The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Development

  • Capacity development centre will boost economy

    Capacity development centre will boost economy

    To help revive the national economy,  the Personnel Practitioners’ Consultative Association (PPCA), Ikeja chapter has established a capacity development centre to enhance the knowledge and skills of its members and non-members.

    PPCA is the grassroots professional arm of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) that advances  human resource development

    The Chairman of the association, Jide Ologun, said it was the initiative of the group to empower its members to brace up with the current economic realities facing the country expressing the concern many employees were rather losing their jobs.

    He said there was urgent need to build entrepreneurial skills in the people including the young ones so that they could be self employed rather than searching for white collar jobs which according to him were not available

    “If you are seeking employment it is because you have value to offer, you can come about establishing a business that you can still offer that value”, he added

    Ologun, a lawyer told the Nation in Lagos the group would collaborate with the government at different levels and corporate organizations to ensure it delivered on its core promises adding to get the people right would give the right result

    According to him, any government that does not pay attention to training the workforce was out to fail because whether you like it or not even when you have the best of policies you need human resources to implement them adding if they are not in tune with your vision you will be working in the opposite direction

    He said the group embarked on all encompassing trainings to help members add value not only to their different organizations but also to the nation’s economy

    He argued people had capacities that when developed would manifest in good result, it’s all about helping the mind to add value to the workplace, he expressed adding the centre was well equipped with modern infrastructure and also opens to people who operate seminars and workshops.

     

  • Capacity development centre will boost economy

    Capacity development centre will boost economy

    As part of efforts in reviving the national economy which is the initiative of the present administration, the Personnel Practitioners’ Consultative Association (PPCA), Ikeja chapter has established a capacity development centre to enhance the knowledge and skills of its members and non members as well

    PPCA is the grassroots professional arm of the chartered institute of personnel management of Nigeria (CIPM) that advances the course of human resource development

    The Chairman of the association, Jide Ologun, said it was the initiative of the group to empower its members to brace up with the current economic realities facing the country expressing the concern many employees were rather losing their jobs.

    He said there was urgent need to build entrepreneurial skills in the people including the young ones so that they could be self employed rather than searching for white collar jobs which according to him were not available

    “If you are seeking employment it is because you have value to offer, you can come about establishing a business that you can still offer that value”, he added

    Ologun, a lawyer told the Nation in Lagos the group would collaborate with the government at different levels and corporate organizations to ensure it delivered on its core promises adding to get the people right would give the right result

    According to him, any government that does not pay attention to training the workforce was out to fail because whether you like it or not even when you have the best of policies you need human resources to implement them adding if they are not in tune with your vision you will be working in the opposite direction

    He said the group embarked on all encompassing trainings to help members add value not only to their different organizations but also to the nation’s economy

    He argued people had capacities that when developed would manifest in good result, it’s all about helping the mind to add value to the workplace, he expressed adding the centre was well equipped with modern infrastructure and also opens to people who operate seminars and workshops

    “One of the things the administration decided to do is to have a capacity development centre where we can empower people to add value to the efforts of the government in reviving the national economy.

    “If you look at how the resources of the country have been managed if those who have managed them before now knew some things they should have known to constitute the ingredients of national development perhaps they would have done better and we would have been far ahead of where we are today.”

  • ALSCON:  Development denied  

    ALSCON:  Development denied  

    SIR: It is only in Hollywood movie scripts that you can find such bizarre twists to a story that looked so perfect and out of this world. The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) is a perfect winner for such a script. Beginning in 1997 when the Military Government spent about US$6.3 billion to build the company on 23,800 acres of land donated by the Ikot Abasi Community of Akwa Ibom State, it was a fait accompli that development has come to stay in Nigeria via the ALSCON which has the longest conveyor belt in the world.

    ALSCON is a world class facility designed to produce 127,000 tonnes of aluminium per year. In its hey days between 1997-1999, it was producing at 25% of its installed capacity about, 40,000 tonnes, with a staff strength of 1,800, and making about US$120 million per annum.

    Today it is a shadow of itself, depreciating so fast and losing billions of naira daily to vandals. In a conundrum that lasted for more than 10 years and defied solution, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) saddled with the responsibility of carrying out successful privatization exercise for the benefit of the country has been adamant in this case.

    The BPE refused to comply with a July 6, 2012 Supreme Court of Nigeria Judgement asking it (BPE), and the preferred bidder (BFI Group), for ALSCON to sign the Mutual Share Purchase Agreement SPA between them and for BFI Group to pay 10% of the bid price in order to revitalize the company.

    What puzzles us here is the defiance by the BPE to comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court and under our eyes while adhering to an arbitration of a Court in England to allow the present occupants of ALSCON remain in the premises disregarding the Judgement of the Supreme Court and another Judgement of the Federal High Court in 2014 ordering the enforcement of the July 6, 2012 Supreme Court Ruling and ordering the IGP and all Security Agencies to enforce that Ruling.

    The asset stripping on the facility is mind boggling, as spare parts worth US$40 million in the warehouse were carted away. Billets, Anodes, Ingots and Busbars are taken away daily as scrap. The most surprising thing about the matter is that nothing on the facility is scrap because everything there can be recycled. A well equipped Hospital  using cutting edge technology served the facility and the host community. Today the Hospital is unable to function and abandoned.

    How can government apparatus be an instrument for manipulating the people? How can an appendage of government be used in destroying, the moral, economic and political landscape of Nigeria by stepping on Judgements of the highest court in the nation?

    I sympathize and empathize with the people of Ikot-Abasi, who are dying from pollution and workers laid off without benefits.

    I believe President Myhammadu Buhari and the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who is the chairman of the National Council on Privatization, will not allow the Rule of Law to be undermined in any guise. Those who are behind this rip-off of public enterprises must realize that their time has come to an end, and an era of change and hope for the common man is at hand.

    This is the last chance for Nigerians to reclaim their glory by coming together and making things right.

     

    • Ahmed Yerima,

    knayina@gmail.com.

  • Welcome development

    •Withdrawal of Bill seeking to obstruct freedom of speech through the social media is good for democracy

    The move by the Senate to muffle the voice of Nigerians, especially the young ones who have been very loud on the social media platform, has predictably failed. In line with development on the information highway globally, young Nigerians have continued to speak their minds on the internet with a view to catching the ears of their leaders. But, the politicians see them as irritants and have continually sought means of withdrawing a platform they (politicians) did not create.

    It was in this wise that the Bill introduced ostensibly to curb the excesses of the social media was introduced in the Senate. Senators who supported the move said the citizen journalists, as they pride themselves, have become a menace to the society. They lack training and are subject to no rules. When they malign, as they often do, the senators said no ready remedies are available. As such, many politically exposed Nigerians are subjected to scurrilous attacks.

    Hence, the Bill sought to put in place laws that would rein in the citizen journalists, as those who might fall foul of the proposed law’s provision could end up in jail.

    As many Nigerians have said, we see no merit in the position of proponents of the Bill and are relieved that it has been withdrawn. At this stage of the national democratic development, what we need is to widen the scope of participation of Nigerians. It is in the interest of Nigeria that exasperated Nigerians have such forum to express themselves. Any serious leader should be thankful that the views of educated young Nigerians could be aggregated and accessed through the social media.

    We are not unaware of the excesses of some of the activists on the platform; many of them abuse and malign others inappropriately. Sometimes, baseless rumours are posted to the irritation of office holders. But, this is not enough to kill the platform. Given the level of corruption in the system, the social media has become a mode of dissemination of information that could keep the rulers of the society in check.

    Nigerians know their heroes and the villains. The same platform has been quite helpful in mobilising the people for social and political change. Rather than be fixated on seeking means of punishing those who post on the media, the legislators should tidy up their acts. During the tenure of the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, now Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi, he regaled the country with how the 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives helped themselves to a disproportionate share of the national wealth. This and other revelations about acquisition of exotic cars at a period of recession have naturally battered the image of the lawmakers.

    But killing the social media is not the solution. The legislators have to become more patriotic and support the change mantra of the government. They should launch a searchlight into obsolete laws and expunge them from the statutes, as well as step up their oversight function that would make them good representatives.

    Leaders should wake up to their responsibilities. They should be creative, too, in using the social media to inform the citizens about the various policies of government. If all platforms being abused were to be scrapped, then the National Assembly itself has no reason to stand. Government has failed Nigerians, but it is still being tolerated. It is therefore in the interest of the society that the social media be helped to develop and overcome its excesses.

    The Nigerian society needs the social media and it will serve no useful purpose to kill it. Withdrawing the obnoxious Bill is one of the best things to have happened in the National Assembly in recent times.

  • Oke: Ondo development slow

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has described the state’s development as “slow”.

    He faulted the level of poverty and economic hardship faced by the people, despite the state’s abundant human and natural resources.

    The APC governorship aspirant spoke at a stakeholders’ forum where he inaugurated his campaign for the November 26 election.

    He said: “Ondo is now one of the poorest states in Nigeria. We are in a coma. It is not the plan of God for the state to be in its present precarious situation.

    “God loves Ondo too much. We have the longest coastal line in Africa. We have oil, bitumen, cocoa, timber and other resources, but we are in penury.

    “Workers have not been paid. Our economy is in shambles as a result of poor management.

    “We have suffered much in Ondo State. APC is now the only hope for the people e and by November, the expected joy will come to the state.”

  • Oke-Ogun obas evolve common front for development

    Oke-Ogun obas evolve common front for development

    Obas in Oke-Ogun, under the aegies of Oke-Ogun Conference of Obas and Chiefs have called on indigenes of the region to rally round the traditional rulers to bring about further development in the region.

    This and many issues were deliberated upon at a meeting held yesterday at Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area, where members were asked to go back to their various domains and spread the message of Oke-Ogun unity for socio-economic development.

    The Onigboho of Igboholand, Oba John Oyetola Bolarinwa Olubiyi II, who hosted other Obas and Chiefs in an interview after the meeting said the meeting was called to discuss the progress of Oke-Ogun area in the face of daunting economic situation of the country and ways to encourage indigenes home and abroad to latch on to the state government’s agriculture project in creating wealth and employment for the teeming youths in the region.

    Oba Oyetola said the meeting also focused on reasons why an Oke-Ogun indigene should be supported come 2019 to become the state governor as, according to him, the region has suffered untold neglect from successive federal and state governments, resulting in non-existence of federal projects, higher institutions of learning and abandonment of the Ikere George Dam.

    “We gather here today to discuss the progress of Oke-Ogun as the people of the region have been at the receiving end of continued neglect by the federal and state governments and who do you think can rally support for such project than the Obas and Chiefs in the region?

    “You can imagine the way and manner the federal government has turned deaf hears to our yearnings for federal projects and completion of the Ikere George Dam, which is supposed to create wealth for our people and bring about sustainable employment opportunity if well harnessed.

    “We have discussed the issue of unity among us Obas and Chiefs, so as not to allow for dissent voices in our aspirations for a better Oke-ogun,” he said.

    The Aare of Ago-Are, Oba Abodunrin Oyetunji Kofoworola Olakanla II, who also spoke with reporters at the event, said the region has got many challenges that if not looked into, might degenerate into untold hardship for dwellers, stressing that it was time for obas in the region to chart a new course for the progress of Oke-ogun.

    Those in attendance at the meeting include the Aseyin of Iseyin, (HRM), Oba Abd-Ganiy Saludeen Adekunle Oloogunebi, Ajinese 1, Oniro of Otu, Oba Sunday Adepoju Ayilola, Oniwere of Iwere and their chiefs among others.

     

     

  • Insecurity hinders Nigerian development — UNDP

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said the challenge of insecurity which surfaced in the country during the last administration greatly impacted on the various development efforts of the country.

    It noted that despite efforts by this administration, insecurity still constitutes a major threat to peace and development in view of the fragile economic climate occasioned by dwindling oil earnings, compelling shift from over-reliance on oil and gas sector to other sectors.

    This position is contained in this year’s National Human Development Report for Nigeria, with the theme: “Human Security and Human Development,” launched in Abuja yesterday by the UNDP.

    Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, who made a public presentation of the report, hailed the UNDP and other development partners for their supports for the country’s effort to overcome its myriad of problems.

    Udoma, who assured that the Federal Government was committed to ensuring people-centred development, said the government has set aside N12billion in this year’s budget as part of its effort to ensure the resettlement of those displaced in the North East.

    This, he said was in addition to the N500billion Special Intervention Fund and Victims Support Fund contained in the budget.

  • Africa gets development think-tank

    Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and its development partners have launched  the Africa Project Developers Initiative (APDI), a think-tank and network, to promote development on the continent.

    APDI creates a platform that fosters continuous dialogue amongst members, standardises project development documentation, develops market benchmarks, enables knowledge transfer, leads and facilitates independent  research and serves as a policy advocacy forum for the industry.

    AFC in a statement by its President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Andrew Alli, said a significant bottleneck in unlocking Africa’s infrastructure is the development of viable projects that meet the viability and bankability tests of financiers.

    He noted that African project development itself is a proven asset class, with an increasing number of projects successfully reaching financial close.

    Alli said challenges experienced by developers require the establishment of an innovative and collective approach to addressing the issues. According to him, the average project development time span from concept to financial close is seven years.

    “If Africa is to make an impactful difference and meet its developmental aspirations, a think-tank such as the Africa Project Development Initiative, is an imperative for project developers,” he stressed.

    AFC Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer Mr. Oliver Andrews said: “There are huge opportunities for international investors in Africa if its much-needed large scale infrastructure projects are bankable.

  • Ogun seeks support of traditional rulers on grassroots development

    Ogun State government has said traditional institution is a key partner in its mission to rebuild the state.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs  Olajide Ojuko made this remark at an interactive meeting with first class monarchs at the Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.

    He said the meeting was meant to establish a good relationship between the traditional rulers and the government.

    Ojuko said: “Government is fully aware of the roles our traditional rulers play in ensuring that the communities are peaceful. That is the reason we will continue to seek their support, so as to ensure that the landmark achievments recorded by the Senator Ibikunle’s administration is sustained”.

    He added that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has designed a programme that would enable the traditional rulers, to understand the chieftaincy laws, community policing, and the imperative of security.

    The commissioner stressed the need to build a strong relationship between the local government and the traditional rulers.

    The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olumide Ayeni, said government was proposing legislations for reforming the  chieftaincy laws and criminal justice.

    He said the reform will curb the voilence resulting from chieftaincy titles and threat of Fulani herdsmen, adding that the traditional rulers have a pivotal role to play in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in their various communties.

    Speaking on the relevance of community policing, as a tool for curbing the  exess of underworld men, the Ogun State Police Public Relation Officer,  Muyiwa Adejobi, noted that the traditional rulers remained one of the tracks in ensuring safety of the communities.

    He said armed robbery,  cultism, Fulani herdsmen menace and kidnapping would be tackled with the cooperation of traditional rulers.

    The Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Olusola Sonuga, urged the royal fathers to see themselves as stakeholders in governance. He urged them to come up with a private bill, which would  seek  the creation of chieftiancy tribunal to address chieftaincy related matters.

    Other speakers at the interactive session include, the Commissioner for Forestry Kolawole Lawal,  Commissioner for Environment Bolaji Oyeleye,  Chairman, Local Government Service Commission Rotimi Rahmon.

  • ‘Path to addressing African human, institutional capacity deficits’

    THE Third Pan-African Capacity Development Forum (CDF3) ended in Harare, Zimbabwe, over the weekend with a call for a greater commitment and closer collaboration among partners and member states of African Union (AU) to address human and institutional capacity challenges facing the continent.
    Delegates at the forum, among them African ministers, heads of continental bodies, African Capacity Building Foundation’s (ACBF) strategic partners and board members, private and public sector officials, recognised that despite the economic and social progress achieved across the continent, the results have been differentiated and many countries continue to face human and institutional capacity deficits.
    According to them, the deficits were preventing African countries from achieving their full growth potential as well as implementation of growth priorities, especially Agenda 2063, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), regional development strategies and country development strategies.
    The participants in a communiqué, which included far-reaching recommendations, noted that Africa still faces the task of addressing critical challenges associated with unsustainable and non-inclusive growth, youth unemployment, climate change, worsening security, gender inequality and excessive reliance on primary commodity exports.
    They declared that that capacity remains the missing link in dealing with the critical development challenges facing the continent