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ipNX Visits NCC, Commends the Commission for Efficient Regulatory Services
Nasiru Yusuf
Key members of the top echelon of the Management of ipNX, a licensee of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), were at the Commission yesterday for a courtesy visit.
KANO FOCUS reports that the delegation from ipNX, led by the Group Managing Director, Ejovi Aror, praised the Management of NCC for its superlative regulatory activities, describing the Commission’s actions as marked by efficiency and effectiveness.
Aror also hinted about the company’s plan to expand its operations in Nigeria, in a manner that will heighten the role of the telecom sector in the growth of the Nigerian economy.
The Group Managing Director of ipNX, also notified the Commission that the operation of the company has come to a critical juncture and ipNX is happy to migrate from the stage where it is now to a more strategic stage where it will play a greater role in the efforts to expand broadband infrastructures in Nigeria.
“Therefore, we are here to solicit your support for our plan to expand our businesses because we are at the threshold of closing a chapter and moving onto another, particularly in expanding broadband infrastructure which is critical to national development’, Aror stated with unmistakable optimism.
Aror also informed the management of NCC about some of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. The most central and significant of them, according to Aror, is the free Internet access to schools in Lagos and Oyo States.
Importantly, Aror emphasized ipNX readiness to extend such services to other parts of the country, particularly in schools, because of the importance of ICT to educational development.
Responding to the ipNX delegation, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), Adeleke Adewolu, thanked ipNX for the visit and for the testimony about how NCC’s regulatory activities have caused growth in leaps and bounds in the fortunes of the telecom ecosystem.
Adewolu declared that NCC is particularly gratified by the remarkable and quantifiable impact of Commission’s activities on the economy, including increase in the sectoral contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Adewolu promised that the encouraging words of ipNX’s delegation will spur the Commission to put in more efforts towards achieving its mandate.
Putting in context the trajectory of landmarks in the telecom sector, Adeleke recalled the history of the evolution of the telecom industry in Nigeria, declaring that Decree 75 of 1992 which established the Commission, was a great feat.
The NCC Executive Commissioner also said the courageous deregulation and liberalisation of the telecom sector by the Federal Government in the year 2000 was a masterstroke.
Adewolu said, that action triggered uncommon liberalization that caused a rare leap in the democratisation of access to telephone services, from a few hundred hitherto existing fixed lines in 1992 to over two hundred million subscriptions today.
Nudging ipNX to offer its best to the growth of the telecom sector, the ECSM stated that the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the capacity of the Nigerian economy to survive the contagion have demonstrated the importance of the telecom sector because most social and economic activities simply migrated to online platforms.
“So we are delighted about your interest in expanding broadband infrastructure”, Adewolu said to underscore the importance and contribution of broadband infrastructure to human survival at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ECSM also informed the visitors that the Commission, with the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, is ready and willing to partner with stakeholders to accomplish the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030; and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025.
Adewolu, reckoning the correlation between increase in broadband infrastructure and GDP of economies, asserted that the Management of NCC is all out to work with all stakeholders, including its licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos), to expand broadband access, especially to the unserved and underserved areas of the country.
At the reception of ipNX delegation were other Management staff of the Commission including Usman Mamman, Deputy Director, Licensing and Authorisation; Afure Iloka, Special Assistant on Legal Matters to the EVC; Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head Online Media, who represented Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director Public Affairs; Abubakar Kurfi, Assistant Director, Licensing and Authorisation; and Quassim Odunmbaku, the Special Assistant to the ECSM.
Aror, was accompanied on the visit to the Commission by the Group Executive Director, Commercials, ipNX, Bimpe Olaleye; Divisional CEO, ipNX Infrastructure Division, Uche Nnakenyi; and Tunde Olorunyomi, Financial Controller, ipNX.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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