The Nation Newspaper

Tag: enhance

  • ‘Govt needs to address harmful regulations to enhance growth’

    ‘Govt needs to address harmful regulations to enhance growth’

    Mr. Antti Ritvonen is the Country Manager, Dizengoff Nigeria, a member of the United Kingdom (UK)-owned Balton CP Group. Dizengoff is one of the leading communication and agriculture companies in Nigeria, providing customers with the best innovative solutions in irrigation, greenhouses, tractor & implements, Agro-consumables, cyber-security, radio–communication, home land security, IT infrastructure and turnkey projects. Ritvonen, in this interview with DANIEL ESSIET, shares his opinion on several issues.

    With the economy technically out of recession, do you still see prospects for growth?

    I will speak from two perspectives. First, the environment is still tough for businesses to operate. I also think we are undergoing some massive growing pains at the moment, too.

    Operators have to work hard to achieve their goals. On the other hand, I see positive signs, especially with greater attention given to agriculture. That means a big opportunity for our agric business division. I think the government will likely get past these growing pains by focusing more on agriculture.

    Last year, regulation, skills, national debt, and taxes topped CEOs’ list of threats to business growth. None of these have been addressed this year. Do you still see over-regulation as a concern?

    At a sector level, there are a lot of regulations that are meant to guarantee food and human safety. This, not withstanding, I think it is wise to examine the possible effects of actions and the negative impact of over regulation on the market and the economy. The government needs to address harmful regulation in order to unleash economic growth.

    I am not saying there should be no regulation; I will appreciate a clearly definable reduction in the regulatory burden for the industry. For instance, agro chemicals are critical to improving food production.  As you know, agrochemicals and other crop protection products play a crucial role in increasing agricultural productivity. To meet the food requirements of the nation, agricultural productivity and its growth need to be further improved. This can be achieved, using agrochemicals to provide pre and post-harvest protection to crops and agricultural output.

    Activists are campaigning against increasing use of agro chemicals and pesticides by farmers because of long-term health and environmental effects. What is your view on this?

    I support regulations on pesticide with an aim to better protect human health and the environment, and to make agriculture more sustainable. There are a lot of fake agro chemicals. I support regulations to stop such manufacturers from operating in other to save human lives and protect the business of farmers.

    I support the government efforts to control the spread of hazardous chemicals, but there are reputable organisations such as ours that are determined to produce and supply quality agrochemicals to farmers, especially safe and effective pesticides. We are capable of advising governments on technical issues relating to manufacture, use and safety issues relating to pesticides.

    How favourable is the tax regime to your industry?

    I  think the government needs to exempt  thee industries from  a lot of taxes  that will affect inputs used in the farm such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, tractors etc. as it will contribute to increase in prices of farm output. Farm output prices are controlled by market forces and the farmer has little control. As the input price rises and output price remains stagnant, the farmer will have no option, but to absorb the cost, thus increasing his burden.

    With the economy under stress, farmers and agro businesses will be reeling under tremendous pressure from many ends and the increased burden of taxes will create a crater in their incomes. If somehow, the output prices increase, the nation will suffer as the food prices will go up, thus creating trouble for the common man. The way out will be for the government to exempt the industry from heavy taxation. This will have a positive impact across all agricultural inputs and reduce the encumbrance on farmers.

    What can the government do to enable agriculture play its role in the overall economic development of the country?

    The sector needs an enabling environment where farmers can  access affordable  credit. The absence of production loans is the biggest hurdle.  I believe agriculture is an important part of the economic future of Nigeria. There is enough evidence to show that agriculture can play a role in modernising economy. Much of economic development in Nigeria is going to be based on industrialising agriculture, introducing land reform and developing the manufacturing industry.

    Looking at the growth of Nigeria ’s real GDP per capita over the last 10 years, agriculture contribution to  GDP has been  low. Generally, the process of economic transformation is characterised by a decline in the agricultural GDP share in employment over time, as labour moves to higher productivity sectors.   While agriculture’s share in GDP has been declining in the last 10years, unfortunately also, labour and other resources that can boost industrialisation were absorbed into other more productive sectors. Some of the challenges that the agricultural sector has faced has been land, policy inconsistency. The level of domestic investment is an issue. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) follows domestic investment; it does not lead domestic investment. The problem with Nigeria’s agriculture is that domestic investment has been too low, it is beginning  to pick and some silver lining coming from the current Foreign Direct Investment.

    I believe that the process of economic transformation is going to be driven by income growth, changes in demand and consumption patterns, technical change and increased productivity.

    What we are doing to support the government is to pursue a strategy focused on increased land productivity, accelerating agricultural growth for job creation with high value activities  across the value chain that  can raise incomes, employment and export opportunities. With the devaluation of the Naira seen by many as an opportunity for exports, cash crops and vegetables now comprise the largest exports in the sector.

    I believe the agric sector, is going to enjoy a period of strong success, but this will depend to a large extent on the implementation of  green alternative policy.

    How concerned are you with the policy, social and business threats to your organisation’s growth prospects?

    Government policies have big role to play in creating an enabling environment for foreign direct investment. Foreign companies are interested in investing under a favourable policy regime and robust business environment has ensured that foreign capital keeps flowing into the country.  I will suggest that the government does more to improve the ease of doing business in the country. Nigeria should be seen and felt as the most attractive emerging market for global businesses.

    FDI is often constrained by unfriendly regulations coupled with a generally unfriendly investment climate.  FDI is critical to enable Nigeria achieve food self-sufficiency.

    We are ready to work with the government to boost productivity by improving farm management practices.  To achieve this goal, we need to work within an environment where policies and regulations foster growth in the agriculture and food sectors, well-functioning markets, and where thriving agribusinesses will be supported to make more food available in rural and urban spaces.  I support regulations that ensure the safety and quality of agricultural goods and services without being costly or burdensome to the extent of discouraging individuals and organisations from investing in the sector.

     What types of technologies are you promoting to attain higher levels of productivity?

    We are doing a lot of things aimed at imparting new technologies or farmers to improve productivity.

    From drip irrigation to agro chemicals, quality inputs, we are promoting technologies and smart solutions for better agriculture. Our drip irrigation solutions are rapidly spreading nationwide.  Farmers  who  have  adopted our  technologies with improved  farming skills saw their production increased in many folds.

    Our experts regularly visit farmers and organise training sessions for them to increase their crop yields while using the appropriate  fertilizers and water optimally. We teach them ways to produce quality vegetables. We have demonstrated diverse technologies to the farmers. They can choose the technology that suits them best and maximise their yield and profits.

    We are providing tailor-made farm solutions to help producers grow vegetables.

    We educate farmers on when to plant, irrigate and harvest; and how to cope with drought; how to choose the crops best for their areas. The major production challenges faced by farmers include low yields, inadequate knowledge of improved varieties, limited skills and knowledge of recommended production technologies.

    When we sell our irrigation tools, we offer training to help benefitting farmers increase farm yields through the use of both improved varieties and accompanying crop management practices.

    Our greenhouse training, for instance, is a practical one.  In combination with discipline and determination, farmers exposed to new agricultural practices from our training can increase output from even one hectare. Our extension agents are trained on technologies to help farmers improve their yields.

    We are determined to empower smallholder farmers with the tools to meet the challenges ahead.

    They are also adopting more efficient water-management technologies, such as advanced drip irrigation.

    What is your approach to youth entrepreneurship?

    The future of Nigeria’s food security must rest with next generation of new young farmers.

    Our mission is to liberate the small scale subsistence farmer by providing a proven approach to become an agroprenuer, with a middle class income on a permanent sustainable basis, as well as bring fresh fruit and vegetables to the surrounding communities at affordable prices.

    We are determined to work with the government to support youths to increase crop yields, on a per hectare basis, by up to 75 times in gross weight harvested.  We want  to eliminate the current scandalous 60 per cent waste of the meagre quantities historically grown in the old fashioned ways, turned rotten by poor packing and long arduous transportation from the rural fields to the urban cities across the country.  We want to help youths produce quality produce at stable affordable prices across Nigeria. With the technologies we have acquired and working  through groups, we see big opportunities opening for young people and  the SMEs  to use technologies to produce food within limited  space to ordinary Nigerians.

    What is your partnership with Best  Foods Fresh  Farms Limited.

    We have  gone into partnership with Apel Capital and Best Foods Fresh Farms Ltd has gone for the establishment of an investment fund for modern greenhouse farming for investors in Lagos. As part of the project, Dizengoff delivers to Best Foods Farms Ltd 10 units of greenhouses to setup a demo/model farm at Igbodu in Epe, where it  already has a farm. Apel Capital will act as trustee for this investment fund. The Fund aims to achieve 35 per cent  return for investors, who are investing into this fund. The minimum investment required is N500,000.

    We are the  technical partner for the project and we will provide technical support on the project from installation, to training, to cultivation etc. We  will also provide trained agronomists to the farm and to greenhouses bought by the investment fund.

    We believe it is not enough to provide products alone, through our combined technical know-how, with do-how and quality inputs, we will perform consistently, day in and day out”. The partnership has different parties Best Foods Fresh Farm Limited – will play the role of the Fund Manager, while Apel Capital & Trust Limited will serve as the Trustee and Dizengoff Nigeria will operate as the Technical Partner in terms of production.

    What would you like people to understand about Dizengoff?

    We want to be reckoned with  as a private organisation that is providing  farmers with improved seeds that will yield more than 200 per cent  in comparison to the farmers’ varieties.

    For instance, we provide a  gravity-fed Family Drip System (FDS)  that can irrigate a crop throughout its entire cycle over a land area of up to 10,000m2. The vegetables cultivated under it with good crop management practices produce over 300 per cent more yields, than the rain-fed vegetables.

    Let me restate that mechanisation of crop production is the only sustainable means of reducing poverty among farmers. We are encouraging both corporate and individual farmers to use tractors; drip irrigation systems and greenhouses for fruits and vegetable production. Sustainable vegetable and crop production had been made easier with the use of modern and affordable farm equipment, kits and improved varieties of seeds. With greenhouse kits, a famer can  produce exotic tomatoes all-year-round even in the bacteria and wilt-infested areas. You can use green house  and plant tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, potatoes, groundnuts, different vegetables profitably.

    Greenhouse limits the devastating effects of insects pests and diseases that ravage vegetables including tomatoes. With little amount of land space and water, you can  get a yield far higher than your traditional open field product

  • Wanted: industrial clusters to enhance small-scale manufacturing

    Small entrepreneurs believe the economy can grow faster if the government promotes clustering and mini industrial zones where they will be exposed to shared infrastructure, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    A graduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Frederick  Nwokeleme, is the founder of Jubilant Family Industries Limited- a Lagos based manufacturer of personal and body care products.

    The business, which started in 2010 with less than N20,000, is today worth about N20 million in assets and turnover. From its factory at the Industrial Development Centre (IDC), Ikorodu, Lagos, comes shea butter cream, fythol herbal soap and herbal liquid bath and toilet cleaner.

    Nwokeleme’s success story depicts the resilience of a focused and passion-driven entrepreneur. Convinced of his belief in the business, Nwokeleme said he had to sell his car to raise funds to start the business. Today, there are 15 persons on his payroll. He said he owes his success to the enabling environment provided by the  Federal Government at the IDC. Such facilities, according to him, have contributed a lot to the growth of micro businesses. Not only that, it has also helped other small business owners, industrial development centres; encouraged innovation, diffusion of ideas, flexibility and specialisation apart from providing space for new entrepreneurs.

    At the IDC, where he operates, there are smaller entrepreneurs producing various products ranging from personal and body care to cleaning and food products. The place, he said, has provided an opportunity for entrepreneurs to create products that are marketed across the country.

    National President, Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN), Prince Saviour Iche,  said SMEs were major drivers  of economic growth  as they played crucial roles in employment, income generation, and poverty reduction.

    While many small enterprises are on the front line, Iche, who also manages  Bright Future Hope Enterprises Limited, Lagos,  noted that SMEs faced many difficulties, including  high credit risks, poor accessibility to capital and poor physical infrastructure. SMEs, he added, will want to create new products and services that can differentiate them in the market, but are constrained by resources available for research and development (R&D).

    He believes micro-enterprises can be innovative as long as they can grow in a suitable environment.

    Given the substantial opportunities for SMEs in areas such as manufacturing, services and agriculture, and their potential for reducing poverty, Iche maintained that it was critical for governments to come up with effective strategies and practical investment programmes to facilitate cluster development.

    SMEs, he reiterated,  can generate substantial rewards if they work together in industrial clusters. Hence, the IDCs are part of the facilities the government must establish across the country to help SMEs gain access to costly specialised equipment, user training and advice. He added that inaugurating industrial clusters capable of  creating vibrant, competitive industries, with strong capabilities, was the surest way to ensure the success of the economy, including the SMEs.

    According to him, such facilities encourage broader geographic distribution of development, as operating in a cluster can lead to new opportunities and innovation, particularly for specialised service companies. The impact of such facilities, according to him, is amplified when small business associations come on board to take the lead and get firms in their sector to act together.

    Where the infrastructure gaps are, the AMEN President said such facilities enable SMEs/ to be more productive and reap synergistic benefits through, for example, economies of scale. He added that establishment of industrial clusters for small businesses, could attract startups to set up plants in areas such as city interiors, which lured them with the prospect of cheaper accommodation , labour and tax benefits.

    He said he looked forward to working closely with the government to ensure a diverse enterprise eco-system, a thriving SME community and a strong economy rich with opportunities.

    The Federal Government’s desire  to assist small-scale businesses with a view to providing a solid foundation for industrial development led to the establishment of IDCs. The first IDC was established in Owerri in 1962 and by 2010, 22 others had been established across the country.

    IDCs are established to do technical appraisal of loan applications, provide industrial extension services, train entrepreneurs’ junior staff and managers, engage in applied research into industrial products involving design for small-scale businesses and help small-scale businesses to purchase and install machinery. When establishing the IDCs, the Federal Government spent huge funds, providing workshops, machines, offices and other amenities like motor vehicles. The IDCs, which hitherto, were under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, were handed over to the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in 2011. However, like most of the businesses and industrial enterprises, the Federal Government established IDCs are facing challenges in some of their locations.

  • How new vaccines will enhance child survival

    National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Executive Director Dr. Ado Muhammad writes on  how childhood killer-diseases can be reduced in Nigeria.

    The Federal Government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) supports and provides leadership for the development of primary health care (PHC) system in Nigeria. The Agency has seven goals as follows: control preventable diseases; improve access to basic health services; improve quality of care; strengthen institutions; develop high performing health workforce; strengthen partnerships; and strengthen community engagement. It achieves these goals by supporting States and LGAs in developing sustainable system of PHC services that are accessible, affordable and of good quality through the participation of individuals, families and communities in partnership with government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

    In the recent past, some major accomplishments have been recorded in the increasing coverage for routine immunization (RI), Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), Measles Control, and the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI).  The improvement in the RI coverage has immensely contributed to the reduction in the morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). For instance; the sustained OPV3 coverage >80 per cent is most probably responsible for the significant reduction in the WPV transmission in the country; sustained improvement in the measles RI coverage >80% in most States is also responsible for the reduced morbidity and mortality from measles cases nationwide. Some of the key factors responsible for improved RI performance in the country are sustained vaccine availability; the overhauling of the immunization system in general, coordinated planning in collaboration with our development partners and other key stakeholders, and the new vaccine introduction in the country. The NPHCDA has ensured that this is on-going on a sustainable basis.

    Major causes of U5 deaths in Nigeria

    New Vaccines Introduction (NVI)

    Infectious diseases are still responsible for nearly 30% of all deaths worldwide; more than 15 million people die every year, mostly in low-income and middle-income countries3. The Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS) 2006-2015, for fighting VPDs has 3 priority objectives: (1) immunize more people against more diseases (2) introduce a range of newly available vaccines and technologies, and (3) provide a number of critical health interventions through immunization.

    The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) prescribes attainment by 2015, of an under 5-mortality rate of not more than 75/1000 live births (MDG4).  The 2008 National Demographic & Health Survey (NDHS) estimated Nigeria’s under 5-mortality rate to be 157, declining at a rate of 1.2 per cent annually. This rate of progress was deemed insufficient to keep the country on track to achieve MDG4. Nigeria must therefore commit to and implement high impact interventions aimed at reducing the child deaths.

    Pentavalent Vaccine Introduction

    The Pentavalent vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects infants against the following five diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) pneumonia and meningitis. Prior to 2012, the RI schedule consisted of the traditional vaccines: BCG, OPV, DPT, Measles and Yellow Fever Vaccines. Commencing in May 2012, Nigeria introduced the Pentavalent Vaccine into its National Immunisation Schedule in a phased manner over a three-year period; in order to reduce substantially child mortality from pneumonia and meningitis and thus save up to 30,000 lives annually following full introduction. Currently, it is available in all PHC facilities nationwide.

    However, pneumonia is a disease that can be caused by a number of other infectious agents that include bacteria, viruses and fungi; the most common in children being Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) – is the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. Other causes are the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and in infants infected with HIV, Pneumocystis jiroveci is one of the commonest causes of pneumonia.

    Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine-10 (PCV-10) Introduction

    Most recently, we have also introduced the PCV-10 to protect infants against the diseases caused by the pneumococcal bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae) such as pneumonia, meningitis and bacteraemia.  The national launch event was conducted on the 22nd December, last year at Lokoja, Kogi State. The 12 States of the federation that commenced this phased introduction were selected on zonal basis, immunization coverage and their capacities to receive and store the new vaccine, viz: Adamawa, Yobe, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Rivers, Anambra and Ebonyi. This introduction of the PCV-10 is continuing in a phased manner that by 2017, it will be available to infants in all the States and the FCT.

    Supplemental Immunisation Vaccines

    Other supplemental vaccines such as Measles, Yellow Fever and the newer MenAfriVac vaccine that protects against the commonest cause of cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM) serotype A are also given as needed. In the period 2011-2014, the MenAfriVac vaccine was administered through the 23 meningitis belt States in Nigeria to an extended age-group of one to 29 years old in our effort to eliminate CSM serotype A as a major public health issue.

    The NDHS 2003, 2008 and 2013 have indicated a gradual, sustained improvement in child survival indices. The introduction of these new vaccines will further reduce childhood mortality rates in Nigeria.

    _Trends in Childhood Mortality, 1999 – 2013 (NDHS Reports)

    IPV Introduction as End Game Strategy for the PEI

    The country has made an unprecedented progress in its polio eradication strategy (PEI) in the past 1 year. There have been only 6 confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 2 States in 2014 compared to 50 cases in 9 States for the same period in 2013; with the date of onset of latest WPV case being 24th July 2014. There have been no confirmed WPV3 since November 20124.

    The import of the above is that Nigeria has now achieved the interruption of the transmission of the wild poliovirus (WPV) ending 2014. Through the combined efforts of governments and other key stakeholders, we are going to even put up more efforts into the next 2 years to ensure certification of the country as polio-free.

    Hitherto, only variants of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) have been used in our RI and the PEI efforts. However, as the country enters into the polio endgame, we have now introduced the injectable polio vaccine (IPV) to complement the supplemental effort. Initially, the IPV was introduced in the polio-endemic States of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi and Kano. But, commencing from the first quarter of 2015, the IPV will also be available to be delivered in the RI schedule to all eligible children at age of 14 weeks, in addition to the OPV that is given in the traditional four-dose RI schedule. The IPV given at that age is intercalated with the OPV and is expected to boost the child’s immunity further to confer higher protection against the poliovirus.

    The Rotavirus Vaccine

    The rotavirus vaccine is an oral vaccine against rotavirus infection, a common cause of diarrhea and sickness, typically striking babies and young children. The unpleasant bouts of diarrhea are sometimes followed with vomiting, tummy ache and fever. The disease accounts for about half of the hospitalizations for severe diarrhea in infants and children. A significant number of those children affected by the infection may die. The incidence and severity of the rotavirus infection have declined significantly as seen in those countries that have added Rotavirus vaccination to their routine childhood immunization. When introduced into our RI schedule in the 3rd quarter of 2015, it will be administered to infants on 2 visits at ages of 6 and 10 weeks.

    Other health strengthening efforts

    Apart from the Rota Virus vaccine that is administered orally, all the other newly introduced vaccines are in form of injection. This necessitates for the health service provider to have good working knowledge of injection safety and apply the appropriate injection techniques during vaccine administration. The programme ensures the use of auto-destruct (AD) syringes, universal safety boxes and proper waste disposal, including incineration of the injection wastes.

    Through other channels and related programmes, families and communities are regularly educated on the benefits of other non-vaccine but highly effective measures such as exclusive breastfeeding for the newborn up till six months of age, adequate nutrition, reducing indoor air pollution and hand washing. Zinc supplements are given to reduce morbidity from diarrhoeal diseases while health-worker training in PHCs nationwide include capacity building for early detection and to manage and/or treat minor ailments.

    The Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) & SURE-P Maternal & Child Health (MCH)

    The MSS and SURE-P MCH both operate in 1,000 health facilities with a compliment of four midwives and two CHEWs per facility; this is a human resource pool of about 8,000 midwives and 2,000 CHEWs at the frontlines. We have put in place mechanisms for supply of drugs and commodities and in some places provided boreholes to complement the health services. These schemes serve a population of over 25 million Nigerians and have not only provided a platform for immunization services in the country but also a base for improving the health system of the country with special emphasis on PHC.

    Justification

    The introduction of new vaccines (Pentavalent, PCV, IPV, Rotavirus vaccines etc.) will help Nigeria to significantly reduce childhood mortality and accelerate the achievement of the MDGs. These new vaccines will help avert an additional 486,957 deaths over a 6-year period. To achieve the MDG 4 targets (70 U-5 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2015), Nigeria needs prompt action to drive down U-5 mortality by  ~ 30 per cent (from the current 128/1000 live births). As Nigeria’s population is approximately 16 per cent of Africa’s, our attainment of the health MDG targets will significantly improve the health outcomes in Africa as a whole.

  • How to enhance workers’ productivity

    Many enterprenures limit their workers’ productivity enhancement to skill acquisition. But experts say it goes beyond that. They say more than 80 per cent of the problems associated with workers’ productivity reside in the work environment. They argue that work environment and other related issues affect employees’ performance and must be addressed to enhance productivity. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

    Work environment, experts say, determines the level of profitability of an enterprise. Investigations have shown that factors such as lack of capacity building and adequate tools and hostile employment policies, as currently obtained in some organisations, are unfavorable to productivity. The thinking, therefore, is that government at the federal and state levels must explore ways of improving and updating infrastructural facilities in order to make the work environment more conducive for workers’ productivity.

    A human resource expert, Mr. Sunny Agboju, said adopting global standards in driving workers’ productivity always produce results, adding that workers and business organisations can do well to adopt such methods.

    He explained that a workplace, whether large or small, has to be driven by efficiency and achievement which manifest in tangible results for the organisation and is rewarding for the employee. He added that less productive inputs and lower efficiency levels are bound to affect the business and jeopardise its sustainability and survival.

    Agboju noted that although, employee’s productivity is a major concern for employers, but lower productivity cannot be blamed on the employee entirely. A lot of the problem, he said, has to do with the environment at the work place and the conditions, together with series of factors that define the work culture. He said employers have to implement widespread changes to improve the productivity of their workforce.

    According to him, since employee’s talent is a valuable asset, there is need for organisations to fully tap into it by keeping the employee motivated to perform and deliver results he is qualified capable of. “Employers may often believe that  once they have recruited the best talent in the field, the results will inevitably follow. Not necessarily, you have to look beneath the surface to see the environment in which the talent works in,” he said.

    Director-General, Institute of Professional Recruitment Consultants, Mr. Nick Odife, said while it is vital to manage the workforce, it is important to avoid micro management if workers’ productivity is to be enhanced.

    Citing an example of a large workforce such as those of the Federal Government, he said it is well known that a large pool of employees needs to be managed, provided direction and give assistance. Rather, they should be trusted and given freedom to operate  and  adopt measures which they think are best to deliver results.

    Odife said a conducive work environment stimulates workers’ creativity, adding that improvement in work environment, unlike a bad working condition, contributes to low productivity of employees. According to him, productivity requires that workers be encouraged, motivated, rewarded and recognised.

    “Encouraging the workers helps them move forward, do better, and make them feel happy. Innovative ways of motivating them spurs them even more.  For example, holidays or conferences paid for by the  company have been found to motivate employees immensely,” he said.

    As former President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITAD), Mr. Femi Kalojo, observed that dwindling productivity can begin to set in if the employee feels that his work is not appreciated in words or material terms.

    Such a worker, Kolajo said,  may gradually stop putting in his best since he may feel that others working less are given the same treatment. “So, he needs not work more,” he said.

    According to him, there is need to reach out to employees by taking them out since everyone loves to feel he has the ears of the management. He said the display of inter personal skills in which the boss appears humane rather than a larger than life, is one of the ways of enhancing workers’ productivity. He also pointed out that it is important for employers to demand realistic targets from their workers, noting that they need to set realistic goals that are within the limits of achievement.

    Team work, according to Kolajo, always helps in increasing workplace productivity since there is more input in the form of more ideas and minds at work. “Working alone is not always the best situation either, especially on the field. Successful team building and working together are bound to bring out the best in the employees, who may also compete with each other to ensure that the business is the winner,” Kaloja said.

    Similarly, job and organisationally related factors and employment policies must be looked into by employers for possible reviews in order to make them more favourable and thereby challenge workers to be more productive.

  • Taking risks to enhance life, justice and human dignity; taking risks that waste human potential, create suffering and perpetuate insecurity

    Taking risks to enhance life, justice and human dignity; taking risks that waste human potential, create suffering and perpetuate insecurity

    [Being an expanded version of remarks at a banquet for Wole Soyinka, Government House, Port Harcourt, July 30, 2014]

    As we gather here tonight in celebration of Wole Soyinka’s 80th birthday, his first major play written when he was in his mid-twenties, A Dance of the Forests, is being rehearsed for performance in Tel Aviv in a Hebrew translation. About two weeks ago, the U.S.-based Nigerian theatre director who is in charge of the production, Segun Ojewuyi, sent an email to Soyinka and myself in which he gave a gripping account of life in Tel Aviv at the present moment and equally important, how this very early play of Soyinka had found a new and unbelievable relevance to the unfolding human tragedy in the struggle between the Palestinians in the Gaza strip and the state of Israel. A Dance of the Forests is a complex play whose theme or “message” cannot be rendered in one sentence, one paragraph even. But it is safe to say that at the heart of the drama of the play is a visionary projection of the tragedies and the suffering that a people – any people in the world – can expect that choose to ignore the lessons of their history. Soyinka wrote and staged this play over half a century ago and now in Gaza and Tel Aviv, in the West Bank and Jerusalem, it turns out that the play might have much to teach the Jewish and Palestinian peoples as they grapple with the disregarded lessons of their history. It is likely, tragically very likely, that another fifty years from now, in another part of the world, this same play will be performed under similar circumstances. Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Nigerians, that is the quality of the artistic vision in many of the works of the man whose 80th birthday anniversary we are marking at this state banquet tonight.

    As excited as I am that A Dance of the Forests has found a new if poignant relevance in Tel Aviv and Gaza, that is not the primary reason why I use this fact to highlight the power of Soyinka’s artistic vision in this tribute. On the contrary, I cite the play and its current production experience in the Middle East for a completely different reason. Let me state this simply: almost more than any other literary work of Soyinka, A Dance of the Forests marks perhaps the most outstanding thing about WS as a dramatist, thinker and activist and this is the fact that he has a propensity for taking great risks, artistic and political. All his greatest works in drama, poetry and fictional prose are nothing if not works of considerable experimentation with form, ideas and modes of expression.

    With regard to political activism, we know that he was charged, tried and acquitted for the radio incident of 1965 and so we cannot try him all over again, but we know he was the gunman! Compared to other risks he has since taken, that was indeed, only the beginning and rather small compared with other risks he went on to take. Anyone who has read the last three out of his five books of memoires, The Man Died; Ibadan, the ‘Penklemes’ Years; and You Must Set Forth at Dawn, knows what I am talking about here. Indeed, if Soyinka is one of the greatest avant-garde writers of African and world literature in the second half of the 20th century, this is largely because of the artistic risks he was always willing to take. Similarly, the risks he took as one of our continent’s great political activists and human rights campaigners have been nothing short of legendary.

    But if WS was always naturally predisposed to taking artistic risks and making political gambles, the most important thing to note is that he took risks and made gambles for justice, equality of opportunity for all, and human dignity. This is the heart of my short tribute tonight. And so let me repeat it: the great artistic and political risks that Soyinka has taken in his 80 years have been in the cause of and for the advancement of justice, equality and human dignity. I say this, indeed I emphasize it deliberately and strongly, because human beings and communities take risks all the time. As a species, we are fundamentally predisposed to take risks all the time, small risks and huge risks. However, unfortunately, most of the risks that we take as individuals, groups and collectively as the human species are taken in the pursuit of selfish or petty interests that place us above others, siblings, relatives, friends, and co-workers.

    More grandiosely, within the nations of the world, the rich and the powerful take risks in order to secure and consolidate their domination or even enslavement of their fellow men and women. In all these myriad cases of taking risks to secure unfair and immoral advantage or power over others that is a big part of human individual and collective life, the risks always come back to haunt the risk-takers. That is the big irony between taking risks for human progress and taking risks to perpetuate human suffering. Very few countries in the world show ample and graphic illustration of this point as does Nigeria.

    It is not usual in the analysis of the terrible crises that bedevil our country at the present time to see these crises as the products of taking risks, not for justice, equality and human dignity but for entrenching suffering, insecurity and injustice. But we must start to see and fight these evils as the products of risk-taking of the most alarming and calamitous kind. Trillions of naira are looted with total impunity – what is that if not taking the risk of generating suffering for the generality of Nigerians? Billions of petrodollars are squandered – what is that if not taking the risk of a dire and bleak future for our youths and those yet unborn? In place of rational, enlightened and civilised discourse, what we get from both the official and unofficial megaphones of the powers that be is the tendency to rationalize and explain away the retrograde policies and actions of our rulers – what is that if not taking the risk of creating and maintaining bitter, self-destructive divisions between the ethnic and regional communities that make up this country?

    Nobody is safe, nobody is protected from the suffering, injustice and insecurity that such negative and foolish risk taking creates, not even the wealthy and the powerful themselves. The Boko Haram insurgency is perhaps the ultimate proof of this. But there are legions of other “proofs” confronting us in this country. Don’t we all, rich and poor, face the same hazards of roads that are death-traps? Don’t we all face the shame and disgrace before the international community and the world caused by what foreign visitors in our midst see of the quality of life for the vast majority of the people in our country? Who is protected from the belief that Nigeria is one of the most corrupt and unregenerate countries in the world in spite of its oil wealth, indeed because of its oil wealth?

    And yet this country has not been without women and men willing to take risks to make things better for their communities and all of us. In this very state where this banquet is being held tonight we have the supreme examples of Isaac Adaka Boro and Ken Saro Wiwa. In the colonial era, many radical politicians, labour leaders and intellectuals took risks to win our freedom from foreign rule. This tradition is even truer of the postindependence period. Gani Fawehinmi went to jail innumerable times in defense of the rights of the masses of ordinary Nigerians to a decent life and a secure future. I have mentioned the examples of Isaac Boro and Saro Wiwa. Bala Mohammed gave his life in the fight against the forces of reaction and misrule in our country, especially in the North. To the end, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was unrelenting in his war against military autocracy and its civilian collaborators.

    This profile is consistent with what obtains in other parts of the world and throughout human social and political history. I state this fact in order to underscore the need not to isolate the extraordinary case of WS, the need not to idolize him. He is part of a great tradition in our country and our world. At the heart of his turbulent life and career is the fact that he has always taken risks, as an artist, thinker and activist, for justice, equality and human dignity. He has been extraordinarily lucky to have survived the dire possibilities of many of those risks, so much so that one colleague, Professor Itse Sagay, has said that death is afraid of him. Well, I hope so. And I hope that 10 years from now, death will still be afraid of him and when we gather to celebrate his 90th birthday, the risks that WS has taken in his life and career for human progress and human dignity will be far more evident in the lives of most Nigerians, Africans and human beings all over the world than the risks that our rulers continue to make in the perpetuation of suffering, injustice and insecurity.

     

    Biodun Jeyifo

    Port Harcourt, July 30, 2014

    bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

  • How to enhance ADR, by lawyers

    How can the the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process be improved? It is by ensuring that the option is embraced by all before going to court as a last resort, say participants at an ADR workshop in Lagos organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Akoka, Lagos Mainland.

    They hailed the pioneering efforts of Lagos State in revolutionising the judiciary for efficient justice delivery.

    NIALS Director-General, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), said: “It is a programme we have been running for a couple of years back. It is a programme we feel should be of interest to Nigerians, especially the lawyers and those who obviously appreciate the importance of ADR in the scheme of things as far as the administration of justice system in this country is concerned.

    “But more significantly, it is also an occasion for us not just to look at ADR in its wider ramifications, but to asses the milestones we have recorded since the significant introduction of ADR into our administration of Justice sector.

    “Many have argued, and rightly, that the injection of ADR into our justice sector seems to have made no meaningful impact and this is an opportunity for us to take stock by building up capacity in such a way that truly, the major advantages of ADR will continue to emerge with greater force that the issue of delay in the administration of justice will be seriously confronted and we feel that perhaps the notion that the application of ADR automatically will mean that the congestion in our courts, the delay in the administration of justice will disappear but it does appear that that is not the case, so we may have to change our approach , how well are the Multi Door Court House are working, how well are the pre emptive notices, trying to figure out whether parties had tried to settle their disputes on their own before coming to courts ,how well are those ones working and so many other issues. And I believe that this is now an opportunity for us to take stock and then move forward.”

    He continued: “As usual, we have assembled an array of experts, the best and the brightest that we can afford and we feel that it is time for them to interrogate some of these issues alongside making sure that the idea of ADR is well-impacted and ventilated, but, more importantly at this point in time, is for us to know where do we think that we need to change the approach, do we need to develop new rules for the application of ADR? What must we do as far as procedure is concerned in the Multi-Door Court House? These are some of the issues that, I believe, that we must look into, enquire and interrogate further.

    “So, I believe that at this point in time we are at a cross roads as far as ADR is concerned and this is the time for the institute to make sure that all the participants come out with something that is not only theoretically proper, but practically correct so that at the end of the day, it will have something to implement for the benefit of the wider society and in the best interest of the administration of justice in the country.”

    The keynote speaker, Justice Candide-Johnson of the High Court of Lagos State, said: “The first thing to note really is that this is a tribute to the foresight of the various Chief Judges we have had in Lagos State in particular, the Chief Judge, Justice A. A. Philips, who is determined to take Lagos into the 21st judiciary in terms of technological advancement so that we are a world-class judiciary in the state and an exampler to other jurisdictions within and outside the country.”

    On when the ICT portal will become operational, Justice Candid Johnson said: “To the best of my knowledge, anytime soon, the ICT portal, which is one of the quadruplets for Lagos State law reform model, which we recognise to be a 21st century monument to the administration of justice in Nigeria and, indeed, in Africa, is that in it, you have front-loading, you have case management by the judges, you have case tracking on the ICT portal and you then also have ADR as exemplified by the Lagos Multi-Door Court House as well as the Lagos Court of Arbitration. So, what this will portend really is faster delivery of justice within the State, you do not need to come to the Court premises to file your cases, you can file them online. To some extent, it will remove some of the complaints that litigants and lawyers have had regarding some of the issues that touch on corruption and payments that are extra judicial.

    He added: “In the final analysis, it augurs well for quick dispensation of justice and will remove some of these issues that have frustrated to the administration of justice over the years and it is a tribute to Lagos State as a leader in reforms in the country and in relation to the present CJ herself, it is a tribute to her determination to make the judiciary in Lagos State second to none.

    “Because of the Lagos Multi- Door Court Law 2007, the Citizens Mediation Centre together with the Lagos Multi-Door Court House now are connected directly to the court system through the 2012 Rules. Now, litigants and lawyers had complained before that there had been a kind of fracture between when they could enter into the system and join up with the Multi-Door and the Citizens Mediation Centre but now, at the very beginning of every litigation under the new rules, you can enter into the Lagos State portal for administration of justice directly at the time of filling your case.”

    He saidas soon as officials of the Citizenship and Mediation Centre signed the Memorandum of Understanding at Alausa, they could bring it to the Lagos State High Court under the LMDC Law to get a judgment of the High Court in Lagos, which could enforce it, thereby bringing judgment closer to those at the grassroots.

    “In relation to the Multi-Door Court House, because you have court referred cases well as cases of people walking up the streets, it means that even if you are walking up the streets and you have no lawyer, once you have your matter mediated at the multi-door, you can then come directly to the court system and have one of the ADR judges in Lagos State endorse it as a consent judgment and then it becomes a judgment that becomes enforceable in the court of law. In terms of bringing justice closer to the people, these developments in Lagos State are worthy of emulation and we have seen that in many jurisdiction, it appears that there have been replications which means that they seem to appreciate what we have been doing here in Lagos State through our various Chief Judges and particularly the Chief Judge, A. A. Philips.”

    Prof Paul Idornigie said: “ Legal education is a continuing enterprise, we found out that after training in the university and the Law School, there is a need to retool and ADR is emerging, it is evolving and we felt that every year, we would bring participants up to date. It is made for everybody; it is not meant for lawyers only, because in resolving commercial disputes, it is not just lawyers only. It is everybody who is involved in dispute management that is involved in dispute management. So, the thrust of this year is not different from other years, but our challenge is to make all the stakeholders, the judiciary, the lawyers, the judges, the litigants to know that ADR is a tool. It is simply saying that there are other doors other than litigation, therefore, if there is a dispute, you must be able to establish a nexus between a particular dispute and a particular process. Then, you will say to yourself, for this kind of dispute, pass through this door, for this other type of dispute,pass through this door, that is where you pass from a mono courthouse to a multi-door court house. When you have a dispute, you can say sorry, we will negotiate it; we are better off in negotiating than litigation.”

    Dr. Chinyere Ani said the training was a ‘cocktail of all you require in ADR,’ where participants were taught negotiation, mediation and arbitration.

     

  • Diamond Bank to enhance service delivery in Delta

    Diamond Bank Plc has hosted a customer forum for its customers in Delta State. The event was held at the Chevron Club in Warri, Delta State.

    Executive Director, Regional Businesses, South Directorate, Diamond Bank Plc, Mr Victor Ezenwoko stated that the job of the bank is service and if one is not being serviced well, the bank has failed in its responsibility.

    “Our job is service. Banking is like the job of an insurance agent. If one is not doing well and fails to listen or take corrections one has failed in his responsibility. We might be working and think we are doing well and that our customers are happy while that is not the case. We are here today because without our customers we will be nowhere. Some have been with us from the get-go and their businesses have grown and their children are grown also and they are still with us. We are here to ask how we have served you and how we can do better,” Ezenwoko said.

    ATM Service Supervisor, Mr Chukwudi Ibeh spoke on the importance of cashless banking as it has been embraced in Lagos State stating that it is of great importance and he further encouraged Deltans to embrace the culture.

    Group Head, Technology and Business Solutions, Mr. Edafe Omojughare highlighted the benefits of having a cashless Nigeria.

    He said: “We have the infrastructure in place and I can assure you that your online transactions are safe with Diamond Bank. You can do immediate transfers. You can download the Diamond Mobile banking application on your smartphone and even transfer foreign currencies.”

    Head, Customer Experience, Diamond Bank Plc, Mrs. Shirley Uyakonwu said: “Alongside hosting forums like this, there are other opportunities that allow for feedback from you. Customers may choose to complain by telephone, in person or in writing. We have the toll-free phones in our banking halls and ATM points where you can call for complaints or enquiries. There are people by the phones waiting for you to call”.

     

    Continuing, Mrs. Uyakonwu said, “There is the dedicated email address, complaints@diamondbank.com, complaint/compliment cards in branch banking halls, an online complaints form on our website and also face-to-face interactions with customers. We also have the customer satisfaction base where we have a consultant who goes through our database to find out how we are dong from our customers.”

    Some of the customers of the bank used the opportunity to clarify some issues. Mr. Dukuye Erakpouri, Regional Manager Diamond Securities asked for more information on the measures put in place to help voluminous cash withdrawals.

    Responding, Mr. Edafe Omojughare, Head of Technology of the bank, said the bank has put in place several measures to ensure that customers’ funds are safe. The event had in attendance His Royal Majesty, James Omeruo, Ogurimerime, Ukori 1, Ovie of Agbor Kingdom who served as the Chairman of the occasion, WAZOBIA FM, Honest Akpos who compered the event, Nigeria top comedian, Gandoki and others

     

  • Kwara Deputy Gov seeks partnerships to enhance sports development

    Kwara Deputy Gov seeks partnerships to enhance sports development

    The Kwara Deputy Gov., Mr Peter Kishira, has called on corporate organisations and public-spirited individuals to partner with government to enhance sports development in the state.

    The deputy governor made the call on Wednesday in Ilorin at the opening of the maiden Kwara All Secondary Schools Athletics Championships, sponsored by Mr Tunde Abdulkareem, the Chairman, Kwara Athletics Association.

    Kishira, represented by Saka Onimago, Kwara Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, said that the present administration in the state placed a high premium on sports as a tool for development.

    “The Kwara government is undergoing reform in all facets and sports cannot be an exception. There is no gainsaying that this administration places a high premium on sports as a tool for development, prosperity and nation building. This informs this administration desire to return sports back to the grassroots and its old glory.

    “It will, however, be noted that Kwara has produced prominent sportsmen and women especially athletes, who made their marks in the past nationally and internationally,” he said.

    Kishira who commended the sponsor, said that the state government would leave no stone unturned in its programme of identifying sporting talents from the grassroots. He urged other philanthropists and well meaning organisations to partner with the state not only in sporting activities, but also in other areas of socio-economic development.

    The deputy governor also charged the participating students to be disciplined and compete with the spirit of sportsmanship.

    Earlier, Hajia Rahmat Adeshina-Abaya, the state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, said the state’s focus on sports development was based on the principle of the “Community Sports Development Strategy’’.

    Adeshina-Abaya said this was to ensure adequate provision of standard sports facilities from the grassroots. She added that government would also invest in the discovery of talented youth, who would later be nurtured to stardom. The sponsor, Abdulkareem, said the sponsorship was borne out of the desire to make Kwara wealthy through athletics.

    “Kwara is not in the Niger Delta, but we want to make history by making Kwara oil wealth through athletics. In the years to come, we will produce boys and girls that will make Nigeria proud. They will become world beaters, and would to represent Kwara, Nigeria and Africa,” he said.

    Abdulkareem also announced cash prizes of N600, 000 to various medal winners at the championships.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 37 schools are competing at the 4-day meet.

  • Two-party system will enhance democracy, says Okonkwo

    Two-party system will enhance democracy, says Okonkwo

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Annie Okonkwo, has said the two-party system will

    deepen Nigeria’s democracy. He urged Nigeria to learn from the United States where the system has been working for centuries.

    Okonkwo, who spoke in Lagos, said:“I have always supported two strong political parties and the one that gives room for independent candidate to contest for elected offices. This is because, if any of the political parties becomes unpopular, the other party would be in a better position to defeat the non-performing party when they contest for the peoples’ mandate. This has been the strongest political point of the USA.”

    He explained that in view of the large number of parties and inability to muster the strength to defeat the ruling party, the sitting government, which is not performing would turn itself into a leviathan because other parties are so fragmented and are unable to defeat it at the polls.

    Okonkwo added: “Where we have too many political parties, it is always very difficult to wrest power out of the hand of the ruling party, even when they are not performing because other parties are not strong enough to give such a party the fight. This gives room for corruption and that is part of the problems that affect our democracy.”

    He cited the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention(NRC), recalling that the experiment worked in the Third Republic. He said had it not been for the sudden distruption of the democratic experience, the country would have become a leading light in democratic governance.

    Okonkwo said: “If not for the fact that the military government threw a spanner in the works and proscribed the defunct NRC and SDP after annulling a free election, Nigeria would have been a better experiment as far democracy is concerned. This is because each time one political party fails to perform, the other party would be there to unseat it at the polls.

    He said the two-party system did not permit religion and ethnicity to dominate the scene, adding that voters even endorsed a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

    The politician added:“Nigeria was more united then, such that the SDP won an election through a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But today, it is not possible; no body is going to vote such candidates. Then, nobody cared where you came from. All they were interested in was performance. So, we must go back to the basics in order to get it right.

    Okonkwo urged the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution in a way that would please Nigerians.

    He said: “This is the first time we are going to have the peoples’ constitution; it is a very good development. This time around, I think the people’s interests will be taken into consideration because their impact will be felt. There are some fundamental issues that would be raised in different constituencies because each constituency has their peculiar demand.”

    “Though everybody will not agree, but the one that is overwhelmingly put across should be allowed to carry the day. This is a situation where the people make inputs rather than what it used to be in the past when you call for public hearing and at the end of the day it is not allowed to prevail. But when you go to the grassroots, that means the people have been roundly involved.”

    He maintained that because this was the first time the people at the grassroots will be making contributions to constitution amendment, they would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the proposed document would defend federalism, state police, resource control and rotational Presidency.

    Okonkwo said: “Certain things are not properly put up in the constitution and they have continued to cause problems. The issues of rotation of presidency, zones that have been accepted but not enshrined in the constitution, issues of state police, and issues of state executive office rotation with the senatorial zones and some of these issues that are really worrisome. And if you don’t attend to them today, they will rear their ugly heads tomorrow and cause bigger problems. We must look at some of these critical issues in our constitution and amicably resolve them now”.

  • Fayemi: good drainage system’ll enhance road durability

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said a proper drainage system would ensure road durability.

    Fayemi spoke during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He said the clearing of blocked drains and the introduction of concrete slabs on drains would prevent roads from retaining water and ensure their durability.

    Fayemi said the work done by Hartland Construction Company, which is handling the dualisation of the Old Garage-Ojumose and Atikankan-First Baptist roads, shows that the company is competent.

    He said he had received many phone calls from people, who hailed the quality of the work done.

    The slabs are designed to prevent waste from getting into the drains.

    Fayemi was optimistic that the 16 roads being handled by the contractor in Ado-Ekiti would be completed in two months.

    He said the government’s attention would shift to roads in Ikere, Ikole and Ijero-Ekiti, when Ado-Ekiti road projects are completed.

    On Tuesday, the governor regretted the low patronage of health centres by residents across the 16 local government areas.

    He said lack of patronage has rendered the centres useless.

    Fayemi spoke in his office while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

    He said the centres would be renovated and upgraded next year after consultation with the medical directors and nurses in the hospitals.

    Fayemi said the renovation would be futile, if the medical personnel, who know the areas of need, were not consulted.

    He said the proposed renovation of the 293 primary health centres across the state was not just to beautify them, but to fortify them with requisite tools for optimal service delivery.

    Fayemi said the Primary Health Care Development Agency is working hard to ensure that the grassroots are not neglected.

    On the alleged huge tax deduction from the salary of health workers and the levy on private hospitals, Fayemi said the Federal Government, and not Ekiti State, determines the tax regime and the state government only acts in compliance with the existing tax law.

    He assured doctors of fair treatment.

    Ekiti NMA President Obitade Obimakinde hailed the governor for the various investments in the health sector.

    Obimakinde urged Fayemi to look into the welfare of doctors.

    The NMA team was accompanied by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Olusola Fasubaa.