The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dangers

  • Dangers of noise pollution

    SIR: Most of us, in reality, are partially deaf. And the major cause is noise pollution, an evil which causes many health and social problems. Noise pollution is an unwanted, disturbing sound that causes a nuisance in the eye – or ear – of the beholder.

    Operators of commercial grinding machines, music shops, hawkers who use megaphones, noisy vehicles, motorcycles, barking dogs, overly loud music from within the home an noisy aircraft, among others, are harbingers of noise pollution. Then the location of worship centres which use noisy public address system in residential neighbourhoods, especially at odd hours of the day or night, has compounded the problem.

    Sustained noise over a period of time can engender deafness in the form of gradual losses in hearing. This is the most common loss among the young ones who enjoy listening to music from the Walkman-type radios, CD players, as well as MP3s. The problem may not have been noticed here, but in those countries where those products come from, it is already an issue, even if the manufacturers are still putting up an argument that it is not their products but wrong use that causes hearing loss.

    How does noise-induced hearing loss occur?

    Loud noise assaults the delicate hair cells of the inner ear. Noise-induced hearing loss typically occurs gradually and without pain. After exposure to loud noise, a person may experience ringing in the ears or difficulty in hearing. This is called a “temporary threshold shift.” After a few hours (or in some cases, a few days), this temporary shift in hearing can become permanent. Once permanent hearing has occurred, it is not possible to restore hearing.

    And this is where the danger is: noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. One is not saying here, however, that hearing loss is the only effect of noise pollution. Annoyance and aggression, (quick temper), hypertension, high stress levels, sleep disturbances and other harmful effects such as forgetfulness, severe depression and, at times, panic attacks are all traceable to noise pollution.

    As the nation spends a huge portion of its health budget yearly fighting these health problems, it amounts to sparing cause and fighting effect. It means what we are doing is curing without paying attention to prevention. Yet prevention, they say, is better than cure.

    We need to wake up to the realities of modern nationhood. There is an urgent need to realize that noise is as potent as other forms of environmental pollution, be they air, water or physical pollution. Time has come for the government, through the Ministry of Environment at the state and federal levels, to start addressing the issue of unwanted noise. The Ministry of Urban Planning must be part of it because a lot of noise emanates from urban planlessness in the sense of allowing unregulated siting of worship centres in purely residential neighbourhoods.

     

    • Tina Fawole,

    tinafawole@yahoo.com

  • Many dangers of unsafe schools

    Many dangers of unsafe schools

    An incident happened last year which sent shock waves in Mafoluku,Oshodi Lagos state. A three year old child got down from a school bus, his water bottle fell down and rolled towards the back tyre of the bus, the boy went to the back of the bus to pick up the water bottle, just at that instance, the bus driver reversed and the boy was crushed to death on the spot. What a horrific tragedy!

     That accident could have been avoided, if the school had better safety compliant policy. A few observers at the scene of the accident argued that it was the drivers fault and attempted to lynch him but for the quick intervention of some passersby.

     One of the school safety requirements for schools is that there should be a crossing marshal, whose job it is to monitor drop off areas in school and pick up areas, to make sure that children alight safely from the bus and enter the school safely. Also, it is the job of the school bus attendant to monitor the children in and out of the school bus. Failure of the school to do these shows negligent on the part of the school management.

    School safety is a very important factor that a parent must put into consideration before enrolling his/her child in a school. Before you enroll your children in a school, you must check if the school is complying with at least minimum safety standards. You take a tour of the school and watch out for evidence of safety infrastructure e.g. clean toilets, separate staff toilet, security measures in place, perimeter fencing, the sanitary condition of the school, fire exits, safety signs on the wall, good ventilation, good lighting etc. These are minimum required standards. If a school does not meet these requirements, do not enroll your child in such a school. Some parents are not particularly meticulous in finding schools with high safety standards, to them checking for unsafe conditions in a school are immaterial; they focus more on the academic performance of the school, forgetting that their child’s life is at high risk in a school with no safety standards.

    Most parents don’t even know that they have a right to question any unsafe condition they find in a school and as a matter of fact they should demand for it to be fixed or they withdraw their children from such a school. A school that doesn’t put effort on the safety of children placed in their care should not be patronized or be allowed to function. Children that attend unsafe schools are prone to accidents, infection, abuse, serious injury and even death.

    Before schools are registered shouldn’t they attain minimum safety standard? The truth is that majority of schools in Nigeria are below the school safety standard.  Most classrooms in Nigerian schools are highly overcrowded, there are no safety policies in place, teachers are not trained on safety, no risk assessment  is being carried out, no evidence of safe recruitment, no emergency evacuation plan, no fire exits or fire extinguishers, no smoke detector, no school crossing marshal, no school bus attendants, untrained school bus drivers, no hand washing facilities, no sick bay, fire drill has never been done in the school, no appropriate toilet facilities, no access control and surveillance, hazardous chemicals in the school environment, slippery floors, steep stair ways, stairways without hand rails, no safety signs on the wall, defective structures, no programs on safety for children and so many ignored best practices.

    If you own a school, you must make safety a priority to avoid crisis in your school and parents should demand for safe condition and practices in their children’s school. Children spend a lot of time in school, so schools should offer a safe stimulating environment for children. 

    There is an ongoing Lagos state schools safety project by Lagos state safety commission. Safety inspectors are going to nursery, primary and secondary schools to conduct safety audits to ensure safety culture and compliance. This is highly commendable but should be scaled up and approached with greater aggression so that thousands of schools in our cities and communities can be forced to maintain the minimum required operational standards.

    Njideka obi, a lawyer, Child Safety Advocate/ Child Safety Expert.  08060424282, safersmarterchildren@gmail.com

  • LASIMRA highlights dangers of illegal cables

    The Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), has highlighted the dangers illicit cables constitute to the environment.

    The agency in a statement explained that this issue, on-going utility infrastructure audit and the proposed Unified Duct System will be the focus of the one-day stakeholders’ forum scheduled for December 21, at the Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

    “It is designed to further enlighten stakeholders on these issues. The audit is aimed at having an up- to- date database for existing utilities network infrastructure by reviewing all underground cables/telecoms infrastructure in the state. It will also identify non-compliant infrastructure for removal to ensure orderly urban development and strict compliance with relevant standards; to guarantee public health/safety and environmental protection in line with the Mega City status of the state,” the statement added.

  • Dangers of campus marriage

    Many are ignorant of the many dangers of “campus marriage,” common among students in Nigeria’s higher institutions. So many a destiny have been cut in their prime due to what has gradually become a culture among undergraduates.

    In campus parlance, campus marriage is simply an immoral cohabitation involving two individuals of the opposite sex living together usually under the same abode, sharing everything in common. They eat and sometimes study together in classes and even have sexual relationship without being legally pronounced married.

    This illicit act had overtimes increased the high rate of immorality particularly on campus among Nigerian students in tertiary institutions which never always lead to legal marriage. It has always ended at right at the school gate.

    Apparently, majority of culprits have no tangible reasons for engaging in this immoral act. Although, having interviewed many especially the female students, they said it’s a smart way to deal with the challenge of lack of accommodation. Some have argued that they chose to be close to each other for better intimacy whereas for others, the reasons are clearly bogus. Interestingly, some categorically said their reason for cohabitation is hinged on meeting selfish emotional needs. For this category of students, cohabitation is a sure-fire way to experience the complete pleasure and excitement of living together.

    Irrespective of how far they go in validating their practice, one cannot deny the fact that it portends more harm than good for the couple. Checks have shown that those involved in the act have had to battle with the demands of academics, sometimes resulting in untold failure.  Cases of unwanted pregnancies are also rife, further fuelling the lack of concentration common among many students today.  There are even far more menacing dangers. There is the story of a married female student in one of the Nigeria’s higher institutions, who had extra-marital affair with a student. One day, the husband visited unannounced only to catch both love birds in the act. This prompted the husband to stab the lady to death. There are many other gory narratives of this shade.

    As seen in the lives of most practitioners, campus marriage affects a student’s academic performance which often leads to eventual withdrawal when such students can no longer meet the standards set by the school. Expectedly, female students are the worst hit due to the possibility of unwanted pregnancy. Cases abound of not only how this has stunted the career growth of many females, but also the associated risk of death when abortion becomes the last resort to save their faces.

    Again, this act is considered illegal by law and immoral by both Christians and Muslim faithfuls. Marriage is said to be a legal union between two individuals of opposite sex – a man and a woman – recognised and authenticated by any formal institution, be it the Church, Mosque or law courts. It is plainly foolhardy to put up with a man who has not paid the bride price, much less solemnise a relationship. Female students who still fall into this ditch deserve to be blamed for the calamity that stands in their way.

    However, it is better that students desist from engaging in cohabitation of this manner. It’s a trap that has shattered the dreams and aspirations of many young people. It never guarantees a successful marriage either.

     

    Mustapher is student of Federal Polytechnic, Bida

  • Dangers of campus marriage

    Many are ignorant of the many dangers of “campus marriage” common among students in Nigeria’s higher institutions. So many a destiny have been cut in their prime due to what has gradually assumed a culture among undergraduates.

    In campus parlance, campus marriage is simply an immoral cohabitation involving two individuals of the opposite sex living together usually under the same abode, sharing everything in common. They eat and sometimes study together in classes and even have sexual relationship without being legally pronounced married.

    This illicit act had overtimes increased the high rate of immorality particularly on campus among Nigerian students in tertiary institutions which never always lead to legal marriage. It has always ended at right at the school gate.

    Apparently, majority of culprits have no tangible reasons for engaging in this immoral act. Although, having interviewed many especially the female students, they said it’s a smart way to deal with the challenge of lack of accommodation. Some have argued that they chose to be close to each other for better intimacy whereas for others, the reasons are clearly bogus. Interestingly, some categorically said their reason for cohabitation is hinged on meeting selfish emotional needs. For this category of students, cohabitation is a sure-fire way to experience the complete pleasure and excitement of living together.

    Irrespective of how far they go in validating their practice, one cannot deny the fact that it portends more harm than good for the couple. Checks have shown that those involved in the act have had to battle with the demands of academics, sometimes resulting in untold failure.  Cases of unwanted pregnancies are also rife, further fuelling the lack of concentration common among many students today.  There are even far more menacing dangers. There is the story of a married female student in one of the Nigeria’s higher institutions, who had extra-marital affair with a student. One day, the husband visited unannounced only to catch both love birds in the act. This prompted the husband to stab the lady to death. There are many other gory narratives of this shade.

    As seen in the lives of most practitioners, campus marriage affects a student’s academic performance which often leads to eventual withdrawal when such students can no longer meet the standards set by the school. Expectedly, female students are the worst hit due to the possibility of unwanted pregnancy. Cases abound of not only how this has stunted the career growth of many females, but also the associated risk of death when abortion becomes the last resort to save their faces.

    Again, this act is considered illegal by law and immoral by both Christians and Muslim faithfuls. Marriage is said to be a legal union between two individuals of opposite sex – a man and a woman – recognised and authenticated by any formal institution, be it the Church, Mosque or law courts. It is plainly foolhardy to put up with a man who has not paid the bride price, much less solemnise a relationship. Female students who still fall into this ditch deserve to be blamed for the calamity that stands in their way.

    However, it is better that students desist from engaging in cohabitation of this manner. It’s a trap that has shattered the dreams and aspirations of many young people. It never guarantees a successful marriage either.

     

    Mustapher is student of Federal Polytechnic, Bida

  • Dangers of driving against traffic

    Dangers of driving against traffic

    Over the years, lots of men and women, young and old have been killed or maimed by vehicles moving against the traffic.

    This offence of driving against the traffic is more common when there is heavy traffic on one lane thereby prompting the impatient and disobedient drivers or riders to illegally divert to the lane of oncoming vehicles.

    Having seen the meaning of and cause of this offence, let us examine the psychology and consequences of the offence.

    When a person is following a routine overtime, it will be registered in his or her subconscious mind thereby making it possible for him or her to perform that same task without giving much thought to it. For example, if a person has been moving around in a house for a while, he or she can move to several parts of the house even in the dark without stumbling because every nook and cranny of the house is already registered in his subconscious mind.

    In the same vein, when a road user’s mind is already made up about the direction of the traffic flow, he may not quickly think that a driver or rider can drive or ride against the traffic even though he knows that there are mad drivers and riders in the Country. This is the reason why many people have fallen victim of vehicles moving against the traffic.

    Driving against the traffic can result in the following:

    1. Crashes with oncoming vehicles who might not be expecting vehicles to drive against the traffic.
    2. Confusion for other road users who are scrambling to avoid having collision with the vehicles driving against the traffic.
    3. Crushing of pedestrians who have gotten used to looking at only are traffic direction before crossing the road and those backing the traffic without expecting vehicles to be coming from behind. It is worthy of note that most of the vehicles that drive against the traffic are usually furious and reckless in their driving mainly because they know that they are wrong thereby rushing to avoid being arrested by the law enforcement agents. Most of such wicked drivers are also guilty of hit and run.

    It is very disheartening that VIPs, Police officers,  and other security officers are also guilty of this terrible offence. Unless there is official diversion because of on-going road construction, maintenance or obstruction, no man or woman irrespective of the status should drive against the traffic.

    It is a form of traffic madness and this is one of the reasons the Lagos State Government in its traffic laws prescribed a psychiatry test for anyone that commits this offence of driving against the traffic in addition to paying the stipulated fine.

    I hereby recommend that the Federal Government through the Federal Road Safety Commission and the State Governments through their Traffic Management Agencies must stand firmly against this offence and take every possible step to prevent it through enforcement with appropriate penalties.  Anyone that cause accident or kills as a result of driving against the traffic should be prosecuted and jailed.

    Where compromise is established between the driver and the vehicle occupants is established, they should also be prosecuted with the driver or rider as the case may be.

    Members of the public should also commence the act of shouting at the offenders and snapping their vehicles with the number plates for direct reporting to the appropriate traffic management authorities and for posting on the social media as a way of curbing this destructive driving attitude which is currently pervading every part of the country no matter whose ass is gored.

    It is a shameful thing that Nigerian is still one of the countries with the highest rate road traffic crashes and fatalities in the committee of nations. It has therefore become expedient that every possible step, no matter how crude to be taken to drastically stem this very sad tide. A stitch in time saves nine.

  • PMB: The dangers of one-man-show

    Perversive aura of power We must not grant President Muhammadu Buhari too much comfort. We cannot afford to blink or take our eyes off the ball. Not anymore; not after all the tormenting disappointments that have emanated from that Aso Rock Presidential Villa since 1999. Why should a President Olusegun Obasanjo have failed so woefully having rode into the scene with cognate experience none else in Nigeria’s history had? Yet he managed to set us back many years. Did we not think that President Goodluck Jonathan brandishing a PhD, and all that shoelessness, was indeed a breath of fresh air? But he fouled our air so much we are still choking.

    The mere fact that the sheer aura and majesty of power would circumscribe both the holder and beholder is enough reason we must be even more on our guards now and not assume that the long-awaited messiah has finally arrived. It is true that comparatively, PMB is imbued with finer character and personal integrity, but there are a dozen other virtues begirding transcendental leadership and transformational governance.

    It is for these reasons that we, the watchers of all the Estates of the Realm, must wear our skeptic’s cap always and set it askew at an irreverent and annoying angle. Now more than ever before, we must not be afraid not provoke and run against the grain of popular leaning. And like my brother Azu Isiekwene once said, we must not stop at ruffling feathers, we must make sure to pluck some feathers. Especially so when we are sure we are doing so in the interest of both the man in the pristine prison of the Villa and the hapless fella on the street.

    The breeding a benign dictatorship This is why we must not fail to sound the alarm about what is clearly an incipient one-man government and the making of a leviathan; a benign dictatorship. It is not acceptable and neither is it justifiable that PMB would take almost half of a year to form a government. We simply do not have that luxury of time. He tells us he will not appoint members of his cabinet till September. We hear the Senate may not complete ratification of nominees till end of October and we know that it would take these men and women upmost of another six months to master their not so simple environment and begin to deliver any reasonable result.

    Why should we hand over one full year of our lives to a man we elected to office to play around with as he wishes? There is absolutely nothing PMB is doing now that he could not have done with the full complement of his cabinet in tow. It is a dangerous fallacy for one man to imagine he could reform a deeply rotten system all alone in a few months.

    In fact, the dangers and shortcomings of the President discharging executive functions in the manner he has been doing are numerous and indeed, scary. First, most of the activities so far – wholesome and positive as they may be – are at best ad-hoc and direly limited. He does not have the option of robust debate and a weighing up of numerous alternatives to arrive at the best options.

    One example was the setting up of the Adams Oshiomhole-led panel to probe the management of the Excess Crude Account during the Jonathan era. It had one month to report back to the National Economic Council (NEC). But it took all of one month to find out that the panel was inadequate and indeed awkward for that assignment. It took one month to know that audit firms are better suited for the job. That was one month wasted and several opportunities lost.

    Another shortcoming is that the country has remained at a standstill and will be so till a cabinet is formed. A visit to federal secretariats will prove this. It was not that diligent activity was the hallmark of the Nigerian civil servant, but ask anyone of them now and he will tell you there is nothing doing since the new dispensation. Again, it is not for fun that the weekly cabinet meeting is held: it is for setting broad policy guidelines, tracking implementation and reviewing performance and progress taking place simultaneously in all sectors. No one person can do this alone.

    What really is the purpose of the current exercise of having permanent secretaries review their ministries before the President one at a time? This exercise, which is taking months to carry out, would have been better accomplished in a one week summit under a full cabinet. This way, even the ministers would benefit immensely and at the end of the day, the President would set the tone for his presidency and government in the purview of all – the appointees and civil servants. So we would have done in one week (and with better result) what we have been grappling with for months.

    And there is the more foreboding danger of the President getting used to the current situation of ‘working’ alone and all the minnows around him falling all over themselves when he sneezes. He is in danger of creating a debilitating environment that does not allow for debate, questions and a weighing of options. If he gets used to dishing out instructions and people jumping, his cabinet would be ineffectual and he, as much as Nigeria, would be the worse for it.

    Now and for as long as the President’s slow motion lasts, the budget is in abeyance, most projects are abandoned, work cycle is lost and funds are disbursed whimsically from the presidency.

    APC’s slumbering new era? If PMB is taking things slow to dredge the rot in the system, are governors too, who have followed his example, also dislodging sludge? It is worrisome that most of the ruling APC governors have conveniently neglected to initiate governance; even second term governors.

    If Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State (a first timer) could get started immediately, what is holding up Governors Akin Ambode (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), among others? Why is it taking Governor Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) almost one year to form government? This precedent is dangerous and unacceptable. Apart from the fact that they are running government from their breast pockets, some fellow will come tomorrow and take all of two or three years to form an executive council (exco), standing on Aregbesola’s example.

    One sees absolutely no benefit in a president or governor hedging to form government upon inauguration. None.

    PRESSID: Let’s not throw Jonathan away with bathwater

    One of the most ingenious initiatives of former President Goodluck Jonathan was setting up of the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID).

    The scheme, which is in its third year, selects about 100 best of Nigeria’s first class graduates for scholarship in the best universities abroad. The idea is simply to harness a critical mass of thinkers and leaders in all spheres of life for Nigeria’s future. The US has perfected this strategic initiative, reaching beyond their borders to poach the best from around the world.

    The successful candidates for the third batch for the 2014/2015 academic session, who have been offered admission in universities across the world, have been left hanging since President Buhari came to power. If these young Nigerians are being denied their well-merited national scholarship, which they have already won, by the new government, they at least deserve to be informed formally so that they may move on with their lives.

    America, Israel, China, etc., lead the world because they make serious effort to select and groom their very best minds. It is hoped that PMB would sustain PRESSID.

  • Rising dangers of unlabelled local gin

    Rising dangers of unlabelled local gin

    Production and marketing of a local gin without a brand name, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification, portends great danger to consumers. There are fears that many consumers will suffer the effect of the uncertified and unlabelled gins that go with various acronyms, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Ogogoro, kai-kai, OR, AKPETESI, is a West African alcoholic drink, brewed locally. With no brand name, label and product content information, as well as International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification, the local gin has attracted somewhat creative brand names across regions and culture. But, health experts believe Ogogoro, Kain-kain or akpeteshie dangers it poses to the health of ifs consumers.

    In Ghana, it is also known as akpeteshie. It has various names in Nigeria, such as Sapele Water, kain-kain, Sun gbalaja, Egun inu igo (meaning the Masquerade in the bottle), push-me-I-push-you, and Sonsé (“do you do it?” in Yoruba language). “Ifs local brewers can adapt some of these fantastic and creative names as brand names with label and content information. These brand names will win brand name awards any day,  but the dangers of consuming this local gin and the health effect, are a topic for another day,” says the Chief Executive Officer, Kush Media Limited, Mr. Yemi Kushimo.

    Distilled from the juice of Raffia palm trees, an incision is made in the trunk and a gourd placed outside it for collection, which is collected over a day or two period. After extraction, the sap is boiled to form steam, which subsequently condenses and is collected for consumption.

    But this production process has been faulted as the active ingredient in ogogoro, ethanol, which concentration within the drink is very high, and said to be of a great health risk.

    As a result of the concern over unlabelled local gin, the Federal Government a few weeks ago banned the consumption of the locally brewed gin, popularly called Ogogoro in all parts of the country as a result of the rising health hazards.

    Of more to the government was a recent report of deaths that trailed the consumption of the local gin in Rivers and Ondo states. The government confirmed that the death toll in Rivers State had risen to 38, while 18 people  died in Ode-Irele, Ondo State, following the consumption of the local gin.

    The Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, Dr. Paul Orhii, in his reaction to the death of 38 persons in Rivers State, said the recent incidents in Rivers and Ondo states were associated with the consumption of locally made gin. According to him, considering the risk in the consumption of locally made gin, it has become imperative to “warn the public to desist from the consumption of unregistered locally made spirits (Ogogoro) and other unregistered bitters.”

    He also warned that the government “would confiscate all illegally brewed alcoholic beverages” across the country. “The symptoms suffered by victims include vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred vision, headache, dizziness and loss of consciousness with subsequent sudden deaths of 18 victims.”

    According to a brand expert at Products Label Intelligence, labelling of local gin gives the product an identify, and shows how socially responsible a brewer is. In the case of those who died in Ondo State, the analyst said, no producer will be held responsible because there was no identified maker of the Ogogoro.

    “The main function of labeling is to provide a form of distinction to assist people differentiate one product from the next. The information on labels contains all the relevant data about that particular product. Labeling is greatly used in beverages and food products, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and electronics, among others. So, if any one died, or suffered any health hazard as a result of consumption, someone can be held responsible,” said the analyst who works on a alcoholic brand.

    He said labelling is essential in beverages and food products. “This kind of label is the simplest and significant method of communicating information about products between sellers and buyers. It is the main means through which buyers tell apart individual brands and foods so as to make good buying choices. When food products have been labelled, users can now see vital information live quantity and quality, features and also expiry date. It also includes instructions like safe handling and storage,” he added.

    Meanwhile, with the dangers posed by consumption of unlabelled local gin, the Director General of Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said the agency had deepened civil and consumer education to prevent them from consuming unwholesome products, noting that emphasis must be centred on creating a clear means of identification for the registered brands to forestall a recurrence of that episode. She explained that the consumers must heed instruction given to them to avert unnecessary deaths.

  • CPC alerts consumers to dangers of unhealthy foods

    T  HE Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has embarked on a  campaign to alert consumers to the dangers of eating unhealthy foods.

    It said this was part of its activities to mark this year’s World Consumer Rights Day .This year’s event  had as theme, Consumers’ right to healthy foods.

    The Consumer International celebrates World Consumer Rights Day yearly to promote consumer rights, protest market abuses and social injustice meted out to consumers, and places a demand on business operators that consumer rights should be respected.

    The CPC said it was drawing the attention of consumers to the health risks in consuming unhealthy foods, which are low in fibre, vitamins, high on fats, salt, sugar and tropical oils and are of little or no nutritional value.

    At a briefing, Head, Lagos Office of CPC, Mr. Tam Tamunokonbia, said: “As you all know, a consumer is anyone who buys or uses any product or service. Since there is none that does not buy or use products and services, we all are consumers. It is the consumers’ rights to buy and use healthy foods and that is what we intend to focus on this year.’’

    He explained that the CPC chose to sensitise consumers on consumption of healthy foods in schools, churches, mosques and other public places to educate Nigerians on their salt and sugar intake. “We intend to enlighten Nigerians on the dangers of consuming unhealthy foods,” he said.

    Tamunokonbia noted that in most cases, such unhealthy foods lack the necessary vitamins obtainable from fruits and vegetables. He saidunfortunately, these junks or unhealthy foods when taken regularly, cause diet-related diseases, such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases-all leading to premature deaths.

    As part of the campaign, he said the Lagos Office of CPC was at two Churches, St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, and the Foursquare Gospel Church, OPIC Estate, Lagos, to sensitse the members.

    According to him, members of both churches were astonished at the revelations by the council. “This is expected to continue throughout the year,” he said.

    Tamunokonbia said a follow-up to the “Walk for health” by the Council in Abuja, the Lagos Office and other Zonal Offices participated in the “Walk for Health programme” from Ilupeju to Oshodi to Ikeja through Maryland, Ikorodu and back to the Council’s Office.

    Meanwhile, talks have been carried out by various senior and junior secondary schools across Lagos, and a few others are scheduled to take place shortly. In addition, interviews and spotlight programmes are expected to run on radio, television and in national newspapers.

    “It is expected that the tempo will be sustained and extended to eateries, supermarkets, restaurants and market places through the year,” Tamunokonbia said.

    As part of the sensitisation, CPC has also begun an advocacy for the adoption of a consumer-friendly labelling for beverages and food products in the country.

    Its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said in Abuja.

    She asked for a change in the nutritional information put at the back of these products, which, she said, was incomprehensible.

    “The CPC is advocating that manufacturers adopt the consumer friendly ‘traffic light’ nutritional labelling as it is very simple for consumers to read and understand at first glance,” Atoki said, noting that “most consumers lack the skill or time to interpret detailed nutritional information on the back of the package.”

    The DG noted that the Council was using the opportunity of the celebration to sensitise consumers to make informed decision on what they purchase and consume, adding that there was also the need for them to check the labelling of these products, as well as for the manufacturers to adopt best practices in line with the council’s mandate.

  • Clear, present dangers for businesses ahead 2015

    Clear, present dangers for businesses ahead 2015

    As the nation prepares for the next election come 2015, there are fears that the economy may be the worst for it judging by the unimpressive performance of businesses in different sectors thus far, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

    Less than three months to February 2015, when Nigeria is expected to elect new representatives to respective public offices including presidency national assembly  and governorships, the fears out there is that in the runoff to the election proper the telltale signs on the economic landscape is terribly scary.

    The timetable for the general elections as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that both the Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to hold on February 14, 2015, while that of the governorship and State Assembly elections holds February 28, 2015.

    For economic pundits who have monitored the way things are going, their verdict outright is that the economy is currently on a tailspin.

    Year of uncertainty

    Ahead of 2015, some market jitters have now reappeared, with severe implications for the economy. Wale Amoo, an economic analyst captures the scenario perfectly while attempting a prognosis of the clear and present danger signs for the economy.

    “As preparations for the 2015 elections reach fever pitch, the unfolding events have implications for Nigeria and businesses operating in the country. There is a threat to government revenue that is heavily reliant on oil, a revenue stream that is now under threat from declining oil prices (now below $90 per barrel), and an outlook suggesting even softer prices in 2015. The fiscal buffers are also currently low, with the 30-day moving average of the reserves at $39bn, and the actual liquid reserves at about $36bn. If we take account of the ‘rented’ funds portion of the reserves, then the figure is even lower,” Amoo said while offering plausible explanation.

    Besides, he said, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) estimates that about $1.4 trillion of the liquidity created during the highly accommodative monetary policy in major advanced economies are invested in emerging and frontier markets’ assets.

    “There are, however, indications that global liquidity will be tighter in 2015, which suggests possible reallocation of resources by asset managers and likely repatriation of some of the foreign funds. The decision of foreign asset managers to buy or sell has an impact on small and illiquid markets like Nigeria, a country that has become dependent on the foreign capital flows as a major source of foreign exchange in recent years. All these suggest tough decisions will need to be made by both the fiscal and monetary authorities in the coming year in order to maintain a stable macroeconomic environment.

    “Domestic businesses will face a number of risks triggered by the fallout from both the global and domestic environments, and there will be many dimensions to these risks, depending on the nature and level of each organisation’s exposure. One of the key emerging risks is the foreign exchange risk. With the outlook for 2015 suggesting a much weaker naira, corporates need to devise foreign exchange management strategies that mitigate their exposure. In recognition of the risk posed by foreign exchange fluctuations, and increasing foreign exchange exposure by Nigerian banks, the CBN just released a circular limiting banks’ foreign currency borrowings and deployment of such borrowings.”

    Amoo further noted that the banking sector will be one of the hardest-hit if the exchange rate risk crystalises as many of them have already deployed tier-2 capital into foreign currency-denominated projects based on limited knowledge of the dynamics of the projects and assumptions that are no longer realistic.

    Like Amoo, Mr. Stevenson Atama, a stockbroker has argued that as politicians continue to strategise ahead of the 2015 elections, the nation’s macroeconomic stability is becoming way too fragile.

    Damning report

    A report by CSL Stockbrokers Limited, a division of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), United Kingdom, tagged ‘Nigeria Year Ahead 2014’, has further indicated that the nation’s ecosystem is in turmoil.

    The report expressed concern that as the election time inches close, businesses have continued to be at the receiving end.

    According to the report, a year ago, it was clear to most investors that risk factors in Nigeria had fallen, that general macroeconomic stability was improving, and that the flagship reforms like power sector privatisation were gaining traction. In fact, it pointed out that the foundation for a good 2014 had been laid by last year.

    “At the beginning of 2014, it is difficult to argue that the outlook is so bright. Macroeconomic stability feels more fragile; elections are coming, meaning that key reforms will likely be on hold; and the investment community that so willingly piled in at the beginning of 2013 can no longer be sold the idea that the market is ‘cheap”, the report said.

    Commenting on the possibility of a boost in public spending before elections, the report argued that government resources are actually much more constrained than most observers perceive.

    Having almost depleted the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in 2013, the report noted that the federal government and states would be faced with the option of a sharp increase in domestic and international borrowing (with a breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act) or a reduction in spending.

    “Ultimately, we think the latter will prove more palatable,” the report added.

    But from a fundamental perspective, the report argued that that reported growth rates in the country were likely to remain strong this year, adding that but with each passing year, the proposed GDP re-basing becomes more important.

    “Not only will this (GDP rebasing) give investors a better view of market’s size and composition, but it should lead to a deeper understanding of the drivers of GDP growth. “One continuing area of concern is the strength of consumer demand, which has not recovered to the levels seen in 2010 and 2011, and is unlikely to do so this year,” it added.

    Furthermore, it stated that 2015 had the potential to deliver an oil price collapse, which would produce an unexpected global economic stimulus but also some unpleasant geopolitical consequences.

    “Consensus estimates suggest a 1.1mbpd increase in global oil demand. However, non-OPEC oil supply is forecast to increase by 1.5mbpd in 2014.

    “It is theoretically possible that higher production from Iran (relaxed sanctions), Iraq (steady improvements), Libya (recovery from very low levels) and Nigeria (less theft and vandalism) could add a further 2mmb/d to oil supply during second half 2015.

    “A scenario of weak demand growth and excess supply is nothing new. In previous years the oil price had been supported by various supply disruptions both inside and outside OPEC and it may be that 2014 is no different to 2012 and 2013,” it added.

    Foreign direct investment is also a problem as the outlook looks not very promising. Unlike South Africa, which has recorded more than $10.3 billion in FDI in the last few years, other African countries like Nigeria and Ghana have recorded steep decline in FDI.

    Sub-Saharan Africa’s robust economic growth, which the IMF expects to increase to 6.1 per cent in 2014, from 5.1 per cent, last year, has made it an attractive destination for investors.

    South Africa’s performance has lagged the rest of the region, however, with the IMF forecasting growth of 2.8 per cent in the continent’s biggest economy this year, an increase from 1.8 per cent in 2013.

    In the area of electricity generation, available records from the National Control Centre and the Transmission Company of Nigeria showed that 2,993.7MW was the quantum of electricity that the system was losing due largely to gas shortage.

    Since the handover of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria successor companies to new investors, the generation firms have been complaining of a drop in the supply of gas to fire their plants. The development has led to erratic electricity supply across the country with severe implications for the economy.

    The outlook in the energy sub-sector is no less disturbing as major oil marketers had warned that the nation’s fuel stock was drying up with non-approval of 2014 first quarter import allocation and government’s N150 billion subsidy indebtedness to them. However, the northern part of the country has been receiving constant refined petroleum products supply from Soraz refinery, in Niger Republics, through the nation’s land border through trucks from the neigbouring country’s facility.

    Still little to cheer about

    Although the World Bank Group report released last Wednesday said it has become easier to do business in Nigeria; Nigerians, however, argued that it is nothing to cheer about still.

    The report, Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency noted that Nigeria and other economies across sub-Saharan Africa have focused on making the business environment on the region more conducive, adding that the region was responsible for the highest number of business regulatory reforms globally in 2013/14.

    Nigeria put in place 10 reforms to ensure that the private sector is more involved in the country’s economy.

    “Sub-Saharan African economies have come a long way in reducing burdensome business regulations,” said Melissa Johns, Advisor, Global Indicators Group, Development Economics, World Bank Group.

    According to Johns, the Group’s data show that the region accounts for the largest number of regulatory reforms making it easier to do business in the past year. 75 of the 230 documented reforms worldwide came from sub-Saharan Africa.

    Since 2005, all countries in the region, but one (South Sudan), have improved the business regulatory environment for small and medium-size businesses, with Rwanda implementing the most reforms, followed by Mauritius and Sierra Leone, the Group noted.

    Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy ranked 38th among the African countries on the ease of doing business list, and 170th globally, moving up five places from last year’s 175th. The report however finds that Nigeria ranks among the top five economies in sub-Saharan Africa in two areas – the ease of getting credit and the strength of minority investor protections.