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  • Sanwo-Olu leads southwest back to farm for food security

    Sanwo-Olu leads southwest back to farm for food security

    • By Kazeem Akinmosa

    There is a food crisis in the country. That is no longer news as food inflation has been hovering around 40%. Also, with the prices of staples like rice, beans and yams going off the roof while prices of pepper and tomatoes have somersaulted, as much as over 500% in some markets, eating good food is gradually becoming a luxury.

    But the southwest states have decided to address this crisis headlong by heading back to the farms with full force. This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, after a meeting in Lagos recently. It was agreed that commissioners of agriculture in the states should meet and draw up a plan to increase food in the region.

    Reading a portion of the 11-point resolution, Sanwo-Olu said: “On food security, the forum acknowledges the efforts of the Federal Government and decides that the Honourable Commissioners for Agriculture of all the states should begin to meet and set up a working template, which will ensure collaboration based on each state’s comparative advantage.”

    That the southwest is convening this important action is commendable. The region is blessed to have arable land which can produce different crops and should not have any business with hunger. And walking the talk, the state governments have revved into action. A news report showed that lands have been cleared just for the purpose of cultivation. AT a roundtable on food security hosted by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission (DAWN) in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, commissioners of Agriculture from the southwest state charted a way forward..

    “It is important to dispel unfounded rumours that the region has lost its capacity to produce its food.” said the Director General of the commission, Seye Oyeleye, in his opening remarks.

    According to a The Nation newspaper report published on Thursday, June 20, 2024, the commissioners agreed “to pursue massive land clearing, large-scale production of short-term crops such as rice, maize, sweet potatoes and vegetables. They also agreed to revitalise moribund dams for irrigation, improve mechanisation across the value chain, adopt a cluster farming model, expand input distribution and establish an electronic agriculture database.”

    Of course, they would also provide improved seeds, rural roads network, incentives to bring in the youths and investors as well as security.

    Present at the meeting were the five Commissioners for Agriculture from Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states: Ebenezer Boluwade, Bolu Owotomo, Olayato Aribo, Babatola Faseru, and Olasunkanmi Olaleye respectively, while Mr Emmanuel Audu, the permanent secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture represented the state’s commissioner.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu marks 59th birthday with special children

    And knowing that in recent times, insecurity has been the bane of hunger, the southwestern commissioners resolved that security on the farms would be strengthened using the Amotekun architecture. Amotekun is the security unit sanctioned by southwestern states to support federal security services in addressing insecurity in the region. In the past, it was reported how cattle of some nomadic herders destroyed crops while the herders attacked and kidnap farmers, a situation which has frightened many away from their farms, resulting in food scarcity. In fact, a popular Yoruba actor, Lere Paimo, still talked about this recently.

    “Let every South-West governor control the activities of herders, who always clash with farmers,” said the Oyo State born actor.

    “This has sent many away from their ancestral farms, and the attendant hunger is staring us in the face.

    “The herders have brought a lot of losses to many farmers by making their cattle to feed on farms while some farmers have also lost their lives in the process. Many have left their farms over this.”

    This trend must be stopped. And thankfully, the Amotekun Corps have been drastically reducing these ugly scenarios.

    The southwest had always been known for its agricultural prowess, cultivating crops like rice, yams, cassava, maize, beans, millet, plantains, bananas, cocoa, palm oil and kernels, and fruits. It should be remembered that even from the times of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of Western Region, agriculture was the region’s mainstay. In fact, it was proceeds from agriculture that enabled the Western Region to build Cocoa House in Ibadan, Oyo in 1964. It was the first skyscraper in West Africa and remained Nigeria’s tallest building till 1979. The region also scored many developmental firsts including providing free education. Hence, it is particularly sad that the southwest states are experiencing food shortage.

    However, as the region is now set to retrace its steps, it is advisable it goes about it efficiently. For instance, it would be good to deploy technology so as to ensure maximum yield. This would mean it gets quality seeds, appropriate machinery and adopts efficient processes. I hope agricultural institutions like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are being carried along for this laudable project. Now, when the government has done this, there should be mechanisms to check price manipulations. In a now viral video, it was seen how some pepper sellers in one of the southwest states deliberately hiked prices in contrast to what obtained nearby. Though vagaries of weather and misfortune of insecurity may induce scarcity, there must be concerted efforts to discourage price gouging.

    While all the southwest governors involved in this scheme should be commended for their foresight and co-operation, the convener of this worthy initiative, Sanwo-Olu, must be praised for the push. But I am not really surprised at Lagos’ doings. For close to a decade now, the state has maintained a partnership with Kebbi State to cultivate rice which it sells to her residents.It has instituted an agricultural masterplan which exploits her limited landmass and aquatic splendour.

    Last September, as measures to ameliorate the fuel subsidy removal, Sanwo-Olu flagged off the Lagos State Government Food Bank programme. In December, he inaugurated the fresh food hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin. The building, a cynosure of sorts, is clean and welcoming residents to shop for foodstuffs at farmgate prices. And in March, Lagos initiated a Sunday food market across her 56 local government and local council development areas. Residents bought fresh foods at subsidised prices.

    Some schemes to ensure Lagos can meet 40 percent of her food requirements include the Eko Agro Mechanisation Programme, the tractor-hailing application, the establishment of a 32 tonnes/hour Lagos Rice Mill at Imota, the enterprise development for women and youth in poultry production, piggery, aquaculture, apiculture, horticulture, and artisanal fishing. But the major success ingredient must be its readiness to cooperate with stakeholders.

    Just like previous administrations did by partnering with other states, in January 2024, Lagos partnered with Niger and Kwara states to increase food supply via an initiative tagged, Produce-4-Lagos. According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Abisola Olusanya, by cooperating with the two states that are agriculturally advantageous over it, Lagos can fulfil its food demand, particularly in livestock, fisheries and horticulture.

    This time around, the cooperation of the southwestern states would surely yield fruits. And it is likely to bring about a workable template of how to cooperate to stave off hunger. By partnering in this noble experiment, I pray the southwest administrations, and other states and regions would see how copying the Lagos way of doing things, brings results.

    • Akinmosa is a public affairs analyst
  • Property management practice in Nigeria

    Property management practice in Nigeria

    • By Clara Lemene Ebere

    Shelter is one of the most fundamental human needs. It is unarguably indispensable. This is largely due to the fact that shelter provides protection, comfort, safety and protection from all types of weather conditions, be it heat, cold, rain or wind to its occupants, as well as protection against intruders and all kinds of unwanted elements. When you talk of a place to rest, place to carry out your day-to-day-activities, you refer to shelter. These and several other needs make it imperative for individuals to acquire shelter, either by building, by way of rent or by outright purchase, depending on his financial status or purchasing power.

    For usage of a rented apartment, it is required of the tenant to pay a certain amount, mutually assented to, and depending on the space and available facilities as rent to the landlord. And for effective management of their properties and also because of the various tasks involved in the task, such as ensuring that the property systems, functions, and staff perform optimally as much as possible, property owners in modern times have resorted to engaging the services and expertise of professionals to serve as intermediaries or middlemen between them and the tenants. Be it residential or commercial, property management is very essential in the life-cycle of properties because it ensures control, maintenance, and oversight of real estate and physical property in order to ensure value for money.

    Property management is important for investors in Nigeria for a number of reasons. These include timely collection of rent, which of course eliminates the need for owners to chase after tenants for rent payments, tenant screening and management to ensure prospective tenants are financially stable and have a good rental history, management of tenant relationships, handling of complaints, and ensuring tenant satisfaction. It also includes compliance with all legal requirements for rental properties, such as building codes, safety regulations, and tenancy laws, maintenance and repairs to ensure that the property is well-maintained and in good condition, which in turn helps to attract and retain tenants and can increase the value of the property over time, management of all financial aspects of the property, including rent collection, payment of bills, and preparation of financial statements to help property owners have a clear picture of the financial performance of their properties and a number of other benefits.

    That is not to say however that property management does not have its own challenges. Every human activity and endeavour has their unique or peculiar challenges, and property management is no exception.

    Still largely undefined, unorganized and done by various professionals and non-professionals in Nigeria, it is not surprising to note that its management varies among practitioners.

    Property management in Nigeria is very complex, undefined and not backed by law, except the law of contract, not given prominence in Lease Agreement, with only a few clauses dedicated to it. As a result, property management is very challenging, highly unorganized, intensive and controversial, full of litigations, for reasons of rent default, rent increment, issues bothering on conversion, maintenance, illegal transfer, and infringement and disturbance by other users. Litigations and cases abound in court clearly indicates that it is not a smooth terrain.

    Engaging non-professionals for property management is a big issue, another indication that the practice is still in the rudimentary stage and unorganized in Nigeria. Many property owners don’t know that property management goes beyond mere collection of rent, don’t know that property manager gets involved with managerial problem-solving and decision-making, whilst also performing several activities and tasks involving planning, organizing, directing and controlling with respect to the portfolio of real estate assets being managed on behalf of clients.

    Because of the increasing pace of technological development and innovations resulting particularly in the construction of high rise and high technological structures in our cities, there is need to engage professional managers who are able to cope effectively and efficiently with management problems arising from the latter. Multi – tenanted properties such as office blocks and residential houses present the greatest management challenge. With ever-advancing evolutions in technology and innovation, changes in client and tenant demographics and the state of the real estate industry in general, there’s a great deal going on in property management that industry leaders need to keep ahead  and forward-thinking and embracing the changes.

    Read Also: Estate surveyor seeks new strategies for property management

    Estate Surveyors and Valuers have been up and doing as properties, facilities and assets managers for individuals, corporate organizations and, assets and public infrastructure managers for the government in the overall interest of the nation and the citizens. They carry out renovation and remedial works on some of the infrastructure component parts that require minor or early repairs before they affect other parts of such assets and facilities.

    Estate Surveyors and Valuers have equally been providing professional services in Property Management, Estate Agency, Public Lands Administration, Land Use Planning and Management, Project Management, Property Deal Counseling, arranging finance for investment, arbitration and several other tasks which no one else can provide without professional skills and expertise to individuals and the society at large.

    In the course of managing and maintaining public infrastructure and assets, estate surveyors and valuers have provided preventive maintenance policy to the government for managing public infrastructure and assets, established the operative life span and renewal of the component parts that make up such public infrastructure and assets. They have been providing similar services for private investors.

    An essential aspect of real estate investment, property management is becoming increasingly important in Nigeria, as more people invest in real estate. With the help of professionals, estate surveyors and valuers in particular, property owners are able to maximize their returns on investment, while minimizing the risks associated with rental property ownership, and can therefore focus on other investments or activities, while their properties are managed efficiently and effectively.

    • Ebere is a professional estate surveyor and valuer, based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
  • Labour’s living wage and government tango

    Labour’s living wage and government tango

    • By Mike Kebonkwu

    Living or minimum wage, whatever one gets or receives today as salary with the spiralling inflation is not going to be of much use after all with prices of commodities hitting the rooftop.  Everyone is waiting with bated breath because whatever award is made and agreed between organized labour and the federal government would impact one way or the other on everybody and everything else that money can buy.  Agreement is one thing and payment across board to all categories of workers by both federal and state government workers is a different kettle of fish; not to talk of the private and informal sectors without the ability, capacity, or willingness to pay.  The government cannot afford to put the negotiation button on mute mode and remain indifferent to the demand for pay rise for workers which by every economic index are ripe and overdue.  

    Will it be N62,000, N100,000, N400,000 or more?  It will be insensitive to plight of workers not give the minimum wage the attention it deserves.

    A couple of weeks back, the Organized Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates with Trade Union Congress (TUC) literarily shut down the country when during a strike action,  cut power from the national electricity grid  putting  the entire nation into darkness over failure to reach agreement with the government on minimum wage.  Labour is demanding a pay rise and upward review of workers’ salaries and wages to over N600,000.  We should ignore the semantics of minimum or living wage whatever that means; workers need pay rise. The government has been pussy footing and nonchalant, proposing about N50,000 which is a far cry from the labour demand.  

    The current N30,000 minimum wage regime is not realistic under prevailing economic circumstances even though some states are not even paying.    The federal government has always been tardy and mala fide whenever it comes to realistic sustainable salaries for welfare of workers. One has lost counts of the number of times the NLC had called workers out on strike and protests in the last one year of the present government.  Again, it is the government through its difficult economic policies that is playing into the hands of the labour union that has lost steam and looking for relevance. 

    Strike as negotiating tool has been grossly abused and deployed especially under the present labour union leadership.  The analysis of labour to arrive at it’s over N600,000 minimum wage is too pedestrian, simplistic, illogical and lack economic basis. It is not just unrealistic but unsustainable that even the federal government cannot even pay unless it resorts to the Buhari economic model of printing naira notes like the infamous Ugandan Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada.  

    Government offering N50,000 is also insensitive given the prevailing economic situation where prices of commodities are determined by the exchange rate of the United States Dollar, which is over N1,500 to a dollar. 

    Therefore, the NLC is wrong, and the federal government is wrong in their position on the issue of minimum wage.  This government has enjoyed some goodwill of the people which was the reason the removal of petrol subsidy was tolerated without much resistance believing that it was going to turn the economic situation of the country and lots of the people around.  On the contrary, the lots of the people have become grim and intolerable as Nigerians grapple with survival and can hardly afford to eke out a living. Basic food is no longer featuring on the menu table and even pepper and tomatoes which we take for granted as condiments for spicing and seasoning are disappearing. 

    Read Also: Redirect focus to providing living wage for workers, Reps tell FG, Labour

    A 50kg of local rice is going for over N60,000.00; gari and beans are soaring out of reach.  We have not added other demands in medicals, school fees and sundry taxes and expenses.  I am not sure what is realistic in economic terms and sustainable as minimum wage but N60,000 is way below what is reasonable.  The issue of cost of living cannot be solved by merely increasing the wages and salaries of workers when there is no corresponding productivity in the economy and availability of basic goods at affordable prices in the open market. 

    Moving forward, we have to first deal with the cost of governance which is quite obscene and immoral giving what those in government award to themselves as salaries and allowances compared with the minimum wage. The manipulation of emoluments by the National Assembly can simply pass as robbery when we consider the sundry awards under different heads.   What are the constituency projects and moneys allocated under the head used for?  What roles are the local government councils and state governments supposed to perform?  We hear of oversight functions and honourables scrambling to serve in juicy committees in some ministries and departments, what are they over-sighting?   We have to cut down on these leakages and drain pipes.  We must deal with corruption not half-heartedly for political reasons.  Contrary to responses coming from the National Assembly, it is not a campaign of disinformation to target assembly members in terms of what they earn or award to themselves. 

    This is also the time for organized labour to rebrand with a more dynamic leadership different from what the present executive is offering.  Labour should parade the best in its leadership to put out facts about the economic reality to determine the direction of government response to our economic problems without being partisan.  Workers belong to different political association and persuasions. 

    Rather than protesting over who remains as the emir of Kano or carrying placards against the anti-graft agency, EFCC for going after a governor fingered for not accounting for over N80 billion state money, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), right activists and media influencers should fight for causes that will liberate the poor masses from penury, insecurity, corruption and nepotism.  

    That campaign should extend to mobilization and demand for members of the National Assembly to be placed on minimum wage like every other government employee.  After all they have not demonstrated any higher commitment to the development of the country. This way also, you can be sure we will drift to a realistic balance of what can sustain a worker in this country. 

    The Nigerian people and workers should refuse to accept the status of indentured servitude. Government should focus on delivering on good governance and not on fixation that every protests and criticism is the handiwork of the opposition. One wonders if there is truly opposition in Nigerian politics after elections!

    Those representing the government in the negotiation are not fair to Nigerian workers to be recommending N50,000 minimum wage and other banal argument on inflation in the economy. The labour leadership appears also to be labouring in the wrong direction waking up to call workers out on strike and calling it off at will without tangible benefits when their egos are massaged. Times are hard for every Nigerian, workers and the unemployed alike.  Let this tango end and let us all bring something on the table; Nigerians and Nigerian workers deserve better deal and treatment!

    • Kebonkwu Esq writes from Abuja.
  • Nigeria Customs under Adeniyi

    Nigeria Customs under Adeniyi

    • By Adeyinka Adedeji

    It is 133 years since the Nigeria Customs Service was established. A colonial construct, it shares a lot with some of its peers, like the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, the Nigerian Correctional Service, and several other public institutions.

    However, arguably more than any of the others, it has had to deal with serial changes: changes in its enabling laws, changes in purpose, changes in structure, changes in strategy, changes in personnel, and many more. In the annals of Nigeria’s history, Customs and change are synonymous.

    At inception in 1891, over two decades before the Amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates and the Colony of Lagos to form Nigeria in 1914, it was saddled solely with revenue collection. This changed in 1945 when the role of border policing, to prevent smuggling and associated activities, was added to its function. Since then, the Nigeria Customs Service has gone through several other changes, including movement of its supervising ministry from Finance to Internal Affairs and back to Finance.

     That theme of change continued under President Muhammadu Buhari. For the eight years that he was in office, he placed the Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of a retired Nigerian soldier, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd). It was the first time in more than three decades that “an outsider” was brought in to superintend over this important national institution. Despite his military mien, Colonel Ali’s tenure was not devoid of controversy; from his long running brickbat with the National Assembly over his refusal to wear the NCS uniform, to dwindling staff morale at the top echelon, and the $3.1 billion Customs Modernisation Project that has been hobbled by multiple litigations.

    It was against this background that President Bola Tinubu, less than a month after assuming office, appointed Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to the position of Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC). A career Customs Officer, Adeniyi had risen through the officer cadre of the Service, holding important positions across different specialities. At different times, he was the Public Relations Officer of the NCS; Area Controller at the nation’s principal gateway, the Murtala Muhammed Airport; and Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College. All these gave him the multi-disciplinary professional exposure and experience that are critical to lead the NCS. Clearly, Adeniyi came well prepared for the position of CGC.

    But it is one thing to come well prepared for the job. It is another to deliver on the job. Over the one year that he has been in office, that is what Adewale Adeniyi has done – deliver on the job! Despite the headwinds that have stalled much of the nation’s economy, the performance results of the Nigeria Customs under Adeniyi have been remarkably stellar.

    Take revenue generation, arguably its most critical task. In one year, the NCS under Adeniyi has nearly doubled its revenue, from N2.6 trillion (June 2022 to May 2023) to N4.5 trillion in the following 12 months. That is a 74% increase. Even more impressive, there is a 70% increase in average monthly revenue, which is evidence of a constant push for improvements and excellence. For the Tinubu government that is desperately searching for financial resources to meet pressing demands, the NCS has come through.

    Read Also: Senate mourns Customs Officer’s death in NASS 

    In other areas, the NCS’s performance in the one year under Adeniyi’s leadership has been no less exceptional. Its anti-smuggling efforts have seen record number of seizures at the borders, ranging from arms and ammunition, pharmaceuticals (including fake and sub-standard products), rice and other grains. The resumption of petroleum smuggling, initially curtailed by the removal of fuel subsidy at the start of the Tinubu administration, is now being met with improved surveillance and enforcement. This has already yielded fruit, with nearly three million litres of petrol seized so far.

    Perhaps the best measure of the impact of the Comptroller-General is in the meteoric rise of the NCS in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) ranking. When he assumed office in June 2023, the NCS was 34th on the log table of 39 federal agencies and parastatals, with a score of 18.53%. One year later, it is tied for 1st with a 100% score. The import of this is telling, for it shows a complete turnaround in the operations of the NCS with a renewed focus on trade facilitation. In a competitive world where ease of doing business is key to driving foreign direct investment, the NCS is clearly doing its part for Nigeria.

    Yet the last one year has not been smooth sailing. There was the stampede that resulted from the distribution of rice, an unfortunate outcome of an altruistic gesture to alleviate the plight of citizens. There remains also the challenge of gaining the public’s utmost confidence in the anti-corruption fight. The modernisation project remains stuck in the law courts, thereby hindering the NCS from maximising technology to improve its efficiency. All these and more are challenges that the Comptroller-General must continue to seek and implement innovative solutions, to complement his efforts on the core mandate of the NCS.

    For now, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has proven to be a right peg in the rounded hole of the Nigeria Customs Service. In him, Officers and Men of the Customs have a leader who deeply loves the institution and represents their yearnings and aspirations. The impact of his one year in office has shown that he is doing his very best to position the NCS to meet and surpass the expectations of the country, and the demands of a technology-driven world. A definite plus for the government and people of Nigeria!

    • Adedeji is a business executive and writes from Lagos.
  • 2027 elections: Blackmailers at work

    2027 elections: Blackmailers at work

    SIR: As a student of history, I don’t think if there is any Nigerian president that has been blackmailed like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The blackmail comes from different quarters, including ex-political office holders who are now in the cold, down to criminals, and economic saboteurs.

    Some use insecurity as a political weapon, others issue subtle threats, mostly non-verbal, but discerning minds know it is a threat. There are regional and tribal champions who are overheating the polity. Some hide under the cloak of nation-building challenges, amplifying issues out of proportion be it minimum wage, inflation, deregulation to name but a few.

    While these individuals are playing their dirty politics, the common man who suffers a lot has been an object of manipulation.

    It is interesting to note that majority of the current section of the elites wearing the toga of patriotism have rotten antecedents. Some are being prosecuted by anti-corruption bodies. Some were tested but couldn’t pass.

    One cannot but wonder about the intentions of those bragging about 2027 elections just when the government in power has marked its first anniversary; what do they have in stock they can offer to the downtrodden?

    Read Also: APC to inaugurate Edo governorship elections campaign councils

    Any patriotic Nigerian who is after the survival of the country will not start any conversation around 2027 elections now. Of course, the constitution has guaranteed the right to freedom of expression; people can talk on any topic they fancy, including how to defeat the government in the next general elections.

    But beyond the right, our conversation at this point in time should be on how to hold the government accountable to ensure that it delivers on its campaign promises.

    Those who have properties in Dubai, Panama and other places across the world should stop distracting this government. They should wait until the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC releases election time-table in 2026. Then they can come out and showcase the magic wand with which they want to tackle the nation’s challenges. But now it is time for governance.

    • Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar, Unguwa Katsina.
  • Scaling up the trajectory of Nigeria’s civil aviation

    Scaling up the trajectory of Nigeria’s civil aviation

    By Morohundiya Ola

    Global efforts to improve the lot of civil aviation regulations continues to gain traction as more countries including Nigeria plug into safety improvement programmes introduced by the global apex regulator – the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    ICAO, at different times had introduced a raft of safety initiatives such as “The No Country Is Left Behind”, for aviation-consumer countries including Nigeria to key into the improvement of its safety processes, procedures and programmes.

    Though Nigeria may have attained Category One, the highest civil aviation rating by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA), the country and the managers of its civil aviation have not left slip any opportunity through training of its technical safety/airworthiness personnel in complying with regulations rolled out by continental, regional and international aviation organisations.

    Just like any country/organisation that navigates emerging challenges, the NCAA in the last few years has had to grapple with developments in the civil aviation space that has put to test the capacity of managers running its affairs.

    From issues bordering on lopsided bilateral/multilateral air agreements between Nigeria and over 80 countries across the globe, to trapped foreign carriers funds, difficulty in accessing the low ticket inventory for Nigerian passengers to the entrance of Air Peace into the Lagos/London route, the NCAA has had to grapple with the challenges.

    Read Also: Cholera: Nigeria records 53 deaths in 107 LGs

    But, like anything under the sun, time and chance has also caught up with the governance structure in the apex civil aviation regulatory system resulting in the suspension of its former Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu. Though the federal government is currently investigating some infractions that enveloped the agency during his tenure, another pilot, a one-time director in the Air Transport Regulation and Public Affairs / Consumer Protection unit, Captain Chris Najomo has been serving as the acting Director General.

    A few months into his leadership at the NCAA, industry watchers could attest to the paradigm shift that has enveloped the regulatory authority. A thorough aviation professional with over four decades experience, Najomo has brought to bear his wealth of expertise, capacity and network to nudge civil aviation regulations to noticeable heights.

    Aside pushing for good liaison with airline operators, concessionaires and other agency chiefs in Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Nigerian Aerospace Management Agency, NAMA, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the parent ministry – the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in achieving industry sector reforms as encapsulated in  the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Renew Hope Agenda, Najomo has not left anyone in doubt that his vision on what civil aviation regulation should look like.

    Sadly, these strides by the Acting Director General of NCAA, has attracted the attention of fifth columnists and naysayers who would rather dredge mud to tarnish his “Work in Progress Journey to Improve Aviation Optics/ Soundbites”.

    Though undaunted by these distractions, the  NCAA continues to swim in the unfortunate concoction of lies targeted at destroying the healing process he has birthed after the suspension of the former Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

    Truly, corruption knows how to fight back and this is not a new case. For someone who has stepped in to clean the mess in a thorough overhaul of the odoriferous stench that has led to the suspension of the former Director General, the Acting DG understands the tendencies he has to contend with.

    For the sake of truth and transparency, Capt. Chris Najomo never purchased a 2022 Toyota Landcruiser (70th Anniversary Edition) allegedly worth over 250million after three months of being in the saddle.

    While it is verifiable that the suspended DG held on to the official vehicles and never dropped them, it is totally incorrect that the Acting DG purchased an official vehicle worth N250m. It smacks of mischief to quote bogus figures for a vehicle that has not been purchased in order to discredit the leadership of the Acting DG. This is the handiwork of those who wish to bring encumbrances to the process of sanity initiated by the Acting DG. However, vehicles were to be purchased for top management officials and they are necessities, not luxuries.

    In the figment of the imagination of these peddlers, staff training that were duly budgeted for as far as in 2023 budget are yet to be dispensed but due diligence failed them in their haste to tell lies that can be confronted with compelling facts. What sense does it make to bring up staff training when the ones that were duly captured in the 2023 budget have not been dispensed? Is this not hatred taken too far?

    In addition, TSA is not optional and cannot be wished away at the discretion of any DG. The allegation of non-remittance of statutory deductions to the Central Bank of Nigeria is more than laughable. It is a chronic lie that can be trashed at the tip of the fingers. Just recently, aviation union workers fumed over the 50% remittance of IGR to the government. They even threatened industrial action if that was not discontinued. How cheap can the peddlers be when they don’t even understand what goes on in the agency?

    It is instructive to note that Capt. Najomo cannot be derailed by insipid lies that can only be told by toddlers. He is focused on ensuring that the NCAA recovers from the sordid years of locusts and caterpillars. He is aware of the magnitude of trust, honour and respect that his incursion has conjured. He will, undoubtedly, reposition the NCAA and take it to an enviable height.

    However, leadership is so arduous that one’s certificates might not necessarily add any significant value to a rotten system that direly awaits radical positive change. For Captain Najomo with his towering certifications in and out of the country, whose incursion was primarily to salvage a messy system, pulling up, rebuilding and retooling the focus as well as operations of the NCAA became his driving force. He moved beyond making excuses for past failures while instilling patriotism in the workforce via laudable policies and programmes.

    He has long understood that no organization can produce any meaningful results with a disgruntled and unhappy workforce. To achieve workforce harmony, the menace of staff stagnation was decisively dealt with. He reignited the passion of workers by ensuring that they enjoy a conducive environment despite lean resources of the NCAA. With the friendly disposition of the Minister of Aviation, Captain Najomo carefully took workers welfare to its apogee and completely destroyed strife among workers.

    The rich experience of yesteryears as Managing Director/CEO of reputable airlines has paid off in his ability to engender peaceful coexistence between the authority and the trade union that are usually at loggerheads with the management. Like a magic, dissenting voices went down with his touch of humility, candour and respect for all. Without any iota of doubt, Najomo represents modesty and hope.

    Najomo is a team player. He sees everyone as important to the goals of the authority. He listens and bows to superior suggestions. These leadership qualities have earned him massive support from everyone and departments.

    The establishment of the R-PAS unit remains the brain child of a reformer. This is not just timely but audacious. This will enhance safety in civil aviation by allowing for proper security check and monitoring. This ingenuity will generate income for the federal government at a trying time like this when the country’s economy is being shot by inclement economic realities. Such innovation will attract investors who will have confidence in the system and the entire aviation industry will be positively charged for unrivalled development.

    The lofty idea of certification and re-certification of private jet owners is a necessary fillip to the revenue drive of the government while providing ease of doing business as jet owners get AOC in order to go commercial.

    In just five months, four notable airline companies got their AOC through a five stage process. These processes usually take between a year or two in the past because of the rot in the system. However, despite the ease with which airline companies get their AOC, the Najomo led administration ensured strict compliance to all rules and SARPS.

    Concerned about safety and best practices, the Najomo led administration ensures that on a quarterly basis, existing AOC holders are examined to ascertain financial capabilities in order to engender smooth and safe operations. This doesn’t hinder enhanced surveillance carried out by well-trained inspectors on a daily basis.

    Najomo is a reformer with traceable track-records in the aviation industry. His numerous certificates align perfectly with his sterling leadership acumen and the results have been unprecedented in the few months he has acted as the DG.

    •Ola, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos.

  • EFCC, illegal mining and economic recovery

    EFCC, illegal mining and economic recovery

    • By Abdulsamad Anka

    Since the new current leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) assumed the driver’s seat at the foremost anti-graft agency, the commission appears to have got its groove back. For an agency that had been castigated in certain quarters and regarded as a toothless bulldog, the perception rating has suddenly soared.

    Thanks to the current executive chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, an experienced crusader, who has grown within the organisation to understand its workings.

    It is instructive to note that Olukoyede’s three focal areas —focus on the mandate of the EFCC, pursuit of transparency and accountability and building the image of Nigeria — have changed the narrative at the commission.

    And to achieve the three-point agenda, the EFCC boss has harped on the need for collective responsibility, greater emphasis on preventive frameworks against graft and premium attention on transactional credits.

    But in spite of its current pragmatic operations, many Nigerians who have become fixated with the belief that the EFCC function starts and ends with issues related to financial misappropriation by public officers are confused and asking questions about whether the commission is stepping beyond its bound on illegal mining activities.

    It’s understandable but a quick look at the Act that established the commission has since cleared the doubts and affirmed that EFCC is on course in its crusade against illegal miners and working within its scope for the positive development of the country.

    It is important to note that investigation by the EFCC revealed that most of the solid minerals were illegally mined by artisanal miners who do not have operating licenses.

    Further investigation by the commission also revealed that some of the miners who have licenses to purchase or possess minerals, buy from illegal miners instead of legitimate miners as stipulated in their licences.

    As the current administration is working hard to deepen its commitment to economic diversification, EFCC has become an indispensable body to block leakages. In the spirit of diversification, the mining sector that was hitherto left unattended to has become a gold mine. From Zamfara State, to Osun State, Ekiti to Kwara and other parts of Nigeria, where mining activities are currently going on, the federal government has now seen the need to beam its searchlight on the sector and make every stakeholder accountable.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests two ex-bankers for stealing dead customer’s N4.2m

    But the more the government and its agency work to open up the sector for economic buoyancy, the more illegal miners who have seen the sector as a place to make free money work hard to sabotage the effort. These economic saboteurs have consistently carried on with their illegal operations with total disregard to the laws guiding mining in Nigeria, not minding the constitutional provisions. Today, it’s becoming a thing of the past as the Federal Ministry of Solid minerals and Federal Ministry of Steel Development have formed a synergy with the EFCC to nip illegal mining activities in the bud.

    Just last week, the operatives of the commission arrested 11 suspects for illegal mining activities in Kwara State. The Command also impounded eight truckloads of assorted minerals. The organisation is also working round the clock in Zamfara, Osun and other places where mining activities are going on to make sure both Nigerians and expatriates involved are checkmated and restricted.

    Perhaps Nigerians need to be reminded of where we are coming from to appreciate the work of various agencies of government in the forefront of the fight against illegal mining in the country. The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has full responsibility over mining regulations under the Federal Minerals and Mining Act of 1999. When former President Olusegun Obasanjo took office, he privatized the extractive industry because the public corporations in the sector did not have any redeeming value left.

    Our mineral assets are huge and they can be found in several states across the country. More than 40 minerals — excluding oil and gas – have been documented by the ministry. They include gold, tantalite, coal, bitumen, silver, iron ore, barite and gypsum. Tantalite deposits are in Nassarawa, Kogi, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Cross Rivers and a few other states, and you are most likely to find the mineral alongside columbite. Tantalite is a dark brown mineral chemically similar to columbite and they have significant economic value.

    Apart from being the largest exporter of columbite, tantalite and tin in the world before independence, Nigeria also had one of the best coking coals in the world. According to Ikenna Nwosu, an energy expert and public policy analyst, coking coal produced from Onyeama Mines in Enugu was used to generate energy that powered engines in factories, trains and so on. During colonial rule, expatriate miners used mechanized mining — mining in commercial quantity — but they left Nigeria during the civil war that lasted from 1967 – 1970.

    Illegal mining began to gain prominence after independence in 1960. Mining rights belong to the federal government but it grants licences for exploration, mining and sale of minerals. But it was under former President Obasanjo that a bold reform initiative in the mining sector was introduced; Oby Ezekwesili was the minister at the time. It was essentially a strategic policy framework to regulate the mining industry. For example, the policy reform led to the creation of the Mine Police, a unit that was supposed to work with the Mines department of the ministry to fight illegal mining. Unfortunately, the level of success recorded is nothing to write home about, a scorecard that continues to harm the image of the Police Force.

    In the absence of effective policing, illegal mining has continued unabated and no royalties are paid to the federal government. Irresponsible mining practice harms the environment and ecology. In addition, the environmentally unfriendly methods and materials used in mining put the health of everyone in the community in grave danger. The miners, working mostly in the northwest and southwest zones of the country at the behest of their masters, use diggers, shovels, hoes and axes to dig for minerals. Unlike in mechanised mining which involves mining and processing minerals to add value, illegal miners extract minerals, especially gold, in their rawest form and smuggle them out of the country to willing buyers without any interception by our security agencies.

    Illegal and unsafe mining activities take place in remote villages where labour is cheap. Villagers are employed to dig for minerals but due to their crude methods, the mines sometimes collapse resulting in several deaths. The digging is wide and deep, forming craters on the land. When it rains, the trenches become “mining ponds” which is very dangerous because of the metallic residue from the mining operations – it is acidic and poisonous. Once mining is over, the trenches dug are abandoned. The Zamfara State story immediately comes to mind – acute lead poisoning caused by the processing of ore affected more than 3,500 children

    Illegal mining activities not only harm the economy directly but also indirectly by disrupting the operations of legally registered mining companies that lawfully bring revenue to the government. Illegal miners often encroach upon legal mining sites, leading to conflicts and jeopardising the security of workers

    Illegal mining has emerged as a pressing issue with significant implications for economic growth and development. Apart from the fact that illegal mining has adverse effects of the economy, including environmental degradation, social instability, governance challenges, and lost revenue, it sometimes leads to death of innocent citizens as recently witnessed in Bodija area of Ibadan, where scores of Nigerians met untimely death. Succinctly speaking, illegal mining hampers economic growth by undermining formal mining activities, reducing investor confidence, and limiting government revenue. Broadly speaking, it has detrimental effects on key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. The environmental consequences, including deforestation, water pollution, and soil degradation, also pose long-term challenges for sustainable economic development.

    Over the years, I have come to realise one fact; governance gaps and regulatory weaknesses are key drivers of illegal mining in Nigeria. With a strong agency like the EFCC in partnership with relevant ministries and agencies of government, I’m not in doubt that there would henceforth be adequate enforcement and eradication of corruption that would help the federal government maximize the gains from the sector.

    When all these are done, rule of law would be upheld in its raw form, there would be effective resource management that would enhance sustainable development and the impact of the sector would be felt maximally on the economy.

    • Anka, a mining engineer, writes from Gusau, Zamfara State.
  • Dogfight over police jobs

    Dogfight over police jobs

    It’s a never ending show. Authorities of the Nigeria Police are again at loggerheads with the Police Service Commission (PSC) over 10,000 new recruits for the force. The police accused the service commission of adulterating the published list of successful candidates with unqualified and untested persons, while the commission charged back that the police leadership had wanted to smuggle hundreds of unqualified candidates onto the list but was blocked, hence the bitterness with what got published. The sister organisations are back to an old turf battle that had pitched them in a four-year-long tussle through trial and appellate courts.

    The PSC on 4th June published a list of what it claimed were the 10,000 successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre jobs in the 2022/23 recruitment for the police. But police leadership slammed the list as fraudulent and demanded a review over alleged sharp practices that it claimed tainted what was published. Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), issued a disclaimer that he said the police top cadre found warranted following allegations of corruption raised by applicants and stakeholders over irregularities said to have characterised the recruitment, among them alleged disappearance of names of screened candidates who were successful up to the last stage of the process.

    The police leadership said upon scrutiny of the list published on PSC’s portal, it discovered flaws which include: (i) several names purported to be of successful candidates are those of persons who did not even apply, and therefore did not take part in the recruitment process; (ii) the published list contains several names of candidates who failed either the Computer-Based Test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise, or both; and (iii) some who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified, having been found medically unfit through the standardised medical test, made the list of successful candidates published by PSC. Adejobi’s statement added that what the police leadership found most worrisome was the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to an outcome whereby unqualified and untested individuals got shortlisted.

    According to the force spokesperson, Police Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun on 10th June, 2024, wrote a letter addressed to the PSC chairman in objection to the recruitment list and highlighting identified irregularities. He said the IGP’s objection was without prejudice to PSC’s power to recruit for the police as ruled by the Supreme Court, only that such power did not include power to recruit unqualified and untrainable persons. Adejobi argued that it is the force that bears the brunt of recruitment of unqualified individuals and not the PSC. “The same people who recruited anyhow for the police today will turn around to accuse the police tomorrow of inefficiency when their recruits start messing up,” he said.

    The apex court had last year delivered a verdict affirming PSC’s power to recruit constables for the police in line with provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and applicable sections of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001. Adejobi, however, said a joint PSC-Police recruitment board constituted in the wake of that verdict was sidelined in compilation of the published list.

    IGP Egbetokun weighed in personally on the conversation late last week when he said what was being perceived as a controversy over the exercise was his insistence on quality recruitment into the force. He said some persons listed as successful candidates by PSC were either untrainable or living with disability. “The judgment of the Supreme Court is sound and clear. I don’t have issues with it. The court did not exclude the police from participating in the recruitment process into the police force. It is expected that while recruiting into the police force, the commission should carry the police along,” Egbetokun said. “The IGP leads the largest police force in Africa. Over 300,000 police officers look up to him for guidance and leadership. He cannot sit down and see how the recruitment exercise is carried out anyhow. The IGP has a duty to ensure quality recruitment into the police force. And that is exactly what we are doing,” he added.

    Read Also: Police arrest suspected gunman for molesting 18-year-old girl in Osun

    PSC’s position on the matter is as articulated by its workers’ unions. In response to the police’s claims, the unions accused the force of seeking to divert attention from the unpreparedness of its training colleges to train the new recruits. The commission’s Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and the Joint Union Congress (JUC) argued that the recruitment followed due process, and that the published list aligned with the result of the CBT conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The bodies accused the force leadership of seeking to undermine the power of PSC to recruit for the police as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court, arguing that the claim that the joint PSC-Police recruitment board was not involved in the recent exercise was untrue. “The (police) seeks to leverage this allegation to divert attention from their non-preparedness to open the police training schools for the successful recruits despite provision of funds for the exercise. Their unwillingness to deploy funds as appropriated for the training schools must be investigated,” the workers said in one of their statements.

    Apparently aiming at turning the table on the police, the PSC unions also accused the force of conducting a recruitment process that excluded both the service commission and the joint recruitment board. “They had the effrontery to submit the list to the commission. They wanted a meeting of the board where they had planned to force the list on the board, but unfortunately, their plans collapsed,” they alleged, adding: “This takes us back to 2019 when the (police) hijacked the list of candidates for recruitment from the commission in the guise of having the list to prepare the training colleges, and ended up smuggling in hundreds of names of persons who neither applied nor participated in the screening process… That culminated in the commission instituting a legal action against the NPF over our mandate.”

    The Supreme Court judgment referenced by both the police and PSC was delivered on 11th July, 2023. That verdict climaxed a legal tussle that began at trial court over interpretation of the provisions of Section 153(1)(m) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Paragraph 30 Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, and Sections 6 and 25 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001 with regard to the body responsible for appointment, promotion, dismissal or exercise of disciplinary control over persons holding or aspiring to hold offices in the police force (except the Inspector-General). The trial court had held that PSC’s power to appoint officers for the police did not include power to recruit constables, given Regulation 71 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, 1968, which confers that power on the force. Upon appeal by PSC, however, the Court of Appeal held that the commission’s power of appointment encapsulates the power to recruit constables and struck down Regulation 71 for being inconsistent with the Constitution.

    It was the police’s turn to appeal and it approached the Supreme Court for determination whether ‘recruitment’ as vested in it by Regulation 71 and ‘appointment’ vested in PSC by the Constitution converge. The apex court held, among others, that both words in ordinary English and legal interpretations mean the same and thus vests the power of recruitment in PSC by reason of the Constitution’s superiority. It also upheld the nullification of the police’s Regulation 71.

    That is the position of the law. Wisdom beckons, however, in its implementation. The argument is beyond compelling that you do not shave a man’s head in his absence, to borrow the late M. K. O. Abiola’s favourite metaphor. The mandate and nature of police operations are such that the IGP cannot be blindsided on people being recruited for him to work with and take responsibility for; and that is even not mentioning the sensitivity of policing tasks that requires the IGP to sign off on the quality and character of his foot soldiers either personally or by close delegation. It is also true, though, that there is need for some institutional gatekeeping, such that the IGP would not pack a recruitment list with his kinsmen and acolytes.

    The law did not envisage a row between PSC and the police over constable recruitment because it is avoidable. PSC has the power to recruit, but the practical process of recruitment is for the police to conduct and certify under the service commission’s close watch. There should be no challenge with the law if there were no ulterior motives in its implementation.

    • Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.
  • Forget the colours; Ojude-Oba could be much more

    Forget the colours; Ojude-Oba could be much more

    SIR: The fanfare that greeted the celebration of Ojude-Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State was not surprising. The country is at a point where any distraction from the catastrophe in governance is a much welcomed development.

    The Ojude-Oba festival is one of its kind. Indigenes of Ijebu pay homage to their king with a flamboyant display of wealth and splendour. It is definitely a major shift from the scenario where a wealthy individual is afraid of going to his hometown for fear of being a victim of misfortune cast by people with mythical powers, jealous of his wealth. Nonetheless, there is wisdom in subjects displaying their wealth before their sovereign, in this case His Imperial Majesty.

    Culturally, the king is preeminent over all things; the splendour demonstrated by his subject is simply an extension of his sovereignty. So, the influence and wealth of the king’s subjects though not legally ascribed to him can be assessed by him for whatever he would like. Perhaps, the scenario of a king placing his foot on the belonging of any subject is elusive for this modern world, yet this concept is a crucial tool for community building if well harnessed. The king, by virtue of his position, is then able to mobilize resources to carry out crucial projects. Therefore, the development of the community need not be hinged on the shoulders of unscrupulous politicians but on a visionary and charismatic traditional ruler that is concerned with the growth of his community rather than for rebates on sale of lands and plantations. This is an untapped driver of social change in our culturally diverse democracy.

    In addition, subjects feel welcomed to participate in the development of their local community. So whether prompted by the king or not, their closeness to their roots may spur acts of philanthropy. Furthermore, younger individuals are getting involved in the festival. They form their own association and parade their emerging splendour before their sovereign. This is highly commendable, especially at a time when there is concern about the erosion of our cultural heritage from public consciousness. Getting young people involved is a sure way of sustaining the rich essence of our race.

    Read Also: Ibeju indigenes celebrate Ojude-Oba festival

    In the words of a documentary maker, Ojude-Oba is the mother of all classic owambes. Unfortunately, this is the infancy of what the Ojude-Oba could be. Our society has had enough of sheer demonstration of might and opulence by the rich as they maintain aristocratic order. What is the essence of a colourful ensemble of aso-oke, matched with exquisite adornments perfectly aligned for camera lenses when the majority of the inhabitants of the land are safely tucked behind the scenes and in sight of the whole world? What is the essence of horse riding with great skills when roads that lead to the town and venue of the parade are in deplorable state? What kind of heritage is being celebrated in a land with such glaring infrastructural deficits?

    Forget the talk about making it a global tourism attraction. We cannot expect foreigners to take us seriously if we cannot take ourselves seriously. A tourist attraction is not simply about the flamboyant display of a parade; the environment is an equally important source of attraction. Unfortunately, the country is at the moment more of a terror hotspot than a relaxation destination. And elected officials have proven to be unreliable in addressing the things that matter.

    Therefore, the Ijebus, both at home and abroad, must write their own story. They have a gem that can further push their kindred to exclusive heights of majesty and respect globally. Sheer demonstration of opulence can only go so far. A platform to drive massive infrastructural and human development by the elites for the community is the first step in turning the Ojude-Oba festival into what it could be.

    • Dr. Lekan Joshua, <olajoshua1@gmail.com>
  • Artificial Intelligence, climate change and the future

    Artificial Intelligence, climate change and the future

    SIR: The intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and climate change is becoming a critical field in the continuous effort to achieve a sustainable future. As we tackle the difficulties of solving global warming and its destructive consequences, AI emerges as a formidable ally, offering innovative solutions and huge possibilities for change.

    However, tackling climate change presents a multitude of difficulties and moral debates. We must approach this convergence with the highest level of prudence, ensuring that we effectively utilise the promise of AI while being watchful for any unanticipated consequences.

    The core of this collaboration revolves around the capacity of AI to revolutionize climate models and forecasting. To learn more about how Earth’s climate system works, climate experts rely on large records and complex models. With its amazing power to look at huge amounts of data and find complex trends, artificial intelligence has the potential to make climate models much more accurate and useful. Artificial intelligence models can make more accurate predictions of bad weather by using up-to-date data from satellites, weather sites, and other sources. This lets proactive plans be put in place to lessen the effects on vulnerable groups that are more likely to be affected.

    Furthermore, AI has the potential to enhance the efficiency of resource management and conservation endeavors. AI-powered systems can optimize resource allocation, minimize waste, and reduce carbon emissions in many fields such as precision agriculture and smart energy grids. AI algorithms can analyze soil composition, weather patterns, and crop characteristics to optimize irrigation and fertilizer usage, improving agricultural output while reducing environmental damage. AI-powered energy management systems may optimize power generation and distribution by adapting to demand patterns, therefore enhancing efficiency and smoothly incorporating renewable energy sources into the grid.

    Read Also:Artificial Intelligence: Wither Africa’s Indigenous Intelligence?

    Moreover, AI enables the creation of inventive responses to intricate environmental problems. AI enables researchers and policymakers to develop innovative ways for addressing climate change, ranging from carbon capture devices to sustainable urban planning. AI algorithms may enhance the design of carbon capture and storage plants by determining the most effective sites and configurations to maximize efficiency and minimize expenses. AI-driven simulations can assist urban planners in creating resilient cities that can resist the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and high heat events.

    Nevertheless, the incorporation of AI into endeavours to mitigate climate change is not without concerns. As we delegate AI with progressively intricate duties, apprehensions regarding algorithmic bias, transparency, and responsibility become prominent. Biased statistics or faulty algorithms have the potential to worsen existing disparities and marginalise disadvantaged populations, so compromising the efficacy and impartiality of climate measures. In addition, the widespread use of AI technology gives rise to worries over the protection of data privacy and surveillance, as well as the possibility of autonomous AI systems behaving in ways that go against human values and interests.

    Hence, while we utilize the potential of AI to address the fundamental danger of climate change, it is imperative that we give precedence to ethical issues and guarantee that technological progress benefits the common welfare. This requires strong legal frameworks that encourage openness, accountability, and fairness in the development and use of AI technology. Furthermore, it is crucial to have multidisciplinary cooperation among scientists, policymakers, ethicists, and civil society to predict and tackle the socio-economic consequences of AI-powered climate solutions.

    Finally, new possibilities to improve our connection to the earth and create a more sustainable future have never been available before thanks to the coming together of AI and climate change. We can get through this intersection and into a future where people and the environment live in peace if we use AI for good, stick to ethical ideals, and build inclusive governance systems. The choices we make now will have far-reaching consequences for future generations, therefore we must act quickly.

    Tosin Afeniforo,  Italy. &  Peter Oyewole,  USA.