The Nation Newspaper

Category: Special Report

  • Technology: New vista for smallholder farmers

    Technology: New vista for smallholder farmers

    Technology is essential for the development of agriculture and more beneficial to the smallholder farmers. JULIANA AGBO examines the need for them to embrace technology as a crucial element in the success story of agriculture in Nigeria

     

    AGRICULTURAL technologies are elixir to poverty in most developing countries. This is so because technologies are regarded as the foundations of rural economic growth and development.

    For this reason, many governments and aid agencies constantly introduce technological innovations to rural farmers with the view of empowering them.

    However, the rate of adoption of these technologies has remained low in most countries. Daily, farmers are confronted with arguments from anti-technology groups on whether there is the need for smallholder farmers, which are in the majority in Nigeria, to use technology to step up their agricultural production in order to ensure bumper harvest at the end of each farming season.

    Farmers in more developed climes use sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, drones and GPS technology. These advanced devices, precision agriculture and robotic systems allow farming to be more profitable, efficient, safe and environmentally-friendly. Yet, in Africa, smallholder farmers are in faced with the ambivalence of using or not using the technological devices.

    ‘Portfolio farmers’ (those who claim to be farmers but actually do not own farms) who always speak on television or radio about what the rural farmer should or not do, have been doing everything possible to discourage our farmers from accessing what could change their fortune.

    On the other hand, agriculturalists, including plant breeders, entomologists and other researchers across the agricultural production value chain are, in most cases, too busy in the laboratory or in the fields to argue with this group of arm-chair critics.

    As a result, people are pressured to accept the numerous lies being peddled by anti-technology critics as truth. Some of those lies include messages that suggest that “it is better to continue to use the hoe and cutlass just like our grandfathers did and that, hybrid crops are tasteless, farmers will be dependent on owners of technologies for life and technologies are meant to enslave farmers, among others.

    According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation, about two-thirds of the developing world’s three billion rural people live in about 475 million small farm households, working on land plots smaller than two hectares. Many of them are poor and food insecure and have limited access to markets and services. Their choices are constrained, but they farm their land and produce food for a substantial proportion of the world’s population.

    In Nigeria, more than 80 per cent of farmers are smallholders. Agriculture is a major contributor to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) and smallholder farmers play dominant roles in this contribution. A smallholder farmer depends on his efficiency in the utilisation of basic production resources available to him. He makes a significant and important contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), about 99 per cent of total crops output. The smallholder farmer is the main producer of the food consumed in Nigeria.

    Agriculture is a major contributor to Nigeria’s GDP, the smallholder farmer plays a central role in our economy.

     

    They deserve life-changing technologies

     

    There are many scientific and technological innovations being applied in agricultural production. However, the pressure on farmers to produce more with finite resources has never ceased. A major way to improve traceability, sustainability, and quality of goods from a farm is through the adoption of technology.

    African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) maintains that the agricultural sector is a key foundational pillar as Africa consolidates its economic growth and carves out its new position as a major global economic powerhouse and the next global growth market.

    AATF came into being to respond to the need for an effective mechanism that would facilitate and support negotiation for technology access and delivery and formation of appropriate partnerships to manage the development and deployment of innovative technologies for use by smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    The organisation supports farmers in Africa, especially smallholder farmers in their quest for access to best agricultural technology by uniting key stakeholders and technology transfer as a priority for Africa’s agricultural progress.

    AATF believes that better access to agricultural technologies will boost the productivity of smallholder farmers. Through its activities, it aims at reaching 16 million smallholder farmers by 2022.

    Already, farmers in Nigeria have tasted the benefits of technological interventions with the commercial release of SAMPEA 20-T, the Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) Cowpea that has been described by some farmers as the greatest development to have happened to beans farming.

    The new cowpea variety developed in collaboration with the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, has many qualities that are lacking in the existing cowpea varieties.

    It has resistance against the deadly pod sucking insect called Maruca that has been the nightmare of cowpea farmers over the years. The PBR Cowpea matures quickly, as it needs just 60 days. It also needs just two applications of fertiliser pesticide as against the usual eight to 10 applications for other varieties. This translates to better health for farmers.

     

    Need to adopt technology

     

    On the need to adopt technology in the agriculture sector, a female farmer in Niger State, Mrs Halima Abu, who spoke to The Nation said digital technology has opened vast untapped potential for farmers, investors and entrepreneurs to improve the efficiency of food production and consumption in Nigeria.

    Mrs Abu said from precision farming to an efficient food supply chain, technology could bring major economic, social and environmental benefits.

    “Technology has been helpful to some farmers who have adopted the method. There is a need for every farmer to adopt technology because we are gradually moving from our old system of farming to a sophisticated system.

    “AATF is also leading research into the production of NEWEST rice in Nigeria and other African countries; a rice variety that can withstand drought, utilise less nitrogen and which can be grown in all parts of Nigeria under its Nitrogen Use Efficient Water Efficient Salt Tolerant (NEWEST) NEWEST rice project that is being carried out with the National Cereal Research Institute, Badegi in Niger State.

    “The NEWEST Rice when available next year, is expected to significantly cut down Nigeria’s dependence on foreign rice by half,” she said.

    On the Cassava Mechanisation and Agro-Processing (CAMAP) project implemented in Southwest, a cassava grower in Oyo State, Ayodeji Adewale said the project has opened a new world of opportunity for many cassava farmers.

    “Cassava farmers in the country were hitherto producing less than 10 tons per hectare but with CAMAP, the story changed as cassava farmers in the Southwest who participated in the project are now producing about 30 tons per hectare.

    An expert, Mr Jide Olajuwon who spoke on the place of technology in the agriculture sector, said the place of technology can never be overemphasised as they strive to feed the huge population.

    “Deploying technology to modern agricultural production will help in feeding our huge population, even amid various challenges such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, drought and climate change.

    “AATF is showing real promise and is a problem solver in bringing innovative technologies to smallholder farmers in an accessible, sustainable form,” he added.

  • FCT women farmers worry about insecurity, resources

    FCT women farmers worry about insecurity, resources

    With the havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown that left the world at standstill, GRACE OBIKE, with support from the International Budget Partnership (IBP), had a chat with smallholder women farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on how the situation affected them.

    Imagine a farmer braving the lockdown that commenced in March, trekking back and forth to her farm for lack of transportation, labouring for weeks to cultivate her farmland, which is her only means of livelihood and finally planting maize.

    She tends it like a baby since he cannot purchase the much-needed fertiliser that this type of crop thrives on, then watches it grow to waist length as the weeks go by only to return on a fateful day to discover that all he had planted had been eaten up by herds of cattle.

    The above scenario is the plight of many small-scale farmers in different parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Asibi Gade, a small-scale woman farmer who resides in Small Shada, opposite the Mathematical Centre in Kwali Area Council, rents farmlands for N10, 000 per season on which to grow cassava which she will process into fufu in large quantity for sale, corn and rice, recalls tales of her recent loss to the herdsmen.

    The widow and mother of two who resides in a tiny two bedroom bungalow with her unemployed graduate son, explained to The Nation how last year, she and a group of women contributed resources and rented hectares of land for N10, 000 per hectare, cultivated corn and soybeans with the aim of sharing the profit. But when some of them went to harvest the produce, they found cattle on the farm having a field day.

    “The herdsmen surrounded our women, uprooted the produce and fed them to their cattle. We lost everything. We arrested the herdsmen and took them to the police, but they advised us to accept the N20, 000 compensation they offered us if we don’t want to lose everything,” she said.

    In Jiwa community of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), the experience of the farmers is similar.

    Comfort Sunday just began a fish farm about two weeks ago to supplement her income from crops. She is just one of hundreds of women in the community that farm in a large expanse of land divided into small plots without any form of demarcation among over 500 women who cultivate various vegetables such as waterleaf, garden-eggs and other crops. She plants rice, beans, corn and groundnut.

    Last year, her group, the Smallholder Women Farmers’ of Nigeria (SWOFON) applied to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for fertiliser, which they eventually got at a subsidised rate. She used the fertiliser on her beans crop and applied sufficient herbicides to ensure a good yield. Her bean crops were almost ready for harvest when herdsmen came to her farm and she lost everything as they cattle destroyed everything.

    When she spoke with our reporter at her farm, she said during the lockdown, a couple in the community was returning from the farm when they came across herdsmen feeding their cattle with a neighbour’s crop. They confronted the herdsmen who attacked them with sticks and cutlasses and were eventually rescued by youths who got wind of the incident.

    Why Smallholder women farmers

    According to a research conducted by Bashir Babura and published in the Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol. 7 (1) in 2017, more than 80 per cent of farmers in Nigeria are smallholder farmers who produce an estimated 98 per cent of the food consumed in Nigeria apart from wheat. Many of the farmers are women. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alone, the Programme Coordinator SWOFON, Ogechi Okebugwu said at least 13,000 small-scale farmers are women.

    Their farming is, however, constantly disrupted by incidents of clashes with herders in search of food for their cattle.  To stem these incidents, the Federal Government attempted to introduce the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) policy, which was developed by the National Livestock Transformation Plan under the Nigerian Economic Council, but the move was faulted and has been adopted only by some states.

    In pursuit of its diversification toward agriculture, the Federal Government’s budgetary allocations have continued to increase from 1.25 per cent in 2016 to 1.82 per cent in 2017 and 2.23 per cent in 2018.

    Apart from launch of the programmes such as the N150 billion credit relief package by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for agriculture food chain businesses, FarmerMoni loans which have a three-month repayment period and the presidential fertiliser initiative for the 2020 farming season, the Federal Government recently announced that it intends to secure 995million Euro-worth of agricultural equipment for Nigerian farmers.

    The FCT Authority also has the Agriculture Development Project (ADP), which delivers to women extension services towards ensuring that they are coordinated to key into agriculture development programmes.

    The Deputy Director of Information and Communication of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCT, Zakaria Aliyu said at the inception of every season, farmers are invited and offered subsidised agro-inputs such as fertilisers, insecticides, seedlings, poultry feeds, day-old chicks; fish processing inputs, water pumps and sprayers at 50 per cent subsidy.

    In 2018 about 6,000 farmers were said to have benefited from the subsidy and 9,000 last year, but the support is yet to commence this farming season due to the lockdown, which has just been relaxed.

    Who benefits from the programmes?

    Despite the government’s investments in the agriculture sector, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has severely affected farming activities and, according to Gade, a food crisis may be inevitable in the country.

    A resident of Kuchibuyi, a sleepy village in Bwari Area Council Laraba Shuiabu, is the second of two wives of a local farmer who has nine children and had spent most of the lockdown period caring for a daughter who had just undergone surgery.

    Unlike the other women farmers, Shuiabu, who owns a large farm about 40 minutes’ walk from her home, cultivates corn, rice and groundnut, explained that while she had a bountiful harvest last year, sold high volume of her corn fresh during the season from which she paid her children’s school fees and other bills. She added that she still had up to 50 bags of dry corn which she sold, even as she said she has barely planted enough to feed her family this year.

    She further explained that her bounty was possible last year because she hired a tractor to plough her farm, had access to pesticides, fertiliser and sufficient seedlings, but cannot afford to do same this year. She had to cultivate just a small portion of her farm on her own while the rest lay fallow because she is too exhausted to do more. This indicates that she won’t have enough to sell this year.

    Investigations by The Nation revealed that many of the women usually engage in menial jobs or sell their crops to earn enough money to buy all they needed for the new season.

    “I am used to packing sand from the river and sell to trucks who in turn sell to builders,” Shuiabu explained.

    She continued: “The money that I realise from this is what I use to hire tractor, buy seedlings, fertiliser and pesticides for my farm at a subsidised rate from the FCT, but they asked us not to leave home so I could not make the money I need. Last year, I used 10 bags of fertiliser on my farm but even if they offer me this year, I don’t have the money.

    “With the way things are right now, this and the coming year, things will be hard in this country because we don’t have money to invest in our farms. We are unable to go out and sell the little produce we have because they asked us not to leave the house.”

    Gade explained that she had lost over N50,000 during the lockdown because she was unable to supply her fufu to her consumers in the town like she always did and buyers that eventually made it to their community insisted on buying it half the price.

    She said the development has affected the income she and other members of the community who survive off supplying fufu to the Abuja metropolis need to invest in her farm this season, adding that access to fertiliser will be a huge factor that determines yield this season because farmers like herself are unable to go and apply for fertiliser at the FCDA due to the lockdown.

    What about the loans?

    The Smallholder women farmers in the FCT who spoke with The Nation explained that, apart from lack of access to herbicides/pesticides, fertilisers, knapsacks and improved seedlings at subsidised rates, small-scale farmers are afraid of applying for the numerous farmers’ loans the government claims it is providing for them due to inability to meet the repayment terms.

    “I am scared of loans because some of my neighbours who collected loans from micro-finance banks and other places now sleep inside the bush because of the aggressive way they chase them for the repayment of even N10, 000.

    “They don’t have rest of mind. It scares me and I know that as a widow, no one will rescue me when the time comes. If I collect, how will I pay back? The fufu that I sell is no longer profitable because of the COVID-19; people no longer come to buy like before,” she said.

    Sunday believes that the process of acquiring the loan is too stressful with the need for collateral and other requirements.

    “The stress that one goes through to get the money is too much. It’s better one manages what one has,” she said.

    A poultry farmer from Peyi village in Ushafa, under the Bwari Area Council, Wakilat Okeji  said the government is yet to make any provision for small-scale poultry farmers that will help them make profit.

    “For me, Tradersmoni is just N50, 000.  It’s not enough. My Marketmoni is just N10, 000. If one wants to set up a farm of 1,000 capacity birds, one will need not less than N1.8 million to N2 million. A standard poultry farm will help reduce the risk of mortality, but as a start-up poultry farmer, I cannot access N2 million from the regular commercial banks or some of the interventions offered by the government. They will still fund only small-scale where they give things such as N100, 000, N200, 000, which will not be enough to produce the capacity of making profit.”

    She said she recently tried applying for the COVID-19 support but when she saw the conditions for N1.5 million, which include movable assets, a guarantor that is a professional or civil servant on level 12 and above, she was discouraged.

    Way out

    The Programme Coordinator of SWOFON said the group is currently working on getting a good bargain for their members to access opportunities provided by the government through the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), including subsidised crops, subsidised livestock, commercial crops, machinery, equipment and agro-processing equipment.

    Until that happens, farmers such as Shuiabu believe that women such as herself will not be comfortable applying for loans. She suggested that government officials should follow them to their communities and mobilise them rather than giving money to people who claim to represent them.

    The Deputy Director of Information and Communication of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCT, however, said support for the farmers is based on recommendations of agriculture officers who reside in the farm communities.

    But Gade said the present interest rates on the loans offered by the government is too high, even as she called for the provision of power tillers, hand planters and improved seedlings.

    “To encourage small-scale poultry farmers, the government should adopt the clustering method where they provide cluster facilities which will be like a hub where farmers can go and rent space. The space should have the capacity of 1, 000 birds per batch and all the needed facilities such as light, water, a veterinary doctor and security are provided to secure the pens,” Okeji stated.

    More than providing facilities and affordable loans, Sunday said the problem of the herdsmen must also be addressed.

    “If the government provides all that is needed and does not handle the menace of the herdsmen in our communities, then it will be as good as returning to square one because we will plant, weed but not harvest,” she said.

  • Ex-police officer demands entitlement 45 years after

    Ex-police officer demands entitlement 45 years after

    Madam Mary Iyabode Oyebade was a terror to criminals in her heyday as a police officer. OYEBOLA OWOLABI reports that 45 years after her forced retirement, the ex-Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) ‘Iya Toyin Olopa’ as she was fondly called, is yet to receive her full entitlement.

    After her forceful retirement in 1975, not much has been heard of Madam Mary Iyabode Oyebade, also known as Iya Toyin Olopa. She was a police officer who was feared by friends and foes alike for her incorruptible stance and dedication to duty.

    Madam Oyebade was a hard nut to crack as she ensured criminals enjoyed time in prison. She also made money for the government. She didn’t set out to be a police officer as she was training to be a teacher; after all teaching was the most favoured job for ladies during her younger years. Nevertheless, her husband ensured she joined the force (they were both police officers).

    The ex-Chief Superintendent of Police’s (CSP) foray into the police force could best be described as divinely arranged as she was just brought to Lagos without prior knowledge of what she was coming to do. She got into the force and displayed dedication, rising to become a CSP before her forceful retirement in 1975.

    Her late husband, Rufus Akanni Oyebade, was also a police officer. He retired as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Lagos and died in 2018.

    Madam Oyebade joined the police force in 1954. She trained at the Southern Police Training College in Ikeja, Lagos State (now known as Police Training College). The training lasted six months and she excelled in all activities.

    She narrated: “I underwent six-month training at the Southern Police Training College in Ikeja, Lagos State. Our morning routine included a three-mile race before returning to the compound and I was always the winner. Even in written examinations, I always took the lead. I would also ask our hostel coordinator, Miss Barnes, to tell our lecturers to explain to me anything that wasn’t too clear. After the six months, I was the all-round best corps.”

    “After passing out, I was sent to the Denton Police Station in Ebute-Metta, where my husband also worked. I never knew my husband had arranged that I should be posted to the same station where he worked. I was always given difficult tasks at Denton. I was sent to tough areas but I always overcame, the hoodlums won’t operate until I had left the areas.”

    The funny part of her job was that she was never transferred outside Lagos all through her years in service before retiring in Abeokuta in 1975.

    Sadly, however, it has been 45 years since Madam Oyebade left active service but she is yet to get her full entitlement. She was paid a fraction of it and till now she hasn’t gotten the rest.

    She is, therefore, pleading with the government to pay what is due to her, after all a worker deserves her wages.

    “I was forcibly retired on five false allegations, and when none of the allegations could be proven, I was retired in the ‘interest of the public’ since I didn’t allow offenders access to lawyers, and Magistrates would only take my word to sentence the offenders to one month in custody or N5,000 which goes to government coffers.

    “My benefits were not paid quickly. When it was eventually paid, it was just a fraction of everything and until today, the government has not paid the rest,” she lamented.

    The ex-CSP also lamented the current state of the police force. According to her, the current force lacks discipline and so things will continue to go awry.

    She said: “There is nothing like police force anymore. Without fear or favour of anybody, I am telling the world we have no police. If you wanted to marry as a police officer then, you will write and your spouse will be interviewed to know if he/she can cope with a police officer and rigours of the job.

    “We will also know the spouse’s background and occupation and the officer will be transferred to the state where the spouse resides. And if there are doubts about the spouse, the marriage will not be allowed. Female officers also wear wigs and attachments now which were not allowed back then.”

    Madam Oyebade, who is proud of her accomplishment as an officer of the law, said her diligence and incorruptible stance earned her respect and fame, even after retirement.

    “I never took bribes and also educated my junior colleagues against it. I also performed my duties with utmost diligence; I was a disciplinarian and I was known for that. Even after retirement and I didn’t have the money needed to invest in a business, a businessman whom I had refused his bribe stood as my surety to get a loan from the bank.

    “He promised to repay the loan within three months if I did not. The bank manager also went out of his way to ensure I got the money I needed because he was amazed at me coming to his office for such great need.”

    To better the current state of affairs in the police force, Madam Oyebade said: “The government should recruit former police officers to train the present generation of officers and give them a free hand to operate. Policemen should also stop taking bribes. During my time in the force, we don’t take bribes and if you offer, you will be tried for offering bribes.”

    She would, however, want the people to remember her for whatever they wish to.

  • Imperative of looking inwards for COVID-19 containment

    Imperative of looking inwards for COVID-19 containment

    By Obike Ukoh

    Necessity they say is the mother of invention. The current coronavirus disease, with no known cure yet, has compelled many countries to look inwards on how to tackle the pandemic.

    Though the mandate of the World Health Organisation (WHO) includes advocating for universal healthcare, monitoring public health risks, coordinating responses to health emergencies, promoting human health and well-being, among other, the current situation required indigenous and home grown approaches.

    Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, reiterated the need for indigenous approach, when he said the current COVID-19 pandemic, will alter the balance of ‘World Economic Order.’

    He spoke during a facility visit to the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHETSCO).

    Onu said the COVID-19 pandemic has taught Nigeria and other developing countries the need to develop their indigenous technology in order to solve their problems.

    The minister was at SHETSCO to inspect its products and inputs into COVID-19 management in Nigeria.

    According to Onu, it is only by developing indigenous technology that Nigeria could defeat poverty and unemployment.

    He urged the scientific community to intensify research efforts in order to boost Nigeria’s development.

    In his words: “You must continue to research on products, to ensure sustainability and ensure competitiveness of the research products”.

    The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),  and other research institutes have taken up the challenge to join in the fight to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Recently, NCDC successfully validated the first phase of the viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) extraction which should enable local production of cheap testing kits for coronavirus.

    The validation took place in the laboratory of NABDA in Abuja.

    Read Also: ‘How COVID-19 is affecting financial inclusion’

    The Director-General of NABDA, Prof. Alex Akpa, said the success of the validation was important not only to Nigeria but Africa as a whole.

    “The success of this validation shall enable us to massively produce test kits so that more people would be tested for COVID-19, not only in Nigeria but in Africa.

    “The immediate aim is to produce reagents for real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and remember, recently the lack of reagents stalled work in Kano and molecular diagnosis could no longer take place,’’ Akpa said.

    He also recalled that the absence of the same reagent equally stalled COVID-19 diagnosis in Lagos for many days.

    Dr Ndodo Nnaemeka, Chief Molecular Bio-engineer, National Reference Laboratory of NCDC, said he was mandated by the NCDC Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, to “launch this wonderful project.’’

    According to Nnaemeka, the project is designed to solve the problem of RNA extraction kits which had become a global issue.

    He said there were serious concerns for the need to have more extraction kits in-country, and that there was growing demand worldwide for extraction kits.

    The NCDC chief molecular bioengineer said the first phase of the evaluation results he carried out with the NABDA scientific team was “awesome and successful.’’

    He said that to be able to conduct tests, the viral information which comes as the RNA has to first be extracted and without this extraction, no test can be conducted.

    He added that as scientists, they would soon carry out the second phase of the evaluation which would involve real sample of COVID-19.

    Similarly, Dr Rose Gidado, the Country Coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), said the exercise was historic.

    She said the validated RNAswift Test Kit for COVID-19 was developed by Dr Alison Nwokeoji, a Nigerian scientist at the University of Sheffield, U.K.

    Gidado also disclosed that the new test kit could test more than 20,000 people per day.

     

    • Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

  • Rohr: The good and the bad

    Rohr: The good and the bad

     

    Since coming on board in 2016, the Super Eagles have played some exciting  and some dour matches under German coach Gernot Rohr. The NationSport lists  here  recalls some of the Super Eagles’  outstanding and worst matches under the former Bayern Munich defender…

     

    BEST FIVE

     

    ARGENTINA 2-4 NIGERIA

    The Super Eagles came back from two goals down to beat the Albicesletes 4-2 at the Stadion FK Krasnodar in Russia on November 14, 2017.Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi’s double and Brian Idowu’s delightful goal ensured Gernot Rohr and his men got a big win.

    NIGERIA 4-0 CAMEROON

    The  Indomitable Lions of Cameroonians came into the 2018 World Cup Qualifier played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on September 1, 2017 as African Champions but were dazed 4-0 through the goals of Odion Ighalo, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho.

    BRAZIL 1-1 NIGERIA

    The Selecao  are powerhouse in world football but it didn’t take debutant Joe Aribo much time to stamp his authority by scoring  the curtain raiser at the National Stadium, Singapore on October 13, 2019 in the 35th minute but Real Madrid’s Casemiro equalised for Brazil in the 48th minute.

    NIGERIA 2-0 ICELAND

    Ahmed Musa’s double at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd against Iceland on June 22, 2018 was the Super Eagles only win at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

    NIGERIA 3-1 ALGERIA

    Desert Foxes were Africa’s  most ranked  team when they visited  the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on November 12, 2016 but they walked away like a weather-beaten dogs  with a 3-1 spanking  as the  Super Eagles consolidate their strong start to the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers after the 2-1 away win against Zambia.

     

    WORST FIVE

     

    MADAGASCAR 2-0 NIGERIA

    Despite  consecutive victories over Burundi and Guinea in their opening two games at  the 2019 AFCON,the Super Eagles shockingly lost  2-0 to lowly  Barea of Madagascar at the Alexandria Stadium on June 30, 2019.

    NIGERIA 0-2 SOUTH AFRICA

    After the Super Eagles strong start to the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers ,  Nigerians were expecting another roller coaster against the Bafana Bafana in the 2019 AFCON Qualifier MatchDay One but they got the shock of their lives at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on June 10, 2017 as  Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau goals gave Bafana a rare win.

    NIGERIA 0-2 SERBIA

    The Eagles were far from best against the Serbian in one of their build ups to the Russia 2018 World Cup played at the Hive Stadium, London on March 27, 2018 and they were subsequent beaten 2-0 without much fight.

    NIGERIA 1-1 DR CONGO

    A disappointing  draw against DR Congo  in  their final  friendly game at home before departing for Russia was played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on May 28, 2018.William Troost-Ekong nodded home the opening goal early in the game but were pegged after  Ben Malango  scored from the spot for the visitors.

    NIGERIA 0-0 ZIMBABWE

    It was the Eagles’ final friendly game before leaving for Egypt for the 2019 AFCON but they left much to be desired with a distasteful goalless draw against the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on June 8, 2019.

  • Women farmers’ fear over food insecurity

    Women farmers’ fear over food insecurity

    This is not the first time fear over food insecurity has been expressed as a result of insurgency, banditry and the prevailing Coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown which was aimed at curbing its spread. This time round, it is the turn of the smallholder women farmers in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State that lamented that food insecurity, fueled by banditry and lockdown are major challenges confronting farming this year, writes JUSTINA ASISHANA with input from the International Budget Partnership (IBP).

    Good insecurity and restriction of movement (lockdown) have become major challenges that smallholder women farmers in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have to contend with.

    Prior to the restriction of movement occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic, the women farmers had insecurity to deal with. The imposition of the lockdown was somewhat akin to adding salt to an open sour.

    “This year has not been easy for us. I don’t know how farmers will cope with the current situation in which this year’s farming period has a great deal of encumbrances. How are we going to engage in farm work amid insecurity, insurgency and government lockdown?” Aisha Garbage, a small-scale rice farmer in Gusoko community in Shiroro Local Government Area lamented.

    Aisha decried a situation in which acute shortage of food awaits not only people in Shiroro Local Government Area but also those in Niger State and Nigeria as a whole; even as she explained that the issue of insecurity has affected the community economically. She added that the lockdown has further made the situation worse for the farmers.

    Shiroro Local Government Area can be likened to the basket of food produce in Niger state and the local government area is well known for production of yam, rice and cassava which is used for garri.

    Nevertheless, in the past three years, Shiroro Local Government Area has become the epicentre of armed banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and wanton killings. A once-peaceful and prosperous local government has been reduced to a mere killing field.

    The attacks, which began like child’s play around 2015 has metamorphosed into reoccurring tragedy, as women are raped, children forced to become orphans, able-bodied youths killed, villages sacked and destroyed, cattle rustled, farm produce destroyed, properties stolen and people kidnapped for ransom.

    As at April 2020, over 97 communities in eight wards have experienced one or more bandits’ attacks.

    For women farmers in the local government area, it is no longer easy to farm in a peaceful atmosphere, especially with the combination of insecurity and the lockdown, which is part of government’s measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, which has further worsened their economic situation and ability of women to go to their farms to cultivate their crops.

    In Gusoko community, Aisha Garba, a small-scale rice farmer, explained that the situation of farming this year is terrible as a lot of women farmers can no longer go to their farms because of the apprehension of being attacked or raped by bandits.

    “Farming this year will be terrible because our lives are not safe because of insecurity. Up till this moment, our people are still afraid to go back to their homes in order to farm in their communities because the bandits always come in their numbers to attack them.

    “Engaging in farming this year is risky because not all our farmers are going back to their farms as their lives are at risk. We are all afraid. We even received a message from them (the bandits) that our people should go back and farm and that when they farm, they (the bandits) are still coming back next year. The source of this information is unknown. Our people are afraid to go back to till the land.

    “So, for now, we do not know what will happen next year because not all people are going back to farm this year. Some of our people in these affected communities have left the communities entirely; some have left the state and have gone to another state to stay,” she said.

    Aisha further lamented that they have lost most of their rice, soya beans and sorghum crops which were stored as seedlings for the next planting season that is supposed to begin this month, adding that the bandits have invaded their storage facilities and carted away everything while those they could not cart away were destroyed.

    Aisha, who sells her farm produce directly to buyers at the Shiroro Market lamented that during the restriction of movement by government, she had to sell her produce at a very low price because she needed money to buy other essentials.

    When the restriction of movement began in Niger State, two days were given as window period for people to move. However, it was then increased to three days.

    She, nonetheless confessed that market business is low but the prices of the commodities are upbeat even though they are still not safe at the market as the unexpected could happen.

    “The market business is low except for the commodity whose prices are going higher and higher. Some of the women have not been able to convey their products to the market because of insecurity and lockdown. Even if they are in the market, you will hear ‘they are coming’ and everybody will start running. It has affected a lot of our communities. It is affecting us seriously.

    “People increase the small commodities that they were able to bring to the market, because they do not know when next they will come to the market to sell. A module of groundnut costs over N500 which have never happened before. The prices are rising steeply.

    “Personally, my own produce was sold at a very low price because I took it to the market when I needed money during the lockdown period and the prices were low at that time. So, I sold it out at a giveaway price because I needed the money and there is nothing I could have done.”

    While on the farm, you have to be extra vigilant observant – Mairo Nuhu

    “In Shiroro Local Government Area, it is very difficult to farm this period because as one bends down to farm, and one hears a noise, one has to turn, one has to be extra vigilant about the happenings around one when one is farming,” said Mairo Nuhu, the Shiroro Coordinator for Small Scale Women Farmers’ Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON).

    Mairo, who is a rice, yam and sorghum farmer, said it is becoming increasingly difficult for women and men to farm in the area during this period, observing that “we are farming in insecure times.”

    She revealed that many women, along with their husbands, had been attacked while farming, even as she noted that some of the women farmers have been raped, while others have been forcefully turned into wives of the bandits.

    “They come in their numbers, on 50 or 40 motorcycles, and each carries three people fully armed. Sometimes they won’t touch the women, they will just kill the man, even if it is in the compound, they will follow the men and kill them and if they look around the women and see the one that fascinates them, the woman becomes their wife. So, all these are things that we are experiencing,” she said.

    She said that these incessant attacks have greatly affected the output and sales of their farm produce as the bandits target the storage and take the farm produce they desire any time they attack villages.

    “These attacks have affected our storage. If you store your food for the next farming season, the bandits will pick the best one and the rest. No seedlings, no food to eat, no place to farm, no place to sleep.

    “We don’t know from where we will get help. Farming this period is very risky. ”

    Mairo said the lockdown has further increased their sufferings as before now, they could go out to transact business and farm despite the fear of bandits but these days, there is no freedom to move anywhere until the window period approved by the government for people to go out and stock up their homes.”

    ‘We spend a lot feeding Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)’

    The women farmers also lamented that despite the fact that they cannot go to the farm nor do business, they spend more on food now than before; some of them expressed fear of not having enough seedlings to plant during the planting season because they have been eating some of the seedlings saved for planting.

    Mairo said: “We still have Internally Displaced People in the town. They are in Kuta Primary School. If you see where they sleep and what they eat, you pity them. Some of them squat with relations and we spend more on food just to support these people. ”

    One of the women farmers, Madam Habiba said: “Our village is filled with many displaced people. We now cook up to 20 modules because we have to feed those who have been homeless as a result of insecurity. ”

    Aisha said: “Our own food security is threatened because we have to accommodate these IDPs. Some of our people who were affected by the insecurity have to be accommodated in our houses.”

    Appeal for security

    The women farmers have called on government at all levels to provide security for the local government council. They lamented that previous appeals seem to have fallen on deaf ears as they have not seen any improvement in the security situation in the council despite the promises and media hype that has been done about curtailing the activities of bandits.

    “Government should come to our aid. If you sell your cattle or farm produce and they hear about you, they will waylay you and collect the money. If you prove stubborn, they will shoot you. The money is gone, the cow or produce is gone and one’s life is wasted,” Mairo said.

    Aisha wants the government to fish out the informants and deal with them.

    “For a long time, we have been calling on the government to come to our aid as a result of insecurity that has affected our economic situation.

    “We have informants from within that feed the bandits who come to attack us with information.”

    Informants are our problem in eradicating the bandits – Niger Government

    On the plight of the people, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, stated that security agencies have been trying to overrun the bandits but their efforts are being sabotaged by informants who divulge the strategies of the security agencies and their movement to the bandits.

    The governor said the issue of banditry in Shiroro Local Government Area and the neighbouring councils is a source of concern for the state, especially as the areas are known for farm produce, which bring in revenue to the state.

    “This is a very serious challenge to us because the bandits are working with some highly-placed members of the affected communities who give them vital information thereby aiding them from been tactically isolated and overrun.

    “The state has been confronted with serial security threats in recent times and government will not be deterred by the unpatriotic activities of such saboteurs but will do everything possible to bring an end to crime and criminality in the state.”

    Bello urged the people to support the government in the fight against the bandits by reporting people they suspect to be aiding the bandits and to also provide useful information to the security agencies in order to trace their movements and checkmate their nefarious activities.”

  • Buhari’s change agenda

    Buhari’s change agenda

    Five years ago, President Muhammadu Buhari attained the leadership of Nigeria. One major promise he made was to end the era of business as usual. How well has he delivered on this promise to change the then status quo? ROBERT EGBE examines the scorecard

    If you have been following the back and forth between the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and the opposition parties, particularly the People Democratic Party (PDP) over their respective performance sheets, you could be a little confused.

    The PDP often boasts that things were far better for the country during its 16 years in power than during President Muhammadu Buhari’s five of an eight-year term.

    In a tweet last Friday, the country’s main opposition party, said Buhari had “nothing to show” Nigerians in form of achievement since he was elected president.

    Of course, presidential spokesman Mr Femi Adesina, not only verbally refuted the PDP’s claims, he also released a fact-sheet of the achievements of the president in five years, as proof.

    “Between May 29, 2015, when it was inaugurated for the first term, and now, the Buhari administration has made salutary impact in almost all the facets of Nigerian life,” he had said in a statement.

    “The government swept into office on the wings of change, and that change has been wrought in nearly all phases of national life. Where the lofty goals are yet to be attained, it is work in progress, and eyes are firmly fixed on the ball. No distraction.”

    An examination of the fact-sheet seems to corroborate Adesins’s claims that the Federal Government is, indeed, slowly changing Nigerians’ lives for good.

    Agriculture

    The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, has made available more than N200 billion in funding to more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers of 16 different commodities (Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soy Beans, Groundnut, Fish), cultivating over 1.4 million hectares of farmland.

    According to the government, the ABP has substantially raised local production of rice, doubling the production of paddy as well as milled rice between 2015 and 2019.

    Between 2016 and 2019, more than 10 new rice mills came on-stream in Nigeria. Many of the existing Mills have expanded their capacity; several new ones are under construction.

    More than a billion dollars of private sector investments have been recorded in the production of rice, wheat, sugar, poultry, animal feed, fertilisers, etc, since 2015.

    The Presidential Fertiliser Initiative: was launched in January 2017, as a Government-to-Government agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco.

    More than a million metric tonnes of fertiliser has been produced since 2017. This translated to distribution of more than 18 million 50kg bags of NPK fertilizer in the first three years of the PFI)

    22 blending plants have been resuscitated with a combined installed capacity of more than 2.5m MT.

    A price reduction from 9,000-11,000 per bag, to 5,500 was achieved.

    Also achieved is FX savings of $150m annually through the substitution of imported components with locally manufactured ones and subsidy savings of N50 billion annually.

    Pensions

    In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons working in organisations with less than three employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.

    The Buhari Administration is also paying the pension arrears owed staff of current and privatised/defunct Federal agencies.

    They are: N54 billion released to settle outstanding 33 percent pension arrears dating back to 2010 when the minimum wage was increased to N18,000.

    3,542 pensioners of the Delta Steel Company (liquidated in 2005) have now been placed on the payroll, ending a 13-year wait for their entitlements. And in NITEL, 9,216 pensioners have been put on the payroll after more than a decade of neglect.

    Also, retired Biafran Police Officers (dismissed by the Federal Government in 1971, after the Civil War ended, and pardoned by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000), have been paid their dues.

    Monetary, fiscal, trade, immigration, consumer protection reforms

    For the first time Nigeria has a consolidated, unified database of all taxpayers (individual and corporate), across all States. The launch of a new Tax Identification Number (TIN) Registration System was done in 2019.

    The country also established the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations by the Economic Management Team (EMT). The NOTN has produced Nigeria’s first Annual National Trade Report, and is compiling, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, a comprehensive database of Nigerian Trade Deals and Agreements. Also, the Renminbi-Naira Swap Agreement between the Peoples Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria was sealed 0n April 27, 2018. That day, the CBN signed a three-year bilateral currency swap agreement with the Peoples Bank of China (PBoC), worth Chinese Yuan (CNY) 15 billion – equivalent to N720.00 billion or US$2.5 billion.

    Budget

    Budget proposal submission, which used to be done manually (submissions in hard copy and flash drives), has moved to an online platform, the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), since 2018. The new Budget Submission System significantly improves the transparency and efficiency of the budgeting system.

    This administration has seen to the restoration of Federal Budget to January-December cycle, with the 2020 Budget, for the first time in 12 years.

    Debt management

    Between 2017 and now, Nigeria has issued its first ever Diaspora Bond ($300 million), Sukuk Bond (1st Tranche – 100 billion Naira in 2017; 2nd Tranche of 100 billion Naira in 2018 and 3rd Tranche of 150 billion Naira) and Sovereign Green Bonds.

    The proceeds were used to part–finance the 2017 Budget or fund major road projects across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

    Domestic borrowing costs

    Through the CBN’s policies and directives, Treasury Bill rates – which represent domestic borrowing costs for the Government – have fallen from 16-18 percent per annum in 2017 to 2-6 percent per annum in 2019/2020.

    Fiscal support to states

    The Buhari Administration has extended more than N2 trillion naira in bailout packages to State Governments, to enable them meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the first 3 years of the Administration. The support includes: Budget Support Facility (Total of N614 billion), Paris Club Refunds ($5.4 billion), Infrastructure Loans, Loan Restructuring for Facilities with Commercial Banks.

    Infrastructure

    Three major rail projects inherited from previous administrations have been completed and commissioned: Abuja Metro Rail and the Abuja-Kaduna Rail, and the 327km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail, started in 1987, have been completed in 2020.

    A fourth Rail Project, the Lagos-Ibadan Rail Project, kicked off in 2017, and is due to be completed in 2020. The track-laying for the main component of the project was completed in March 2020.

    The Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) which kicked off in 2018 with seed funding of US$650 million has already disbursed funds for three critical road projects: Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.

    The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in March 2018 invested US$11m to establish a world-class Cancer Treatment Center at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), which commenced operations in 2019.

    Also, work is ongoing on two $5m Diagnostic Centres in the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

    Abuja’s Light Rail system has been completed; it connects the city centre with the Airport, and the Abuja-Kaduna Railway Line.

    New Abuja and Port Harcourt International Airport Terminals completed, in Q4 2018. New Lagos and Kano International Airport Terminals scheduled for completion in 2020.

    The reconstruction of the Abuja Airport runway was completed within the scheduled six-week period (March – April 2017). The reconstruction of the Enugu International Airport Runway is scheduled for 2020.

    Power sector

    The Federal Government’s Energising Economies Programme is a public-private partnership led by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), to deliver stable power supply to markets and economic clusters across the country. The initial phase is ongoing in Ariaria Market in Aba, Abia State (32,000 shops), Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos (1,000 shops), Shomolu Printing Community in Lagos (4,000 shops) and the Sabon Gari Market in Kano (12,000 shops). The Sura Shopping Complex project was completed in August 2018, and commissioned by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in October 2018.

    The administration also launched a 1.3 Trillion Naira Payment Assurance Programme to resolve the liquidity challenges in the power sector by guaranteeing payments to Generating Companies and Gas Suppliers.

    More than 90 Transmission Projects were completed or ongoing since 2016.

    Oil and gas

    NNPC is set to commence construction of the 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) natural gas pipeline, which will traverse Kogi, Niger, FCT, Kaduna and Kano, and feed power plants and industries along the corridor. NNPC has paid the 15 percent counterpart funding for the $2.9 billion project, while the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the issuance of a sovereign guarantee to cover the rest of the funding, coming from the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation.

    The Modular Refinery Initiative of the Buhari Administration has delivered 3 completed private sector-led projects, in Rivers, Imo and Delta States, and several others are in progress.

    Investing in people

    The Social Investment Programme (SIP) is the largest and most ambitious social safety net programme in the history of Nigeria, with 12 million direct beneficiaries.

    500,000 N-Power beneficiaries have been deployed and are receiving N30,000 in monthly stipends. Additional 40,000 are at various stages of enrolment.

    Home Grown School Feeding Programme

    The scheme has benefitted 9.9 million Primary 1 – 3 pupils being in 54,952 public primary schools in 35 states. More than 107,000 cooks are engaged to deliver these meals.

    Education

    The Federal Government has disbursed more than N170 billion in UBE Matching Grants to States and the FCT since 2015, N8 billion in Special Education Grant to States and private providers of Special Education, and N34 billion from the Teachers Professional Development Fund to States and the FCT.

    Healthcare

    A minimum of $2.5 million has been disbursed to each State of the Federation and the FCT, under the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative, to improve health outcomes.

    An enabling legislation is now in place for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), for the first time since it was founded in 2011. President Buhari approved a grant of N5 billion for the NCDC in March 2020.

    A number of key Federal Hospitals across the country are being upgraded to effectively manage cancer and other major health challenges. Cancer Radiotherapy machines and other equipment are being provided to these hospitals. The National Hospital in Abuja has already received two LINAC (cancer treatment) machines.

    Anti-corruption and transparency

    The new Whistleblowing Policy introduced by the Federal Ministry of Finance in December 2016 has since then yielded several billions of Naira in recoveries from tax evaders and public officials. (In the first two years alone it yielded N7.8 billion, $378million, and £27,800 in recoveries from public officials targeted by whistleblowers).

    The EFCC recovered N794 billion  between 2015 and 2019, in addition to hundreds of properties and other assets.

    The ICPC scrutiny of practices, systems and procedures of MDAs’ personnel cost from 2017 to 2019, yielded more than 41 billion Naira in recoveries from inflated personnel budgets.

    In 2019 alone, the ICPC also recovered 32 billion Naira worth of Land, Buildings and Vehicles. ICPC’s audit of Constituency Projects covering 2015 to 2018 helped recover N2 billion of diverted funds and assets.

    The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) was set up by the Buhari Administration to strengthen controls over Government finances through a continuous internal audit process across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), particularly in respect of payroll. Through the activities of PICA, more than 54,000 fraudulent payroll entries have been identified and removed, with payroll savings of N200 billion per annum.

    The TSA system was launched in 2012, but failed to gain traction until President Buhari’s executive order in August 2015. As of May 2018, the TSA system has been implemented in 92 percent of all MDAs.

  • How Niger Delta women are realising gender equity, creating opportunities

    How Niger Delta women are realising gender equity, creating opportunities

    The Niger Delta is a tough region for all genders. It is worse for women but many of them are beating the odds to thrive, writes YEKEEN AKINWALE

     

    HOW do you tell when women are beginning to make impacts in their communities? Is it when their standard of living improves? Is it when more women have education? Is it when they join politics or build community health care centres?

    In the Niger Delta, women are at the forefront of changing narratives about gender mainstreaming, and are inspiring fellow women to stand up for their rights.

     

    Juliana’s inspiring story

     

    “I’m the testimony of myself,” said 49-year-old Korepuzhe Juliana in front of a cheery group of women and men who had gathered in Warri, Delta State to celebrate this year’s International Women Day organized by the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND).

    If her education was inspiring, the rest of her story is.

    Korepuzhe Juliana
    Juliana’s inspiring story

    The event, Realising Women’s Rights: Economic and Peace building Route was to allow stakeholders to take stock of achievements made since the declaration of Beijing Accord 25 years ago.

    Juliana, who hails from Bilabiri 1 Community in Ekeremo Local Government, Bayelsa State has always been an independent woman, even after losing two daughters in a shipwreck and waited for another 18 years to become a mother again.

    She narrated how they swam for long hours when their boat capsized on the way  to Nigeria from Gabon. “My two daughters died in the water.”

    She grew up in Gabon following her parents’ relocation from Nigeria during her childhood. But the incident that claimed her two daughters while returning to Nigeria in 1994 was one that depressed her for years.

    Since then, she has moved from being an illiterate village woman, to being a school teacher and spokesperson for the women.

    She was into fishing in Gabon and had thought to continue the same line of business on her return to Nigeria. But for several reasons, fishing in Nigeria at her community was not as productive as expected.

    “When I came back, the only occupation in my village was fishing,” she said. “We toiled throughout the night but what we caught is not usually enough compared with the time and energy. We are out on the sea till 2am.”

    Juliana could only speak French, and pidgin English and because fishing was not as profitable as she would have loved, formal education was her last option.

    “We catch a little fish, so I decided to read ABCD,” an elated Juliana said as she shared her testimony.

    At about 26-year-old, she started to learn how to read and write under the guidance of her husband, a Reverend Minister who is now late. “He taught me how to read and write,” Juliana said, eulogising her late husband who died in 2009, as “a good mentor.”

    Describing her brain as a computerized one, Juliana, is now employed by Ekeremo Local Government as a primary school teacher after attending teaching certificates at Teachers Training College, Ekeremo and NCE in Ekiti State.

    Between when her late husband tutored her and now that she is a full time school teacher, she says there have been many changes for women in her village.

    Demanding rights of women

    Juliana has been the one standing up for the rights of fellow women in the five communities that make up RDC and two clans.

    Men in the communities have given little opportunity to women to be represented at many forums and she fought for women’s inclusion.

    “They wanted to have an open forum and they requested for 50 persons to represent our communities: 40 men and 10 women, but the leaders took just one woman to represent us,” she recalls.

    “I challenged them that why are they denying women their rights, they said women are illiterate.”

    She demanded Adult Education for women in the communities from the local government authorities which were granted.

    Juliana, now coordinator of the Adult Education programme says 20 women have enrolled for primary school leaving certificate examination.

    “The reason I asked for the women to be educated is that I want women to join in the fight for their rights,” she says. This, she explained, was facilitated by a training on peace building and gender mainstreaming by PIND.

    She believes that women hold the key to development in their respective communities with the Adult Education and skills acquisition training they have undergone.

     

    Prioritizing women and children’s health care—Mirian’s bold and courageous efforts

     

    In 2016, plights of women and children prompted Anomuogharan Mirian to mobilise women of like minds to rehabilitate the abandoned Benikuru Community Health Centre in Egbema, Gbaramatu, Warri, Delta State.

    The health centre was in total ruins—overgrown by weeds and the equipment were left to rot away—yet women and children in the community were in dire need of adequate health care services.

    “I was inspired by the theme of the 2017 International Women Day celebration that was around being bold and courageous to mobilise other women to clean up the abandoned Egoboata Health Centre,” Mirian says as she shares her success story.

    With the help of fellow women like Iselekedimine Newman, Abase and Tokiye Okoromadu as well as a man, Festus Ojogun who shared her vision, the moribund health care facility was rehabilitated.

    In October, Mirian said, based on the state government recommendation, the health care centre hosted a medical outreach where locals with defects such as cataract were treated.

    Although the centre was serving the interest of the locals, Mirian who had mobilised resources to run it was asked to vacate it by the community. While she left, the community offered her another abandoned building to renovate to continue her work.

    “Again, I started all over to renovate the abandoned building. I constructed a wooden bridge over water to link the clinic. I repaired the roof. Today, my new centre is the only one serving the community,” she recounts her experience.

     

    Women for women, Alfreder’s political engagement

     

    Alfreder Ato, advocate for girl child education in the creeks recalls her experience as the first woman to come out of Ekeremo Local Government in Bayelsa State to seek an elective post.

    In the 2019 general elections, she contested the state House of Assembly seat and in 2020 was a deputy governorship candidate. At the time, she was one of the seven female deputy governorship candidates.

    Her campaign slogan, “women for women” inspired women to come out massively to vote during the election though she didn’t win the seat.

    Alfreder Ato
    Women for women, Alfreder’s political engagement

    “Women came out massively to vote for me because that was the first time a woman was coming out,” she says.

    “I was able to tell them my vision, that they have tried men and they should have tried women too.”

    Alfreder stirred hornet nests during electioneering when she blew the cover of state officials and electoral officials caught in vote buying and hoarding of voters’ cards.

    “I ran into some electoral officials and some community leaders who were hoarding cards,” Alfreder relives her experience with fellow Niger Delta women.

    This, she says led to the arrest of those involved by the security and removal of compromised electoral officials.

    As a result of what happened, the election became a tug of war- her agents were kidnapped by militants; her bank account and phone line were hacked.

    She says what she saw during the elections were eye openers that “we have a lot to do.”

    But her involvement in politics earned her nomination by YIAGA as one of Nigeria’s most influential young politicians.

     

    What must be done to improve gender mainstreaming?

     

    In the Niger Delta, like many parts of Nigeria, women face barriers to realise their potentials, to representation in public life at the local level. Poor women are particularly vulnerable.

    Tunji Idowu, PIND Deputy Executive Director explains that the Foundation places women and girls at the heart of its work, working closely with partners on ground to spread the benefits of its programme interventions to women, who are the most marginalised.

    “For us, gender mainstreaming is not only about including women as intervention participants,” Idowu says. “It is about deliberately addressing issues limiting women’s economic and social wellbeing.”

    The Foundation has over the years empowered and facilitated opportunities for thousands of women such as access to fit for purpose efficient technology and also championed women’s issues such as violence against women.

    Bose Eitokpah, a gender specialist says there is a need to bridge the gap between the generation of those who started what culminated into the Beijing Declaration and the new generation to be able to continue with the struggle for gender equity.

    Though, the figure of women involvement in Nigeria’s different sectors is still far behind that of their menfolk, Eitokpah who had worked with the Foundation on gender mainstreaming and capacity building says the current realities of women participation in various activities gives encouragement and builds hope of a brighter future.

    Blessing Epharaim Sam, specialist in ceiling and floor finishing says barriers against women such as being tagged too weak to do certain work must be broken. She was part of the PIND’s Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Programme (NDYEP) where she acquired the skills in ceiling and roofing finishing.

    “A woman is always considered too weak to do certain jobs, like a woman cannot go into construction,” says Sam whose work now speaks volume about what women can do.

    Prioritizing women and children’s health care
    Prioritizing women and children’s health care

    In politics, Agatha Osieke Osagie, a lawyer and gender activist laments that Nigerian women are yet to get there. She wonders why women usually fail to support their fellow women seeking political offices.

    “In Edo State, we started with three women in the state House of Assembly and today there is none,” she says. “It is a shame.”

    Osagie, commends however, women in Edo, that are now playing roles in issues of peace and security unlike in the past when they were laid back.

    She attributes this and other success to PIND, which gives a road map to women on how to be more active and engaging.

    Benedicta Peter-Ughe’s aquaculture business in Akure, Ondo State which used to be an exclusive preserved business for the men inspires other women.

    “I use what I’m doing to mobilise other women in Akure, especially in aquaculture,” she says.

    “Women have been taken for granted and are not allowed to engage in some works based on traditions and customs. Eradication of poverty is one of the rights women are entitled to.”

    Yet, it would be a mistake to be carried away by the success stories— many more women remain highly vulnerable to poverty and without the right support, will not find a way out.

     

    • Akinwale is an Investigative Journalist at the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
  • New vista as planes get set for domestic travels

    New vista as planes get set for domestic travels

    Scheduled domestic flights will resume June 21 after government shut down airports for three months to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR examines the shape of things to come in the sector.

    Airport runways rendered idle in the last three months are expected to come alive June 21 as domestic flights resume in four of Nigeria’s over 24 airports.

    The Federal Government, since March 13, shut down airports as part of containment measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

    Though government placed a travel ban on 15 countries since March 16, 2020 essential and humanitarian flights for medical supplies and evacuation of nationals were, however, allowed into Lagos and Abuja airports. But, these flights were subject to approval  from the Ministry of Aviation.

    Airports are, however, will re-open as a follow up to the release of a new set of health, airworthiness and operational protocols rolled out by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for returning operators.

    Besides these protocols, the apex regulatory authority said operators are undergoing mandatory recertification. The exercise, described by NCAA as post- COVID-19 guidelines is being conducted to ensure there is no compromise with statutory oversight for aircraft airworthiness, crew recurrence and other required template.

    According to experts familiar with the matter, active carriers including Aero Contractors, Arik Air, DANA Air, Overland Airways, AZMAN Air, Max Air and Air Peace are  expected to comply with new operational guidelines and protocols rolled out by the NCAA.

    The major plank of the NCAA re-certification, it was learnt, is focusing on the state of airworthiness of aircraft and health of airlines’ crew.

    Investigations by The Nation reveal that airlines would have to scale fresh hurdles for their aircraft as it concerns aircraft maintenance validity and the recurrence of operating crew on licence currency and type rating.

    Two weeks ago, NCAA issued a post-COVID-19 restart advisory circular containing protocol for scheduled carriers.

    The circular, with number NCAA-AC-FSG-001, mandated all scheduled commercial airlines to apply and obtain an approval from the authority to resume operation once the restriction is lifted.

    General Manager Public Affairs at the NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, who confirmed the development, said it was part of the proactive measures to prepare stakeholders ahead of resumption to achieve seamless flights.

    Adurogboye said despite the recent extension of flight restrictions, the apex regulatory body was hands-on in its duties as it offered necessary assistance to operators.

    According to him, the authority will grant approval to applicants upon satisfactory assessment of airlines for compliance with all relevant COVID-19 guidelines and applicable Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs).

    He said airlines will be required to show evidence of compliance with actions listed under the immediate action plans required by the NCAA.

    Adurogboye said: “No airline will be given start-up clearance without meeting the restart requirements.

    “One of the items that will be required for immediate action is request by the airline’s restart plan to provide assurance of safe operations from technical perspective in flight operations addressing issues such as aircraft disinfection, aircraft de-preservation, flight crew recurrence or proficiency.”

    He went on:” One of the requirements airlines will be required to comply with as one of the immediate restart actions is the COVID-19 Public Health Corridor Concept Protocol. It covers a diverse range of topics to protect against COVID-19 infection from passenger boarding, passenger and flight protection in flight to disembarkation. In case of a COVID-19 threat on board, a process to manage the situation is also required.

    “The guidance is broken into immediate actions, short, medium and long-term plans by the NCAA to assure operational licenses and aircraft airworthiness certifications are readily available for the airlines to resume operations as quickly and seamlessly as possible when the pandemic is over.

    “The immediate, short, medium and long-term plans are organised to address key functional areas listed above which are critical and dependent on the airlines and the authority. Though Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP) and Airport Operations are critical to flight operations, the actions related to those areas are addressed by two separate sets of guidance issued by the NCAA. This plan is limited to only actions required to be taken by airlines to obtain the NCAA approvals to restart operations.”

    Besides re-certification, the regulator, last week, introduced new protocols.

    The protocols, according to the NCAA, are preparatory to re- opening of domestic travel at four airports.

    The regulator listed the airports to include: Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

    NCAA Director-General Captain Musa Nuhu revealed this at Webinar organised by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ART).

    He said the NCAA was working on the proposed re- opening of domestic travel in a few airports so as not to choke the system.

    Captain Nuhu said the NCAA has been working with a team, including airlines, ground handling companies and others to achieve seamless flights.

    He said the team working on the re- opening of airports has forwarded a proposal to the Ministry Aviation for approval.

    He said the team also submitted its suggestions and recommendations but was only awaiting feedback from the ministry.

    The NCAA boss said: “We may resume domestic operations with four or five airports and we will expand to other airports as things get better. We don’t want to rush everything at the same time and get it choked up.”

    He said the team was working on existing airport infrastructure on how to achieve the prescribed two metres requirement for physical distancing.

    Apart from the NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has calibrated its procedures preparatory to the re-opening of airports.

    The airport authority said it has commenced the decontamination of airports preparatory to flight operations.

    Its General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said FAAN has put arrangements in place regarding passenger facilitation and what to expect as domestic flights resume.

    Yakubu said passengers should expect delays and long hours of checks and re-checks right from when they arrive at the airport and depart.

    She said escorts of Very Important Persons (VIPs) would no longer be allowed to follow their principals into the terminal.

    She said such principals would be subjected to all health checks in line with new regulations for air travel post-COVID -19.

    To this end, she said passengers are expected to leave their homes some hours before their flight to enable them to go through the various checks before entering the terminal ahead of boarding the aircraft.

    The FAAN official said: “We are going to expect flight delays, flights will experience delays from checks and re-checks. If you are travelling, I will expect a potential traveller to leave home hours before his flight. I say this because there is going to be a lot of checks in the front of the terminal. We have been told of some activities and procedures that will take place in front of the terminal. So, air travellers are expected to leave home very early so that they can get to the airport on time.”

    The FAAN spokesperson also explained that passengers should expect that airlines would charge more in terms of airfare, adding that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said there would be 45 per cent increase in fares.

    Yakubu stated that the COVID-19 had brought a lot of changes to air travel to ensure the safety of passengers and airport users.

    She said the way of doing things before would change as COVID-19 pandemic would make people cut down on non-essential travel , which, by implication, will occasion low demand for air travel.

    At all airports, she said social distancing would be implemented in addition to the authorities insisting on 100 per cent temperature screening.

    She said the authority would insist on compulsory wearing of face masks, disinfection of shoes and passengers’ luggage, which would also be carried out 100 per cent regardless of personality.

    She said FAAN has escalated strategies on the decongestion of the terminal building, especially outside the departure and arrival halls where people who do not have any business at the mill usually around.

    She said FAAN has also reworked its operational procedure to reduce physical affirming that the old practice of opening passengers’ bag at the airport for search would be a thing of the past.

    She urged passengers to save themselves the stress of coming to the airport to buy tickets rather they should buy their tickets online, check in online and pay for their trolleys online to reduce the hours they would have to spend carrying out these activities.

    But, there is, however, anxiety in operators’ circle over possible dip in passenger traffic fuelled by spike in COVID -19 figures in Nigeria.

    Former Director-General of NCAA Harold Demuren said aviation authorities need to sensitise passengers on the need to rebuild confidence for travel following the popularity of virtual conferencing.

    Besides efforts to sensitise passengers, he said there is need to increase investment on airport infrastructure to reduce physical contact in checking processes and procedures.

    Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema said operators were excited about airports re-opening. He, however, said many routines about domestic travels would be altered by local operators. Air Peace, he said, has decided to stop in-flight catering.

    He said Air Peace would not deploy all its aircraft for operations as it has downsized its workforce by 60 per cent.

    “Airlines need to stop serving food on board. Air Peace will not serve meals again. We have downsized because the passengers will no longer be there. We are going to deploy four out of the seven Boeing 737 aircraft and six out of the Embraer fleet.

    “Lagos-Abuja is no longer going to be every hour. We are scaling down our flight operations to about 60 per cent.”

    Aero Contractors Managing Director Captain Ado Sanusi expressed confidence that the sector would rebound just as it did after 9/11 and Ebola virus periods.

    He, however, called for mergers and acquisitions, saying this is one of the ways forward for the sector.

  • AfDB…Cold war between developed world and Africa

    AfDB…Cold war between developed world and Africa

    International relations experts have likened the quest by the United States to dictate how the internal affairs of the African Development Bank (AfDB) are conducted as a cold war, which Africa must ensure it wins, writes BOLA OLAJUWON and ROBERT EGBE

     

    FOR the United States, there is nothing wrong changing the rule of the game in the middle on the probe of the allegations against African Development Bank (AfDB) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. But international relations experts are frowning at this. Former Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ambassador Bulus Lolo said the United States must be resisted, insisting that AfDB’s internal mechanism should be allowed to endure.

    Lolo challenged those alleging unethical conducts by Adesina to check where the bank is now from where Adesina met it.

    “If the internal organ of AfDB has come up with a report on the issue, why should a non-regional member be attacking such report?” the retired diplomat queried.

    He urged African leaders not to allow a situation whereby people play politics with the internal organs of the bank.

    “Now, there is a controversy in the United States over a glaring human right abuse that some people committed. Why have people not been pointing fingers at the U.S. that ‘your justice system has failed, your justice system is corrupt, your justice is weak?’ They will disagree with you,” Lolo said.

    The retired diplomat emphasised that he supported the positions of African leaders on Adesina and he hoped they would use that to convince the rest of the world.

    Similarly, former emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II yesterday urged Africans and friends of the continent to stand up and ensure that laid-down rules are respected in the AfDB Group.

    “The excellent letter written by the finance minister says it all and I am pleased that President Obasanjo has weighed in on the matter. Every well-meaning African or friend of Africa should speak up on this matter,” he said.

    “It is a simple adherence to global best practices in governance. AfDB has clearly defined rules and processes for investigating and dealing with allegations of misconduct. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

    “Since those processes were duly followed it is unheard of for the rules to be changed because someone does not like the outcome.”

    Sanusi, who is a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said the support being shown for Adesina should not be viewed as “defending a Nigerian or a friend”.

    “I have watched him at AfDB and his stellar performance is there for all to see. This is not about defending a Nigerian or a friend,” he continued.

    To ex-Director-General, Nigeria Institute of Foreign Affairs Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, there was no controversy about the issue.

    “It’s not a debate. But a cold war between the developed world and the leaders of Africa. What does that mean? The problem is the war of struggle – a struggle for influence. The western or developed world wants to ensure control, if not absolute control of the bank. Nigeria has the largest share and that is 9.3 per cent of the equity participation in the bank and the U.S. has 6.5 and Algeria with 4.3 per cent. The issue is about America in the second position wanting to ensure its share is used to protect American interest to the detriment of other shareholders. I do not look at the problem as being between the ADB and Adesina but between the West and Africa.

    “As far back as 1981, President Shehu Shagari never wanted what we call extra-regional equity participation. Membership of the bank is either regional or non-regional. Regional refers to all 54 African member states and 27 non-regional members – they include the U.S., the Chinese, Taiwan, others.

    “Shagari, by that time, opposed the idea of allowing extra-African countries, but other African leaders opposed Nigeria’s position. African leaders prevailed on Nigeria and Nigeria acceded to their request. And that was how that problem started. All these non-regional people have more money – their contributions are dollarised and in this particular case, they begin to wax stronger. That is how the struggle for influence and control begins.

    “It is, therefore, simply not a problem between Adesina as president of the bank and the U.S. It is more than that. It’s an attempt to prevent Adesina from managing the bank the way he is going about it now tackling African challenges,” Akinterinwa said.

    Saying he agreed with Africa’s position, he added: “I cannot but agree. The allegations are terribly atrocious. They are simply ridiculous. One of the allegations says that the director of agriculture in the bank is the brother-in-law of Adesina. Adesina is not a glamorous person, but the wife is well known. The brother-in-law they are referring to, it is not so. It’s just a blatant lie. That means the whistleblowers didn’t do a good job.”

    On recruitment of Nigerians, he said: “When the bank started, what was the ratio and population of Americans, of Europeans or westerners? The western world is jittery. They want to increase the population of their people in a way that they would be able to have control, especially in terms of their shareholding.”

    Former Nigeria Ambassador to France Akin Fayomi supported the position of African leaders on the issue. “I don’t really think I have anything new to add to the plethora of new and opinions already out there,” he said.

    The Federal Government, through a letter by the minister of finance, stood with Adesina and rejected the U.S. call.

     

    The crux of the matter

     

    On January 19, a “Group of Concerned Staff” within the African Development Bank (AfDB) wrote a petition accusing AfDB President Akinwunmi Adesina of “breaches of the Code of Conduct of Elected Officers of the Bank”.

    The petition claimed that Mr Adesina breached 16 of the bank’s code of conduct, including “unethical conduct, private gain, an impediment to efficiency, preferential treatment, involvement in political activities, impunity and bad governance”.

    Adesina vigorously denied the allegations and defended his integrity.

    The whistleblowers also sent copies of the petition to both the Director of the Integrity & Anti-Corruption office (PIAC) of the Bank, and the Chairperson of the Audit & Finance Committee (AUFI) in line with the Bank’s “Whistleblowing and Complaints Handling Policy”.

    Between February 4 and April 9, 2020, the ethics committee held series of meetings to review documents and presentations as it conducted “preliminary examination” of the allegations against Mr Adesina to establish whether they were “based on any objective and solid facts” pursuant to Resolution No. B/BG/2008/11. Resolution No. B/BG/2008/11 adopted at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Board of the Bank held on May 14, 2008, made the Code of Conduct for its Executive Directors and those of the African Development Fund (ADF) also apply to the President of the Bank Group.

    Apart from the petition, other documents reviewed during the series of meetings by the committee included the confidential memo submitted by Mr Adesina detailing his defence of the allegations against him.

    On May 5, the ethics committee of the bank’s board of directors headed by the institution’s Japan Executive Director, Takuji Yano, found that Adesina was not guilty of any of the allegations.

    Yano, who led the investigation, described as “spurious and unfounded” claims that Adesina violated the bank’s code of conduct.

    The ethic committee’s verdict cleared the way for Adesina, 60, to firm up his second term bid for election as AfDB president at an annual general meeting scheduled for August.

    But, two weeks later, United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rejected the ethics committee result and called for an independent probe into the allegations.

    In a May 22 letter addressed to Niale Kaba, chairwoman of the bank’s board of governors, Mnuchin said the Treasury disagrees with findings by the bank’s ethics committee that “totally exonerated” Adesina.

    But the confidential memo submitted by Mr Adesina to the committee on April 8 gave a point-by-point response to all the 16 allegations,

    The memo also suggests that the allegations by the “Group of Concerned Staff” may be connected with scuttling Adesina’s presidential re-election bid.

    In the memo, Mr Adesina accused the petitioners of violating Section 6.7.2 of the Whistle Blowing Policy of the bank by making public disclosure of the matter beyond submission to the ethics committee.

    He accused the petitioners of disclosing their allegations beyond the committee “by acting in concert with others outside the AfDB system”.

    “The point about others acting in concert with the whistle-blowers is not speculation. A group of independent Bank staff members apparently wrote a ‘Disassociation Note’ on March 9, 2020, in which they explained that they had been members of a group called ‘Group of Concerned Staff Members,’ namely the whistle-blowers behind the Disclosure, but that they had been ‘manipulated’ by a group of non-regional Executive Directors behind Mr (Steven) Dowd, not for the good governance of the African Bank of Development, but to discredit the candidacy of the current President for his re-election,” Mr Adesina said in his memo to the committee.

    “Certainly if the Disassociation Note is to be believed, and there is no reason not to believe it, the whistle-blowers’ complaint cannot be considered to be in good faith, because it was not designed to expose fraud, corruption or other misconduct. Instead, it had another ulterior motive,” he added.

    Mr Dowd is the U.S. government representative at the bank.

    One of the petitioners’ allegations is that Nigerians are overrepresented at the bank. “Certainly, Nigeria is the AfDB’s largest shareholder, with a little over 9% of the capital, but could that explain why Mr Adesina hires one Nigerian after another to leadership positions at the AfDB?” wrote the group.

    But a breakdown of the nationalities shows this to be untrue.

    Based on the latest figures available on staff members’ countries of origin) French nationals made up 63 of the AfDB’s headcount (5.2% of the total), meaning they are overrepresented in proportion to France’s share of the capital (3.7%).

     

    Obasanjo’s take

     

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Thursday criticised the U.S. for insisting on “independent investigation” into the allegations.

    Obasanjo, in a letter to the Board and 13 African former leaders, said the clearance granted Akinwunmi, who he said has performed creditably well, by the laid down institutions should have put the matter to rest.

    He questioned the insistence of the U.S. on “independent investigation”, declaring “it is outside of the rules, laws, procedures and governance systems of the bank.”

    “The US treasury secretary disparaged the bank and ridiculed the entire governance system of the bank which has been in place since 1964.

    “This is unprecedented in the annals of the African Development Bank Group.

    “If we do not rise up and defend the African Development Bank, this might mean the end of the African Development Bank, as its governance will be hijacked away from Africa.”

    He called for solidarity in the fight to preserve the independence of the bank, stating the former African leaders should issue a joint statement “to support the laid down procedures embarked upon to evaluate the allegations and recommend that the Board of Governors, as well as the Ethics Committee of the Bank, should firmly stand by their process and its outcome.”

    The AfDB Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF).

    Adesina is the first Nigerian to lead AfDB following his five-year term election in September 2015. He was Nigeria’s agriculture minister from 2011 until his move.