The Nation Newspaper

Tag: crisis

  • Re: Sacked council members petition Buhari over OAU crisis

    SIR: I refer to the story of the above title published in The Nation of Tuesday, July 12.

    I was rudely shocked to read about the violent behaviour of two unions (NASU and SSANU), Obafemi Awolowo University chapter, in the petition written by the Chairman of the unjustly dissolved Governing Council of the university, Prof. Rowland Egba, to President Muhammadu Buhari. Without mincing words, the actions of the unions constitute a serious constitutional infraction that must not be overlooked. It is an offence that should not be ignored so as to deter other persons who may want to do the same in the future. There must be deterrence. These unions must be made to take responsibility for their unlawful actions.

    From the account of Prof. Rowland as reported, it is clear that the Federal Government acted too hastily in dissolving the Governing Council. There is no problem with some unions making allegations about the actions of a Governing Council. But there is a big problem in accepting the accusations as truth and making a grave decision like the dissolution of the Governing Council therefrom. At least there should have been an investigation to establish the veracity or otherwise of the charges. This becomes even important in view of the fact that the unions who made the allegations had even behaved in ways that make their claims questionable. Had the Visitor through the Minister of Education taken its time to investigate the claims, he would not have settled for the embarrassing decision against the Governing Council.

    Certainly, the OAU SSANU and NASU cannot be taken seriously. The university laws on the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor do not even recognise any input from them in the process of appointing a university executive. Why their clangour of disapproval of the emergence of Prof.Ayobami Salami as the Vice-Chancellor of the university sounds more deafening than those of the legitimate actors is beyond me. I agree with Prof. Rowland’s position: There is no doubt that candidates who lost but do not want to come to terms with their loss are the hidden hands pulling the strings of the unions’ puppets.

    President Buhari must reconsider the disbandment of the Governing Council. Apparently there was no due diligence favoured before it was disbanded. There is also in office a substantive Vice-Chancellor that he cannot sack. If he cannot reverse his step as men of justice are wont to do, then the view that his government is hostile to justice and the rule of law is true. In the name of all that is good, I appeal to President Buhari to consider the petition of the dissolved Governing Council and cause an investigation to take place. This should go on while the school is going on with its normal activities. The court case by the unions should go on too. There is a substantive Vice-Chancellor in place; if an objective investigation proves the process that produced him was improper, then the right thing can be done. Justice is never known to be served where the claim of a party to a dispute is upheld as gospel truth.

     

    • Wale Erinfolami,

    Mayfair, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

  • Sheriff casts long shadow on Lagos PDP crisis

    Sheriff casts long shadow on Lagos PDP crisis

    The crisis within the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mirrors the current division at the national level. The General Assembly meeting in Lagos was disrupted by youths loyal to the Sen. Ali Modu-Sheriff faction. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, who was at the event, reports that the leadership tussle has permeated the states.

    At a time the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embarking on a fresh reconciliation and observers are saying that there are now prospects of peace; the crisis in the party reared its head in Lagos last week.

    The optimism followed last week’s national caucus meeting convened by the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and attended by members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), state governors and principal members of the National Assembly elected on the party’s platform, where stakeholders agreed to hold a fresh convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on August 17, to elect new national executives.

    But, the fracas that took place during the Lagos General Assembly meeting last Wednesday suggests that there is a deep rancour between the Makarfi-led faction and the one led by the out-of-favour National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu-Sheriff. Right from the beginning of the meeting, stakeholders conducted themselves in the atmosphere of fear and suspicion.

    The meeting was convened to look at the challenges of the party and prepare for future elections in the state. The General Assembly was also expected to take a position on the crisis at the national level; the chapter was to decide its position over who controls the national executive between Makarfi and Sheriff.

    As the house moved the motion for the ratification of the efforts of the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to proceed with the task of rebuilding the party, pandemonium was let loose. Though the endorsement eventually scaled through, it process was momentarily disrupted, as some members of the party led by the Lagos West Senatorial candidate during the last general elections, Segun Adewale (a.k.a. Aeroland) stormed the secretariat with youths loyal to Modu-Sherriff. at about 9.30 am.

    The youths, who forcefully entered the secretariat at about 9.30am, later engaged supporters of the Makarfi-led faction in a fight. This caused some uproar at the secretariat. The Lagos chapter’s Organising Secretary Taiwo Kuye and two other members sustained machete cut in the process and were later rushed to the hospital.

    The meeting later resumed but it was held amidst fear and suspicion. Deputy Chairman Sakirudeen Olabiwonnu was in-charge of the proceedings, because the Chairman, Moshood Salvador, came in late.

    Olabiwonnu apologized for the interruption, adding that it caused by divisive elements bent on dividing the party. He added that no individual can kill the collective aspirations of the people and that those who want to hold the party to ransom will be disgraced. He said what was paramount for the party was to take it to greater heights where every member of the party and Nigerians will happy and pray for the party to bounce back to power.

    Salvador also assured members that he would work towards bringing peace to the chapter, by providing a level-playing ground for every member. He said: “We will not allow those bent on creating problem to distract us. God will support us to surmount the internal wrangling. What happened today is the height of indiscipline. I have moved across party lines, but have never witnessed this type of distraction. I was in the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), there was never a time a member had the effrontery to take the party to court.

    “It is in our constitution that you must solve the problem within; and, if you remember, our founding fathers used to say anything that happened in the PDP is a family affair. These people are telling us that they are not part of the family. For any person to come and try to put commotion into what we do or cultivate court cases against any member, shows that the person is not normal.”

    Commenting on the uproar, an aide to Adewale, Mr. Tosin Odunsi, said they were not in the secretariat to fight anybody, but to restate that due process must be followed. He said: “Adewale is the popular party chairman in the state. He has been supporting the party all the way, to make the party great. But, what we are saying is that we want change in leadership, because those who have been leading the Lagos chapter have not won any election in the last 16 years.

    “The Bode George group wants to be using the Lagos secretariat, but we said no, there are court cases pending; it is when those cases are trashed out that we will know who should use the secretariat, the Salvador or the Adewale-led executive.”

    Observers have attributed the leadership struggle in the PDP as a payback time for the party, saying Nigerians suffered under the party’s watch when it was in control. Buttressing this position, Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, said the party is the architect of its own nemesis. He explained that it is God’s hand at work, because the party mismanaged the commonwealth of the people.

    Abraham said the way the PDP led Nigeria in its 16 years at the helms brought the country into the kind of mess it has found itself today. He said: “If the PDP is in crisis today, it is because the party has been thrown out of its avarice and gluttonous tendencies. That is what has replicated itself in Ondo; the government is beating its chest that it has provided service; whereas my people are suffering, civil servants are being owed and agriculture which used to a major contributor to the nation’s wealth has fallen from the pinnacle.”

    Former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, has consistently appealed to those in court to align with the principles of the founding fathers. He urged those in court to have a rethink in order to move the party forward. He said: “All we are looking for is the solution to move the party forward. I passionately appeal to Sherriff and others to withdraw their cases from the court, if they are truly committed to the progress of the PDP. I am also appealing to those in the Southwest to remember that posterity will not judge them rightly, if they fail to do what is right.

    “We have to re-strategise in a manner that will take care of the fact that we are not in government. Our strategy must reflect the fact that we are in opposition and we must be a credible, formidable opposition. Otherwise, the public will not believe us; they won’t trust us.

    “What Sherriff does not understand is that the PDP is not the defunct All Nigerian People Party (ANPP). The PDP is a formidable grassroots political party and we have an incredible resilience. Of course, it is affecting our focus, because of the court injunctions; political parties are not run that way.

    “I want to say also that we should take part of the blame, because when this judicial rascality came into the party, there is a section in the party’s constitution that forbids any individual from going to court without exhausting all the avenues within the party.”

    But, the Deputy National Chairman of the Modu-Sherriff faction, Cairo Ujuogboh, said the faction is ready to end the crisis on the condition that it is allowed to hold a fresh national convention and handover to a democratically-elected national chairman.

    He said: “As far as I am concerned, Ali Modu-Sheriff is ready to step down, but he does want to be disgraced. He must be given the opportunity to sit at a convention where he will hand over the affairs of the party properly. This is what we have told the governors; what is fair is fair. Sherriff did not say he wants to continue to be chairman. What he said is that he wants to handover to a democratically-elected chairman.

    “As far as the law is concerned, Sherriff is still the PDP chairman today, but he is ready to convene a convention to handover. The crisis rocking the party is because of 2019.”

    The crisis has taken its tolls on the governorship election coming up in Edo and Ondo states. No sooner the Makarfi-led committee endorsed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of the party for the Edo September election, than the Sherriff group declared it illegal.

    Sherriff went ahead to produce Matthew Iduoreyekemwen as the party flag bearer. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has however recognised Pastor Ize-Iyamu as authentic candidate of the party. The matter is still pending the determination of the court. Reacting on the development, Ojougboh said INEC was yet to communicate to the party and that the matter was under review.

    He said: “As we speak today, the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja specifically ordered INEC to accept Iduoreyekemwen’s candidature. As such, the Port Harcourt judgment cannot reverse the specific orders that INEC can only accept candidate for the Edo and Ondo elections from the Sherrif-led PDP.”

    Ize-Iyamu said he would not be distracted by the development, adding that his efforts were geared at ensuring that Edo returned to the PDP. He said: “A lot of our members are worried, but quite frankly, I’ m not. I believe it will sort itself out. I know that there is a lot of engagement on-going at the various levels. At the end of the day, the matter will be sorted out.

    “To worry about it amount to distraction. I have chosen to focus on the issues here rather than issues I have no control over. I’m happy that the primary we had was witnessed by INEC and they have expressed satisfaction with the transparency of the process.”

    Since the emergence of Modu-Sheriff as the party’s helmsman, the opposition party had been thrown into chaos; rendering it incapable of playing its role effectively. From all indications, the party is making frantic efforts to put its house in order. Sen. Makarfi told reporters after last Thursday’s meeting that the party would amend its constitution to address some of the reasons why a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, nullified the last amendment done by the party.

    He said: “We discussed some programmes leading to the convention, meaning that the national convention will hold on Aug. 17 in Port Harcourt, where we will elect new national executive officers of the party. We have also discussed and agreed on a new amendment to the constitution in view of recent court judgments in order to align the constitution to the judgments that have been delivered by court of competent jurisdiction.”

    Makarfi said the committee’s reconciliation process is yielding positive result, as evidenced by the presence of Sen. Buruji Kashamu, a close ally of Sheriff. His words: “You can see for yourself, our brother, friend and associate, Sen. Buruji Kashamu; that is evidence of the reconciliation making progress. I can assure you that we will never foreclose full reconciliation with the disputed National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and another person that may still be associated with him.

    “What we want is an all inclusive PDP; with an equitable, fair and just system. We have equally set up a special committee led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to further cement the reconciliation going on in the Southwest, so that all issues that must have led to the division in the region would be resolved accordingly.”

    But, how far can the PDP go with the current reconciliation effort?

  • The Power Crisis

    Power, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola, SAN, is by general acclaim one tough cookie of a performer in public office. Beyond whatever might be the political trade-off by President Muhammadu Buhari in naming him to the Federal cabinet, Fashola’s exploits as two-term Governor of Lagos State recommended him highly for his present portfolio, which merges under the present dispensation three intensive ministries in past dispensations. When he was assigned the job after a six-month wait by Nigerians on the President to name his ministers, not a few conceded readily that Fashola’s track record qualified him for the posting. But the power component of his present portfolio may yet be the ultimate test of his public office career, and from indications, he would be lucky if it does not turn out to be his waterloo.

    The minister, early last week, was in Benin where he encountered residents protesting persistent power failure, which was compounded by the sheer affront of a recent hike in electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). The Benin protesters, like many Nigerians, apparently couldn’t fathom the logic in asking consumers to pay more for public power supply that was anything but ever supplied. Incidentally, the minister had been strident in saying there was no alternative to the tariff hike, which a Federal High Court in Lagos however voided last Wednesday as “procedurally ultra vires, irrational, irregular and illegal.”The protesters also bemoaned the haemorrhage being inflicted on the economy – perhaps more devastatingly, cottage economy – by unrelieved blackout from the public grid, saying nearly all businesses in Benin had been forced to close shop.

    Fashola, who was in the Edo capital for a stakeholder meeting organised by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo), blamed the poor supply of power on shortage of gas to run turbines in the state. Speaking after a tour of facilities, the minister said there were four turbines, of which only onewas working.  He was reported as telling the protesters: “I am just coming from inspecting the power assets, that was the first thing I went to do. We have four turbines there, but only one is working. That is not Benin DisCo’s fault. They just don’t have the gas. There are three idle power plants there, but they don’t have gas.”

    The minister pushed back against protestations about economic haemorrhage, saying: “We have a sense that things are bad in terms of poor supply, but it is not necessarily a hopeless situation. So, when you say every business in Benin has been shut, that is not true.” He waxed tutorial: “Let us understand that power is a product, it has to be manufactured. You need gas in some places, you need coal in some places, and you need solar in some places. It has to be put together. Assuming I am trying to cook a pot of soup and you are angry and you take the pot away, can I still cook? But if you bring water while I am getting the wood, I think we will have a meal.”

    The Benin protesters signpost the gruelling experience of most citizens concerning the power supply situation presently in this country. It is regrettable that the minister suggests they were needlessly sensational and overdramatic aboutthe challenge. People say there is something on Privy Street that perennially hoods the reality on Main Street. That may just be the problem here, because the power situation is hopeless – utterly frustrating and hopeless!

    I am no expert economist, but I know that theeconomics of power supply on Main Street runs roughly along the following lines: the cottage economy is shutting down because with lack of public power supply, operators can scarcely afford alternative power at the prevailing rate of about N200 per litre of diesel, or between N140 and N145 for gasoline. Medium and big-time operators deploy alternative power to remain in business, but that translates to huge shavings off their profit marginswhere there is profit left. Their instinctive recourse is to pass the burden to end-consumers, thereby fuelling rouge inflation. The operators have also tended to roll back their overheads byshedding existing workforces; and they freeze the wages of workers remainingdespite the inflationary trend that they, by downloading the extra costs to consumers,largely accounted for. But because incomes are capped, there is a limit to which consumers can absorb higher costs or do without non-essential items; and so, it devolves back to operators to forfeit some expected returns.

    Nigerians invariably need power supply to run their lives, but that power is scarcely supplied from the public grid. And it is cold comfort that the challenge derived fromlack of gas – or indeed coal, or hydro resource – to run the turbines. This point is all the more warranted because the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has lately mounted a media campaign deflecting responsibility for the persistent blackout by citing low power generation owing to lack of gas. ANED effectively submits that it could not distribute to Nigerians what it had not been fed from the generation front end. But the bottom line is that citizens need power, and it is not their responsibility to provide gas, coal or hydro resource for the turbines. That is what the government was voted in to do. And if there are hindrances on the way, it is the government’s responsibility to speedily address such.

    It is notorious, of course, that the challenge of militancy in the Niger Delta deals mortal blows on existing infrastructure in this country, accounting for the shortage of gas. The government needs to decisively confront this challenge. It is high time it tackled downthe militants by arms, if it really can, or face up to the urgent imperative of dialogue – with attendant indignities. Pendency between those options has become a life-threatening luxury.

    Cameron…Fantastically Gone!

    Nearly three months earlier than he had envisaged, David Cameron bowed out last Wednesday as British Prime Minister. At 49 years, he is said to be the youngest in his country’s history to exit the top job. He is succeeded by 59-year-old Theresa May – the second woman ever to become Britain’s premier, the first being the late Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher who held sway from 1979 to 1990.

    Cameron first came to office as Prime Minister in 2010. His tenure was renewed in the 2015 general election in Great Britain and was projected to run till another election holds in 2020. But he resigned following the June 23 referendum in which British voters chose to end the country’s 43-year membership of the European Union (EU), against the run of his campaign that the country remain in the bloc. It was anticipated that the process of selecting a new Conservative leader and, in effect, Prime Minister would run a competitive hog lasting beyond nine weeks. But the process was abridged last week, following a shock withdrawal by May’s challenger,Andrea Leadsom, clearing the way for her coronation. Cameron realised there was no good reason for him to remain in office till October, as he initially projected, and he swiftly gave way to the successor.

    Perhaps the most iconic documentation of that transition was a picture of the former premier in weathered clothing, by himself hauling cartons of his personal effects from the official residence into a waiting truck. Not a few wondered if it could ever happen in Nigeria, indeed Africa, that an outgoing leader to be so enthusiastically hands-on. The sad truth is: not only is the typical Nigerian politician unlikely to be so hands-on in leaving power, he would likely challenge the Brexit vote at the tribunal and run the appellate process as long as it could be made to last. We simply need to be learning from other climes.

  • PDP crisis: How Ekweremadu, Dickson, others brokered peace

    PDP crisis: How Ekweremadu, Dickson, others brokered peace

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson played vital roles in the resolve of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold a new convention, it was learnt last night.

    A source said the first of the reconciliation meetings between the two factions were held last Monday.

    The first meeting between representatives of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi began on Monday. The meeting had in attendance Ekweremadu, Dickson, House Minority leader Leo Ogor; former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu and Senator Buruji Kashamu.

    “The discussions at the meeting were frank and tough. Eventually, we were able to bring together the two leaders, Sheriff and Makarfi, at the Taraba State Governor’s Lodge, with Senator Ekweremadu sitting between them,” said the source.

    The second meeting began last Tuesday around 11 am and lasted till the early hours of Wednesday. It had in attendance Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State; Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate, Biodun Olujinmi; Senator Suleiman Adokwe from Nasarawa State; Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jubrin and Kashamu.

    At the meeting, Sheriff and Makarfi agreed not to contest the national chairmanship. They agreed that an expanded National Caucus meeting should be held and that a National Convention Committee (NCC) be set up within a week and the NCC would run the party till the National Convention is held.

    “They agreed that a date be fixed for the National Convention within a month. They also agreed to address the nation and members of the party at the National Convention.  In effect, the two leaders showed they have the interest of the party at heart.

    “The only point of divergence was who should preside over expanded the National Caucus meeting and constitute the National Convention Committee,” the source said.

    It was proposed that they co-chair the expanded National Caucus meeting and jointly constitute the National Convention Committee.

  • Malnutrition: Nigeria’s silent crisis

    Malnutrition: Nigeria’s silent crisis

    Severe acute malnutrition

    Invisible yet deadly, malnutrition is decimating the country  daily. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, each day, Nigeria loses about 2300 under-five-year- olds and 145 women of child-bearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world. Mother and child suffer from a triple burden of malnutrition- over nutrition, under nutrition, and micronutrient deficiency. This long-neglected problem does not stop there. Undernourished girls grow into undernourished mothers who give birth to undernourished children. A vicious cycle thus holds back generation after generation.

    Malnutrition is a pathological condition brought about by inadequacy of one or more of the nutrients essential for survival, growth, development, reproduction and capacity to learn and function in the society.

    Overview of nutrition

    According to Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Dr. Chris Osa. Isokpunwu, there are just four states that have low burden for nutrition interventions – Abia, Ekiti, Ogun and Lagos. Twelve states that have medium burden are Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom. Included here is the Federal Capital territory (FCT). The remaining states are of high burden. These are priority states for nutrition interventions – Ebonyi, Delta and Bayelsa and the North. Borno is worst hit.

    In the affected states, the FMOH recorded stunting to be 37 percent. When a child is stunted, its body and brain do not grow or developed properly. Wasting is 18 per cent. When a child is wasting, its age is not commensurate with its height and weight. Permanent damage that is irreversible is recorded. Underweight is 29 per cent while exclusive breastfeeding is at 17 per cent. Severe acute malnutrition, or severe wasting, occurs when a child’s weight drops to such a low level they are at risk of dying. Nigeria’s rates of severe wasting are among the highest in the world at 1.9 million children each year. UNICEF said up to 10 percent will die without treatment.

    Severe acute malnutrition (SAM, which is very dangerous) is real in Nigeria. An estimated 244,000 children under five will suffer from SAM in Borno State this year. UNICEF says treatment is simple and effective and children can get better. But if the country is not able to treat the other children suffering from SAM in such areas, one in five of those untreated children are likely to die.

    The Ministry of Health identified the drivers of Malnutrition burden thus: Immediate drivers (Inadequate food intake; Lack of dietary diversity, Infectious diseases), Underlying drivers (Food insecurity, inadequate child and maternal care; poor access to health services; unhealthy environment), Basic drivers (Poverty; Population; failure in governance; gender inequality) and other factors (Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); Epidemics e.g. Cholera, Ebola; Natural disasters).

     

    The first 1,000 days

    There are many proven interventions to break a seemingly intractable legacy. Investing in children’s nutrition has the power to trigger big social and economic changes. Children with well-developed brains and bodies have better life chances: they live longer and healthier lives, they do better in school, and they grow into more productive adults. The right nutrients and care at the right time in the first 1,000 days from conception and through the early years of a child’s life unlocks their potential.

    UNICEF believes that tackling under nutrition is urgent, feasible and affordable. Ignoring under nutrition is wrecking children’s lives. It is the underlying cause of 45 per cent of child deaths. Every year, that’s around 2.7 million deaths of children under the age of five.

     

    Solution

    In January 2008 The Lancet—one of the world’s most highly respected medical journals, demonstrated the availability of 13 proven nutrition interventions that could address the problems of malnutrition and save millions of lives. The set of interventions focused on the “window of opportunity” from minus nine to 24 months (i.e. from pregnancy to two years old) for high impact in reducing death and disease and avoiding irreversible harm.

    All children diagnosed with severe wasting attend regular clinics and the mothers receive advice on home care and treatments, including packets of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, which can help them recover quickly.

     

    Food for malnourished children

    The estimated 2300 children who are underweight and suffering from stunted growth because their bodies do not have enough nutrients should be helped. This is because hunger kills more people, especially children in the country than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Malnutrition is a complex disease and children are the most vulnerable.

    According to experts in nutrition and child care nutrition, programmes in some of the world’s most food-stressed areas can recover with adequate nutrition intervention.

    According to UNICEF’s Nutrition Officer, Aminu Usman, giving a ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF) to children can significantly reverse any acute malnourished child. RUTF is high energy, high protein with 500Kcal calories. It is very effective for treating child malnutrition. A steady supply of RUTF for eight weeks will stabilise any child and make same well again. It is supplied by Children Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) to the camps through UNICEF.

    A visit to Sharada Centre for Treatment of Acute malnutrition, Kano revealed this is true.

    According to the Outpatient Therapeutic feeding Programme (OTP) Officer, Halima Musa Yakasa “Thankfully, it is a disease that we can both prevent and treat. Our nutrition programmes have a 90-percent success rate, meaning that almost all the malnourished children who come through our programs recover. We also tackle malnutrition by educating mothers and caretakers on family nutrition, breastfeeding, and other good feeding practices and supporting families, communities, and Ministries of Health to treat malnourished children at home using therapeutic foods like groundnut, soy and ’nut. We receive ready to use Therapeutic Food.

    She said UNICEF also supports infant and young child feeding to eliminate malnutrition through the centre. “The infant and young child intervention in the community provides, caregivers or and pregnant and breastfeeding women with knowledge and skills required for appropriate infant and young child feeding. Malnutrition kills 1219 children under-five years every day in Nigeria. It also leads to stunting, wasting or and poor brain development. UNICEF supports government to address child malnutrition. Some children just started treatment here at the Sharada Centre for Treatment of Aacute malnutrition in Kano. The treatment works,” she stated.

    “Malnutrition kills 1219 children under five years every day in Nigeria. It also leads to stunting, wasting or and poor brain development. UNICEF supports government to address child malnutrition. Here at Sharada centre for treatment of acute malnutrition, Kano, the treatment works. We did not record any death in the last five years.”

    In 2011, the Federal Government signed the Scaling-up Nutrition (SUN) movement agreement and  the Global Nutrition for Growth Compact in 2013. In doing so, it committed itself to tackling its high rates of child malnutrition. Action requires significant political commitment, government funding, effective coordination and planning at all levels and sectors, as well as civil society (CSO) and community engagement.

    The cost of treatment Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) is just N4, 800 (US$160) for each child, including N2, 200 (US$76) for the RUTF; the remaining N25, 000 (US$84) covers all other costs, including staff time and training, transport and storage of supplies, and basic medicines. UNICEF and the Federal Government are scaling up the CMAM response and UNICEF is advocating increased investment in CMAM from both the Government of Nigeria and external donors.

    CMAM was piloted in Gombe and Kebbi states in 2009 and has  been introduced in 11 states in the North where malnutrition poses the greatest threat. CMAM treats acutely malnourished children from six months to five years old on an out-patient basis. More than 830,000 children have been cured in the programme with the cure rate rising steadily – standing at 85 per cent. Of the remaining, about two per cent do not respond to treatment and are referred to hospitals; the current mortality rate is just one per cent, while the other children have defaulted from the programme.

    “We must scale-up CMAM in Nigeria. It is a proven high-impact intervention that is saving lives and helping Nigerian children reach their full potential through a good start in life,” noted UNICEF Nigeria Representative Jean Gough. “We need greater investment in Nigeria’s future by investment in good nutrition,” she added.

  • Crisis hits NURTW over endorsement of governorship candidates

    Crisis hits NURTW over endorsement of governorship candidates

    Leadership crisis is looming in the Edo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) over the union’s endorsement of the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    One Comrade Warriman Erhengbo had on Tuesday led some supposed members of the union to adopt the candidacy of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP and said the union suffered proscription under the APC administration.

    But Comrade Odion Olaye yesterday denied reports that the union has endorsed the governorship candidate of the PDP.

    Olaye told reporters yesterday that the union was behind the APC candidate, Dr. Godwin Obaseki in the September 10 governorship election.

    He said he was sworn-in last month for another term in office by the National President of the union, Alhaji Nojeem Yasin.

    Olaye described as untrue claims by Comrade Erhengbo that the state government proscribed activities of the union in the state.

    He said: “ I have my certificate right here in my office. I know Erhengbo as a security man at Egor. I was sworn-in by the National President, Alhaji Nojeem Yasin, with the General Secretary, Comrade Clement Wesco.

    “After my swearing-in, we all went to pay a courtesy visit on Governor Adams Oshiomhole. So, I am shocked when we read about somebody saying NURTW is supporting Ize-Iyamu. If that impostor wants to play politics, he should play it somewhere else. We have said it before now that we are backing the APC-led government in the state, because they have impacted positively on the lives of our people.

    “So, we are backing Godwin Obaseki for governorship. And it is also not true that the state government banned our association. We are working in collaboration with Road Employers Association in rural areas. We have a 40/60 per cent agreement. The governor also promised us that we will soon commence operation in the areas we are not operating; we are working out the modalities.”

    He added: “We are appealing to the Commissioner of Police to arrest Erhengbo because he is using the name of our union to play politics. We are backing Obaseki based on the performance of the APC-led government in the state and his antecedent as a financial expert”.

  • ‘Resolve Niger Delta crisis’

    As the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo pledged the determination of the Buhari administration in tackling militancy in the Niger Delta; the Federal Government has been urged to evolve meaningful resolution of the problem.

    Osinbajo, speaking at the second foundation day lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-mokin, lamented the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers for claiming responsibility for vandalisation of oil installations in the region.

    But another militant group, Action Crocodiles of Niger Delta (ACND) led by Kaka Duku in a statement in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said allowing the militants to return to the creeks would compound the present economic problem and security challenges.

    The group contended that amnesty programme should be all-embracing, stressing that aged persons, men and women as well as other stakeholders apart from the youth should be beneficiaries.

    It also advocated good road network connecting the entire nine states in the Niger Delta region with potable water and other necessary infrastructure.

    The statement added that the Federal Government should also tackle the problem of youth unemployment in the region to curb restiveness.

    According to the ACND, no demand is too much for people in the Niger Delta region at present because of the peculiar problem of land degradation they are experiencing as the nation gets its oil wealth from the region.

     

  • Crisis hits Nigeria-SaoTome $300m deal over sack of 35 workers

    Crisis hits Nigeria-SaoTome $300m deal over sack of 35 workers

    A crisis of confidence has hit Nigeria-Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Authority (JDA), following alleged arbitrary sack of 35 workers by the management.

    The crisis is threatening the $300 million oil deal between the two nations.

    Of those sacked, 16 are Santomeans. This led to a diplomatic tension between the two countries.

    It was gathered that a former presidential aide in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was calling the shot through a stooge he put in JDA in 2010.

    The IDA topshot was sacked by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo but Jonathan’s former aide brought him back.

    The government of São Tomé and Principe was said to be unhappy with the development in the JDA.

    But the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadijat Ibrahim, was said to be looking into the petitions against the management.

    She is the nation’s leader of delegation to JDA and empowered by the treaty to look into any infractions.

    The treaty between the two countries led to the auctioning of five blocks in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Over $300 million.

    Production was, however, yet to start due to administrative bottleneck and the two nations were yet to earn post-licensing round profit.

    The setback was attributed to the mismanagement of the JDA by the officers in charge.

    The management crisis reached its peak in June, leading to the exit of some Santomeans.

    According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the management laid off 35 of the 56 workers in one day without the permission of the Joint Ministerial Council( JMC) and in violation of Article 7(2) (b) of the treaty.

    The workers were given letters in June, which some refused to collect.

    Although the letter indicated that the JDA was scaling down, it was gathered that the workers were asked to go after a disagreement between the management and workers.

    The points of disagreement are:

    • alleged diversion of N900 million voted for JDA Secretariat in Abuja to private use:
    • alleged collection of N260 million bribe from contractors handling the secretariat;
    • deliberate frustration of JDA activities;
    • undermining  the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Kashim M. Tumsah;
    • Witch-hunt of workers through abuse of disciplinary procedures;
    • non-auditing of JDA’s account since 2008; and
    • budget for LPG plant now being used for administrative purpose.

    A copy of the sack letter, obtained by our correspondent, was signed by Chairman of the Board/ED C and I, Luis Prazeres and Tumsah.

    The letter, exclusively obtained by The Nation, reads: “As you are aware, the JDA has been facing serious challenges due to dwindling revenue and lack of contribution by the state parties .

    “You would recall that at the Board/ Staff retreat in February, the board published finances of the organisation and informed staff that unless funding is received, the current funds could only sustain operations till June 2016 and the JDA will be left with no option but to scale down its activities and staffing.

    “The financial situation has been further exacerbated by the absence of an officially constituted JMC and lack of response from the states parties on the JMC constitution and funding challenges.

    “Furthermore, the level of operational activities in the JDA/JDZ does not justify the current staffing, emolument and overhead costs.

    “Thus, the board and management consider it necessary and expedient to scale down operations of the JDA temporarily to review the staffing, structure and funding of the JDA to ensure and sustain  its continued survival in line with the treaty.

    “Consequent upon the above, the board has decided that you should not report for work, effective Monday, June 13, 2016, due to service exigencies pending the conclusion of the restructuring and reorganisation of the JDA and/ or when the funding challenges improve.

    “While you are at home, you will not be entitled to any pay due yo lean finances of the organisation. You will receive further communication in due course.

    “Please, note that this letter supersedes and replaces the previous one sent to you regarding your annual leave.

    “You are to hand over JDA property in your possession to your head of unit or department as the case may be on or before June 15, 2016.”

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The JDA is now a shadow of itself and the overall objective of earning more oil revenue had been derailed by mismanagement.

    “For instance, it is unthinkable that a management will sack 35 of 56 staff in one fell swoop without recourse to the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).  Article 7(2) (b) of the Treaty says the functions of council shall include the following to approve rules, regulations (including staff regulations) and procedures for the effective functioning of the authority.”

    “The sacked staff have good records of performance. No previous query other than mutual suspicion. The management was just rattled by grouses bordering on alleged waste of N900 million on the uncompleted secretariat of JDA.

    “The sacked staff, including Santomeans, were baffled by lack of commitment to transparency and probity. Most of them were subjected to inhuman treatment and they had to sell their cars to return to their country.

    “Since we earned $300 million from licensing rounds in 2004, 2006 and 2007, we have not recorded any post-licensing profit.

    “In fact, the budget for LPG plant is now being used to run the administration of the JDA.

    “The Santomeans are frustrated, Nigerians in JDA are disenchanted. Yet staff cannot talk. At a point, the director  of Monitoring and Inspection Unit in JDA was locked out of his office.”

    Another highly-placed source said: ”Despite a new government in place, a former presidential aide under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan still controls the JDA. In 2010, the aide reinstated a deputy director, who was sacked by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “They now take any decision on JDA to the former aide, who is undermining the new administration.”

    It was learnt that Hajiya Ibrahim was in the receipt of petitions against the management of JDA.

    “The ball is in the court of the minister, who is resolute to address problems of JDA, including the illegal sack of staff.

    “Although one of those behind the crisis is said to be from Yobe State as the minister, her level of commitment to the resolution of the crisis has been encouraging. We want her to put the nation above any other interest.

    “At a time Nigeria is looking for more oil revenue, this Treaty must be allowed to work.”

  • 20 injured, two houses burnt as church crisis deepens

    The  leadership crisis that has polarised the Assemblies of God Church, Saminaka in Lere Local Government of Kaduna State, deepened yesterday.

    A faction, armed with dangerous weapons, invaded the church yesterday during service by the other faction.

    A source said fighting  started around 8am and lasted till noon. He said about 20 persons were injured and houses of the resident pastors burnt.

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai, in September 2015, ordered the church closed, including the Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria (TSNN), Saminaka, Shalom Comprehensive College and AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka, to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

    Another source said a faction in the minority, sneaked into the premises on Saturday evening and slept overnight.

    “We came to worship around 8am, unknown that the other faction had prepared for war. We came into the premises and secured the gates against intruders.

    “As soon as we had settled for proceedings, about 20 members of the other faction appeared.

    “They were armed with knives, daggers, clubs, rods and other weapons. But surprisingly, police, Army and civil defence personnel arrived almost the same time.

    “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Saminaka seemed in charge. He told us to come out of the church and leave the premises. We said we would only do so if the armed faction, which was throwing stones at us, also left.

    “In no time, they attacked us, injuring many of us. Since we were not armed, we had to find a way to escape. The most frightening thing was that the stones were falling into Hausa Muslims homes. If these people had reacted, I don’t know what Saminaka would have been today.

    “But the Muslims came out and laughed at us. It is such a disgrace. Surprisingly, the security men did nothing to stop them. After injuring us, they went to the homes of our resident pastors and set our two pastoriums ablaze.

    “As I talk to you, about 20 of us are seriously injured, some near fatal, and are in various hospitals in Saminaka.

    “The police did nothing to stop them. They have not arrested anybody, and the police know them, because they were not wearing masks,” he said.

    Police spokesman Aliyu Usman said he had not been briefed on the violence.

  • ‘Avengers, others can plunge Nigeria into crisis, unless…’

    A former National Chairman of The Traditional Rulers of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, has warned that the renewed upsurge in militancy poses a worse threat to the peace and unity of the country than past unless the Federal Government and all stakeholders nip the crisis in the bud.

    Pere Ayemi-Botu, the paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, said handling or mishandling of the crisis with the militant groups like Niger Delta Avengers have the capability of destabilizing the country.

    He warned that “a catastrophe is looming unless the crisis was nipped in the bud”.

    Castigating militant groups for destroying oil facilities and devastating the region’s fragile environment, Ayemi-Botu also lambasted the various groups for using the media, especially social platforms, to make threats and state their terms for peace.

    He said: “There are series of alleged rumours in the print, electronic and social media that the militants will deploy or launch missiles to targeted cities and the Federal Government on her part has gone into agreement to engage Saudi Black Water Mercenaries to fight pipeline vandalism that would cost millions of dollars.