The Nation Newspaper

Category: Industry

  • SME’s laud capacity, funding support by BoI

    Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have attributed their growth to the assistance of  the Bank of Industry (BOI) through capacity building and long-term  loan.

    Speaking while receiving an award  of integrity, Executive Chairman, Innoson Group, Chief lnnocent Chukwuma, recalled how the bank gave him a boost, which grew his tottering business from employing 25 workers to 7,200 employees.

    He confirmed enjoying the bank’s facilities for three different times for the production of household plastics ranging from plates, chairs, tables and tanks to pipes and plumbing parts. The facilities, he said, have placed the company as the biggest manufacturer of plastics in the country.

    He said: “In 2010, the company accessed a fourth facility for its diversification into automobile assembling plant with the plastic arm producing almost all plastic components of vehicles. To date, the company has enjoyed four facilities from BOI, and has been able to maintain good debt service record on all the facilities, making us to employ over 700 direct staff  and 2,000 indirect workers.”

    The lnnoson boss said though he initially asked for a facility of N100 million and was denied, he was, however, given N80 million in machinery and equipment.

    The assistance, he said, has given his business the boost needed to grow  to  being a leader in the local manufacturing of vehicles.

    To the Managing Director of Nigeria Aluminium Limited, Mr. Iyiola Ishola, the long standing relationship his firm has with BOI since 2005, paid off with the growth in earnings per share of the company ‘s customers.

    Chairman, Rumbu Sacks Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Salisu Buhari commended the single digit interest rate given to manufacturers, noting that it is not only convenient, but easy to repay. He said the company grew from the scratch 15 years ago to become the biggest producer of woven sacks and mats.

    Salisu Buhari said: “BOI improved our operations to the extent that we have been able to achieve an evolution of our production process from manual to advanced automation. Similarly, our company has been able to increase its workers from 231 in 2001 to 1,163 to date in direct and indirect employees.”

    Earlier, BOI Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, said the bank has established a hall of fame for 10  companies, who repaid their loans on schedule. The 10 companies, he said, demonstrated a high level of integrity in their dealings with the bank and fully repaid loans granted them by the bank as and when due.

    “These companies obtained long-term credit facilities from BOI at least twice and they fully repaid the loans as and when due. They have proven that integrity is not a function of size or of the business environment. They have shown considerable honour and character that we commend and applaud,” Olaoluwa said.

    The BOI boss added that the bank is poised to support genuine businesses to succeed through business support, capacity building and funding.

    On bad loans, he said the bank usually adopts prudent steps as soon as loans show signs of non performance.

  • SON to promote made-in-Nigeria goods

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is set to promote competitiveness of  made in Nigeria products through the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) particularly for cottage,  small and medium Enterprises (SMEs).

    The Director-General of SON,  Dr. Joseph Odumodu, who was represented by Director of Operation, Mr. Nelson Oyebiyi, disclosed this during the flag off of the ‘Walk for Standard’ in Abuja to mark this year’s World Standard Day  with the theme: ‘Standard Level the Playing Field’.

    He said:  “The full implementation of this programme commenced through SON offices in all states of the federation,  as I use this medium to  urge all local manufacturers and assemblers to cooperate in getting their products certified. The process is designed to assist them implement the requirement of relevant standards from raw materials to the finish product with a view to offering quality products that offer value for money to consumers.

    “The certification to MANCAP will also ensure that locally manufactured products are subjected to similar conformity processes like the imported products undergo with SONCAP thus, creating a level playing field as stated in the theme of the 2014 World Standard Day.

    “The walk for standard, in addition to providing opportunities for interaction among stakeholders, is also aimed at propagating the ideals of quality through strict adherence to standard by manufacturers,  as well as the protection of consumers through the zero tolerance to substandard products initiative of the SON. It also provides an opportunity for participants to exercise for sound health.”

    Odumodu said the World Standard Day celebration on October 14 of every year is coordinated by three international standardisation bodies which are;  the International Organisations for Standardisation (IOS), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and International Electro technical Commission (IEC).

  • ‘Why tourism sector is untapped’

    Despite the abundance of tourist centres in the six geo-political zones of the country, the nation’s huge tourism potential has remained untapped, largely because of lack of basic infrastructure for bringing them to acceptable international standards.

    That was the position of some tourism experts, who spoke on the sideline of  this year’s symposium/luncheon tagged: “The Needs of the Tourism Industry in Nigeria”.

    The symposium/luncheon was organised by the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

    At the event, a tourism expert, who is also a director at the Transcorp Hotels and Tourism Services Limited, Ms. Okaima Ohizua,  noted that there was the need for competitive infrastructure to attract tourists. She urged the government on proper documentation of preferred tourism destinations and ensure effective regulation.

    On what needed to be done to attract investment into the sector, she said the government should advertise what Nigerian tourists sites offer, their location, safety and ease of movement for tourists, from one point to the other.

    She harped on the need  to have a  functional transportation system, graded hotels to ensure standards  in terms of services and quality of food to match international standards.

    Mrs. Ohizua also canvassed the need for connectivity from one part of the country to the other by building competitive infrastructure and adequate health facilities.

    According to her,  there must be a deliberate policy to drive the sector  and make it  an international  hub the same way the United Arab Emirate (UAE) use Dubai as a play ground  and Abu Dhabi the cultural centre.

    To another member and the Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, the tourism industry has the potential to mitigate the problem of rising youth unemployment in the country if well positioned.

    “We call on the government to pay attention to the supporting services sectors, such as aviation, transport, and modern technology that powers electronic transactions, and security in our attempt to promote tourism in Nigeria. If we must promote tourism in Nigeria, these sectors must be fixed,” he said.

    Similarly, the Director-General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Dr. Sally Mbanefo, said tourism can help Nigeria achieve her dream of reversing her age-long over-dependence on oil for poverty alleviation and job creation.

    She appealed to the private sector to adopt tourist sites and develop them as part of their contributions to the development of domestic tourism in Nigeria.

    “NTDC and government are aware that developing the local tourism industry for domestic consumption will not be an easy task, as it is no longer a secret that more and more Nigerians that can afford it travel abroad every day. Government can no longer fold its arms and continue to watch daily capital flight from our over 4,279 hotels and numerous restaurants,” Dr. Mbanefo said.

    She disclosed that the corporation was coming up with a recommendation to the government on how domestic tourism could be improved. She also called for the implementation of the National Tourism Policy to ensure the development of a sustainable tourism by capitalising on heritage diversity as the basis for promoting domestic and international tourism.

    The NTDC boss also canvassed the review of the Land Use Act to enable private sector access land for development of tourist sites, and resolve multiple taxation for tourism operators.

    The establishment of a tourism development fund, tourism visa on arrival, and tourism departure levy, she said, would encourage domestic tourism.

  • ‘Africa emerging new pole of global growth’, experts say

    The Presidents of Ivory Coast and Senegal, Alassane Ouattara and Macky Sall, respectively, as well as the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves alongside hosts, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Prime Minister of Morocco, officially opened the 9th African Development Forum this week Tuesday. The event is organised  by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) – the leading think tank and policy advisory body for Africa  and offers a multi-stakeholder platform for debating, discussing and initiating concrete strategies for Africa’s development.

    In a statement sent to The Nation by ECA Executive Secretary, Dr Lopez Carlos, he quoted the Prime Minister of Morocco, Abdelilah Benkirane,  as expressing his delight that the 9th African Development Forum was held in his country, adding that Africa is emerging as a new pole of global growth. “For this trend to be consolidated, however, we need to make sure there is an overhaul of African economies, with a clear shift towards technology-intensive, high value added activities. To rise to this challenge, the financial aspect is of great importance,” Benkirane said.

    On his part, Dr Lopes noted a refreshing new mindset and type of leadership in Africa that is both positive in its thinking and pragmatic in its actions. Greeting his special guests, he noted the “new trend in Africa where policy thinkers and policy doers are becoming one. We are witnessing a considerable sea change in attitudes and mentalities, with leaders that are reformers and practitioners that are dreamers.”

    Focusing on the Forum’s themes, he acknowledged that African Governments had taken an active role in changing the investment landscape, pointing out that this shift is associated with evidence-based policies. Since he took over the helm of affairs at ECA, he has put an emphasis on providing more concrete and meaningful data to help drive policy advice.

    One of the themes at this year’s Forum is new forms of partnerships, a point reiterated by Prime Minister Neves. “Development aid is not enough so we need to mobilise financial resources to implement our economic policies,” he said. This was reiterated by President Sall, who said, “Traditional solutions in funding development is no longer relevant to the scope and need of the continent. The aspiration of African people is not only to fight poverty, it is to drive sustainable growth that will create employment and prosperity…What is possible in all other continents is possible in Africa.”

    President Ouattara, added the need for more accountability and transparency in international capital flows. “I am glad to participate in this Forum. Africa is on the road to being the next emerging continent in the world. However, I have some concerns. Too many transactions are taking place outside the taxation system. This has to be addressed,” he said.

    This year, the Forum is focusing on ‘Innovative Financing for Africa’s Transformation.’ More specifically, the forum looked at ways of mobilising domestic capital. A report by the ECA had stated that over $200 billion lay in central bank reserves much of which can be used to leverage capital to stimulate investment. More is lost to illicit financial flows than is received in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA).

    The discussions, the  statement further said, are driven to help shape and drive policy. The organisers emphasised the need  to ensure that conclusions and recommendations from the Forum will help policy makers and government officials work towards a more efficient way to raise funds and identify new channels of funding for infrastructure, health and education, driving social as well as economic growth.

    Further more, lateral thinking, smarter controls regarding tax collection and smarter policies to facilitate investment were all encouraged to unlock capital and also to drive better accountability and transparency.

  • Lagos bars Liberia, others from trade fair

    Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday said they will not allow participants from some West African countries currently devastated by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone at this year’s International Trade Fair slated for between the 7th and 16th of next month,

    Briefing the media on the forth coming trade fair, Chairman, Trade Promotion Board of LCCI, Dr Micheal Olawale-Cole said the fair is intended to provide economic and commercial bridges between local and international investors, as the chamber is committed to provide a platform to broaden the horizon and scope of investment opportunities for both  exhibitors and visitors.

    Reiterating the commitment of the chamber to sustain and intensify their role as catalysts for business promotion, Olawale-Cole said the theme is “Promoting the Nigerian Economy as a Preferred Investment Destination”. He argued that with the latest rebasing of the economy, it has become imperative to further expose the potentials of the nation’s economy to both indigenous and international business people.

    The fair, he said, is billed to hold in three interconnected grounds at the main bowl of  Tafawa Balewa Square, the cricket pitch and the club arcade car park with a total available space  of over 40,000 square meters. He also stated that to counter the challenge of the absence of permanent indoor exhibition hall, the chamber has acquired two large marquee tents, measuring a total of 4,500 square metres to provide high quality and standard  exhibition halls for exhibitors. These tents will come with new air-conditioners and flooring materials that will ensure a good ambiance for all exhibitors.

    On foreign participation, Olawale-Cole said the fair has enjoyed more popularity and patronage by the day within the international business community. According to him, the recognition of Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy has impacted positively on the fair. In his words: “As at today, we have confirmed registration from China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cameroun, Argentina and Egypt. Others are Indonesia, Pakistan, India and the European Union delegation.

    On security, he pledged the provision of good security cover for all visitors and exhibitors alike. He said: “We have engaged reputable security firm, which shall work in close collaboration with the Nigerian Police and the Federal Fire Service. We shall engage the services of anti-bomb and anti-terrorism units of the Nigeria Police in addition to the deployment of closed circuit television (CCTV) camera for surveillance around all locations of the fair arena. This is in addition to working with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure free vehicular movement.

    The Chamber also used the opportunity of the announcement of the fair to unveil her goodwill ambassadors who graced the occasion such as Chief Executives of Main One cable, Ms Funke Opeke, CEO KAYMU, Ms Evangeline Wiles, popular artiste, TU face, Ice Prince, Brymo,  Vector, on –air- personality, Olisa Adibua amongst others.

  • ‘Nigeria’s hospitality industry underexplored’

    Since its successful privatisation, Transcorp Hotels Plc has grown from strength to strength. Its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo,  said its management will expand its footprint across the country. He spoke on the vision of the firm when Alvin Afadama met him.

    Can you take us through Transcorp Hotel Plc’s story so far?

    You know our company very well, I am sure that you have stayed at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja. You will agree with me that it has been a great success. A clear indicator of this is that when Transcorp Plc took over the ownership of the company in 2005, Transcorp Hilton was not the number one hotel in Abuja, but today it is by far the best hotel in Nigeria. It is a testament of the kind of organisation we are. It should therefore come as no surprise that our strategy is to build on and deepen our success in Abuja, while simultaneously replicating that success in other cities in Nigeria. Our strategy is to expand both geographically and through the introduction of new products and services. We are looking at the entire hospitality chain. We believe that the Nigerian hospitality industry has been traditionally under-exploited, with very limited options for local and international travellers. With passenger numbers increasing year on year and wider investor interest expanding, along with greater domestic investment, we see significant growth potential over the coming years. The combination of Transcorp, as a leading indigenous brand, and Hilton, as a world leading hospitality brand offering a best in-class product to our customers. Our initial public offering (IPO) will raise funds to commence the construction of Transcorp Hotels in Lagos and Port-Harcourt.

    Can you explain the pricing dynamics for your public offer?

    What we did was first to look at the end position before working out our journey. The approach we used was to determine exactly how much equity we required using multiple factors based on discounted cash flow, price to earnings ratio, and other earnings multiples, before arriving at the value we are selling at. Before now, the outstanding shares in Transcorp Hotels Plc were few in number. Since 2005, our share capital has increased from N5 million shares of N1 each to 7.1 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo as a result of rights issue and bonus shares. To achieve a lower absolute price, it is necessary to split your shares, but you end up paying a lot more in stamp duties and it becomes wasteful, which is why we stopped at that point. After the IPO, we will have approximately 7.9 billion shares. That brings our market value to  about N80 billion. People have asked the same question you just asked and  it’s important to remember that we are speaking to an informed investing public. This offer is not just going to retail investors, Nigerian and foreign institutional investors are going to participate in the offer and these people know their numbers. As an IPO you have to enter the market at the right price, ultimately, the market will determine the true value of our shares. In pricing our IPO, we were forward looking and influenced by our views on where our share price is going. We were very realistic on what is suitable for the company while offering investors long term value.

    There are reports that the Federal Government plans [further] investment in Transcorp Plc following your good performance over the years, how true is this?

    I was with the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) when he made those comments and he never meant that government is investing more in Transcorp Plc. What he said was that Transcorp Hotels Plc has consistently given the government good dividends over the years. Whenever they talked about us, what comes first in such discussions is the huge dividends we have been paying to the government. They are always like, why should we sell it? Even before they signed the consent for this IPO, they had to go through a lot of processes to convince some people of the need to make the company public. Government is not looking to buy more shares in Transcorp Plc.  As a matter of fact, there are plans for the government to sell its remaining 12 per cent in Transcorp Hotels Plc to the public. But they will announce this at  their own time. As far as I know, what is most important to government is to see this company go public and that has been achieved. Government wants every Nigerian to be part of the company. This IPO is a fulfillment of government’s dream to ensure that this company gets to the public. That is why we are going through the IPO now. We could easily have raised the money through a private placement, but we chose this window in order to give Nigerians the opportunity to be part of this company.This is our way of meeting the expectations of all Nigerians.

    What are your  growth assumptions? Why did you come to the market at this time?

    We have articulated our numbers in the IPO prospectus and there are lots of excellent assumptions there. Internally we have looked at the market we are going into, we have seen the growth patterns and have taken a very conservative view in making our projections.

    We know for a fact that Lagos is under served. A true five star quality hotel does not exist in Lagos today. That is our conviction. We know Lagos itself is not static; the market is changing and growing. Even at that, the state remains under served. The more populous Lagos becomes and the faster its economy grows, the more demand there is for hotel rooms. Domestic tourism is on the increase and more and more people are deciding to take hotel breaks in Nigeria instead of going abroad. At the same time, international traveller numbers are  om the increase.  We have seen all of this and we have factored these trends into our assumptions and projections.

    Also, we are looking at cities that are very crucial strategically. Lagos and Port-Harcourt are probably the most important cities for us today outside Abuja and Calabar.  Lagos to us is multiple countries put together. Its GDP is greater than Kenya’s, greater than Ghana’s and greater than Uganda’s.

  • Depleting reserves, non-availability of crude dangerous to economy, says expert

    If nothing drastic and aggressive is done to shore up the external reserves, which have been depleting  in recent times, Nigeria will, sooner or later, become a net importer of crude.

    Also, until the country is able to find a way of boosting domestic refining capacity that will go a long way to meet her petroleum products need, this country will remain in a precarious situation, a retiree of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Akin Adetunji, an engineer, has said.

    Adetunji said: “Of all the challenges in the industry today, the one that is creating more concern is the issue of our reserves that are coming down. If you seat down to appreciate the implications you see that its is a dangerous thing.” He said recent disclosure by the Director of Petroleum Resources (DPR) that Nigeria’s reserves had come down to as low as $35 billion was worrisome considering the fact that before he left NNPC, the reserves stood at over $40 billion.

    Adetunji noted that although drop in the nation’s external reserves had happened before in the early 80s, NNPC had to go back to the basics and created special incentive to encourage exploration so that there could be more aggressive exploration to increase the reserves.

    Nigeria’s external reserves, derived mainly from the proceeds of crude oil production and sales, is used for timely meeting of international payment obligations, for wealth accumulation, for the management of the exchange rate, and for the provision of a buffer against external shocks.

    But the reserves has been dropping in recent times, raising concerns that the economy might be in for more troubles. For instance,data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves fell by 0.15 percent to $39.56 billion by September 26 from $39.62 billion in August.

    Reserves stood at $45.66 billion in September last year. Currency traders attributed the fall to draw downs by the CBN to support the ailing naira currency.

    The former NNPC staff also listed petroleum products availability as the second major challenge facing the economy. He said government has to make up its mind on how to stimulate domestic production of products. Domestic refineries is the only way we can have reliable source of products. Until we are able to find a way of creating domestic refining capacity that will at least go a long way to supply our domestic need then we are in a precarious situation,” he argued.

    Adetunji noted that the more Nigeria depends on products importation, the more the system is open to abuses. The nation, he said, will also continue to grapple with all kinds of negative factors including the foreign exchange aspect, which puts more pressure on the value of the naira. “If we have a good and viable domestic refining capacity that is pumping products to various places, the issue of illegal refineries will seize, they will fold up. It will discourage people from taking that kind of risk,” he pointed out.

  • LCCI berates CAC over poor service delivery

    The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has noted with concern the frustration faced by investors in the course of business incorporation.

    LCCI President Mr. Remi Bello said rather than live up to the high expectations of investors of a better service delivery, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has deteriorated in service delivery.

    He pointed out, for instance, that rather than take 24 hours to register a business as promised by CAC, business incorporation now takes well over one week in most cases.

    “A major component of the ‘Ease of Doing Business Report’ of the World Bank is the ease of business registration. The performance on this score is not satisfactory,” Bello said.

    LCCI’s observations were contained in a communiqué it issued at the end of its council meeting in Lagos, last week. The communiqué signed by its Director General, Mr. Muda Yusuf, and made available to The Nation, urged CAC’s management to urgently fix the observed shortcomings to realise the dream of making the country a leading investment destination in Africa.

    The communiqué also called for a peaceful political transition. “As the 2015 elections approaches, the LCCI Council reiterated the importance of peace in the transition process. Without peace very little economic activity will take place and it is the citizens that will bear the brunt,” the communiqué said.

    The LCCI Council said it was disturbed by the recent disturbances and assault on the Judiciary in Ekiti State, noting that “This is clearly not a good omen. The LCCI therefore, calls on the major organs of government especially the law enforcement agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission to redouble their efforts in ensuring a peaceful democratic transition.”

    The LCCI Council however, welcomed the proposal by the Federal Government to partner Lagos State Government to ensure the speedy completion of the reconstruction work on the Lagos/Badagry expressway. Bello said the collaboration was long overdue and that it was wise to allow national development concerns take precedence over partisan considerations at all times.

    In his words: “The Lagos/Badagry road is very strategic, not just for the development of the country, but the facilitation of trade between Nigeria and other countries in the West African sub region.  Over 70 per cent of freight and human movements between Nigeria and countries in the sub region take place on this corridor.  Its current deplorable state is thus taking a huge toll on economic activities in the country and the sub region.”

    He called for the development of a partnership framework to accelerate the completion of the reconstruction work on the road which, according to him, is in the interest of the nation’s economy, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) economic integration aspirations and the welfare of millions of citizens resident on the corridor to do so.

  • Anti-malnutrition campaign moves to Nollywood

    Over 500, 000 Nigerian farmers have so far been reached with vitamin A cassava, with additional 10 million targeted to be reached over the next four years. To achieve the target, four movies to drive home the message on vitamin A deficiency and the nutritional benefits of consuming vitamin A cassava are set for mass production and distribution. Assist. Editor Chikodi Okereocha writes that the strategy, the result of a synergy between HarvestPlus and Nollywood’s top movie directors, is a more powerful and robust communication channel to drive the campaign to stamp out malnutrition.

    It wasn’t happenstance that Nigeria was among the earliest countries in which new varieties of cassava that are rich in vitamin A were released to farmers in 2011. Africa accounts for over half of the total global production of cassava, with Nigeria, the single largest producer, producing over 54 million metric tons of cassava annually. An estimated 100 million Nigerians or 60 per cent of the country’s population eat cassava daily in one form or another. Following the release of the new cassava varieties to farmers in 2011, over 500,000 Nigerian households are said to be growing and eating the conventionally bred nutritious vitamin A cassava, which nutritionists say could meet up to 40 per cent of daily needs of Vitamin A for children under five.

    With eyes set on reaching additional 10 million Nigerians with vitamin A cassava over the next four years,  the search for a more robust and powerful communication strategy or channel to drive the campaign began. But it did not take long before HarvestPlus, which leads a global effort to improve nutrition by developing and deploying food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals, found an ingenious way of driving home the campaign.

    Choosing Nollywood, as Nigeria’s bourgeoning film industry is popularly called,  HarvestPlus, in partnership with top Nollywood movie directors, rode on the platform of the just-concluded 11th Abuja International Film Festival at the Silverbird Cinemas, Abuja, to premier the ‘Yellow Cassava’ movie and three other movies to entertain, educate, and promote the consumption of vitamin A cassava in Nigeria. Each of the movies, which star Nigeria’s top actors – Segun Arinze, Monalisa Chinda, Chidi Muokeme and Emeka Ossai, among others, was delivered in different languages to ensure that all Nigerians can learn about the benefits of vitamin A cassava.

    The premiere of the movie was attended by movie producers, actors and actresses, representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Health, scientists from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, who bred the yellow cassava. Representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, National Orientation Agency (NOA), HarvestPlus partners in Imo, Benue, Oyo and Benue States and the Media were also in attendance.

    The movie, ‘Yellow Cassava’ lasted over an hour and chronicled the challenges of an agriculture extension worker, Vero (Monalisa Chinda) torn between her devotion to her fiancée and her passion to help the rural people of ‘Amuro’ by promoting the cultivation and consumption of vitamin A  Cassava to improve their health. She chooses the latter, but her choice meets with stiff opposition from a notable farmer in the village, Chief Blacki (Segun Arinze) and Chief Doktor Okpu (Emeka Ojukwu) who tried to frustrate her efforts. As if this was not enough, her fiancé, Dan (Chidi Mokeme) gives Vero an ultimatum to choose between him and her job.

    Would Vero buckle under such pressures and oppositions? The audience, moved with empathy for Vero, watched with heightened anticipation if her choice will ultimately give her joy or eventually consume her. It is around this story of love, service to humanity and threat to Vero’s life that the movie, ‘Yellow Cassava’ is woven. The Nation learnt, that ‘Yellow Cassava,’ along with the other three movies premiered, will undergo final editing after which they will be mass produced for distribution. The primary targets in the distribution of the movies remain the rural poor households whose access to better nutrition needs to be improved.

    Using the broad extension networks within the different states – the Agriculture Development Programmes (ADPs), rural None governmental organizations (NGOs) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the movies will be shown in villages to educate millions of rural households on the benefits of eating more nutritious foods. The movies will be shown in village town halls particularly on market days and festive periods. Before decentralising the movie shows, it is expected that the four movies will be launched in each of the HarvestPlus target states (Oyo, Benue, Akwa- Ibom and Imo states).

    For HarvestPlus, the choice of Nollywood could not be more apt. The thinking is that with more than 75 per cent of Nigerians watching Nollywood movies, both in rural and urban areas, such communication channel is a veritable platform to encourage more Nigerians to grow and eat the nutritious Vitamin A cassava. “Nutritious foods are critical for good health, but a powerful communication channel is needed to drive this message home,” says Paul Ilona, HarvestPlus Nigeria Country Manager.

    As Ilona explained, “Nollywood produces the most popular and widely accessible films not just in Nigeria, but throughout Africa. This partnership will greatly expand the audience for our messaging on vitamin A deficiency and the nutritional benefits of vitamin A cassava. It supports our goal to reach 10 million Nigerians with this nutritious cassava variety over the next four years.”

    While addressing the gathering through a recorded video message primed for the event, the Director of HarvestPlus, Dr Howarth Bouis, also applauded the ingenuity of using movies to create awareness on better nutrition through bio-fortification, a development he noted, never occurred to him when he began the crusade of improving the health status of the malnourished.

    “When we started with this promising idea (Bio-fortification) in the 1990s, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that such a movie premiere would happen, using Nollywood as a channel to educate Nigerians on the importance of Vitamin A and to create demand for Vitamin A cassava,’’ Bouis said.

    He commended the artistes for their creativity, calling on government officials at all levels to support the dissemination of the movies towards educating Nigerians on the importance of consuming more nutritious foods. Dr. Bouis also applauded the support of the Ministers of Agriculture and Health, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina and Professor  Onyebuchi Chukwu, respectively, for the milestones reached in addressing micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria through agriculture.

    The artists are no less excited. For instance, Zeb Ejiro of Smile Africa, who represents Nollywood’s top directors, commended HarvestPlus for acknowledging the use of movies to reach out to Nigerians with messages on good nutrition. “I feel honoured to be found worthy to contribute my own quota in addressing the nutrition challenges of Nigerians. It is gratifying to know that through the consumption of vitamin A cassava, malnourished children and pregnant women would be healthier,” he said.

    Zeb Ejiro further called on the government and the private sector to use Nollywood movies as a platform to disseminate information. Already, Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is promoting vitamin A cassava under its ambitious Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and has been a key supporter of Smile Africa’s vitamin A cassava-themed movies. It has also supported HarvestPlus and its partners in distributing vitamin A cassava stems to over 500, 000 farmers in 3,000 villages and connecting farmers, processors and sales outlets to ensure that vitamin A cassava is available to the average Nigerian.

    Vitamin A cassava is yellow in colour because it contains high amounts of beta-carotene, unlike common white cassava. Beta-carotene is a naturally occurring substance that the body converts into vitamin A. Experts say that in Nigeria, an estimated 30 per cent of pre-school-aged children and 20 per cent of pregnant women suffer from vitamin A deficiency, resulting in poor vision, blindness and sometimes death.

    By eating the new yellow cassava variety, as the movies show, women and children can meet almost half their daily needs of vitamin A. But consumers first have to be convinced to switch over from the traditional white cassava. With Ilona pledging the commitment of HarvestPlus to complement programs and government efforts aimed at addressing Hidden Hunger, the consensus is that it would not be long before Nigerians make the necessary switch.

    Nigeria was the first country in the world to officially launch vitamin A cassava. This nutritious cassava was developed through conventional breeding in collaboration with IITA and NRCRI. The collaboration, supported by HarvestPlus, has also seen other staple food crops such as maize and orange sweet potato that provide more vitamin A; beans and pearl millet that provide more iron; and rice and wheat that provide more zinc.

    Working with public and private sector partners in more than 40 countries, HarvestPlus is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health. CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by its 15 research centres in collaboration with hundreds of partner organisations. The HarvestPlus program is coordinated by two of these centres – the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

  • Fed Govt, others adopt measures to enforce cement standards

    The Federal Government appears determined to drive the transformation agenda through quality compliance and standardisation, especially in the manufacturing sector. The government  plans to implement the new cement standard following the October 1 expiration of the ultimatum on cement grading and labelling issued by the Standards Organisation of  Nigeria (SON).

    The clarification became necessary in view of the recent ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, which restrained SON from implementing the proposed cement standards it introduced recently.

    The ruling was issued by Justice Emmanuel Obile in suit No. FHC/CA/CS/50/14  instituted by the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (UniCem)  against the Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of  Industry, Trade and Investment and the SON.

    In the ruling, the presiding judge urged the counsel to SON (the 3rd defendant) to ensure the regulatory body maintained the status quo over the proposed cement standardisation. The judge warned the counsel to SON, D. S. Lawson– Ogaree of  Rickey Tarfa (SAN) and Co., to advise his client to stay action on the implementation of the controversial standardisation pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    The ruling was sequel to a report from UniCem’s counsel led by E. Monjok Agom who informed the court of continuous threat to his client and purported plan to implement the controversial standardisation by SON, even as the matter is in court.

    A separate court order of a Federal High Court, Lagos, also restrained SON, its agents and privies from closing the business premises of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc, following SON’s recent directive on product labelling and trace-ability requirements, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    Challenging SON’s power to pre-approve all advertisement/commercials of the plaintiff’s as well as certify block makers in Nigeria, Lafarge contended that SON conferred undue advantage to its competitor and enthroning monopoly in the cement industry. Though it contended that it had no complaints about the product labelling, it  noted that the deadline for same was too short, as it required more time to calibrate its machines to achieve same.

    Responding to the court injunction, SON said as a government agency, it would respect the court injunction, but would appeal the ruling as the agency has the responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of the citizenry.

    Under the directive on cement grading and labelling, local cement manufacturers are expected to comply with the new standard of 32.5 cement grade in yellow bag, meant only for plastering; the 42.5 grade in green bag will be for block making, while 52.5 grade in red bag will be used for bridges and special projects.

    Director General, SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu, said the agency has no option but to raid different markets to enforce full compliance. “We want to let you know that government is ready to enforce the new cement standards to stem the tide of building collapse in the country. I urge all stakeholders in the construction sector to comply with this directive to avoid government’s wrath”, he warned, in a recent event.

    Odumodu said the new cement standards must carry batch number, colour grades, expiry date as well as trademarks. He assured that SON in line with her mandate as a regulator is not interested in chasing people out of their jobs or means of livelihood, rather the agency is insisting that the right things be done for the overall good of all. He said: “We are set to sanitise key sectors especially those where safety is often jeopardised. We expect a seamless and effective relationship that would lead to combating the problems of substandard products in the sector. We have shut down some factories due to bad practices.

    “We will not hesitate to do so anytime the situation calls for it. But I always tell operators, it is not our desire or prayer to find factories to close-down. In fact, our desire as a regulator is to see companies operating ethically and effectively, creating jobs and providing the opportunity for more Nigerians to earn meaningful living.” He also urged block makers to stamp trademarks on their blocks for easy identification.

    Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Chief Samuel Ortom said there is no going back on the new industrial standards on cement policy and urged all manufacturers to key into the policy. He insisted thatgovernment’s zero-tolerance for substandard products is still in force, stressing that standard must be complied with to avoid incessant building collapse in the country.

    Ortom said the new cement classification and packaging will safeguard the lives and resources of the people. He reiterated that government was concerned over building collapse in Nigeria caused by the use of substandard building materials.

    Stakeholders at a sensitisation forum on Sandcrete Blocks and showcasing of new cement bags labeling in Lagos, also noted with dismay that Nigeria has been noted for poor standards in building construction.