Category: Abuja Review

The Wassa camp of Internally Displaced Persons or IDPs in Abuja, once a mecca for politicians, is losing patronage and with it much-needed supplies, but with the visit of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the camp now has more than a lifeline. VINCENT IKUOMOLA and FARATI ADEFILA report

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are usually not the happiest people on earth. They live with their fate every day, always conscious of the fact that they were chased out of their homes.

The Wassa IDP camp in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is only a shouting distance away from the upscale Apo Legislative Quarters, used to be the epicentre of activities since the IDPs made it home fleeing from the bombs and reach of the Boko Haram sect. The camp has hosted the high and mighty in the society, many openly identifying with the suffering of the people, even if to score a political goal, especially before and shortly after the 2015 general elections. The race to outdo one another turned the camp into a sort of mecca for all politicians and others in the society. Before now, there was never a week when such high caliber visit to the camp did not receive a mention in both the electronic and print media. However, for a while now, such visits to the camp have gone down drastically, and so the welfare of the IDPs.

That was why the visit by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) to the camp was like a revival in the midst of a dying people, as the IDPs could not hide their joy. The visit, which is a medical outreach for IDPs in partnership with NISA Premier Hospital, gladdens the heart of most of the IDPs.

As part of the medical outreach, there were also health talks on diabetes, nutrition, and immunization, among others. The visit which was led by Honourable Federal Commissioner, Hajiya  Sadiya Umar Farouq also promised that it was not going to be a one-off thing.

Farouq stressed that for them at the commission, “it is one in a series of outreaches that we have been doing as part of our intervention and programmes to the IDPs. This is a service to humanity, and I hope that it’s going to be a continuous exercise; it’s not going to be a onetime thing.”

Part of the programme, she said, was to also identify those with health challenges and assist them in partnership with the NISA hospital. She revealed that the Commission came along with mosquito nets, and washing items, while pain would also be taken to sensitize them on how to keep their environment very clean and how to avoid malaria and the rest. The Commissioner also assured the people that the health items brought, especially the mosquito nets would not be diverted as it would be properly shared to each of the IDPS by the commission.

Also, Dr. Abdulraheem Abdulrasheed, NISA’s Head of Family and Specialty Medicine Department said the humanitarian programme would not be a one off thing, as there are plans to make the outreach far more regular.

“As a responsible organisation which we are, we have a foundation and we have a big heart. We know that we have corporate social responsibilities to the community, so the management of Nisa Premier Hospital in his wisdom has decided to put this program together to be able to accommodate so many. Also, individuals; doctors, nurses, pharmacists, admin staff, each equally donated a few items; personal belongings that will be brought into the camp here and given to people today.

“We are all here because of the big heart of our Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Ibrahim Wada. We will go to any camp that the commission calls us to. We’ve actually been doing this before now, but we want it to become more regular.

For the IDPs, there can never be any better time for the outreach. This, many argued that it was a meaningful intervention as it addresses the actually need of the people beyond just food and drinks. They noted that for some time now most of them in the camp have been down with malaria and the mobile clinic at the camp has been over-stretched.

ROSE OKEKE writes on the lives of small-scale entrepreneurs struggling to eke out a living subway shopping centres in the nation’s capital.

Abuja residents may be close to the seat of power but some of them do not have the powers to change their standard of living. The conditions in which they work are woeful.

With an estimated 2.8 million persons resident in its urban area, Abuja is the fastest growing city in Africa, and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is also one of the planned cities in Africa, its architectural designs and schemes rivalling other cities in Nigeria.

It is evident that most of the country’s wealth is channeled into developing and improving the standard of living in Abuja. Even tourists from other nations flock to the city on vacation.

It is pitiable that amidst such luxury, some citizens in the nation’s capital live and work in conditions of squalor.

This socioeconomic divide continues to widen when these workers are not only surrounded by unfavorable environmental challenges, but are also subjected to harassment in the very hands of the public officers who should ensure they are properly catered for.

Such is the plight of those who work in the subway business and shopping centres.

An inconspicuous feature in the Abuja metropolitan area, such as the Subway Business/ Shopping Centres at Zones 1 and 5, Wuse, the subway business centres are basically underground tunnels home to various shops rented out to small-scale entrepreneurs who are mostly tailors, barbers, hairdressers, and laundrymen.

These tenants face environmental challenges and harassment, which they claim to control by themselves in their own capacities. In addition to this, the exorbitant rate at which the shops are rented to these minimalist businessmen and women is outrageous. The cost of renting a shop in these underground tunnels can range from N250, 000 to N400, 000 per annum. Although the shops are generally the same size and in the same location, there is no fixed rate.

An occupant of a shop at the subway at Zone 5, Wuse who has been renting his shop for over a decade, expressed his dismay and helplessness towards the extortionate prices of the shops.

He stated that the varying prices depend on the shop owners who, he says, work at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

He lamented that the net profit earned in a year does not cover the cost of the rent or the utilities.

“The profit is not enough, you know,” he said in an interview. “We come to work every day to avoid sitting idly at home. When we entered this new government, some things became harder. There is a big difference. When they said change, we thought it was for something better than this. But now we just hope on God and pray. But I have a strong belief that things will still change,” the occupant who pleaded anonymity added.

The issue of inflated rent rates is, unfortunately, not their only problem.

Surrounding the subway in Zone 5 are clusters of food, hair, and miscellaneous vendors who, the tenant said, are illegally doing business there. They allegedly bribe the task force, which is supposed to be maintaining peace and orderliness in the Wuse Market area, into allowing them unlawful occupation of the encompassing area.

“They don’t pay rent the way we do,” a tenant who pleaded anonymity revealed. “They settle with the taskforce by paying them. Some taskforce members would come and sit with them and collect bribes from them, eat free food, and not chase them away,” the tenant added.

According to the tenant, this wouldn’t have been a big problem, if not for the filthy, raucous nature of the illegal vendors who litter the environment and experience zero repercussions from the task force.

He said, “The main challenges we are facing here is that the vendors surrounding the subway dirty and litter our environment. Few of us would come out to challenge them and they would fight and insult us. They still do it up to now.

“Every area has a taskforce, and they are the ones assigned to Wuse Market. When we come out to tell the vendors to clean up after themselves, they insult us.”

The occupants of the Subway Center shops take it upon themselves to tidy up the whole environment by pooling their resources together.

“What we are doing now is that twice a month, on the first and last weeks of the month, we do sanitation. You can see that we clean out the gutters during the cleanups. Sometimes we ask them to contribute 200 naira each to call the Mallam that comes to clean it up, but they refuse,” the occupant said.

Although the tenants of both Subway Centers have attested to the fact that crime rate in the areas is negligible, they confessed that members of public offices and the task force still do drop by to extort money from the tenants on top of the rent already paid to the shop owners.

”The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and also Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) usually come to squeeze out money from us on top of the rent we are paying,” a tenant from the Subway at Zone 1 disclosed.

The tenant added: “They disturb and harass us, claiming that we are illegal. AMAC usually collects 5-10 thousand naira per shop every year.”

He proceeded to verbalize his appreciation for their local Association of Business Centers, emphasizing on its importance in regards to the extortion, saying, “We use it to fight.”

In response to this, AMAC has stated that the Subway Centers are not under their management.

Also, the Public Relations Officer, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Grace Zamani said, “We have nothing to tell,” urging the reporter to check with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Another tenant from Zone 5 revealed his desire for the government to recognize the tenants as the rightful custodians of the Subway Center.

He said, “This authorization would grant them control over the vendors so that they could help clean the environment. They litter the environment constantly with their fruit parts, pure water sachets and takeaway plates.”

He also expressed the general longing for new buildings to occupy, as they are denied their preferred clientele and amount of traffic because of the unobtrusive locations of the subways.

He said that the tenants, however, have resigned to the unreliability of the government, and hoped instead for the introduction of other amenities.

“When our government makes promises to build buildings, they will share the allocated money and not do as formerly promised. Instead, they fix overpriced rent. I’d rather they help us with loans.

“If I was given a loan, I’d buy more machines, change my generator for a bigger one, buy more materials, sew more dresses and market it well. Many people look for ready-made clothes. So if I have enough capital, I’d expand on that area” he added.

It is no news that the country has never been short of policies, only that most of them are stacked away in office shelves gathering dust.

That was why a workshop was organised in Abuja to educate civil servants on how to fish out vital documents needed for programme implementation

Experts at the gathering urged the nation’s policymakers to acquire necessary skills that will help them recognise and utilise evidence-based data for effective child and health policy.

Speaking at the third yearly certificate course organised by the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) under PACFaH@Scale in collaboration with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the experts noted that the country has generated enough evidence-based data that could have helped in the development of the country but unfortunately, the data is always on the shelves unimplemented.

Acting Director-General, NIPSS Jonathan Juma, who was represented by Dr Ibrahim Choji, Senior Fellow at NIPSS said a lot of research done in the country end up in book shelves and classrooms, and do not filter down to the public and government.

He therefor said that the training is aimed at helping to track evidence based data which are meant to be used for optimal policy making.

He stressed that a module has been developed to help in translating data to the grass root so as to ensure they don’t end up on the book shelves.

Choji also pointed out that there are lots of civil servants who are not aware of research documents which could aide in policy.

“It is possible to have data that are not been used or accessed, so the aim is to ensure quality and accessible data,” he said.

Dr. Fatal Aremu, a Consultant on Policy and Legislative Advocacy for dRPC-PACFaH and facilitator of the training, said policy makers were regularly bombarded with huge evidence data, but that many evidence based data from research have not been utilised.

Emmanuel Abanida, Senior Technical Adviser,  dRPC -PACFaH@Scale  said the training was targeted at  senior government policy makers and stakeholders in child and family health to enable them see how evidence generated in form of data are used to connect to implementation of progamme on the field.

We want to have a data hub because without data, you cannot have policy. He blamed lack of accountability for the gap in evidence based data.

It is no news that the country has never been short of policies, only that most of them are stacked away in office shelves gathering dust.

That was why a workshop was organised in Abuja to educate civil servants on how to fish out vital documents needed for programme implementation

Experts at the gathering urged the nation’s policymakers to acquire necessary skills that will help them recognise and utilise evidence-based data for effective child and health policy.

Speaking at the third annual certificate course organised by the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) under PACFaH@Scale in collaboration with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the experts noted that the country has generated enough evidence-based data that could have helped in the development of the country but unfortunately, the data is always on the shelves unimplemented.

Acting Director General, NIPSS Jonathan Juma who was represented by Dr Ibrahim Choji, Senior Fellow at NIPSS said a lot of research done in the country end up in book shelves and classrooms, and do not filter down to the public and government.

He therefor said that the training is aimed at helping to track evidence based data which are meant to be used for optimal policy making.

He stressed that a module has been developed to help in translating data to the grass root so as to ensure they don’t end up on the book shelves.

Choji also pointed out that there are lots of civil servants who are not aware of research documents which could aide in policy.

“It is possible to have data that are not been used or accessed, so the aim is to ensure quality and accessible data,” he said.

Dr. Fatal Aremu, a Consultant on Policy and Legislative Advocacy for dRPC-PACFaH and facilitator of the training, said policy makers were regularly bombarded with huge evidence data, but that many evidence based data from research have not been utilised.

Emmanuel Abanida, Senior Technical Adviser,  dRPC -PACFaH@Scale  said the training was targeted at  senior government policy makers and stakeholders in child and family health to enable them see how evidence generated in form of data are used to connect to implementation of progamme on the field.

We want to have a data hub because without data, you cannot have policy. He blamed lack of accountability for the gap in evidence based data.

The nation’s top cop Ibrahim Idris and senators have not been the best of friends lately. Three times was he invited to appear before the lawmakers and three times did he fail to do so in person. Now, the senators want him removed from office.

The Senate was interested in knowing, on one hand, what Idris has done or doing to end the killings by herdsmen in the country, especially in the North Central states, and on the other hand to know the reasons behind the treatment being meted out to Senator Dino Melaye

With the visit by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa last week Monday, not a few Nigerians expected that the soured relationship would soon smoothen out.

Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of meeting with the President, Saraki said “Just talking about the issue of the police, we also raised the issue of the non-appearance of the IG at the Senate and felt that they must continue to ensure that he continues to apply obedience to the issue of constituted authority.

“We are of great concern that this is the first time this is happening and that that matter needs to be addressed considering the importance of the powers of the  constitution that gives investigative powers, also gives to us and that there is need for police to accept that they too are under constitution and they must obey that. We raised that concern.”

“As I said, the presidential system that we operate, we sometimes have the responsibility to check the excesses of the executive, so there will always be times we will disagree but by and large, we will always work for the interest of Nigerians and always keep on moving on.” he said

On the behavior of the the Police to Melaye, Dogara said “This is a civilian administration, it is democracy and it is imperative and very very important that all institutions of democracy operate within the ambit of the rule of law.

“There is nowhere, I have said it before that Police will behave in a democracy like a clan of tribesmen, like an upgraded barbarians sort of. So there is need for us  to act with civility.

“We are not saying that anybody should be protected and defended. Once you have committed an offense, our law said you should answer it but you just have to utilize the provision of the constitution, the rule of law and this administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has over emphasised in order to bring people to book.

“But a situation where people are wheeled to court, that doesn’t give good image of our democracy. I have not seen a democracy where people are wheeled to court, when they are not in the proper frame of mind and they are forced to undergo trail.

“So the emphasis is there and I believe the President being a listening President will definitely take steps and do something about it.” he said

What happened in the Senate last Wednesday didn’t really show that the expected intervention of the President, who travelled out to London on medical grounds the following day after the meeting with Saraki and Dogara, had really changed the situation.

This is because the Senators were again disappointed for the third time as Idris failed to appear in person before the lawmakers.

The angry Senate had to pass a vote of no confidence in the IGP and declared him as “enemy of democracy”, who is not “fit to hold public office within and outside Nigeria”.

The Senate President had said: “Distinguished colleagues, the Senate in a closed session deliberated on the non-appearance of the IG to the Senate in plenary after a series of invitations.

“The Senate noted that this amounted to a great disrespect to the institution and constituted authority. The Senate also notes that his earlier refusal to appear before its investigative committee was overruled by a court of competent jurisdiction just in April.

“The Senate, therefore, views his persistent refusal (to appear before the Senate) as a great danger to our democracy. The leadership of the Senate was also mandated to look into the matter for further necessary action.” he added

But surprisingly, the Police refused to change its position insisting that the lawmakers lacked the power to invite the IGP.

In a television programme last Thursday, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal Unit, David Igbodo, said: “I don’t think the Senate of Nigeria has the constitutional power to declare the IGP unfit to hold the office. On what basis are they declaring him unfit to hold office? Did the IGP go to them for confirmation of appointment or what is it?

“What you call a face-off between both parties is not a face-off. The IGP was invited on the April 25 to appear on April 26. Unfortunately, the IGP was with the President in Bauchi and he delegated a DIG.

“The IGP has the power under the constitution and under the Police Act to delegate his line officers to represent him on official function. This is an official matter and not personal. The DIG was rejected by the Senate even though the brief they requested for was given to the DIG by the IGP to brief the National Assembly.

“They wrote another letter and he delegated another DIG because he was in Kaduna. He was to brief them on Senator Dino Melaye. We should all know that Senator Melaye does not enjoy immunity.

“The National Assembly insisted again that he must come in person. At this point, a constitutional issue had arisen. The IGP decided to go to court to know whether each time the National Assembly invites him; whether he must as a matter of law appear in person or he can exercise his power of delegation. So we are in court.

“We posed five questions and seven prayers for the court’s determination and until the court decides that, the National Assembly has no power to invite the IGP on that issue.” he said

Following that, the Senate in a statement by its Chairman of Media and Public Affairs Committee, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, again explained that the invitations were mainly prompted by the ceaseless killings across the country.

He said: “We noted the response issued by one Jimoh Moshood on behalf of the IGP, Ibrahim Idris following yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) resolution of the legislative chamber on the continued refusal of the IGP to honour the invitation for him to come and explain what the police are doing to halt the spate of killings across the country.

“Let it be known that the IGP, by trying to reduce the reason for his invitation by the Senate to the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye is simply holding on to straw.

“The issue of Senator Melaye’s arrest has been overtaken by events. The courts are already handling the related cases. Our main concern is the security crisis across the country where people are being killed in scores on daily basis.The primary responsibility of the Police is maintenance of law and order as well as protection of lives and property.

“If there is a breach along the line of this responsibility, we do not see why the IGP should feel he cannot be invited to offer explanation to the arm of government which is constitutionally empowered to ask questions and investigate the breach.

“No responsible body of representatives of the people will ignore sad reports given by members on the floor of the Senate. For instance, on April 24, two Catholic priests and 17 members of their congregation were murdered as reported by Senator George Akume.

“Also, Senators Kabir Marafa and Tijani Kaura had earlier intimated the Senate of the killing of 35 people in Maradun Local Government Area, over 100 people killed in Anka and 36 people killed in Birani Village in Zurmi Local Government Area, all in Zamfara State.

“Even as at now, reports reaching us showed that recent killings have occurred in Kaduna, Taraba and Benue states. These were just few instances of daily occurrences of gruesome murder of our constituents as raised by Senators.

“The IGP definitely should not have any problem with an invitation for him to tell the Senate what he and his men are doing to stop the killings as well as their challenges and needs in doing this. Mr. Idris should not seek to confuse issues or play on the intelligence of members of the public with his diversionary statement or claims.

“The resolution of the Senate leading to his invitation is clear and we invite our people to check. It is for the purpose of having a transparent and open hearing that we fixed his appearance for Wednesday when our plenary sitting enjoys live coverage on national television.

“In one instance in the past, Mr. Idris had gone to court in order to evade honouring the invitation of the Senate and the court headed by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed of the FCT High Court on April 10, 2018, told him in clear terms that his suit lacked merit as Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution empower the lawmakers to carry out investigations on issues of public interest.

“Any public officer who plans to place himself above an arm of government obviously is not fit to remain in office. Mr. Idris is only afraid of his shadows by alleging witch-hunt when he is called to account on the performance of the duties of his organisation.” he said

Any intervention by any of the three arms of government that will assist to end the killings by herdsmen in the country should be welcomed by all peace-loving Nigerians.

It is therefore hoped that the executive and the legislature will quickly close rank on this matter in the interest of the security and well-being of all Nigerians.