The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • ‘Shonga Farms doing just fine’

    ‘Shonga Farms doing just fine’

    Despite criticisms, Shonga Farms Holdings Limited (SFHL), located in Shonga, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, is alive and well, the firm’s General Manager, Adebayo Sangobiyi has said.

    Many Kwara residents, especially those in the opposition, had condemned the establishment of the over 10-year-old enterprise, describing it as a doomed white elephant. Others said state officials used it to siphon cash. Yet some claimed its produce was not available in the state’s markets.

    Sangobiyi waved all that away, saying the entity is strictly a commercial concern whose “concept was for us to understudy the white farmers and by the time they are big enough, should buy us out. That is why we have the Shonga Phase 2 called Alapa project. Our intention is to start the Alapa Project with the indigenes.

    “I think Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has started it by selecting 10 youth farmers from each of the 16 local government areas of the state. The concept is to transform them to commercial farmers and they are doing wonderfully well.”

    Mr. Sangobiyi added that Shonga farms business has been a success story, saying that his poultry farmers started from one pen each.

    “When the banks came in they did one more each for them and already today they are erecting pens on a daily basis. At the close of this year each of the four of them will be having 10 pens. If there is no market they will not be talking of expansion. We have depots in Abuja, Lagos and we deal directly with all the eateries.

    “Now what we are concentrating on is how to benefit the immediate communities. We have brought a concept called out-growers to showcase these communities to others. Our intention is to extend state wide in terms of what we do as give back to the communities. We are in business in Shonga Farms Holdings Ltd. We are competing with other companies, so our concentration is how grow.”

    He therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to face agriculture squarely as it will lead to industrialisation with a concomitant transformation of the country’s economy.

    Sangobiyi said “wven at the national level the GDP will improve and we will do less of importation. In Shonga we were the first to do major cassava chips export during Dr Akinwumi Adesina. We did about four or five shipments during that time.

    “We were mopping up cassava from the entire state to do our chips. More money was coming to the farmers. If we have a similar Shonga Farms Holdings Limited in all the zones, I tell you Nigeria will be a major challenge to America and Britain and our Naira will appreciate.”

    On the strident criticisms of SFHL by some members of the opposition, the chief executive officer (CEO) described such as “most unfortunate.”

    Said he: “We have heard that over and over again, so we are used to that tune. We are dealing with banks. Shonga was initially known as Kwasinbo, then it was under the ministry. It was solely owned by the Kwara state government.

    “But later as time went on the then Governor Bukola Saraki found out that if the entire Kwara state money was sent to Shonga, it would not take the farms to his desired dream. That brought about bringing in the banks. When the banks came in Shonga was moved out of the ministry. Banks will not tolerate all these bureaucracies; banks are in business, so when they invest money they want returns.

    “All this attitude changed and now Shonga was registered as a limited liability company and that was when the entity Shonga Farms Holdings Limited came up. It started with five banks namely the legacy PHB, legacy Finn Bank, GTbank, Unity Bank and Intercontinental now Access Bank.

    Each of the banks contributed N300 million debt and N200 million equity and that was the take off of the proper Shonga Farm Holdings Limited.

    “Since Shonga Farm Holdings Limited started it has changed not only nomenclature, it has changed in administrative practice. So we are strictly in business. People expect all the continuation of the jamboree when we were we giving fresh milk to pupils, the government was doing that but the banks cannot afford to do that. At the inception the banks rolled out 15 per cent each totaling 75 percent and the state government added 25percent.

    “But the tune changed as the banks were becoming handicapped kind of, they couldn’t afford to give money as at when due. As at that time Union Bank plc had the best agriculture desk, so we moved to that bank and negotiated with them and that was why the then group managing director, Funke Osinbodu came to the farm, saw everything herself and granted us some loans.

    So you can’t be on loan and be doing jamboree. We are open to all, but the unfortunate thing is that the kind of concept we are running is new in Nigeria. We came up with off-taker approach. When we started, we set out to attain a certain level of production and we were able to achieve it. When we got to where we were going there was nobody to buy our products. We never thought of looking for somebody to buy the products before producing and we found out that people could not consume what we produced. That is when we were doing road shows all over the big cities in Kwara letting people know the products we had.

    “The lesson that we have learnt led us to the off-taker approach system. ‘How does the off-taker approach work?’ ‘You will tell me what you want before I start producing.’ We started with cassava supplying the Nigerian Starch Mills Limited, which is the biggest in West Africa. It is located in Ihiala, Anambra state. We were supplying fresh milk WAMCO to produce our favoured peak and three crowns milks. We were supplying fresh to NUTRICIMA to produce coast milk in 10 percent local content.

    “Equally our chickens, we had meetings with people that were supplying the big eateries and hotels to give us their consumption schedule per month. We signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). And that is what the banks want. They want to be seeing how their money flows. That is what changed our approach to business and that is why people started saying that Shonga products are not available. That is not true. Go to Shoprite or any eatery in Ilorin. If you eat chicken in any eatery you have eaten Shonga chicken.

    “At a point we were throwing away as much as 2000 litres of milk per day, if you throw away 2000 litres of water people will see the impact. We couldn’t continue that way if we really meant to succeed. We give our products to people with cold rooms and cold vans. I can see that the attitude of our people towards business, I don’t find it challenging enough. So our products are available.

    “Likewise, for our milk, we lost interest in the production of yogurt. You can’t sell more than 1000 litres of yogurt in a day, whereas WAMCO wants me to give it 20,000 litres of fresh milk per day. It is a function of comparative analysis and if I want the banks to show interest in my business their money must be going back as at when due.”

    He said that those claiming that the products are not in the markets in the state are only scoring cheap political capital of the whole issue.

    “For four years I have a depot for yogurt in Ilorin, the state capital and I was throwing away yogurt every day. We don’t have the milk drinking culture. They are only making politics out of it. then I felt the best thing to do is to give the milk to WAMCO and we are all benefiting directly or indirectly. We still have depots all over, people are not patronizing us and the next song they will sing is that they are not seeing our products.

    “Chicken chillies eatery was selling our rice for years, Alhaji Dan Musa Gold rice was processing our rice. How many of this were they buying? Dan Musa was taking his rice to Abuja and Lagos.

    The reality is that most of our people want free things or cheap things. We cannot afford to do that, we are in business. If Kwara state government wants it can buy parts of the products and do politics with it, unfortunately it does not have the controlling shares.”

    The general manager the company and hitherto hostile villagers are now best of friends, as the SFHL gives some of the villagers free technology and skills.

    His words: “To the glory of God we see one another as family members. There is hardly anybody in the communities that does not know the names of my farmers. But it didn’t just come out of its own volition. It came courtesy of the committee on community relations. We give them technology free of charge. We have allowed some of them who are excellent in their farms to work in the farms of the white farmers.

    “We are transferring skills and subsidise whatever they want to make their farm grow. We even create out-growers for them. If you plant and you cannot sell we buy from you and put it along with our own larger quantity and sell to the larger market.”

     

  • Politicians urged to shun sentimental criticism

    The National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) Ambassador Dickson Akoh has urged politicians and others to remove sentiment from any criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that it is too early to lampoon the new government.

    Akoh pointed out the dangers of such attack, saying it can distract Buhari and his government.

    The PCN boss spoke in Abuja at the 17th anniversary of the PCN.

    He commended Buhari for the financial bailout granted the state governments to enable them offset the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances to workers who are being owed for several months.

    His words: “The PCN believe that Nigeria has passed through a phase and now has a growing opportunity for the desired change under the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We are of the view that it is indeed too early to embark on any form of sentimental criticism of the new government, as such posture is capable of distracting an administration that needs proper and careful planning before hitting the ground running.

    “I hereby enjoin Nigerian youths, particularly members of uniform youth organisations, as agents of change and social order worldwide not to join any dissenting force but align themselves with the Buhari administration in the onerous task of nation building.”

    Akoh said the major task ahead is to work relentlessly to ensure the passage of the bill seeking for an Act for the Establishment of the PCN by the 8th National Assembly adding that: “You are quite aware that the bill which scaled through second reading in the 7th Assembly and was slated for public hearing could not be concluded because of the electioneering campaign embarked upon by the legislators.”

     

  • Enterprise made easier

    Enterprise made easier

    Few things can be as frustrating as setting up a business only to see it crash. Young entrepreneurs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) now know how to avoid such disasters and smile to the bank.

    A partnership between The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) availed such youths and others a workshop at which the dos and don’ts of small businesses adequately explained. The forum dealt with such issues as how to get funds to start a business and whether you must have collateral before you can get a loan.

    It was not the first time TREM would help business-minded youths who have little cash. Last year about 30 young persons were empowered with over N1 million to secure industrial sewing machines, industrial baking equipment and fish farming tools, among others. This year some business owners took advantage of the church’s Vision House Leading Edge Conference to learn how to grow their businesses.

    At the conference, representative of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Regional Manager, North Central, Jack Kings dutifully instructed the participants on how to get business support and run their enterprises successfully.

    Kings gave reasons why small business owners often meet a deadlock. Some businesses, he said, die on the demise of their owners.

    The solution according to him is to seek support from the BOI.

    He said, “For you to access BOI support, about 50 per cent of the business members should be Nigerians. There is also need for you to have stakes far beyond passion for the business.”

    He went further to explain the need for financial discipline so that entrepreneurs don’t dip into their business private accounts.

    “Are you passionate, energetic and resilient in the face of challenges, If you fall, will you be able to still rise up and continue with the business?”

    Entrepreneurs were encouraged to start businesses small and then allow it to grow with time, so in case of eventuality, loss would be minimal. According to the expert, a short challenge could cause the entire downfall of the business if proper structure is not taken into consideration.

    TREM General Overseer, Bishop Mike Okonkwo  described the conference as one participants would not forget in a while.

    Those participants eventually got to know that it was important to create viable and realistic roadmap for businesses to attract BOI supports. In a sense, it is a way of saying or doing something positive, as the clergy advised.

    One other simple success secret is the company being in proximity to reliable sources of raw materials. Also, the organisation should be a member of professional bodies or entrepreneurs association to gain needed recognition especially on funding.

    On the possibility of cooperative societies seeking loans, Kings told the participants to disregard need for such. According to him, the BOI, “have suspended most cooperative societies because they are there to take advantage of the system.”

    Clearly, basic reason for organising this conference is not far-fetched from the surrounding need to diversify the economy, create jobs, empower the youths and, above all, boost standard of living. In a situation where youths graduate from tertiary institutions annually but get no jobs, it becomes imperative to adopt a different approach to employment.

    An executive committee member of the conference, Dr. Bisong Omare said there is need to make youths financially independent through empowerment.

    He said, “We keep encouraging people not to get frustrated and make something out of their lives, rather than just sitting at home but do something for themselves.”

    Should the government also partner religious bodies, Omare said it would go a long way to ending poverty and foster job creation.

    “Government has done well, there was Sure-P initiative that the previous administration introduced. The programme helped so many young people and cut down frustration ýwhen students finish school without job openings.

    “So we want to help them and get them to do something for themselves. At least the nation could be a better place to live in.”

    The organisers, however advised the Federal Government to look into past initiatives on job creation and perhaps consider ýthem if government found them useful.

    “Normally, because money is needed, whatever you want to do, you definitely need money. We do empowerment programmes, give soft loans in the church to help young people instead of just sitting at home getting frustrated.

     

  • Nightmare on the other side of town

    Nightmare on the other side of town

    Driving is pleasurable in the swanky parts of the territory, dreadful in less graceful areas. Blame the bad roads, reports GRACE OBIKE

    When the roads are free in the glitzy districts of the nation’s capital, you could cruise in your car. In several outlying parts, though, driving is hellish no matter the hour of the day or season. In the rainy season, it is sheer agony in those less celebrated areas.

    Such parts as Maitama and Asokoro where the rich and powerful live are the stuff of dreams but in the wet season, parts of Durumi, especially Durumi II, for instance, are a nightmare for motorists. To get to the area, one will have to cross a small stream. In the rainy season, the stream overflows its banks and residents have to wade through its murky waters or pay some muscled youths to ferry them across on their backs.

    Roads in Nyanya, Karu, Jikwoyi and environs are bad. Even the main expressway that leads into Abuja from Nasarawa State is not in such great shape with patterns of potholes on it. The streets are worse.

    Mr John Bishop, a resident of Karu, said 90 per cent of the road is in complete decay and that it has become worse this rainy season.

    “I will honestly tell you that 90 per cent of the roads around Nyanya, Karu, Jikwoyi, Orozo and the rest are really terrible. Virtually all the roads are terrible, car owners like myself have to wash our cars everyday and even with that, people always ask us if we are coming from the farm with our cars; when it rains heavily, motorcycle operators refuse to ply some parts because they can get stuck in the road and some of the roads are so slippery that even vehicles get stuck in them.

    Papei, directly behind the famous Maitama, fares rather badly too. The road leading into it is awful in the dry season; in the rainy period it is worse. It hardly has any drainage. This leaves the area flooded.

    Galadima, near the popular Gwarimpa, has little drainage but it is not enough to de-flood the area. The road is very bad. Its wet orange clay soil makes driving a choking exercise. Garbage lines the road. Houses are built so close to one another and very close to the major road.

    Dutse also has its share of bad roads. Some residents claim that they have become tired of waiting for the government of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Area Councils which are supposed to be closer to the masses to do what they are meant to do. Kubwa is an area where only major roads are good; those leading into streets are very dilapidated and in some areas eroded my minor erosions.

    Pipeline is one of such areas. Although the area is directly behind the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ýcamp, the road leading into the area is really bad. Surprisingly, the area boasts lovely private houses and the residents ride lovely vehicles. The problem is driving to their homes. The road is so bad that sometimes residents have to fill the road with sand, which is quickly washed off again.

    Uzodinma Oko, a resident of Pipeline, told Abuja Review that they were all required to contribute money to repair the road but nothing came out of it.

    •Another bad road in Kubwa
    •Another bad road in Kubwa

    She said, “This road is so terrible, everyday, people pack out of this vicinity because of the road, the houses here are actually nice and affordable but the road will not allow people to stay. The area association made each house in every compound contribute N9,000 and even car owners were asked to pay again differently for the rehabilitation of the road, because everyone is tired of the suffering; we all paid but that was since last year. When we asked, we were told that the man who collected the money from everyone had embezzled everything, he did not even think of doing the road even a little, recently they returned with another demand for money but no one will pay because our job is not to provide them with money that they can embezzle”.

    Byahzine, another popular part of Kubwa, has the most dilapidated roads. At night, people pay motorcycle operators double the normal fare to take them to their homes.

    The FCT administration is known to give the six Area Councils their due allocations at all times and in most cases, it is the job of these area council chairmen to provide simple amenities like roads.

    Bwari Area Council roads are awful right up to its secretariat.

    Esther Isah, a resident of Dutse, described how she and the motorcyclist ferrying her fell on a slippery dirt road.

    “I had gone to Bwari and I was still on the motorcycle in the market when the bike man lost control because of how slippery the road was and we fell. It was so embarrassing and as people pitied me and said sorry because not only was my dress ruined but most of the products that I had purchased in the market were all over the road I wanted to be angry at the bike man but I realised that it was not his fault. The road is slippery since our government has refused to repair it. These bad roads are really dangerous and cause a lot of accidents. The government honestly have to come to the aid of the masses and provide the necessary amenities.”

     

  • Gombe responds to Boko Haram

    Gombe responds to Boko Haram

    After insurgents developed a taste for open and poorly secured parks, detonating four bombs and killing scores at two such facilities in one day, the Gombe State government has started building large, better monitored parks. VINCENT OHONBAMU reports

    Sulking over the last chilling attacks will not help. On Sallah’s eve, just under two weeks ago, a bomber killed 50 people and injured about 71 others at the Gombe Main Market. Six days earlier, four explosives, a pair in each of two parks, claimed another 36, injuring some 105. It was a horrible time for Gombe State.

    Yet, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo will not have his people brood endlessly over the tragedies. He took action to make it more difficult for bloodthirsty elements who continue to cause the nation much grief through such attacks on soft targets. Dankwambo is building spacious parks with sufficient monitoring gadgets.

    That and some other spin-offs inspired the establishment of Gombe Mega Motor Park and Trailers Parking Bay, Governor Dankwambo said.

    The governor spoke at the site of the Trailers’ Parking Bay after inspecting both sites in Gombe, the state capital.

    He said, “From what we have seen in the last couple of weeks, these [bomb blasts] would have been minimised if we had one central place where people are monitored by cameras and their movements in and out regulated.

    “We are guaranteed that this [Mega Motor Park] is going to be the only place where all security measures and devices can be installed for the security of lives and property.

    “Secondly, it will help to generate revenue; thirdly there are related activities: lock-up shops, there is a small hotel where you can rest for the night if you return late and can’t go home. That dignity in human being is what we are looking for.

    “These and other ancillary activities will enhance the socio-economic welfare of our people through increased commercial activities, thereby increasing the per capita income of the state.”

    Dankwambo said the Trailers’ Parking Bay was informed by the need to curtail the loss of lives and property through accidents caused by articulated vehicles.

    Speaking further, he said, “One of the reasons is to ensure that as much as possible, trailers, tankers, the larger vehicles don’t go into Gombe. They will park here. And if they are loading from the NNPC Depot or the grains market, they proceed from here and move in an organised way that can be controlled.

    “Secondly, if you go into town, you will see a lot of heavy-duty vehicles parked indiscriminately. By that we are losing revenue and so many benefits. And the roads too are overstressed and sometimes we see indiscriminate parking on both lanes.

    “But with this kind of thing, to a larger extent, revenue can be generated; employment can be generated here too and security of the vehicles will also be guaranteed”.

    He said various relevant unions would equally be better organised in their monitoring of the people who go in and out of the town for security purposes.

    Yaya Bappayo, Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Works who conducted the governor round the projects, said the project cost N3.2bn with 28 months completion period starting from January 2013.

    He said when completed, the Mega Motor Park would provide employment for teeming youths of the state, enhance internal revenue generation, and improve state security delivery, and would, above all, harmonise, sanitise and modernise all the mini motor parks scattered across Gombe metropolis.

    Ancillary facilities at the parks include a terminal building, four taxi lines, three retail shops, two mini-bus lines, luxury bus lines, two modern mechanic workshops, standard clinic, fire service station, comprehensive police station, two juma’at mosque, three public toilet and bathrooms, a standard 38-room hotel and two administrative union offices

    Nevertheless, the need to reschedule the completion period; need for proper organisation of site, need for additional skilled labour and additional workforce and the need to start work on trailers, trucks and lorries’ section as well as general external works questions the scheduled completion period.

    It also questions Governor Dankwambo’s resolve and assurance to finish Mega Motor Park project this year.

    Work at the Parking Bay has attained 80% completion and while that of the Mega Motor Park is still at a mere 38% completion despite that government has paid 52% of the total contract sum to the contractors.

    The Nation reports that government intends to operate both projects for a while and later handover to the private sector for proper management as part of the strategy to reduce the government expenditure, maximize as much revenue as possible and recoup the resources invested on them for further investments.

     

  • ALGON boss hails NUJ president

    The President of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Micah Jiba has congratulated the newly elected President of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Mr. Waheed Odusile, the Managing Editor of the Nation Newspapers.

    Jiba who is also the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), expressed optimism that the emergency of Odusile would mark a new beginning for Nigerian journalists who are struggling in the profession to make ends meet.

    According to the ALGON boss, who made this known in a press statement, there are so many things that needs to be corrected in the media sector by the new administration of Odusile, mostly in the aspect of total neglect of Nigerian journalists who give voices to the voiceless.

    “We believe that with the credible credentials of Odusile and his long experience and antecedents in the practice of journalism, which is regarded as a very respected and noble profession, Nigerian journalists will have reasons to smile out of their hard times.

    “We want to assure the President of NUJ that ALGON is fully ready to work with the newly elected leadership of the NUJ, as we have always seen ourselves as partners in progress. We will continue to work together for the benefit of the common Nigerians at the grassroots, in order for them to get the change they desire.

    “I also want to appeal to the newly elected President of NUJ to always put the interest of Nigerian journalsits at heart, by ensuring that their salaries are paid regularly as at when due, because most of them at suffering to survive because of none payment of their salaries.

    “I believe that if the issue of welfare and salaries of Nigerian journalists are corrected by this new NUJ administration, then Nigerians will get the best from the media and the journalists will no longer sell their conscience for money,” he said.

  • Panel to probe Jos chlorine leakage

    Panel to probe Jos chlorine leakage

    The Plateau State government has constituted an administrative panel to investigate the chlorine gas leakage which claimed eight lives. The 11-man panel is chaired by Mr Jimmy Cheto, an engineer.

    The chlorine gas leakage at Jos Water Treatment Plant that affected over 100 residents was initially thought to be a saboteur’s handiwork. It was rather a case of negligence and possibly sheer ignorance of the chemical capacity of the gas. Those who use of the chlorine in treating water for human consumption may not know the chemical beyond its usage.

    Laboratory scientists and chemists say the chemical is also a weapon of mass destruction, which can wipe out many humans, animals and plants, as was the case in the leakage in Jos killed human beings, plants and animals.

    Chlorine gas is described as a “highly irritating, greenish-yellow poisonous gas existing as a diatomic gas and capable of combining with nearly all other elements, produced principally by electrolysis of sodium chloride and used widely to purify water, as a disinfectant and bleaching agent, and in the manufacture of many important compounds including chlorates, sodium hypochlorite, and chloroform”

    A laboratory scientist in the Laboratory Science Department of University of Jos, Mr. Danjuma Kumbak said, “Chlorine is very poisonous, being highly irritating to the nose, throat, and lungs, and causing suffocation. It is used in purifying water, as a disinfectant, and bleach.

    He said, “The chemical is only useful to humans when it is dissolved in water, but it is poisonous to human beings when consumed in its raw stage. Such accident can occur through sabotage or careless handling of the chemical.

    “I know that small amounts of chlorine gas can be made in the laboratory by combining hydrochloric acid and manganese dioxide.”

    Historians have revealed that chlorine gas was used as a chemical weapon during the First World War by Germany. Recently, during the Iraq war of 2007, chlorine gas was used in the form of chlorine bombs by insurgents against the local population and coalition forces in the Iraq War. On March 17, 2007, for example, three chlorine-filled trucks were detonated in the Anbar province, killing two and sickening over 350. Other chlorine bomb attacks resulted in higher death tolls, with more than 30 deaths on two separate occasions.

  • All for Buhari in Cameroon

    Though not the first Nigerian leader to visit Cameroon, President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day trip to the country may be well be one of the most memorable.

    Buhari, who was the fourth Nigeria’s President to visit the country behind former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’ Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, completely seized the airwave and cyberspace many days before the visit.

    Apart from a tumultuous crowd that turned out to welcome and bade him fareware, almost all the programmes on television, radio and social media in the country completely focused on Buhari’s visit.

    Discussions at any little gathering of Cameroonians also centred on Buhari with excitement of the visit glaringly showing on their faces.

    Different groups of women, men and youth in the various colourful Cameroonian national attires dancing and showcasing their culture were at many points between the Yaounde International Airport and the Hilton Hotel, where Buhari stayed.

    They were also on the roads leading to the Presidential Villa, known as the ‘Unity Palace’ and on many roads in the city.

    At every point, security personnel had hectic day keeping the crowd in check to prevent them from spilling to the roads in excitement.

    While armed security personnel dotted the two sides of major roads in the city, snipers were strategically positioned on top of high rise buildings looking out for troublemakers.

    Any road where vehicles were allowed to ply prior and during the visit, had many check points where the vehicles and passengers were thoroughly screened.

    Pedestrians were not left out as they were made to open any bag on them for searching.

    Shops, doors and gates to buildings by the roadside of Buhari’s routes were shut throughout the visit.

    Nigeria and Cameroon flags and banners with various messages on the strong ties between the two countries were hung on the two sides of the road at intermittent intervals

    Besides the rolling out of drums by the Cameroonians and Nigerians residing in the country, the visit is viewed as a great plus for security in the sub region aimed at defeating the Boko Haram terrorists.

    The visit is also expected to boost bilateral relations between the two countries

    As part of the communique read in the presence of the two leaders at the end of the visit by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Ismail Aliyu, the two leaders agreed to complete the demarcation of the land border between Nigeria and Cameroon before the end of the year in order to concentrate on enhancing cross-border cooperation.

    They also endorsed the commitments made at the Extraordinary Summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic held on June 11, 2015 in Abuja.

    The two leaders agreed to strengthen security collaboration along their common border under the auspices of the Nigeria-Cameroon Trans-Border Security Committee and within the framework of the implementation of the concept of strategic operations approved at the Abuja Summit.

    They reaffirmed their determination to strengthen cooperation with other neighbouring countries for the rapid elimination of  terrorism and other security threats.

    Thanking the United Nations, the African Union, the ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States and other bilateral and multilateral partners for active solidarity against Boko Haram, they reaffirmed their support for the implementation of the Lake Chad Basin Commission’s Five-Year Investment Programme (2013-2017).

    This seeks to save Lake Chad, restore its ecosystem and promote the socio-economic development of the people living within the basin.

    The two leaders also welcomed the first meeting of Governors of contiguous states and regions on the Nigeria-Cameroon border in Yaounde, calling for such regular meetings to strengthen collaboration between the two countries.

    One of the governors on the visit, Adamawa State Governor, Jibrilla Bindow said: “I am very happy to be part of this team. Though it concerns me because I am one of the governors that are affected by this insurgency, Adamawa is one of the frontline states.

    “As you know, Mr. President is a serious person and the Cameroonians are very happy to meet him. We the six governors that came with the president are also highly impressed.

    “Our expectations are very important for our people. Apart from the insurgency that affects the North East states, Yobe in particular because of the mountains around the state. I’m sure Boko Haram will soon be a thing of the past.

    “It is also highly important, Cameroon and Nigeria has already signed an MoU to reconstruct the road between Demse-Belel-Jimeta-Gerei. So we are very impressed and looking forward to seeing some of the implementations of what we have agreed. The road is very important for the movement of goods and services.”

    On his part, Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade, said: “It has been a fantastic outing, a closed-door meeting between President Buhari and Paul Biya, with extensive outcomes. Emphatically looking at the Boko Haram menance and see how, through that bilateral cooperation, they can curb the incidences of Boko Haram.

    “My hope is that a joint patrol team will be set up, a collaborative effort will be set up to check the Chadian corridor, which will check proliferation of small and light arms to Nigeria. My expectation is that the day of Boko Haram will soon be over.”

     

    Avoiding past mistakes

     

    Will you like a President who appears to be very fast with policies that get the country nowhere or a seemingly slow President who properly articulates his policies and hit the mark for the progress of the country.

    Many Nigerians, no doubt, will definitely go for the second category of President in order to have their expectations and yearnings met.

    This is a poser for those who may already be feeling that President Muhammadu Buhari, after two months in office, is not as fast as they want.

    In this direction, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa last week Tuesday called for patience.

    He said: “Change is not by magic it is driven by the people, the spirit and the character and the planning. We have had so much problem in this country in the past because we run into policy blind folded without adequate and effective planning.

  • Council chief hopes for more revenue

    The chairman of Kwali Area Council, Mr Ibrahim Daniel has expressed the hope that the FCT Internal Revenue Service Board inaugurated in May will collect more revenue in the area councils.

    Speaking during an interview, Daniel said that there were many areas in the council and FCT where that authorities could not collected revenue because there was no enabling law.

    He added that with the board in place, revenue collection will be made easier.

    There was no enabling law. Like the property task in Abuja, it runs into billions of naira. From the projection, in FCT, if they are to collect revenue on it, it will run into billions,” he said.

    He noted that development will be recorded in the councils as whatever the board collected as revenue, 60 per cent will be plunged back to the councils.

    “The good news for the councils is that whatever the board collected from the revenue, 60 per cent will be plunged back to the council. It is a massive change,” he said.

    Daniel expressed hope that though the board will face various challenges, the FCT residents will begin to get its impact before the year runs out.

    “There might be challenges this time around, administrative structures, modalities for collecting the revenue and how to kick-start it. I am sure that before the year runs out, we will begin to get the impact of the FCT Revenue Board,” he said.

    Recall that the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Bala Mohammed, has the inauguration the board following the signing of the law by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Mohammed had stated  that the FCT administration expects to generate N400 billion annually through the board adding that the board had responsibility for assessment, collection and accounting for revenues accruable to the FCT and other related matters.

  • Council chair makes case for autonomy

    The chairman of Kwali area council, Hon Ibrahim Daniel has stated that the autonomy for local governments in the states and abolishing of joint state and local government system, would help bring about development at the grassroots.

    Daniel who was speaking in an interview stated that the local government autonomy if implemented, will bring positive transformation to the lives of the people at the grass root.

    Reacting to the report of the autonomy granted by  Kaduna State Governor, Mallam  Nasir El-Rufai  for local governments in the state and the abolishing of joint state and local government system, Daniel urged more states in the country to follow suit as it will no doubt bring development to the door step of the people.

    “The governor of Kaduna State is replicating what he as a minister saw in FCT. He met one of the best practice of FCT administration and decided to take it to his state. The area council account in FCT have been an autonomous account. Whatever FCT administration generates, 10 per cent goes to the area councils. If other states will follow suit, It will bring development will be seen at the door step of the people.

    “Whatever money that is meant for the councils should be giving to them so that the developemnt will reach to the people.  For me, there should be only two tiers of government in the country, the local government and the federal government. The state does not have a jurisdiction, they exist under the local government. What you see is the capital center being developed while the local government are let on their own,” he said.

    He expressed sadness that in most states, development was only recorded in the city capital adding that it was bad as the state fund should be equitable distributed so that development will be for everyone.

    “The state funds are meant for equitable distribution. If more local government created, they will deal with the people in the grass root and federal government have to do with international issues, the military and other issues,” he said.