Protocols
Distinguished Guests,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Editors, Staff and Management of Montage Africa Media Limited, Publishers of New National Star Newspaper, I welcome everyone to this month’s break- fast meeting holding here in Abuja
First, let me heartily welcome the Special Guest of Honour and Honourable Minister of Power, Engr Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu who is ably represented by the MD/CEO, Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad.
Permit me also welcome another Special Guest of Honour Chief Dr. Emeka Wogu, CON, FNIM (Nwadiala of Ngwaland), former Honourable Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity under whose tenure issues related to labour was handled during the unbundling took place.
Another key player in the power sector privatization programme is the then Permenent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power His Excellency, Ambassaddor Godknows Boladei Igali, PhD, OON. He is here today as the Chairman of the occasion and resocurce person. Dr Igali is currently the Pro-chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University of Technology ( FUTA), Akure Ondo State
Let me also warmly welcome our Guest Speakers namely, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, MD/CEO, Niger Delta Power Holding Company( NDPHC), Engr Sanusi Garba, Chairman, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, MD/CEO, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Dr. Nnaemeka Eweluke, MD/CEO, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Company (NBET) Plc as well as Engr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, ,D/CEO, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)
In the same vein, it is my pleasure to welcome Mr. Joe Ajaero, President Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Engr. Martin Uzoegwu, Presdient National Union of Electricity Employees( NUEE), Dr. Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), the Representatives of Association of Power Distribution Companies, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition, and Consumer Protection Commission (FCPCC) respectively.
All other interest groups, CSOs as well as our media colleagues and friends are all here. I warmly appreciate your presence. God bless you all for honouring our invitation
This month’s Breakfast Meeting serves as a forum for Nigerians and non-Nigerians especially the business and political community to meet, discuss and make positive contributions to issues of national importance.
New National Star Newspaper in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is organizing a One –Day NATIONAL SECURITY CONFERENCE with the Theme: NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT designed to address the growing insecurity in Nigeria .
Nigeria in recent times has recorded unprecedented security challenges such as Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) attacks, militancy, armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, Fulani-Herders farmers clashes, crude oil theftcultism among other social vices.
One of such challenge is attacks by persons whose identities are unclear, hence the epithet ‘unknown gunmen’. Killings by unknown gunmen have become a daily occurrence even when the reportage is repetitively downplayed. The attacks by these misfits have claimed the lives of several people, including the political elite.
In all situations, the modus operandi involves sporadic shooting, abduction, maiming, arson, jailbreak and extrajudicial killing. Their targets include private citizens, business owners, politicians, government institutions and business organisations. Their activities are carried out in rural and urban areas; in daytime or at night. The after effect of such attacks is the destruction of lives and property, piles of dead bodies, displacement, torched villages, maimed victims, lots of casualties, an increase in internal displacement, forced migration and food shortages. Attacks by gunmen have led to a humanitarian crisis with an increase in the number of internally displaced persons, student abductions and wanton killings. These attacks also have economic implications as the means of livelihood of several Nigerians have been destroyed, while foreign investors have been scared away from such volatile areas.
Regrettably, the attacks and their resultant victims are widespread in Nigeria and continue unabated.
As you are aware, in more than a decade now, Security has become a major issue in Nigeria. No where is safe. Even Abuja and the FCT the nation’s capital is not safe like before. But one thing is clear, although insecurity is everywhere in the country, still, each region/zone has its own peculiar security issues
In the South-South it is crude oil theft, oil bunkering and sea pirates. In the South East is the menace of the now infamous “ unknown gun men”. In the South West is
In the North East is Boko Haram /terrorism, North West is illegal oil mining while North Central is Farmers/Herders crisis etc
However, in all these zones, armed robbery, kidnapping and murder are common experiences
Therefore, this conference is designed to bring all key stakeholders together to address these issues with a view to finding a lasting, workable solutions
It is part of our contributions to societal growth and development. It shall bring together, security stakeholders, professionals, political leaders, Civil society Organizations, journalists, community and religious leaders, citizens and residents in the country, with the aim of reaching out to each other to collectively address the growing insecurity in the country .
His Excellency, Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has accepted to chair the conference. The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is the Special Guest of Honour and he will deliver the Keynote Address while HE Chief Nyesom Wike the Honourable Minister of the FCT is the Chief Host
The Guest Speaker is no other than Dr. Solomon Arase, CFR, former Inspector-General of Police and current Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC)
He will speak on “Citizen Engagement in the fight against crime and criminalities in Nigeria “
Other topis and presenters are
1. Finding Lasting solution to security Challenges in Nigeria the Role of Political, Religious and Community Leaders by H.E Ambassador Godknows .O. Igali, PhD, OON, Pro-Chancellor & Chairman Governing Council, FUTA
2. Intelligence gathering and Information sharing as critical aspects of National Security by Chief Ray Nkemdirim, MFR, Former Director (Operations) DSS
3. Combating Cyber security and Internet Fraud in Nigeria by Hon. Shade Adepeju-Joseph, Cyber Security Consultant
4. The role of the Media in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria by Mr. Simon Reef Musa, a veteran Journalist, Co-Founder, Forefront Magazine and Columnist with the Leadership Newspaper-Secretary, Nigerian Guild of Editors
5. Combating Crude oil theft in the Niger Delta: The Tantita experience by Captain Warred Enisuoh, Executive Director, Operations/Technical Services, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd
The conference will foster connection among citizens and critical stakeholders , security administrators and leaders . Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, ideas leading to strategic resolutions will be developed, with agreed mechanisms for implementation, towards safeguarding our environment and restoring security and safety in the nation. By coming together, we will share insights on how we, as individuals, community and organizations should respond to incidents and the role and responsibilities we have to secure our communities. Indeed, knowledge has always been power. Therefore, sharing knowledge will help us innovatively contain security challenges.
The conference will have in attendance Heads of all security agencies , the National Security Adviser and other critical security stakeholders, heads of paramilitary agencies, representatives of local community policing groups, Area Council Chairmen in FCT, community leaders, heads of academic institutions, residential estate representatives, heads of identified professional groups and other strategic persons.
As the watchdog of the nation, the media must rise to its constitutional responsibility and this is what we have done today by bringing all the stakeholders together in this hall to critical dissect this issue and proffer workable, mutually beneficial solutions for the good of all. It is important to agree that Nigeria has come of age and must do things in line with international best practices.
Our newspaper, the New National Star is a publication of Montage Africa Media Limited. We are a Nigerian media company duly registered and incorporated. The newspaper is renowned in media industry in Nigeria and outside the country through its various publications namely: New National Star Newspaper, New National Star online, and Montage Africa Magazine. We also have New National Star Online Television and Montage Photo and Video graphic studios, respectively. Early this year, we got license from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to operate a radio station, the Montage FM. This will come on stream in few weeks from today.
Our objective is to bring quality and factual news from around the globe to our readers while striving to be exceptional in news reporting. This is the reason for the slogan we uphold: We Tell It The Way It Is!
New National Star newspaper is printed simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and Portharcourt and distributed across the country from these three locations. It is read by local and foreign investors, policy makers in the public and private sectors, key decision makers, the business and political community, members of the diplomatic community and the general public. These people rely on our credible and factual data for decision making.
At the end of this conference, it is expected that participants would come uo with practical solutions to the lingering security challenges in the country.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentle men, once more, we deeply appreciate your honouring us with your presence and wish you would consider doing business with us from today.
I thank you for your attention
OBINNA F. NWACHUKWU, PhD, FNIM
Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief