The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Oronsaye Report: Pensioners beg Tinubu not to scrap PTAD

    Oronsaye Report: Pensioners beg Tinubu not to scrap PTAD

    The Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners under the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) have called on President Bola Tinubu, to please allow the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to continue existing as an agency that oversees pension issues of all DBS pensioners to avoid the reintroduction of “corruption, another round of harsh treatment and more untimely death of pensioners.”

    The pensioners’ union said that the establishment of PTAD changed the narrative of DBS pension management in Nigeria for good and provided a lifeline for the pensioners of their category. It added that pensioners were subjected to inhumane treatment and their pension “fraudulently stolen by government personnel who managed pensions before PTAD came.”

    Read Also: Why Southeast won’t protest against Tinubu, by Umahi

    “We don’t want anything close to that again, let alone go back to that era under any circumstances,” FEPPPAN said in a statement jointly signed by its Acting President-General and General Secretary, Babaji Magaji, and Franklin Erinle.

    The union said all pensioners under PTAD payroll have been “traumatised since they received the news of scrapping the agency.”

    The union pleaded with President Tinubu to “spare PTAD because the services it renders are saving and prolonging the lives of pensioners, thereby delivering benefits of good governance to the retirees.”

    The statement said: “What happened to pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) before the creation of PTAD was purely ‘man’s inhumanity to man.’ It was the era when some pensioners died either during verification exercises or on their way home after the exercise. That was because of the harsh treatment they were subjected to. Many of those charged with the responsibility of paying pensions then fed themselves fat with pension funds and starved the pensioners. This resulted in irregular payments of monthly pensions and other benefits of the pensioners. We urge Mr. President not to send us back to the ugly past…”

  • Kogi Senator to launch Graduate Entrepreneurship Scheme

    Kogi Senator to launch Graduate Entrepreneurship Scheme

    Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East, is planning to launch a Graduate Entrepreneurship Scheme.

    The scheme is to empower young graduates from the Senatorial District . The programme aims to provide seed capital to graduates with entrepreneurial skills to start their businesses.

     The initial phase will see 10 graduates receive N1 million each, with plans to expand to support up to 100 graduates. Speaking with reporters in Abuja, on Friday, Echocho, whose Senatorial District cut across nine local governments of Kogi East, said, the programe will cover all the local governments.

    Read Also: Jhay Songz: When talent meets entrepreneurship

    Kogi East senatorial district is the largest of the three senatorial districts in Kogi State with nine local governments and 51 per cent of total voter population of Kogi State.

    The senatorial district covers Idah, Ibaji, Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Dekina, Ankpa, Olamaboro, Bassa and Omala local governments.

     On the knitty gritty of the program, the second term senator said that details of the scheme were being workedout.

     He however explained that initial 10 graduates will get N1 million each, seed capital to execute their business plans.

    He said that the scheme will be expanded to accommodate up to 100 graduates.

  • Economic challenges ‘ll soon be over, says Shettima

    Economic challenges ‘ll soon be over, says Shettima

    Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the current economic challenges would soon be over.

    He appealed to Nigerians to react to the current realities “in a responsible and mature manner.”

    Shettima spoke yesterday in Lagos during the 29th pre-Ramadan lecture organised by the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA) with the theme, “Economic Reforms for Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects for the Future.”

    Represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Shettima noted that the forthcoming Ramadan would come with “severe” challenges for many Nigerians.

    The Vice President said the reforms might be challenging but the government has no intention to punish Nigerians.

    He said: “The leadership of President Tinubu recognizes that this Ramadan will come with severe challenges for most Nigerians. The road to where we are today was long and full of missed opportunities and tragic failures to build on our great potentials.

    “The consequences of our past are the stark realities we face today, such as rising cost of living and pessimism over our prospect to turn round our economy in the direction of growth and inclusive development.

    “Yet, my brothers and sisters, we do not have the choice of continuing in the direction that brought us where we are today. We have to fix this country, and failure to do this is not an option. All the options we have are difficult and challenging, and they are, without a doubt, more telling on the poor. If there are easier and reliable alternatives to the policy choices we have adopted, we would have adopted them.

    “Our administration does not plan to make lives of Nigerians more difficult. Nor do we intend to deceive fellow citizens that the change in direction and the expected outcome can be achieved without pain or sacrifices.

    “We are also acutely aware that ours is a set of related Nigerian problems, and the solutions we seek must be genuinely informed by a Nigerian context, not the experiences of others or the preferences of special foreign interests which are removed from consequences of mis-steps or errors of judgement.

    “Fellow alumni, I appeal to you to help make space for our administration to achieve the goal of turning our nation around. As products of a distinguished institution, we have learnt that progress is only possible if it is informed by criticism and critical scrutiny. We expect that Nigerians should express their feelings over our circumstances in a responsible and mature manner. We are also a deeply religious people, and we believe in the powers of faith and prayers. Let us be reminded that Allah tests His servants with ease and hardship, and He asks that we pray to Him for relief from hardship, and discipline in times of abundance.

    “I join you in praying that Allah will grant us the privilege of undertaking our Ramadan fast as prescribed by Him, and we shall receive the reward.”

    Chairman of the occasion, Yusuf Ola-Olu Ali represented by Deputy President of Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) Alhaji Wale Sonaike, said any economic reform must be well thought out and diligently implemented, adding that Nigeria must transform from a consumption nation to a production nation.

    Earlier in his welcome address, UMA President Prof Khalid Adekoya, expressed hopef that the hardships will recede and better times will come when policies being introduced begin to yield good fruits.

    Prof Adekoya said this will materialise only if all stakeholders (government and the governed) play their part in line with global best practices in rejuvenating an ailing economy and, above all, if we imbibe the fear of Allah in the true sense of it.

    “However, we are obligated to take some practical steps as a nation. We must invest extensively and pragmatically especially in manufacturing and Agro-Allied industries. Manufacturing will promote local production, boost employment and reduce our dependence on imported goods. Agriculture will eliminate hunger and reduce crime and criminality. Government should also make concerted efforts to achieve fiscal and monetary policy consolidation to tackle inflation; strengthen our public services to improve efficiency and reduce corruption; improve the business environment to attract investment; fight insurgency and banditry to improve security nationwide,” Prof Adekoya said.

    Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Niyi Yusuf, said the country must drive foreign direct investments (FDI), tame inflation and tackle the foreign exchange volatility to achieve $1 trillion economy in 2030.

    He said the $1 trillion economy is achievable through three pathways which include export diversification and sophistication strategy; innovation and digital transformation strategy and sub-national integration strategy.

    Yusuf said the current headline inflation at 29.9 per cent and food inflation at over 35 per cent means the poor are getting poor.

    According to him, the government must improve the tax to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the present eight per cent which is the lowest in Africa to 15 per cent.

    Read Also: Shettima receives new Christian Pilgrim Commission’s board

    He said: “January 2017 was when we had a single digit inflation. We want businesses to thrive and investors to come and between Adamawa and Uyo, we have 154 checkpoints. From Agbara to Seme borders, we have 46 checkpoints.

    “Nigeria is the only country with multiple checkpoints at our airports. Motorists pay 73 taxes to move goods from the North to South. Insecurity has chased our farmers away, flooding has affected our farmlands.”

    He admitted that the removal of subsidy is a decision that should have been taken a decade ago.

    “We must first stabilise our economy, tame forex volatility and inflation rate. Government must block all fiscal leakages in the CBN, NNPC, FIRS and we must increase our tax to GDP ratio. Also we must support local businesses and invest in digital infrastructure.

    “How do we track progress? Our budget should be more on capital than recurrent. We are barely growing to meet the demands of our growing population. We must look at how the critical sectors are growing like agriculture, ICT, construction, among others because these are the sectors that support employment.

    “We must track budget allocation. Our capital expenditure must be more than the recurrent and debt servicing otherwise we are not progressing. Again growth will not happen until we solve electricity supply issue. Presently only 46 per cent of the population has access to power. We can’t run on generator economy,” he said.

    Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Dawud Abdul-Majeed said Nigeria’s economic problem was as a result of the country’s extravagant lifestyle.

    Nigerians, he said, should not be suffering with its rich natural resources like oil, rubber, land, among others.

    He added that Nigeria has no reason to be poor.

    In their discussions, Prof. Jameelah Yaqub of the Department of Economics, Lagos State University and Dr. Jubril Salaudeen of Nungu Business School said economic reforms must be wholistic.

  • Key decisions AbdulRazaq took to ease things for Kwarans

    Key decisions AbdulRazaq took to ease things for Kwarans

    • By Ibraheem Abdullateef 

    During his inauguration on May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared that fuel subsidy is gone. Fuel subsidy removal was part of the economic reforms the President promised to implement during his campaigns to place Nigeria on a path of prosperity. He asserted that the petrol subsidy regime increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. “Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources,” President Tinubu said in his inaugural speech.

    The President has also gone to implement another major economic policy about foreign exchange. He sought to unify both the official and parallel market rates by floating the naira (Nigeria’s legal tender).

    These two major policies have had biting effects on Nigerians of various categories. Fuel prices have gone up, affecting the cost of transportation and production. Consequently, the prices of commodities have also soared in the market.

    President Tinubu has, at various times, acknowledged the challenges caused by these two policies. He has therefore continued to empathise with the people and seek their understanding to pull through, saying the hardship they face will be temporary.

    The federal government has lined up different strategies and measures to lessen the impact of the policies on people. At a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting convened by Vice President Kashim Shettima and attended by the governors and select ministers and other government officials, the subnational government were also urged to introduce measures to complement the federal government’s in facilitating relief for the people.

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq notably led the charge when on July 24, 2023, he announced multi-billion naira palliatives cutting across different sectors and segments of the state. 

    On top of the palliatives AbdulRazaq announced was a cash support of N10,000 for public sector workers which commenced same month (July) and has been in place till the moment. The Governor said the cash support is to enable workers cope with the economic shocks created by subsidy removal and will last until a new minimum wage is introduced. In the 2024 budget he has assented to, there is a consideration for the new minimum wage. What this shows is that Kwara is fully prepared and will be a forerunner in implementing the new minimum wage.

    Another important measure the Governor announced to bring succour to the people was his approval of the payment of new hazard and skipping allowances, and 100% CONMESS and CONHESS for medical doctors and health workers under the state government’s payroll. A major implication of this incentive is that it will check the attrition rate in the state’s health sector.

    Kwara State similarly charted a template which is now being adopted by other states, including Lagos of recent. The Governor directed the leadership of the civil service to implement a staggered work schedule — not exceeding three days a week — to reduce transport expenses on workers. The policy is still being implemented as designed by the civil service bureaucrats.

    It’s also recalled that AbdulRazaq inaugurated a task force headed by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi to check the hoarding of fuel among petrol stations. Various stations had hoarded fuel waiting to sell at a higher price when President Tinubu declared fuel subsidy gone. With the efforts and activities of the task force however, the fuel stations were forced to sell to people, thereby ending the painful long queues in the state capital and other parts of the state.

    Read Also: AbdulRazaq restates commitment to welfare as cabinet okays township roads, others

    Governor AbdulRazaq promptly opened a floodgate of support to vulnerable households, including communities and MSMEs through the Kwara State Social Investment Programmes (KWASSIP) as a form of relief to pull through this phase, while also supporting the growth of the informal economy with grants during these difficult times. At least 124, 107 households have been reached. This included N20,000 for 20,000 petty traders; N25,000 for 8,000 unemployed youths; N30,000 for vulnerable households; N50,000 for skilled and unskilled workers; N10,000 for 60,000 beneficiaries; and N1,000,000 each for 150 farmers to boost food security in the state. Remarkably, it was in the heat of the fuel subsidy removal that the fourth edition of Kwapreneur held, where no less than 368 SMEs benefitted from non-interest loans between N200,000 and N2,000,000 from the state government.

    For the student constituency, the Governor directed the payment of N10,000 each to all of them in public-owned tertiary institutions across the country. It was a one-off payment that was delivered transparently. In addition to that was a free bus ride for students of tertiary institutions in the state. 

    Meanwhile, the Governor also named a non-partisan committee led by a former commissioner of police Ebun Oluwarotimi, supported by the Emir of Shonga Dr. Haliru Yahya, religious leaders, representatives of the civil society, among others, to oversee the distribution of the N2bn rice palliative of the Federal Government. The distribution was impactful as it reached deserving members of the society.

    The Governor has built on that to again distribute another round of rice palliative — this time funded by the state government — extending the total number to over 500, 000 households across the state. Testimonies abound on how beneficial the gesture has been in cushioning the hardship of the people and maintaining social stability. 

    To beat down the surging price of food, Kwara State Government distributed 40,000 bags of maize at 44.5% of market value to different stakeholders in the poultry and fishery (feed mill) sectors. Four months after, a recent report by Daily Trust listed Kwara as one of states where the price of grains dropped, underscoring its impact.

    Earlier in February, the government committed N1,031,149,451.36 to offset the salary arrears owed local government workers, basic school teachers, and pensioners by the last administration. Between January 2020 and January 2024, the administration spent at least N5.5bn to clear the backlogs in phases.

    According to a statement by Ministry of Finance on Thursday, Kwara State Government has allocated another N3bn to finally clear ALL the balances of salary arrears for SUBEB teachers and local government workers inherited from the administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. 

    These arrears for the different categories of workers dated back to 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

    As part of the government’s efforts to boost the purchasing powers of workers at this time, AbdulRazaq also approved cash-backing for the implementation of 2022 promotion for teaching and non-teaching staff of the SUBEB. He had earlier done so for all the previous years he inherited across cadres and professions. 

    As a further measure of its commitment to doing more to support the people, Kwara State Government, again, has now approved Mass Transit buses for tertiary institutions to aid the transportation of students and staff with a 50% fare reduction for an initial period of four-week beginning from Monday, March 19, 2024.

    Away from the multi-layered measures listed above, AbdulRazaq is seen to be deeply empathetic and engaging by the citizens. He recently engaged leaders of various cadres of society including artisans, traders, transporters, students and youths leadership, and labour unions as a way of fostering collaborations, where he highlighted what the government is doing to ensure stability now, as well as long term plans for a #GreaterKwara.

    Governor AbdulRazaq will continue to do more as the state resources permit to bring ease to our people during these tough times. Tough times don’t last; tough people do. The good thing is that Kwarans can keep faith in the government as it’s led by a listening governor.

        •Abdullateef is Senior Special Assistant to Kwara Governor on Communications

  • Why we established RightPath Arabic school, by Al-Imam

    Why we established RightPath Arabic school, by Al-Imam

    …as school holds sixth graduation ceremony on Sunday

    The proprietor and founder of RightPath Arabic School, Lagos, Sheik Yunus Al-Imam, has explained that the motivation behind establishing the school was to contribute to the growth of Islam and dawah activities by teaching the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 

    He shared this view during an interaction with The Nation on Thursday, February 29, as part of the activities planned for the school’s sixth graduation ceremony.

    Speaking on the accomplishments of the school since its inception, Al-Imam highlighted that over 600 students have been proficiently trained in reading, writing, and understanding the Arabic language. 

    He added that since its establishment, the school has successfully taught over six hundred adults to fluently read the Quran within a short span of time.

    He said said: “The RightPath Arabic School introduced its programme called ARABIC MADE EASY in a unique way by teaching students from the basic Arabic and Islamic courses to the advance Arabic and Islamic courses. With this, we have trained more than 600 students how to read, write and understand Arabic Language very well.

    “The school since its inception has taught more than six hundred Adults how to read Quran fluently within few months.

    “The school, having introduced children programme in 2015 has been able to teach children how to read Quran fluently within two months on weekend, Saturday and Sunday programme. 

    “We have children of Age 4 that could read anywhere from the Quran and are able to memorize easily and read, write, speak and understand Arabic easily through our unique methodology.

    Read Also; Support Tinubu’s administration, Southeast group urges Ndigbo

    He added: “The following are few of the numerous achievements of the school.

    Today, we have graduands with a sound knowledge of Sharia, Islamic and Arabic

    knowledge.

    “One of the identified challenges is ignorance, from the past years, we have trained and tutored our students on how to be peaceful and pious Muslims in the society and serve Allah with knowledge and proofs.

    “We have also established RightPath Academy to serve the purpose of complete memorization of Qur’an, proper grooming and training about Islam, attainment of Ihdaadiy and Thanaawiy Certificates in two (2) years respectively. 

    “The Academy also serves as an ICT Training school where children and youths learn different coding skills and empowered with latest 21st century technologies for both boarding and day students.

    “To improve the knowledge and understanding of Muslims, we usually have daily classes in different topics using virtual/social media

    “We also observed the challenges of educating, training and bringing up pious and obedient children especially in this kind of society with mixed cultures, level of Islamic understanding and the deception of enemies of Islam and more importantly to balance the education received by the children from both home and our madrasah, we initiated a programme tagged a TERBIYAH CLASS.

    “In that class, issues relating to parenting skills, children upbringing and Islamic education according to the way our prophet, his companions and past pious predecessors were able to train theirs. This programme commenced in year July 2017 with audience in both Nigeria and abroad with our erudite scholar per excellence As-Shaykh Dr. Sharafdeen Gbadebo Raji. The programme comes up every three months.  We had the last one in January 28, 2024 and another one is coming up in shaa Allah in April 28, 2024 in shaa Allah.”

    When questioned about Rightpath’s contributions to the educational landscape within its community since its establishment, Al-Imam pointed out that many community members have learned a lot about Islam through direct enrollment in the school and its dawah activities.

    He said: “Through the establishment of RightPath Arabic school, many members of the community both children and adults have learnt lot about Islam through direct enrolment into the school and through its dawah activities. 

    “The school has also advanced their knowledge and understanding of islam through various activities of education in line with Quran and Sunnah.”

    Speaking on the impact of Rightpath School on its students and the wider community, Al-Imam emphasized that students receive more than just education in Sharia and Arabic; they also benefit from mentorship.

    According to him, “The school has maintained its standard and discipline from inception. Our students are not only taken through knowledge of sharia and Arabic but we also ensure that we mentor them and train them to have good character and moral. 

    “We nurture them so that they can also be agents of positive change in the society. We always encourage them that they should engage in series of dawah activities within their communities since its not everyone that has the opportunity to travel far to acquire knowledge like them.”

    He further noted that RightPath school has initiated programmes to support its students’ academic and personal development. 

    Al-Imam said: “RightPath Arabic School management, having understood that many of our adults students are in need of knowledge and must put the knowledge into practice, encourages our adults students to engage in different dawah activities to enhance their learning and series of seminar and workshops have been organized to achieve that.”

    Regarding the challenges encountered by the school and potential solutions, Al-Imam said that the main hurdle was finances for implementing projects and dawah plans and activities.

    He said: “Our challenges are just usual challenges being faced by the work of dawah. Majorly we have financial constraints to implement many of our projects and dawah plans and activities.”

    When asked about mechanisms to track graduands’ progress post-graduation, he mentioned that they’re enrolled in the Alumni Association to maintain consistent engagement with them.

    He said: “Immediately after graduation, we admit graduands into Alumni and ensure consistent consultation and engagement with them. We also encourage them to further their education beyond the advance levels. We have many of our graduates that have concluded their University education and higher learnng.”

    Graduating students speak about RightPath school:

    Abdurrahman Maaruf Awwal, a graduating student from the Advance level, characterised RightPath Arabic School as a dedicated school for studying and acquiring Islamic education in a distinctive manner that achieves its goals.

    He said: “Rightpath Arabic School is a madrasah that was founded in 2012 with little number of student.

    “It is a dedicated place for studying and learning Islamic education in a unique way its goals are produced.

    “RightPath Arabic School has significantly influenced the lives of both adults and children, bringing about profound changes and enabling them to realize that they can attain intensive Islamic and Arabic education within a short timeframe.”

    Sulaiman Ibrahim Akinola, a graduating student from the Intermediate level, said the RightPath school really helped him to grasp Islamic creed, jurisprudence, traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), etiquettes, Quranic exegesis, and Arabic grammar. 

    He shared: “When I first started RightPath Arabic School, I saw it as an opportunity to deepen my understanding of my religion. The school has helped me grasp Islamic Creed, Jurisprudence, Traditions of the Prophet (S.A.W), Etiquettes, Quranic Exegesis, and Arabic Grammar. 

    “Now, I can confidently say that the school has had a significant impact on me. All praise and glory belong to Allah for granting me this privilege and opportunity.”

    In his comments, Shereef Akinola, a graduating student from Advance level, gave thanks to Allah for making the completion of the programme a reality for him. 

    He expressed that the school had a positive impact on him in terms of acquiring knowledge and improving his skills in sermon presentation and delivery.

    He said: “I give glory to Allah, the first without precedence and the last without end, for granting me this rare opportunity to complete this program. It would not have been possible without Him.

    “Truly, RightPath has significantly impacted my life, and I wish to acknowledge the efforts of our Mudeer (Al-Imam) and other teachers (Ustadh Musa, Ustadh Abduwaahid, Ustadh AbdulAfeez, Ustadh Yousuf, and others) who contributed in various ways to the success of my educational journey at RightPath Arabic School. May Allah reward you abundantly in this life and the hereafter, aameen.”

    Yunus Abduwaahid, a graduating student from the Intermediate level, shared his journey of seeking knowledge that ultimately brought him to RightPath Arabic School.

    He expressed that with the guidance of Allah, self-dedication, and the high standards upheld by the management of RightPath, he has successfully memorized half of the Quran.

    He said: “I came to realize that true worship hinges on knowledge. Thus, I embarked on a quest for knowledge, trying various avenues such as studying with a Sheikh, self-guided tutorials and watching YouTube videos, yet none yielded significant benefits.

    “In 2018, I met Brother Shereef Akinola, who is one of the graduating students. Alhamdulillah, he introduced me to Rightpath Arabic School. Upon enrolling, I found immense satisfaction in the structured curriculum and diverse courses offered. In just a few months, I managed to memorize Juz Amma, which served as a foundation for memorizing half of the Quran, despite my hectic schedule. All praise be to Allah!

    “Through Rightpath Arabic School, I have gained numerous blessings, including proficiency in reading and understanding Arabic texts, spiritual elevation, deeper comprehension of my faith, and the ability to impart knowledge to others. My gratitude to Allah and the management of Rightpath Arabic School knows no bounds.

    “I pray to Allah to elevate the status of the school, reward its management abundantly for their efforts, and grant them unparalleled success in all their endeavours.”

  • Reps want relocation of fire simulators in Zaria stopped

    Reps want relocation of fire simulators in Zaria stopped

    The House of Representatives has asked the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to put in hold the planned relocation of the long time installed fire simulator and other equipment from the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State.

    Adopting a motion on notice sponsored by Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, the House ordered an investigation into allegations about the relocation of the firefighting simulator and the location to be taken to.

    The Kaduna Lawmaker had alleged that the minister is relocating the installed firefighting simulator from the college to an unknown destination.

    According to him, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology is a higher education institution in Sabon Gari, Zaria, Kaduna State, established in 1964 specifically to train students on aircraft engineering, flying, and air traffic expertise advise.

    He said the firefighting simulator was installed to train firefighting officials on twenty eight types of fire and non-fire operational incidents involving aircraft in the aerodrone and its vicinity and tackle any fire incidence in the college.

    He said the minister’s email to Alpha Metal Technology Company, who installed a firefighting simulator at the college, has caused tension, as the firefighting simulator benefits higher institutions in Zaria and environs.

    He described the firefighting simulator as a national asset and an important tool in the training of firefighting officials within the aviation industry, and it also reduces the capital flights of training aircraft firemen and women overseas.

    Meanwhile, the House has asked relevant security agencies in the country to take advantage of available intelligence to combat banditry attacks in Katsina State and take stiffer measures to ensure the safety of lives and properties in affected the communities.

    This followed a motion by Aliyu Abubakar on the need to act on the United Nations report on terrorists’ cells in Katrina state.

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    Abubakar said regretted that in recent years, the North Western states have been consistently associated with banditry, particularly Katsina, where 23 out of the 34 local government areas are directly attacked.

    He said that recent United Nations Special Report on the ongoing security challenges in certain areas of Katsina which has disclosed the existence of 24 terrorist cells spanning approximately 30 forests in the North West. The report also provides details on the numerical strength and leadership of the cells.

    He said the report identified the presence of encampments in Kankara, Safana, Jibia, and Batsari Local Government Areas of Katsina State, accommodating an estimated populace of no fewer than 1,920 terrorists.

    According to him, the bandits have destroyed lives and properties in Northern Nigeria, causing severe impacts on political and socio economic development.

    He said there was the need to address this organized crime of banditry, to prevent humanitarian and human rights consequences, security deterioration, and violence spread in conflict affected communities.

  • Yusuf seeks clerics’ advise, criticism to deliver good governance

    Yusuf seeks clerics’ advise, criticism to deliver good governance

    Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, yesterday, sought the support of Islamic clerics in the state, to help him deliver good governance to the people, through prayers and wise counselling.

    He spoke at Africa House, Government House, Kano during a meeting with the Imams of Juma’at Mosques.

    The governor, who just returned from Saudi Arabia after the lesser hajj, told the clerics to always put him on his toes whenever he goes wrong.

    He lamented the growing rate of social decadence and appealed to Islamic clerics to preach against societal ills, and  always remember Nigeria, Nigerians and their leaders in prayers in the face of the current economic hardship.

    He promised to keep his doors open for advice and constructive criticisms that can encourage good leadership for the betterment of Kano state and the people of the state.

    He said he hosted the Ulamas to seek their blessings.

    Governor Yusuf, however, tasked the religious leaders to always correct him, whenever he wrongs the state or goes against the wishes of the people.

    “The essence of this meeting is to seek the Ulamas’ blessing and hear from them about our administration. Where the government goes wrong, draw our attention and make recommendations on what to do better.

    “We will always listen to you and improve on the right things we are doing. This is part of our efforts to restore the lost glory of Kano and its religious values,” he said.

    Governor Yusuf further stated that the state government is working to improve the monthly allowances of the Imams, adding that the payment would be through electronic process to checkmate fraud.

    He also hinted that plans are underway for the commencement of renovation of all the Juma’at mosques across the state, saying that it is part of the government’s efforts to promote Islamic religion in the state.

    He, however,  lamented the rise of immorality in the state, which according to him, is the responsibility of the government to checkmate, just as he urged other stakeholders,  support the Ulamas and security agencies towards fighting crime and immorality in the state.

    “Committing sins is part of the reasons why we are in this difficult situation. Morality is gone, immorality has taken its place. We cannot condone this kind of situation.

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    “Ulamas are no longer respected. This is to the extent that people now abuse them on radio and other media outlets. Kano is known for high moral values and religious practice. So, we would no longer condone these bad acts as we are all stakeholders in ensuring morality in the state.

    “We also caution some Ulamas who engage in abusing politicians instead of sensitising and correcting them (politicians). The issue of immorality is high. We will not stop until we address the situation, God’s willing.”

    Sheikh Nasir Adam, Chief Imam of Sheikh Amadu Tijjani Juma’at Mosque, Kofar Mata, who spoke on behalf of the Ulamas, said Governor Yusuf has taken a bold step towards moving Kano forward by engaging the Ulamas.

    According to him, the governors in Northern Nigeria had failed to consider the fact that Ulamas are key to the development of any society, “that is why the region is facing many problems.”

    Sheikh Adams promised to give the governor and his government maximum support.

  • Mozambique to understudy Nigeria’s agric-financing model

    Mozambique to understudy Nigeria’s agric-financing model

    A delegation from Mozambique backed by the United Nations Food Agriculture Organisation has concluded a week-long visit to Nigeria to understudy the agricultural financing model used by institutions like NIRSAL MFB, and the Bank of Agriculture among several other government establishments.

    The delegation, which arrived on Monday, was led by the National Director for Promotion of Commercial Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Mozambique, Jaime Robert Chissico.

    The delegation included representatives from Mozambique’s Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, the Policy Officer, FAO Regional Office for Africa, Mark Kofi Fynn and the Senior Private Sector Development Adviser, Private Sector and Property Lead, British High Commission, Maputo, Sergio Dista.

    The delegation visited the corporate headquarters of the Bank of Agriculture, NIRSAL MFB and the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning.

    The delegation also met a team from the CBN Development Finance Department and the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN).

    The visit was facilitated by the Chief Executive Officer, Successory Nigeria Limited, Dr. Steve Ogidan, who is a development finance expert and the lead consultant to the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

    In a statement by the Chief Technical Officer, Successory Nigeria Ltd Abuja Office, Remi Olaoye, Ogidan told the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu that the delegation came to Nigeria to learn about better financing models for agriculture in Mozambique.

    Ogidan said: “We noted the progress Nigeria has made especially in food security, financing agriculture, smallholder farmers and inclusivity in the Nigerian agriculture and we made the specific recommendation of the progress Nigeria has made.

    “In terms of South-South corporation, FAO and other stakeholders thought of the possibility of learning from the Nigerian model.”

    Bagudu told the delegation that it was important for Mozambique to adopt a financing scheme to grow its agricultural sector and improve its gross domestic product (GDP).

    Bagudu said: “In 2016, the world oil prices moved against Nigeria. So, the Central Bank created an Anchor Borrowers Programme, the jury is mixed out there but I think it has done well even with the challenge we faced at that moment. We saw the formation of commodity associations, self-regulatory and providing support for off-take. At some point, the commodity association borrows directly and offtakes the produce.

    “We don’t encourage the displacement of smallholder farmers. We have seen a very successful evolution of our grower model where companies have set up processing facilities and they don’t have farmlands and they rely on farmers to grow for them.”

    The minister noted that Nigeria’s model of de- risking agricultural lending has also yielded results, adding that the introduction of technology and NIRSAL has lowered the risk of lenders participating in the various agric-lending schemes.

    The minister “In the last six years, we have seen significant derisking of agric-financing using technology. It is now easy to register farmland with GIS and link them to individuals using the Bank Verification Number (BVN). This has reduced risk, particularly for the banking sector. Now bankers can even view it using drones from their head offices and this has significantly motivated lending.

    “In 2015, we relied on the budget for agriculture and the facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the agricultural credit scheme and the Bank of Agriculture to fund farming activities. It has not been well capitalised. We introduced a derisking agency called NIRSAL. We think our experience is a country does not need to set up a purpose-built derisking institution. It just needs to recognise de-risking tools and use financial technology companies.”

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    Managing Director, NIRSAL MFB, Abubakar Kure encouraged the Mozambique delegation to learn from the Nigerian experience with government-backed agricultural financing in order to avoid mistakes.

    Kure explained that the bank was set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the mandate of providing cheap finances and entrenching financial inclusion.

    He said: “The bank is not really about profit, but if we make a profit, it is still okay. Agric, Small and Medium Enterprise Scheme (AGSMEIS) helps us target the agricultural value chain and other sectors to give SMEs loans and we give up to N10m as the maximum. We later reduced it to N3m to make sure it could cover the population.”

    Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan shared the BOA experience in agricultural financing.

    Hassan said: “Being a development financial institution, it is expected that after every period of time, the capital will be replenished because inflation will set in, you have some bad loans to take care of and the biggest worry is the perception that people have about establishments owned by the government.”

  • VP Shettima to speak at UMA Pre-Ramadan lecture

    VP Shettima to speak at UMA Pre-Ramadan lecture

    The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima will lead other eminent personalities to the 29th Annual Pre-Ramadan lecture of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA) on Sunday at Ade Ajayi (Main) Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka, Lagos.

    Chairman, Organising Committee, Alhaji Abdul Fatah Bakare in a statement, said other guests expected include Deputy President-General (South), Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)/President-General, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) cum Chairman, Board of Trustees, UMA, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo; Principal and Founder, Yusuf O. Ali & Co,  Prof. Yusuf Ali (SAN); Olota of Ota in Ogun State Oba (Prof.) Adeyemi Obalanlege; ,Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola and UMA President, Prof. Khalid Adekoya.

    Bakare said the theme “Economic Reforms for Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects for the Future,” is meant to address the current challenge facing the country.

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    In a statement release by the event is slated for Sunday, March 3, 2024 with the theme;

    According to him, Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. Niyi Yussuf and Mudeer, Markaz Nurul Salaam, Sheikh Dawud Alfanla Abdul Majeed-Eleha will speak on the theme while Director, Executive Education and Consulting Nungu Business School; Dr. Jubril Salaudeen and Professor of Economics, Lagos State University, Prof. Jameelah Yaqub are invited as discussants.

    Bakare added that the event will feature a free medical service in preparing Muslims healthwise for the month of Ramadan.

    UMA, he said, was founded in 1985 with the purpose of promoting a fellowship of individuals who share a common religious interest.

    “Now in its 29th edition, the pre-Ramadan lecture is one of the activities of UMA and has served as a social, spiritual, and financial potpourri; offering a platform for the discussion of salient issues on nation-building and spiritual development of Muslims in Nigeria and the world,” he said.

  • Fed Govt develops four-year secondary school’s strategic plan

    Fed Govt develops four-year secondary school’s strategic plan

    The Federal Government has developed a four-year strategic plan for senior secondary education in Nigeria (2024 –2027) in line with the ongoing efforts to reposition secondary education in the country.

    The government also owed to ensure strict enforcement of the National Minimum Standards for senior secondary education in Nigeria.

    It said severe sanctions would be applied to both partial and non-implementation by schools.

    Executive Secretary, National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Dr. Iyela Ajayi, said this during the stakeholders’ meeting on validation of the two draft documents, National Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria and the draft Strategic Plan for Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria, 2024 – 2027.

    Ajayi stated that the strategic plan, when approved, would provide a clear roadmap for the development of senior secondary education in Nigeria in the next four (4) years.

    The executive secretary added that the preparation of the document has taken into consideration the roadmap for the education sector, prepared by the Federal Ministry of Education, the mandates of the Commission, and other policies and programmes pertaining to senior secondary education in Nigeria.

    On the minimum standards, Ajayi noted that after the validation exercise, the document would be forwarded to the next meetings of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE) and finally to the National Council on Education (NCE) for consideration and final approval later this year.

    The draft document specifies the standards/benchmarks in various thematic areas in senior secondary education delivery, namely: Teaching and Learning; Quality Assurance; Planning Research and Statistics, Infrastructural Facilities and Equipment; Special and Support Programmes and Stakeholders’ Responsibilities at the Federal and State levels.

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    He said: “When this is done, it will be mandatory for all the public and private senior secondary schools in Nigeria to implement the National Minimum Standards as it will define a benchmark for all aspects of senior secondary education in the country.

     “The law has also given the Commission the power to enforce the Minimum Standards. This we will do through a robust monitoring system.

    “With time, benchmark performance would also be used as the basis for the ranking of senior secondary schools in Nigeria.”

    Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, SAN, while declaring the validation meeting open, urged all state governments, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders in education to support the implementation and establishment of these standards.