The Enugu SME Center has recorded a remarkable milestone with its ongoing Hackathon Series, a quarterly series in partnership with the private sector to bring the ideas of the teeming youth of Enugu State to the limelight. So far, the healthy contest has brought together the best innovative minds with disruptive ideas and solutions to address the changes to ways of life and business as a result of Covid-19 and the institutional change it has created in the global ecosystem. In its first edition, the quarterly series is targeted as both tech-inclined and non tech-inclined creative thinkers, to develop sustainable platforms, products and ventures to rebuild, recreate, and reinvent the future of business and innovation within Enugu State. With focus on projects themes around agriculture, education, healthcare, small business tools and other use cases and services, the Hackathon Series has brought together over 300 teams in the first quarter, who tendered their ideas for consideration and ...

‘My church will remain closed’ — Okotie rejects guidelines for reopening worship centres Chris Okotie, founder of the Household of God Church, has rejected the guidelines issued by the Lagos state government for the reopening of worship centres. The Lagos state government, on Thursday, announced that religious activities will resume in two weeks. While Muslims will return to mosques on June 19, Christian worship would begin on June 21. Some guidelines were also announced by the state government to facilitate the reopening of worship centres and to curb the spread of COVID-19. They include the compulsory use of face masks; restriction of people below the age of 15 and above 65 years from services, while gatherings should not exceed one hour. But in a statement, Okotie rejected the guidelines, saying the “fulfilment of the Bible prophecy” against the church is already being played out and that rearranging the church’s mode of worship is “to deny God the divine prerogative of congregation...

There is no fixed date for reopening of schools shut over the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government has declared. It said despite the agitations for reopening of schools, it would continue to monitor situations with a view to preventing a spike in the infection rate. The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, stated this in Abuja during the Presidential Task Force (PFT) on COVID-19 100th day briefing. According to him: “There is no fix date on schools’ resumption. The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 is studying the situation, carrying out reviews every two and four weeks to access the situation and judge when it is safe. “The Federal Government is taking very seriously the balanced between safety and preventing disease explosion, and the opening of schools. “We are encouraging schools to embrace online training and education as much as possible. “As soon as the details are established and the risk of transmission is measured and established, then, schools will reopen. “We a...

The Federal Government has released N16.8 billion to settle outstanding salary arrears of staff in the country’s tertiary institutions. Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, who disclosed this during the “Sixth Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing’’ in Abuja, said that disbursement was ongoing through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. Adamu said that the government had resolved all issues and await the academic unions to also call off their strike in the coming days, especially ASUU and ASUP. The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) had been on strike since December 12, while the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) started Nov 4. According to him, the Federal Government had reached an agreement in the area of: Review of Polytechnic Act, adding that it was waiting for the National Assembly to transmit the amended document to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent. Others, he said, were revitalisation of polytechnics and colleges of educati...

The Federal Government has reacted to the continued closure of educational institutions in the country over the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja over the virus, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba said the postponement of examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) remain indefinite. He also recalled that the Ministry of Education had in March shut tertiary institutions, secondary and primary schools in the country as precautionary measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The Minister while noting that rendering educational services to the masses is in the concurrent list, said the Federal Government will communicate a new resumption date to all stakeholders. “As you are aware, we have announced that WAEC and NECO for the year have been postponed. This postponement at the moment is indefinite. “As soon as we arrive at a definite time, we will re-co...

The Lagos State Government says residents will now have access to highly-trained and experienced medical doctors for non-emergency and primary care consultation via voice or video call from the comfort of their homes. This service takes effect from Wednesday, April 22, 2020. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba during the launch of the emergency line which is called ‘EKO TELEMED’. She noted that this is part of efforts aimed at protecting the citizens and reducing their risk of contracting the Coronavirus disease. Dr. Zamba, therefore, asked residents who develop any non-COVID-19 health issues during the lockdown period to dial 08000EKOMED (08000356633) toll-free line for consultation. “The toll-free line would enable residents to have direct access to non-emergency primary care via voice or video call and speak with trained medical doctors in any of the four major languages in Lagos State – Eng...