are not tak· ing the advantage of Ute links. espedally with the leT. There is a lot to be benefitted If they are lntegrated. "AnoUler problem is that
some of these sectorial maser plans have limited linkages with other sectors in the Nigerian economy and are formulatoo with little or no coUaboratlon with the state governments. The Federal Gov· ernment is doing Its own thIng and the state governments are doing Ulen Even in the road sector, no state plans to link Its road network with that of the Federal Government" The mln1ster stated that fol· lowing Ute direcUveof President Goodluck Jonathan. the agency bad developed a framework for the development of an Integrat-
He added that the framework is due for presentation to the Project Implementation Management Team of the Federal GovernmenL On while the gains of the NIPPs programme have been slow in comlng. he said that It was hurrledly deslgned with lit· tle or no consideration to avail· ability of gas and other useful factors. He said, -.be NIPPs that are being built currently were hur· riedly designed and procured without payingenougb attention to the availabillty and adequacy of gas to fire the tW'bines. This is a good example. J remember I was at the CON at that time. The speed with which that project was pul together was incredible. In my position as the deputy gov. ernor operations, I was the one who put the last signature for the money to be remitted to or· der for the turbines.
CIBN harps on capacity building, partners key stakeholders Uoo OHYEKA
T
he Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria
(CmN),1na bid to ensure the restoration of the Nigerian banking profession to its lead· Ing position and also place it at par with other leading economies is partnering with key stakeholders and Institutions in the country. The PresldenVChalrman of CouncU of the Institute. Me. Segun Alna, bas stressed the need to partner with relevant stakeholders on capacity build· Ing and training of starr in the banking industry as well as other sectors of the economy In order to enable the country reallse her millennium Coals aspiration. In a statement to Natio"al Mirror; Ml: Aina stated this
during the institute's dlalogue with the Economic and Flnancial CrImes CommIssion. Cen· tral Bank of Nig1!rla and Unity Bank Pic in AbuJa 1a..st week·
.nd. Among key organizations the Institute is partnering with include the Economlc and pt.
nanc.1al
Crime
Commission
(EFCC): Cenlra1 Bank of Nige-
ria. UnJty Bank Pic and other government and private bodies within and outside the country with a view to taking the InsU· tute and the banking profession to greater heights.. He encouraged EFCC. CON and Unity Bank to engage the services of the ClBN Practice License holders and other well experienced professional bank· ers for their consultancy services, debt reco"'ef)'; forensic audit. training and other ser· vices.
Sweet potato flour can replace wheat - Expert MESHACK IOEHEN
. A?:
nations haw been urged to commence the of sweet potato flour in the production d bread and oonfectioneries to setve as an at· mrnatr."I! to whealDour currently imported into the country and UlE! oonUncnt. Speak1ng during a paper present.a.tlon at the 16th Triennial Sympo&ium fA the international Sodety fur Tropkal and Root Crops recenUlt Rwandan Agricul. tural Scientist. Mr: Klrlml Sindl. saki that sweet potato Is rich in Vltrunln A and other essential nlltri1mts that are al90 follJld in wheat in the paper titled. ~What Is the consumers' peroeptioo of bakery
products made with Vitamin A rlcb sweet potato and wbeat"? Slndl explained that the consumpUon of sweet potato could eliminate Vitamin A deficiency cotnJllOIl in many parts or the c::ontinelll Aa:on11ng to him." S¥.'eCt potaro is better than wheal because it is cheaper; aa:essihIe to many and main1y produced largely-on the ronUnenl, while imported
wheat on the other band is costlx 001. produced large.Iy 00 tbe con· linenl and pw.e. indigenous fanners on the disadvantage. He added that NIgeda.. nay Afdca have many loc::al alternatives to wheat flour that could reduce the cost or producing bread and confed1onerles products, which in turn wm lead to a ..'eIl fed and nourished eltl1.cnl')l
Malnstreet Bank commences culture change campaign
we renewed war against pre-registered SIM sale - NCC AzEp
JOHNSON OKAHLAWON
AS
rest and interrogation. leading to the sealing of the ofIk:es. part of efforts towards central Zone. arrested three Three suspects. a male and two ferepositioning Mnln· be Nigerian Commu· agendes usI.ng computers a} males were arrestEd and handed over street Bank, the bank nicatlcDS Commission located them by the de:alenJ to 10 Ule IMlUce. Involvement In illegal has launched a culture change (N~ telecoms Indus- fraudulently registered SIM sale and l.I.'II! ~ pre-registered SIM campaign initiative with the th gulat : said It has re- Gardswhlchareofferedforsale Card attracts both One and lmprison- eme, its nnpalgn against tOWlSUSpec:t1ngSubscrlbers. menl A statement from the bank fraud dent I ale and use or Four offices belonging to II was gathered that the offe.odlng quoted Its Group Managing pre. Jl,SteJ-e J subecrlber Jdeo- mobile phone dealers - Corre- machines were also lmpounded. Director. Mrs. Faith 'l'uedor· ule· cartl, in order to spondence U.d, Zeph AssociSpeaking on the clamp down. the Matthews as saying that the rest e sanlly in the nation's ales, Glovlc Communications. Head of Enforcement or the NCC, Me. campaign Is an internal cam· mssec~ and Connect Ground Towers. Erosa ldehen. who led the team. in· palgn designed to Inspire and nv, devBloprnenl came as all located In AbtI)a. ~re Ideo· eluding law enforcement officers. said motivate the bank's committed theCommisfion tracked ptl00e tIfied as Ult! source of some of the enforcement against illecal sale workforce. drolet'S oVl~ pce-registered. the offending machines being and distribution of SIM cant has en· Sbe said, "Unbeatable Stan· SIM cards, v.lth the seallng off used by some of the agents to tered Ule second stage in which dea1- dards Is our way of translating or abXl.t Uu ee belong· pre-register SIM cartIs that are ers are being tracked and the offend· our core values into winning ing ttl mobl.e phone users in belna sold in the streets. ing machines impounded. advantases. It is our promise AblUa whlle arresting three 11 was learnt that during the He said such machines will assist to keep Investing in the right theJ tnv llvement in the 11- enforcement exercise to some in trncking all the illegally regist.en!d people for enhanced customer legal deal of UlE!Se offices. some were un· SIM cards with a view to removing experiences. It means we will --.:'"'='-=C<I::::,nmIss==Ioo,:=......::which= · ::.....:abI=.:.;lo::..::brlng="-=lbe=... =n:::"'=ro::.r.::ar'-.-'the:::::m:::.::rro:::::m:.:the=syst~::em.:::._____c.lt!vel' settle for less DO matter KUIIl£
embarked on an enforcement action in AbqJa and the North
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how convenient it Is; it is au about US because we are set· ting unbeatable standards". Emphasising on the need for bulldIng the right culture, he explained that to be su~· fuI in delivering thJs exciting future, there ls need to bulld the right culture. c1lroate and behaviour platforms on which the bank will run. "We need to see leaders en· gage positively with peers.. col· leagues and lrumediate ""ports, ensuring that they not only set clear objectives but also en· sure understanding, motivate and inspire performance," be added. According to hel~ the bank has engaged experts in the field of culture change to help initiate the desired new culture amongst the bank's sl
arC.