ASUU Strike Continues As National Executive Council Fails to Suspend Action

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August 1, 2022

527 Justinian I becomes the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire

1086 Results of the Domesday inquiry presented to William the Conqueror in Salisbury (the date of compilation and the Great Domesday are historically contestable)

1774 English chemist Joseph Priestley discovers oxygen by isolating it in its gaseous state

1834 Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect, abolishes slavery throughout the British Empire

1958 US atomic submarine USS Nautilus begins 1st transit of North Pole “Operation Sunshine”

HISTORICAL EVENTS TODAY

TODAY IN FILM & TV

1971 George Harrison’s benefit concerts for Bangladesh (2 shows) take place at Madison Square Garden, NYC; performers include Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Leon Russell

1981 MTV premieres at 12:01 AM

TODAY IN SPORT

1936 XI Summer Olympic Games are opened by Adolph Hitler in Berlin

1907 First Scout camp opens on Brownsea Island, in Poole Harbour, Dorset

MORE FACTS….

2016 Anthrax outbreak in Yamalo-Nenets, Siberia kills one and infects 8 others, also kills 2,300 reindeer, global warming blamed

FAMOUS WEDDINGS

1404 Earl Engelbert I of Nassau marries Johanna of Poland

1708 Future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (32) marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (16) at the church of Santa María del Mar, Barcelona

1912 Physicist Niels Bohr (26) weds Margrethe Norlund at a civil ceremony in Slagelse, Denmark

NYSC Boss Assures Corps Members Of Safety

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July 31, 2022

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Mohammad Kaku Fadah has assured Corps Members of his administration’s commitment to their safety across orientation camps in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Scheme, Eddy Megwa, the Director General said adequate security measures have been put in place towards ensuring the protection of Corps Members during Orientation camps, while at their lodges and in other NYSC formations.

While addressing Corps Members at NYSC Katsina State Orientation Camp, Mani road, likewise their colleagues that were deployed to Borno State but having their Orientation Course at the NSCDC Training School in Katsina, he appealed to them not to endanger their personal safety but be security conscious at all times.

“We have put everything in place to ensure the safety of all Corps Members nationwide. We are still working round the clock to ensure that you are more secured during and after the Orientation Camp periods. Please avoid night movements and other dangerous expeditions.“

Fadah also urged the Corps Members to embrace the skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme of the Scheme and acquire vocational skills that will make them self-employed.

He added that the era of paid jobs is gradually fading away while self-employment remains the only antidote to financial independence.

The NYSC Borno State Coordinator, Nura Umar said the 802 Corps Members registered in camp comprising 410 males and 392 females have been participating in all camp activities in line with the directives from the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

Similarly, the NYSC Katsina State Coordinator Aisha Mohammed informed General Fadah that a total of 155 NYSC Officials, 154 Collaborating Agencies and 752 Corps Members comprising 479 males and 273 females were actively participating in camp activities

NAF Institute Matriculates 1,641 Students For 2021/2022 Academic Year

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July 31, 2022

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has matriculated 1,641 students for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Addressing the students in Kaduna, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, stressed the need for innovative drive towards achieving meaningful development in Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the nation at large.

Amao said by being innovative and focused, the students and staff would be value added agents to NAF facilities and engagements, translating to more development to Nigeria at large.

He said that NAF had partnered with the Osun Government to build Africa’s first and largest aviation city in Ido-Osun.

He added that AFIT staff and students’ innovation would add value to the planned aviation city.

Amao urged the staff and students to remain focused and hardworking, to reap the benefits in the future.

He congratulated the students and the Commandant whom he commended for giant strides on his leadership of the Institute.

“The Institute wears a new look as the buildings are renovated and many wear a facelift, I encourage you with the maxim that says the reward for hard work is more work,” Amao said.

Earlier, Commandant of AFIT, AVM Muhammed Yakubu, said the Institute ran a tripartite system, offering National Board for Teaching Education and National Universities Commission’s accredited courses as well as military technical programmes.

He restated the Institute’s zero tolerance for drug abuse, cultism, indecent dressing, theft, examination malpractice and sexual harrasment.

Yakubu urged the students to build an acceptable character that would become an asset to them when searching for jobs or when they set up as entrepreneurs.

He also urged them to be law-abiding and disciplined by refraining from actions that could jeopardise the Institute and their families into disrepute.

Yakubu restated the Institute’s reward for exceptional performance, pledging to waive complete tuition fees of the next academic session for the overall best student in each faculty.

Also, Provost of the Institute, Prof. Muhammed Dauda, said AFIT had undergone several transformations with the purpose of generating, disseminating and applying knowledge through conduct of research, training and result-oriented utilisation of innovative research findings.

He said that the enhanced roles and objectives conferred considerable potential on AFIT to contribute strategically towards technological development of the Nigerian Air Force specifically and the country in general.

Dauda noted that AFIT, being the first in Nigeria to be classified as a “Polytechnic University”, offered both Diploma and Degree academic programmes in addition to its traditional military programmes.

“Operating this unique structure of the institute requires a lot of tact and discipline, as various regulatory agencies are keen to determine if this is worthy to be replicated in other institutions or it should be halted ab initio,” he said.

Dauda called on the students to take attendance in higher education Institutions as a unique opportunity to test their preconceived ideas about the world by judiciously using their time in achieving greatness in both character and learning.

2023: Nigerians Seek extra Week Extension Of Voter Registration

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July 31, 2022

As the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC wraps up the continuous voter registration across the country; some Nigerians have appealed for a one-week extension to enhance the completion of the process.

In a separate interviews at the INEC office, Calabar, the Cross River State capital, south-south Nigeria where several registration units were set up to speed up the process.

The respondents, who commended INEC for establishing additional registration centres across the state to enable more people to register, complained that the centres were not adequate to cater to the crowd of persons seeking to register.

Priscilla Antia, a Nigerian respondent, said, “although I just turned 18 years, I got here today to pick the form.

“I hope I will complete the process today. I would not come for this at all, but after listening to the announcement on the radio while in the car with my mother, she asked me to get my PVC.

“At first, I was worried about the crowd, but since I have gotten the form, I think it is worth it.

“I would like to vote, and getting this would ensure I vote. Somehow, I appreciate INEC for the effort, but the number of people here is too much, and they may not finish with most of us today considering that we have been here since morning,” she said.

Another respondent, Affiong Mesembe, lamented, “I had been coming here since Monday last week, and it was impossible to get the form until today.

“I came here in the morning instead of going to church, the crowd here is too much, and it has not been easy.

“We cannot find these INEC registration people where we live, so if they had like registration centres in most places, people would not be struggling and getting discouraged.

“I just got the form, and it is already past 4 o’clock; I wish INEC will give those of us that have collected the form time to come tomorrow or better still let us use this week to complete our registration. I hope they give us that time,” Mesembe hoped.

A few others, who have completed the registration process, like Yinka Ashiribo and Ofem Eteng, were grateful that their patience paid off despite the crowd.

According to Eteng, “although I had the voters’ card before, it got lost on transit and frankly speaking, when this process started, I took it for granted.

“But, when I keep hearing the jingles on television, radio, and everywhere especially in the church when the pastor announced it, I was perturbed.

My conscience kept judging me, and immediately after service, I came here, and behold, I am at the finishing point,” he stated excitedly.

On his part, Ashiribo said, “the experience so far has been fine. I came here immediately after the first church service; I got the form and just finished doing my registration. All I am waiting for is to get the printout and hope for a better Nigeria.”

The one-year-long Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which was supposed to end last June 30, 2022, was extended to July 31, 2022, following several appeals from Nigerians to enable more people to register.

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Baha Lavender Garden Becomes New Tourism Icon In Region

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July 31, 2022

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Since the start of the summer season in the Kingdom, the Al-Baha region has witnessed a large number of visitors and vacationers coming from various regions and governorates due to its cool weather and picturesque locations.

Al-Baha is one of Saudi Arabia’s top tourist destinations, and visitors from the GCC flock to the area to enjoy nature in a pleasant environment.

This summer, Al-Baha opened another prominent tourist site, its lavender garden, which is located in the middle of Raghadan Forest Park.

Mayor of the region, Dr. Ali Al-Suwat, said that the lavender garden and the central area of the Raghadan Forest were located on an area of more than 20,000 sq. m.

The lavender garden occupies an area of 5,000 sq. m.

The 500-meter walkway linking the two areas is covered with natural stone and one can see waterfalls while walking down a path illuminated by 270 decorative lighting poles, as well as flowerbeds, sitting areas, wooden crossings and kiosks.

Al-Suwat said that parks and gardens have been added this year in the Al-Baha region on an area exceeding 400,000 sq. m.

Al-Suwat said that the region’s municipality aims to raise the per capita share of green land areas as the Al-Baha region is among eight tourist destinations covered by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and receives large numbers of visitors and vacationers annually.

New Zealand To Reopen Land, Maritime Borders

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July 31, 2022

New Zealand announced it will reopen its border to all international travelers starting Sunday after shutting it to almost all arrivals in March 2020.

The final part of the border reopening on Sunday night means the country will open for all travelers needing visas – including tourists, workers, families and students, Tourism Minister Stuart Nash said.

“This is great news to the tourism industry and economy as we approach spring and summer with people from the Northern Hemisphere booking their winter holidays.”

The maritime border will also reopen, allowing cruise ships to visit the country.

“We’ve heard optimistic messages from tourism operators who are ready to welcome back international visitors from all over the world,” Nash said.

“As we warmly welcome the world back to our shores, it’s the perfect time to showcase New Zealand to the world,” he said.

NCC Commits N500M For Research In Tertiary Institutions

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July 31, 2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has committed over N500 million for research and innovations to tertiary institutions across the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta disclosed this at a two-day regional roundtable with academia, industry and other stakeholders held in Kano State

In a statement issued by the Director Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Muoka, Danbatta said research grants would promote developments in the Nigerian telecommunications industry

According to Professor Danbatta, the Commission is now focused on supporting the academia in the commercialisation of the prototypes from innovative researches as this is relevant to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s policy towards achieving indigenous technology for sustainable development

He explained that the roundtable organized by the Commission was to provide the necessary platform to support the commercialisation of locally- developed telecommunications innovations which NCC has been sponsoring.

“The Commission collaborates with the Academia in maximising the contributions of tertiary institutions to innovations and sustainable development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry as finance is needed to drive possible success of these endeavours. “ Danbatta said.

The NCC Boss noted that these efforts has enabled the Commission to contribute ensure the overall growth of the industry and create wealth for innovators, adding that they are fundamental to the objective of the NCC’s R&D-oriented programmes.

Danbatta said appreciable impacts had been achieved since the Commission reinvigorated research grants for telecommunications-based innovations from Nigerian institutions

NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, also disclosed that the Commission, has so far awarded 49 telecom- based research grants to the academia out of which 10 prototypes were successfully developed and displayed to industry stakeholders.

He said the R&D efforts of the Commission were aimed at actualizing some of the 8-point Pillar Eight of National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030, which focuses on indigenous content development and adoption

Research & Training: Nigeria Maritime Agency Signs MOU With Transport Technology Institute

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July 31, 2022

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, on research and training towards enhancing maritime safety and security in Nigeria.

Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of NIMASA, said on Saturday in Zaria that the MoU was hinged on research and training with a view to enhance local content and boost the quality assurance of the institute.

The director-general noted that NITT and NIMASA have been together for over three decades.

“The MoU signing ceremony was to formalise and strengthen the relationship in terms of research, training and development,” Jamoh said.

According to him, activities of sea pirates had negatively impacted the sector in 2020 and dented the image of our country.

He however noted that the attacks by sea pirates subsided by 2021 and from January 2022 to date Nigeria did not record any attack by the pirates.

Read Also: NASO: Nigeria loses fortune to IOC’s engagement of unregistered stevedores
He said NIMASA achieved the success through strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector.

He added that collaboration with the NITT would further support NIMASA with research to sustain the gains and strengthen the sector.

Jamoh said with the signing of the MoU, the NITT would assist NIMASA with either research or training in wherever it observed gaps.

“If it is gaps on individuals that drive the transport industry then the gaps would be bridged in terms of training.

“If it is in terms of infrastructure, the institute will conduct research to determine the type of infrastructure that would address the identified gaps.

“If the gaps were identified in terms of the general progress of the industry, the institute would also come-in,’’ he said.

He stated that NITT was established to develop not only the maritime industry but the whole transport and logistics sector, stressing that NIMASA will sustain its support to the institute towards enhancing growth and development in the transport and logistics sector.

Police Launch Manhunt for LAUTECH Student, Hotelier’s Abductors

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July 31, 2022