The Nation Newspaper

Tag: challenges

  • Senator Tinubu challenges youths on unity

    Senator Tinubu challenges youths on unity

    From the vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, came yesterday a piece of advice for the youth believe in the nation’s unity.

    It was when students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) visited her in Abuja .

    Senator Tinubu noted that it is important for youths to continue to have faith in the country.

    The lawmaker explained that her drive to give the youth some platforms to express themselves was borne out of her desire to produce responsible youths.

    She urged the students to take their studies seriously.

    Senator Tinubu, who represents Lagos Central Senatorial District, also enjoined the students to have passion for a better future.

    She said: “There is nothing you can’t do, if you set your mind to do it. Whatever you decide to do in life, give it your best. You must also endeavour to be responsible.

    “If you don’t have youths that are responsible, it will be difficult to develop the country.

    “I don’t see this country disintegrating. We will continue to work relentlessly to remain one because we have strength in our diversity. The youth should continue to have faith in the unity of Nigeria .

    “On my part, I will continue to do what I believe will be in the best interest of the youth of this country and the upcoming generations.

    “As youth you must be determined, focused and, above all, you must not give up your dreams.”

    On the on-going constitution review, the lawmaker said that a sovereign national conference where ethnic nationalities would pick their representatives should have been better.

    Senator Tinubu, who is also a member of the Senate Committee on Constitution review, said her desire for the country is to have a constitution that will stand the test of time.

    Her ideal constitution, she added, must not be anybody’s agenda.

    She described corruption as being across board and advised the students to shun all corruptive tendencies.

    On the Spelling B and One Day Governor initiatives, she said they were created to give opportunities to the youth to express themselves.

    The products of the initiatives, Senator Tinubu said, are doing well in academics and other fields.

    She noted that as an educationist, she believed in creating avenues and giving opportunities to brilliant students to pursue their talents and expand their horizon.

    The Speaker of the Students’ Representative Council, Emiola Waleola Jeremiah, said they were in Abuja to observe Senate and House of Representatives proceedings.

    Jeremiah said they decided to visit Senator Tinubu to learn more about legislative processes.

    He said: “We believe in Senator Oluremi Tinubu so much because we followed her activities as First Lady of Lagos State. The Spelling B competition and Governor for One Day initiatives she introduced are laudable.

    “She continues to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians, especially the youths.

    “We are also following her activities as Senator. We are aware of her Bills and contributions on the floor of the Senate. We want to learn more from her.”

    Senator Tinubu thanked the students for following her work at the National Assembly and her initiatives to improve and impact positively on the lives of the youths.

  • SMEs way out of challenges, says SMEDAN boss

    SMEs way out of challenges, says SMEDAN boss

    The Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Mohammed Umar, has said Nigeria’s security and unemployment challenges could be addressed with small businesses.

    Umar spoke in Jos, Plateau State, at the presentation of the findings of the Enterprise Baseline Survey (EBS) 2012 Report.

    He said the problems were caused by population growth not matched by developemnt in other sectors ofthe economy.

    “The gap between population explosion and small medium scale businesses accounts for the crises we are experiencing.

    “Check every nation today, the small businesses sub-sector is the most important one. If it develops, the nation develops.’’

    The SMEDAN boss expressed worry that much of the country’s developmental efforts were geared toward political development at the expense of the economy.

    “The country’s development has been concentrated on political development to the extent that one can say that we have over-developed politically which has landed us into crises.

    “We should have given more attention to the economy, and in particular, small businesses.

    “No society can control the effects of population explosion if it has no small businesses to engage the youths.’’

    Umar said, however, that all hope was not lost as President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda had reawakened the sub-sector for SMEs to thrive.

    He said the EBS, powered by German International Cooperation (GIZ) was aimed at providing a direction towards developing the SMEs.

    Umar also advised the Plateau government to make the best use of the survey to develop its private sector.”GIZ has conducted a detailed survey on SMEs. Plateau has a reliable data and should use it to plan. We (SMEDAN), are prepared and willing to work with the state for the development of the small businesses.’’

    Umar recalled that Jos, the Plateau capital, used to be the commercial hub of the north in 70s and challenged the state government to restore that lost glory.

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who was represented by Prof. Shedrach Best, the Secretary to the state government, said the state would welcome efforts that would make the private sector succeed.

    “The focus of this programme is to support the Plateau government in the area governance, gender and the provision of enabling environment for private sector development.”

    We are prepared to make the most of it,’’ he said.

    He said that the Plateau Government was proud to be part of any initiative that was driven by GIZ as they had been partners for long.

    The governor declared that Plateau was safe for business and urged interested investors to come to the state as permanent peace had returned.

  • Outdoor advertising: Challenges and prospect

    Outdoor advertising: Challenges and prospect

    CONTINUOUSLY, rationalizing advertising spend on media, taxes the various conventional media vehicles on the critical issue of relevance and value-addition. For advertising media products and services providers at times like this, value-focused marketing is imperative. To the extent that insight on intricacies peculiar to various media vehicles will help marketing efforts by media platform, it beneficial to learn from on experienced professionals. The following is an excerpt of a paper on the value of outdoor advert media, challenges and prospects for practitioners by the President of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Mr. Charles Chijide, at a seminar. We at MC&A DIGEST see this is a good piece for our readers in the business of outdoor advertising. Happy reading:

    Characteristically, out of home advertising is focused on engaging the target audience when they are out of their homes (in other words, when they are on the move). The role outdoor advert media are challenged to play bestows on them so much responsibility which has necessitated a lot of aggression, creativity, persuasion and target audience engagement abilities. It is also very obtrusive in nature, ranking the highest need for a measure of opportunity to see, among advert media vehicle options. For well over 50 years, dedicated practitioners have consistently deployed this unique media vehicle for the development of advertising in our local market. From a humble beginning when the conventional billboards and posters were all there was to date, a lot has happened to up the standard and quality of services delivered by this sub sector. We now have global standard digital display panels in Nigeria. Today, we can boast of well over 100 different outdoor media formats displaying across the country.

    In all, the growth indices evidenced upon outdoor advertising business and practice are open to common perception. As mentioned earlier, there is a clear manifestation of local presence of global and innovative outdoor advertising products in Nigeria and a huge upscale in the level of professionalism in the quality of service delivery within the industry today. Today, the business and service of outdoor advertising is handled by trained professionals and focused entrepreneurs. Gone are the days when outdoor advertising service was delivered by the barely literate and artisans. The leadership of OAAN has invested so much in improving the image perception of outdoor advertising practice in Nigeria. Our National association is now a registered member of the world outdoor advertising body, FEPE. Among our goals is enabling practitioners and personnel of our registered corporate members access to global practice standards, new learning and insight and the opportunity of interacting with global practitioners through international workshops and seminars. I can tell you outdoor advertising growth potentials in this market are enormous.

    However, so much needs to bring to fore, as very essential learning for aspiring practitioners and the ordinary Nigerian, to enable a good appreciation of the challenges investors and practitioners face, in their quest for survival as practitioners and the optimization of returns on investment, for the entrepreneurs and investors in outdoor advertising practice. To put the revelations that will follow in perspective, let us look at the practice standard in developed economies.

    Globally, outdoor advertising service delivery and business operations face similar constraints, as a result of its nature. And put briefly, the constraints are:

    (1) Space

    (2) Statutory regulations

    On space, for instance, at least 1,500 cities and communities prohibit the construction of new billboards. The States of Vermont, Hawaii, Maine and Alaska in the same US, prohibits all billboards. In Brazil, the City of Sao Paulo, in 2007, banned all billboards within the city. In South Africa, there is an operating manual known as South African Manual For Outdoor Advertising Control (SAMOAC), compiled and published by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Directorate in 1998. This document is a 124 page manual put together based on a pains-taking research project – just for the definition of outdoor advertising, the extent and impact of outdoor advertising and its impact on environmental beautification and tourism. Nobody or group of people engage in any form of outdoor advertising in South Africa without express referral to the contents of this document. I like to read this quote from the forward from SAMOAC:

    “Outdoor advertising and information transfer fulfills an essential function in modern society. It directs guides and informs as to locality, product, activity or service and contributes to economic growth in general. However, if outdoor advertising is not controlled properly it could have a very real impact on tourism resources and the human living environment, as was experienced in countries such as the United States of America. Most advertisements are aimed at the road user and may therefore also impact on the road environment. Control measures are therefore needed to ensure that road environments will be conducive to safe and pleasant driving.”

    The portion I just read captures the reasons for statutory regulations on outdoor advertising, world over. To a great extent, the need for environmental protection is a good reason for government intervention in billboards erection and outdoor advertising generally – such as is contained in SAMAOC. Take our local environment, for example, the landscape and skyline in major cities and busy towns across Nigeria suffered all sorts of “pollution” from billboard structures due to indiscriminate erection. Billboard cluster resulted in menace, such that outdoor advertising made no since due to the abuse owing from indiscriminate erection of boards.

    The other part of government control on outdoor advertising has to do with rates and levies due government agencies and department for the use of permitted outdoor space (also worldwide). Such payments are statutory and ordinarily come through as permits for display of advert messages and use of public space. In properly structured society such levies are collected directly by the municipal or local government councils with jurisdiction over the geographic space billboards are erected and the advert message displays.

    World over, the two areas of government intervention stated above remain the key consideration for every outdoor service provider. So as investors or practitioners, managing the incidences of these key components will go a long way to determine the extent of any outdoor advertising business. However, if we add “…in Nigeria” to the topic of this paper, the theme of this forum changes dramatically, immediately because of the peculiarities of the Nigerian market. In other words, localizing the challenges facing outdoor advertising, throws up so many oddities that also require the attention of practitioners and entrepreneurs driven by success.

    As we know, any business concern that does not yield adequate returns on investors’ interest and compensate her human resource is not a successful business. So< return on investment will remain the most important measure of success. In the face of that, let us run through the peculiar challenges facing outdoor business in Nigeria, as follows:

    1. Government policies/ regulation: in addition to global standards of statutory intervention, the local scenario is one of seeming confusion among governments and their agencies. For instance, state governments have technically usurped the local governments’ right to outdoor advert levies through their agencies. But because this arrangement is not harmonized properly in some quarters, outdoor advert agencies find themselves subjected to dual level payment – one to the state government agency and the other to the local government who insists to be paid. This all add up to multiple taxation of some sort, and doubles the cost of such corporate bodies’ operations.

    2. Quality of human resource – outdoor advertising practice is still evolving from the days of old when it was lacking in adequately educated practitioners. But to mention, the industry will be better serviced by a continuous growth in the number of adequately educated practitioners. The good thing is that the trend is growing and the situation is looking better. We like to emphasize, from the standpoint of OAAN that our focus is on achieving high level of professionalism in the industry. We therefore encourage corporate bodies’ consideration for staff training and retraining, and the engagement of highly educated personnel at entry level.

    3. Corporate organizational structure – there is the need to cut cost of operation by considering the concept virtual office and outsourcing. The traditional office setting as we knew it in the 1960s through to the 80s is no longer practicable in today’s business environment. Infusion of technology, sharper focus and competences on the basis of comparative advantage will make better meaning in cost-efficient business management today.

    4. Financial discipline among business owners – business ownership and financial discipline is not one of our strong points in this environment. A lot of small and medium size businesses in this economy are organized around “the owners” so much so that there is no clear distinction between the personal finances of the owner and that of the business. Such practice leads to financial impropriety, indebtedness and business failure.

    5. Clients’ commitment to payment terms and pattern – clearly, not all that glitter is gold in real sense. You would be shocked to know how much is owed to outdoor advertising companies on account of these magnificent and spectacular displays you see in Lagos and Abuja, by the clients. As a result of clients’ indebtedness, most of the agencies are reeling in crippling debt that are threatening their survival. Coupled with the huge investment on those hoardings, the impressive digital display panels, payment to government agencies and cost of operations, debt management is one of the major concerns for any investor in this market. We at OAAN are working towards an acceptable financial management system between our member-companies and their clients that will support healthy business relationship.

    6. Industry practice – underhand dealings and compromises for selfish reasons. This is straightforward. We know of unwholesome practice by some service providers, especially those non-OAAN members. In order to make quick gains, the y compromise industry ethical and practice standard to get businesses. Their most potent tool is outdoor advert rates. They drop rates so badly the unsuspecting client shuns standard practitioners, not considering the dangers of unprofessional service delivery. What happens most times with such arrangement is substandard service delivery, abandoned hoardings and disappointment. So, we implore all those intending to practice in this market to uphold set industry standards.

    7. Innovation, research and strategic planning – lastly, the outdoor advertising practice will do better with research and strategic planning. As in all professionally driven business venture, the need for deep market and consumer insights is the bedrock for success. We must at all times be able to tell what the trends are at the market place, gauge extent of efficiency and effectiveness, understand the target audience expectation, traits and habits. Outdoor advertising businesses must begin to look at introducing more of strategic planning and research for greater effectiveness and ultimate market performance.

    In rounding up, the ingredients for successful business management are globally same – diligence and commitment. As we say in business management thinking global and acting local is the only difference in the small details you find from market to market. Therefore, investors and practitioners must begin to widen their scope in quest for innovative business thinking. Outdoor advertising business is the fastest growing among the three conventional advert media options today. It is also the most resilient to change in the ‘new media world’ driven by digital media. In the new direction, practitioners and investors in outdoor advertising must be challenges by innovative thinking, training and retraining, exposure and new business ideas, to drive success.

  • Judo coach attributes challenges to lack of exposure, training mats

    Judo coach attributes challenges to lack of exposure, training mats

    Rabo Adikwu, a Lagos State Judo coach, on Wednesday called on the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) to organise more local championships in order expose judokas to international standards.

    Adikwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that a lack of competition could cause redundancy among athletes, saying the sport was fast losing its relevance in the country.

    ”The challenges facing judo in Nigeria, one is lack of exposing the athletes are one of the problems NJF is causing. Two, organising more local championships for the athletes, to keep them busy. When you create championships for them, you have to expose them and they will always be at the shape. But by the time you do not create local championship for athletes, they become a redundant athlete. Then when they hear there is a championship, in three months time, he starts training today and after the training he goes down again,” he said.

    He said it was shameful that countries like Sierra Leone and Niger participate in virtually all the international championships which served as Olympic qualifiers.

    “The great nation of Nigeria with over 150 million people could not attend Olympics last year on Judo, it is a very very shameful thing. But we can still make it right by start putting our acts, our heads together now, organising championship and we make sure we start attending all the qualifiers.

    “IJF (International Judo Federation) season has started since last year, there is a grand slam in Dubai and there is a grand slam by Feb. 9 in Paris and there is a grand prix in Germany. And there is a Judo Turkey and all these are part of the qualifiers, if we have countries like Sierra Leone, Niger attending all these qualifiers, why can’t a great country like Nigeria do that for goodness sake.

    “We have all the potentials, we have all the strong men, we have all technical men on ground to put things together band make it right.”

    He also appealed to other states to emulate the developmental programmes of Lagos State in talents discovery and nurturing.

    “Other states should be encouraged to acquire training mats, for example in Nigeria, I can say that it is only six states that has the blue mats and without training facility, how do you intend to train athletes.

    “Lagos State is a great state because we even have two set of mats, other states should emulate Lagos state and make sport to develop.”

  • Oshiomhole: Nigeria ‘ll surmount its challenges

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday said despite the challenges confronting Nigeria, it would emerge a stronger nation.

    Speaking in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government, at the 16th Auchi Day celebration, he said the challenges facing the country are being experienced by other nations.

    Said he: All nations have their problems. I’m confident that Nigeria will fulfill its mission on this planet. We may have some challenges, but we won’t fix them by lamenting our fate.

    “I plead that the leaders resist temptations to say anything that will give the young ones the wrong impression that all hope is lost. Our task as religious leaders and royal fathers is to enlighten our people.

    “The challenge of building a great country is not easy, but we must do a soul searching and pray to God to guide our hearts and thoughts and channel our energies to make the country work.”

    The governor said the Auchi-Aviele Road built by his administration has been completed and that it would decongest traffic at the Auchi Polytechnic on the Okene-Benin Federal Highway.

    He hailed the Otaru of Auchi for his support during his second term re-election bid, promising that the government would consult, interact and ensure that the resources of the state are managed to touch the lives of the people.

    Governor Oshiomhole assured that the government would work with the traditional rulers, adding: “The least obligation I have to the Edo State people is to leave the state more united than I met it.”

     

  • IGP challenges officers, men on selfless service

    Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has urged officers and men of the Nigeria Police on the need to rededicate themselves to selfless service.

    He told them that their calling as peace officers demands of them the highest level of patriotism, selflessness and hard work.

    In his New Year message to the nation, Abubakar thanked God for his grace and mercies that saw Nigerians through the turbulence that characterised last year.

    He hailed them for their vigilance, partnership and support for the police, without which, he said, the task of policing Nigeria would have been an impossibility.

    The police boss urged citizens not to relent in this regard, but should assist the Force with greater vigour in the months ahead.

    He pledged the loyalty of the officers and men of the Force to the nation and promised that everything would be done this year to curb crimes.

    The IGP stressed the resolve of the police management team to rededicate itself to the vision of reforming and professionalising the Force, with a view to bequeathing to the nation a people friendly police.

    Abubakar assured the citizenry of effective, efficient and intelligence- driven Force with greater respect for the fundamental rights of the citizens.

    Officers and men, he said, would be positioned to tackle crime and social disorder.

    He promised that he would work with the relevant Federal Government agencies to seek new ways of improving their welfare and general working conditions.

    The IGP thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his passion for security and his resolve to tackle insecurity.

    He appreciated the 36 governors, FCT Minister and local government chairmen for supporting the police with logistics and crime-fighting tools last year.

    Abubakar enjoined the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement or person to the police or other security agents.

  • Challenges before Governor Yero

    Challenges before Governor Yero

    SIR: Kaduna descended into mourning following the sudden demise of Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa in a helicopter crash that also killed five others at Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. In line with the constitution, his deputy Alhaji Ramalan Yero emerged as chief executive of the state. For the new governor to succeed in uniting the people for peace, stability and development of the state, he must overcome series of challenges.

    First is the security challenge. Why is this task proving increasingly difficult in the state? Because for many years now Kaduna State has become scene of deadly sectarian violence, segregated into Muslim North and Christian South. As chief security officer of the state, the responsibility is on him to unite and secure the life of every citizen regardless of his tribe, creed or political affiliation. It is on this note one could begin to image how committed His Excellency would be in keeping the diverse people of the state united behind him in peace and for love of one another. This may be deemed delusory but it is realistic if he applies wisdom and expertise in dealing with the knotty difficulties of governing the state.

    So it is important that he realise on time, the need to bridge the gap between the two major religions in the state by introducing policies on genuine reconciliation. Besides, demonstrating fairness, equity and equanimity while discharging his duties will do much to keep the state united. Likewise, it will prove prudent if he takes every decision with circumspection, so as to douse all chances of providing his antagonists with spurious points that may be used in labeling him as being more devoted to one religion than the other.

    In trying to cope with this challenge, he should remain impartial and at the same time play a mediatory role in bringing bloody confrontation between these warring faiths to an end. Because taking either side will have a wider implication of backfiring on unity and peace in the state. So I advice him to take a leaf from the book of his predecessor i.e not to be one sided governor; he should be governor for all.

    Secondly, it is important he prioritise on his agenda. How to end the syndrome of impunity? Many believe insecurity persist as perpetrators of crime go unpunished. He should support measures to combat impunity. Because the saying is people desist from committing crime only if the crime is punished with stiff penalty. So to keep the peace, culprits must be brought to book.

    One other key issue that has the tendency of posing challenge to the governor is the choice of deputy and his cabinet members especially if he dares to defy his godfathers. But in order to foster good working relationship with all his cabinet members, the governor should have free a hand to pick the people he feels he can work with.

    Lastly ,as he promised, let him build from the legacies of late Yakowa as abandoning those projects may prove too costly to the state treasury. It will be a headway for the state if he strives to bring the projects to completion. He could start with the Zaria water project of which we have heard so much but seen little action by his predecessors.

    • Umar Rayyan

    Tudun Wada Kaduna.

  • Jonathan challenges Nigerians to embrace peace

    NIGERIANS got a word of encouragement from President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday.

    Year 2013 will be better, he assured.

    The President Jonathan, however tied the good fortune to the existence of peace in the land.a

    The president spoke yesterday at the 2012 Christmas Carol Service hosted by the first family at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In his brief remarks, the president urged Nigerians to embrace peace as war will not save the country.

    The president who had earlier said he would not want to dilute the divine message, cited the case of King David who fought wars all through his days yet peace eluded the land of Israel until the coming of Jesus who came with the message of peace.

    The president further added that Christmas and the End of year goes together, meaning everybody is in festive mood.

    Jonthan said: “I will urge all Nigerians to embrace peace. The wars will not save us. The war by David did not serve the Jews else they would not have been capured by the Roman Empire.

    “We have challenges no doubt especially the security issues, as a government we are totally committed and as we progress, you will see changes from the airports to our seaports. In our power sector and aviation.

    “If we can embrace peace, 2013 will be a better year for us”.

    The Bishop of Ogbia Diocese, James Oruwari, in his Christmas message summarised all the seven lessons read dump the service.

  • Challenges before ABU’s Agric Colleges

    Challenges before ABU’s Agric Colleges

    Ahmadu Bello University is 50 years old this year and has just celebrated this epoch-making Golden Jubilee. One of the important divisions of the University is the Division of Agricultural Colleges which controls and manages the three Colleges of Agriculture of the University in Kabba, Samaru and Mando road, Kaduna. The Colleges were originally mandated to train middle level manpower called Agricultural Assistants and Field Assistants in Livestock Management.

    While the Samaru College started formerly as School of Agriculture in 1932 with some 17 students specialising in Grains and Legumes, the Livestock Services Training Centre at Mando Road, Kaduna started operation in 1951 and the Kabba College started also as School of Agriculture with its first intake of students in April 1964, specialising in Tree Crops and Horticulture.

    By Decree No 26 of June 1, 1971 (Ahmadu Bello University Law Amendment Decree), Kabba School of Agriculture together with Samaru School of Agriculture and the Livestock Training Centre at Mando Road, Kaduna, were brought under the Division of Agriculture and Livestock Service Training of the Ahmadu Bello University with its own Director.

    As the various Schools/Colleges of Agriculture were given their mandates, they went about teaching and training thousands of young Secondary School leavers and some older ones from farm centres to acquire the necessary tools and knowledge expected of them in their new career; especially in crop production, animal husbandry, survey, engineering, extension, science and others.

    In years gone by, students were well trained to be generalists by very dedicated teachers, to pass on their acquired knowledge and skills to farmers, as their curricula covered almost every aspect of agriculture needed by the huge Northern Nigeria. As middle level workers, they therefore filled the wide gap between the farming communities and the policy makers. There is no doubt that the same tradition has continued except that there are now greater choices of areas of specialisation, from Pre-ND to National Diploma and to Higher National Diploma in Agricultural Technology, Engineering, Home Economics, Farm Power and Machinery, Irrigation Agronomy, Agric Extension and Management, General Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Production and Health Technology, and others.

    Thanks to the Colleges of Agriculture which have graduated thousands of general and specialised agriculturists, employed in many parts of the country, the population of Nigeria has been increasing, particularly in the North, rather than decreasing because these well trained agriculturists have contributed their services towards agricultural production, both in quantity and in quality to stem hunger.

    The nation is now blessed with an agriculturist as the Minister of Agriculture in the person of Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina (triple A), who is looking inward in making Nigerians believe in themselves, in producing enough food to feed themselves and have surplus for export, through the beacon he has lit by the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of President Goodluck Jonathan, which every state and local government should key into and emulate. It is expected that the Division of Agricultural Colleges, ABU should be the reservoir of the army of the middle-level and higher level manpower needed as foot soldiers for the country’s agricultural transformation agenda, especially, in the northern states. Consequently, the Minister of Agriculture should be a friend of the Division of Agricultural Colleges and should give, not only the necessary but sufficient financial and moral support to DACs; by galvanising the total support of Mr. President and governors to mobilise funds, material and human capital for DACs, ABU.

    It is quite fascinating to know that many alumni, including the writer, who left the agricultural sector, for other pursuits, have, on retirement, returned to invest in agriculture, empowering young people with wages and salaries earned from employing them; thus contributing to food security, reducing unemployment and Nigeria’s dependence on food importation. The Colleges of Agriculture should be commended for grooming and inspiring these alumni to believe that there is no alternative to food production to conquer hunger, reduce unemployment and improve the standard of living of the people of Nigeria.

    Current and future challenges before the Agricultural Colleges of Ahmadu Bello University are enormous as they require the where-withal to surmount them.

    First, they require adequate funding in order to do the following, among others:-

    • Retain the best lecturers/staff

    •Employ new ones who are well qualified and interested in the job.

    •Provide adequate facilities to meet the teaching requirements.

    •Expand their curricula to meet the demands of Nigerians, especially in the North, such as irrigation, fishery, high quality livestock for quality meat, milk and top class semen for artificial insemination.

    •Provide scholarship to lecturers and students to overseas institutions, especially those with ecosystem similar to Nigeria, in order to acquire modern knowledge or state of the art skills and exposure to be imparted on Nigerian Farmers.

    Second, special challenges continuously confronting the Agricultural Colleges of Northern Nigeria are the negative effects of drought and the spread of the Sahara Desert over the North, with their attendant reduction in arable land and yields, including the displacement of farming communities and livestock. Specialists in this field may have to be recruited by DACS so that their knowledge and experience in combating the spread of the Sahara Desert can be acquired and imparted on students of DACS.

    A lot can be learnt from experiences of neighboring ECOWAS countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and also from Saudi Arabia, Israel and Australia. These countries virtually live in desert areas and are surviving.

    Though a lot of efforts, such as tree planting, have been exerted by governments of northern states particularly, the far North, much more efforts in the area of research and acquisition of appropriate knowledge or technology from relevant countries and international organisations, like the United Nations and, its specialised agencies, are still needed, as the Sahara Desert continues to spread southwards from the fringes of the North.

    Third, another challenge for the agricultural colleges is the heavy burden of climate change causing drought, and very high temperature/global warming in many areas, and heavy rainfall and floods in some other areas, as currently being experienced this year in particular, at unexpected time of the year. This phenomenon creates challenges to students of agricultural colleges, to their lecturers, and most specially, to farmers whose templates regarding timeline for different farm operations are distorted. The issue involved is to device an adjustment mechanism to adapt to climate change. What the Division of Agricultural Colleges should do is to set up a satellite liaison unit that links the division with specific organisations or institutions, with the aim of sharing valuable and useful information that would be helpful to farmers in the northern states, in particular, and the country in general, so as to obtain more reliable forecast of the weather.

    Information from these various organisations and institutions should be collated, examined by the Division of Agricultural Colleges staff and students and thereafter, disseminate same on daily basis to agricultural ministries to inform, warn and advise farming communities accordingly.

  • Lawmaker: review’ll help us overcome challenges

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker representing Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, Otunba Michael Yomi Ogunnusi has said the ongoing review of the constitution is necessary to help the nation overcome the many problems besieging it.

    Ogunnusi, who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Finance, said the review would address state creation, revenue sharing formula, creation of state police and other sensitive issues.

    “People complained that our constitution was militarised and written by a few people without capturing our diversity.

    “That is why the National Assembly deemed it fit to review it.

    “So, issues bordering on state creation, revenue allocation to local governments, creation of state police and other germane issues need to be reviewed so that we can move forward, “ he said.

    The lawmaker said the dilemma of whether local government funds should be paid directly to the councils or through the state would also be addressed.