General
ACAEDF Seeks Funds to Rehabilitate Children, Young Adults
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A leading child rights protection organisation in Africa known as the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF) is planning to raise funds for education development in riverine communities and rehabilitation of over 1,000 children and young adults through donations.
The group, which has been doing humanitarian works for the past seven years by protecting the rights of children across the continent, has rescued and transformed more than 234 children across Nigeria.
To mark its seven years of impactful existence in Nigeria and across Africa, an event has been fixed for Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at ACAEDF Crescent, Ikot Afaha, Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
A statement from the organisation said dignitaries, industry captains and notable child rights promoters across the continent would attend the programme themed Children for Change Celebration (CHICC).
Activities lined up in commemoration of the foundation’s seven years anniversary include raffle tickets for community development, fashion show, music performance and poetry, cocktail events and a novelty football match.
Since its inception in 2014, ACAEDF has been mobilising people and resources to advocate, protect and proactively provide interventions especially against child witch branding and other forms of abuses.
The foundation’s provable track records especially within its community of practice include rescue and sheltering homeless children accused of witchcraft, provision of quality education both to sheltered children and those on the Home Support Programme and reunification and reintegration of the rescued children into the society.
The foundation’s multi-purpose childcare centre called Land of Hope is equipped with an in-house hospital, skills/vocational training centre, library, children’s parliament, sporting/recreational facilities, residential areas, amongst others.
Speaking on the impacts made by the foundation since its inception, the founder and Executive Director of ACAEDF, Mr David Umem, stated that, “Our vision is to provide every child with the audacity to hope for a better life and an envisaged future.
“The foundation came into existence in the first place because we saw the ever-widening gap between child abuse and timely interventions by the authorities.
“The situations of child witch branding which is championed by adults and parents whose duty is to protect these children ignited in us the need to intervene and provide direct and immediate aid to these children whose rights have been greatly abused.
“Also, beyond our intervention programs, we have in place an established structure used to propagate the message of hope and build top of mind awareness on child right acts through community intervention programs.
“We enjoin every Nigerian to make an effort to help at least one child every day, that way, the message of hope would be extended to everyone across the continent.”
“It is vital to also state that in the actual sense, what we are celebrating are the people, our team of dedicated experts and over 1,000 children, young adults, parents and communities who have been impacted by our campaigns and interventions.
“In the coming future, we hope to create a sustainable and thriving environment free from all form of child abuse.
“My utmost gratitude also goes to my dedicated team who works tirelessly to ensure that the purpose of this organisation is actualized,” Mr Umem added.
Also, the Director for Child Development at ACAEDF, Mr Nsidibe Orok, reiterated the organisation’s commitment towards child-right protection in the continent.
“As a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization, we aspire for a society free of child witch branding and all forms of child abuse.
“This aspiration has informed our commitment. The team has shown their commitment through active and impactful contributions in putting an end to all forms of child abuse and witch-hunting.
“Currently, we are proactively collaborating with the riverine communities across the Niger Delta on methods to improve access to qualitative education.
“These communities have been completely forgotten in terms of the provision of basic amenities like clean water, schools, healthcare facilities, good roads, electricity amongst others and thus make children from these areas vulnerable to the adoption of criminal behaviours and other social anomalies.
“We seek partners particularly in using ICT for qualitative and sustainable education to improve the lives of a vast population of people especially children in Riverine communities,” Mr Orok stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Banks operating in Nigeria have been charged to further deepen and prioritise financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth.
This call was made by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB).
They want financial institutions to deploy strategic mandates and frameworks aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering small and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
At a courtesy visit to congratulate Mr Dele Alabi on his investiture as the 24th head of CIBN on May 16, 2026, the president of ACAMB, Mr Jide Sipe, said his group was ready to work closely with CIBN to achieve these goals.
According to him, closing the imbalances in financial access helps economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Mr Sipe also used the occasion to announce ACAMB’s 30th anniversary, marking three decades of excellence, industry collaboration, professional development, and impactful contributions to the Nigerian banking and financial services sector.
“The association is pleased to announce the celebration of its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of excellence, industry collaboration, professional development, and impactful contributions to the Nigerian banking and financial services sector,” he said.
The ACAMB leader also formally invited the CIBN president to chair the anniversary Gala Night slated for Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
“We are inviting industry leaders to this anniversary and recognising many people who have stood by ACAMB over the years,” he stated, soliciting the institute’s support through attendance and the invitation of bank managing directors.
In his remarks, Mr Alabi thanked ACAMB for the visit, promising that the institute will prioritise financial inclusion and women’s empowerment.
He said access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
At his investiture over two months ago, Mr Alabi unveiled his IMPACT Vision, themed Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Mr Alabi added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms, saying, “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do.”
“To this end, we intend to contribute our quota in supporting banks and financial institutions in driving gender-focused financial inclusion to close the 9 per cent gender gap in access to formal financial services,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched the pilot phase of its Management Information System (MIS) and Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) at the PTML Area Command, Lagos, as it pushes its modernisation drive aimed at enhancing trade facilitation, operational efficiency and service delivery.
The pilot launch was led by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Mrs Oluyomi Adebakin, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi.
She commended the PTML Area Command for its exceptional level of preparedness, describing its readiness as a testament to the collaborative efforts and commitment of officers towards the successful implementation of the initiative.
“Modernisation and digitalisation are no longer optional. As the lead agency in border management, the Nigeria Customs Service cannot afford to lag. If we don’t move with the cloud, we will be left behind. This pilot phase reflects our commitment to building a modern Customs Service that meets global standards,” she said.
In his welcome address, the Acting Customs Area Controller, PTML Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Nura Miko, said the command continues to prioritise trade facilitation while maintaining a balance with revenue generation and national security.
He disclosed that PTML, which currently achieves cargo clearance within two hours, is working towards reducing the clearance time to one hour through digital innovation and improved operational processes.
“At PTML, trade facilitation remains our priority. Having achieved a two-hour cargo clearance time, we are now working towards reducing it to one hour through the deployment of these digital platforms and continuous process improvements,” Mr Miko said.
The event featured a live demonstration of the MIS and ECTS by the Service’s ICT Unit, which explained that the in-house developed applications are highly scalable and designed to support indigenous technology development.
The team showcased key modules, including the Duty Roster, Internal Roster, File Tracker and Posting Management, while disclosing that officer onboarding, user training and deployment of the Electronic Cargo Tracking System are already underway as part of the pilot phase.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has sealed six iron and steel manufacturing companies in Ikorodu over alleged environmental violations.
The agency said the operation was carried out at the Odogunyan Industrial Layout on the directive of the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab.
It said the exercise was part of the Lagos State government’s efforts to protect public health and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
The affected companies are Germini Steel Nigeria Ltd., Top Steel Nigeria Ltd., Pulkit Alloy Nigeria Ltd., Landcraft Steel Nigeria Ltd., Sunflag Steel Nigeria Ltd., and African Steel Nigeria Ltd.
According to LASEPA, inspections revealed emissions of brown dust, black dust, mill scale, shredded dust, dead dust and other non-metallic particulate matter, noting that the emissions posed significant risks to air quality, public health and the environment.
The General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws across the state, urging industrial operators to adopt sustainable production processes and install effective pollution control measures to prevent harmful emissions.
“The Lagos State government remains resolute in its determination to protect residents from the adverse effects of industrial pollution. We will continue to take decisive action against facilities that fail to comply with established environmental standards,” he said.
Mr Ajayi urged industries operating in the state to comply with environmental regulations, saying environmental responsibility was essential for sustainable industrial growth and the well-being of Lagos residents.
