PositiveNaija

NIPOST Adopts What3words

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has announced its adoption of the innovative global addressing system, what3words.

Nigeria is the seventh country to adopt the module globally and third in Africa. The system is already in use for mail delivery in Mongolia, Sint Maarten, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Tonga and Solomon Islands.

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Katherine Eta Emerge 3rd in the 2017 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship

Katherine Eta has emerged the third place winner in the 2017 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC) held in Disneyland, California, USA. Katherine Eta of Childville School, Ogudu, Lagos, was the only African Champion in this year’s competition.

Wai Feng Cheng (Hong Kong) and Chi Kei Leong (Macao) came first and second respectively at the Competition.

The annual Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship is a global competition that tests student’s skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Katherine Eta’s attendance at the championship was with the support of Zenith Bank. The Bank said in a statement:

“The bank has partnered with ReadAmana, organisers of the competition in Nigeria since 2007 and sponsored Nigerian winners’ participation in the World championship. For her effort, sixteen year old Katherine, whose attendance at the competition was made possible by Zenith Bank, received $1,500, a NuVision Solo 10 Draw Tablet at the world championship and another ₦750,000 ReadManna Chairman’s Prize.”

Apart from Katerine, four other Nigerian students had represented Nigeria at the competition which is open to all students aged between 13 and 22 years enrolled in an academic institution. The team was accompanied to the championship by an ICT Teacher from Glisten International Academy, Abuja, Stephen Adeyemi.

The 2017 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC) in versions 2013 and 2016 of the Microsoft programs was contested worldwide by about 1.1 million students from 140 countries. 157 students from 50 countries eventually qualified to compete in the world finals in Disneyland, California. This year’s championship was held over a period of seven months from April 30 to August 1 with about 882 entries from 20 secondary schools in Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Kwara and the FCT. The competition ended with 112 out of the 161 students shortlisted for the national competition certified in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

FEC Approves Mandatory Registration of Practicing Foreign Professionals

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) of Nigeria has approved a new policy that bars foreign professionals from practising in Nigeria unless they were registered and certified by all the necessary regulatory bodies.

This is even as the Federal Government has declared a state of emergency on science and technology to boost technological acquisition for the industrial growth of the country.

According to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu:

“We agreed that from now on, any person who wants to practice any profession that has anything to do with science, engineering and technology, medical doctors, accountants, quantity surveyors just to mention but a few, must be certified by appropriate regulatory bodies in Nigeria.

Some of the highlights will involve where we have bulk purchases. Those who normally would have supplied from outside the country will now come to Nigeria and establish their factories to produce in Nigeria.

By doing so, they will offer job opportunities to our people, tax will be paid to government, wealth will be created and most importantly, Nigeria will now acquire the necessary technology that will help us build capacity.”

Winners of Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition [2017]

Alexandra Nwigwe, Jesudunta Mercy and Akingbade Gbenga, have emerged winners of the 14th Mike Okonkwo National Essay competition initiated in the year 2004, towards contributing to the development of the education sector.

Miss Alexandra Nwigwe of Vivian Fowler Memorial College Lagos emerged the overall winner for the Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for secondary school students for the year 2017, with 90 percent in the first round and 80 percent in the second round of the competition.

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NAPTIN Emerge ANCEE Centre of Excellence [2017]

The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has been conferred as a Centre of Excellence (COE) in training for the power sector in Africa after the assessment of its application by the African Network of Centres of Excellence in Electricity (ANCEE).

Consequently, NAPTIN has been granted admission into the membership of the African Network of Centres of Excellence in Electricity (ANCEE), a pan African initiative led by Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA) and supported by the African Development Fund of the African Development Bank Group.

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PositiveNaija Monthly Newsletter July 2017

PDF download: PositiveNaija Newsletter July 2017

*It is important to mention that most achievements by Nigeria/Nigerians achieved abroad should not be relegated as being ‘superior’ or achieved out of a ‘privileged comfortable environment’ as most of these achievements are usually first in recognition of what has been done or attained within Nigeria and as such requiring an international/global export.

Recommendations:

The right conditions for the vivid manifestations of these achievements and subsequent potentials are needed.
Existing implementation frameworks should be critically reviewed with an indigenous approach.
Strategic planning and an effective monitoring system with a focus on sustainability.
Better coordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)

We hope that you find these assessments useful, inspiring and educative. We will also be glad to hear from you!

Joe Abah & Aliyu Giwa Win 2017 BTDT Hub Awards

Dr. Joe Abah and Aliyu Giwa have won the 2017 BTDT Hub Public Servant and Reformer of the Year Award and the Young Public Servant of the Year Award respectively.

Dr. Joe Abah is the Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and Aliyu Giwa is the Nigeria Police Force Assistant PRO.

The Awards were presented during the BTDT Hub Legendary Leadership Lessons 5.0 Conference in Lagos (#LLL 5.0) with the purpose of inspiring and empowering young Nigerians. The theme of the #LLL 5.0 Conference is ‘Empowering Young Nigerians in Leadership, Media and Journalism’.