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CITAD Launches the Nigerian School of Community Network

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As part of the Work Package 2 of the Supporting Community-led Approach to Addressing Digital Divide in Nigeria Project which the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is implementing with support from Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) through Association for Progressive Communication (APC), today CITAD launched the First Nigerian School of Community Networks for Micro-organizations.

The aim of the project is to connect the unconnected areas in Nigeria where conventional market players find it unprofitable to deploy their networks and the purpose of the School of Community Networks is to build capacity of community based organizations called the micro-organization who are working to deploy community networks in their communities to meet local communication need.

The first School, which holds at Stonehegde Hotel, Kaduna began with an opening ceremony where we have number of speakers gave goodwill messages to the participants.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD Malam YZ Yau gave the background of the project as well as a ran down of the activities the organization had been doing over the last two years, culminating with the School.

The Executive Director Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) stated that over the last two years, CITAD had been working tirelessly to catalyze the emergence of community networks in Nigeria, given that there has been no policy to guide the growth and flourishing of the of Community networks, CITAD took step to engage with policy makers and regulators in the sector such as Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the ministry of communications as well as other relevant agencies to ensure that an appropriate policy is developed for Community Networks in the Country.

He also stated that part of the objective of the School is to train champions with technical skills on how they can design, deploy and manage community networks. The school will hold in two phases, the phase one is an intensive physical one-week residential training which starts today, followed by four-month online training which is part of the phase two activities.

While giving reports of the efforts CITAD has made to engage policy makers on the need for community network policy, the Director of CITAD called on both the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy Prof. Isah Pantami and the Management of NCC to honour their promises they made about setting up the processes to develop a national policy on community networks for the country. He said this urgent because at the moment more than 88 million of Nigerians remain unconnected and excluded from the benefits of digital technology.

The opening ceremony also received goodwill message from the Executive Director of Fanstuam Foundation Mrs. Comfort Kazanka, Mr. Olusola Taniola, National Coordinator of Alliance for Affordable Internet and Mrs. Edith Udeagu, the immediate past COO of Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) who expressed their gratitude for being part of the project as well as advising the participants to be good ambassador of their communities by applying the knowledge gain. In her goodwill message, Mrs. Kazanka urged that the School of Community Networks be turned into a either a institute for community networks or a specialized university.

On his part Mr. Olusola Taniola said, his organization was ready to join hands with CITAD to push the advocacy for a national policy on community networks in the country.

Mrs. Edith Udeagu who offered her Goodwill message on her personal capacity noted that “The National School of Community Networks provides this opportunity for all to learn and share knowledge. We thank CITAD, its CEO, Mr. YZ Ya’u and team and its partners for providing this opportunity for all and pray for its success. I say congratulations to CITAD. I congratulate its partners and contributors for their participation. In this country, we need to address the issues of digital divide. People in various communities face various challenges. We need to assist as much as possible to address these issues and give them the opportunities to better their lives”.

The keynote address was given by the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, represented by Mr. Abdulmalik Suleman, staff of the company. He stated that one of the objectives of Galaxy Backbone is to help in connecting the underserved communities. He commended CITAD for embarking on this project, noting that it was not an easy thing to do. He disclosed that Galaxy Backbone currently is implementing the second phase of the National Information Communication Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) which he said would provide access to backbone across the country. He welcomed communities to take advantage of this in their plans for their community networks.

He also appreciated the effort of CITAD for setting up the School of Community Networks, which according to Galaxy Backbone is another important step will help strengthen the impact of shared internet experience and shared Network in our Nation. The opening session was chaired by Dr. Sana Mauz of the Department of Software Engineering, Bayero University, Kano. Dr. Muaz urged the participants to make the best use of this opportunity which is a crush programme to acquire critical telecommunication knowledge.

Shortly after the opening session the first technical session of the School began with a presentation on Spectrum and how Spectrum is Allocated as well as applying Spectrum by Dr. Abdulkari Yusuf of the NCC. The presentation explained to the participants what Spectrum was all about, how was allocated and how it is deployed and shared. Twenty-one youth leaders from different parts of the country are attending the school, which is proposed to run annually. Most of them were from underserved and unserved communities such as Pasepa, Laileyin Gwari, Tugan Ashere and Dakwa in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, rural Kafanchan in Kaduna State and Itas as well as Jamaare in Bauchi.

The Nigerian School of Community Networks is the first attempt in the country to build local skills and expertise for the organic development of grassroots telecommunitions infrastructure in the country. Community networks is a telecommunications infrastructure deployed and operated by a local group to meet their own communication needs and also a communications infrastructure, designed and erected to be managed for use by local communities. This communication needs can be voice, data, etc. and can be point of convergence for community to come together to address their common community problems.

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Kano APC spokesperson accuses Presidency of sabotaging Ganduje

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Ahmad Aruwa ,Kano APC spokesperson

 

The spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano, Alhaji Ahmad Aruwa, has issued accusations against the Presidency for undermining and conspiring against the suspended Acting National Chairman of the APC Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Mr. Aruwa articulated these claims in a short video he produced in Kano circulating on social media where he blamed the some forces in the presidency that are pushing for the exit of the former Kano State Governor as the Ag. national chairman.

He asserted their awareness of individuals engaged in conspiracies to sabotage Mr. Ganduje’s efforts, with the intention of fracturing his relationship with the President.

He warned of the potential for a significant political upheaval if any APC members dared to oppose Ganduje in Nigeria as he was one of the pillars of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s success at the 2023 polls.

Breaking:Court Confirms Ganduje’s Suspension As APC member

“We will confront anyone within the APC who dares to challenge Ganduje, regardless of their status or political influence.”

Mr. Aruwa also criticized Tinubu for disregarding the support extended to him in Kano when others had rejected him.

He observed that no one in Kano, a state with largest voter turnout would support Tinubu’s cause, as Ganduje was the sole architect of his success in the state. Therefore, they will not tolerate any subversion at the Villa.

“I solemnly pledged that if anyone is to confront Ganduje within the APC, it would inevitably lead to a substantial political crisis which we are very ready to fight back.”

“Irrespective of the individual’s identity, we are acutely aware of the plotting and machinations orchestrated by certain APC members at the Villa.

“It was solely Ganduje who facilitated Tinubu’s presence in Kano when there was a lack of support from others.

“Every resident of Kano is refraining from associating with Tinubu, as those within the APC who are acquainted with him are distancing themselves due to Buhari’s influence.”

Reliable sources from the Presidential villa who pleaded for anonimity revealed that Ganduje’s trivails started when he was directed to galvanize the attention of Kano state Governor Abba Yusuf and his political Godfather Rabiu Kwankwaso to abandone thier political party (NNPP) and join the ruling APC.

It was reported that contrary to the terms of reference given to Mr. Ganduje, he arrived Kano and chaired a stakeholders meeting where he mocked Kwankwaso and Kano state Governor, a situation that stalled the negotiation process with Kwankwaso’s team.

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The Journey So Far: Mbum Ferdinand Presents Score Card Since Assumption Of Office As Mighty Jets International FC General Manager

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By Asile Abel, Jos

With the consciousness that his set objectives are sacrosanct, the General Manager of Mighty Jets international FC of Jos, Ferdinand Mbum has reeled out some of his achievements at the club since his assumption of office.

The Club, renowned for its rich history as one of the few in the early days of Nigerian football to place the country on the world map since its inception in 1970, has steadily stamped its authority in the circles of modern football around the country.

“Talent development has been at the core of everything we’re doing right now and the results are already manifesting, so we’re not perturbed nor shaken at all”, Mr. Ferdinand told a team of reporters at his office in Jos.

“Four of our youngsters have currently been invited to the Golden Eaglets team as a result of their performances in what is just their first season”, he further said.

Mr. Mbum maintained that their mandate is for the Club to be self-sufficient and prove that the status quo can change by all means legitimately possible.

Determined to make clear his arguments, he opined that several scouts have been sounded from his first day in office, “Some of whom have documented a good number of our players and are monitoring their development with data-driven tools which I cannot reveal to you.”

Accordingly, those at the top echelon of football activities within the Club have worked with a roadmap and clear cut instructions about the need to prioritize game time for young prospects, hence the reason for their involvement in first team duties with a hybrid of a number of experienced faces to strike a balance in that regard.

For the Club’s chief, the young footballers have to be trusted, “Talent may be universal but opportunity is not, we have to believe them enough and hand them the opportunities they need to prove themselves” he added.

Commenting on his recent foreign trip to England, he revealed that it was solely in the interest of the Club as he had the opportunity to peach the idea of exporting players to clubs that partnerships have not been struck with them at the initial stage such as Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Leganese in Spain, which was added to the list of clubs that Mighty Jets Int’l FC hopes to do a lot with in Spain. All these he said were part of his agenda during the International Sports Convention held in the United Kingdom.

According to him “Our journey overseas was not for a tea party by any means as we also held a number of strategic business meetings and beneficial networking.

Already two of our players will travel for trials in top Spanish clubs in addition to other mentioned breakthroughs.”

He did not also stop applauding the Executive Governor of the state, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for the free hand granted the management to operate without hindrance.

He reiterated that there is a close collaboration between the club’s Sporting Director and that of the state as they look to get the very best result moving forward.

While describing allegations of match-fixing against the club’s management as “baseless and unfounded”, he said the club will most likely initiate legal action against known persons who mischievously intend to peddle a narrative they know to be untrue.

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Member APC Working Committee Urges Public Not To Bow to NNPP’s Blackmail Over APC National Chairman

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Bashir Mai Sango with APC national chairman Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

 

A member of the APC working committee in Kano Bashir Mai Sango urges the general public not to succumb to blackmail by certain sponsored elements seeking to discredit the APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

In a statement issued to newsmen Bashir Mai Sango, it was highlighted that the sponsored elements, bent on blackmailing the APC chairman, aim to destabilize the APC-led federal Government of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, who, in his almost eleven months in office, has been striving to rectify the economy.

Bashir Maisango who is also the assistant secretary of Kano APC emphasized that these individuals are also apprehensive about the political acumen and successes of the APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who tirelessly collaborates with the President to strengthen the APC and position it as a formidable party in future general elections.

Bashir emphasized the importance of recognizing that the NNPP government, along with its agents in Kano and in collaboration with certain disgruntled elements, are working to divide party stalwarts at both the federal and state levels. They are doing so by sponsoring retrogressive elements to launch a campaign of defamation against the National chairman of the APC through court orders and by financing certain members to blackmail the chairman and the APC leadership.

The member Kano working committee further urged the National working committee of the APC, the people of Kano, and all other critical stakeholders not to yield to blackmail from the NNPP government and its propaganda machinery.

He mentioned that the NNPP government, led by Kwankwaso’s puppet, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, is doing so to appease his master instead of focusing on governance, as his failures are becoming increasingly evident.

The NNPP government aims to divert attention and ensure the innocent into its fold because the APC national chairman is their nightmare.

He said the national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has made significant strides in repositioning the party by establishing a progressive institute which underway . This institute is designed to consolidate robust political ideas for progressive politics, a feat never achieved before since the formation of APC in 2013.

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