Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says the ongoing digital identification of all citizens and legal residents of his country on a harmonised platform will be the largest database in Africa and only second in the world to the Aadhaar of India.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Indian government to every individual resident of India.

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said Osinbajo made the disclosure in Lagos.

Osinbajo delivered  the keynote address on the “Technology As A Catalyst Conference (TAAC)’’, held in Lagos.

The vice president said the project would open a lot of opportunities in different sectors in Nigeria.

“From the enhanced ability to provide accurate analytic data for FinTech services, to content delivery services to individuals directly on the assurance of credible credentials, but perhaps more importantly, planning on human development, education, healthcare, and jobs for a population that will be the third largest in the world by 2050.

“A key deliverable of the Digital Identity Project is to develop updated international standard cybersecurity, data privacy and confidentiality policies to prepare us for the expected challenges that will come as part of a digital economy.”

Osinbajo said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari understood the importance of a data-driven economy and had directed huge investments and focus to digitising government data.

According to Osinbajo, the Federal Executive Council has approved the “E-government Master Plan”.

He said that the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with Galaxy Backbone, had commenced implementation of the interoperability framework that would provide a shared platform for the use of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“I have no doubt the many proponents of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be excited about the immense data that will be available.”

The vice president said the fundamental pillar of the Buhari administration’s economic plan was the lead role the private sector must play in business and commerce and the need to involve the sector in policy formulation.

“We realised that only real players in the technology space would be useful in policy formulation given the complexities of the sector, hence the establishment of the Technology and Creativity Advisory Group, which has the relevant regulatory agencies and industry players.

“While the public sector has been able to score points over the last two years through the implementation of technology-driven solutions, the award for the  “Most Valuable Player” must go to our private industry leaders.”

He said the technology industry had been Nigeria’s highest increasing employer and the most improved economy contributor.

“Nigerian corporations have been willing to dream big, to lead Nigeria’s technological revolution.

“The fact is that platforms needed to power the initiatives of the public sector have originated from our private sector partners.

“Thanks to Nigeria’s private sector innovators, living in Nigeria is increasingly becoming tech-based.

“On our smartphones, we can search for apartments, perform bank transactions, book a taxi, order food, buy clothes, invest in a joint farming venture, monitor traffic, book a flight, while learning an indigenous language,” he said.

Vice President Osinbajo noted that the focus of this year’s TAAC Conference on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria could not be more appropriate because both the public and private sectors have a role to play in driving economic development.

In his remark, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, said the private sector in Nigeria was willing to work with government, adding that the conference would be an avenue to cement the relationship between government and businesses.

Also speaking, the Secretary of Presidential Enabling Business Environment (PEBEC), Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said government at all levels would collaborate more with the private sector to work harder and faster to increase productivity.

She said leveraging on the power of innovation and creativity would get Nigeria to that desired place.

Earlier, Mr Osaro Eghobamien, who spoke on behalf of the organisers, said they would take the deliberations at the conference, monitor them and hold government accountable for what it said.

NAN

Bishop Matthew Kukah of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has tasked Nigerians on strict adherence to constitutional provisions, in nation building.

Bishop Kukah said this on Friday in Akure, during a lecture at the Federal University of Technology, Akure(FUTA), as part of the events celebrating Odun Ulefunta/ Oyemekun Festival, 2018.

The cleric, who was the guest speaker, stated that the inability of successive leaders to play according to the nation’s constitution was responsible for some of the problems in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture was titled: ‘Building Blocks for a Good Society.’

“We have a constitution, which is a building block for a society. The challenge now is to play according to the principles enshrined in the constitution and our sacred books. In reality, it is what politics is all about.

“Building a nation is tied to rules that make us a society. Anything that is in hands of human beings and is being manipulated is bound for destruction,” he said.

He said that Nigeria has all resources it needs to succeed, but they are often in the wrong hands.

“We have enough for everybody’s needs, but tragically our resources are in wrong hands and they are not able to distribute to all Nigerians, because of greed”.

According to him, the country is not helpless, as there are alternatives to adopt, other than violence.

Kukah enjoined Nigerians to always reward those who are doing well, saying issues and policies should be approached scientifically.

“A nation without vision and no goal cannot transmute into a good society for all.

“Nigeria is either not thinking or not prepared to build a good society.

“For us to build a good society, we need to have kind eyes that monitor it,” he said.

Kukah also cautioned the people on being accomplices to wrong doings and bad leadership.

In his reaction, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, Deji of Akure, said the lecture called for self-examination and action towards transformation that would bring about a good society.

Aladelusi promised that the contents of the lecture would be studied and hopefully acted upon by all stakeholders.

“Let us start thinking of building a good society within ourselves,” the monarch said.

He commended efforts of Prof. Adeola Fuwape, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, for his leadership approach that had brought sustainable peace to the university.

NAN

The Nigerian Union in South Africa and families of Nigerians killed in that country may soon get justice as the South African Police have arrested eight policemen in connection with the alleged 2017 brutal murder of a Nigerian.

Mr Adetola Olubajo, President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria on Friday.

According to him, Mr Badmus Olalekan Ibrahim, 25, was allegedly tortured to death by his killers in Vanderbijlpark near Johannesburg in 2017.

“Badmus Ibrahim, a native of Ibadan in Oyo State was tortured and brutally murdered on Oct. 10, 2017 by police officers.

“The officers were arrested today (Oct. 5) in Vereeniging outside Johannesburg. They will be arraigned in Vanderbijlpark Magistrate Court on Monday (Oct. 8) for murder and torture,’’ he told NAN on telephone.

Olubajo said the police officers were indicted for murder and torture by the South Africa’s Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID) on Sept. 27, 2018.

He said the union had since the incident occurred followed up the matter with IPID to ensure justice was served to Ibrahim’s killers.

He commended IPID for its intervention and cooperation with the union in ensuring the culprits were arrested and charged.

“This is a welcome development as the community and the family of Ibrahim Badmus will hopefully get justice on the murder of their son.

“We call on South African authorities to investigate all murder cases involving our nationals irrespective of who is suspected to be the killer,” he appealed.

Olubajo said the eight police officers were currently held in Biopatong Holding Cell, Gauteng Province in the former apartheid enclave.

According to unofficial sources, up to 800,000 Nigerians mostly young people reside in South Africa.

NAN

Gov Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria has said that the fate of Sen. Shehu Sani, (APC-Kaduna Central) lies in hands of the party delegates in the state and not in his hand as the governor.

No fewer than 7,000 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are to converge on Abuja on Saturday to ratify the nomination of President Muhammadu Buhari as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate for the 2019 election.

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno and Deputy Chairman of the All Progress Congress (APC) Presidential Convention Planning Committee, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the party’s preparations for the convention slated to hold at the Abuja Eagle Square.

Shettima said the convention committee on security was working closely with security agencies to ensure the security of delegates and a robust security platform to make delegates comfortable and secure during the exercise.

He said that three delegates from each local government in the federation, aside the normal statutory delegates, are expected to vote to ratify the president’s nomination as the party’s candidate at the convention.

He said that the convention would commence at 2.00 p.m., adding that the transport committee was making arrangements to reduce to the barest minimum, inconveniences it might cause Abuja residents.

“We moved the convention time from 9.00 a.m to 2.00 p.m deliberately to accommodate delegates that are coming from far and near.

“Incidentally, people from Kogi for instance, can leave and be in Abuja within three hours, but believe me, all our delegates will be on ground by 2.00 p.m,” he said.

Shettima stressed that the presidential convention was to ratify the nomination of President Buhari as the APC presidential candidate for the 2019 election.

“Let me assure you that the nomination and ratification of the candidacy of President Buhari is a commitment to service, progress and quality change.

“The convention is a special one for the emergence of our presidential flag bearer; no other issue will be tabled.

“In subsequent conventions, and the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, other issues can be discussed and sorted out,” he said.

The committee’s deputy chairman while speaking on the challenges that followed the party’s primaries in some states of the federation, said its NWC was working to resolve the issues.

“Despite some of the problems we have encountered during the primaries in our various states, the NWC is working assiduously to resolve all the issues.

“It is a family quarrel, and we are going to sort things out amicably,” he said.

Shettima added that votes cast for President Buhari during the party’s recent presidential primaries held across the federation and the FCT would be revealed at the convention.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms were purchased for President Buhari by the Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors’ Network on Sept. 5, at the cost of 45 million.

Buhari had in April declared his intention to seek re-election at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The president while submitting the forms on Sept. 12, said; “I am taking this step with all humility, sense of responsibility and unquestionable desire to serve and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

“Let me today, appeal to party members not to be complacent but to prepare, strategise and win 2019 elections,“ Buhari said.

NAN