NIIT IFBI forays into Nigeria to foster skilled manpower development for the banking sector

By The Citizen

NIITs Institute for Finance, Banking and Insurance (IFBI), Indias largest Banking training institute, today announced the launch of 1st IFBI center in Nigeria. To create a talent pool of skilled banking professionals in Nigeria, IFBI introduces its flagship PGDB program. The PGDB program is designed to meet the skill requirements of the fast evolving banking industry in the country.

NIIT, a leading global talent development corporation, has played a critical role in empowering the youth of Nigeria with employability skills over the last 13 years. NIIT now launches NIIT IFBI, which has trained over 110,000 students and professionals in India for the Banking and Financial Services Industry.

PGDB has unique technology application training modules which give a hands-on experience on the latest banking software. The program is aimed at providing direct exposure to real-life banking environment with industry immersion and expert interactions. The course offers insights into the domains of Retail Banking, Credit Management, International Banking, Corporate Finance; and equips the students with crucial professional and life skills such as selling skills & techniques, sales planning, business communication, customer service skills.

NIIT IFBI will provide a unique combination of industry exposure and a hands-on learning approach to make the students day-one industry ready professionals by the time they graduate. NIIT IFBIs association with senior industry experts enables industry immersion for the students including industry visits, expert interactions and industry-oriented curriculum in the program. The expert faculty at NIIT IFBI have over 20 years of experience at key positions in the banking & finance sector.

Admission to the PDGB program will be through an Aptitude Test and graduates in any discipline are eligible to apply for the program.

Mr. G. Raghavan, Chief Executive, Career Building Solutions, NIIT Ltd., said, Over its six year journey, NIIT IFBI has trained over 110,000 students and professionals for the Banking & Finance industry. We are excited to now offer our industry endorsed programs to the youth of Nigeria, and aim to create a large talent pool of skilled professionals for the competitive global banking industry.

The Nigerian economy is witnessing tremendous growth, especially in verticals such as Banking, Insurance, and Financial Services. The Nigerian banking industry is evolving fast and new technologies and protocols will take the Nigerian banking industry to international standards. There is an urgent need for skilled professionals in Nigeria who can perform myriad banking roles in customer acquisitions, front office and back office operations, wealth management, customer service, phone banking, etc., filling up vital positions both at the entry- and mid-management levels.

The PGDB program aims to create a pool of next generation banking executives who are equipped to understand and implement the new industry developments.

 
 
 
Ministerial Committee Recommends Establishment of Commission To Handle Resettlement, Compensation Matters in FCT …Canvasses Funding of Resettlement Schemes Under National Priority Budget

 
 
The Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of Apo Resettlement Scheme on Monday recommended the establishment of a Commission to handle resettlement and compensation matters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

 
The Committee also called for the funding of Resettlement programmes of the FCT Administration under the National Priority Budget.

 
The Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of Apo Resettlement Scheme, Alhaji Yusuf Tsaiyabu, made these disclosures during the submission of the Committee's Report to the Honourable Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

 
Tsaiyabu noted that the establishment of a Commission had become necessary to prevent the continuous setting up of different committees to handle the resettlement schemes in the FCT.

 
'The Committee recommended that there should be a Commission to handle all matters on resettlement and compensation in the FCT. Every issue on resettlement and compensation can be handled by the Commission. It would prevent having numerous committees to handle different resettlement and compensation matters,' he explained.

 
He noted that the current funding of resettlement and compensation through statutory budget was inadequate.

 
'The resettlement and compensation of indigenes cannot satisfactorily be funded under the FCT Administration's Statutory Budget. The Committee found out that the issue of resettlement and compensation is the business of the Federal Government. It involves huge capital resources and also constitutes security problems within the territory.

 
'The Committee recommended that resettlement and compensation should be funded through the National Priority Budget. The FCT Administration has to liaise with the Federal Government to include the resettlement and compensation of original inhabitants of the FCT in its National Priority Budget,' said Tsaiyabu, who is the Director, Admin and Finance of FCT Area Council Services Secretariat.

 
Receiving the Committee's Report, the FCT Minister of State assured the members of the committee and communities that the FCT Administration has the political will to execute the report and use it as a model for subsequent resettlement schemes.

 
'We can assure you that you will begin to see fundamental changes in the way things are done in resettlement and compensation matters in the FCT. This is democracy at work in line with the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President.

 
'The President is transforming Nigeria into a fully democratic society and this is why the participation and involvement of the people in matters that affect them is very critical. The Garki, Apo and Akpajanya Communities fully participated in the Committee's report,' Akinjide stated.

 
Akinjide had on February 14, 2013 <calendar:T2:February 14, 2013>  inaugurated the Implementation Committee on Apo Resettlement Scheme.

 
The Committee was made up of: Director of Urban & Regional Planning, Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar; Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Micah Jiba; Director of Security in FCT, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed; Director of Inspectorate, Planning and Management, Area Council Services Secretariat, Architect J.S. Kaura; Director of Satellite Towns Development Agency, Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim Bakori; Director of Development Control, Mr. Yahaya Yusuf, and Director of Resettlement & Compensation, Mr. Francis Okechukwu.

 
Other members were: Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Resettlement, Mr. Benedict Ogenyi; Director of Lands in FCT, Alhaji Mainasara Babayo; Special Adviser (Lands) to the Permanent Secretary, Chief Steven Awoniyi; Special Assistant (Lands) to the Minister of FCT, Alhaji Hussaini Badeggi; Special Assistant (Legal) to the Minister of State for FCT, Mr. Festus Tsavsar; representative of Public Building, Mr. Momohjimoh Ibrahim; representative of Department of State Service, Mr. Adebowale Sanusi; Deputy Director of Monitoring & Control, Resettlement Department, Alhaji Baba Kura Umar, and Chairman of FCT Press Corps, Mr. Sam Ogbeifun.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Only credible elections can sustain Nigeria’s democracy

 
 
 
A former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has congratulated Nigerians on this year’s democracy day.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, Kalu said Nigeria’s growing democracy can only be sustained if elections are devoid of rigging, manipulations and ballot box snatching.

He noted that the people’s mandate should be protected and guaranteed at all times.

He said this starts from the primaries of political parties where candidates for the general election are elected.

He said: “When the people genuinely elect their leaders, it brings credibility to the democratic process and promotes accountability to the people.

“In a situation where people force themselves into government positions through the back door, they owe no obligation to the people.

“They are more concerned about sharing tax payers money among their so-called political perpetrators and amassing wealth for themselves.”

Kalu said advanced countries have shown the benefits of free and fair elections, which is evident in the welfare of their citizens.

He commended President Goodluck Jonathan on his aggressive strategy of curbing the Boko Haram insurgency with both the amnesty committee and state of emergency declared in some states.

However, he advised that the amnesty committee should be allowed some weeks to dialogue with the sect and if there is no positive response, the use of force can then commence.

He also called on the present administration to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission to deliver on credible elections.

Kalu called on Nigerians to remain calm and hopeful that the country will overcome its challenges and prayed to God to continue to give the people at the helm of affairs the wisdom to steer the “affairs of our great country, Nigeria.”

 
 
Democracy celebration time for political leaders to close rank- Moro

 
The Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro has called on political leaders in the country to close ranks to tackle the challenges facing the country warning that failure to do so could spell doom for Nigeria.

 
 
“The consequences are grave if as political leaders we fail to rise up to halt the growing acrimonies in our land. We must as a matter of urgency put aside our selfish interests and parochial views to do what is right to keep Nigeria one,” Mr. Moro said.

 
 
While urging Nigerians to ignore calls by politicians and opposition leaders attempting to demonise President Goodluck Jonathan and harped on things that have been left undone in the country,” the interior minister said that despite Nigeria’s economic and security challenges, “looking back, Nigeria indeed has a lot to celebrate”.

 
He maintained that “this year’s democracy day celebration should not be another day for the opposition parties and those who do not have the interests of Nigeria at heart to begin to demonise the President or other political office holders, rather it should serve as a day when political leaders must reflect on how Nigeria can attain its greatness through positive and collective action”.

 
 
Emphasising the significance of May 29 further in the political history of Nigeria, the minister said “this year’s democracy day celebration should not be a day when politicians moved by selfish interests and cheap political gains begin to make political statements that will divide instead of uniting us as a people” noting that the period “is clearly the time when all stakeholders in the Nigeria project must have to come together to jointly fashion out how Nigeria can make progress in our collective march towards achieving a vibrant and sustainable democracy for our fatherland”.

 
Though Mr. Moro admitted that Nigeria has challenges like every other country of the world, he however insisted that this period is a time to reflect on the challenges “that face us as a nation and a people. It is a period when we have to collectively appraise our democratic progress in the areas of economic, social, political and security of our fatherland”.

 
He said Nigeria like other countries of the world was passing through difficult times but however noted that what sets nations apart “is the resolve of its people irrespective of class, race and religion to collectively rise up to tackle such challenges; be it economic, security, religion or political.