The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ‘FG may complete 2nd Niger Bridge before 2022’

    The Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State, being constructed by the Federal Government, may be completed before the 2022 completion date.

    This hint was dropped on Wednesday by the Controller, Federal Ministry of Works in charge of Anambra State, Engr. Adeyemo Ajani, at both ends of the bridge at Asaba, Delta State and Onitsha, Anambra State.

    It was when the Nigeria Society of Engineers from Abuja, led by their President, Engr. Chinasaokwu Okoli, visited the place.

    Ajani, who conducted them round the project, said with the speed of the construction firm, Messrs Julius Berger, the project was likely to be completed before the approved date.

    He said the last time the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, visited the place, about two months ago, the work stood at about 15 percent , while, today it had risen to 23.18 percent completion.

    Read Also: Linklegal to bridge investment gap in Nigeria

    According to him, “from the way the work is going, we are likely to complete the work before 2022. Everything is possible, the construction is fast and everyone is happy with the firm handling it, “Ajani said.

    The Second Niger Bridge stood at 150 metres wide, according to Ajani, compared to the first bridge that was built in 1965, which was only 60 metres wide.

    However, the engineers raised the alarm over possibility of suicide cases if the pedestrian platform was not raised to a certain height.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday at the Onitsha end of the bridge, the leader of the delegation, Engr. Chinasaokwu Okoli, described it as a wonderfully crafted contract.

    He said their concern was not that the project was not moving smoothly, adding that the concern they had was a positive one, because considering the number of suicide cases in the country today, there was need to raise the pedestrian pathway.

    Okoli said the normal height should be above 1.5 metres high, in order to make it difficult for anyone that may want to jump into the River.

  • We’ll support Nigeria to achieve SDGs, says Gates Foundation

    The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) says it remains focused on building a global advocacy movement for the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.

    Speaking with The Nation on Sunday in Abuja, BMGF’s Country Director, Mr. Paulin Basinga, its President (Global Policy & Advocacy), Mr. Mark Suzman and Mr. Rodger Voorhies, President of the Foundation’s Global Growth & Opportunity Division, expressed deference to Nigeria’s laws and government policies.

    Suzman described Nigeria as one of BMGF’s priority countries, and said that a new global movement for development advocacy called ‘The Gatekeepers’ and driven by young Nigerians will soon take root the country.

    “We have in the last two years, started to support a global movement we call ‘Goalkeepers’ which is very linked to the global Sustainable Development Goals that was launched at the UN in 2015; it is actually led and created by a great Nigerian and friend of our foundation, Amina Mohammed, who is now Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

    “Its focus is on how to build communities that support those goals; this is a global development effort but we are prioritising Nigeria as one of the key partner countries where we operate, we are going to recruit individuals who are under-40, with majority of women and we will look for partners across sectors of philanthropy, civil society, mass media, the private sector.

    “We are providing technical support expertise to help build constituencies of champions and we believe that better development outcomes are possible; the SDGs are goals that every country in the world including Nigeria has committed to for their own citizens.

    “This is a wider advocacy movement, it will produce materials and reports every year around the UN General Assembly; by September, we’ll be seeing it driving discussions to energize communities that have domestic credibility to talk about local issues to their local governments and other leaders,” Suzman said.

    Speaking in turns, the trio said it is the prerogative of each country to analyze data, identify vulnerable sub-groups and decide relevant strategies it would use to tackle an epidemic like HIV and AIDS.

    According to Businga, the BMGF has already made significant contributions to Nigeria’s battle against HIV and AIDS through The Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

    He said: “Part of the latest developments in HIV and AIDS issue concerning Nigeria is that the United States government, the Global Fund and the Nigerian government contributed to fund the largest survey towards really understanding what the current level of HIV prevalence is, in Nigeria; it was aimed towards helping the government to understand the patterns of prevalence and now, they are doing further analysis to understand what are the pockets of increasing prevalence.

    “We are following that but we at the Gates Foundation do support HIV prevention globally through The Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria but here in Nigeria, our work is really focused on supporting primary health care.

    “So, if the LGBT community is found (by Nigeria) to be disproportionately affected by HIV, I think it will be really important that there is a significant way of addressing that but this is not something that the Gates Foundation does here, given that it (HIV control ) is already well-supported by the US government and the Global Fund.”

    Pointing out that both the World Health Organisation and the Global Fund which their foundation support both have guidelines and strategies for addressing behaviour change for all relevant sub-communities, Mr. Mark Suzman and Mr. Rodger Voorhies emphasized their commitment to a new level of global development advocacy.

  • Kebbi, four other states to witness flood in July, September – NIHSA warns

    The Nigeria Hydrolo-gical Services Agency (NIHSA) has called on Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger states to evacuate people living along river banks to safer places ahead of the predicted flood.

    The Director General of the Agency, Clement O. Nze, who called for the urgent evacuation of people from the flood prone States during the sensitisation workshop on 2019 Flood Prediction, Prevention and Mitigation in hydrological areas which comprises Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger states said the  flood might occur between July and September this year.

    He said eight local government areas of Kebbi State, Aliero, Argungu, Augie, Bagudo, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza , Ngaski and Shanga are prone to flood this year.

    Similarly, he noted that in Sokoto State: Gwadabawa, Goronyo, Isa, Kware, Rabah, Shagari, Bodinga, Tureta, Silami, Dange-Shuni, Wurno, Yabo and Wamako are flood risk areas while in Zamfara, Birnin-Magaji, Kiyawa, Bakura, Bungudu, Shinkagi, Gusau, Kaura-Namoda and Marafun are probable flood risk.

    Read Also: Lokogoma flood: Need for action, call for cooperation

    He added that, in Niger State, Agwara, Magama would also experience the same while in Katsina State, Murawa and Katsina might experience same.

    He said “We wish to implore the good people of these states and stakeholders to relocates people living along waterways and those that are having socio— economic activities on the flood plains.”

    He advised  local government areas of the affected states to embark on desilting of river channels, canals, and regular clearing of drainage channels to allow for free flow of run-off water.

    He stated that they should strive to construct buffer in their respective constituencies to collects run-off water.

    Earlier, the guest speaker, Dr. Murtala Abubakar Gada from Geography Department of Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, observed that over 70 million people were exposed to flooding globally while 800 million people were living along flood prone areas.

    He said flooding could be averted if waterways that were prone to flooding are well managed.

  • Herders/farmers crisis: Experts advise govt to revive ranches

    Agriculture experts have called on the federal and state governments, particularly in the Southwest, to revive moribund cattle ranches and establish new ones to resolve the herders/farmers crisis and develop agriculture.

    They made the call at a public lecture organised by the Ibadan Recreation Club to mark the 100 days of the new executive in office. The new executive is led by Mr. Olumakinde Oni as president.

    The guest lecturer, Dr Adetunji Oredipe of the World Bank, led the call in his presentation entitled Food Security and National Development.

    He recalled that political leaders who administered the various regional governments in the country in the First Republic established ranches to cater for cattle rearing, adding that it made animals sufficiently available for consumption, and without rancour between farmers and herders.

    Oredipe, who is a senior agricultural economist with the World Bank, also insisted that ranching projects should be state-led for it to succeed. When undertaken as a state-led project, he said it will address sustainability and acceptability challenges.

    He said that while southern states can embrace ranching to solve farmers/herders clashes due to its acceptability and relevance to the culture of the people, northern states can undertake grazing reserves due to availability of large expanse of land in the states as well as its relevance to the culture of the people in the states.

    The agricultural economist pointed out that only government can acquire land and provide infrastructures in either the ranches or grazing reserves with ease, and without residents suspecting any hidden agenda behind the project.

    Read Also: Farmers/herders clashes: NCNE boss advocates establishment of ranches

    With 74 million hectares of fertile land, Oredipe said agriculture is a sure pathway to Nigeria’s economic development and well-being, stressing that the country will keep chasing shadows until it focuses on the sector.

    The chairman of the programme, Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa and discussants, Prof. Oluwarotimi Tayo and Mr. Jimi Omoliki, also toed Oredipe’s line, calling for a synergy between the three tiers of government and the private sector to bring more citizens and investors to the agriculture sector.

    They opined that public-private sector arrangement will further widen economic opportunities in the sector through the value chain, adding that it will help the country achieve its goal of producing what it eats and eating what it produces. They also called for a synergy between the federal and state governments to ensure that each state concentrates on its area of comparative advantage while also avoiding duplication of resources and efforts.

    Okunmadewa also advised Ibadan Recreation Club and others in its ilk to acquire land and provide facilities and incentives for youths and others who have interest in agriculture.

    Earlier, the president of the club, Olumakinde Oni, revealed that the topic of the lecture was carefully chosen to address food security. He rolled out the achievements of his administration within 100 days in office and called on members to wake up to establish a solid foundation for the 117-year old club.

  • We’re winning war against terror, says Buhari at AFCSC

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Saturday that the Armed Forces and their allies are winning the war against terror in the country.

    Speaking at the Graduation Ceremony of Senior Course 41 at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji, Kaduna State, Buhari said that the collaboration with Cameroon, Niger, Benin and Chad in the fight against Boko Haram is crucial in crushing the enemy.

    ”Many of the security threats faced by Nigeria are trans-border in nature. That is why the West African sub-region and indeed the African continent must step up the level of military cooperation that currently exists amongst us,” Buhari said.

    The effort, According to him, is “laudable and has continued to yield positive results, as the war on terror is being won on all sides.”

    He vowed that Nigeria, in partnership with our allies, “will not relent until terrorists are completely decimated.”

    Read Also: Olakunrin: Nigeria, a killing field under Buhari, PDP laments

    The President also promised that the Federal Government would continue to give priority to the training and welfare of officers and men of the Armed Forces, including the AFCSC established to train tactical and operational level officers on the tenets of staff work and command.

    He hailed the Armed Forces for prompt responses to the numerous security challenges facing the county,saying : “Your response to Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, militancy, kidnapping as well as activities of separatists and armed militias among others have been very commendable.

    “The Nigerian Armed Forces have also committed huge resources towards stability of the West African sub-region and world peace in general.”

    The President told the 207 Senior Course 41 graduates that the nation expects the best from them in terms of commitment to duties, loyalty and service to the fatherland given the time and investments expended on their training.

    In his remarks, the Commandant, AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal Lawal Shittu-Alao said a total of 207 students successfully passed through the programme, which spanned 48 weeks.

    He said the graduating set began their programme on Aug. 8, 2018 comprising 87 Army officers, 58 Navy, 40 Air force personnel and nine non-military staff and 13 international officers drawn from South Korea, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Liberia, South Africa, Niger Republic and Gambia among others.

  • Kidnappers kill Abbo’s uncle, abduct his nursing stepmother

    Armed men on Saturday struck at Muchalla ward of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, killing an uncle of embattled Senator Ishaku Abbo who was recently caught on CCTV camera assaulting a lady at a sex toy shop in Abuja.

    The suspected kidnappers also abducted Abbo’s nursing stepmother identified as Rifikatu Ishaku.

    Rifikatu, sources said, delivered a baby only 11 days ago. A witness said the kidnappers stormed their victims’ residence at about 1am yesterday and seized the woman. But as they were taking her away, Abbo’s uncle came out of his room and raised the alarm on sighting the gunmen. This seemed to have infuriated them and they opened fire.

    “The gunmen opened fire on him (the uncle), leading to his death, and they went away with the victim unchallenged,” the witness said.

    The Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Sulaiman Nguroje, confirmed the development.

    He said efforts were being made to get at the gunmen and free Abbo’s uncle.

    He said the Commissioner of Police had deployed specially trained anti-kidnapping officials and they were on the trail of the kidnappers.

    The killing and kidnapping in Abbo’s household is coming barely a week after a permanent secretary in the Adamawa State civil service was kidnapped and a N25 million ransom later demanded.

    Read Also: Gunmen kidnap Adamawa permanent secretary

    Confirming the incident while addressing journalists in Abuja, Senator Abbo who is currently undergoing investigation over alleged slapping of a lady in an Abuja sex toy shop alleged that military and police personnel know the kidnappers’ hideout which is two kilometres outside Mubi town, adding that they have curiously failed to dislodge the criminals.

    In his statement to journalists in Abuja on Saturday evening, Senator Abbo said that about thirteen gunmen wielding Ak-47 rifles killed his uncle. About 13 gunmen armed with AK 47, invaded my family house around 1am on Saturday and shot my uncle dead.

    “They dragged my father and brothers out of their rooms and went after my step mother when they were told that my biological mother was late. They took the poor woman away and left behind, her 11 day-old child; my stepmother is still with the kidnappers now and the kidnappers have called me with a Cameroonian MTN number but they are yet to demand ransom. The Federal Government, the military and the police are not doing enough in the aspect of insecurity in this country.

    “The security agencies and the military know the hideouts of the criminals but they will not go after them.

    “Of what use is the Army barracks and the Mobile Police base in Mubi when they cannot enter two kilometres into the bush and dislodge the kidnappers?

    “The kidnappers are using the ransom they are collecting to fund terrorism in this country, that’s just the truth,” Abbo stated.

  • Olakunrin: Police, vigilance group comb Ore forest for suspects

    A combined team of policemen and members of a vigilance group is now combing the forests of Ore, Ondo State and environs in a bid to track down the killers of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin.

    Leading the team is the state police commissioner, Mr. Undie Adie. Spokesman for the command, Femi Joseph, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the culprits would be apprehended and brought to Justice.

    “We are also ensuring that the overgrown grasses by either side of the road are cleared to allow proper visibility for motorists as these hoodlums usually hide under the cover of the overgrown roadside weeds to commit this type of havoc,” he said in a statement.

    Read Also: Outrage over Fasoranti’s daughter’s killing

    “We have since commenced investigation into the incident and our preliminary reports revealed that the incident was never a targeted attack on anyone as these attackers were bandits and criminals who were out to rob, kidnap or abduct for ransom”.

    While the statement condole the citizenry and most especially the family of the deceased, it reassured the people of the State and other members of the public of the determination of the police to rid the state of similar criminal act and other violent crimes.

    Governor Kayode Fayemi, on a condolence visit to Chief Reuben Fasoranti on Saturday in Akure described Mrs. Olakunri’s death as a personal loss to him.

    He said: “I knew Mrs. Olakunrin very well. As a matter of fact, she was with me three days ago before heading back to Lagos.

    “So, it is a personal lose and tragic situation for us and we all own a duty to tackle this issue head-long in order to rescue our people from this situation.”

  • Adebanjo lashes out at Southwest governors over insecurity

    Elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on Saturday, blamed Southwest governors for the security challenge in the zone and said they have failed in defending the people.

    “You governors, you are supposed to defend us but for one reason or the other, you fail in that task. Our people were being kidnapped, our people are being raped, our people are being killed yet you keep quiet,”  an emotional Adebanjo said during a condolence visit to Chief Reuben Fasoranti whose daughter, Mrs. Funmi Olakinrin, 58, was shot dead on Friday by gunmen at Ore, Ondo State.

    But Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said the occasion did not call for political statements or coloration.

    Adebanjo broke down in tears as he spoke at the Fasorantis’.

    Speaking to reporters thereafter, Makinde said: “What happened is something very serious and if it had happened to somebody ordinary we would never hear anything.

    Read Also: Nigeria diminished with killing of Fasoranti’s daughter – Obasanjo

    “All the governors from the South West held a security summit and we are serious about it and we will take this seriously and what has happened will make us to double up our effort.

    “This is supposed to be a federation with federal system and both the state and the federal government.

    “We will continue to fight for true federalism and for the opportunity to be able to protect our people because it is so fundamental that we have to do it.

    “This is the time to come together in unity to fight for our people, it is not the time to fight or look at ourselves as belonging to different ideological set up or different political parties.

    “It is the time to bring the agenda of Yoruba land forward and fight it collectively. It is sad that something like this has to happen to nudge us to this direction. I want to seek everybody support and we will provide the leadership and we are not going to turn our back to the people.”

  • Just in: Security forces know hideout of my uncle’s killers – Senator Abbo

    Senator Ishaku Abbo has alleged security forces are aware of the hideouts of bandits that killed his uncle at Muchalla ward in Mubi local government area of Adamawa.

    The gunmen killed his uncle in the early hours of Saturday and made away with his step mother during the invasion of the family’s residence.

    The senator, who is undergoing investigation over alleged assault of a lady in an Abuja sex toy shop, alleged military and police personnel know the kidnappers’ hideout, which he claimed is two kilometres outside Mubi town.

    He alleged the security forces have curiously failed to dislodge the criminals.

    In his statement to journalists in Abuja on Saturday evening, Senator Abbo said that about thirteen gunmen wielding Ak-47 rifles killed his uncle.

    “About 13 gunmen armed with AK 47, invaded my family house around 1 am on Saturday and shot my uncle dead.

    Read Also: Just in: Kidnappers kill Sen Abbo’s uncle, abduct stepmother

    “They dragged my father and brothers out of their rooms and went after my stepmother when they were told that my biological mother was late.

    “They took the poor woman away and left behind, her 11 day-old child; my stepmother is still with the kidnappers now and the kidnappers have called me with a Cameroonian MTN number but they are yet to demand ransom.”

    “The Federal Government, the military and the police are not doing enough in the aspect of insecurity in this country.

    “The security agencies and the military know the hideouts of the criminals but they will not go after them.

    “Of what use is the Army barracks and the Mobile Police base in Mubi when they cannot enter two kilometres into the bush and dislodge the kidnappers?

    “The kidnappers are using the ransom they are collecting to fund terrorism in this country, that’s just the truth,” Senator Abbo stated.

  • Ogun earmarks 40, 000 hectares for farmers

    Ogun State government has earmarked 40,000 hectares of land for farmers to boost food production, ensure food security and make the state food basket of the nation.

    Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed this at the first Interactive Session with farmers in Ogun State in Abeokuta.

    He said the 40,000 would given out in order of one hectare per farmer to cultivate and engage in all season farming.

    The interactive session was attended by the representatives of rice, cassava, maize, fish, cattle and poultry farmers led by the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, Prince Segun Dasaolu.

    Abiodun added  his administration apart from providing focused and qualitative leadership that would encourage Public Private Partnership, also place priority on agriculture as one of its enablers to ensure that the State produces enough food to feed its people, neighbouring states and other countries.

    Read Also: Ogun to set up cattle ranch soon – Abiodun

    The Governor also disclosed that an American company has indicated interest to partner with the State by providing improved maize seedlings and off – taking of the produce upon harvest, stressing that  the Central Bank of Nigeria has also expressed readiness to support the State in its Agricultural development drive.

    He noted that  the State was strategically located with large arable land suitable for planting rice, maize, cassava and other food and cash crops, saying that rural roads would be rehabilitated to ease movement  of farm produce, while Security Trust Fund would be relaunch to provide efficient security coverage to the people.

    Abiodun commended fish farmers for being a model to their counterparts in other states, adding that the interaction session was to chart a way forward on how best to develop agriculture in the State.

    IPermanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, said the state has the highest concentration of poultry farm insurance in the country, calling on farmers to key into the Agricultural agenda of the government as the present administration was ready to support them

    The Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Prince Segun Dasaolu, pleaded with the government to assist farmers in capacity building, revitalization of the Farmer’s market at Ogere by providing security, electricity and motorable roads for effective use of the facilities.