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Tag: Training

  • U.S. military conducts first-ever maritime drills with West African forces

    U.S. military conducts first-ever maritime drills with West African forces

    The United States military has organised the first-ever maritime exercise to bolster the skills of West African forces.

    The drill which was held in Ghana’s Volta river on Saturday was carried out under the U.S.’ long-running Flintlock programme.

    The sea-based training in the first half of March culminated with soldiers holding their guns aloft as they braved neck-high waves before storming a beach resort to defuse a staged hostage crisis.

    During the drill, the West African troops silently pulled their small boats up to a rust-stained ferry and swarmed up its sides on grappling hooks to disarm the mock kidnappers onboard.

    Military bigwigs and diplomats watched from nearby.

    Admiral Milton Sands, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command for Africa (SOCAF), said the programme had expanded to help coastal nations in the region cope with maritime threats such as piracy and illegal fishing.

    Unauthorised fishing “is a significant one that we’re really trying to work with our partners to get our arms around slowing down,” he told Reuters on Tuesday.

    He said illegal fishing not only robbed the region of a key food source but fuelled other criminal activity including drugs and human trafficking.

    Around 350 troops took part in the drills including servicemen from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea.

    The area has become a global piracy hotspot in recent years although cases have fallen there since 2021, according to the UN Security Council.

    Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has spread along West Africa’s coasts, sapping an estimated $9.4 billion per year through illicit financial flows, according to a 2022 report by the Financial Transparency Coalition of non-governmental organisations.

    Of the top 10 companies they found involved in IUU fishing in the region, eight were Chinese and a third of all vessels sported Chinese flags, it said.

    Commodore Godwin Livinus Bessing, commander of Ghana’s Naval Training Command, said tackling IUU fishing had become a top priority, citing a lack of resources to deal with the foreign boats stealing from Ghana’s waters.

    “They continue to flout our regulations because of our enforcement capabilities,” he said.

    “That is one of the biggest problems. If we had enough ships out there and they knew we were monitoring the place, we would be able to curb the situation,” he added.

  • All things are of God – By Femi Aribisala

    All things are of God – By Femi Aribisala

    “While Moses judged men by their actions, Jesus reveals we shall be judged by our thoughts”.

    Solomon says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). 

    Therefore, when Femi-Kevin was a little boy, I asked him to memorise one scripture.  It was the only scripture I ever told him to cram, and it says everything about Almighty God: “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36).

    This scripture challenges our faith by the assertion that everything, without exception, is of God.  Do you believe that?  I know it is hard to believe, but you need to believe it in order to see it plainly.  Jesus told the Sadducees: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29).  Therefore, let us start with the scriptures and then link them with the power of God.

    The position of Romans 11:36 that all things are of God is repeated six times in scripture.  The other five times are as follows: “To us there is but one God, the Father, OF WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, and we by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:6).  “For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but ALL THINGS OF GOD. (1 Corinthians 11:12).

    “ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18). “Being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL.” (Ephesians 1:11).  “It became Him, FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS AND BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10).

    God is responsible

    Let me spell this out so you can see its amazing implications.  It means God is responsible for everything.  He is responsible for the good, the bad and the ugly.  If someone slaps you, know God is behind it.  If a Boko Haram suicide bomber kills himself and 80 others, know it is of God. 

    Amos asks rhetorically: “If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it? (Amos 3:6).  Yes indeed!  If anything good or bad happens, God is behind it. 

    Armed robbers attacked me and shot me in the leg.  Later on, God specifically told me He sent them.  He said He orchestrated it because He wanted me to see myself using crutches: “Who gave up Jacob to those who took away his goods, and Israel to his attackers? Did not the Lord? He against whom they did wrong, and in whose ways they would not go, turning away from His teaching.” (Isaiah 42:24).

    Therefore, take every injury as being from God and not from men.  Do not be offended at the postman: the offender is the letter–writer.  God is the letter writer.  Human beings and situations and circumstances are just God’s postmen.

    Jesus, indeed, is a rock of offense. (1 Peter 2:8).  But when and if God offends you, do not be offended.  Jesus says: “Blessed is anyone who is not offended by Me!” (Matthew 11:6).

    No second causes

    According to Jesus, there are no second causes.  Nothing happens without God’s permission: “Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted.” (Matthew 10:29-30). 

    Great men pay great attention to big issues.  But God pays punctilious attention to even the smallest of things.

    Solomon says God determines even the most seemingly random things: “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. (Proverbs 16:33).  Jeremiah insists nothing happens without God’s say-so: “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? (Lamentations 3:37-38). 

    Job concurs.  He asks his doubting wife in the day of calamity: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10).  God himself confirms this: “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7). 

    As a matter of fact, God takes issues with those who would limit Him, perhaps seeing Him as a one-dimensional goody-goody God: “It shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will He do evil.’” (Zephaniah 1:12).

    The restrainer

    Life is at God’s discretion.  God did not allow Abimelech to take Sarah, Abraham’s wife.  But He allowed David to take Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife.  He then judged David for this sin.  When David understood the supremacy of God, he prayed a remarkable prayer.  He said: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Jehovah, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14).

    In effect, David relinquished the control of his thoughts and his words to God.  He did this because he finally recognised that they are all under God’s control in any case.  According to scripture, man’s purposes, his determinations, his attitudes, and his thoughts may be controlled by man.  However, man’s actions are completely ruled and overruled by God.

    Take a look at the following scriptures: “We make our own plans, but the LORD decides where we will go.” (Proverbs 16:9). “We may make a lot of plans, but the LORD will do what He has decided.” (Proverbs 19:21). “A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and the LORD delights in his way.” (Psalm 37:23).   Even the wrath of man praises God, what does not suit God’s divine purposes He then restrains. (Psalm 76:10).

    Indeed, God puts all men under restraint ensuring we are unable to do what we want to do and can only do what God allows or permits.  Thus, Joseph’s brothers planned to kill him, but God restrained them.  The devil wanted to deal with Peter, but Jesus restrained him. (Luke 22:31).

    Accordingly, we will not be judged by our actions and inactions.  We will be judged by our thoughts, which are the intents of the actions we want to take.  God is the God of the heart, and it is our heart (or our thoughts) that determine who we are.  Solomon says of man: “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7).  But whether he will carry out his thoughts and plans will entirely depend on whether God allows him to do so.

    Thus, while Moses judged men by their actions, Jesus reveals we shall be judged by our thoughts: “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28).

  • Training of census personnel, vital for better experiences – NPC

    Training of census personnel, vital for better experiences – NPC

    Census training centres have been described as unique in providing distinctive learning experiences that would shape the proficiency of personnel.

    Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, Executive Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), said this while declaring open the National Level Training of Centre Managers and Administrators (TCMA) for 2023 Population and Housing Census in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Kwarra urged the participants to utilise the opportunity by being committed to the commission’s work, to generate credible, reliable and acceptable data for development planning purposes.

    “Census training centers are unique, unlike conventional schools; they are structured to provide distinctive learning experiences that will shape the proficiency of the Census Workforce.

    He explained that the success of every project was a direct function of the quality of manpower deployed in its execution and for a major national assignment such as the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

    According to him, its overall success will no doubt be tied to the quality of the entire workforce which will largely depend on the quality of training received.

    The Executive Chairman said that the commission had prioritised the training of centre managers and administrators for effective service delivery.

    “As centre managers and administrators, you will be equipped with relevant skills and knowledge to carry out your duties efficiently.

    “Part of your duties and responsibilities as Training Centre Managers and Administrators (TCMAs) is to support the operational and technical wing of the census.

    “Through proper management and administration of these centres, you can track the operational activities at the training venues on real time basis,” he said.

    Kwarra said that the main objectives of the training are building the capacity of Training Centre Managers and Administrators (TCMAs) to support their roles and responsibilities.

    He, however, said that the centre managers were expected to provide pre-service orientation to TCMAs prior to their setting out to various training centres.

    He reiterated the imperatives of commitment by participants to achieve the objectives.

    He restated the Commission’s vision of the 2023 census being designed to produce accurate, reliable and acceptable census and inclusive, user-friendly census data.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Real Madrid

    Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Real Madrid

    Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has been using Real Madrid’s training base to keep fit after Portugal’s World Cup exit.

    After his contract at Manchester United was cancelled last month, Ronaldo is free to join another club on 1 January.

    Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have made a big-money offer for the 37-year-old forward, although it is understood he has other options.

    Ronaldo trained alone at Real’s Valdebebas base and there is no option of a return to the Spanish club.

    Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United was brought to a premature end after a controversial interview in which the five-time Ballon d’Or winner criticised the club and said he had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag.

  • ICIR, NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel train journalists

    ICIR, NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel train journalists

    The International Centre for Investigative Reporting  ( ICIR ) in collaboration with the FCT Correspondents’ Chapel has begun the training of 100 journalists on data journalism, fact checking, open source investigation, mobile and multimedia journalism among others.

    The Master Class training is designed to expose journalists to the fundamentals, principles and rudiments of modern day journalism instead of conventional way of storytelling and narrative journalism.

    The training program is part of an initiative by the newly inaugurated executive of the Chapel sworn in on 21st of May 2022, to build the capacity of its members while carrying out their statutory assignments.

    The training which was held virtually on Saturday in Abuja is also aimed at addressing the growing menace of fake news, misinformation and disinformation in the country.

    No fewer than 100 journalists from different media organisations ranging from the print, broadcast and online platforms participated in the online training and this will continue in batches in the months of August, September 2022.

    The classes has been scheduled as follows ; Saturday August 6tth, Saturday August 20th, Saturday September 3rd  and Saturday September 17th.

    The guest speaker who is also a lecturer of Mass Communication Department, University of Lagos ( UNILAG ),  Mr Sam Ejiwunmi urged media practitioners to always observe the ethics of the profession and avoid rushing to break unverified news.

    The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ  ) FCT Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche in his goodwill message at the flag off of the training said the union is excited with the training on multimedia and data journalism by the ICIR adding that this would broaden the horizon, capacity and skills of journalists in credible and accurate reporting.

    According to him ” With the influence on technology on journalism, a multimedia knowhow as well as data is critical and it is our expectation at the NUJ that this training will help in providing credible and accurate reporting for our colleagues ”

    On his part the NUJ, FCT Correspondents Chapel Chairman, Mr. Jide Oyekunle urged members to take advantage of the training to enrich and validate their reportorial skills and knowledge.

    He also called on members to see the training as effective weapon and tool to fight against proliferation of fake news which has now become the bane of the profession.

    Oyekunle said ” the training is coming at the right time when the political activities line up for the 2023 general elections are about to commence couple with the rising insecurity in the country”.

    He said ” Misapplication of the journalistic Race Against Time (RAT) is one of the reasons for the rapid spread of disinformation and misinformation in Nigeria.

    “Also the on race against time even by  trained journalists who want to be first to break the news.

    “Lack of patience and resilience to get accurate information before disseminating information has embarrassed so many “experienced” journalists.

    He therefore called on members to give priority to accuracy instead of speed adding that journalists should strive to break story that would promote and shape the unity of the country.

    The Editor of ICIR, Ms. Victoria Bama described the pluralism of social media platforms as blessing to journalism profession just as she urged members to take the advantage to push out their contents for the public.

    She called.on media organisations to make use of fact checking tools to cross check their reports before going to press.

    Recall that the leadership of the FCT Correspondents Chapel had recently visited the management of ICIR on a strategic partnership and collaboration to organise a special training for their members.

    The Managing Editor ICIR, Mr. Hamzat Ajibola commended the union for taking their time to visit the center saying it has shown that the new leadership of the Chapel is committed to the vision of changing the face of journalism profession for better.

    He said ICIR was established with the vision of ensuring positive change of the country and set a pace for good and responsible journalism through training.

  • Ten Hag training more extreme than Guardiola – Strieder

    Ten Hag training more extreme than Guardiola – Strieder

    Former Bayern Munich midfielder Rico Strieder has recalled playing for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.

    Strieder was coached by Ten Hag as a player with Bayern II and FC Utrecht.

    He told Goal: “After the first training session with him I thought: I hardly moved. Ten Hag made you tired in your head, not in your legs. When we played eleven against eleven, he stopped the training continuously to grab someone and have him move two metres left or right. After the next pass, he would stop again to push the next player two metres further. We felt like pieces on a chess board.

    “For us it was completely new and completely insane. But we soon realised pretty quickly that it made us better, both as a team and individuals.

    “When he had the time, Ten Hag watched Pep Guardiola’s training sessions.

    “He tried to contact him every day. I don’t know what Guardiola thought about that at the time. Their relationship intensified when Ten Hag started to achieve success at Ajax.”

    In any case, Ten Hag took in detail what he saw at Bayern.

    “Guardiola and Ten Hag had a similar vision and comparable exercises. But Ten Hag’s tactical training was much more extreme. With Guardiola, an exercise lasted maybe ten minutes, with Ten Hag an hour.

    “Ten Hag banned mobile phones from one hour from the start of the warm-up. Nobody was allowed to joke, everyone had to focus.”

  • Again, Cristiano Ronaldo misses Man Utd training

    Again, Cristiano Ronaldo misses Man Utd training

    Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo was again missing from Manchester United training today.

    Ronaldo cited family reasons for his absence on Monday and Tuesday. But he was again absent from training at Carrington today.

    Ronaldo has told United management that he wishes to leave this summer should they receive a suitable offer.

    The 37-year-old still has an affinity for the club but at this stage of his career, he wants to be playing in the Champions League and does not see that happening at Old Trafford.

    His agent Jorge Mendes is actively drumming up interest from across Europe.

    United leave for their pre-season tour on Friday, with the first game set to take place in Bangkok against Liverpool on July 12.

  • Presidential Amnesty Programme revokes training contract for ex-agitators

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has revoked the training contract awarded to Express Concern International (ECN) for ex-agitators in its novel Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) scheme.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Neotabase Egbe, the Special Adviser, Media to the Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dikio (retd), on Sunday in Yenagoa.

    It explained that the firm’s job was terminated for breaching the terms contained in the contract.

    The statement is sequel to an allegation by a group, Concerned Indigenes of Oil Mineral Producing States Forum (CIOMPSF), that the company diverted funds it received from PAP.

    Egbe said even before the group issued its statement, PAP had terminated the contracts of the defaulting firm.

    He said the amnesty office had also activated its internal mechanism to retrieve the money it paid to the firm through a performance bond provided by the company.

    The statement acknowledged the interests shown by various stakeholders in the affairs of PAP.

    Egbe explained that under Dikio each job awarded by PAP was secured by a performance bond provided by the benefitting firm that enabled the amnesty office recover its money in an event of default by a contractor.

    “The attention of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has been drawn to reports that a contractor, Express Concerns International Limited, has diverted money paid to them to train 90 ex-agitators in the agriculture value chain.

    “Indeed, the PAP had contracted Express Concerns International Limited to train its beneficiaries. But the contract was terminated via a letter dated June 14th, 2022, because the contractor breached the terms of the agreement.

    “Contracts are not awarded to just anybody who submits a proposal, but to serious contractors, who have the capacity to deliver their contractual obligations.

    “However, each job awarded by PAP has an insurance bond that ensures the scheme recovers its money in the event of default by contractors.

    “Consequently, the PAP wrote to the guaranteeing firm/insurance company for the recovery of the mobilisation fee paid to the company.

    “While the management of the PAP acknowledges the interests shown by various stakeholders in the affairs of PAP, let it be known that deliberate measures were put in place to reform contractual processes and block all loopholes that could be capitalised upon to dupe the programme.

    “To all our concerned stakeholders and the general public, there is nothing to worry about as your concerns had been anticipated and taken care of through the various reforms initiated by the administration of Col. Dikio (rtd).

    “We want to further assure all stakeholders that PAP’s contracts are designed for the benefits of the programme’s beneficiaries and not for the enrichment of any contractor,” the statement read in part.

  • Two senior Man Utd players clash during training

    Two senior Man Utd players clash during training

    Two senior Manchester United players clashed as a training session came to a premature end on Thursday, it has been revealed.

    The Sun says the players were reportedly stunned by the incident in the first United training session since their humiliating 4-0 Premier League mauling at Brighton.

    Interim manager Ralf Rangnick reportedly saw the alleged altercation and then granted more time off to United’s players, who are said to have had four days to recover from the dismal defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

    Tempers ‘boiled over’ as a result of a dismal season, training and a disconnect between the players and Rangnick, the report claimed.

    United have lost three of their last five games by an aggregate score of 11-1, shipping three goals at Arsenal and four at Liverpool before their hammering at Brighton.

  • Qatar 2022: Super Eagles resume training after returning from Kumasi

    Qatar 2022: Super Eagles resume training after returning from Kumasi

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday evening in Abuja resumed training ahead of their second leg 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off against the Black Stars of Ghana.

    The team had returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday after a goalless draw with Ghana on Friday in the first leg.

    NAN reports that the training which was mainly a recovery session took place at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, where the team had been training before leaving for Kumasi for the first leg.

    The training was supervised by coach Augustine Eguavoen and was more of a recovery training, but those that did not feature in the first leg had a more intense session.

    The team is expected to continue its daily training ahead of Tuesday’s make or mar return leg for a slot at the Qatar 2022 World Cup billed for Nov. 21 to Dec. 18.

    The all-important winner takes all match will be played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja by 6.00 p.m.