The Nation Newspaper

Tag: group

  • Group advises farmers to increase soybean production for export

    The Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association Nigeria (FACAN) President, Dr. Victor Iyama, has advised farmers to take advantage of the trade war between the United States (U.S.) and China to double their soybean acreage for increase exports earnings.

    This followed China imposition of  tariffs on U.S. soybeans, a development that has shaken  global trade flows.

    China is the world’s largest consumer of soybeans and the destination for well over half of U.S. soybeans.

    Beijing said it will impose an extra 25 per cent import duty on more than 500 U.S. goods, including soybeans from today. The move was in response to Washington’s plan to slam duties on $50 billion Chinese goods, as the trade dispute between the world’s top two economies escalates.

    The tit-for-tat trade threats have already disrupted trade flows across the commodities sector from sorghum to coal and inflated prices of animal feed ingredients such as soymeal.

    China is the world’s biggest pork producer and consumer and its industry relies on soybean meal, a product of soybean crushing, to feed its pigs. Rising costs for hog farmers risks increasing the price of pork, a component of China’s consumer price index.

    Iyama said the rising cost of American soybeans  will  improve the competitiveness of Nigerian  supplies to China markets.

    According to him, local producers can join other suppliers to replace the supply of soybeans from the U.S. going to China, urging  farmers to take advantage in markets where  U.S.  share of exports will drop.

    Iyama urged food exporters to explore opportunities, appealing to the government to focus on sustainable development and is creating fantastic opportunities for agribusiness and food.

    According to him, while agro commodities   are growing ,  so much  need to be done to increase volume  to enable agriculture make an impact on  trade.

    Exporters, he added, ought to focus on value-added products and diversify export markets which typically fetches higher per-unit value than  unprocessed  produce .

    He explained that the  government and the private sector needed to jointly work out ways for boosting the per-unit value of exports. That can come from a combination of high-end processing and value-addition in export products as well as from targeting richer segments of export markets.

    Meanwhile, agro investors on the platform of Madaki Agro Services Limited have said they are targeting an investment of 100,000 hectares of Arable land in soya beans cultivation in the next five years.

    Its Executive Director, Operations, Mike Enahoro stated  that the target is to have 100,000 hectares by the end of five years, noting that the target is just a drop in what Nigeria arable opportunities have. “Nigeria still has about 1.6 million hectares,” he said.

    Enahoro said the group is targeting three tons, adding that if there is a natural disaster or herdsmen attacks, the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Commission Company (NAIC) will step in to remedy the situation.

    He said: “The role of government is to create an enabling environment, support investors with investment programmes such as the Anchor Borrowers Programme, accelerate and support us with all necessary platforms.”

    In his presentation on the investment opportunities earlier, the company’s Executive Director of Finance, Chijioke Ofomata, said: “The Madaki Agro Services Limited is working to unlock untapped value in the agriculture and agro allied processing sectors.”

    He revealed that the company had acquired 10,000 hectares of farmland in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State for growing cash crops.

    “These include soya beans, groundnuts, wheat, rice, sorghums, cowpeas with a model of planting and harvesting three  cycles in a year.

    “The Madaki business model is based on being an anchor/aggregator of small holder farmers (Anchor Borrowers Programme) principally designed to empower communities and create wealth for rural farmers as well as activate company owned farming which will drive further, both productivity and profitability.”

  • Group backs Muyiwa Ige for Osun governor

    The Grand Council of Yoruba Youths in Osun State has supported Muyiwa Ige for governor in 2018.

    A statement by the President-General, Awa Bamiji, said: “Olumuyiwa lge, son of the late Chief Bola Ige, needs no introduction in the politics of Southwest and Osun. He was the immediate past Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Environmental Design, and also the 2007 governorship aspirant on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC).

    “Without doubts, he knows the rudiments of contesting for the governorship ticket. He is young, multi-talented, tested, trusted and reliable.

    “It is on this note that we, Grand Council of Yoruba Youths (Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba), are saying that in this era of Not Too Young To Run, Muyiwa Ige is our collective choice for the APC governorship ticket for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State. This is the only way we can re-invent the Bola Ige touches on the four-cardinal programmes of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

  • Group preaches religious tolerance

    A group, Taorikatul Satia Worldwide, has called for tolerance among the people, particularly on religious matters.

    Group leader Khalifa Abdulgafar Babalola, who spoke in Offa at a memorial of the late founder, Sheikh Rasheed Karamollah, said tolerance will enhance peaceful coexistence among the people, as well as prevent acrimony and animosity.

    He urged the Federal Government, security agencies and stakeholders to curtail the killing of innocent citizens in some parts of the country.

    Babalola said: “Killing of innocent people is not in any religion’s doctrine. We must allow peace to reign in this country. The killing in some parts of this country is condemnable. It must stop.”

    He lauded members of the ministry for their commitment towards the celebration, and admonished them to continue to be faithful to the group’s doctrine.

     

  • Group urges govt to invest more in renewable energy

    The Co-ordinator, 350.Org, Lagos, Idowu Esuku, has urged the Federal Government to invest more in alternative energy as fossil fuels and coal mining are increasingly becoming unsustainable for our environment.

    Esuku spoke at a Peaceful Street Walk organised by 350 Nigeria to commemorate the Decolonised Nigeria Campaign in Lagos.

    The rally started at Opebi Allen Roundabout and ended at the Lagos State House of Assembly. The participants walked, dancing and chanting “break free from fossil fuel and embrace renewable energy in Nigeria.”

    Esuku said many countries are moving from fossil energy to hydro, wind and solar as their source of energy because they are environment friendly and sustainable for the environment.

    He said climate change is a global phenomenon, which affects all the countries of the world. It is a threat to human, animals, and plant existence.

    He noted that Nigeria is still struggling with the effect of climate change. Many research and statistics have shown that the effect of global warming in Nigeria. Coal mining is a big threat to the environment.

    He attributed the increasing cases of life threatening diseases to the use of fossil fuel as people, especially in local areas in the Niger Delta bear the burden associated with fossil fuels exploration with no respite coming soon.

    Sadly, he stressed that Nigeria is spending billions of naira to cushion the effect of the challenges facing the energy sector, but that has only made little difference in the amount of energy supply in many areas in Nigeria.

    He posited that instead of financing projects that would produce profoundly negative environmental impact, the government should consider projects that tap into Nigeria’s numerous renewable and low-cost resources.

    He was of the opinion that the Federal Government has a moral obligation to leave behind a well-off earth for our children. The land, oceans, forest reserve  and arctic are all commonwealth owners by mankind.

    “We demand our local leaders to commit to building a fossil free world and put the people and justice first before profits. We want to end the era of fossil fuel and save the climate we depend on,” he said.

     

  • Group urges women, youths to participate in governance

    The Voice of Women and Youth International Foundation (VWYIF) has urged women and youths to participate in governance, nothing they have a critical role to play in nation building.

    The group made the call during the VWYIF conference in Arepo, Ogun State.

    VWYIF National Chairperson Iyalode Alaba Lawson, said women and youths must have the passion to take positions in governance.

    According to her, women and youths must be ready for the new Nigeria.

    “We must have the passion and the will to take this country to the next level. All hands must be on deck. Women are about 68 percent of the Nigerian population and we must stand up and resist injustice,” she said.

    The group had earlier paid a visit to The Nation headquarters in Lagos, where a Board of Trustee (BoT) member, Mrs Ify Okafor, said the country must be free of corruption.

    Mrs Okafor enjoined Nigerians to fulfill their civic obligation and play their roles in building a new Nigeria.

    “We want more women and youth who are competent to be invited to the table of decision making. We seek support and partnership of the media in driving this vision for a prosperous, incorrupt and sustainable Nigeria,” she said.

    Another BoT member, Chief Anita Okuribido, said the group’s goal is to drive inclusion of more women and youths in leadership position.

    “Through organisations like ours, we want the voice of women and youths to be heard, so that there can be more inclusion for them and by so doing, we will have a better Nigeria,” she said.

    At the conference, Head of Unit, Gender Division, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State, Mrs Adeola Osikomaiya, urged women to show interest in governance.

    She said other women must support and encourage those women that go for such positions.

    According to her, gender is not what is needed in leadership position, but intelligence and the ability to contribute positively towards national development.

  • Group organises town hall meetings on PVC collection in Lagos

    Ahead of next year’s general elections, a political group in Lagos State, the Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard, which is canvassing for 5 million votes for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the governor deserves a second term to consolidate his achievements in the last three and a half years.

    It also urged eligible voters, who have not collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), to do so at designated collection points.

    The group, which is canvassing for 5 million votes for the governor, said he deserves a second term.

    The group spoke at a town hall meeting at Badagry and Ikeja divisions.

    Its Coordinator, Seyi Bamigbade, lauded the governor’s dedication to duty, developmental projects and desire to make the state a better place for all.

    He said: “Governor Ambode’s unimaginable performance and commendable zeal for developmental projects have been visible in every nook and cranny of the state, especially in Badagry Division.

    “In this division, you have all benefitted from the programmes and policies of the Ambode led-administration. This is why we must all support for his re-election so that he can continue to make our division and Lagos an enviable state.”

     

     

  • Group scouts for talent in upcoming theatre festival

    Art-based non-profit organisation, Playback Nigeria, is set to organise this year’s Children’s Theatre Festival in Abuja from June 27 to June 30.

    According to the organisers, the festival promises to be engaging and educative as 40 performances developed by 20 individual performers and 20 participating schools will be showcased by children, for children and about children.

    The CEO, Playback Nigeria, Damilola Apotieri, said this in an interview on Monday.

    He stressed on the need for children to be able to express themselves through different art modes such as theatre, drama, music, dance and spoken word.

    He said: “It will provide an opportunity for children to explore their concerns through art aside being an advocacy platform for the recognition and appreciation of the talent that lies within them.

    “Registration is ongoing with limited slots available for performers while tickets will be available for sale to audience members.

    “Playback Nigeria is working with different stakeholders including the media, corporate organisations and companies, volunteers and our own staff members towards a successful festival.

    “The festival is also open for partnership with organizations who promotes child-friendly contents.”

    For the past three years, Playback Nigeria has worked in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    They organised several child development programs including trainings for teachers and psychosocial workers.

    The NGO also held Children’s Media Summits for 170 children from 7 local governments in Borno State in December 2017.

    Apotieri said that the NGO renders psychosocial support to thousands children affected by the insurgency and their caregivers through art-based methodologies.

    “Playback Nigeria is dedicated to using interactive arts for psychosocial support, community interaction, enhancement, development and capacity building.

    “The festival will help build children’s creativity and develop skills apart from being a form of education.”

  • Group seeks support for cocoa farmers

    Cocoa farmers require more support to apply global best practices in their operations, the Project Manager of the Olakoko Sustainability Project, Mrs. Mopelola Fabunmi, has said.

    Mrs Fabunmi spoke during the commemoration of Farmers’ Day at Igbara-Oke, near Akure, the Ondo State capital, where 2,851 farmers from Edo, Osun, Ogun, and Ondo states participated.

    The project manager said Nigeria is in a pole position to increase its yield of cocoa and ensure improved quality of the produce as well as improve the quality of lives of farmers.

    She recalled that in over two years of its operation, the Olakoko Project had trained more than 8,000 farmers from Edo, Ogun, Osun and Ondo states.

    Mrs Fabunmi said: “We do not relent in our efforts at ensuring that farmers are thoroughly trained on farm practices and passing necessary information required to improve agricultural yields.”

    Highlights of the Farmers’ Day included the Farmers’ Market, which provided an avenue for farmers to get farm inputs for cocoa and other crops as a means of diversification.

  • Group says no vacancy in Aso Villa

    •Endorses Buhari, Oshiomhole

    The national executives of Change Advocates of Nigeria (CAN), and Diaspora have endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for second term in office come 2019.

    The body in a statement by its National Youths Leader, Gabriel Nwajei yesterday in Asaba also endorsed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo Governor, for National Chairmanship position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2018 convention.

    It said that the president has demonstrated courage in taking major decisions that had impacted the people positively which prompted its call on him to continue and complete the second term in office, adding, “No vacancy in Aso Rock in 2019”.

    CAN listed the reasons it is rooting for President Buhari to be re-elected come 2019, as “His anti-corruption fight and recovery of looted funds within and outside Nigeria.

    “For taking the nation away from economic recession, the increase in agriculture produce like rice, cassava, others and the N-Power Programme for our young graduates.

    “The President has given assent to the ‘Not too Young to Run bill and granted autonomy for  State Houses of Assembly and to state judiciary.

    “The presidential order for the posthumous award and investiture on Late M.K.O.Abiola and Amb. Babagana Kingibe, Chief Gani Fawehinmi among others and the making of June 12 our Democracy Day showed courage”.

    The body, however, acknowledged that there were still more to be done to make the nation great in the areas of security, restructuring, local government autonomy and in conducting a free and fair elections.

     

     

    “But as the sayings goes, Rome was not built in a day. Our mission is to mobilize all youths with their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) across the country for the 2019 presidential project,” it said.

     

  • Group backs Bafarawa for president in 2019

    A SOCIO-CULTURAL group, the Arewa Initiatives for Peaceful Co-existence in Southern Nigeria, has urged the former governor of Sokoto State, Dalhatu Bafarawa, to run for president in 2019.

    Its coordinator in Lagos State, Alhaji Kabir Dinar, said the former governor would put an end to the mindless killings in the country, if given a chance. Dinar said the former is the best among those aspiring for the position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The coordinator who spoke to reporters at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos recently said Bafarawa’s political experience puts him in a position to provide good leadership at the national level. Dinar described the former governor as the architect of modern Sokoto State.

    He said: “This is a man who has been in politics for over three decades and has served the people in various capacities. Something is happening in Nigeria right now, which portrays a ray of hope.

    “Nigerians have been saying loud and clear that too many families can’t make ends meet. That too many people, old and young, are living in poverty. That they have had enough of the same old argument and that they deserve better.

    “That is why we should dare to transform the Nigerian system, once and for all. You have voted for security, but we hear every day of avoidable killings happening all over this country.

    “You have voted for robust and sustainable economy, but still your country is failing by all known economic performance indicators. You have rejected corruption and scandals that tarnish politics, but again, we see the same story.”

    The Arewa coordinator expressed hope that the country would be better if Bafarawa was given the opportunity to serve as the president.

    He maintained that Bafarawa’s local and international connection would make Nigeria great, stressing that he is bold and courageous.

    Dinar said the country is facing a grave challenge, because committed leaders have not been elected to serve in the highest position.

    He added: “You could see that President Muhammadu Buhari has exhausted all the ideas he has about running good government. Today, people are disillusioned and not happy with what is going on in the country.

    “The problem is not limited to one part of the country, but everywhere; it is even worse in the North and I can assure you that northerners are presently looking for a replacement for the President who they believe have not measured up to the expectation of the people.”