Kayode Opeifa, former Executive Vice Chairman, Presidential Task Team on the Restoration of Law and Order in Apapa (PTT-RLO), is convinced that the Task Team has helped to wipe away a huge national shame. Opeifa, who recently bagged a Doctorate Degree (Ph.D) in Transportation and Logistics Management from the Lagos State University School of Transportation (LASU-SoT), assured that Apapa would never slip back to an era of infamy if all stakeholders are ready to do what is right and the regulators willing to enforce the laws without fear or favour. He spoke with ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE and MUYIWA LUCAS

About 20 months ago, the presidency established the task team to restore law and order at Apapa. How will you describe the journey in the last 20 months?

Let me start by saying that the task team was meant to be an ad-hoc solution provider to restoring law and order to Apapa, pending the actualisation of many other issues, ranging from rehabilitation of roads, improved port operations which includes the introduction of electronic call up system; introduction of scanners for cargo clearance and so many other things that are ports related which were identified by stakeholders over a long period of time. Also note that the task force which we changed to task team was because we believed the Apapa traffic management situation does not need a “task force”, but a team, to restore law and order. We came in on May 22, and by the end of August 2019, we had achieved all our intended purposes. It took us 60 days to restore law and order both on Apapa Wharf Road, the Lagos Badagry Express road, from Iganmu down to Mile 2 and Mile 2 down to Tin can gate, Tin can gate down to Apapa port gate and Apapa Port gate down to Eko Bridge, which is the Maritime logistics loop. We restored law and order within the first two months and by end of August, we had accomplished all other things we are to do.

So why did you stay for 20 months when you had completed all you had to do in Apapa?

We were not allowed to leave. The initial time we were given was two weeks, which was later extended to two months and later extended to until the government felts it was time for us to leave. That is to tell you that the government too was comfortable with the reports of our activities at Apapa. Also by June 11, 2019, we presented an interim report which was accepted by all stakeholders present – made up of terminal operators, shipping lines, manufacturing companies, truckers, residents, GRA residents were represented by their leaders, the media, the Police, the CG Customs was represented, FRSC Corps Marshal, everybody was there. They all agreed that the face of Apapa is changing. Again, in August 2019, we presented another report which we termed exit, but we were not allowed to exit, we were asked to wait until a time all stakeholders are ready to take ownership. That was before Lagos State government appointed new executives. However, we also presented another report on November 15, where all stakeholders were again present and that was where we reported that stakeholders were not taking ownership. Our system as designed, worked perfectly from May to the middle of October when some stakeholders motivated by corruption fight back and some interests started accusing us of depriving them of their means of livelihood and they would not allow us to work beyond December. That was when you started seeing stories of extortion, stories of encroaching on port operations, we have overstayed our tenure, etc. Down the lane, from January, February last year, we are supposed to have effectively hands off, there was high engagement involving the Lagos State Government at that time, but there came COVID-19 and the lockdown. On October 7, a final report was requested. Earlier on August 12, there was a meeting of all the principal stakeholders where the Vice President, prof Yemi Osinbajo was present to chair the meeting, the Minister for Transportation Mr Rotimi Amaechi was there, the Minister for Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola, MD NPA, Executive Secretary Nigeria Shippers Council, CG Customs, FRSC Corps Marshal, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, SSA Media to the President, and Secretary to NPEDEC were all present and we presented a report where we called the attention of the federal government that the stakeholders were no longer cooperating and reiterated the urgent need for all the stakeholders to take ownership, that we want to leave. That was when the issue of unregulated barging on Marina was discussed and the minister for Transport and the governor of Lagos were mandated to look into it and eventually, we saw that they both came out and had that place cleaned up. As at that moment, Lillypond was no longer in operation, the nominated parks were no longer in use and the call up system was no longer being followed and we felt those are not within our purview. We are to design and deploy a logistics masterplan, we have done that, it is left for those who are supposed to manage to step up their game. On October 7, we represented an exit report which was initially presented in August, and it was accepted and we were asked to hand over to the Lagos State Government as requested by our report. That operation commenced on November 8 and we concluded on December 29.

Will you say you are satisfied with the work the task team did?

Certainly! We restored law and order on all roads where we are supposed to remove stationary trucks, as I am speaking to you, I can say categorically, there are no stationary trucks on any roads in and around Apapa or on all roads leading to the ports, except those occasioned by the construction of the road, along Mile 2 and Sunrise. Also, we developed and deployed a traffic management system which can remove any gridlock or any congestion within two hours, even when there is major rescue, not more than six hours. That is one of our mandates. The third is the empty container return handling policy. We developed one, working with NPA, who has that responsibility to do it, and that we have handed over and that is what require that all shipping lines, must be the ones to receive containers at their holding bays, that individuals should not bring containers to the ports but to the holding bays, and once they take it to the holding bay, the demurrage on it must stop contrary to what is currently operating where individuals are still bringing containers to the ports and they are made to paying N20,000 from N14,000 to shipping lines a situation which is like a double jeopardy. They lose their deposit, they also pay a penalty. Those are all that we were asked to do and we have delivered on them and when we presented our report, all stakeholders acknowledged and commended the efforts. That was as at October 7, 2020. I have drone pictures of Apapa as at October 2, 2020 to show you the situation has been brought under control, even though Lillypond was not in operation from April 2020, even though electronic call up system that was to be introduced by NPA since August 2020 is yet to be deployed, though we learnt that it has now been procured and we must commend NPA and urge them to start the introduction any moment from now. Even though the nominated parks where we have kept the trucks to stay off the roads were no longer being used, even though traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge was diverted, to Eko Bridge which was a major logistics corridor, even though Marine Bridge was closed down for over months, even though the Lagos Badagry Expressway construction began and is still ongoing, we maintained law and order and we ensured that there was no gridlock. I want to say that we have delivered on our mandate to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

How has the issue of corruption fight back impacted on the smooth operation and restoration of law and order in Apapa?

Prior to the assignment, during my tenure as Special Adviser to the government on Transportation under Governor Babatunde Fashola, and also as a former Commissioner in Lagos state, the problem we used to have then were the tankers especially whenever there was going to be fuel scarcity. This forced the government to declare a state of emergency and between 2011 and 2013, we were able to solve all issues relating to Apapa and between NPA, NNPC, PPMC, a lot of improvements were done. There was calm in Apapa up until 2016, when a LASTMA officer was stoned to death. After that incident, law and order broke down, nobody was manning the roads and managing the traffic and the truck menace came. This was what brought in the issue of extortion. People started paying to get access into the ports, the Navy came in the Police and all manners of the Task Force were formed to resolve the problem. So we can safely say that extortion fuelled the traffic management crisis in Apapa. Though removal of extortion was not part of our mandate, but based on our previous study of Apapa, we included it that we must remove the prospect for extortion – how, by restoring law and order, removal of all parking trucks around the port, keep all trucks at nominated parks, make call up system that is transparent and that is reliable and ensure that Lillypond works so that there is a transit park from where trucks are called up to proceed to the port. Ensure that trucks coming from outside Lagos have a place they can stay once they come inside Lagos, and also ensure that it is first come first served. We achieved this perfectly within two months and all stakeholders agreed to the principles as of May 25th, the meeting was held at LMC, inside the port. Where all the port managers, traffic managers, shipping companies, terminal operators, all truckers were present, that meeting adopted our traffic management process with minor adjustments. The problem was containerised trucks returning. If they don’t get into the ports within certain days they pay between N14, 000 to N20,000, so they would rather pay money to anybody to get them into the port. Once you give them a system that assures them that they would not be fined for lateness, sanity would be restored, so we put this up. The traffic used to get to Maryland on Ikorodu road, it used to get to Oshodi on Oshodi-Apapa road, and it used to get to Mile 2 on the Badagry axis. Within two months we took that out everybody was happy and the prospect for extortion was completely knocked out. However those who are benefiting from the extortion could not contain it, they came to us to relax the system, we refused, so they resorted to blackmail and to do this they approached the media and started accusing us of collecting money. In fact they even said the head of the enforcement team has a bank in Yaba, where they were making N300 million a day. That was the lie they were peddling and the media fell for it and I went ahead to challenge the media, I urged them to stop reporting false stories. I asked them to tell those who are feeding them those stories to bring proof, none came up with any. It will interest you to know that these corruption fight back people do not have trucks. They are middle men. These people are known people. They claimed to be owners of trucks, they claimed to be members of truck owners’ organisations but they don’t have trucks, they misinform the media by pretending to the media that they are concerned stakeholders and they will show passion. You can confirm this if you talk to the authentic truckers. The Presidential Task Team (PTT) does not control the call up system, we only developed it and it is hinged upon Lillypond and the nominated parks which are under the control of the NPA. So how they find their way, I don’t know but the first six months everything worked perfectly, but after that there was a fight when the Lagos State Task Force came to clear and take ownership of the place, they were attacked, and in the process of repelling the attack, some of the hoodlums ran into Lillypond and in the process somebody died. The activities at Lillypond was therefore scaled down, because the NPA had to investigate and all that, so things slowed down, but by December, the stakeholders meeting was called again, we initiated it with the Shippers Council and the stakeholders agreed that Lillypond must return to operation, by April again, Lillypond stopped working and we were told that NPA has handed Lillypond over to the electronic call up concessionaire. Though it was a good development, I don’t think they should have completely shut the place down. Until the electronic comes up the manual ought to be allowed to continue to work because it is working. Although there is also the rail construction which is also passing through Lillypond so there are so many issues really, but I believe that Lillypond and the nominated parks should have been allowed to continue operation. All these were as a result of those behind the corruption at Apapa. They kept writing petitions to everybody that their issues are not being attended and you know it is natural for any responsible organisation to want to investigate, this slows down the traffic management system. It was at this point that I reported back to the Presidency that the PTT was no longer enjoying the confidence and cooperation of stakeholders and that it is better we were dissolved.

Are there specific examples to support your claims on corruption claims sir?

Of course! I have had opportunities to engage them, they have also maligned my person, but we remained focused. This corruption fight back is also responsible for all the negative stories coming out of Apapa. Before COVID 19, there was no single problem with any road entering Tincan port. But these people came again to say some people are making a huge amount of money. Let me share an example, a member of the House of Representatives informed me that the police took N2 million from his Manager. We got the manager and when I confronted him with the head of the export group, Mr. Bunmi Olumekan, the man said he paid N200,000 per container to a policeman from the task team who facilitated the deal.

But when I asked further, the man said he didn’t pay any policeman. Rather, he said he bought a pass from a member of the export group. You see, this pass is given free, but you pay the union dues to the export group, which the PTT are not involved with or in support of, though I am not against the unions collecting their dues. This guy eventually confirmed that it was because he could not get that pass that he went and bought from somebody who had the pass and bought for N200,000 each and there was no policeman involved. I know of one of those people who I was told collected 10 tickets and disposed of it for N150,000 each. The tickets encourage corruption, but like I said PTT is not in charge. They are fighting us back because when law and order is restored, they cannot survive.

There are also extortionists who exaggerate the situation just to get a little more from the fleet owners and employers. But behind all these, what I discovered is that extortion is a matter of demand and supply and it is speculative.

Immediately after EndSARS, cost of moving containers jumped to N1.4 million but when shipper’s council moved into Tincan to look into the issue, they discovered that prices started falling immediately, as at this morning, it has dropped to N800,000. These people are not unknown to the stakeholders. As a task team, we have reported those we can report. Each stakeholder knows who they are. You have people who are not supposed to be in the port area operating in the corridor, we have removed and reported them, but the stakeholders must be determined to stamp them out.

By Simeon Ebulu

BUA Group and the private sector group set up to raise funds to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), on Tuesday clashed over media reports that the former had purchased a million doses of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines through Afreximbank for Nigerians.

BUA: we received CACOVID’s position with shock

The BUA Group, in a statement, said it received with utter shock, reports allegedly attributed to CACOVID, disowning its earlier payment through CACOVID for 1 million AstraZeneca doses for the citizens.

It alluded to a steering committee meeting held on Monday, February 8, 2021, where CACOVID members were informed by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, that the coalition had been given the opportunity through the AFREXIM platform to access and pay for one million doses, under the condition that payment was to be made immediately, but not later than tomorrow (today), “failure which the opportunity to get those doses next week” would lapse.

“After  extensive deliberations,” the BUA Group statement indicated, “there   was   no   agreement reached and despite members being offered the   opportunity   to   donate   funds   towards   procuring   the doses, none offered.”

Why we paid for one million doses, by firm

BUA, according to the statement, “took it upon itself to offer to pay for the one million doses   at   the   agreed   rate of  US$3.45 per dose totalling US$3.45million (about N1.311billion).”

Chairman  of  BUA Group Abdulsamad Rabiu,  thereafter  “requested  through   the   CBN   governor  that  the  Naira equivalent  be paid  to the relevant account   with CBN,”  and that the CBN should forward  “the dollar payment to AFREXIM on CACOVID’s behalf”.

“This payment,” BUA said, “was made immediately after the meeting and BUA subsequently transferred the money  to  the  CBN in order  to  meet  the deadline.”

However, with this development by the CACOVID operations committee, BUA lamented, “we now have just cause to believe that some members of CACOVID were not happy that BUA took this initiative in the interest of Nigeria and to ensure that the deadline was met to receive the one million doses of the vaccine next week”.

BUA, in its statement, said it did this “gesture in good faith as it has done with its interventions throughout the pandemic”.

A coalition member not happy we paid, says BUA

“We will, however, like to state clearly that we are aware that a prominent member of CACOVID is not happy that BUA took the initiative to pay for the vaccines,” BUA stated.

CACOVID: only Fed Govt can procure vaccines

But, CACOVID explained that only the Federal Government, through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), can obtain any COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria in the ongoing fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.

The coalition stated that the process of buying the vaccines through the Federal Government has commenced and that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as an official regulatory body, has to approve the vaccine and certify it before use by Nigerians.

The Administrator of CACOVID, Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, gave the coalition’s positions while speaking in Lagos during the Global Business Report programme on ARISE TV News.

‘How CACOVID Collegiate Fund works’

Responding to questions on how the CACOVID Collegiate Fund Works, Mrs. Youssoufou, said: “The way this works is that we, as a group, agree on what to actually purchase, on how to purchase it and what the modalities of the purchase would be. This is how the group has been working since we were created back in March 2020. As you know we have several things including testing, test kits and getting isolation centres, PPEs, palliatives, communications among many others.

“So, the purchase of the vaccines is very similar to the purchase of the testing supplies, meaning that we do this through very validated and subsidised means. Right now there are three mechanisms that Nigeria is participating in. One called COVAX, one called the African Union Vaccine Acquisition Task Force, which is funded by Afreximbank, and the third one is the World Bank, which is also funding some of these vaccines.

“Nigeria as a country is a member of all these organisations. We as the CACOVID, the private sector coalition against COVID-19, our role is to support our government in what is needed in order to help our people in the context of this COVID-19. So, I think the important thing that we all need to know is that there are several steps to procuring vaccines. The first thing is that governments are the ones who can actually buy vaccines. So, we as a private-sector group, as individual companies, cannot buy vaccines, we can’t call AstraZeneca or Pfizer or Moderna to order vaccines from them. That is the first thing.

“The second thing is that the distribution of the vaccines and how they would be shared in our country has to be done by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), which is the only agency in our country mandated to handle vaccines and so far, as you know people, children are being vaccinated everyday BCG, Polio. So, those vaccines and that whole process is managed by the NPHCDA and they are going to be the ones managing this process too. So it is not a matter of sending money to the Central Bank, that is one step. But the real step is how do we get the vaccines into Nigeria and how do we distribute them to the people.

NAFDAC must approve vaccine, says Youssoufou

“I think the most over-looked element in this discussion on that aspect about getting vaccines next week, is that AstraZeneca or any vaccine has yet to be approved by NAFDAC, which is our regulatory agency. So, without the approval of NAFDAC, there is no vaccine that can come into Nigeria and be distributed to Nigerians or shot into the arms of Nigerians. And I think this is where some of the misinformation had come in.”

On the statement from BUA that the Central Bank of Nigeria put out a call to the CACOVID members on a small window through which to procure these vaccines, where someone had to step and they (BUA) came in and put up the money, Mrs. Youssoufou explained how she put a call with the Afreximbank President on February 7 with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Herbert Wigwe and Godwin Emefiele, and in that call, President Oranmah Benedict explained to CACOVID members their “model and how they are working with the AU and how they have set up a $2 billion facility to help fund the vaccines for Nigeria and for African countries, and that the allocation of 42 million vaccines had been made for Nigeria”.

“He also told us about an extra one million doses that we can get if we can confirm that we wanted those doses immediately by the next day February 8. And so CACOVID leaders agreed that yes, this was a good thing and would bring it to the meeting the very next day, which happened. So, we had the meeting yesterday (February 8) and that discussion actually happened. What is really important to know is that Afreximbank, after that call, already secured those doses for Nigeria because they had the confirmation from the Central Bank Governor, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Herbert Wigwe that they would pay for these one million doses.

How one million doses will come in, by Coalition

“Now, the doses don’t come in; it’s not as if we get a million doses of vaccines one day getting dumped into Nigeria; they get delivered at a specific pace. So, we might get a hundred thousand (100,000) immediately, 150,000 the next week, and then let’s say another hundred thousand. So, we will never get a million doses in one single day coming into Nigeria at once. And in order for that to happen, we have to work very closely with both the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, which I just explained are the ones who would be managing this process of getting the vaccine into people’s arms, but also sorting out the logistics.”

She added: “So nobody is disputing a transfer into Central Bank account; nobody is saying that did not happen, that is not where the challenge is. The challenge is the claim that one company has brought vaccines into Nigeria because that is not factual

“These claims are not factual as CACOVID operates on a collegiate fund contribution model. There is no agreement between BUA, CACOVID and Afreximbank.”

“We are planning $100 million to procure vaccines for Nigeria,”

According to her, CACOVID leadership agreed to contribute $100 million to procure vaccines for Nigeria, noting that “these 1 million doses from Afreximbank worth $3.45 million, is the very first tranche”.

“CACOVID will purchase vaccines through other credible and subsidised mechanisms such as COVAX,” she added.

With a coastline of about 420 Nautical Miles (NM) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200NM, covering a National Maritime Environment (NME) of about 84,000 square nautical miles and the entire Gulf of Guinea, which is about 574,800 square nautical miles spanning a total coastline of 2,874nm from Senegal to Angola, the task of securing Nigeria’s Maritime sector is indeed daunting. All eyes are on the Chief of Naval Staff to make a difference in this regard, writes OKODILI NDIDI

A good percentage of Nigeria’s resources and wealth are on the coastline and deep water. This places premium on safer Maritime Corridor. Pirates, sea robbers, crude oil thieves, smugglers, oil bunkerers amongst other feast on this corridor, placing a huge responsibility on the Nigerian Navy.

The Navy in the last five years has battled criminalities in the deep waters. But despite the spirited efforts by the Nigerian Navy, the maritime sector has remained fraught with crime, especially illegal oil bunkering, crude oil theft, illegal oil theft and kidnapping. These criminal activities have continued to take great toll on the nation’s economy as billions of naira is lost on daily. The immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibot Ekwe-Ibas, who coordinated the offensive against criminalities in the maritime sector in the last five years, attributed the lingering insecurity in the sector to the subversive roles of some Navy personnel he referred to as ‘bad eggs’ in the Service. At his handing over ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, Vice Admiral Ibas hinted on corrupt personnel in the Nigerian Navy, who “mindlessly subvert the system at every opportunity”. He noted that this crop of personnel bring disrepute to the Service through their unethical behaviours.

According to him, “the activities of these ‘bad eggs’ in the Nigerian Navy often mar the efforts of the Service in the prosecution of infractions”. Vice Admiral Ibas warned personnel engaging in such unethical and unprofessional conducts to promptly make a turnaround and reclaim traction.

He said: “I must at this juncture spare a few words for the bad eggs among us. Like any other organisation, the Service has its own fair share. I refer to all those who mindlessly subvert the system at every opportunity.

“Our experiences in their treachery of connivance with some criminal elements, complicity in crime commission, negligent performance of duty permitting aggravation of cases in some instances, the disrepute to the institution of the Nigerian Navy in their less than professional conduct through alleged unethical behaviours, marring otherwise lauded efforts of our prosecution of infractions, were very sad and regrettable commentary in an otherwise glowing, commendable and exemplary service from you all.

“I urge this band of undedicated personnel to please make a turnaround promptly and reclaim traction to a fulfilled and successful career.

“I am still hopeful that you would, after pondering on this, reconsider your disposition, choose the path of honour, in clear appreciation of the essence of service to your fatherland.”

The result of Vice Admiral Iba’s diagnosis underscores the need for re-engineering the Nigerian Navy for optimal performance.

Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo promised a total re-engineering of the Service to meet emerging security challenges. He pledged to “leverage on all factors of national location, technology, training, teamwork and synergy to re-energise the Nigerian Navy and enhance her as a well-motivated and ready naval force in the discharge of her Constitutional mandate and other assigned tasks in fulfilment of national security objectives.”

Unveiling his mission and vision for the Navy during his maiden meeting with principal staff officers, flag officers commanding and commanders of autonomous units of the Nigerian Navy at Naval Headquarters, Abuja, Rear Admiral Gambo disclosed that the overall intention of his administration is to achieve immediate positive transformation in the nation’s security especially in the maritime domain.

He added that to achieve the new vision, his administration would focus on some key drivers, which include personnel welfare, enhanced patriotism, integrity, productivity, innovation, commitment and dedication.

Rear Admiral Gambo further promised to focus on human capacity development through result-oriented training for enhanced professionalism, as well as strengthening logistics support and maintenance capabilities to sustain equipment serviceability and platform availability.

Also, as part of the key drivers, the new administration pledged to reinforce the culture of self-sufficiency through sustained investment in Research and Development and prudent management of resources, promote inter-Service cooperation and forge strategic partnerships with MDAs, credible maritime stakeholders, as well as collaboration with international partners.

Furthermore, Rear Admiral Gambo assured that the Navy under his watch will promote and sustain the Nigerian Navy core values of integrity, professionalism and teamwork.

He also posited that the new administration would optimise the deployment of the Nigerian Navy “in the performance of her Constitutional roles and the undertaking of assigned tasks while promptly responding with commensurate actions to other emerging national security challenges”.

The CNS also disclosed that he would operate zero tolerance for indiscipline and criminal activities. He said the established policies and measures to sanction identified Nigerian Navy personnel that collude with economic saboteurs, drug traffickers/barons, bandits, kidnappers and armed robbers shall be overhauled and strengthened.

Rear Admiral Gambo, as part of the re-engineering process, warned personnel to avoid any act capable of tarnishing the image of the NN.

According to him, “such acts would be met with heavy sanctions to act as deterrence to others. On the other hand, Nigerian Navy personnel that exhibit high integrity and positive attributes that portray the NN in good light shall be rewarded handsomely”.

The CNS added that his administration shall place a premium on human capacity development through higher training and education.

He directed all ongoing operations in the Nigerian Navy to check piracy, sea robbery, Crude Oil Theft and illegal refining of petroleum products to continue, while directing all operations Commanders to sustain “aggressive clearance operations to make suspected militants, cults and pirate camps non-conducive for any nefarious activities to thrive”.

Amaba, a sleepy community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, is no stranger to kidnappers and criminal herdsmen.  This agrarian community is rising beyond the activities of these criminals. The Amaba Daughters Association is playing a major role in this, reports OKWY IROEGBU–CHIKEZIE

Amaba community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area was an agriculture hub for Abia State. No thanks to urbanisation and the activities of kidnappers and killer-herdsmen, farming has taken a major blow.  Two years ago some daughters of the community at home and in the Diaspora decided to empower their people in farming and other areas. This has seen some development in agricultural activities.

The Amaba Daughters Association in the beginning supported ten members of the community with N50, 000.00 each to farm and do other business of their choice.  In 2020, they upgraded and empowered additional twenty indigenes with cash. Scholarships were also given to gifted children who made products  such as a fruit blender.

When members of the group visited ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika in his country home in Ovim, he noted that nothing beat agriculture. He advised people to plant vegetable and fruits in any available space in their homes.

The former COAS canvassed the need for government to do more for farmers and engender peace in communities. He frowned at the fact that herders destroy people’s farms and asked for a way out in order not to discourage the youth and others who may desire to go into farming.

Thrilled by the harvest presented to him by those that he empowered with over 2,000 yam seedlings the previous year, he pledged to empower additional 20 people. The former army chief urged the beneficiaries to also key into the various agricultural programmes by the Federal Government and its agencies.

Gen. Ihejirika congratulated the beneficiaries of the programme and farmers in the community for a bountiful 2020 harvest.

He said with the challenges of COVID-19, farmers should be encouraged to produce enough food to feed the populace.

“All barriers and challenges to farming in 2021 should be removed to enable farmers feel free to farm and produce food for the society this year,” he said.

The President of the women group, Oby Ikpechukwu-Onu, explained the essence of the empowerment to include enthroning love among the women, encouraging the young men to avoid drug abuse, cultism and robbery and teaching their young women ‘to grow up in virtues’. She said the beauty of life is to help others who may not be endowed even from the little available. She commended the members giving daily to see that lives are improved in the community without waiting for the government.  She thanked the former COAS for his unwavering interest in the association

She added that the Amaba Daughters came together to help their people by tasking themselves and pleaded with governments at all levels to assist them and the community. She lamented the absence of government projects in the community . She further stated that though many of them are married outside the community with many residing outside the shores of this country they see the call as sacrosanct to uplift their community.

The chairman on the occasion, Paul Nnamba, described the women as trailblazers who have “shown direction, unity, peace and development” for the community and termed the gesture as “a sacrifice with a cost.”  He challenged other groups in the community to learn from their daughters and help shape the future of the community.

The group heard testimonies of three men and women engaged in poultry, farming and baking. They encouraged the new beneficiaries to make judicious use of the cash and every other thing handed over to them to improve their lives and that of their families and by extension the community.

Some of the latest beneficiaries are Kanu Chike Orieoma, Ikemba Bright Ugochukwu, Nwaji Maria and Joy Uwakwe. They promised to invest the cash gift into their existing businesses to improve their families.

Other beneficiaries are Samuel Ihedioha, Madukwe  Obiageri, Obioma Agu, Ozuruonye Ikwunna and Nnenna Okoronkwo.

The occasion also featured a prayer session conducted by pastors, men, women and youths from the community  to liberate the community from satanic influences. The pastors that prayed were Bishop Chukwuma, Pastor Thomas Ogbonna and Pastor Darlington Okemmiri.  It further featured the display of farm products by the women and men who were empowered last year.

 

A survey shows that Southwest states can tackle the challenges of waste disposal and management by establishing waste recycling plants and they can also earn billions through this process.

With heaps of refuse as permanent features in many Southwest states of Nigeria, an environmentalist, Mr Hubert Ajayi has urged governments to establish waste recycling plants to tackle challenges of waste disposal and management.

A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the Southwest region shows that waste disposal and management is a huge challenge in many major towns, cities and state capitals.

This is apparent as a first time visitor to these urban centres is more often than not greeted by the eyesore of heaps of waste on roadsides, in channels, and drains.

Indiscriminate waste disposal in drains, channels and streams especially during the rainy season result in blockage of drains, as well as streams and rivers overflowing their banks.

This causes flooding that submerges buildings, roads and farms and displaces residents with the attendant loss of lives and properties.

In an interview with NAN in Ilorin, Ajayi says that recycling is the solution to the challenge of effective disposal and management of waste for it not to become a nuisance to the environment.

”Most of the things we find in our bins today are not meant to be there, if we are a people that believe in recycling.

”That is what the developed countries do that doesn’t make their waste go to waste but to other products.

”It will be a laudable achievement for the government to have a recycling factory instead of leaving it in the hands private individuals.

”If the government handles it, it will cover more and people will be involved unlike what we have now that most recycling plants are privately owned,” he said.

Mr Fatai Olatunji, an official of Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara, says the council relies on government efforts with respect to waste disposal and management.

Olatunji explains that the provision of Roll on, Roll off (RORO) bins in some strategic locations across the local government area has assisted in putting a check to indiscriminate dumping of refuse to a certain level.

Olatunji however asserts that the provision of RORO bins are not enough because of the growing nature of Ilorin, the Kwara capital.

In his contribution, Mr Ola Oresanya, the Special Adviser to Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun on Environment, says the present administration in the state is tackling the issue of waste management with all seriousness.

Oresanya disclosed that Gov. Abiodun recently issued an Executive Order and established the Ogun Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA).

He says the state government has also finalised plans to rehabilitate and incorporate cart-pushers into its new waste management reforms for optimal performance.

According to Oresanya, the reform will offer the cart-pushers new opportunities through its structured Private Service Providers (PSP) scheme, whereby they will work as loaders and earn steady income .

“Some of the cart- pushers will be employed as community recyclers at community recycling centers to be established soon in all the 20 local government areas of the state,” he said.

Oresanya says that Ogun is faced with the challenge of having to manage a high volume of generated waste because of large concentration of firms and industries in the state.

“We already have Ogun Recycling Initiative, that is, a document, developed to guide investors because part of our policy statement is to ensure that within the business value chain, the private sector plays an integral role.

“The service chain includes waste collection, waste processing, recycling and final disposal and along the strata, we have integrated the private sector,” he said.

Mrs Biola Bashorun, Group Managing Director, ZL Global Alliance, the company handling waste disposal in all major cities of Ondo State, says the company is committed to a cleaner and neater environment in the state.

Bashorun told NAN in Akure that the company’s mission was to provide effective waste management system to ensure that the state was clean at all times.

She said that her company had put in place a world-class waste management system in the state by ensuring competent hands were engaged for effective waste management.

Bashorun said that drainages and water pathways in Akure and other major towns had been cleared so as to prevent flooding ahead of the expected heavy rains predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

She advised residents not to dump refuse in the waterways so as to prevent flooding whenever heavy rain starts.

“Our secondary job is to create wealth out of our waste and we have a slogan in our company: No waste is to be wasted; waste is raw material.

“So, under our waste-to-wealth programme, we package waste as raw material that can be turned into new products. We have one centre in Akure for that and we are building new ones in Owo and Ondo towns.

“We are committed to ensuring that our environment are safe and clean, that is why the company is created and we have better and competent hands to help us manage and turn waste to wealth,” Bashorun said.

Mrs Deborah Fakorede, a resident, however, deplored “inconsistence and irregularities” in respect to waste collection by some of the contractors appointed by government.

“My major concern is that the agency is not consistent. They come when they need money. Sometimes, it may be once in a whole month or twice.

That is why the state capital, Akure, is seen with a lot of refuse often.

“Go to major markets in Akure, many refuse drums are filled up and one can see refuse falling off to the ground and creating offensive smell for many days, thereby negating the purpose of being sited there.

“Whenever we call them and complain, they would say their vehicles are faulty, no money to fuel the vehicles, or that the roads are bad, if it is during rainy season.

“They give different excuses which are not tenable, as if they are not collecting money from us. If they have been coming regularly, Akure streets would be more clean,” Fakorede said.

She advised the government to put in place monitoring mechanism that would ensure that waste collection and proper disposal was carried out in the state.

However, Mr Idowu Akin, a waste contractor, debunked the allegation of inconsistence levelled against his company.

Akin explains that the major problem waste collectors face is that of bad roads at the dump sites.

“The challenge we are facing mainly is at the dump sites. The roads are not good. And you know when roads are not good and trucks are plying them often, the vehicles will break down. We are still working tirelessly to ensure that we still repair them and collect waste for disposal. It is what we have signed to do and we are not going back on it,” he said.

According to Akin, waste managers in the state are discussing with the government to resolve the problem so that their work will be smooth and effective.

Mr Fatai Oyewole, General Manager of Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA) said that the state government has made the process of waste disposal and management easy in the state.

According to Oyewole, residents have been educated on how to properly keep their refuse for waste collectors to pick at a fixed price.

He said the state government had instructed every household in the state to register with an accredited waste collector for their refuse to be picked up and taken to designated refuse dump sites.

Oyewole says the waste collected are usually sorted out at the dump sites and items that can be recycled are set aside, while pure waste are destroyed.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says it is collaborating with Osun Government and other stakeholders to ensure adequate and safe disposal of COVID-19 waste materials in isolation centers.

Mr Chukwudi Mwabuisi, NESREA Acting State Coordinator, says the collaboration is to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the state through adequate disposal of the equipment used for treating infected patients.

“We partner with the health ministry and the ministry of environment to ensure that the COVID-19 waste is collected via an insulator and burnt with the kits used by our men.

“The agency also has compliance and monitoring units which ensure that waste are not dumped indiscriminately in drainages and waterways across the state.

“The engagement of public and private waste collectors has really helped in checkmating the indiscriminate dumping of waste,” Mwabuisi said.

In Oyo State, an environmentalist, Mrs Temitayo Oniorisan described waste management as very poor in the state, particularly in Ibadan.

Oniorisan says that in spite of the weekly sanitation exercise in markets and other work environments; and the end of the month cleanup exercise, the measures have not yielded the desired result.

“One major problem facing the city of Ibadan is poor waste disposal and management. If you are entering the city for the first time, the sight that greets you is that of decaying garbage and refuse on the roads and kerbs.

“Although, the state government under the present administration had declared waste management as an emergency, there has been little improvement in the waste management problem of the state.

“To address the environmental problems posed by poor waste disposal, the state government has introduced several measures that have not been sustainable.

“The arrangements for waste disposal in the state capital has not been effective mostly due to large population size, poor implementation of environmental laws and low level of awareness on the dangers inherent in poor waste disposal,” she said.

A resident of Ibadan, Mrs Adetola Olakunle, told NAN that privately-owned waste service providers collected waste in her residential area of Bodija, for a monthly levy on each house.

“Though the state government has gone into public–private partnership to manage waste disposal in the state, the waste service providers are not effective, the pick up time is not regular, and they don’t get to some streets.

“Also, there is still need for orientation and sensitisation especially among the illiterates because a lot of them don’t see the need to pay waste collectors but they will rather dump their refuse by the roadsides,” Olakunle said.

A competent source in NESREA says that indiscriminate dumping of refuse is a very common practice in the state.

“NESREA has been carrying out sensitisation campaigns on proper waste management and training scavengers and recyclers on waste segregation and sorting.

“However, people keep dumping refuse by the roadsides and at illegal dump sites. The government must intensify efforts at creating more awareness for the general public on various ways to properly manage and dispose their waste,’’ he said.

The official say that government need to enforce environmental laws and impose stiff penalties on defaulters, particularly people who dump waste on roadsides and waterways.

In 2017, when Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was sworn in as the governor of Ondo State, over 100 communities in 10 local government areas were off the national grid. In search of a way out, the state is adopting the mini-grid system, writes OSAGIE OTABOR

When Oluwarotimi Akeredolu became Ono State governor, over 100 communities in 10 local government areas were off the national grid. The local governments without electricity were the four local government areas of Akoko made up of Akoko North West, Akoko North East, Akoko South West and Akoko South East. In Ondo South, about five local government areas like Okitipupa, Ilaje, EseOdo, Irele and parts of Ore Odigbo were affected in darkness without electricity supply. Many communities in Okitipupa and larger part of Ondo South Senatorial district which were connected to the national grid had no power supply for over 10 years. The major campaign promise for the people of Ondo South senatorial district was the restoration of power supply.

Residents of Akoko had to approach their notable sons and daughters to contribute personal funds towards the rehabilitation and repairs of abandoned distribution infrastructure across Akokoland. That was how some of the towns in the area were reconnected to the national grid.

To resolve the issue of the power blackout in Ondo South, the Ondo South Power Project Committee headed by the Oniju of Iju-Odo, Oba Festus Olumoyegun. The committee signed a power purchase agreement the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) paid N371m as a security deposit for power. Electricity supply has been restored to parts of Okitipupa, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbe, Igbokoda in Ilaje and Odigbo/Ore.

Akeredolu had to resort to the mini-grid system to get power supply to communities that have never been connected to the national grid. Communities that now enjoy 24 hours of electricity supply are Aboto and Gbagira, Ogbonla, Lomileju and Obejedo. The communities get to pay N44 per kilowatt. Governor Akeredolu relied on Section 14 of the Nigeria Constitution under Concurrent legislative list in part two of the second schedule which empowered the state Houses of Assembly to legislate on areas not covered by the national grid to get service providers to build the power plants. Other upcoming mini-grid systems in the state are in communities like Awoye, Molutehin, Odofado and Ala Elefosan.

In his bid to ensure the future of the programme, Akeredolu sent a new electricity bill to the House of Assembly. The bill, which has been passed into law, repealed the old State Electricity Board law and guarantee private sector participation in power generation, transmission and distribution in the state as well as provide a legal framework for investors to participate in electricity provisions in areas not covered by the national grid system.

The new law allows the state to establish a private power company that would engage in power generation, transmission and distribution as well as protect the historical assets and investment of the state in the sector while also introducing novel consumer protection clauses to mainstream electric power or electron transfer as a basic market commodity or product for which values exchange hands.

The Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Energy, Tunji Ariyomo, said the newly created Ondo State Power Company would ensure job creation as more support staff and engineers are expected to the employed.

Speaking further on the mini-grid system, Ariyomo explained that the power supply from the mini grid-free was not free as they were provided by private players who hoped to recoup their investments.

According to him, “It is not free. It is commercial. It will not be sustainable if it is free. In every mini-grid service we have provided, we advertise and lots of companies showed interest. We give them exclusively period guarantee. We asked the private investor to take over the small town. We sign a collaboration agreement with them. The only way to make the project sustainable is when the community pay and we are not used to paying for service here. We set up a cluster off-take unit policy so that every willing community can enlist to be part of that policy. The policy empowers a community or an association to become a part of the quasi-legal entity and then the procedure for the CoU will guide the community to be recognised. The community becomes a quasi-government because it now has a perpetual successive privilege and can now enter into an off-take agreement with the provider. That is what we have done in areas we set up the mini-grid. We allow the community and the provider to set their tariff. Their tariff is outside the NERC regulated tariff.

“By enabling the community and the company to set tariff, we show that it is not something of dividends of democracy. If we do it like that the project will fail. It will not be revenue earning programme that continues to enjoy private sector participation. These things cost lots of money. The investor must see the clear path of recouping their investment and see the opportunity for a marginal profit before stepping in.

“For areas far from the grid, we will eventually need hundreds of mini-grid power system. We have sign collaborative agreement with 25 communities and we have not provided a mini-grid for half of that number. There is a likelihood that when more people discovered what we are doing, they may begin to approach us. As at last week, we are seeing estate coming to us saying they have not been connected to the grid. We must have that proof before we can step in. We go into areas where we are sure the law is behind us.”

On why the state did not approach the BEDC to extend electricity to those areas, Ariyomo said it would cost billions of dollars to extend power to those affected communities.

His words: “You should have asked the feasibility of the BEDC to extend electricity to areas? If BEDC could not extend Infrastructure to Igbokoda, Okitipupa where you can still drive to, how do you tell BEDC to extend infrastructure to communities on the high sea? It is impracticable because of the infrastructure you will need to do that. Even advance countries will not do it. It is futile and wasteful. What to do is to provide off-grid infrastructure to those communities. BEDC has approached us to set up a mini-grid infrastructure for those communities. All they need to do is to set up distribution infrastructure directly to the off ford plan. It could be gas, solar or whatever technology. We will not recommend connecting remote places to the grid. It will not be sufficient. We will encourage mini-grid providers to step in. It is a way of practically decentralising the problem we are facing in the power sector.

“The purpose of the law is to ensure the stability of the programme. In future, if the government change hands, some other people might not have the capacity to understand the entire concept. The World Bank recognises political instability as one issue militating against investment in most Africa states. As a way to mitigate that concern, we needed a law that will have substantial investment protection clauses such that as people bring in their funds to the state, they could be guaranteed that it is not for Akeredolu but for the people. That law addresses that concern which is investors protection.

“Things are fast changing. There are emerging new technologies all over the world. You need specific institutional infrastructure to be able to address to peculiarities but we do not have that. As at the time we came on board, we only have the Ondo State Electricity Board. What we are doing is beyond that because of the acceptance of renewable energy. We needed an institutional framework that will support this development and that law also fill that gap. We needed a private company that can enter into serious business with serious-minded energy service providers and that establishment must have perpetual succession right. It must be able to serve as the commercial arm of the state government in energy-related businesses. We have set it up by executive order through the CAC but we needed a law to back it up. This law recommends a jail term for energy theft. The law makes bulk metering illegal in Ondo State. The law enabled the consumer to sue the company. There is a consumer protection clause in the law. This law is revolutionary in nature. It protects the interest of the people in Ondo State. We believe that with this new law, we can attract funding to the state through the newly created Ondo State Power Company. The tariff is N44 per kilowatt. It is based on negotiation and varies from community to community.”

The second wave of COVID-19 is deadlier than the first. The Federal Government has taken a lot of precautionary measures. One of the sectors that seem to have escaped government attention is the transport sector, most especially the motor parks and how passengers are loaded in vehicles. Justina Asishana reports that transporters have little or no regard for COVID-19 safety protocols.

What do you mean three people in the back? The government said vehicles should carry half the number of passengers they normally carry. This means you are supposed to carry two at the back and one in front. So how come three now?” the reporter queried the driver of the car she wanted to board to Abuja from the City gate motor park in Minna.

“Aunty, the price is N2,000 o! If you want two at the back, you will pay N2,500,” the driver retorted.

“If it is N2,500 for two, then how come three will pay N2,000? If that is the case, then three people will pay N1,700 each,” she said making a quick calculation in her head.

Following the argument between the reporter and the driver, other drivers came to the aid of their colleague, saying that if the reporter was not ready to pay the fare, she should wait for another vehicle to pick her or preferably go to another park.

From Mobil roundabout garage to Kpakungun park to Abdulsalam garage to the City gate park to Maitumbi garage and other roadside garages within Minna metropolis, disobeying of the COVID-19 preventive protocols is high.

Unknown to many, transportation is a critical part in COVID-19 contagion and due to this, the Federal government implemented guidelines for the containment of COVID-19 in the park, the implementation guideline-directed that for all travels, there should be reduced occupancy in buses with the maximum of 50% occupancy, other measures include the mandatory use of facemasks, mandatory check of temperature and use of hand sanitisers and hand washing.

The guidelines prohibited all forms of vehicle overcrowding and overloading and insist on physical distancing.

Despite these guidelines, the majority of the motor parks in Minna and Niger State do not meet these guidelines both for inter and intrastate travels. Vehicles still carry the normal capacity of five or six passengers which comprise of three or four people at the back and two at the front for smaller cars while Sienna vehicles carry eight or nine passengers instead of five passengers.

A visit to the parks in Minna metropolis revealed that no one minds about the loading apart from Abdulsalam Motor Park and the Niger state Transport Authority, no other motor parks are bothered about adhering to these protocols.

Increase in Fare but no adherence to COVID-19 protocols

It was learnt that most of the transport fares have been increased with the excuse that the government asked the vehicles to keep to physical distancing, however, the Reporter during her visit to some of the parks noticed that though the fares have been increased the number of passengers remain the same.

“Before we are carrying N700 to Bida but now, it is N1000,” a driver who identified himself as Musa at the Bida motor park in Minna said. He, however, defended the hike in the fare too bad roads and an increase in fuel prices.

Speaking about the number of passengers carried, he said that there has not been any time when the number of passengers was reduced in the vehicle.

“For cars, we carry six passengers, four at the back and two in front while for Sienna bus, we carry nine passengers. That one never changes,” he said.

At the motor park loading Kontagora, Tegina and Mariga, the drivers have maintained their passengers.

It was also observed in some of the parks that only a few of the passengers wore facemasks, usually one or two of the passengers, there is no washing of hands or use of sanitisers before the vehicle departs for its journey.

At the city gate park, while Abuja vehicles are loaded with four passengers, three at the back seat and one in front, other vehicles going to Suleja and Zuba are usually overloaded, six passengers in the case of cars and nine passengers in the case of the sienna bus.

At the Mobil motor park, the majority of the vehicles, even the buses belonging to the state transport authority were seen flaunting the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Cars going to Okene, Zuba, Suleja, Paikoro and other places were overloaded with passengers with no facemasks, washing of hands or use of sanitisers.

Also, the reporter did not see any handwashing facility neither was the temperature of passengers checked in any of the parks visited.

These operations contravene the safety guidelines by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which states that all forms of vehicle overcrowding and overloading are prohibited and that there should be physical distancing of two meters between passengers inside the vehicle.

‘Passengers make us not adhere to the safety guidelines’

Some of the drivers said that they would be willing to reduce the number of passengers they carry if the passengers were ready to pay the increased fare.

A driver at the city gate motor park, who identified himself as Solomon, said most passengers plead for the payment of N2000 instead of N2,500, adding that when the price was fixed at N2,500, they lost a lot of passengers.

“When we carry two at the back, we collect N2,500 each, then we realise that many of the passengers will beg for N2,000 or enter to Zuba, which from there, they will see all these buses going into Abuja, even Suleja, from Suleja, they will enter Berger or Wuse and move from there. They say that one is cheaper for them than to pay N2,500. So we have no choice than to agree to carry three at the back and let them pay N2,000.”

At the Bida motor park, another driver, Musa, argued that no passenger will agree to pay more than N1000 to Bida which is why they cannot carry fewer passengers.

Our members follow the COVID-19 protocols, say, union leaders

The Deputy Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria in Niger state, Ahmed Abdullahi, said the union had directed all chapel chairmen to sensitise their members about COVID-19 and the importance for them to obey the safety protocols.

“We told every chapel to have sanitisers and the drivers should ensure they wear nose masks and the passengers also have nose masks before boarding. We also spoke to them the importance of handwashing, all these are to prevent COVID-19 because no one knows where the disease is coming from.

“I am assuring you that members of our association are following these rules, they are extra careful because it is easy for one to get infected in these public parks because of different people who are coming in and out and you don’t know who has it.

“Regarding the loading, we have told them to carry 5 passengers but I can’t say if they are following that or not because I am not following them to the exact park they load but we have cautioned them to adhere to the safety protocols.”

The Organising Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Abdulsalam Garage, Akani Adekunlekun, said passengers were made to wash their hands before boarding. “They also use hand sanitisers and wear face masks. We follow the protocol to the letter,” he said.

On the observation that there were no handwashing facilities, he said: “For now, we use water in kettles to pour on the hands of the passengers before they board the vehicles. All the state officials of the unions claimed that none of their members had been infected with COVID-19.

Government subsidy for NSTA

For smart transporters, the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) is the way to go. It is the only motor park that complies with the COVID-19 safety precautions regarding transportation, probably because it is run and managed by the government.

It was learnt that the government subsidises the transport fare and there is no hike in fare in a bid to meet up with the required amount for each trip.

According to the Manager of NSTA Tunga Terminus, Babangida Danlami, a bus that initially takes 15 passengers now takes 10 passengers.

“In respect of the price, the passengers are complaining that it is on the high side but compared to other parks, ours is the lowest.

“It may be high for them but we are within our limit especially as we have to buy fuel, spare parts and maintain the vehicles all the time. We are still giving the common man the cheapest and affordable transportation fare in Niger state.

“Like for Lagos trip, we normally carry 15 passengers, if you multiply it by the amount we were collecting then, you will see that government was subsidising almost N15,000 on each trip. Then following the COVID-19 protocols, we still did not increase the price and our record shows the government is subsidising N20,000 for each trip.

“We took 15 passengers and charged N5,000 before but now we carry 10 passengers and charge N6000. If you make the calculation, you will see that the government is subsidising heavily for the passengers on all routes.”

Danlami added that the number of people travelling per trip has reduced, saying that it may be to the insistence of the motor park to strictly follow the COVID-19 protocols.

The manager called on the people and drivers to bear with the situation and adhere to the laid down protocols as the government cannot be everywhere monitoring them as they load.

Government reacts

Going round the motor parks, one thing is for certain, the absence of a mentoring mechanism by government and Transport Unions to ensure that the COVID-19 protocols are followed to the letter.

Despite NSTA being forced to carry 10 passengers, there are still cases where the buses do not load at their designated parks and they carry more than 10 passengers which are supposed to be the specified number to be carried.

However, the Niger State government have been having meetings with stakeholders in the transport sector to avail to the leaders to make their members adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Arising from one of the meetings, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Dr Ibrahim Garba Musa said that sensitization is ongoing adding that the state government will not stop re-echoing the safety protocols for them and meeting them continuously.

“As you see, we just finished a meeting with the Union leaders to re-emphasise to them the need to continue observing the COVID-19 protocols as being given to us by NCDC and the state government.

“We will continue our sensitisation with them, we will have a continuous meeting with them so that more sensitisation can be made. The issue of limiting the number of people that are supposed to be in our vehicle has also been emphasized.

“However, I want to assure you that our government vehicles are observing it strictly but the problem is our partners outside the state government transportation, that is why we are calling their officials.”

On steps to be taken on defaulters, the Permanent Secretary said that the government has put in measures to fine everyone who does not wear facemasks.

“If they fail to adhere to this, we will continue to plead with them, health is wealth, they should know that and in as much as we are pleading with them, we will still try to enforce it. For now, we already have traffic vanguards in place and they are doing their best to ensure that the protocols are being strictly observed. We will not relent; it is a continuous process.”

Garba pleaded with the people to stop encouraging the drivers to evade the safety protocols saying that it will be cheaper for them to prevent contacting COVID-19 than to get it.

“We plead with travellers that it is cheaper for them to pay the prescribed fare and be free of COVID-19 than to pay less and be exposed. Once you are exposed, the result is that it will be more severe, you will pay more at the end of the day. It is cheaper to protect yourself than to start curing yourself. Even the psychological trauma you will go through if you eventually get well is not easy.”

COVID-19 in Niger State

Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has declared that violators of the protocols would be made to face a mobile court and pay a fine of N5,000.

He directed the Ministry of Justice to prepare an executive order for the enforcement of compulsory use of face mask in the state.

This order is supposed to take effect from Monday, 1st of February, 2021; however, a visit to most of the motor parks across Minna metropolis on February 1 showed that it was still business as usual.

As of January 27, the COVID-19 confirmed cases in Niger State stands at 589 in 22 local government areas with 14 deaths.

• This article is part of COVID-19 Response: Together for Reliable Information project implemented by PAGED Initiative supported by the European Union and Free Press Unlimited.

Notwithstanding beneficiary verification delays at banks and uncertainty about payment schedules in some states, among other bureaucratic hiccups, the Federal Government’s 774 000 Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme seems to be ploughing on across most states, writes ROBERT EGBE

President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 4, rekindled interest in the 774,000 Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme following his announcement that the scheme would begin nationwide the next day.

The programme which was originally slated to kick off last October 1, was postponed owing to floods in some of the project sites.

It is expected to ensure that 1,000 people from each of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country are employed. It will also be coordinated by constituted state committees, with the beneficiaries earning N20,000 monthly.

At the launch of the programme on January 7, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo said all National Directorate of Employment (NDE) state structures were already in top gear for the take-off ceremonies.

The Nation’s assessment of the project across the country shows that while the ESPW has commenced in most states, the rate of progression differs.

In some states, banking problems have caused delays, but the programme seems to be progressing at a steady pace, except for Anambra and Plateau.

Rivers gets about N1.38b, pays beneficiaries

The situation in Rivers State was made interesting following last August’s announcement by Governor Nyesom Wike that he had pulled out of the programme, sighting alleged hijack by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Nevertheless, this did not stop the 774 000 Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme from progressing, according to the chairman, Rivers State job selection committee, Dr. Innocent Barikor.

Dr. Barikor noted that the programme reached the implementation stage in the state three months behind schedule, but expressed satisfaction that the cause of the delay was addressed.

The former state Lawmaker told The Nation in Port Harcourt that the state got about N1.38 billion for 23,000 beneficiaries.

He said equipment for the applicants had begun to arrive and were being distributed to local government councils, through the office of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Each beneficiary, he explained, received a start-up capital of N60,000 which was paid to them through the banks that are managing the programme.

“The programme is designed in such a way that no state coordinator sees or touches the money, nobody is going to hold money for anybody,” Barikor said.

According to him, the amount each state gets is dependent on the number of its local government councils.

Barikor said: “Rivers state has 23 Local Government Areas, and 1000 beneficiaries from each LGA. Multiply that by N60,000 per beneficiary will give you an idea of how much the state is expected to get on the average.

“There are six banks involved, so the moment the money hits the accounts of the banks, it is expected that they pay it to the owners without delay.”

He confirmed that the state had taken delivery of start-up packs for the beneficiaries, adding that local governments had begun to take delivery of their lots.

Banks delay compilation of ESPWP beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom

Things got off to a slow start in Akwa Ibom following verification delays, according to the state’s Coordinator of the Extended Special Public Works Programme, Catherine Udi.

She blamed banks for delaying the compilation of beneficiaries’ names three weeks after the programme was flagged off in the state.

Mrs Udi said as a result of this, not all of the 1,000 beneficiaries from across the 31 local government areas, have so far resumed work.

She noted that while the programme officially kicked off in the state on January 11, actual work began last Friday.

According to her, participants of the ESPWP have since resumed work, having been provided with equipment and work tools such as cutlasses, wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, brooms and brushes, among others.

She mentioned that they were essentially engaged in urban and rural beautification, cleaning of drainages, cutting of grasses, demolishing of old, dilapidated buildings and erecting new ones etc.

Network failure delays capturing of beneficiaries in Katsina

Like in Akwa Ibom, banks were also blamed for delays in Katsina State.

A member of the state’s selection committee Reverend Nelson Onyekachukwu said some banks had been experiencing difficulties capturing some of the beneficiaries.

Onyekachukwu, who is also the Chairman, Katsina State branch of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), told The Nation that though the capturing process of beneficiaries was fairly smooth, there were some delays by banks who often complained about network challenges.

The Katsina State Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Alhaji Yerima Saidu Iya said states cannot present a realistic estimate of what each had received from the N50billion allocated for the Special Public Works Programme by the federal government for the nationwide campaign.

Isa maintained that the total receipts per state cannot be captured now due to the nature of the programme with regular expenditures being incurred daily.

He said: “We have already deployed the beneficiaries to cover the following works: Maintenance of hospitals and school facilities, road excavation, construction of drainages and other ancillary public works’’

‘’1000 beneficiaries were captured from each of the 34 LGA of Katsina State through the state selection committee which worked in partnership with selected banks.’’

N1b for 16,000 Kwara beneficiaries

According to the Kwara State Chairman of the ESPW selection committee, Olusegun Oyewo, no fewer than 16,000 beneficiaries of the programme in the state will earn almost N1billion in the next three months.

Each beneficiary from the state’s 16 local government areas, will earn a monthly stipend of N20,000 each for three months.

“Majority of the beneficiaries have already been registered and verified by the approved banks. I encourage those that haven’t registered at the banks to do so immediately. The banks have also been instructed to communicate with selected beneficiaries that haven’t registered with them,” Oyewo said.

Gombe flags off programme for 11,000 beneficiaries

Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya flagged off the ESPW programme in Gombe last Friday.

Each of the 11,000 beneficiaries comprising 1,000 employed from each of the state’s 11 council areas, is expected to get N20,000 at the end of the month, while.

The state Coordinator of NDE, Mustapha Hassan said the recruitment was done across all the eleven LGAs of the state and its 114 wards.

Beneficiaries yet to be paid in Bauchi

The ESPW programme is underway in Bauchi State, but beneficiaries are yet to be paid their monthly stipends, The Nation can report.

A source at the NDE office in the State told our correspondent in confidence that banks are expected to send the account details of beneficiaries to the office of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment for onward transmission to NDE headquarters for payment via the Central Bank of Nigeria, but there is a delay in the process.

He identified the six banks selected for the programme as Access, FCMB, Fidelity, Heritage, UBA, and Zenith.

Speaking on the nature of jobs to be carried out by the selected youth, the source said they are expected to participate in environmental sanitation such as sweeping markets, mosques, churches, adding that they will also fumigate gutters and clean culverts.

Plateau public works members disbanded

There is no clarity about the state of the ESPW programme in Plateau State following indications that executive members of the state’s selection committee have been disbanded.

This was according to the committee’s secretary, Mr Mark Mato.

Similarly, the coordinator of Public Works, Hon. Rufus Bature told The Nation that he had concluded his assignment.

The duo stated this in separate phone calls. According to Mato, “We have been disbanded and do not have the mandate to speak.”

Over 17,000 unskilled workers were recruited from 17 LGAs in Plateau and would be paid N20,000 each for three months.

‘Anambra not aware of any fund’

Anambra State presents a curious case. The state’s ESPW coordinator, Sir Uzoma Igbonwa, said he was not aware of disbursement of any fund.

He told The Nation that he would make enquiries to find out what was going on.

Nevertheless, he listed one of the challenges in the state as “laziness” on the part of the appointed banks.

Igbonwa said: “The appointed banks are lazy to do the job. Most of the beneficiaries are yet to open accounts with the designated banks.

“The banks have the lists and are supposed to send messages to the beneficiaries and go to their respective LGAs to capture their BVN and open the account for them, all to no avail.”

Delta beneficiaries to receive January stipend soon

ESPW beneficiaries in Delta state are yet to receive their stipend for January. Chairman of the state’s selection committee, Professor Kelly Ejumudo, disclosed this in a phone conversation with The Nation, adding that payment will be done soon.

Minister for State, Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo had, during the launch of the programme on January 7, revealed that N1.59 billion had been released for the payment of stipends to 25,000 selected beneficiaries across the 25 Local Government Areas (LGA) in Delta state.

Asked what work has been done thus far, Ejumudo stated that “full-blown work” will commence soon, but preliminary works had started.

He explained that the LGA coordinators were in the process of getting work tools from the office of the NDE, Asaba, while beneficiaries will have to get their posting letters from the agency.

“January stipend will be paid very soon. The collection of tools has started. The fact is that some of the selected beneficiaries have not gone through documentation. For example, supplementary lists, we still have LGAs that their last lists have not been submitted yet because it must fit that 1,000 marks. But, whether it has hit that 1,000 marks or not, it will not stop the January stipend.

17,000 recruited in Abia

NDE state coordinator in Abia State, Mrs Chijioke Uzoatuegwu, told The Nation that 17, 000 beneficiaries have been deployed across the state’s 17 local government areas, but he was unaware if they had been paid their first salary.

Uzoatuegwu said the selection of the beneficiaries was done according to the directives from the supervising Ministry; Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The state NDE boss said the recruitment of the beneficiaries was done by State Selection Coordinators from various local government areas of the state.

“The equipment they use to work are under the custody of various local governments where they (beneficiaries) will go and sign for the materials and after working, they will return the implements there.

“I don’t know if they have received salaries because they are paid directly into the account numbers which they submitted to the SSC during their registration and documentation.”

‘No money released to Bayelsa yet’

A member of the Bayelsa State Committee on Special Public Works Programme, Igwoku Emmanuel, said he was not aware of any particular amount has been released to the state.

He said no beneficiary had been paid in the state since the programme was officially inaugurated about three weeks ago.

He stated: “All I know is that every beneficiary is to be paid N20,000 every month for three months. If it is going to be extended, we don’t know but that is the information at our disposal.

“As of the time of our inauguration, our responsibility was just for selection and screening of beneficiaries. After that, there was supposed to be another committee for implementation which was supposed to implement. Our work was supposed to end with just the screening which we have done since.”

Beneficiaries expecting first pay in Oyo

Beneficiaries of the ESPW project in Oyo State are already expecting their first pay. The state coordinator of the project, Mr Ope Salami, told The Nation that several beneficiaries started the project when it was launched on January 5 in the state. He said they were yet to receive their first pay possibly because the month just ended, indicating that the money was being expected.

According to him, all the 33 local governments in the state had received equipment for 1,000 beneficiaries each, being their host. He added that each local government was given the type of equipment required for the type of public works to be undertaken by beneficiaries.

Salami explained that commercial banks were handling registration and documentation of beneficiaries while the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) issues their identity cards.

He, however, revealed that the procedure was slightly slowed down by the method adopted by the banks. Salami disclosed that the banks sent SMS to beneficiaries giving their account numbers and requesting them to come for registration whereas the beneficiaries did not have any prior knowledge of such step. Consequently, he said many beneficiaries treated the messages as a fraud with some deleting them from their mobile phones.

He said they later went to the banks after learning that the messages were for the ESPW jobs. Salami added that the banks had since made amends thereby clearing the way for all beneficiaries to register and start work at their local governments.

ESPW stalled in Osun

Commencement of work for beneficiaries of Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) suffered a setback in Osun State as the scheme awaits more lists of participants from its headquarters.

The National Directorate of Employment, Osun State had on Monday, January 11, 2021, flagged off the programme at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Local Government Service Commission, Abere, Osogbo.

The State Coordinator of NDE, Osun State, Mr Ismaila Abiola, said the agency was awaiting more lists of beneficiaries.

“The Director-General of NDE is sending the list in batches. The list of the beneficiaries was sent to us, we are registering them and we are awaiting the remaining list from our headquarters. When we are done with the registration we will deploy them to where they will work.

“All the equipment that is needed for the job is available at all the local government areas in Osun State. We have shovels, head pans, wheelbarrows, brush cutters, pickers, and chemicals, amongst others.”

Minister awaiting reports

For Minister of Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo, the silence was golden on the ESPW. Keyamo declined to speak on the matter because he was still expecting further reports from states.

But sources at both the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and National Directorate of Employment told The Nation that the commencement of the work was almost at 90 per cent as most states were on board.

One of the sources said participants will be paid based on when their state commenced the programme.

The source added that payment would be based on when states flagged off the programme and when actual work began.

“Most states have flagged off the programme but payment is not based on month-end basis. Payments will be based on when states flagged off. So participants will be paid based on when their states flagged off the programme and when actual works began.

“Some of the states have already commenced the programme after flag off so those participants will be paid based on when the states commenced the programme,” the source said.

 

• Reports by: Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt; Bassey Anthony, Uyo; Augustine Okezie, Katsina; Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin; Sola Shittu, Gombe; David Adenuga, Bauchi; Kolade Adeyemi, Jos; Nwanosike Onu, Awka; Elo Edremoda, Warri; Sunny Nwankwo, Aba; Simon Utebor, Yenagoa; Bisi Oladele, Ibadan; Toba Adedeji, Osogbo; and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja