Eromosele Abiodun
In a bid to reduce boat accidents in Nigeria, Total upstream has commenced training of boat operators in Nigeria, emphasizing on safety and briefing of passengers before boarding vessels.
Speaking at the training programme held in Lagos, Deputy Managing Director of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Ahmadu-Kida Musa said that the objective is to reduce the cases of boat accidents on the nation’s waterways.
Musa who was represented by the General Manager Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS), Dr. Nkoyo Attah said that Total decided to implement the marine awareness campaign with a view to enlightening boat operators by providing them with appropriate safety information, rules, and skills to enable them to navigate the inland waterways in a safer manner.
According to him, â€The campaign focuses on safety which is our core value to us at Total, but it is also a demonstration of our commitment to promoting safety best practices, environmental protection, business ethics and corporate social responsibility everywhere we work.
“In the course of doing business, Total has deliberately fashioned out some initiatives which are aimed at giving back to the Nigerian society and this maritime awareness campaign is one of such initiatives.â€
In his representation, the guest speaker, Mr. Felix Nlerum, a safety consultant disclosed that 80 percent of boat accidents are caused by human error adding that most times these accidents were avoidable.
Nlerum also disclosed that most of these accidents were alcohol-related noting that it was illegal to operate a boat under the influence of such drinks
Nlerum advised boat operators to always carry a briefing session before embarking on a voyage.
He said that not all life jackets are suited for movement through the waterways noting that most times passengers travelling by water wear the wrong life jackets.
The safety expert advised operators to maintain a safe speed (the speed that can be controlled at any time).
Inlaks Offers Automatic Employment to 13 Trainees
Inlaks, an information technology and infrastructure solutions provider, has offered automatic employment to 13 persons that graduated from its IT academy in Lagos. The beneficiaries were trained in the management of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
The company, which provides Information Technology (IT) solutions to financial institutions, telecom, oil and gas companies, among others, said the beneficiaries were drawn from different parts of the country.
The Director, Infrastructure Business Unit, Inlaks, Mr. Tope Dare, said the company decided to train people who were unemployed to fill the vacancy it needed instead of going through the usual recruitment process of employment.
He said, “About six months ago, we needed to expand our workforce to support our automated teller machines at the various financial institutions and we had the option of going into the market to recruit.
“I wondered why we should do that at a very high cost to the company when there are a lot of Nigerians who are not employed and are looking for what to do. I felt we could bring them in, train them and make them assets to the company and even the society,’’ he said, explaining that the step was also a way of giving back to the society.”
According to him, the company received about 220 applications when it made its plans public. He added that after an online test was conducted for them, 15 of them emerged successful. He stated that the 15 persons were invited to Inlaks Academy in Lagos for the training, which lasted six months.
At the end of the exercise, Dare said 13 of the trainees were employed by the company, while one of them withdrew at the end of the exercise.
The coordinator of Inlaks ATM Academy, Mr. Rahmon Alabi, said the training went beyond ATM management to include stock operation, customer service operation and quality assurance.
He said the training comprised two months intensive classroom training and four months of practical in the workshop and field work. The trainees, he said, were paid monthly stipends and enjoyed other benefits, even though there was no formal agreement signed between them and the company beforehand.
“Such is hard to come by, especially when you are not in the employment of the trainer, but we believed in them, and so we encourage them to maximise the opportunity given to them to be a part of the company,†Alabi said.
Etihad Group’s Boukadida Named ‘Treasury Professional of the Year’
The Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) Acting Group Treasurer, Adam Boukadida has been honoured by the Association of Corporate Treasurers Middle East.
The industry body for bankers and treasurers, according to a statement, named Boukadida ‘Treasury Professional of the Year,’ acknowledging his leadership for developing and implementing new policies and procedures to drive greater cost efficiency across the airline group.
Etihad Aviation Group is a diversified global aviation and travel group based in Abu Dhabi, and comprises five business divisions – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways Engineering, Etihad Airport Services, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners.
Boukadida, who received the accolade at the Association of Corporate Treasurers Middle East’s annual awards in Dubai, is responsible for group-wide corporate treasury, as well as insurance and risk management.
In addition, he has overall responsibility for corporate finance, governance, group taxation, as well as payment and anti-fraud solutions.
Commenting on the achievement, Etihad Aviation Group Interim Group Chief Financial Officer, Ricky Thirion said: “Adam has been a tremendous leader, supporting the many different business units across Etihad Aviation Group to successfully drive greater cost efficiency, particularly over the past 12 months during extremely challenging times for our industry.
“His experience, leadership and innovative approach are commendable and the fact that his peers within the treasury and banking community across the Middle East have voted for him as the first recipient of this individual award demonstrates their confidence in his business acumen and high standards of professionalism.â€
The award recognises an individual who is considered to have demonstrated excellence in treasury and made an outstanding contribution to their team, organisation or profession with consistency that has helped raise the profile of treasury practice in the region.
Over the past 12 months, Boukadida spearheaded the completion of a cost-reduction global cash management project with Citibank and secured a unique $1.5 billion sukuk transaction, a landmark debt capital market deal in the aviation sector and Islamic markets – and the largest of its kind in the Middle East.
BAT Nigeria Receives ISO 9001:2015 Certification
The British America Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria Limited has received the ISO 9001:2015 certification from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for conforming to the Quality Management System standard.
The firm received the certificate recently during a courtesy visit and facility tour by officials of the SON at the company’s factory in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The certificate, which marked the organisation’s third certification by the agency has a validity period of three years.
Presenting the certificate, Director-General, SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, said the recognition was based on quality management system put in place by BAT Nigeria in improving the tobacco sector, stressing that the company had been playing remarkable role in securing a better regulated market to safeguard the life of consumers and sustain the livelihood of tobacco farms.
Aboloma, who was represented at the event by the Director, Management System Certification, SON, Mrs Oluremi Ayeni, noted that the certificate would provide the company a robust, globally-recognised and acceptable solution to address the challenges associated with consistently meeting business and regulatory requirements.
“The adoption of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System framework therefore reflects commitment to one of your strategic goals geared towards continually operating at the highest standards of corporate conduct and transparency – benefitting governments, consumers and the environmentâ€, Aboloma said.
He said the certification also ensured that the organisation would consistently provide products and services that meet requirements while managing the internal and external issues and addressing the risks and opportunities associated with tobacco and cigarettes sector.
However, the DG challenged the company to ensure its system remains effective and up to date in order to reap the benefits of ISO approach to quality management, noting that the agency had in place, a process of getting feedback from customers on the company’s performance.
Aboloma added: “This system having been re-certified has been placed on annual surveillance audits to track effectiveness. In the course of the audit exercises, where non-conformances are observed and are corrected within specified time frame, the system will retain the certificate. However, the certificate will be withdrawn if the structures in place for certification breaks down and necessary corrective actions are not taken on observed non-conformances.
“Being one of the very few certified in your professional segment in Nigeria, you will agree with me that your biggest challenge in this endless journey to excellence is to direct your efforts towards consistent quality product and service delivery in tobacco and cigarette manufacturing supply chain.â€
He added that by the presentation of the certificate, the company had been adjudged as having a system that gives customers and interest parties assurance of its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet requirements.
He stated that BAT Nigeria’s focus on quality products and service delivery would also strengthen its competitive strategies, stressing that by its feat, it had retained its spot among a privileged class of quality management system certified organisations.
In his acceptance speech, Director, Area Operations, BAT Nigeria , Mr. Charles Kyalo, thanked the agency for presenting the “prestigious†certificate to the company.
“It is a great honour for BAT Nigeria to be considered worthy to be presented with this certificate and I believe this certification demonstrates our continuous effort to ensure that the best quality products are produced in our factory and buttress the fact that we are a company that consistently complies with industry regulations as provided by the authorities such as the SON,†Kyalo said.
NCAC Boss, Runsewe Bags NIPR Brand Symbol Award
Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe, has been honoured with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Brand Symbol award in recognition of his contributions to the culture and tourism sector development in Nigeria during its 2017 annual dinner held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Abuja.
In the notification of award letter earlier sent to him, the NIPR noted that the honour was strictly on merit and in recognition of his initiatives, laudable programmes and overall contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria.â€
The statement reads in parts: “You have effectively utilised your platforms, in the culture and tourism sectors, at different times, to promote the image, goodwill, understanding, reputation and integrity of Nigeria.
This effort not only has added value to, but also resonates with the ideals of the NIPR.â€
Delivering his acceptance speech on behalf of other awardees at the dinner, Runsewe said he was humbled by the recognition and pledged to continue contributing his quota to national development.
He commended the NIPR for setting the ball rolling with the initiative of honouring those who are doing their bit to make Nigeria a greater nation.
He encouraged his fellow awardees and all Nigerians to sustain the momentum of hard work, dedication, and patriotism while joining hands with the NIPR to move the country to greater heights.
