Obidients Movement endorses Mbah, says impeccable competence, character speak volumes for him
The Obidients Movement has decided to back the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Enugu State, Peter Mbah, in the March 18 elections.
- Obidients Movement endorses Mbah, says impeccable competence, character speak volumes for him
- IoD unveils activities to mark 40th anniversary
- Nigeria’s tech ecosystem accounts for 30% of Africa’s funded ventures — Osinbajo
- 55 countries face health worker crunch linked to COVID-19 – WHO
- Signature Bank faced criminal probe ahead of its collapse – Bloomberg News
The movement also directed all its members in the state to come out en masse to vote for Mbah on Election Day.
A founding member of the group, Comrade Kennedy Iyere, gave the directive on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by hundreds of members of the Obidients Movement in Enugu.
Iyere said that Mbah was elected from among various governorship contestants in the PDP based on his impeccable character, competence, and capacity, adding that the movement had great confidence in his ability to lead the state creditably and meet people’s expectations.
“We stand here today to identify with you, Dr. Peter Mbah. The potential that you have, has compelled the Obidients to come to you. You are going to be the next governor of this state because you have all it takes to lead the state well.
“The competence that spoke for Peter Obi is now speaking for Peter Mbah. The capacity that speaks for Peter Obi also speaks for Peter Mbah. Peter Obi built Fidelity Bank. He also built Next Cash and Carry.
“Peter Mbah built Pinnacle Oil and Gas. He also built other successful businesses. Anybody that has not built anything is not fit to govern one of the greatest Igbo states,” he said. (NAN)
Read also: Obidients I will work with other parties that have character, competence, says Obi
IoD unveils activities to mark 40th anniversary
Ije Jidenma, president and chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Directors Nigeria (IoD), said that the institute has unveiled a year-long programme of activities to celebrate its 40th anniversary, scheduled to kick off on April 28 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
Jidenma said the institute’s leadership would pay a courtesy visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, March 16.
She said the visit was to brief the president about the institute’s 40th anniversary and all that had been put in place to celebrate the milestone.
The theme of the anniversary is “Celebrating 40 Years of Visionary Leadership and Corporate Governance.”
She said the theme was deliberately chosen to bring to the fore the various contributions of the IoD Nigeria to enhancing the quality of corporate governance since its inception.
Nigeria’s tech ecosystem accounts for 30% of Africa’s funded ventures — Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Tuesday at the State House Banquet Hall during the official inauguration of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme and the unveiling of the IDICE logo that Nigeria’s technology ecosystem accounts for nearly 30 percent of Africa’s funded ventures, with no fewer than 180 startups.
Osinbajo said that the iDICE is a government initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the digital tech and creative industries, especially targeted at job creation.
According to him, the total fund is 618 million dollars, out of which the AFDB provides 170 million dollars, the Agence Francaise de Development 100 million dollars, and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) 70 million dollars in co-financing.
“The Bank of Industry (BOI) will provide 45 million dollars as the Federal Government’s counterpart contribution to be availed through loans for qualifying startups.
“We expect another 271 million dollars from the private sector and institutional investors.
“I think it is important to mention that private capital has usually been ahead of government effort; the last few years have seen a consistent rise in venture capital investments in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem,” he said.
55 countries face health worker crunch linked to COVID-19 – WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged most of the wealthier countries in 2020 had provided work opportunities for health workers seeking better-paid opportunities in no fewer than 55 countries.
It was said that these health workers continue to seek better-paid opportunities in wealthier nations, which have stepped up efforts to recruit them amid shortages in the sector following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the WHO, African nations have been worst hit by the phenomenon, with 37 countries on the continent facing health worker shortages.
“Health workers’ shortage has threatened their chances of achieving universal health care by 2030—a key Sustainable Development Goals pledge.’’
“Within Africa, it’s a very vibrant economy that is creating new opportunities,” Dr. Jim Campbell, the Director responsible for health worker policy at WHO, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Signature Bank faced criminal probe ahead of its collapse – Bloomberg News
U.S. prosecutors were investigating Signature Bank’s association with crypto clients before regulators suddenly seized the lender last weekend, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
U.S. Justice Department investigators in Washington and Manhattan were examining whether the now-collapsed bank took necessary steps to detect potential money laundering by its clients, according the, adding that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was also scrutinizing the bank.
The report comes after New York’s financial regulator earlier in the day said its decision to close Signature Bank had “nothing to do with crypto”, but was spurred by what it called “a significant crisis of confidence in the bank’s leadership” after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. (Reuters)
