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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Reps urge Fed Govt to address tanker accidents

    The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Government to address the increasing tanker accidents in the country.

    Evelyn Oboro (Delta-PDP), in a motion, noted the spate of petrol tanker accidents recently, leading to fire outbreaks.

    The House resolved to constitute an adhoc committee to meet with the leadership of the tanker drivers, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and other relevant bodies to find ways to curb these accidents.

    She said: “Sometimes in March, a tanker, which was ascending Odo Eran Road, in Ikorodu, Lagos State, suffered a brake failure and descended backwards from the hilly terrain. The tank compartment snapped off and exploded upon hitting the ground. Some 33,000 litres of fuel spilled into the meat market and caught fire, leading to the loss of three lives and destruction of property worth millions.”

    She recalled another incident “when a tanker laden with Automotive Gas Oil ( AGO), also known as diesel, crashed in Idimu area of Lagos State, destroying over 35 houses and 80 shops in the resultant fire outbreak.”

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for a vote and it was overwhelmingly supported by members.

  • Fed Govt moves against rice waiver beneficiaries

    Fed Govt moves against rice waiver beneficiaries

    The Federal Government has vowed to go after rice importers who enjoyed waivers to import but exceeded the quota granted them.

    Speaking in Abuja yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting with officials of Paddy Rice Producing States and Rice Value Chain Investors, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr Godwin Emefiele, said the government has resolved “to go after rice importers who defaulted in the payment of customs duty after bringing in excess quotas of the product into the country at concessionary rates.”

    The CBN he said would take the matter with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the money is paid.  Emefiele said: “By exceeding their import quota, these rice importers have flooded the Nigerian market with rice that are sold below what is produced locally thus making consumers to ignore the locally produced ones. Go and pay; you are taking a big risk and don’t wait for the big stick to be wielded on you. Just go and pay.”

    He assured the rice producers that the bank would work closely with the Nigerian Customs Service to address the issue of smuggling.

    Earlier, Emefiele had said $2.41 billion was spent by Nigeria to import rice into the country between January 2012 and May this year. To this end, he said there will be no reversal of the ban on forex for importation of certain items stressing that “those who are nursing the thought that the bank’s decision on forex ban for importation of rice, fish and other items would be reversed should forget such as the bank has no plans to do so.”

    He lamented that the massive importation of rice “had resulted in huge unsold stock of paddy rice cultivated by our farmers and low operating capacities of many integrated rice mills in Nigeria.”

    To support local production of rice, Emefiele said the CBN, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has agreed to come up with a comprehensive financing model to support rice millers and other investors in the sector.

    The need to intervene in the sector with this funding and other packages Emefiele said “was borne out of the fact that the country can never achieve its true potentials by importing everything it can produce locally.”

    The CBN he said would make funds available to rice farmers through some of its funding programmes such as the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme and the  N220 billion Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund.

    This fund, he said “would be made available to the rice farmers through the Microfinance Banks at an interest rate of nine percent” but he urged farmers to report to the CBN any microfinance bank that charges interests above the stipulated rate.

    The CBN governor appeal to state governments “to provide lands for the farmers on a large scale and we will work with them to clear some of these impediments. We are at a stage where we must feed our selves and all hands must be on deck to ensure this works.”

    Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, who spoke on behalf of the 10 major paddy rice producing states of Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Taraba, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Niger, assured that they would do everything possible to support the CBN intervention.

    He said rice producing states in Nigeria “have enough capacity to produce rice that would help the country attain self-sufficiency as well as for export purpose.”

    Earlier, the rice millers had called on the government to address some of the bottlenecks affecting rice production in Nigeria. The areas they identified include bigger fields for production, funding, access to land, establishment of more rice mills, increase in capacity of existing mills, investment in research, irrigation facility, stable rice policy that would be agreed to by all stakeholders and the need to tackle issue of smuggling.

  • Between 113 crude carriers and Fed Govt

    Between 113 crude carriers and Fed Govt

    The key part of the document reads: “The affected vessels have also been barred from movements within the Nigerian territorial waters forthwith. Finally, enforcement of the above directives takes immediate effect pending a notice to the contrary by Government, please.”

    And with these words, the fate of 113 foreign tankers lifting fuel in the country’s territorial waters was sealed.

    The ban is said to have followed a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari, in what traders said could be part of efforts to crack down on illegal crude oil trading.

    The vessels, which include mainly VLCC crude oil tankers, are banned from calling at crude oil terminals and also from Nigerian waters with immediate effect, said a letter circulated by NNPC, “pending a notice to the contrary by government”.

    The letter was dated July 15.  Since taking office in May, Buhari has been working to fulfil a campaign promise to tackle corruption, particularly in the oil industry. He has ordered an investigation into a scheme through which the country swaps crude for oil products such as gasoline.

    But some oil traders and vessel owners noted the list included ships that have not called at Nigerian ports for years, as well as several tankers, such as the Happiness, the Huge and the Diona, operated by Iranian group NITC, which has had little business for Nigeria for some time.

    Some of the vessels are also listed twice, meaning the number of banned vessels could be smaller than 113.

    A trader with a major oil company said there was no obvious reason for the ban, while a source close to operations at Indian Oil Corp, a key buyer of Nigerian crudes, said the refiner would definitely be impacted if the list is accurate.

     “If the news is correct freight rates could go up and choice of vessels will be limited,” the source said.

    India has been a top outlet for Nigerian oil in recent years as its light sweet crudes have been pushed out of the once-dominant destination, the United States, by the shale oil boom.

    Bjorn Hojgaard, chief executive of Hong Kong’s Univan Ship Management, was informed of the ban by Reuters reporters.

    “There are a number of Univan-managed vessels on the list, but we have certainly not been notified,” Hojgaard said. “I don’t know what’s the story here, but will look into it, together with our customers.”

    However, crude tanker owners yesterday protested against ban, seeking assurances that the hired vessels are not on the ban list, according to the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners.

    Instead, the owners want the oil companies to share their oil loading and discharge figures in case this information is sought by the Nigerian government.

    “Members  (say) some oil majors are attempting to introduce charter-party clauses requiring the owner to warrant that the ship is not subject to any Nigerian bans or restrictions due to failure to report any out-turn figures for prior voyages,” Bill Box, Intertanko’s manager communications and external relations, said Thursday.

    Intertanko has advised its members to avoid any such clauses in the charter-party agreements, Box said.

    “On the contrary, charterers should be asked to warrant that they will ensure that out-turn figures are provided in Nigeria,” he added.

    The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) is one of the largest grouping in the shipping industry with 207 full members and 285 associate members, and a registered fleet of over 3,000 tankers of over 270 million dwt.

    On July 15, a document was issued by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation banning the tankers from entering Nigerian territorial waters and oil facilities.

    Intertanko has issued a letter of protest to NNPC’s London office, with copies to the Nigerian High Commissioner and the country’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the International Maritime Organization.

    “There is no reference to policies and requirements and no evidence or grounds are given for the ban,” the letter addressed to NNPC said.

    “Many of these ships have not traded [in] Nigeria for a number of years and some have never been there,” Intertanko’s General Counsel Michele White said in the letter. In some cases, the ship has changed ownership since the last call in Nigeria, Box added.

     These bans should be lifted with immediate effect until grounds and evidence for the ban have been given to each vessel and its owner or operator, and the owner or operator has had an opportunity to respond, White said.

    The ban, said sources, has not affected the loading schedules.

    “Government officials have cut all communication but so far there is no emergency,” a source said with reference to Nigeria’s current loading program. Whatever the circumstances, as a result of the NNPC directive, these vessels will not be permitted to operate in Nigerian waters, Box added.

    Also yesterday, oil and shipping sources reacted cautiously to the ban. A report on Platts.com on their reaction to the ban reads: “”We have been informed about [the ban] and it seems terminal operators will have to take that into account,” said an active buyer and seller of Nigerian crude oil.

     “Shipping and trading sources said the NNPC’s grievance with the shipping companies stems from issues surrounding outturns figures related to the crude oil exports at the port of discharge.

     “Sources said there have been a few incidents between Nigerian authorities and their crude oil buyers on differences between the volume of crude that was discharged, compared to the volume on the bill of lading.

     “We hear it is about the outturn figures, as there are sometimes differences between the loading and discharge figures, especially with certain countries,” said a trader active in the West African crude oil market.

     “We are currently gathering information,” said a source with a shipowner that would be impacted by the potential ban.

     “A lot of market players have received the document and we have to take it seriously. The NNPC are asking for outturn figures but the receivers of the cargoes have this information, not the shipowners. They need to approach the cargo receivers, not the vessel owners,” he added.

     “Other sources said the ban could be related to ‘settling dues’ such as port and maritime fees. The majority of Nigerian crude cargoes are lifted on Suezmax and VLCC tankers.

     “We suspect it is part of a fallout from the level of scrutiny that NNPC is currently under,” a Nigerian crude oil trader said.

     “He added this may be part of the new government’s drive to target “vessels that have not paid dues or have been involved in incidents with the Navy.”

     “‘In this new administration such lapses are being corrected,’ he added.

     “Some sources said the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), had previously issued advice to vessel operators and owners to comply with International Maritime Organization directives to countries to phase out vessels that do not meet international standards.

     “They said some of the vessels in the list might fall into the category of tankers that did not meet the IMO standards.”

  • Fed Govt urged to release N800b owed NDDC

    Fed Govt urged to release N800b owed NDDC

    The Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has pleaded with the Federal Government to release the N800 billion it owes the organisation.

    The NDDC said that failure to release the funds has hampered the Commission’s progress in pursuing ongoing projects as well as embarking on fresh infrastructural development.

    Speaking in Umuahia during a courtesy call on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the chairman of NDDC Governing Board, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw said that there is need for the funds to be released for the board to work effectively.

    Ewa-Hemshaw solicited the assistance of Governors of NDDC states, in ensuring that Federal Ministry of Finance complies with  the NDDC acts as it relates to funding, adding that his Board inherited over 7,000 projects at inception.

    He said this is in addition to  liabilities the Commission inherited, which is in excess of N1trillion, including approved but unpaid IPCS of over N300b and still growing.

    Ewa-Henshaw said that it was for this reason that they spent their first year in office pursuing the completion of ongoing projects like the students hostel, which was later commissioned by the state governor at Umudike.

    He said, “In spite of this, funding remain an intractable challenge, and between 2001 and now more than N800 billion of funding due to NDDC has been withheld by the Federal Government”.

    The NDDC board chairman cited Section 14, 2A and C of the NDDC Act, which has to do with funding of the Commissioned which he said have not been complied with.

    He stated further  that  at the best of times, the Federal Government contribution to NDDC amounts to a mere 20% of her annual budget, adding that in  this circumstances, progress with ongoing projects and programmes have been difficult .

    The NDDC boss said, “And starting new major infrastructural development, which should be the focus of this commission, has been impossible. We solicit your help in ensuring that the Federal Ministry of Finance complies with the NDDC Act as it relates to funding.

    “It would also be very helpful to work out a programme for the release of funds so far withheld. These releases can be tied to specific projects on roads, rail, power and even oil refining”.

    He said that the commission is already in discussion with some major multinationals to form partnerships that can bring substantial benefits to NDDC states, adding that Aba-Ikot-Ekpene-Calabar roads, can be one of the first projects that can benefit from the discussions.

    Ewa-Henshaw said, “With more than three hundred quarries,  two cement plants and a host of oil tank farms, all in Cross River, and the heavy commercial activities flowing from Aba southwards, there are about an estimated 7,000 or more vehicular traffic daily along that road, and about three or four thousand of these are trucks.

    It is easy to see that reconstruction and dualizing this road will be of enormous economic benefit. I believe that this type of venture will key into your vision and complement your developmental aspirations for Abia state. This is what NDDC is set up to do and this is what we will like to be doing”.

    Responding Ikpeazu promised to associate himself with NDDC boss lofty ideas, especially where it concerns road infrastructure around two major states.

    Ikpeazu said that he would liaise with governors of NDDC states to assess the authorities for the release of funds that is due to the Commission, adding that if it is well with NDDC, it will also be well with the states that are stakeholders in this project.

  • FAO urges Fed Govt to pass revised Seed Act

    FAO urges Fed Govt to pass revised Seed Act

    The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Wednesday, July 22, urged the Federal Government to ensure the passage of the revised Seed Act without delay.

    FAO’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Louise Lobisa, gave the advice at a stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Abuja.

    Lobisa said the passage of the revised Seed Act would help develop the private sector and the community-based seed systems and by extension, guarantee food security in the country.

    “We now have what we have labelled as the Seed Act. It is now with the Federal Ministry of Justice. We hope that when the new ministers come in they would also try to speed that up to make sure the Seed Act is attended to and become operational.

    “The main problem that we sometimes face is that we go into all these processes of reviewing the legislation, the policy updating and they stay for several years without being approved and made operational,” she stated.

    Lobisa said the workshop was aimed at designing a draft strategy to strengthen private and community seed systems in the country with the intent to strengthen the national seed system.

    She said: “The workshop today is to review the draft strategy on how we can support and try to develop the private sector in seed systems and also the community-based seed systems. Over and above that, the people that we are producing the seed for particular the farmers need to know what the benefits are and how they can work more closely with the private sector and with government institutions to create a national seed system in the country.“

    She further said FAO was interested in building the capacity of government institutions with seed certification, seed quality, upgrading skills as well as strengthening agro-based laboratories.

  • Fed Govt, firm sign MoU on operation of abattoir

    Fed Govt, firm sign MoU on operation of abattoir

    The Federal Government  has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  with Multi-Net Group Limited on the development and operation of modern international standard abattoirs in the six geo-political zones of the country.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono signed the pact with the firm’s Chairman, Dr. Uzoma Obiyo to produce healthy, quality fresh and meat locally in order to generate income and livelihood for the  livestock farmers that he will work with.

    Speaking with reporters after the signing ceremony in Abuja, Obiyo said: “My dream and objective for this modern abattoir is to produce healthy and quality fresh and local produced animals, provide income and livelihood for livestock farmers of whom he is intending to work with, towards achieving his dreams, and also to attract young unemployed youths into farming and live-stock production.”

    He said his company expects a situation where a young person will be proud to say that he or she is a butchery expert and earning good living with it.

    Obiyo noted that Africa, especially Nigeria, has no excuse to rely on imported meat products.

    According to him, since the hygiene and quality of imported meat are questionable, his firm has moved to develop a meat and livestock process value-chain whereby there will be traceability in the  meat products, guarantee of the quality and hygiene.

    He said:  “I believe  that Africa and Nigeria should not be relying on imported meat products of which the hygiene and quality are questionable, he wants to develop a meat and livestock process value-chain whereby there will be traceability in our meat products, and also the quality and hygiene will be guaranteed.

    “ At the moment such facility and process is lacking, so it is of no surprise that most of the large hotels and restaurants in Nigeria, import their meat and livestock products from South Africa, and costing the nation a large chunk of its scarce dollars in capital flight and of cause denying our local farmers their needed in-come.”

    The Chairman of Multi-Net maintained that he is on a mission and will not stop until Nigeria and Africa is self-sufficient in feeding its populations and providing them with adequate energy for domestic use and industrialisation.

    He stressed that his company is also concerned about the provision of locally produced petroleum products for local consumption.

    Obiyo said that issues of local content unsettles him, noting Nigeria has the human and natural resources to drive its economy without a recourse to foreigners.

    “I believe we have the capacity both in human-resources and natural resources and it is for that reason. I am a passionate supporter and promoter of Local Content in every sector, because I see no reason our best are running out of the country and helping to build other country’s viable economy while we are employing people from those foreign countries, whom their own countries will not employ,” he said.

    Projecting into the future, the chairman maintained that he is committed to seeing Nigeria dominates the  global economy in food export and production.

    At the moment, Obiyo said that he wants to produce healthy and fresh quality food for Nigeria with zero wastage because everything in the farm and in the abattoir will be utilised.

    He regretted  seeing a lot of wastes in the food, agricultural and livestock chain. He revealed that  he has also got a viable and implementable plan to go into fisheries and fish processing and storage.

    Obiyo called on the Federal Government, the citizenry, especially other entrepreneurs to emulate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support the local industries.

    On his own, he said he is ready to collaborate with Federal and State governments and agencies  to make  foods and livestock, healthy, hygienic and affordable by all.

    He sought the concerted efforts of all Nigerians and the President for a serious and sincere fight for locally produced food in the country.

    Obiyo recalled that Multi-Net Group Limited had early this year signed an MoU with the Federal Ministry of Power for the  development of  the coal fields in Enugu.

    The MoU, said the chairman, is for the generation  500mega-watts (mw) in the first instant and in the long-term increase the generation  to 1,000mw.

    He revealed that after the pact with the Ministry of Power, he has flagged-off the studies  necessary for the implementation of its project -”Using coal to Light Up Nigeria.”

    The chairman noted that unlike many who just sign MOU and do nothing with it, he “ is a restless, creative, energetic and innovator who is resolute and convinced that we have all it takes to produce enough power for domestic and industrial use but also for export.”

    Since signing the MOU, Obiyo noted that he has commenced and nearly completed all the necessary studies needed to commence the next stage of making his project “Using Coal to Light Up Nigeria” a reality.

    He however explained that “the only delay now in bringing my dream to reality is the Coal licence of which I am hoping that, with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Power and all the necessary agencies that I will move fast with his very detailed and time-lined road–map on generating 500mw of electricity from coal.”

    Commenting on his enterprise, he said MULTI-NET GROUP LIMITED is wholly owned and an indigenous Nigerian company, of whom he is the Chairman.

    He described himself as an established and successful entrepreneur in the Telecom Industry.

    Continuing, the chaiman said he “is a man with a good nose for business opportunities that sometimes people are becoming to imagine me as the Warren Buffet of our own but they can see me by-passing the success of Warren Buffet, so the only comparison between us is our noses in smelling out business opportunities even when others do not see it.

    “For Dr. Obiyo, any difficulty I encounter in the process everyday life and business becomes another business potential, because I do not believe in moaning or passing bucks but I believe that Nigerians and Africans should solve all our infrastructure problems.”

  • Fed Govt jams ‘illegal Radio Biafra’

    Fed Govt jams ‘illegal Radio Biafra’

    •To reopen information centres abroad
    •Niger Delta Ministry laments fund scarcity

    THE National Broadcasting Commission has successfully jammed the signals of Radio Biafra, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Dr. Shade Yemi-Esan, said yesterday.

    Dr. Yemi-Esan spoke to State House correspondents after leading the ministry’s officials to brief President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    She said the commission was also working with security agencies to arrest those behind the radio.

    “It (the radio) is not licensed by anybody to be on the airwave in Nigeria,” the permanent secretary stated.

    Dr. Yemi-Esan added that the president has supported reopening of Nigeria information centres abroad towards improving the country’s image.

    She added that Buhari also sought for better welfare for and increase fight against piracy to boost welfare of Nollywood stars.

    Her words: “We also talked about external publicity and the possibility of re-opening the federal information services abroad. The President said that he wants to improve the image of Nigeria. And one of the ways we can do that is by the re-opening of these centres abroad. So, he was all for it and he said that we would work together to ensure that we do that.

    “He also raised concerns about piracy in Nollywood and he has

    instructed us to work harder to ensure that the producers of Nollywood films get what is due to them and that we reduce piracy to the barest minimum.”

    On the welfare of media practitioners, she said: “I think it was last week that one of the newspapers was shut down because of non-payment

    of salaries. I think that should not be heard of in a country like Nigeria.

    “Mr. President frowns on things like that. The welfare of every

    Nigerian, especially journalists, is one of the major concerns that we have.

    “We are happy with the response we got and the concerns of Mr. President on the work we are doing, especially the publicity aspect.

    “He wants us to intensify publicity because he wants every Nigerian to know about the policies and programmes of this government.

    She said most of the challenges facing ministry have to do with inadequate funding.

    The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs also briefed President Buhari yesterday on its inability to fund major projects that would improve the lives of the citizens due to paucity of funds.

    Permanent Secretary in Ministry Mrs. Fatima Bamidele said the situation has been slowing the ministry down in its mandate to empower the people of the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking to state house correspondents after a meeting with the President in continuation of the briefing by Ministries, Departments and Agencies at the presidential villa, Mrs. Bamidele explained that since August 2014, the ministry had not received any capital per head.

    She said the development had stalled a lot of projects.

     

  • Fed Govt moves to end Fulani, farmers clash

    •Sets up committee on grazing reserves, others

    THE Federal Government has set up a committee to resolve the lingering conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, which have resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

    The Strategic Action Plan committee is expected to develop grazing reserves and stock routes to end the conflicts.

    The committee, which has two weeks to conclude its work and submit its recommendations is headed by the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, who broke the news in Abuja, also announced the inauguration of three other special committees.

    They include committees on the resuscitation of cotton, textile and garments industry in Nigeria; operationalisation of Federal Government storage facilities and the revitalisation of agricultural extension services.

    He noted that the continued frequency of the conflict made successive administrations  set up committees to proffer solutions.

    This, he said, made President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the ministry to consider the recommendations of the studies  by the Petroleum Trust Fund and the Northern Governors Forum on the same subject to develop pragmatic and strategic action plan for the development of grazing reserves and stock routes nationwide.

    Echono added that the committee would develop short, medium and long-term strategic recommendations that will end the persistent conflicts in the country.

    He said: “The need to develop strategic action plan for the development of grazing reserves and stock routes nationwide as a pragmatic effort of the current administration to mitigate the recurring pastoralist/crop farmers’ conflict became imperative, following the persistent clashes which had taken a massive toll on human lives, property and the nation’s economy.

    “The high frequency of the conflicts, impact of climate change, ecological factors, population growth, increased cattle rustling, banditry, terrorism and insurgency, cultural and political factors of transhumance especially as they relate to access and management of natural resources across the region had made successive administrations to give this a lot of attention by setting up committees to proffer appropriate solution towards addressing these unfortunate incidences.

    “The committee will develop short, medium and long-term strategic recommendations that will end the persistent farmers and pastoralists’ conflict in the country. It is expected to review the policy on stock routes development with monuments to ensure free movement of livestock.

    “It will also develop a framework under which pastoralists using the grazing reserves and stock routes will work with communities, LGA, State Authorities to settle, develop pastures and maintain the reserve infrastructure for sustainable use.”

    He added that the committee will review the policy on stock routes development to ensure free movement of livestock.

  • Rector renews call for Fed Govt to take over Abia Poly

    The Acting Rector, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Prof Uche Eleazar Ikonne, has renewed the call by the management of the institution for Federal Government to take over ownership of the institution.

    Ikonne, who spoke when he led the polytechnic management to the palace of Eze Eberechi Dick, Chairman Abia State Traditional Rulers’ Council, and the home of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, noted that the acquisition of the institution by the Federal Government would lessen “the huge financial burden on the state government”.

    He said the state was struggling to fund four tertiary state institutions, namely: Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu, Abia State School Health Technology, Aba and Abia State University, Uturu.

    Ikonne regretted that the state was among the few states yet to given a federal recognition.

    The rector, who visited the monarch to felicitate with him on his appointment as the Chancellor of the University of Abuja, urged him to use his new position to lobby for the polytechnic to be run by the Federal Government.

    He was optimistic that Eze Dick would use his wealth of experience  to move the university forward.

    At Abaribe’s home, Ikonne also made the same request of the senator, urging him to use his office to get better fortunes for the polytechnic.

    Both of them thanked the group for their visit and promised to assist the polytechnic.

    Abaribe, who expressed his happiness over the award given to him, also advised the polytechnic to improve on its academic standards and products.

    He said he had been aware of the challenges facing the school before their visit, promising to assist them towards being taken over by the Federal Government.

  • Fed Govt trains 22 dons in Geriatric Medicine

    Federal Government through the National Universities Commission (NUC) has trained 22 lecturers selected from 11 Nigerian universities in geriatric medicine at the University of North Texas, Denton, United States of America (USA).

    They earned the specialist in Ageing Graduate Certificates.

    NUC in response to global and national challenges and opportunities in the field of ageing medicine, identified the need and relevance of building sustainable capacity for production of skilled personnel for enhanced service delivery to older persons.

    At a two-day stakeholders’ meeting on capacity building for Masters programme in Geriatric Medicine in select universities in Abuja, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala said that the increasing population of older persons is a global phenomenon resulting from decline in fertility rates, combined with reduction in mortality and increased longevity.

    He said in 2012, there were 810 million people aged 60 years and above accounting for 11 per cent of total world population. This year, he said they are projected to reach 2 billion (22 per cent increase).

    Nwabiala said: “The growth will be more in developing countries including Nigeria. In Nigeria, demographic trends show increasing number of older persons presently estimated at 8.4 million and projected to reach about 29 million by 2050.

    “The Federal Ministry of Education therefore regards the development of Applied Gerontology and Geriatrics as formal courses of study in Nigerian universities, as crucial to the development of systems of health care and social support.

    “The focus today by Stakeholders therefore, on developing the aspect of medicine which deals with specialized care of older persons; the prevention and management of the complex medical, psychological, nutritional and social problems that older persons experience, in order to maintain and promote their independence and well being, is a welcomed development.”

    Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Julius Okojie said the body is mindful of its core mandate which is to develop and regulate responsive and relevant university education; the implicit response to the need to produce professionals and para-professionals: “equipped with knowledge, skills and competencies to deal effectively with the comprehensive challenges of older persons, therefore, informed the Commission’s development of national and international collaborative initiatives with relevant stakeholders.”

    The Post Graduate Benchmark Statement and Minimum Academic Standards for PG.D, M.sc and Ph.D in Applied Gerontology was formally unveiled along with training module and models of Senior Citizens’ Centers.