The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Minister to INEC: make 2019 elections better

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has said that the credibility of the 2015 General Election has enhanced the image of Nigeria to the outside world and therefore should be improved upon.

    Bello stated this while receiving the Presidential Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform led by its chairman, Senator Ken Nnamani in his office.

    He said that the election was largely made credible, because of the use of biometrics and card readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Minister therefore urged the Committee to look into strengthening the use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in all subsequent elections in order to sustain the achievements.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister reiterated that the use of card reader in elections in Nigeria is a revolution that should be sustained, as it would go a long way in reducing the number of litigations after elections.

    He emphasised that Nigeria is ripe and Nigerians are now well educated and enlightened in the use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in elections considering how the populace make use of mobile telephone in addition to internet data mostly for new media (social media).

    The Minister assured that the FCT Administration will support the Committee in doing its work to ensure that the subsequent electoral processes are fair and credible, and seen to be so.

    Bello appreciated the contributions of Senator Ken Nnamani to the country when he was the Senate President; saying that history will remember him for the role he played to ensure that democracy is sustained.

    The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform, Senator Ken Nnamani commended the Minister for the effort of his Administration in completing abandoned projects across the 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory.

    He said that the Committee is in the FCT Administration to pay the Administration a visit as they were in Abuja to hold a National Public Hearing to collate more information from the residents before turning out an all-inclusive report to the government as well as bringing up relevant Bills for enactment by the National Assembly.

    The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and other top officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister in receiving the team.

  • Abuja Garki International Market shut

    The Garki International Market has been closed by its management following a breakdown of law and order caused by tailors. The fracas started after staff of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) disconnected electricity supply from their blocks.

    According to a statement jointly signed by the Senior Facility Manager, Urban Shelter Facility Management Co. Ltd, Abdullahi Idris and the General Manage, Hamisu Jumare, It took the support of additional: “Police personnel, DSS and Military to bring the chaos under control; after which the market was evacuated and shut down pending full investigation, resolutions and measures taken to avert future reoccurrence.”

    It reads in part: “The general public and all operators of Garki International Market are hereby informed that the market has been shut down following the breakdown of law and order on March 25, 2017 as perpetuated predominantly by tailors who preceded the disconnection of electricity from their blocks by staff of AEDC Garki Business Unit on March 24, 2017.

    “The market management upon getting the report of the disconnection approached the AEDC Garki Business Unit who refused to heed the advice of the management to connect the power and follow later however agreed to come and meet with the management on Monday 27, 2017 on the matter and ways to collect their money from the shop operators who are owing.

    “Means to get them to be patient failed after the officials of the market management and Police personnel from Garki Division intervened for several hours but the tailors decided to take matters into their own hands by insisting to shut off power in the entire market; and were met by their fellow operators in the market asking them not to do such. This continued in spite of all interventions by the Market Management, the Police and members of the Market Association.

    “The situation degenerated into violence resulting in fighting, vandalism of transformers, throwing of missiles and injury to security personnel and innocent bystanders.

    “As part of the investigations, the facts as to why operators who were observing prayers were attached with missiles are also being investigated as it could have resulted into a deadly fracas.

    “In view of the occurrence, the market will remain closed.”

  • Governor Darius Ishaku’s unparalleled leadership in Taraba

    Governor Darius Ishaku’s unparalleled leadership in Taraba

    Unfortunately for ex-Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State, the plane crash accident which he miraculously survived from in 2012 led to his forceful sojourn outside the shores of Nigeria for medical assistance. Suntai’s long absence from home backfired when several political interests and forces in Taraba sprang up to make a point about the future of the state vis-a-vis the non-availability of the then democratically elected governor.

    Taraba State became constantly rolling on the national headlines when the frail looking, visibly unfit and tired Danbaba Suntai was made to return to Jalingo, supposedly to prove to doubting stakeholders that he could take back his exalted position. In the end, Suntai could not take over, obviously because the helicopter crash had mercilessly messed up his health and in the process he lost grip on power. One event led to the other, cropping up situation that engulfed the state, soaking it into needless political tension, bad blood and civil unrest.

    To put it in proper terms peace gradually eluded the state as pro-Suntai supporters and other political interest groups retreated into the ugly theatre of hatred and bitterness; as the then Acting Governor did not help matters because of his own peculiar selfish agenda. Then, in December 2014, a former university lecturer, ex-minister of state for Niger Delta affairs and a pragmatic politician having studied the unpleasant political situation in Taraba State decided to dare into the murky governorship race, in order to make a positive impact.

    Darius Dickson Ishaku had to abandon his lucrative political job by resigning from the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s Federal Executive Council to slug it out with other aspirants, first within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). When architect  Darius Ishaku eventually travelled to Jalingo to obtain the PDP nomination form to indicate his absolute seriousness about his governorship ambition, he did not hesitate to declare thus: ‘‘What I intend to do is to change things. We want to bring back peace. We have to do things that would be of benefit to the state. We have to redirect things”.

    As a trained urban town planner, Darius Ishaku brought his vast experience to bear on his governorship aspiration. Before long, his mantra became: “Give me peace. I will give you development”. Because he had carefully studied the delicate situation on the ground in Taraba, he instantly won the hearts of his supporters within his party and his message of peace and development  became a tonic for universal acceptability, as he was eventually made the flag bearer in the April 11th Governorship Election.

    It was not surprising when the tested architect succeeded in winning the 2015 Taraba State Governorship Election in grand style, in the face of stiff opposition from Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan, popularly known as ‘Mama Taraba’. ‘Mama Taraba’ (now Minister for Women Affairs), is indeed a big political tiger who immediately took on Darius Ishaku. She claimed that he was not dully elected as the flag bearer of PDP in Taraba State for the 2015 Governorship Election. She asked the court to declared her as the authentic Governor of the State instead.

    Governor Ishaku, like a political Daniel fought the battle of his political life down to the nation’s apex court (Supreme Court), where the Justice Bode Rhodes-Viviour, leading other Supreme Court panelists in 2016 affirmed the earlier judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court ruled that he was the true winner and elected Governor of Taraba State in the 2015 Taraba State Governorship Election. For a politician who had campaigned vigorously and indefatigably that he would replace crisis ridden Taraba with economic development if he was elected, the ultimate judicial clearance which he got from the Supreme Court against the All Progressives Congress’(APC) Senator Aisha Alhassan ,has afforded him the greatest opportunity to implement his  avowed message of ‘peace and development’.

    Given the extreme political currents, suspense and tension that were released across the polity while Mama Taraba was battling Governor Ishaku within the judiciary, it must be credited to the Presidency under Muhammadu Buhari, who unlike previous occupants of Aso Rock Presidential Palace, refused to manipulated ‘things’ to work in favour of a staunch member of the APC. Even as Governor Ishaku’s electoral fate was still being looked at within the first week of his assuming office in May 2015, he started tackling the perennial water scarcity in the capital city of Jalingo by releasing funds to the Taraba State Water Supply Agency.

    It is pathetic to state that Jalingo was without water for about ten months, but with prompt repairs of equipments and adequate refurbishment of existing facilities, dried taps hurriedly started to gush out with water in 2015. Governor Ishaku wasting no time extended the ‘running tap scheme’ to places like Pampetel, Garin Sule, Madashi, Bashom, Mishali and Bashin, where multiple bore holes were sunk for the people. Jalingo Motor Park and the Mechanic Village that experienced lack of water earlier were included in the ‘water rain’. With clever collaboration with the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), extension of water pipelines are being constructed and finalised in the entire State.

    Through partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR) and UNIDO the Lunga Nuri Hydro Electricity has been brought to life, which is now serving Kakara community. The resultant effect is that small scale businesses have sprouted in the area and adjoining suburb. A few months ago, Governor Darius Ishaku released N300 million to PW Nigeria Limited, and that has necessitated the opening up of the Ball-Serti-Gembu road that leads to the famous Chappal Wali Mountain Height (highest in the Federal Republic of Nigeria); Gashaka Gumti National Park (largest games reserve in West Africa); Mambila Plateau High Land Tea (the only Tea Plantation in West Africa).

    Not done yet, the governor has provided gigantic transformer with installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts in Wukari Business District, with 50 pieces of transformers also put to use across the state. Jalingo now enjoys 18 megawatts of electricity, thanks to the positive engagements the current State Government had with officials of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    Taraba State Road Construction Maintenance Agency (TARCMA) has been repositioned also. The implication of this is that several roads/bridges are being built in the state by this agency. The Mambila Beverages Production Company has been revived.

    The current administration’s efforts in the area of Internally Generated Revenue is commendable with modern technological devises/facilities put in place to block previous leakages/corruption. This has impacted positively on the economic activities, most especially in the Mambila Plateau area.

    The present conducive political situation is encouraging investors to Taraba to engage in tourism, industrialisation, mining, agricultural activities etc. Above all, ‘peace’ which was one of the cardinal points which Governor Darius Ishaku promised in 2014 when indicating his interest to govern the people of Taraba has returned to the state.

    For the first time in the history of the state, Governor Ishaku succeeded in holding a peace meeting with people of Wukari and Takum; peace/security related meetings have being held (still) being carried out among communities/stakeholders in the grassroots/local governments areas with traditional rulers fully represented.

    Who says this state created on August 27th 1991 by General Ibrahim Babangida has not come of age with an urban town planner conveniently seated as the number one citizen? Who says this Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Architect (FNIA) and Member of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (MNITP) is not touching lives in Taraba with his daring positive people oriented mantra and unparalleled leadership?

    If you ask me, Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku has done well so far, and should be encouraged in any way possible never to deviate from his avowed peaceful strategy.

     

  • Plateau churns out 2889 youth entrepreneurs

    Plateau churns out 2889 youth entrepreneurs

    Plateau State has tapped into the axiom of teaching people to fish rather than giving them fish. Thus, there was a sense of fulfilment and relief when 2889 youths completed a six-month entrepreneurial training and were given tools to kick-start their trades. The new entrepreneurs will no longer need to look up to anyone for food and sustenance; they will not only feed themselves but also start helping others in need.

    The training was captured under the Simon Lalong Empowerment Scheme (SLEMS), an empowerment programme coordinated by the Plateau Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (PLASMEDA).

    In his welcome address, Director General of PLASMEDA, Mr. Hagai Gutap said, “This number of 2889 represents the first batch of youths trained on business enterprise for them to attain economic independence from this moment on. This is a deliberate poverty reduction policy of the Governor Simon Lalong administration; we want to reduce poverty through skill acquisition. That will also reduce youth restiveness in the state which will have the goal of consolidating on the ongoing peace building.

    Speaking further, Gutap said, “Plateau is on its way out of poverty and to economic prosperity. This government is matching words with action, the governor promised to take the youths out of the streets and make them contribute to the economy of the state in a positive way; this graduation therefore is a partial fulfillment of campaign promises. Governor Lalong is desirous to make every segment of the population across the state feel the positive impact of government. As we are graduating this first set, we are also using this very occasion to flag off the training for the next batch.

    In his remarks, one of the training facilitators, Mr Solomon Chika, founder of Plateau Entrepreneurial Academy, said, “This project is not only about poverty reduction, it is also wealth creation, a very major boost to the growing economy of the state. Because this set of trained entrepreneurs are going to be self-employed having been trained and government has provided them the necessary tools to start business immediately.

    The state chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon Steven Jings confirmed that all the 2889 trained entrepreneurs were carefully selected from all the 17 local governments of the state, and the governor has also directed that for the next batch, there should 200 youths from each local government to also be trained. He acknowledged that the 5-pillar policy of the rescue administration of Governor Lalong is working.

    Project Manager of Apurimac Onlus, Mr. Godwin Okoko who trained the beneficiaries gave the breakdown of the beneficiaries thus; 25% of them are mothers while the rest are teenagers.

    Governor Lalong, in his remarks, said, “Today’s gathering is another step in the avowed demonstration of Government’s resolve, to strategically empower her citizens through entrepreneurship training and the provision of Business Support Inputs.

    He said, “The commitment of our Rescue Administration to Small and Medium Enterprise Development is what led to the immediate establishment of the Plateau State Micro-Finance and Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMEDA), so that as an institution of Government, it will coordinate and stimulate entrepreneurship and business development, for the socio-economic advancement of the State.

    “I am happy that PLASMEDA has hit the ground running by collaborating with APURIMAC Nigeria and a Consortium of Six (6) other Non-Governmental Organizations, to swiftly recruit and train youths of the State, in a Four (4) months intensive skills acquisition training in various enterprise areas that include; Aluminium Works, Catering, Computer, Decorating and Event, Management, others are Fashion Designing, Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy, Beats Making, Knitting, Leather Works, Welding and Metal Fabrication.

    “These 4 months intensive skills training under the first phase has produced 2889 trainees, of what has been Christened the Simon Lalong Entrepreneurship Scheme (SLEMS), and for which we are sending-them off today, to become self-reliant entrepreneurs. You will agree with me that as these new entrepreneurs contribute their quota in growing the business industry in the State, they will serve aseconomic backbones to their respective families, while also providing the opportunity for others whom they will be engaging, to be trained and supported to develop their own small businesses. This is the multiplier effect we seek to achieve as the trainees become trainers themselves.

    “Let me thank our partners, Apurimac Nigeria and the network of NGOs that provided the training, for taking their time to impact entrepreneurship skills on the graduands. I am confident that the same zeal and commitment you have put to train the 2889 trainees, will be passed on to the second phase of trainees who we are lining up for training, in the various skills enhancement and trade areas we have outlined for their economic empowerment.

    For the second phase of the Skills Acquisitions training, I have directed the PLASMEDA to ensure that we are training a minimum of Two Hundred (200) People per Local Government Area, in three batches spread across the three (3) Senatorial Zones of the State.

     

  • Pacifying the Senate

    It is no longer news that the relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of government has hit the rocks in the last few weeks. A major concern is how the development can quickly be checked for harmony and development of the country.

    The relationship, which is experiencing unprecedented friction between the two arms under the present dispensation, is already posing threats to some critical state matters.

    The National Assembly is angry that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has carried on in office despite the Senate’s rejection of his nomination, twice.

    It also felt slighted that the Executive arm has continued to allow the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, to remain in office despite disobeying its directives.

    The Senate had asked Ali to appear before it in the uniform of the Nigerian Customs Service.

    But Ali had refused to dance to the tune of the lawmakers all the times he was invited to appear before the Senate.

    Those backing Ali’s actions had argued that some past leaders in such paramilitary organizations had spent their tenures without wearing the uniform of the organization.

    Ali, who was a retired Army officer, prefers to wear traditional clothes to the office, and had claimed that his mode of dressing is not adversely stopping him from performing his roles.

    Those who have seen nothing wrong with Ali’s style of dressing have even pointed out that many past heads of the paramilitary outfit who had decked themselves in the official uniform of the organization have ended up using the uniform to carrying out many atrocities including embezzling the funds of the outfit.

    The final straw that broke the camel’s back was Ali’s declaration that he will not honour the Senate’s invitation again based on court order arising from an individual who approached the court over the matter.

    Despite the Senate’s claims that the courts have no control over its proceedings, Ali had refused to honour the Senate’s invitation.

    Another area which the Senate is also grossed with the Executive arm of government has to do with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.

    The Upper legislative Chamber is not happy that Lawal had not appeared before its committee investigating the spendings of the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) towards ascertaining how the funds have been utilised from inception to date and also investigate alleged diversions of funds and food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    The Senate is also angry that the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay had declared that the Senate has no power to summon him when the red carpet chamber invited him to come and point out irresponsible childish senators he had referred to in his recent remarks.

    All these have greatly contributed to the present tension between the two arms of government and immensely angered the lawmakers.

    Worried that the Presidency was not respecting its resolutions on the top government officials,  the National Assembly last week decided to pay back in the same coin.

    The Senate last Tuesday refused to continue screening of 27 resident electoral commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Presidency had earlier forwarded the list of nominees, among other requests, for screening and confirmation.

    The fear now is that the government may be shut down if the National Assembly fails to pass the 2017 Budget proposal before it including other important requests from the Executive arm of government.

    How the two arms of government can quickly come out of the present crises and focus on state matters that will bring Nigeria out of its economic recession and place it on the path of growth, have continued to worry some well-meaning Nigerians.

    It was however a cheering news last Wednesday when President Muhammadu Buhari put in place a committee to smoothen the relationship between the two arms of government.

    The panel, headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with membership comprising ex-lawmakers in the cabinet, definitely has a huge task to accomplish.

    Its major and immediate task now is how to calm frayed nerves in the legislature and settle down dusts already raised.

    To achieve this, it is very important for the panel to go straight to the root causes of the friction between the two arms of government and find lasting solution.

    It should look at the issues critically and determine whether the Senate was acting purely based on its constitutional roles or acting grudgingly.

    If the Senate was performing its duties judiciously, the Presidency should not shy away from owning up for the frictions so that peace can reign.

    Possible solutions to the crises have however continued to raise some questions on the lips of some Nigerians.

    They have wondered if Mr. President will bow to the demands of the lawmakers and replace the nomination of Magu as a way forward.

    Some of them have found it difficult to understand what is so special about Magu that the Presidency had stucked solidly behind him.

    Many have also been asking if Magu is the only Nigerian that can fight corruption the way the government wants it done.

    Those who believed that Magu is the messiah in the anti-graft battle however have interpreted what happened to Magu in the Senate as corruption fighting back.

    Some Nigerians also have been asking if the President will be willing to sacrifice the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, for peace to reign between the two arms of government.

    On the other hand, they want to see if the President will rather prevail on Ali to start wearing the uniform for the sake of peace.

    Whichever way the crises will be resolved, it is better to be done as quickly as possible to prevent shut down of the government.

    Many Nigerians are already suffering from the economic recession and shouldn’t be subjected to more pains that will arise from the Presidency/Senate face-off. The time to act well is now.

  • Actionaid, NAPTIP tackle violence against kids

    A United Kingdom (UK) charity organisation, Actionaid has entered into partnership with National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) and other government agencies in a bid to end violence against children in Nigeria.

    Speaking at a media sensitisation meeting, Maryann Obidike, the presentative of Actionaid explained the importance of protecting the children. As Assets of the country.

    She reaffirmed the organization’s efforts in the. Success of the strategy put in place which cut across five states, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, FCT and Kuduna in order to take the message to the grassroots.

    Obidike explained that the strategy known as Sustainable Mechanism for Improving Livelihood and house Empowerment (SMILE) is design to strengthened institutional and technical capacity of states and local government to provide, manage, and monitor integrated comprehensiveness of children and their families.

    She noted also that SMILE as a strategy will strengthen organizational and technical capacity of civil society organizations.

    Maryann said, “SMILE is using a bottom-up approach to ensure sustainability of whatever project that is carried out by the organisation, we ensure that the people whom this projects are for, benefit and own the projects.

    “The people getting help must own the programme as a way of allowing the contributions of the people make the decision of what project Actionaid will carry out in a particular location” she stated.

    Also at the meeting, Adekoye Vincent, a representative from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) charged the media to create more awareness of the dangers of child abuse through their reporting.

    On his part, the Deputy Director in the department of Social Development Service (SDS) in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Adeyemi Ajayi explained that national survey conducted in 2014 by National Population Commission shows that one in four girls and one in 10 boys experience sexual violence.

  • A transportation relief for workers

    For workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA), the commissioning of the 25 high capacity buses was long overdue.

    The scheme was conceived as a palliative to cushion the effect of economic hardship and difficulty in vehicular transportation of members of staff to and from the office.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello who commissioned the buses said it will boost the welfare of the staff of the FCT Administration adding that they are the first tranche of the FCTA Staff Bus Scheme.

    Bello reiterated that the FCTA Staff Bus Scheme is very important to his Administration because the welfare of staff remains topmost for increased productivity and quality service delivery to the residents of the Territory.

    The minister recalled that that a Committee headed by the Director of Establishment and Training was constituted to work out modality for a short and long term strategy on the operation of Staff Bus Scheme.

    He explained that the initial number in the Staff Bus Scheme comprise of 25 large capacity buses which monetary value would be deducted as part of liquidation of the FCTA loans to the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO).

    According to him, the FCT Administration intends to boost the operation of the Scheme and to make it more vibrant, by collaborating with development partners in getting more buses as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to expand the scope of its operation to cover staff of other Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the Federal Capital Territory.

    Bello stated that at the early stage of his Administration, the Scheme was conceived as a palliative to cushion the effect of economic hardship and difficulty in vehicular transportation of members of staff to and from the office.

    He announced that members of staff would be conveyed on subsidized fares from all the routes within the Federal Capital Territory including Keffi in Nasarawa State and Suleja in Niger State to reduce the cost and stress being faced by staff.

    The minister however, called for regular maintenance to ensure that the vehicles last long; adding, “high maintenance culture remains the watchword of the current FCT Administration”.

    He paid tribute to the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and the FCT Department of Establishment and Training that worked very hard to make the programme a reality.

    The FCT Director of Establishment and Training, Salihu Hawat Mohammed said that the commissioning of these buses has demonstrated the unwavering commitment of the FCT Administration to the welfare of the members of staff.

    According to him, the scheme has also added to the Minister’s achievements in promoting industrial harmony by ensuring regular payments of salaries to staff even at the critical time of recession.

    He emphasised that the scheme would boost the morale of the staff and reduce stress of their transportation needs, to and from their respective offices.

    Mohammed said: “Their punctuality will be assured as the buses are expected to ply 11 routes within the FCT and contiguous states to arrive FCTA secretariat by 7:30am and depart offices by 4:30pm to their various destinations to ensure accountability.”

    The Chairman, Joint Union Action Committee, (JUAC), FCTA/FCDA, Comrade Titus Okoro was optimistic that the development will go a long way to alleviate the hardship of workers in terms of getting to work as early as possible for those who are not mobile.

    Okoro promised the administration that the drivers will maintain the buses with every sense of duty and responsibility.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and other top officials of the FCT Administration also attended the commissioning ceremony.

  • North tackles meningitis

    In the Sahel belt, of which extreme northern states are a part, cerebro spinal meningitis or CSM, sometimes a fatal disease, occurs during the hot, dry season and terminates at the onset of the rains. The good thing is that the regional state governments are taking steps to stop it, writes News Agency of Nigeria

    Northern state governments and stakeholders are deploying more human and material resources to contain and prevent the spread of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) and other haemorrhagic fevers in the region.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various state governments, community and religious leaders as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are scaling up their interventions to prevent further outbreak and spread of communicable diseases.

    Many lives have been lost to recent reported cases in Zamfara and Sokoto states.

    In a survey by NAN, the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board said it has strengthened surveillance to prevent the outbreak of communicable and airborne diseases. The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Nasiru Mahmud told NAN that the board would scale up its efforts during this hot season that would herald the rains. He explained that the weather and population rate of the state made it necessary for the agency to strategise against outbreak of diseases.

    The state, he said, has improved on its awareness campaign in all the local government areas through various stakeholders’ meeting to address public health.

    “The state Ministry of Health has already ordered all health educators and all stakeholders to embark on massive campaign to let people know that the season has come.”

    Mahmud further explained that Kano has a minimal risk of meningitis as about 10 million children were immunised against the disease in 2016.

    The secretary noted that the immunisation has a life span of 10 years for whoever received it.

    He commended the Kano Emirate Council through its committee on health, where traditional rulers and religious leaders in all local governments have been tasked with advocating on health-related issues. He also commended development partners in the state who, he said, were involved in all stages of the health sector in the state.

    Furthermore, the scribe stressed that the board had procured large consignment of drugs and other consumables for rapid response.

    The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency said that it trained 1,500 community health workers and members on the prevention of child killer-diseases. Mr Hamza Ikara, the agency’s Deputy Director, told NAN that the training was to reduce outbreak of illnesses in the state.

    “We train them on different child illnesses such as malaria and pneumonia to reduce outbreak during the hot season.’’

    He said no case have been recorded for now because adequate preventive measures have been taken by the government. Ikara added that traditional rulers with their scribes have also been trained in order to carry out sensitisation in rural areas. He said that the state government has embarked on the clearing of drainages across the state to control malaria in addition to the distribution of treated mosquito nets to residents.

    He advised residents to sleep in ventilated rooms and avoid overcrowding, adding that people should adopt the habit of sleeping with their mosquitoes net.

    In Gombe State, the Head of Medicine, Specialist Hospital Gombe, Dr Raymond Dankwoli, has appealed to the general public to always ensure adequate ventilation in their rooms to avert possible occurrence of diseases.

    Dankwoli told NAN in Gombe that: “As we are all aware, the hot and rainy season has set in in some parts of the country. This may likely come with some outbreak of diseases like meningitis and conjunctivitis, among others.

    “This is because poor ventilation is a risk factor, therefore taking preventive measure is important.’’

    According to him, the hospital has recorded five cases of unconfirmed CSM.

    From Bauchi, the Executive Chairman of the state Health Care Development Agency, Mr Adamu Gamawa, said proactive measures would be taken to prevent measles and other child killer diseases through community vaccination.

    In Dutse, the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA) said it has taken precautionary measures to check the outbreak of communicable and airborne diseases across the state. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Kabir Ali, also told NAN in Dutse that the state government had introduced free maternal and healthcare service where pregnant women and children under the age of five were given free drugs in order to safeguard their health.

    Ali said that the agency was also taking preventing measures through routine immunisation in all the 530 public health facilities across the state.

    Also, the Borno state government said it has set aside 200,000 doses of vaccine for meningitis as a proactive measure against any outbreak as the hot season sets in.

    A report from Katsina said that the state government has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis in Batsari Local Government Area. The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Kabir Mustapha, told NAN in Katsina that the disease was reported in some communities in the affected local government area.

    “But I cannot tell you further details because the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency is yet to forward full details on the disease outbreak to my office,’’ he said.

  • Relief as fertiliser cost crashes

    Relief as fertiliser cost crashes

    Farmers heave a sigh of relief as a Federal Government’s intervention slashes the price of fertiliser, making it readily available, GBENGA ADANIKIN reports

    LAST year, fertiliser cost as much as N11,000. Farmers were hurt. Food prices shot up. People complained across the country. Now things are different, with fertiliser going for about half of last year’s price, thanks to the Federal Government’s efforts.

    Since the news broke about plans by the Federal Government to slash the price of fertiliser NPK 20:10:10, a major agricultural input to N5, 500, farmers across the country waited patiently to witness implementation of the policy.

    Stakeholders in the sector such as agro-dealers, Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), prior to the initiative strived to design a simple but implementable model that will ensure affordability and easy access to the input. Often, farmers are confronted with the challenges of adulterated fertilisers aside from the problem of affordability; the farm input is also mixed with sand and other contaminants.

    In 2016, price of fertiliser especially NPK, rose to as high as N11,000 contributing largely to hike in price of staple foods in the market. Urea which is an additional input after the application of the NPK sold at about N7, 500. Local farmers clearly were not finding it funny until the presidency intervened.

    As a result of the several bottlenecks, the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative came into existence having FEPSAN as the implementing partner. It was an outcome of President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with the King of Morocco. The deliberation among others was to facilitate the export of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), through OCP Group, Morocco to ensure steady supply of the raw material for local production of fertiliser. The other raw materials include the Muriate of Potash (MOP), sourced from Europe and Russia while Limestone Granules (LSG) was locally sourced from the West African Fertilizer Company limited, Okpella, Edo State. These deliberate efforts was to meet fertiliser deficit in the country and ensure the nation locally blend the material.

    “From that 14th December, 2016 to 14th February, 2017, we gave farmers free gift. They started to receive fertiliser at N5,500. Agro-dealers also got theirs, when they come to a plant like this, they will pay N5,000, and sell for N5,500,” said FEPSAN President, Mr. Thomas Etuh.

    The initiative was simply put together by FEPSAN alongside other partners to produce One Million Metric tons of fertiliser for local farmers across the country for 2017 wet season and 500, 000 Metric tons for dry season farming. Remarkably, the fertilisers are blended in about 11 blending plants which were initially working at lower capacity across the country. Local fertiliser blending plants took ownership of the project, engaged labour and produced the farm input at a reasonable cost of N5,000.

    To sustain the project, the federal government entered into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the private sector, (FEPSAN), an association of fertiliser producers. It set up a presidential committee chaired by the Jigawa State Governor, Muhammed ?Abubakar and other stakeholders. They include FEPSAN President and representatives from the Office of Chief of Staff to the President, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

    Since it is largely private sector driven initiative, it is believed that there are chances the initiative will surpass the present administration. The chairman shared same view, stressing that the call for legislation to sustain the initiative was unnecessary.

    “It is always good if there is need for legislation. But this is purely a business venture. I don’t believe it requires any bill,” said Abubakar.

    Recorded and Anticipated Benefits

    Interestingly, implementing the initiative is such that encourages private sector partnerships. With the cost of NPK 20:10:10 trimmed down to N5,500, farmers can now procure as many bags necessary to support their cultivation. This translates to a possible increase in food production. Already the Kano state government through the State Assembly has procured 50, 000 metric tons worth N5 billion to be distributed to the farmers across the state.

    The Jigawa state government has also purchased about 4, 000 bags of the farm input for its farmers. Other northern state governors and interested public office holders are expected to follow suit. Incidentally, the foreign exchange for the entire purchase of fertiliser across the country would have amounted to about $200 million. However, with the initiative, government has the opportunity of saving the huge sum.

    In terms of 2017 budgetary allocation for fertiliser subsidy, the federal government is expected to save another N60 billion. To a large extent, the procedures seem transparent and less cumbersome. Etuh narrated some benefits of the intervention stressing that, “We only import 37 per cent of inputs we don’t have in Nigeria, which is Urea and Limestone to get fertiliser to the farmers.”

    This is PPP arrangement; there is no subsidy at all. We will save N60 billion for government in six months and save another $200 million in foreign exchange.” He added that, “Thousands of jobs have been created within two months and more jobs will be created. There is a movement of trucks bringing raw materials from Lagos, Port Harcourt and other places to the blending plants.

    “There are two drivers and two motor boys, multiply it by 5,000. Again, we have a loader and off-loader of 15 persons. So, if you multiply it, we will arrive at 1.4 million jobs already created. This is the direct job being created and others that will be created outside the factory.”

    During an inspection of the project, a study of the initiative revealed its multiplier impact on the entire sector. For instance, almost moribund fertiliser processing plants across the country are being revived with continuous supply of raw materials worth N20 billion to the facilities for the next six months. Currently, about 11 processing plants are under optimum function in the country. Some of them include the Ebonyi State Fertiliser Company, Golden Fertiliser Company, Lagos, Superphosphate Fertiliser and Chemicals, Kaduna, Bejafta Fertiliser Company, Plateau among others. In the first batch of the programme, the 11 plants are expected to be fully engaged. They included three in Kaduna, two in Kano state, one in Funtua, Katsina state, one in Bauchistate, one in Plateau state, one in Niger state, one in Lagos state and one in Ebonyi state. Aside, the railway system is being developed to transport phosphate from Lagos through the rail to Funtua, Katsina state and other parts of the country. About 100 trucks load raw materials are being transported daily to the various plants nationwide.

    In Kano State for instance, the State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), established in 1981 by the World Bank was grappling to survive its operations, as a result downsized some workforce. It was working below production capacity until the recent intervention. According to its Managing Director, Bala Inuwa the facility had to increase its workforce to 600 staffs, working on three shifts to blend the input for the farmers and agro-dealers in the state. He explained that the presidential initiative has created more jobs and raw materials for ?the fertiliser processing plant. ?”In Kano State, we have about 44 local governments and there are 60 shops that are ready to sale the commodity. We load about 60 trailers daily and we are serious about improving our capacity,” he added.

    As a result, the Kano State government is to take delivery of new processing line due to its confidence on the supply of raw materials. “In this programme, the price is stable and is much better. Farmers already know the price. So the initiative is a good one and as a result, we are expecting a new line worth N250m in the next two weeks,” said the Kano State Governor, ?Abdullahi Ganduje. According to him, the initiative has reduced corruption in the system, created about 200 jobs and encouraged farmers to increase their productivity. “The issue of subsidy was what killed fertiliser production in Nigeria. You sit down in the house instead of going to the farm,” Ganduje said.

  • Magu: Civil Society to occupy National Assembly

    Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have threatened to occupy the National Assembly next week, accusing the lawmakers of frustrating the anti-corruption efforts of the present administration.

    Addressing a rally in Abuja attended by the organisations and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANTS), Retson Thedeke who spoke on behalf of others accused the National Assembly of reversing the gains of the Change Agenda of President Buhari.

    Thedeke demanded that the appointment of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC), chairman, Ibrahim Magu, three nominees for the National Communication Commission, and all those whose appointments were rejected on: “frivolous unsubstantiated allegations be confirmed by the Senate.”

    “Corruption is at the root of the many Nigeria Problems. And while the President is dedicated to fighting for Nigeria, political insanity exemplified by the selfishness and greed of the leadership of the National Assembly has become major clog in the wheel of progress not just of the government but also for Nigerians.

    “Instead of keying into the anti-corruption war of the President, the leadership of National Assembly is bent on scuttling it. This is not surprising to Nigerians as there are high profile corruption cases against members especially the Senators presently in various courts across the country,” Tedheke said.

    He also urged Nigerians to mobilise themselves and demand real change from those he said should ordinarily be the closest to the people.

    He lamented that anti-corruption bills sent to the lawmakers to facilitate prosecution of corruption and bring corrupt person to justice have been abandoned by the National Assembly.

    He said all known persons that spoke against the leadership of National Assembly’s alleged corruption and appointed by the President for national assignments requiring their approvals were always rejected.

    He therefore urged lawmakers with high profile corruption cases in courts to relinquish their positions in the National Assembly due to integrity challenges and to also pass all anti-corruption bills sent to them by Mr. President.