The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benin

  • ‘Why agric should be mainstay of economy’

    Wells Hosa Green House Farms Limited in Benin City, the Edo State capital, has inaugurated its farm. In this interview, Managing Director Bright Okunbor, a graduate of Crop Science from the University of Benin, tells OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE why the farm is exporting fresh tomatoes, how it will satisfy the local market and boost local content.

    Wells Hosa harvested its first fruits last month. What is the turnover of the farm?

    We have harvested over 10 tonnes of tomatoes from only four greenhouses.This is just the beginning because the production is staggered and also it’s not the peak of production. So only the first four greenhouses are producing now. The next four will start producing in about six  weeks and the fruits will be ready for harvest.

    Are these tomatoes meant for local distribution, processing or  export?

    We want to satisfy the local market first before thinking of export. There is  scarcity of tomatoes, especially in the South. Almost all the tomatoes  consumed here  come from the northern part of the country.

    We are trying to inject a new trend into the market; our target markets are hotels, cafeterias, major retail outlets and the open market. This is because we will be producing the best variety of tomatoes with a shelf life of 10 to 14 days without refrigeration. In three grade and sizes ,the premium grades weigh over 150gramme per tomato fruit.

    Right now we  have our products in the open market in Benin, Warri, Sapele and Port Harcourt. We have tested Habanero Pepper on a few lines in our greenhouse and they have proven successful. When we start full production of Habanero peppers, it will be for exports.

     Are there things you are sourcing locally for the green house farms?

    It is a mix, some materials were sourced locally and there were some that could not be sourced locally. I will give examples, the greenhouse structures that you see comprises about 70 percent galvanised steel and 30 per cent plastics, mesh, substrates, circulatory fans and so on. All these components were all imported.

    All the materials we used for the construction of the green houses were imported from various countries such as Isreal, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka.We are getting the best quality materials.

    In the long run, we  want to source most  essential greenhouse  production materials in Nigeria, especially the galvanised steel.

    We are scouting currently for where we can get the right gauge and percentage of  galvanised steel. This is one of the major challenges we have  because the local steel are not 90 per cent galvanised.

    Other things  used in the land preparation, road and drainage construction, buildings and structures were all done locally, using local companies and the labour.

    What are some of the challenges in running your farm business?

    They are majorly structural problems. We started land preparation  in October 2015.It was during the dry season, however in April 2016, when the rain season started, we discovered that the 10 hectares where the  greenhouses were  already erected were flooded. This was  because substandard greenhouse materials  were used for the gutters.

    A report by groups of consultants from both Mexico and Israel after extensive studies on the quality and durability of the greenhouses advised that the greenhouses were  sub standard.

    With this information of sub standard quality from our initial partners, I had to go in search for new partners to rescue us from this failing greenhouse situation.

    To get new partners I had to travel to Israel, Mexico and the United States of America.  This was one of the most challenging parts of this project because we had to dissolve the Joint Venture (J.V) entered into with our previous partners while searching for new technical partners.

    In addition to that, we had to dismantle all existing 10 hectares green houses already in place, this cost the company a lot of money in labour, tools, machineries, manpower, revenue losses and so on.

    Furthermore, I did courses on fresh produce and marketing, visiting different greenhouse manufacturers.

    We finally chose our new partners, brought them to Nigeria.After extensive study of the weather conditions in Edo State, they designed and patented a new greenhouse model specifically for the tropical region. That is how we started  fresh construction in October last year. That is two years after we first started land preparations. The first set of containers of the newly designed greenhouses started arriving in October last year.  Between then and now, we have had 10 greenhouses installed, eight greenhouses in production while construction is ongoing for the remaining greenhouses.

    What are some of the value additions you have created directly and indirectly?

    One of our primary objectives is to serve and empower our community. We have employed over 250 construction workers , both permanent and contract staff. We  have over 160 production workers for the eight green houses. We have employed a lot of young  people currently undergoing training on greenhouse crop production.These include young graduates.

    By the time we achieve full operating capability with all 28 greenhouses, we would have created over 500 direct and 4000 indirect employment. Conservatively, we have created a lot of jobs directly and we already have association of market men and women from Edo, Sapele, Warri and Port Harcourt coming to us for distribution of our products. So indirectly, people are already getting the benefits from the proceeds from Wells Hosa Green House farms and this is just in a span of two weeks of production.

    In the near future, the company’s vision is to partner with the government and private sector to replicate this model across Nigeria.

    We are not just going to build greenhouses and abandon them with the investors; we will manage their production and marketing with our team of experts to guarantee success.

    Do you think Nigeria can achieve self-sufficiency in tomato production?

    Nigeria produces between 1.6 to 1.8 million metric tonnes of tomatoes annually and majority of this is done in the open field.

    Italy for instance has about 20,000 acres of green house for tomato production, Spain is a huge tomato producer with over 25,000 acres of greenhouse. Mexico has over 25,000 hectares of green houses for vegetables. They started just the way we are starting now, they failed, and they learnt and improved and made progress. Before us a lot of people have tried it but it has not been as successful as what you see here today in terms of yield, quality, management and technology.

    If you have a green house that is not being run properly with the right growers and technology it will fail, so you have to synchronise and have a good fit both on the quality and construction of the green house and on the other hand, the best growers and best agronomists that can make it a success.

     Government is now focusing on non-oil economy. Should we have done it earlier?

    We should not have focused only on oil all these years and I am sure when the price of oil dropped to $30 per barrel, we felt the impact and this is something we should have prepared for by diversifying our economy for other sources of revenues.

    There is a need for us to diversify our sources of revenue generation and agriculture is one of the greatest means to do that because last year,  countries such  as Netherlands generated $2 billion while Mexico generated  $ 1.9 billon from export of tomatoes alone. Nigeria needs to key into this huge export opportunity because there are lots of commodities that we can grow in Nigeria to reduce our dependence on crude oil. The government needs to continuously support agricultural development as it’s already doing with various programmes and incentives for farmers. It should support  new and improved ways of crop production to help increase yields and produce the best quality products suitable for exports.

    This will boost and increase the foreign exchange earned by Nigeria from non oil sector, with all this in place and properly implemented, its never too late for us as a country to join other countries that have realised that moving towards a non- oil dependent economy is the best strategy for a country that wants to succeed and stay relevant in the nearest future.

  • Flood: Benin residents call on Govt. to construct drains

    Residents of the flood ravaged Technical College Road in Benin metropolis have appealed to Edo Government to construct drains in the city centre as lasting solution to recurring flood.

    Some of the residents, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Benin, said the recurring flood was giving the people nightmares during rainy seasons.

    They said the menace had compounded the environmental degradation of the city centre due to lack of drainage system.

    According to them, the Technical College Road is one of the longest streets within the city centre and always flooded.

    “Lack of proper drainage system constitutes an environmental and health hazard to residents.”

    A trader, Chioma Okocha, who operates a shop on the street, said the area had been in a terrible state for many years.

    Chioma said during the rainy seasons, residents were always constructing wooden bridges to enable them to move from one location to the other.

    She called on the state government to urgently construct drains to address the problem.

    Osauyi Omoye, a resident, attributed the upsurge in flooding to non-compliance to town planning regulations by residents.

    According to her, developers are fond of erecting structures along the waterways while residents are engaging in indiscriminate dumping of wastes on streams, drains and waterways.

    She called on the state government to channel the waterways to a river or a canal as part of the initiatives to protect the environment.

  • Nigeria, Benin lose over $3b to cross-border crimes annually 

    •Benin official pushes for stiffer penalties 

    Indications are that Nigeria and its neighbouring West African country, Benin Republic, lose an estimated $3billion annually  to cross-border crimes, especially due to  activities of smugglers and unscrupulous businessmen operating across both countries.

    According to a recent report by the World Bank on smuggling in Nigeria, about N1.45tn worth of different goods are smuggled into Nigeria annually through Benin Republic alone.

    Top on the list of items being smuggled into the country include but not limited to rice,  frozen foods, textile materials amongst other fast moving consumer goods.

    Expectedly, Nigeria had recently resolved to fully implement the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Benin Republic to tackle the menace.

    The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau, restated the nation’s commitment to curb smuggling at a meeting with the Ambassador of Benin Republic, Ms. Adjovi Paulette recently.

    In a related development, the Senior Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, Benin Republic has impressed on the governments of both countries the need to put in place stringent measures to curb the activities of economic saboteurs whose nefarious activities could said to be having a rippled negative effect on the economy of both countries.

    Tchane, who was guest speaker at the public presentation of the book, ‘Revolution of Accountancy Profession in Nigeria: History of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) by Omooba Olumuyiwa Sosanya’, noted during an interview on the sidelines that the quantum of revenue loss from the Nigeria/Benin corridor was significant enough to warrant urgent attention by all concerned about the progress and growth of countries within the sub-region.

    The minister, who was represented by his aide, Abdulrafiu Yakubu, while acknowledging the close ties between both countries was however, quick to admit that there is room for improvement as far as plugging all loopholes responsible for dwindling revenue generation in Nigeria and Benin Republic respectively.

    Specifically,  he said,  “There is need to set up a high-powered task force to tackle the issue of revenue loss because it is very huge.”

    Expatiating,  he said,  “Instead of losing this revenue to the activities of smugglers and economic saboteurs,  let them pay for those goods.  It won’t be a bad idea if we set a different tariff on goods constantly being smuggled so that those involved in such nefarious activities would be forced to legitimise their businesses once it becomes almost unprofitable for them to smuggle. I think such a measure will go a long way in boosting revenue for both countries. “

  • Nigeria, Benin Republic to set up joint committee on smuggling

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and Republic of Benin President Patrice Talon yesterday agreed to set up a joint committee to combat smuggling.

    The agreement was reached when Talon visited Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Also to be consulted in the workings of the committee is Niger Republic, which is believed to be a transit point in the concentric circle of smuggling of commodities, particularly rice, into Nigeria.

    Buhari, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said: “We have succeeded in cutting the importation of rice into the country by about 90per cent.”

    He noted that smuggled parboiled rice still finds its way into the country, thus vitiating the efforts of government and discouraging farmers.

    “When I got into office in 2015, the first thing I did was to visit all our neighbours: Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic. It made both economic and security sense, because if you are in good terms with your neighbours, you ultimately spend less on both physical and food security,” the President said.

    He, however, added that the activities of smugglers are hindering Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency, particularly in rice production.

    A more sinister side to the smuggling menace, the President noted, is the influx of small arms and ammunition into the country, thus increasing the spectre of insecurity.

    Modalities of the joint committee to combat smuggling are to be worked out as soon as possible, the two leaders agreed.

    The Nigerian President also welcomed the idea of a rail network to link Nigeria, Benin Republic, Niger Republic and some other countries, saying “it is valuable economically” and would be subjected to further comprehensive study.

    Talon said smuggling affects Nigeria and his country negatively and also constitutes a threat to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

    “We are aware of how rice smuggling is affecting the development of local capacity in rice farming in Nigeria. It is affecting trade between us negatively, and Nigeria is an important partner for a country like Benin. But we have no powers to block goods meant for other countries, and our country is not the final destination for the smuggled rice. We need to develop a common will to face the problem,” Talon said.

    He added that the proposed rail network between the countries would boost economic growth.

  • Falana gets information on N4.6b fuel drained daily from FG

    The federal government has forwarded to Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) information on fuel importation and sundry matters.

    The requested information was forwarded to the lawyer by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which was acting on the directive of the Minister of state, Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachukwu as requested in his letter to the minister dated April 17, 2018.

    A letter dated July 9  and signed by Kingston Chikwendo on behalf of the DPR  to Falana and titled “Re: Request for Information on Fuel Importation and Sundry Matter” stated in part: “We humbly referred to your letter dated 17th April, 2018 to the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum (HMSP) requesting for information on fuel importation and sundry matters.

    “The HMSP has directed the DPR to provide you with the requested information.

    “Consequently, we hereby forward to you the requested information as detailed in your letter”, it stated.

    In his letter dated April 17, Falana had specifically requested the minister to provide him with copies of the documents relating to: “ Bill of laden and DPR certified cargo discharged certificates of the imported subsidized petroleum products  into the country from December 2017 to March 2018;  Offshore processing  agreements pertaining to the sale of the 445,000 barrels of crude oil per day plus any additional crude barrels approved for domestic consumption from December 2017  to March 2018;  Volumes of domestic refined products by the nations’ local refineries against gross expenditure on refinery turn around maintenance(TAM)/ expended budget in 2017”.

    Others are  “Gross  amount of forex differential or forex subsidy (gap Between CBN rate and Special rate approved for fuel importation) from December 2017 to March 2018 and   amount expended by PEF on Project Aquila from inception aimed at tracking petroleum trucks nationwide to prevent smuggling of petroleum products”.

    Read Also: Insecurity: Falana seeks removal of service chiefs

    Falana’s request followed disclosure by the management of the NNPC that the nation’s  consumption rate of fuel was 28 million litres per day and that subsidy cost was N726 million per day,  that is,  N261.4b per annum.

    He also recalled that on March 5, 2018, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru claimed that the figure had metamorphosed to 50 million litres per day and that NNPC had spent $5.8billion (N1.7 Trillion) on fuel importation in January and February 2018 and that at a public forum held in Abuja two  weeks ago, the minister stated  that the consumption rate of fuel  has skyrocketed to 60 million and that the cost of  subsidy is N1.4 trillion per month!

    On the alleged subsidy of fuel importation, Falana reminded the minister that he failed to disclose the amount realized from the sale of the 60 million liters at N145 per liter.

    “You have also conveniently failed to account for the sale of the 445,000 barrels of crude oil allocated to the NNPC daily by the federal government.

    “Honorable Minister, the convenient defense of smuggling as cheap justification for a gap of 32 million litres a day (at N145 per litre is N4.6 billion daily) is untenable given the billions of Naira continually expended on Project Aquila Software by the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF), a Parastatal under your watch in the Petroleum Ministry, to track every litre of petroleum product evacuated from the Depots and sold at retail stations in the country”, Falana stated.

    He argued “since the Project Aquila Software has capability to identify the owners and locations of all trucks loading petroleum products in Nigeria why has your office and NNPC continue to blame smuggling for the drain of N4.6 billion daily on petroleum products? How many of the Truck owners involved in the alleged smuggling have been arrested and arraigned in court since Aquila has the data base of all Truck Owners in the country?”, he asked.

    The federal government blamed the increasing consumption rate on the smuggling of fuel from Nigeria to neighboring countries by some economic saboteurs.

    Falana had insisted that the claims of the government does not explain the difference of 32 million litres per day between the consumption rate of imported fuel in December 2017 and March 2018 when it is assumed that

    The total volume of fuel consumed by Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Ghana is said to be less than 250,000 litres per day.

  • NBC youth-empowered workshop extends to Benin

    In furtherance of its commitment to empower over 15,000 youths by 2019, the management of non-alcoholic beverage giant, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd, has recently concluded its 3-day workshop in Benin, Edo State, where it engaged over a thousand youths in a bid to improve their fortunes and create viable opportunities for growth.

    The workshop in Benin, which was held from the 12th-15th of June, represents the second location to be visited this year and the fifth in total since the programme commenced in October last year. In attendance were several notable mentors, youth leaders, non-governmental organisations and government officials.

    Delivering the opening remarks for the workshop, the governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, expressed his delight for the youth-empowered programme and advised participants to make best use of the skills which the NBC platform has created, promising that he would not hesitate to support participants with the best ideas with necessary funding.

    While commending NBC for creating such a laudable platform, Obaseki reassured the company of his administration’s total support for such laudable ideas, noting that this would go a long way to complement the administration’s policies of creating opportunities for youths by acquiring skills that would match with existing job opportunities through the ‘EdoJobs portal’.

    “We are happy for what Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd is doing. I think it is a laudable initiative aimed at addressing the unemployment challenge. I believe if youths that fall within the age range of 20 to 32 years, who make up 65 per cent of Nigeria’s population, are assisted to discover and improve their talent, Nigeria will become better for it,” he said.

    He further noted that as companies help in developing the youths’ entrepreneurial skills, his administration has set up policies which ensure that the state takes take full advantage of such skills, and create the atmosphere where Edo State youths can achieve and attain a better future for themselves.

    Also speaking during the workshop, the Public Affairs and Country CSR Manager (East/Central), Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Mr. Ekuma Eze, urged participants to take advantage of the unique opportunity which the initiative has provided by developing brilliant business ideas that would attract funding and create opportunities for business.

    Eze expressed the company’s appreciation to Edo State government for creating the enabling environment to lend its support to assist the youth in discovering and harnessing their talents, which he noted would consequently go a long way to tackle the scourge of unemployment in the country.

     

  • Don drags Nigeria Breweries to court over alleged deception

    An Edo High Court in Benin on Tuesday fixed June 28 for continued hearing in a suit filed by Prof. Ernest Izevbigie, against the Nigerian Breweries Plc over alleged deception.

    Justice Esohe Ikpomwen, the Chief Judge of the state, adjourned the case till the date for the defendant to opens his case.

    Izevbigie, a professor of Biochemistry, had accused the company of allegedly inscribing misleading information, “low sugar,” on the can of one of its non-alcoholic drinks, Amstel Malt.

    The case was filed through the claimant’s lawyer, Mr. Okonkwo Emmanuel, of Henry Idahagbon and Co. (Trinity Chambers).

    Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Okonkwo Emmanuel said that a laboratory investigation revealed that the product contained more sugar than the company claimed in the inscription on the brand.

    He urged the court to order the company to tender a written apology to his client as he had been injured by the alleged deception.

    Izevbigie prayed the court to pronounce that the inscription on the product is misleading to the public.

    According to him, during a medical check-up he recently undertook it was discovered that he had an increase in his blood sugar level.

    The claimant said that the increase in his blood sugar level was traced to his regular intake of the malt drink.

    Izevbigie, during cross-examination by Mr L. O. Ogiefere, counsel to the defendant, told the court that Amstel Malta did not merit the “low sugar” label, as proved by a clinical research.

    According to him, the drink contained 10 cubes of sugar as against the 10 and a half to 10 and one-quarter cubes contained in other malt drinks.

  • Buhari: Historical books, service to humanity

    President Muhammadu Buhari, has described authorship of historical books as an act of rendering service to humanity. President Buhari said this on Saturday in Katsina, during the public presentation and launching of biographies of Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar and his predecessors.

    The President, who was represented by the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari, said that writing of historical books had the capacity to promote mutual understanding and unity.

    “The authorship of books on history is an act of rendering service to humanity. “The more we write books, the more we understand ourselves and the more we unite.

    “What is important is that those who disagree in the history should also write their books,” he said.

    He stressed the need for Nigerians to work hard to sustain the unity of the country.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, charged all Nigerians to embark on projects that would help strengthen the unity of the country.

    He described the attendance of different personalities at the event, irrespective of their religions and tribes as a sign of national unity.

    The Sultan, however, said, “I urge the books’ authors to adjust a few fallacies in the books as few chapter distorted history.’’

    The chief launcher of the books, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, also harped on unity of Nigeria.

    “What is dividing us is lack of understanding of history. Whether you are from West, South, North, nobody has control over what God has for our lives.

    “Whom I am, where I am coming from and where am going, my destiny, it is in the hands of God.

    “Our problem in Nigeria is not about poor economy, but lack of understanding of difficulties Nigerians are going through,’’ he said.

    Tinubu charged Nigerian leaders to preach peace and unity irrespective of their religions, tribes and geopolitical zones, saying: “There should be no tribal war; we must share boundaries, coexist and share economic issues with ourselves.’’

    Read Also: Buhari commends Adenuga for creating jobs in Nigerians

    The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who chaired the event, said that he attended the event because of the relationship between the people of his constituency and the Gwandu Emirate.

    He stressed that he would continue to support any cause that would promote peace and unity of Nigeria.

    Saraki commended late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, for initiating the writing of books to foster understanding and knowledge in the country.

    “The books will further brighten the future of Nigerian youths,’’ he said.

    The newsmen reports that the event was attended by dignitaries from the National Assembly, Emirs from the northern part of the country and state governors from neighbouring countries of Benin and Niger Republics.

    The newsmen also reports that over N100 million was realised from the launching of the books.

    NAN

  • Edo: Police arrest 28 suspected kidnappers, robbers, cultists

    The Police Command in Edo on Tuesday in Benin announced the arrest of 28 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists terrorising the state.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, announced this while briefing the media on the command’s activities in the last two weeks.

    Kokumo said that four of the suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in kidnapping, 11 for armed robbery and 13 for cultism.

    He disclosed that of the four kidnap suspects is a Fulani herder, while two others disguised themselves as herders in order to perpetrate their crime.

    The commissioner said that the four kidnap suspects had confessed committing the crime.

    He said that items recovered from the kidnap suspects were one AK 47 riffle with a breech no. KO 340119, 10 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Dane gun, a cutlass, a dagger and some charms.

    Read Also: INEC: elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra were see and buy

    He said that two single barrel cut to size guns, a double barrel short gun, three live cartridges and a Mercedes Benz saloon car were recovered from the robbery suspects.

    Other were a black toy gun, an improvised gun, one Techno phone, a double barrel short gun, a hammer, 28 assorted telephones a Vox Wagen Golf car and N19,040 cash.

    Kokumo further disclosed that one locally made pistol, one single barrel short gun, two live cartridges and three telephones were also recovered from the suspected cultists.

    He reiterated the command’s commitment to fighting crimes while commending the continued assistance of other security agencies and residents of the state in volunteering credible information.

    NAN

  • Residents lament poor ATM services during festivities

    Residents of Benin have decried poor services of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in the metropolis during festive periods.

    The respondents spoke in separate interviews with our reporters in Benin on Saturday.

    They described it as unfortunate that residents were made to go through stress to withdraw money from the machines during such period.

    They said most of the machines were not been dispensing cash since Friday night, a situation they noted resulted into long queues in the few ones dispensing.

    A resident, John Omoruyi, who said he was unable to get cash from the machines he visited on Friday night, regretted that the situation did not change as at Saturday morning.

    He said “it is annoying that the banks do not make contingency plans for periods such as this.”

    Another resident, Osadolor Ighodaro, said he got to the ATM at 6 a.m. and as at 10. a.m., he was still unable to get cash.

    According to him, he was at more than six ATMs of different banks but the same thing applies: not dispensing cash.

    “It is like a plan by all the banks to deprive customers of their money during holidays: this is because we experienced same situation during 2017 Christmas celebration.”

    Otabor Friday, also a resident, said he trekked from Cultural City at the city centre down to Dawnson junction at Akpakpava road in Benin just to make use of the machines.

    Friday said “I tell you, it was a futile effort as I couldn’t get any of the machines that was dispensing cash in the long stretch of Akpakpava road.

    “The only two machines dispensing cash were like market squares.”

    He said the situation was same at the ATMs along Airport Road and Sapele Road.

    Attempts to get response from security personnel attached to some of the banks proved abortive as they said they were not in position to respond to the challenges.

    One of the security officers attached to one of the new generation banks along Sapele Road, said the challenge would be addressed before the end of Saturday.

    He added that “I am sure that the people responsible for it will come and look into this problem before the end of today.

    “I can tell you that the rush for cash by customers is largely responsible for this problem, but it will be sorted out soon.”

     

    NAN