Stories fom Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The newly appointed Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), Professor Michael Afolabi, has assumed duties, with a pledge to engage all stakeholders in the library and information science sector (LIS).
Afolabi who took over from the pioneer registrar/CEO of the council, Dr. Victoria Okojie, said during a brief handover ceremony in Abuja, that he was passionate and committed to bringing the council to same pedestal with librarianship practised in advanced countries.
He identified the importance of collective effort and collaboration with other agencies of government to reduce cost and ensure the inclusion of Nigerian libraries in the national development plans that will contribute to meeting the global and Africa Union agenda.
The registrar said he would leverage on the legacies of his predecessor and also build on existing foundation to sustain the good works he met at the council, while promising adequate attention to staff welfare and promotion.
He also promised to champion discipline among staff, to ensure effective service delivery.
Earlier, the former registrar, amid cheers and ovation from staff, expressed satisfaction with the level of transformation that had taken place in the council she built from inception, thus calling on the staff to accord the new registrar all the support needed in discharging his duties.
Afolabi, until his appointment, served as professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He was also a member of university’s Senate.
EDUCATION: FG proposes N3bn financial aid for researchers
The Federal Government has proposed a N3 billion financial aid for individuals and institutions engaged in high impact research works to enable them carry out their research works with ease.
The Executive Secretary of TETfund, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, who made the announcement in Abuja, yesterday, said the intervention fund, which is strictly for public institutions, would be disbursed and monitored through an existing mechanism domiciled with TETFund.
He expressed conviction of the capacity of the Fund to continue to perform its obligation of distributing research grants annually to universities in support of their research activities.
“Research is one of our focal points and we are determined to support cutting-edge research work that would turn around the fortune of Nigeria, such that would increase production, improve efficiency and better the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
Baffa said TETfund had no plan to extend interventions to private institutions.
AGRIC: No power tussle with Ogbeh, says Lokpobiri
Stories fom Magnus Eze, Abuja
Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, yesterday said he had a very good working relationship with his counterpart minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
He said there was nothing indicative of a ladder of seniority between them, as insinuated by an unnamed online report recently.
Lokpobiri, whose position was contained in a statement by his Senior Technical Adviser (Policy), Mr. Donald Ojogo, in Abuja, noted that the alleged bad blood created by the tussle between them, including the purported allocation of grains, were outright falsehood intended to distract their uncommon brotherliness and resolve to ensure food security in a diversified economy, with agriculture as the hub.
“That vision is resolute and no amount of distraction and blackmail will deviate both ministers from this path,” the statement said.
Ojogo maintained that no media manipulation would bring a wedge between Ogbeh and Lokpobiri since, “as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing our respective states, our allegiance and loyalty are to the president at whose behest we all hold office. In this regard, our responsibility is collective and must align with Mr. President’s vision for a re-energised agricultural sector. This we have set out to do as ministers, with positive results already underway.”
He stated that the procedures, processes and machinery regarding or guiding government transactions were unambiguous, hence it was, therefore, unthinkable for the authors of the fictitious publication to insinuate lies.
INFORMATION: FG expects 1m jobs from arts, entertainment in 3 years
From Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Federal Government has expressed hope that the creative industry, comprising television, music, film production, advertising, arts and culture would create one million jobs for Nigerians in the next three years.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this in Abuja, while playing host to a delegation from the African Music Awards (AFRIMA), led by the Head of Culture Department at the African Union Commission (AUC), Ms Angela Martins, said the migration to digital broadcasting, which required each of the 24 million TV households in the country to have a set top box or smart TV, would create thousands of jobs by the 13 companies already licensed to produce the boxes.
Mohammed further said that hundreds of thousands of jobs would also be created from television production for, at least, 180 state channels, 30 regional channels and, at least, 10 national channels, catering for local music, news, film, children programming and sports that would be in place once the country fully migrated its broadcasting by June next year.
He noted that other sources of job creation included: “The production of local content; the exponential increase in the production of movies, since Nollywood will move to push and subscription video on demand on the STB and online; the increase in the number of writers, lighting, sound, camera and editing professionals as well as actors; the need for wholesalers, retailers, electricians, installers to supply the market with STBs, TV sets and dongles; the massive increase in television and online advertising, as well as the need to create apps to offer goods and services and for interaction and entertainment at every level.”
Earlier, Ms. Martins said the visit was to solicit the minister’s full support for the 2016 AFRIMA, to be hosted by Lagos State in November.