Oilwatch Africa and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) have advocated an end to expansion in fossil fuels exploration to check adverse effects of climate change.
The groups noted that curtailing fossil projects was fundamental to bring about the needed changes to reject false climate solutions and ensure an inclusive solution.
A statement on Friday by the Media/Communication Lead at HOMEF, Kome Odhomor, said the groups gave the advice at the sidelines of the just-concluded COP-28 in the United Arab Emirate.
According to the statement, the advocacy included the call for payment of ecological debt owed to the global South, elimination of energy poverty, and a rejection of land grabbing or green colonialism.
It quoted the Executive Director of Kebetkache Women Development Center, Emem Okon, as highlighting the challenges and issues women face due to extractive activities.
The statement said: “Grassroots women in the Niger Delta are very vulnerable to environmental degradation. Women contribute immensely to the local economy with a heavy reliance on environmental resources.
“This exposes them to the disruptive impacts of land grabs, gas flaring, and oil spillages.”
It also noted that women are excluded from decision-making processes thus complicating their dilemma.
The statement explained that as women face violence due to fossil fuel extraction and climate change, there is a need to integrate their roles, concerns, and interests in decision-making.
It also noted that the Project Officer in charge of the Youth Desk, Ukpono Bassey, called for youth involvement in the fight against environmental degradation.
Bassey said: “This is the time for youth to be involved in leadership. After 28 COPs, it is evident that the elders have fallen short. The baton must be passed to the youth who are ready and compelled to take charge.
“The time for change is now – a change that ensures a sustainable future for generations to come.”
In her contribution, Odudabasi Asuquo, Project officer, Oilwatch Africa, maintained that it was unacceptable to continue the climate debate without phasing out fossil fuels.
She regretted that there is a mad rush of fossil investments in Africa, assaulting sensitive ecosystems and vulnerable communities and risks saddling them with toxic stranded assets.
She cited examples of communities in Uganda, Senegal, Namibia, and Botswana that need global solidity to ensure ecological justice.
The Coordinator of Fishnet Alliance, Mr. Stephen Oduware, highlighted the various challenges faced by fisherfolks through diverse false climate solutions.
The nation’s capital market has been experiencing a rather positive resurgence lately in terms of its fundamentals and store of value. In this report, Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf examines the stocks that have given the market a refreshing air of investor-confidence
Things are indeed looking up for the nation’s capital market and the reason for this is not far to seek.
From available information, stocks have been experiencing a sort of cataclysmic rebound such that the successes have continued to reverberate as well as move the market rather positively in a manner of speaking.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that the Nigerian capital market had a healthy run last Thursday with a 0.11% growth in the All-Share Index (ASI).
After the days’ trading, the ASI rose to 71,365.25 from 71,284.56 posted by the bourse.
Specifically, the market capitalisation increased today by N44 billion to N39.052 trillion from N39.008 trillion recorded in weeks.
The market turnover also increased to N10.24 billion from N6.61 billion.
24 stocks advanced, 31 declined, and 56 others remained unchanged in 6,516 deals.
For instance, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills (NNFM) topped the gainers’ chart with a 10% growth in share price to close at N35.20 from the previous price of N32.00 per share.
Thomas Wyatt, Mecure Industries, and Champion Breweries also increased their share prices by 9.62%, 9.09%, and 7.69% to complete the list of gainers.
Secure Electronic Technology Plc led other losers as it shed 9.72% off its share price to close at N0.65 from the previous N0.72 per share.
Unity Bank, Tantalizer, and Daar Communications rounded up the list of decliners with 9.68%, 9.43%, and 9.38% dip in share prices.
On the volume index, Guaranty Trust Holding (GTCO) traded 67.230 million shares valued at N2.60 billion in 282 deals.
Universal Insurance traded 56.747 million shares worth N13.66 million in 89 deals.
Consolidated Hallmark Holdings traded 46.100 million shares worth N64.3 million in 188 deals to complete the top three in this category.
On the value chart, GTCO led with a N2.6 billion or 25.41% contribution while AIRTELAFRI and MTN Nigeria followed closely behind with N1.44 billion and N1.29 billion respectively.
Besides, Seplat Energy topped the gainers’ chart with a 10% growth in share price to close at N2,310.10 from the previous N2,100.10.
Meyer, Sunu Assurances Nigeria, and Nestle Nigeria Plc completed the list of gainers with 9.79%, 9.56%, and 9.52% rise in share prices.
Guinea Insurance led the losers’ table after it shed 10% off its share price to close at N0.27 from the previous N0.30 per share.
Omatek Ventures, Abbey Mortgage Bank, and Neimeth International Pharmaceutical with 9.88%, 9.68%, and 9.45% drop in share prices are other decliners in today’s trading.
Transcorp followed with investors trading 27.382 million shares worth N184.09 million in 221 deals.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 21.443 million shares valued at N456.4 million in 385 deals to complete the top three in this category.
Thirty three stocks advanced and 18 stocks declined, while 64 stocks remained unchanged. BETAGLAS topped the gainers’ list with +10.00%, while ELLAHLAKES declined by -9.89% to lead the losers’ chart.
Beta Glass Plc led other gainers with 10% growth to close at N59.40 from its previous price of N54.00.
Ellah Lakes Plc led other price decliners as it shed 9.89% off its share price to close at N3.37 from its previous close of N3.74 while Omatek Ventures, McNichols and Academy Press Plc were also amongst other losers that shed their share prices by 9.17%, 5.56% and 5.56% respectively.
Universal Insurance Plc traded about 164.300 million units of its shares in 139 deals, valued at N41.980m, Veritas Kapita Assurance Plc traded about 77.129 million units of its shares in 209 deals, valued at N30.521m and Unity Bank Plc traded about 24.045 million units of its shares in 119 deals, valued at N40.345m.
According to the value chart, ZENITHBANK topped with a 20.17% contribution valued at N694m. PRESCO and MTN followed closely behind.
We have an internal portal. So we have about 700,000 Nigerians on our portal [inaudible]. So this is how we compute the compliance level. And that was why a few years ago, I said we have less than 10%. So out of that 700,000, we had compliance, we have people that paid less than 10% of that number in terms of filing. But today, especially this year, and especially, I can tell you, from the day the Honorable Minister resumed and signed the implementation of Section 85, this is even in the middle of the year, we have seen that compliance level increase. Like I said, our offices couldn’t take the number of people that turned. In fact, next week, when I launch it, we should publicize that aspect of it. So that compliance level is now growing. And now, because the Minister has linked some certain services to your compliance. So that’s why, remember I said you have to give people reason. Because all of us don’t want to pay taxes. But now you have a reason, because you want some services.
I can assure you, if we have this conversation, God willing in April or May, 2024, I will give you some interesting numbers.
This DRTS, is it a revenue generating agency. They are more of a revenue generating agency. I want to get clearance on that?
It’s VIO. We call it Department of Road Transport Service. If you go to any other state in Nigeria, you’ll find VIO under the Board of Internal Revenue Service. Right? But you know, I told you, the FCT IRS is the youngest member of the Joint Task Force. So even before the existence of FCT IRS, the DRTS was existing, was doing what it needed to do. So with coming of the FCT IRS, these are not things that will just happen one day. You know, but today, we work together with them. We have an API that we are working with. We attend trainings with their staff. We are doing so much together. In fact, our priority area for implementation of Section 85 is even the DRTS. And we are sure you will see their numbers growing. As long as their numbers grow, whether they are an independent agency, they are under this, they are under that, what happens, what is important, is the bottom line that comes to FCTA. So we are working with the DRTS. It’s not the usual thing when you go states; they are under the Board of Internal. Maybe it may happen in the future. But at this moment, it’s not our priority. Our priority is to see a sustainable FCT IRS that becomes a big brother to other revenue-generating agencies that supports them and have their numbers also growing. So at the end of the day, when everything is consolidated, you see a huge IGR for the FCT.
Grey, a cross-border Fintech company has taken steps to expand its operations to the global payment community.
To achieve the goal, the firm has embarked on a significant global brand rebranding initiative, revealing a fresh logo and website design. This strategic move aligns with its dynamic plans to expand its footprint in the global market.
The rebranding initiative follows closely on the heels of Grey celebrating a milestone achievement of surpassing 500,000 users.
The company’s rapid growth and expanding user base have spurred this bold step towards rebranding, symbolising success and underlining its dedication to remaining at the forefront of global fintech innovation. Furthermore, the previous logo was not usable in some foreign markets due to trademark conflicts with another company.
The company’s transformation was unveiled on its social media platforms and is expected to help it leverage the fresh identity to reach a broader audience and solidify its international presence.
The updated brand assets visually represent Grey’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and global connectivity.
The CEO and founder of Grey, Idee Obong, said: “As we chart our course toward serving a global audience, we recognised the need for trademarks and related processes. We identified similarities with existing marks during this evaluation, prompting a deliberate rebrand. The new logo and website signify our forward trajectory, emphasizing global connectivity and our commitment to creating a more interconnected world. Our focus remains on being people-centric and cultivating a lasting community.”
Grey’s brand evolution is occurring at a crucial juncture for the fintech industry, which is positioned for significant opportunities despite recent economic uncertainties. The fintech sector has faced challenges in the past year; notwithstanding, Grey has rapidly scaled, adeptly responding to the heightened demand for its services.
The company has also established key partnerships across both B2B and B2C sectors across Africa over the past months, solidifying its reputation as a trusted and reliable cross-border payments company.
Giving this charge yesterday was Mr. Emmanuel Oladosu, Project Superintendent/Director of Operations of the body. He spoke in Lagos during the end of the year outreach to empower women across the state.
According to him, TV-TAY, an initiative established to exponentially touch many lives has done its level best so far empowering over 2, 500 persons from different parts of Lagos state since its inception 20 years ago.
However, he said, there is much work to be done, hence he implored other well-meaning Nigerians to join the vanguard of those making impacts and contributing their own quota to uplift others.
On its modus operandi, he said, they carry out a need-base analysis before they tailor intervention to prospective beneficiaries.
“We follow up some of our mentees in the form of a hand-holding process. We don’t just give assistance on a one-off basis and leave. No. the way we operate is that once we are interested in assisting anyone, especially those we want to empower their startups, we carry out proper due diligence as well as run background checks on them because we have had cases in the past where some individuals falsified their information just because they want to access our welfare package which is free so, we take whatever anybody says on face value until we have proof.
“We give from N100, 000 grants to support small businesses just as we also support with tool kits too for those who want to set up. We have also done quite a number of medical outreaches too across different parts of Lagos. We have lots of volunteers supporting our outreaches where we have programmes.”
Thankfully, Oladosu said, in recognition of its modest contribution to humanitarian welfare thus far, “TV-TAY just earned the membership rights of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) along with over 1,600 nongovernmental organisations with consultative status with the Council to participate in the work of the United Nations. This is a very good source of inspiration to us as a body and we are optimistic that with our membership of ECOSOC, we can leverage on that to do more.
“We have done a series of empowerment programmes across the states. We are presently self-financing. Most of our members in the diaspora including Canada are also supporting in more ways than one. We get a lot of feedback. We carried out some medical outreaches last October.”
Speaking earlier during the outreach programme, Olagoke Jumoke Wellington, a registered dietician and nutritionist and Akinmolu Abimbola, a community health expert enjoined participants to make the most of the opportunities presented to them by ensuring judicious use of whatever grants they would be given to support their businesses.
The adoption of digital technologies by non-interest finance operators would deepen financial inclusion and expand access to financial services across the country.
Experts who spoke at a breakfast session in Lagos said there was need for collaboration between Islamic finance and fintech companies in order to provide alternative financial access across the nooks and crannies of the country.
The theme of the session was: Expanding Financial Inclusion in Nigeria- Role of Islamic Finance and Fintech. It was organised by TrustArthur, a non-interest asset management firm, in collaboration with Lotus Capital Limited.
Chief Executive Officer, TrustArthur, Dr. Basheer Oshodi, asaid there was significant shift of foreign direct investments (FDIs) from conventional banks and fund managers to fintech companies, thus the emerging importance of fintechs in the financial landscape.
According to him, the era of digital technology has led to emergence of several companies, such as Airbnb, which is creating value in real estate and properties by adopting emerging technologies.
“In the last two years, most foreign direct investments into Nigeria have been fintech-related. It is easier for fintech companies and crowdfunding platforms to get FDIs than commercial banks and fund managers,” Oshodi said.
He noted that non-interest banks and investment companies like TrustArthur could explore partnerships with fintech companies by either acquiring significant equity in their companies or acquire them fully to expand financial services.
General Manager, Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (Efina), Mrs. Oluwatomi Eromosele said Islamic Finance has the potency to bridge the gap in financial access to the unbanked population.
According to her, the key components of trust and ethics in Islamic finance appeal to a large segment of the population.
She stressed the need to leverage fintech companies to offer Shariah-compliant micro-finance services that cater to small businesses and people in rural and under-served areas across the country.
Eromosele called for the digitisation of informal activities in the ecosystem, with unique products that are accessible to the unbanked population, like the fintech-enabled Zakat distribution for humanitarian efforts.
She noted that in order to guarantee that all facets of the population, particularly the unbanked and underbanked, have access to financial services, there must be increasing emphasis on financial inclusion in Nigeria.
According to her, with the current situation, the advancement of financial inclusion in Nigeria depends heavily on Islamic finance and fintech.
“By synergising Islamic finance principles with fintech innovations, Nigeria can make significant strides in expanding financial inclusion, catering to diverse segments of society and contributing to overall economic development,” Eromosele said.
The breakfast session featured two panel sessions that discussed “Bridging the Gap in Financial Inclusion: An Islamic Finance Approach” and “Navigating Fintech/Crowdfunding for Portfolio Development in non-interest Finance, which were scintillating and intellectually engaging.
The story, “Silent War in PDP as Atiku, Governor Scheme for Control” which appeared in the December 3, 2023, edition of a national newspaper reveals the depth to which mischief makers can descend to promote narratives that are aimed at destroying perceived political foes.
Taken at its face value, the impression is given that the report in question is a routine political story aimed at bringing readers up to speed on developments within the party. At least that is the impression conveyed by claiming that that the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is locked in a battle with the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed over control of the party.
To the extent that the struggle over control of structures and processes is what party politics is all about, there is nothing unusual placing developments within the PDP in the public domain. What else is a party if not about the people and, of course, the people deserve to know the state of health of their party.
Stretched further, considered against the magnitude of the PDP crisis (remember the famous G-5 movement led by the former Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike) in the countdown to the presidential primaries and thereafter, any fixation with the party can be justified. Such a fixation is further justified as there is yet no indication that the issues in contention have been amicably resolved.
While there is no denying that the PDP, like most other parties, is plagued by one form of intra-party crisis or the other, the role and motives ascribed to the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed who doubles as chairman of the PDP Governors Forum are not just questionable but patently mischievous.
Let us start with the dubious attempt to reduce the situation in the party to a contest between Bala Mohammed and Atiku Abubakar over who controls the party. Why should there be any contest between the former vice president and Governor Bala Mohammed when none of them is gunning to become the chairman of the party?
The answer can be found in the attempt to establish the basis for the even more ridiculous claim that Bala Mohammed is laying the structure that would place him in pole position, to clinch the PDP nomination for the 2027 presidential elections.
Examined critically, therefore, and that should surprise no one familiar with it, this campaign of calumny is not about Atiku running for President because that has been his permanent project since 1993. The unspoken motive for these smear campaigns is to portray Bala Mohammed as an inordinately ambitious politician who is positioning himself for a presidential run against incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
By extension, it will not be wrong to conclude that, at play is a grand strategy by some of Atiku’s loyalists to whip up anti Bala Mohammed sentiments in Aso Rock, to the extent that President Tinubu could mobilize the enormous resources at his disposal to deal with the governor, the same way some people had threatened to deal with him, albeit unsuccessfully, before the last governorship elections. To fuel their conspiracy theory, the same group of people have claimed, albeit falsely, that Bala Mohammed and the FCT minister Barrister Nyesom Wike have held a secret meeting over the 2027 elections. It is an interesting coincidence that the story is coming on the heels of Wike’s denial of any plan to contest against Tinubu in 2027.
Be that as it may, Bala Mohammed’s traducers are only pursuing their selfish agenda and not motivated by any altruistic considerations. The implication is that the PDP crisis is likely to persist since it is highly improbable that Bala Mohammed can be dislodged from the party at this point. Moreover, the divergences between Bala Mohammed and some strategic members of the Atiku camp can be likened to the difference between day and night. To cite a few examples, while to Bala Mohammed, with the elections are over, governance should take centre-stage, to the Atiku loyalists, no concession should be made to either the All Progressive Alliance party (APC) or the President. Secondly, while to Bala Mohammed, responsible opposition should not preclude collaboration with government on matters of common interest, to the Atiku loyalists, any form of interaction with the Tinubu Administration, no matter its constitutional justification, is considered inappropriate and therefore condemnable. A third possibility could be the upbringing of the dramatis personae in the unfolding drama. While by his upbringing, Bala Mohammed, grew up with his district head father and therefore imbibed deference to authority from childhood, it is possible that Atiku’s loyalists spearheading the “no co-operation” posture are possessed by a mindset that repudiates such deference except on their own terms.
Thus, it appears that the strongest point of disagreement between Bala Mohammed and the Atiku group is how to relate with the President Tinubu Administration. Bala Mohammed’s position is consistent with his principle that, confronted with a threat to national unity and political stability, leaders should defrock themselves of rigidity and personal ego and wear the gown of flexibility; that politicians should become statesmen who think less about elections but the future of their children, and adversaries, like enemies in a looming shipwreck, should discard their misgivings and save the ship from sinking lest everyone perishes. To Bala Mohammed, that is the Nigerian condition.
His posture reminds me of one of the ‘Ten Commandments’ of the late Secretary of State of the United States of America, Colin Powell which, paraphrased states, “never allow your ego to stand with your position on an issue so that when your position falls, your ego does not fall with it”. It will seem that some members of the Atiku camp have assumed such a consuming ego that they now unwittingly evince a sense of entitlement that negates all democratic principles.
Those are the people who are reluctant to concede to Bala Mohammed, assuming he is so inclined, the right to nurse a presidential ambition, to which he is entitled. Those are the people who consider it a crime to run against Atiku? It is such people who forget that Atiku Abubakar had no qualms exercising his democratic right by promoting his presidential ambition to unseat the then sitting President Olusegun Obasanjo, the man who picked him as vice president. That is why Atiku should not listen to such loyalists.
At this juncture, it is pertinent to emphasize that the disrespect and demonization of Bala Mohammed by Atiku’s loyalists will not confer any advantage on the former Vice president. If anything, it will be construed as a manifestation of the now discredited pastime of denying the young the respect and recognition they deserve.
That said, I am inclined to believe that Atiku Abubakar is not privy to the overbearing intolerance of some of his loyalists who do not seem to share his democratic credentials or whose penchant for demonizing innocent leaders of the party could provoke ugly consequences. We make this point against the background of the unjustified insults being hurled at Bala Mohammed, a sitting Governor who, as the records show, has consistently used every available opportunity to demonstrate his respect for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
To buttress the above point, it would be recalled that despite Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s open rebuff of Bala Mohammed by visiting every other contestant after the presidential primaries except him, the Governor ate humble pie by personally visiting the Waziri, his party’s presidential candidate, to pledge his loyalty.
Six months earlier, I was in Bauchi when Bala Mohammed set aside an entire day to accord the former vice president what could be described as a “state” party on the occasion of his 75th birthday. The event was crowned with the naming of a street, and I dare say deservedly, after the former vice president.
I do not want to believe the grapevine stories that part of Atiku’s grouse against Bala Mohammed is that the governor ‘allowed’ President Tinubu to score almost 49 percent of electoral votes in Bauchi State, a performance that helped him to scale the required hurdle for victory. Assuming that to be true, Bala Mohammed will have no apologies to offer in a matter over which he had no control whatsoever. It is trite knowledge that neither was he in a position to dictate to INEC, nor could he have stopped the other parties from canvassing for votes. Even at that, what is most important is that the former vice president scored over 45 percent of the votes in Bauchi, courtesy of the sound campaign structure that Bala Mohammed established, sponsored and led.
Quite frankly, I find it discomfiting that such mutual affectation is being squandered at a time that the party and the nation need both leaders in the quest to steady the tottering ship of state. Regrettably, the dilemma is worsened by those in the Atiku camp who insist that Bala Mohammed should pull down the bridges he built in his over forty years of national service as a federal civil servant, a Senator, a minister and now a governor. They expect him to abandon his friends just to satisfy some political correctness. It is people with that mindset that expect Bala Mohammed to declare Nyesom Wike an enemy so as to demonstrate his loyalty to Atiku, forgetting that there is always a life after politics. If my close relationship with Bala Mohammed, a relationship that has spanned all of forty years since we first met in Jos in 1983 is anything to go by, barring human fallibility, I can say without fear of contradiction that his friendship with Wike could be like the Catholic marriage: till death do part them.
In all seriousness, it will be a sad day when personal friendships are dictated by political conveniences, when every political disagreement translates into enmity, when the dictum is that the friend of your enemy automatically becomes your enemy. The Bala Mohammed that I know will never subscribe to such an ignominious dictum if it can be so called.
To put matters in perspective, to the best of my knowledge, at no time has Bala Mohammed indicated or done anything to remotely suggest that he is interested in running for president in 2027. At the risk of sounding immodest, I can also confidently say that should Bala Mohammed decide to run for president in 2027, I will be among the first persons to know. By now, it should be clear to all that he is not one to sneak in through the back door and will not leave such a serious decision to the devious speculation of jobbers but launch it frontally, without fear or favour as he did in 2022. In fact, he considers it disrespectful and irresponsible for anyone to prioritize 2027 over the immediate task of providing succour to the millions of suffering Nigerians.
Thus, for now, beyond his family which is paramount, I know of three other immediate priorities. First, is to build on the successes of his first term as Governor and to deliver democracy dividends to the electorate who overwhelmingly re-elected him for a second and final term. Second is to continually collaborate with his compatriots to forge a bi-partisan national consensus that reduces rancour and by so doing, provide a conducive environment for the Tinubu-led Federal Government to restore confidence in the country, revive the economy and guarantee the security of lives and property. Third, as he has always done in the past, to join hands with kindred spirits to rebuild and rebrand the PDP into a virile and constructive opposition that the citizenry can trust and respect.
To my mind, those are indeed lofty dreams that should command the buy-in and support of his compatriots instead of the unmerited campaign of calumny that, in my considered opinion, is bound to fail.
•Emma Agu is media consultant to Governor Bala Mohammed
He is on a mission to restore the beautiful, enchanting and unrivalled glories of Katsina State, which were lost several years ago. For Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, the narrative of Katsina needs to be overhauled, and in no distant time.
Barely six months after he assumed office, Mallam Dikko Radda has left no stone unturned in his avowed quest to rewrite the Katsina story, in a style that is intellectually captivating, eye catching and fantastically mind blowing.
Aside from performing groundbreaking inaugurations of vital capital projects, the Radda administration has equally unveiled programmes and policies aimed at enhancing the living standards and welfare of teeming Katsina masses.
Taking into cognizance the reality that Katsina is richly endowed not only with abundant natural resources, but tremendous human capital, His Excellency, in the last three months, led a delegation of top government functionaries of the state government to the United Kingdom, Turkiye Republic, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Cote D’Ivoire, South Korea and the United States of America.
The trips were aimed at forging business partnerships and also woo potential investors to Katsina state. Below are the takeaways from Governor Radda’s official expeditions to the seven aforementioned nations.
Enhanced Capacity for Good Governance
About three months ago, Governor Dikko Radda, together with some of his first-term colleague Governors participated in a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-sponsored retreat for select members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), in Rwanda.
The retreat was aimed at boosting the capacity of the participating governors in piloting the affairs of their respective states, in a way that will foster good governance and purposeful leadership. It is as certain as daybreak that Governor Radda, in the wake of the retreat, has broadened his horizon on what is expected of any governor steering the affairs of a Nigerian state, especially at a critical juncture Nigeria finds itself.
Move to Better Katsina’s Health Sector
In far away Turkiye, Governor Dikko Radda after the Kigali retreat for the NGF members, visited Submed Medical Equipment Factory. At the factory, he discussed partnership with the Turkish firm’s management, aimed at revamping Katsina’s Health sector.
It is apt to assert that the administration of Mallam Radda is working painstakingly to provide better access to higher quality healthcare services and improve health system resilience, towards building the functionality needed to attain universal health coverage.
Getting AFDB’s Support for North West’s Growth
Leading a delegation of Nigerian governors from states in the North West to the corporate headquarters of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in October, Governor Dikko Radda solicited the bank’s intervention for North West’s accelerated development and economic growth, through harnessing the potential of the region’s agricultural and power sectors.
He specifically requested the aid of AfDB to expand irrigation facilities in the region. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of AfDB, in his remarks, said: Our AfDB has agreed to sponsor a regional cooperation desk to support the North Western states as they embark on a regional approach to development”.
Katsina Gets 10 Containers of Medical Supplies, MRIs, Others
Following Governor Dikko Radda’s visit to the Headquarters of the World Medical Relief (WMR) Incorporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, Katsina State has now gotten 10 containers of medical supplies and equipment donated by WMR.
The 10 containers of medical supplies worth $10 million will be delivered to the state as from January 2024. While speaking at the WMR’s headquarters, Governor Radda lauded the US organisation for providing support to Katsina under its ‘Partnership for Health Program’.
Responding, President of WMR, Mr. George Samson, disclosed that their organisation is committed to helping Katsina source state-of-the-art MRI equipment and CT Scans, at discount prices, while also offering to install them and train Katsina technicians on proper handling/operation of the equipment, among other pledges.
Sometime in August, Governor Dikko Radda visited the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to forge an international collaboration with the Institute. The visit was aimed at making Katsina State a Centre of Excellence in healthcare delivery, and a go-to destination for solutions to all kinds of infectious diseases.
It is germane to posit that all United Kingdom (UK) Universities, including the London School of Hygiene, Oxford University, and Cambridge University, among others are partnering with the Sanger Institute to conduct high impact research. Therefore, Katsina’s collaboration with the Wellcome Sanger Institute is like building a network with all UK Universities.
Katsina Offers Natural Resources to Saudi Investors
Also, Governor Dikko Radda, about three weeks ago, informed a cross section of business moguls and top private sector players in Saudi Arabia that Katsina state is endowed with assorted agricultural and mineral resources, which they can invest in.
He said that there is now an enabling environment for business investments to safely thrive in the State, as the recently-launched Katsina State Community Watch together with personnel of other conventional security agencies have curbed the threats of insecurity in the state.
Governor Radda spoke with journalists on the sideline of the Saudi-Nigeria Roundtable Meeting in Riyadh, held last month. He said: “Katsina State is also endowed with various mineral resources such as Lithium, Gold, Diamond and even Uranium. Your investments in the agricultural and mineral resources’ sectors of our dear State, will no doubt ensure the prosperity of our people. But more importantly, you shall also benefit greatly from your investments.
“We, as a sub-national government, assure you that your safety and wellbeing, by the time you come and invest in our dear Katsina, will not be compromised. It is in fact a top priority for us”.
South Korean Agency Develops Framework for Agro Project in Katsina
Towards accelerating the socio-economic development of Katsina state, Governor Dikko Radda recently held a fruitful bilateral discussion with Seamuel Foundation, a South Korean government organisation. Two Katsina communities namely Makera and Raddawa villages of Matazu and Dutsinma Local Governments have once benefitted from the humanitarian support of the foundation.
The foundation has so far constructed irrigation facilities and introduced modern techniques of farming practice, as well as provision of implements to Katsina farmers. Governor Radda, while speaking with the management of the foundation during an official trip to South Korea, requested for the extra funding and expansion of the project scope to cover many Katsina communities.
In their response, the management of the foundation agreed to continue working in Katsina. They also pledged to jointly develop a framework for the operationalization of the extension, and expansion of the project as requested by Governor Radda.
KOICA Pledges Support for Katsina’s Rural Development
Similarly, Governor Dikko Radda, penultimate Monday, visited the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for a partnership agreement between KOICA and the Katsina State Government. Governor Radda was accompanied to KOICA corporate head office, by the acting Nigerian Ambassador to South Korea, Mr. Ferdinand O. Nwonye, where he discussed his experience with KOICA and the time he spent at their facility in 2016, as the Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN.
He requested additional support from KOICA in the area of the provision of small farming implements and small-scale irrigation technologies to Katsina farmers. During the meeting,
Governor Radda also solicited KOICA’s support in the training and development of ICT for the state civil service, as well as the Katsina State Enterprises Development Agency (KASEDA), among others.
Responding, the KOICA management assured Governor Radda that they will work with their country office in Nigeria to support Katsina state.
•Kaula Mohammed is the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Katsina State Governor.
It is an incontestable fact that, the past four years and some months of Prince Dapo Abiodun’s transformational strides in governance in Ogun State, one of the Nigeria’s most promising and enviable states, has been powered by an irrepressible political will in leadership to modify past narratives through well-informed policies with a view to ensuring that dividends of democracy are rights of the governed and not privileges.
Yes, past governors may have done their best during their respective tenures to improve the socio-economic situation of the state but what Ogun State people and residents are today witnessing under the Prince Abiodun’s utilitarian and people – centered governance thrusts, especially in terms of improved funding of critical sectors of the state’s political economy and the results achieved, remain unassailably unmatched in the over 47 years of the rapidly evolving state for open opportunities for all.
Prince Abiodun, who has since assumption of office proved his intellectual resourcefulness, political sagacity, fairness and uncommon zeal for socio-economic emancipation of the governed, has lived up to his “Iseya” mantra by opening up the geo-political regions of the state to far-reaching development through leadership integrity and hard work at all levels of governance in the state.
A cursory appraisal of the 2024 Appropriation Bill presented to the state House of Assembly by the politically strategic government, as had been the case in the past, has again demonstrated Prince Abiodun’s determination to not only give the people more of democracy dividends, but to also strengthen the socio-economic and political strata of the state, raise the bar of accountability and further broaden the scope of opportunities for Ogun indigenes and residents for creativity and other life-supporting endeavours.
This view is exemplified by the funding allocations in the 2024 proposed budget, in which about 62% of the budgetary provisions are specifically targeted at grassroots development. For instance, the governor, apparently propelled by the innate zeal to give more to the citizenry through poverty alleviation initiatives, proposed that in the 2024 fiscal year, 30% of the appropriation would be committed to infrastructure; 16% to the education sector; 12% to health sector and 4% to housing & community development. Whao!
Quite impressively, the 2024 budgetary package unveiled by Prince Abiodun this year remains the best and most masses-focused when compared with other budgetary proposals by other state governors so far, especially ,when analyzed within the context of the fiscal thrusts on poverty alleviation, job creation, security, power supply, agricultural and commercial activities at sub-national level.
The governor, had last Friday while laying the Appropriation Bill 2024 before the state lawmakers, said that the “principal objective in 2024 is to maintain and enlarge our economic base while being strategic toward harnessing economic opportunities in the outer years of our administration.”
Titled: “Budget of Sustained Growth and Development” Prince Abiodun expressed optimism that the implementation of the budget would “sustain our administration’s quest for shared prosperity through the ISEYA mantra.”
He expatiated: “Our objective is to create an enabling environment for businesses and industries to thrive through friendly policies and provision of infrastructure; collaboration, fiscal prudence, and quality service delivery; expanding the revenue base in the area of internally generated revenue, and to also ensure timely completion of on-going developmental projects through equitable and effective distribution and allocation of available resources.”
To achieve these laudable objectives, the governor proposed a total expenditure of N703.03 billion, comprising N287.37 billion Recurrent and N415.66 billion Capital expenditures for the fiscal year.
As expected, the purposeful, committed and development-focused governor highlighted the key capital projects proposed for the fiscal year as including : the procurement and installation of transformers across the geopolitical zones of the state, and construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of various roads, including major ones such as Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway; Ofada-Owode Road, Lagos Garage-Ikangba-Ilese Road, Ota-Lafenwa-Itele-Ayobo Road; Ita Oshin-Ibara Orile-Ijoga Orile-Ibooro-Imasayi Road; and the OPIC Estate Internal Roads, Agbara.
To demonstrate his commitment to the collective governance principle and sincere concern for the socio-economic welfare of the grassroots people in the state, Prince Abiodun also proposed to construct 250 kilometre road network across the three senatorial districts and by so doing, open up the grassroots for massive industrial and agro-based productivity with the attendant positive implications for improved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the state.
Other key projects proposed by the governor in the 2024 fiscal document include the Extension of the Lagos Blue Line Metro Rail Project into Agbara, Extension of the Lagos Red Line Metro Rail Project to Ijoko and Ifo/Kajola; introduction of 2 and 3-wheeled electric vehicles; expansion of CNG-fueled routes between major cities in the state; and construction of over 2,000 housing units in various locations across the state, among others.
Apparently convinced of the invaluable contributions of agriculture to the state’s development and current drive by the Federal Government towards food security, the governor assured improved investments in agricultural land development, maintenance of livestock feed, quality control, and production as well as input support for various farmers, and grant support for land clearing across the zones in the state.
Reflecting on his administration’s scorecard on massive infrastructure projects successfully executed in the past four years, Prince Abiodun told the lawmakers in the House of Assembly that under the pillar of Infrastructure, the administration had extended development to every ward in the 20 Local Government Areas of the state and that the government had constructed, reconstructed, and rehabilitated over 500 kilometers of roads across the three senatorial districts.
On the “Go Green” power generation global agenda in which the governor has remained the foremost crusader in Nigeria, Prince Abiodun, in demonstration of his innovativeness and pace-setting attributes, restated the administration’s commitment to exploring green energy solutions, leveraging on liquefied or compressed natural gas to power homes, industries, and commercial vehicles with the attendant positive implications for healthy living for the people and cost-efficient power for businesses.
Noting that his administration has installed over 500 transformers across communities which have improved power supply in the 20 Local Government Areas under the Community Electrification Project, the governor said that the expansion of the Ogun State Electricity Distribution System would cover more areas, especially the corridor from the Sagamu Interchange to Abeokuta (As a phase 1 Project).
He further expatiated: “As part of initiatives in our recently-launched Energy Transition Programme, we have also recently launched our CNG-fueled mass transit bus system in partnership with the private sector to reduce transportation costs for our citizens.
“We will be launching the Mowe/Ibafo to Lagos service route to service the citizens in that corridor. Ogun State is leading the pack in energy transition as we are on record as the first state to deploy these buses in Nigeria.
“As a result of our boldness and tenacity in steps taken to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal and high cost of diesel fuel, we have been selected to host the 18th National Council on Transport Conference where the new National Policy on Transportation will be formulated.”
The governor also spoke on his administration’s plans to enhance the state’s transportation system through the Ogun State Urban Transport Policy and Strategic Multi-modal Transport Master Plan, which is currently being implemented and optimizing the Gateway Status of Ogun State through the implementation of a multi-modal transportation network, comprising air, rail, road, and water transport infrastructure network.
Recognizing the socio-economic benefits of cargo transportation to the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and job creation, the governor also restated his determination to ensure that the Gateway Agro-Cargo International Airport, which he described as “one of the crowning achievements of our clear vision,” and the accompanying aerotropolis (airport city) are completed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to further boost the state’s economic growth on a sustainable basis.
Apart from the revenue generation potential of the world class projects, the governor spoke on their job creation benefits, projecting that when completed and fully operational, the airport and its allied businesses in the aerotropolis, are expected to generate over 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.
With digitalization fastly turning to the pivotal hub for driving growth of global economies, Prince Abiodun harped on the plans by the government to achieve total broadband coverage across the state’s three senatorial districts through the recently launched Digital Economy Infrastructure Project designed to provide 5000 kilometers of optic fiber cables across the state even as he spoke on the training of thousands of youths to prepare them for the emerging digital economy not only in the State but also in areas of national and international interests.
The governor, apparently conscious of the macroeconomic dynamics, regulatory concerns, institutional challenges, and structural issues that may undermine his administration’s efforts to make Ogun State the preferred destination for local and foreign investments, also spoke on the massive investments to make the state more investment-friendly through regulatory measures.
According to him, on the Ease of Doing Business and Investment Promotion, the government has invested in automating business processes to improve efficiency and the Ease of Doing Business Index in the state. He listed some of the processes to include initiating requests for permits, tax administration, and online payments.
Prince Abiodun clarified: “Furthermore, in a bid to encourage investments from both local and foreign investors and create a business-friendly environment, under my leadership, we have set up and operationalized the Public Private Partnership (PPP) office, the Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency (OgunInvest) and the Business Environment Council (BEC) all to make investing and doing business in Ogun State easy through a one-stop shop platform and improved business processes.”
With the above remarkable strides and his several career highs at local and global levels, analysts believe that Prince Abiodun remains one of the most selfless and futuristic youth leaders that, given the needed support, can help to restore the lost glory of Nigeria and restore hope to millions of the upcoming youths, especially in Ogun State, most of whom today are not sure of what the future holds for them in this richly blessed and potentially great country.
Lekan Adeniran is Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor of Ogun State
With the humongous wealth potentials hidden in the shea industry, more Nigerian women are beginning to buy into the shea tree farming, as a means of escape from poverty. However, there are challenges to be surmounted. Yetunde Oladeinde, who interacted with stakeholders, explores.
Shea butter is a popular moisturiser among women. A source of beauty for cosmetics as well as a huge income earner for rural women.
According to experts, over 16 million women are involved in the processing of shea butter across the sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 1.84 billion shea trees.
Despite the health hazards and cumbersome conditions under which the women work to export over 500,000 tonnes per year, revenue and export in the past 13 years has tripled.
Experts have however, also noted that there is a lot more to be explored. The big question is: could this be because it is mostly driven by women.
Mobola Sagoe, CEO, Shea Origins goes down memory lane to talk about the challenges, opportunities and some of the interventions carried out.
“The focus should be, how we can move forward in the Shea sector using technology to achieve success, especially in the export market. As a manufacturer of Shea butter, we have a group of women who are moving in the same direction when it comes to export. Over the years, we have seen the different challenges and till date there are still quite a few challenges, knowing very well that we have so many products in Nigeria”.
Sagoe goes on to talk about branding and packaging for the products. “Most of the brands are as good as global brands but the problems is packaging. We need to move to the next level using technology. Not just the machines but the different apps that you can also use to generate income.”
Technology, she opines, is the way to go. “If you don’t get into it, then you can’t take your products far. Tech is to educate you about the opportunities, it is the tool needed to move forward. The project that we have done in the past few months have helped to transform lives, especially in the rural areas. The rural women can be your only source of supply and if they are not trained, nothing is going to happen. We have gotten to the level now where we can work with what we have and sell on the platforms.”
Their capacity, Sagoe added, has also witnessed tremendous improvement and growth. “We have moved those women used to producing say 10 tonnes to producing up to 200 tonnes as a cluster.”
In addition, Sagoe and her team have been able to get them to team up as organisations, and give them proper training on the job.
“This project has really taken a lot of rural women to the next level and we the manufacturers of the finished products now have access to quality butters. Technology is important to enhance the work of the rural women. We don’t see their challenges. You don’t know the different things that they go through on a daily basis”.
Sagoe added: “When we started, very few people knew about Shea but the quality of the butter was not good enough. The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) partnered with us and set up centres in Taraba, Kebbi, Niger, Oyo and Kwara state. This processing centres have transformed shea butter production. But we still have a long way to go. As long as we keep moving, technology would take us to the next level where we can compete favourably with international brands”.
Sagoe continued: “They do not have knowledge at all. If they know what has been done, they would have taken it to another level a long time ago. Today, there is so much going on in Nigeria and people don’t know which one to hold onto. So for that reason, I cannot blame the government. What I can blame them for is that they need to seek knowledge about the quality of what we have in Nigeria”.
This, she stressed, is important not only in shea but every single commodity because of export.
“How can you talk about export, when you have so many things that you can import here in Africa. Then you don’t know the volume, you don’t even know the capacity”.
The employment opportunities in the sector have not been explored. “To be honest with you, I cannot give you a specific figure. What I know for sure is that if we have 21 states producing shea butter and we have trees in these states, then you can begin to imagine the multiplier effects. You can imagine if all those states are empowered by mini factories, production centers in the different villages or different local government. That alone can generate a lot of income and remove poverty from that environment”.
She added that making use of solar energy and other tools had helped to improve the capacity of the women in different ways. “Recently, we started talking about putting solar system for electricity in Shaki, Oyo State, because we have major issues when it comes to electricity. We were not able to access the generator, and while it continues to pollute the environment, we started looking for solutions via solar”.
In 2016, Sagoe and her team introduced a cook stove to the women. “This cook stove is regenerating technique, where you are able to reduce emission of free radicals. We are able to reduce the firewood that they use for cooking. You are able to reduce that smoke that causes cancer. So, you eliminate that with the cook stove. We were able to give out these cook stoves to a thousand women at the time and we still do it once in a while”.
To buttress her point, Sagoe explained that they usually want the women that they have worked with to understand that it is not just about you giving back to the society, they must also contribute their quota.
“We also want these women to understand that it is not about having free gifts. Now, it is no more free but we are still not charging. What we do is that when you have done something that we are able to say thank you, we use that as an opportunity to give it as a gift”.
Next, she talked about financial support using the cooperative society. “We have the cooperative that has moved from where they used to be to a better level by pushing and also taking the training to another level”.
Shea as substitute for chemical products
One thing that Sagoe is also passionate about is the need to use natural products like shea for beauty instead of chemicals which comes with a number of side effects. “For someone who has also been in the beauty sector for 38 years, I don’t believe in those things. I believe in all natural and at the same time why they do those things is that everybody wants to look good. But nobody wants to walk the walk. So, fast track is what they like. But at the end of the day, you crash land. When something is supposed to live a lifespan of 10 decades and then you want it to do 20 immediately.
“Definitely, there is going to be some damage somewhere. This is where cancer comes in for some people. You g for things like regenerating your skin. Or you can decide to cut part of your skin to do this and that. It has to come out somewhere else. God created you to be in a particular way, He has also made all things available. We heard that Cleopatra, one of the most beautiful women used shea butter. She didn’t go out looking for hydroquinone or whatever. They have been using all these natural products since the olden days. So, why are we not following that?”.
For Patrick Gouka, an expert from the Netherlands, who has been with CBI since 2006, it is important to encourage the stakeholders to maximise the opportunities in the sector.
“What we do is to support local SME supporters to get credit to do business in European markets. We do that in potential export sectors and one of this sectors is the shea sector. We noticed that there is an increase in demand for this ingredient used for cosmetics in the European market”.
Gouka goes on to talk about the opportunities in the cosmetics industry. “We are already working with 12 selected exporting companies and we have helped majority of them to European markets”.
Now you want to know how much Nigeria can get yearly in terms of foreign investment and how it can be properly harnessed.
“I don’t know that by heart but we think it is quite considerable. Up till now, Nigeria cannot supply the quantity that is demanded in the European market.”.
Next Gouka talked about some of the challenges encountered. “These include quality and what is required for European markets. It is not just about delivery of the products but doing it in a sustainable way. Sustainable issues are high on the agenda of European clients, gender, employment and drawing attention to climate issues. We try to focus on youths as a target group so that they can find employment in the sector.
Gouka believes that things would get better when all hands are on deck in the sector. “I think one of the main points in the shea sector is getting the public and private sectors working together; create opportunities and trust each other. We have been working on branding as well. It is also important to link up with the buyers, understand the local, financial and legal requirements for the European markets “.
And now Peter Hurst who has worked on different projects for Africa takes you into the focus and the supporting agencies. “What spurred me is the potential. It is a product which is wanted everywhere. Sadly, Nigeria is not performing. Nigeria has the largest crops of sheanuts in the 21 countries. We are focused on export development “.
What exactly is the problem you ask?
“There hasn’t been enough investment in processing. That is why we are going to Ghana. In so many ways, Ghana has taken the lead justifiably in foreign investments. We need to take our place and maximise the potentials available “.
Who should invest and how?
Hurst responds this way: “It should be both the public and private sector; particularly some of the large buyers. They have been a bit reluctant to invest in Nigeria and they have got investment in Ghana. We are in a process of transformation and over the next years, we will be measuring the impact of what we are doing “.
Hurst continued: “There are 21 countries below the Sahara where shea is grown and 16 million women are involved in that process. The women are dominant. But they get the worst benefits because they are not rewarded for their efforts”.
Managing Director of SecureID, Kofo Akingkugbe, believes that a collaborative approach will help to strengthen the projects and bring about the required changes. “Every entrepreneur’s journey starts with a dream. There are four pillars that have defined my entrepreneurship journey. Entrepreneurship, the spirit of enterprise, is required to ensure that the industry becomes the desired industry. I have a dream and that dream has taken roots today. The dream was to substitute import and to actually produce this smart cards locally. That dream is now a huge factory in Isolo with staff strength of over 500 people and exported to 21 countries across Africa”.
Cornelius Karkraba of the Global Shea Alliance, which was established in 2011 also gave an overview of the shea sector.
“Our focus includes industry promotion, sustainability and maintaining standards. We have 1.84 billion she trees existing currently. Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso are the largest producers and it boast of 85 per cent cocoa butter equivalent. There has been $125 million sustainability investment pumped in from 2018 till date”.
He added: “The alliance and USAID works with 12 partners in Nigeria. There are 43 warehouses and 34,541 women reached distributing about 17,500 shea seedlings in the past two years. There is a resilient agro forestry shea farm model and three francophone countries have adopted the model based on the success stories”.
Transporting the product is also a big challenge with bad roads and poor infrastructure. Mrs. Elizabeth Olowofila, Managing Director of Think Bikes takes you through the options available on how to improve mobility in the sector.
“The opportunities are many but we need to network, improve quality control as well as data decision via analysis. The present limitations are linked to infrastructure and it is important to give this the attention required”.
She stressed that Think Bikes has helped to reduce the challenges for the women. “We are exploring innovative solutions that are affordable. The bikes enhance mobility and logistics in shea processing. It is electric, eco-friendly, efficient and enhance profitability. It is faster for delivery and there is a 95 per cent reduction on maintenance. We target waste recyclers and small farm holders.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Saturday, identified agricultural revolution as the only critical step that can help Nigeria surmount insecurity and poverty among its growing population.
He said this can be achieved through the deployment of technology to actualise food security among the country’s growing population, noting that it is where the university comes to extract the maximum benefits from the right synergy that is consistent with its own peculiarities.
Vice President Shettima, who noted this in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the 13th Convocation Lecture of Al-Hikmah University, also underscored the role of education and training of the country’s population to take full advantage of what he described as the growing influence of technology in all aspect of human existence.
Delivering the Convocation Lecture, the VP noted that it is only when Nigeria as a nation begins to think boldly about revolutionising production, processing and guaranteeing sustained food security that it can identify sectors of the nation’s agricultural assets that are most likely to benefit from the application of technology.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima also said Nigeria’s future can be secured by agricultural revolution through imaginative and bold leadership, a secure and peaceful environment, and a sound education system that does not reduce the limit of the citizens to only the sky.
“The final issue involves the choices Nigerians have to make regarding our future. We can overcome insecurity if we can grow our economy to radically reduce our poverty levels. Only an agricultural revolution can guarantee this.
“We can reduce our dependence on the rest of the world when we can employ all who seek employment. We can improve our levels of political cohesion when we reduce stresses around diminishing resources and rely more on what we all have in abundance.
“Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a very healthy vision of our future as a nation, even when I am advised that we have huge challenges. I see a country that can survive its current limitations. History is replete with countries that almost gave up, but are among the strongest today. I believe our future lies in an imaginative and bold leadership, a secure and peaceful environment, and an education system that teaches us that only the sky is not our limit,” Senator Shettima said.
Noting that Nigeria has no justification not to be among the ten richest countries in the world, VP Shettima emphasized the value of realistic stocktaking of the nation’s assets and liabilities.
Shettima noted: “Going by the amount of arable land, water resources and size of our humanity, Nigeria has no reason not to be among the ten richest countries today. That we are near the bottom is precisely why we sought to offer our services to do justice to all that God Has bestowed us with. Nigeria today reminds us that it is not enough to have potential. Indeed, the potential to grow and the failure to utilize that potential is a virtual death sentence for any living thing.
“For nations, it breeds frustration and decay. For countries such as ours, it breeds unacceptable levels of poverty and avoidable conflicts as we see today. The call to transform potential into actual assets is the motivation of His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to offer to lead the nation in this most trying moment, and I can testify to his faith that this is a task that can be accomplished.”
He maintained that Nigeria has enough of everything it needs to feed its huge population, grow a vibrant agricultural industry and supply huge markets with agricultural produce from which technology would have extracted the greatest value.
He said: “In 25 years, we will have a population of about 450 million people. Only about 100 million of that population will be actively involved in economic activities because the rest are either too old or too young. This 100 million will have to be prepared to be optimally productive, and only a visionary and sustained marriage between technology and raw assets can ensure that. We believe this can and must be done.”
He further stressed that away from its values that emphasise hard work and reward, the nation must begin to focus on a future where its universities “lead the world in research and innovation, from where they will graduate students who will move directly into the agricultural industry as competent entrepreneurs.”
The Vice President who had earlier commissioned the newly-constructed Faculty of Nursing Complex of Al-Hikmah University named after him, thanked the management of the school, saying he was profoundly moved by the gesture and would cherish this honour as the most humbling act of generosity.
In addition to inaugurating the Senator Kashim Shettima Nursing Science Complex, the Vice President also officially opened the University’s Faculty of Law Moot Court Complex at the Atere Campus of the University.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Noah Yusuf noted that food insecurity has become a big problem in Nigeria as most citizens are struggling with how to find food for their daily living.
He thanked the Kwara State Governor for constructing the road leading to the university as well as granting permission to name the road after the university- Al-Hikmah University Road.
Dignitaries at the convocation ceremony included the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Kayode Alabi, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters (Office of the Vice President), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Al-Hikmah University, Alhaja Sekinat Yusuf, the Registrar of the University, the Founder of the University, Alhaji (Dr.)AbdulRaheem Oladimeji, Senators representing Kwara State at the National Assembly among others.
