The Nation Newspaper

Tag: INSECURITY

  • Rivers community seeks end to insecurity

    The Orochiri Kingdom in Ikwerre ethnicity nationality has called on the Rivers State governor- elect Chief Nyesom Wike to ensure that security, infrastructural development and human capital development are among the priorities of his government.

    Orochiri, one of the ancient kingdoms in Diobu, seeks security and the empowerment of its youths that could define the community as a metropolitan city.

    The community organised a feast to celebrate Wike in Port Harcourt.

    Speaking at the event, the heir- apparent to the throne of Orochiri kingdom, Prince Kalagbor Confidence Wordu said his kingdom decided to set agenda for the incoming government of Rivers State as to make the government know what the people want.

    He noted that Wike must do everything possible to ensure that the resources are utilised for  the interest of  the people and not for the selfish interest of some politicians.

    “First and foremost my kingdom is very happy with the victory of Chief Nyesom Wike, who is now the governor -elect. This kingdom has a tradition that is why we are gathering here today to host this victory party for the governor elect.

    “We want this government to fight insecurity; there are a lot of hoodlums in Port Harcourt, infrastructural decay and lack of human capital development. The outgoing government has tried their best but Wike must try hard to initiate policies that will bring a real change to Rivers State.”

     

  • I ‘ll confront insecurity with grit, says Buhari

    I ‘ll confront insecurity with grit, says Buhari

    THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has said his administration will confront insecurity with determination.

    He expressed outrage and grief at the latest terrorist suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, which left scores of people dead.

    In a condolence message in Abuja yesterday through his media campaign committee, Gen. Buhari said the frequency with which terrorists destroy lives and property embarrassed him beyond measure.

    According to him, terrorism achieved nothing good for anybody and  that nothing could justify the endless and brutal violence targeted at innocent people, which also destroyed the economic and social lives of the people in areas where terrorists were notoriously active.

    Gen. Buhari, however, called for increased vigilance, stressing that the ease with which suicide bombers blend with law-abiding citizens and reach their targets undetected was disturbing.

    He explained that majority of the people had no idea about the features and characteristics of suicide bombers, and could not, therefore, identify such killers in their company.

    The statement extended Buhari’s condolences to the families of the victims of the latest terrorist attacks on Maiduguri.

    The APC presidential candidate also condoled with the families of those affected by the violence in Rivers State, in which some unidentified gunmen attacked and killed APC supporters.

    Another statement in Lagos yesterday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, condoled with the families of those killed in the Maiduguri blast as well as the government and people of Borno State.

    It prayed God to grant repose to the souls of the innocent citizens, who were sent to their early graves, while wishing those who were injured a speedy recovery.

    “As we have said many times, nothing in the world justifies the killing of innocent men, women and children, and the cowards who have continued to kill and maim must realise that they will not escape justice, no matter how long it takes,” APC said.

     

  • 2.3GHz spectrum: Bitflux blames delayed roll-out on insecurity, policies

    2.3GHz spectrum: Bitflux blames delayed roll-out on insecurity, policies

    The Chief Executive Officer of VDT Communications, Mr Biodun Omoniyi, has blamed investment challenge occasioned by insecurity and government policies for the delays in rolling out service through the 2.3gigghertz (GHz) spectrum licence it won from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last year.

    VDT is the driver of Bitflux, a consortium of VDT Communications, Bitcom Systems Limited and Superflux. The firm had defeated second national carrier, Globacom, to clinch the wholesale licence during an international auction in Abuja.

    Omoniyi, who spoke in Lagos on the sideline during the unveiling of the International Standards Organisation Certification, (ISO) 20000-1:2011 the firm got from the British Standards Institute (BSI), said the business operating environment has no incentives  for foreign direct investments, lamenting that the firm had to postpone its initial plan to roll out in the first quarter of this year.

    He said: “Bitflux won the 2.3GHz spectrum licence that was auctioned by the NCC last year, and VDT Communications is the major driver of Bitflux, which is a consortium of VDT Communications, Bitcom Systems Limited and Superflux.

    “The truth of the matter is that we are eager and ready to roll-out the service across Nigeria, and we would have done that earlier, but for the investment challenges in the country. We are, however, ready to roll-out, having signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international vendor to supply equipment that will facilitate service rollout.

    “Initially, we wanted to rollout in the first quarter of the year, but that plan has been shifted by two weeks, which means we have a new date to commence service by April, this year.”

    He said in the past one decade when the firm began operation in the country, it has invested a lot of money in building a world-class technology firm that has become a pride, not only to the country but the international community.

    According to him, the continuous growth in technology solution has kept the firm at par with foreign service providers, adding that because the firm competes favourably with foreign firms, its customers are proud to do business with it. “We are not losing customers in anyway; instead, our customer base is increasing by the year,” Omoniyi said.

    “We have invested so much in this business to grow it to the level in which it is today. In 2001, when we started, we had only three branches, but today we have 46 operating branches in all the 36 states of the federation, including Abuja.

    “A company we promoted paid $25 million, which is more than N5 billion in the dispensation of our naira value just to acquire operating licence. The company needs at least, four times of that amount, which is about N20 billion to roll out services and that is a lot of money, and that is the kind of industry we are into. It is quite capital intensive,” he added.

    On the certification, he said: “The struggle to earn international certification is an unending one. About three years ago, we earned the certification for ISO 9001, which is a certification for quality management service. But today we are celebrating our ISO 20000 certification, which we recently earned, and which is an advanced certification to ISO 9001.

    “What this means is that as the business grows and expands, we will be getting more certifications and also consolidating on the ones we already have. The ISO 20000 is not a destination, but a journey because we are still eyeing more certifications like ISO 27000, ISO 28300 and many more that will still come up.

    “The truth is that we must continually improve on previous certifications because the British Standard Institute, which offers the certifications, will continually carry out audit surveillance on previous certifications to find out if the holders of such certifications are operating in conformity with the standards of the certifications.”

  • CLO decries political violence, insecurity

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) is worried about the political violence and insecurity pervading the country’s political landscape.

    CLO President Igho Akheregha said at a press conference in Lagos that the increasing incidence of violence is not only worrisome but that it is capable of wiping out the progress made so far in the last 16 years.

    Akheregha said the CLO has interpreted the current developments in the country as deliberate actions by politicians to undermine the huge gains Nigeria has made since 1999.

    His words: “The majority of Nigerians are now very worried about their safety and enjoyment of their democratic freedoms with escalating incidences of political violence and general insecurity that is adversely affecting citizens’ enjoyment of their basic freedoms and human rights.

    “This has led to increasing bitterness, acrimony and palpable feeling of insecurity, distrust in the governance process and looming anarchy in the country accentuated by political tension.

    “All these negative manifestations are against the recent peace agreement supervised by a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.”

    The CLO’s worry, according to him, is that the consequences of these developments may precipitate voter apathy or low turn-out capable of creating doubts over the popularity of the eventual winner of the elections which could lead to breakdown of law and order.

    Despite these challenges, the CLO remains firm in its conviction that this should not be exploited by ambitious elements in the military to truncate the democratic process or for tribal and religious champions to beat the drums of war, he said.

    “The CLO is dismayed by the lackluster approach of law enforcement agencies in dealing with numerous cases of political violence in spite of the massive logistical support of government. The CLO calls on political parties and leaders to caution their members and supporters to respect the right of other candidates to campaign in their areas without restraint, fear or intimidation.”

    “The organisation calls on Nigerians to secure their voter’s cards and ensure their votes count. It advised the Independent National Electoral Commission to test run the card reading machines to avoid a repeat of the 2011 embarrassment when the registration machines failed Nigerians.

  • Insecurity keeps nomad kids from school

    Insecurity keeps nomad kids from school

    Their ordeal is not as documented as that of thousands of people killed or forced from their homes by Boko Haram insurgents. Yet, across the nation, especially in the North, children of migrant folks are finding it increasingly difficult to go to school for fear of being cut down in communal clashes. GRACE OBIKE reports on the challenges of nomadic women and their kids

    A calabash of fura de nono, a rich, fresh milk delicacy, is still offered the guest with the same enthusiasm and hospitality of the forebears. The Fulani relish their culture; what is in short supply is peace. Unfortunately, their story is not as documented as the ravages of Boko Haram insurgents, who have carved out large swathes of territory in the region’s eastern flank.

    Thousands have been cut down by the sect’s fighters, many more forced to flee their homes and seek refuge wherever they can find it. Survivors’ sources of livelihood have crashed, as has the education of their children.

    Crisis is hurting Boko Haram targets. Fulani herders and local farmers, who are often at loggerheads, are also suffering. For both communities, their means of sustenance is dwindling. Their children have difficulties going to school.

    Fulani women, who spoke the reporter in Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory, said they found it difficult sending their children to school owing to the frequent crises.

    The National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) has offered nomdic folks a great opportunity to educate themselves but insecurity is hurting the plan.

    Sixty-year-old Hauwa Usman in Gwako Fulani community in the FCT, said she gave birth to 14 children, 11 of them dead. This has

    “Right now,” she said, “all we seek as Fulani women, is peace; the numerous crises that always erupt affect us so much and have put so much fear in us. All we hear these days is that person was killed, that person  killed, cows stolen and people driven from their homes. Can anyone live in peace in such a situation?

    “The biggest problem we have  at the moment is the lack of peace; we are so scared and cannot even send our children to school even if we wanted to because we are afraid of them being killed. All we ask for is that the government assist us in achieving peace and end all the fears in our minds.”

    Zulia Abdullahi, 15, who resides in the community should be in school. But she is not. Rather she is already married and had a child, who died a few weeks after birth. At that tender age, she is already bearing the pain of bereaved older mothers. Like most nomadic young mothers, Zulia left her husband’s home five months into her pregnancy and returned to her parent’s home in Tudun Fulani to deliver her first child. She was expected to leave the child with her parents at the age of two.

    Like most of her peers, Zulia was practically forced to marry another nomad living in the opposite part of town called Kabusa. She could not refuse the union even though she would have loved to because she wanted an opportunity to go to school like a few of her neighbours.  But her parents never allowed her to go to school, wanting her to marry the man they chose for her. She said she felt it was her duty as a good daughter to marry whoever her parents choose for her.

    “If something where to happen to my husband or marriage, I will then be free to choose who to marry, whether in the bush or city; it will then be my decision. I had always wanted to go to schoolý, I still do but now I am married and will have to give up the dream because, as a married woman, I am not allowed to leave the house other than to go sell fura or travel. By the grace of God, when I have children again since my baby just died, I will ensure they acquire as much education as their intelligence can take, since I can never be the civil servant that I always wanted to be, not being educated. I will ensure that my husband allow our children to acquire enough education because I know that they will be capable of taking care of me better in my old age.”

    Although Zulia would have loved to live her dream of being a civil servant, she is not condemning her early marriage because, according to her, nomadic girls older than 15 are treated differently.

    “I’m not unhappy to marry when I did, because in our culture, if a girl at 15 is still in her parents’ house and unmarried, people will call her wicked and say that no one is coming to marry her because of her wicked ways, they will make fun of her wherever she goes and she will always have to hide her face in shame. We marry very early, which is not really good. Even if I had not been willing to marry when I did, the fear of what people will say would force me into marriage. When a girl is 12, the parents will start discussing marriage with her, but at that age, the girl is not yet wise but will be made to marry all the same. The husband is the one that comes and asks your parents for your hand in marriage and as a girl, you have no input in it, which is not a good way to live because it is what a person desires that gives him peace of mind.”

    Zulia’s mother, Hajara Yusufu, 45,  had always wanted to be a medical doctor.  It is a secret she never shared with anyone. She claimed  that her older children have never been to school while her youngest child and grandchildren whom she has tried to enroll in a nearby nomadic school are afraid of returning to the school because of the crises between Fulani herdsmen and farmers which has caused so much havoc.

    Her greatest wish is the return of peace so that they can return to school and live out her dream. She said she dreamed of telling people that they are her children. However, she was quick to say that the decision of whether they go to school or not is not hers to take but her husband’s.

    She said: “I see people in huge cars and nice houses whenever I go into the city all the time to sell my fura de nono and sometimes wish that I were born in a different situation.  I would have loved to be a doctor, I admire them anytime I go to the hospital and see them.”

    On her part, 70-year-old Halima who resides in Chumanga hamlet, a quiet settlement in Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has never been to school even though she would have loved to. Surrounded by several children and grand children, her greatest regret is that she never had the opportunity to be educated.

    She told The Nation: “My greatest regret in life is not attaining any form of education because if I had, I would probably be in a big city and beautiful house, relaxing instead of living and dying in this bush.”

    She said all has done all her life has been to be ready to gather the children and move from place to place whenever her husband said so. She said that she has walked all over the North Central on foot and alongside her children and presently young grandchildren. Her greatest fear however is the thought of another migration because her feet hurt with arthritis and it will not be an easy journey for her, but with a show of strength, she still said, “Well if the husband today decides that we ought to move, I will simply pack up and obey because it is not my place to question my husband. He decides what happens in the family”.

    Bilkisu Musa is not interested in sending her children to school even though she did not attend any school herself. She is not interested in having her children obtain any form of education.

    Said she, “I don’t have any interest in going to school neither do I want my children to go. The country is now very dangerous and I prefer knowing that my children are close. I want them to learn the traditional nomadic ways and live our normal life in peace.”

    Investigations by The Nation revealed that the most prevalent thing in the Fulani nomadic community is infant mortality. It was gathered that the women have been thought to accept the death of their children as the will of God.

    Bilkisu whose two children, out of seven, are dead, said, “When we get pregnant, we don’t go to any hospital, attend ante-natal or take any drug; it is not part of our culture. You stay at home and when the time comes to have your baby, you close your curtain and deliver your child on your own without help from anyone. That is our culture. When you see that any bush Fulani is taken to a hospital, then you must know that the condition is critical.”

    Even though the NCNE has been established by a decree to cater for the educational needs of the socially excluded, educationally disadvantaged and migrant groups in Nigeria, available records show that only 519,018 children of nomads are currently in school. It was also discovered that out of 10.4 million migrant groups in the country comprising pastoral, migrant fisher folks and migrant farmers, about 3.6 million are children of school age. The participation of the nomads in existing education programme is very low as the literacy rate ranges between 0.02% to 2.0% at the early age of implementing the Nomadic Education Programme but so far, the number of nomadic schools around the country has risen from 329 at the inception of the programme in 1990 to 3,445 as at December 2013, with pupils enrolment, rising from 18,831 at inception to 519,018 by the above date.

    The October 2014 edition of the nomadic education bulletin quoted the Executive secretary NCNE, Prof. Rasheed Aderinoye  as saying that “the situation is worst for the nomadic girl-child in northern Nigeria, who is often marginalised and at a disadvantaged position in the family due to cultural factors and religious misinterpretation. The nomadic girl-child in northern Nigeria is doubly disadvantaged, given her sex, age and ethnicity. The girl-child is surrounded with culture and social settings that neither recognizses nor appreciates the value of girl education. The socio-cultural context of her existence not only encourages social exclusion and gender discrimination but brings to bear the effects of institutionalized patriarchal practices hidden under religion and culture to perpetuate injustice and unfair distribution of opportunities.”

    State Secretary, Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN) Nasarawa chapter, Alhaji Mohammed Hussaini explained that the major reason for Nomadic Fulani’s slow pace in education is insecurity that has plagued them for years. He said that if peace is restored, the Nomadic Fulani will send his child to school.

    “If there is peace today in the whole country, Fulanis will go to school. I am a nomadic Fulani and my father sent me to school since 1976 and today I have attained so many degrees. Yes, our girls drop out of school early to marry but the government cannot put in place any legislation to stop it because our religion permits us to marry our girls early; religion sometimes can overcome the constitution; we have people that send their daughters to school, we have thousands of female nomadic Fulani graduates in Nigeria. Making a girl child stay in school or marry is an individual decision by the parents and they cannot be forced upon by the constitution, how can you force someone to do what he doesn’t want? You cannot force me to do such a thing because I can take you to court because of the democratic system of government that we presently have.”

    He also said, “In some parts of Kaduna right now, most of the nomadic Fulani have migrated to the western part of the country, to Ghana and other countries to keep their cows from being stolen…Nomadic schools were closed down or burnt to the ground by the Ombatse group; so were several settlements.”

    As The Nation made to leave the Gwako community, after several bows of Fura de Nono, 60-year-old Hauwa, full of excitement, thrust a N20 note into the reporter’s hand, insisting that she take it for fare back to town.

  • Insecurity robs researchers of funding

    An Ambassador to Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AHF) in Germany, Prof Odunayo Adeboye, has said insecurity has restrained the foundation from sponsoring researchers in Nigeria.

    Adeboye disclosed this at a workshop organised by Humboldt-Kolleg themed: “Harvesting research outcomes: a practical plan to confirm achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)”, held at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

    He said the organisation erroneously believed that all parts of Nigeria are affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.  As a result, he said, they are reluctant to invest their money in a crisis-ridden country.

    He added that the rigorous proposal screening process and non-delivery of stewardship by Nigerians have also affected sponsorship to this part of the country.

    Apart from these, as well as the unfavourable research environment, Adeboye said Nigerians are intelligent and capable of delivering.

    The Nigerian Ambassador to the foundation said research cannot be conducted without power and other infrastructural facilities, adding that there are discoveries, but are not done to benefit people.

    In his welcome address, the convener, Prof. Simeon Olatayo, said in 2000, leaders of member countries of the United Nations adopted the millennium declaration which set out a series of clear commitment, goals and targets to achieve human development.

    He said the MDGs are designed to provide a framework for accountability, donor coordination and resource mobilisation, and provide opportunities to researchers to work on real-life development problems.

    He noted that addressing these problems require multi-disciplinary approaches that combine the natural sciences, the life sciences, technical and social-science approaches.

    “The challenge is to integrate social, economic, political and institutional concerns into research strategy,” he said.

    Olatayo further said the conference hopes to harvest different approaches to achieve MDGs and  stimulate collaboration and research interests among concerned experts such as Educationists, Sociologist, Economists,Agronomist, Agricultural Engineers, Civil Engineers, and Environmental Scientists.

    The guest lecturer, Prof. Adetanwa Odebiyi of the Sociology and Psychology Department, Lead City University, described research outcome harvesting as an evaluation approach; a participative tool enabling stakeholders to identify, formulate, verify and make sense of outcome.

    She said a major factor limiting effectiveness of academic researches is a weak bridge between researchers and policy makers adding that, the weak link is attributed to communication, priorities, and openness.

    Prof Odebiyi added that research provides information about trends and risk factors concerning a phenomenon; while a research environment affects research practices and outcome with a caveat that available resources for research in a society depends on political system.

     

  • Boko Haram, Baga and Nigeria’s federal republic of insecurity

    Boko Haram, Baga and Nigeria’s federal republic of insecurity

    On Sunday night January 11, 2015, CNN International called me to provide some insights during a live interview on the Boko Haram menace and killings. Especially, at Baga. The bloodied Borno city of Baga. I did.

    To understand the level of impunity and violation of the national security of Nigeria by the violent, terrorist radical Islamic group Boko Haram, you have to know about their horrendous massacre of more than 2,000 persons of all ages and gender in Baga.

    Baga is near Lake Chad and had not been conquered by Boko until Friday January 9, 2015. Boko overwhelmed both the ? local vigilantes and Nigeria’s armed forces near and into Baga…. blood flowed like a river….

    The other implications and points I wish to make are:

    First, Boko Haram has turned Jonathan’s Nigeria, with brazen impunity, into what I call Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. Borno and nearby areas have become Boko violent playgrounds, the capital territory of their medieval Caliphate. We cannot have two Commanders-in-Chief in one country: Abubakar Shekau and President Jonathan. For President Jonathan, again, stand firm and Be Nigeria’s duly elected and only Commander-in-Chief; or…..

    Second, for having the will and courage to resist the repeated onslaught of the Boko Haram, Baga has been used, hideously, to teach other towns/villages around Borno and Yobe who refuse and resist going under the dark banner of Boko Haram and ISIS that Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan and his armed forces remain incapable of protecting All Nigerians within its borders.

    Third, beyond the issue of the serial incapacities of the Nigerian armed forces to tackle and defeat Boko, I’m concerned like most Nigerians that the Boko massacres in Baga and Boko’s use of 10-year olds as bombs-explosives carriers into markets. Significantly, the killing of more than 2,000 human beings in one weekend has yet to draw any measurable international response or protests as we saw millions on January 11, 2015 in radical Islamists’ embattled Paris. The world came together, stood together against terrorism and for freedom of expression.

    Fourth, Nigerians and Nigeria’s government should lead the way! Or do they consider their own as Children of a Lesser God?? Nigeria should emulate the way the French forces and intelligence network moved decisively and killed the terrorists… without forming some committees or bogged down by sentiments.

    Fifth, as the year ?2015 opens, a recurring concern for Nigerians, Americans and the international communities remain: are we safe going about our every day lives or investing to do business in most parts of northeastern Nigeria? The honest answer is No! Daily, hourly, Nigerians say their quiet prayers in Maiduguri, Kano, Baga, Damaturu, Yobe, Jos etc asking for one of the following: may the evil eyes and bazooka of Boko Haram and kidnappers not see them! May the lethal bombs of the violent agitators of Boko Haram and political thugs others never set their gps in the same zone… Amen!

    Sixth, ahead of the February 2015 election and amidst all the palaver, Nigerians continue to wonder if their federal state of insecurity would continue?, despite the fact of a whopping federal government budget with the security? and defense allocation bagging since 2012, annually, the lion’s share of an average of N925 billion (Naira) — the equivalent of $6 billion. Those have not given Nigerians reasonable “security?” from kidnappers, common criminals, terror brigands, radical fundamentalists like the brazen Boko Haram and a rag-tag ethnic armies, area boys and area girls, and so on and so forth.

    Seventh, Nigerians, from all sections and faiths and economic status, have expressed their displeasure at the evident incapacity of the federal government led by President Jonathan and most state governors to perform the most basic function of providing security? and safe environments for the citizens. The unrelenting bombs and violent attacks and kidnapping in the middle belt Plateau State and in Maiduguri/Borno State, have combined to make life and movement much more dangerous for families, millions of unemployed? youths and investors in Africa’s most populated country of almost 110 million people.

    Eight, I believe and have made the political economy point that lawlessness and insecurity affect domestic production and international business worthiness of any country. The very bold attacks on the Nigerian Police headquarters and the United Nations building in Abuja (Nigeria’s federal capital) on Friday August 26, 2011 by the radical Islamic group Boko Haram left a weak profile of the President Jonathan and his team — in the eyes of the local and international communities. I wrote the USAfrica special report 14 years ago– on October 17, 2001 — warning that some radical Islamic groups in Nigeria have some level of inspiration and informal links to international terror organizations. Nigeria’s bin-Laden cheerleaders could ignite religious war, destabilize Africa. http://www.usafricaonline.com/chido.binladennigeria.html

    Finally, if any of the President’s 100 advisers has the polite courage for the extraordinary task of reminding His Excellency of his foremost, sworn, constitutional obligation to the national interest about security and safety of Nigerians and all who sojourn in Nigeria, please whisper clearly to Mr. President that I said, respectfully: Nigerians, at home and abroad, are still concerned and afraid for living in what I call Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity! Nigeria, we hail thee.

    •Dr. Chido Nwangwu is Founder & Publisher of USAfrica multimedia networks.

  • Insecurity remains blight, says govt

    Insecurity remains blight, says govt

    •Minister reviews performance

    President Goodluck Jonathan won’t interfere in the electoral process and the job of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the government said yesterday.

    The federal government also expressed regret, that insecurity stained its performance in 2014, but said the measures put in place would tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and other threats to lives and property of Nigerians.

    Supervising Minister of Information Dr. Nurudeen Muhammad spoke yesterday at a news conference in Abuja. He said the country would not be going to war over the elections slated for next month.

    His words: “President Goodluck Jonathan has reaffirmed his commitment to the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections. He has not, and will not interfere with the operations and activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Rather, the President is determined to clear all obstacles that might hinder the smooth operations of INEC. President Jonathan also expects all political actors to play by the rules, in particular by abhorring violence and manipulation of the electoral process. In this regard, I am sure we are all aware of Mr President’s pet phrase, that his ambition to be elected to govern is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.

    “In about six weeks from now, voting will begin in our country’s general elections. There are great expectations about the elections. But while politicians and their supporters are criss-crossing their constituencies, asking for votes, and this is usually accompanied with excitement and sometimes tension, I should stress that Nigerians know that the country is not going to war over the elections.”

    Muhammad also urged the media “to demand the highest standards of candidates during and after the period of electioneering”. “The media should also refrain from giving vent to misguided elements whose attitude is win-or-destroy.

    “Nigeria is bigger than any one of us, and the people on whose behalf candidates seek to govern want peace and progress.”

    The minister scored the government high in performance in 2014.

    He also said the government created 500,000 jobs by the end of the second quarter.

    Muhammad said: “In 2013, about 1.2 million jobs were created; by the end of the second quarter of 2014, over 500,000 jobs had been created.

    “As part of the special attention being paid to jobs, in September 2014, President Jonathan inaugurated the 31-member Presidential Jobs Board of Nigeria. Headed by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the board has government officials and private sector members, all charged with facilitating employment generation.

    “Boost for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). In August, this year, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the take-off of its N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Fund.

    “ The N220 billion development fund is designed to enhance access to finance by MSMEs, which will have a knock-on effect on entrepreneurship and job creation.

    “ The fund will provide wholesale financing windows for participating financial institutions, and improve their capacity to meet credit needs of MSMEs, at customer-friendly interest rates.

    “Significantly, 60% of the MSME fund is meant to be allocated to women entrepreneurs.

    “ In addition to the foregoing, the clean-up of the banking sector has been well-handled. All banks are now fully capitalised.”

    The minister also said  non-performing loans stood at 36.5% in July 2010, by July 2014, they were 3.69%, well within the 5% prudential limit.”

    The government identified insecurity as a major blight in its achievements in 2014.

    Muhammad said the government made some landmark achievements but it would have done better if not for the activities of the Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    The minister said: “From my presentation, there is no question that we have made progress, and the key indicators show without doubt that the progress we are making will be consolidated. But for the insurgency, the rate and quantum of growth and development would have been far more rosy. This is why all hands must be on deck for us to collectively defeat terror, and for us to reclaim and live our normal lives.”

    Muhammad, however, reassured Nigerians that every effort towards ending the insurgency is being undertaken. There are renewed training and retraining towards enhancing the capacity of security services to combat the insurgents, he said.

    The minister added: “As part of the measures to defeat terror, President Goodluck Jonathan has initiated actions at both bilateral and multilateral levels, within the sub-region and beyond, to ensure concerted focus to bring the spate of violence to an end. For instance, the war on terror is now firmly on the regional and continental agenda, with ECOWAS and the African Union adopting measures to combat terrorism. The United Nations has also declared Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation. Furthermore, the Multinational Joint Task Force, which became operational this year, as an outcome of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Partnership, is actively involved in the fight against the insurgents.”

    To address the fallout of the insurgency, Muhammad said the president took some measures, including the Safe School Initiative, the Presidential Committee on Victims Support, also known as “Nigeria Terrorism Victims Support Foundation”, and the Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE), whose responsibility is to plan, coordinate and raise funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of places ravaged by the insurgents.

  • ‘Aregbesola’s model panacea for insecurity’

    ‘Aregbesola’s model panacea for insecurity’

    Will Nigerians ever know peace again in view of the incessant killings in the Northeast? Pastor Ladi Thompson, Special Adviser to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Conflict Resolution and Security Matters, proffers answers to the poser. He spoke with DADA ALADELOKUN

    TO quite many that are already counting days to the end of the year, it is time they started counting their blessings-by rolling out the drums. But to some, notably Ladi Thompson, a humanist pastor cum activist, this is no moment for any drum to even “whisper!”

    “Why must we dance –to celebrate the thousands that have been mowed down by the dreaded insurgents … to celebrate the inexplicable abduction of those 219 innocent girls – the future of our beleaguered nation?

    Pastor Thompson’s emotion crumbled pitiably at his Ilupeju, Lagos office, where the encounter with this reporter took place earlier in the week.

    “God, please take control,” Thompson, the Special Adviser to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Conflict Resolution and Security Matters, pleaded.

    But we have cause to heave a sigh of relief, pastor. We heard that our soldiers are rising to the task of containing them (the insurgents)” the reporter cut in, apparently to soothe his frayed nerves.

    “We must refuse to be deceived at this point. Our soldiers are getting discouraged. While we were counselling some of them, we found out that Nigerian Air Force men were “shelling” our soldiers. Guns supplied to the Nigerian Army were mysteriously found in the hands of the enemies. And sadly, some of our soldiers shoot into the air instead of shooting at the enemies …where are we heading for?

    “Many of our men don’t live to collect their first pay. It is obvious that there is infiltration in high levels and it is a clear fact that a house divided against itself would not stand. Our government must know that there is no global definition for terrorism. Each country defines and tackles insurgency in its own peculiar way to propagate its own existence,” he said.

    On the way forward, Pastor Thompson said: “There is the need for us to put together experts that will define terrorism from the Nigerian and African perspectives. We must realise that one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.

    “President Goodluck Jonathan needs to recognise that we are in a state of war. We must know that the military is not the main solution to the war. We are dealing with moles in high places and they must be fished out. There must be an empowered bi-partisan body of critical thinkers to weed them out. All political activities must be put on hold for now.

    “In the interim, President Jonathan should inaugurate an all-inclusive body for governance, while we sort out the issue of Nigeria’s future and the stability of its territorial integrity.

    “We need, for instance, a platform where somebody such as President Jonathan and the patriotic few such as the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola would sit on a roundtable to discuss the nation’s future. I mentioned Aregbesola because of the Omoluabi ethos of his government, which is the key thing needed to turn things around in this country.

    “It is about patriotism, integrity, unconditional love, Godliness, fear of God and fellow-feeling. Since it is working wonderfully in Osun State, it can work for the entire country. We must not throw away the golden goose because of tribal sentiments.

    On what Aregbesola’s style of governance has to do with the war against insurgency, Pastor Thompson said: “What is happening requires the kind of rare fundamental re-orientation that is happening in Osun State. It is beyond cosmetics.

    “We can no longer avoid the issues that should have been handled fundamentally, which were not. Many of us thought the recent national conference would engender the desired solution, but unfortunately, the no-go areas are the issues causing problems in the country. So, we are back to square one.

    “Sadly, the constitution of the conference was badly skewed because 95 per cent of those that were out to carve a future for the country belong to the typewriter generation that is still hooked on tribal, ethnic and religious rivalry oiled by corruption.

    “So, their results are predictable and totally useless when it comes to forging a way for a digital generation.”

    Using findings from various researches as premise for his argument, Pastor Thompson advised that “we must waste no further time in putting in place a regional defence mechanism.”

    Continuing, he said: “In the event that we fail to hearken to the voice of wisdom, by refusing to implement all these things because some of us are still blinded by our political ambitions, it is going to be a matter of weeks before we realise that our leaders have slept for too long.”

    Noting that the failure of Nigerian leadership has “made us a bitter disappointment to the rest of Africa,” he added that “it will be very unfair to the younger generation because in the event of a meltdown, African youths are not going to find any cushion anywhere in Africa because there is a lot of resentment against Nigeria.”

    Pastor Thompson warned that it would be too late for the country if, in the next three months, the Jonathan-led administration fails to declare a state of war against all the secret agents in government as the insurgents continue to advance.

    “When history books are written, it will be noted that there were some who belonged to a typewriter generation; people who were so self-centred, greedy and so myopic to the extent that all they planned to do was to steal the tomorrow of the youth to create comfort throughout their own lifetime.

    “However, their names will go down in history as belonging to the worst generation in Africa’s history,” the cleric said.

  • Cash crunch, insecurity hurt corporate earnings

    Corporate earnings may be significantly lower this year as companies struggle with declining  disposable incomes and market share.

    Corporate sources said their earnings have been affected by what they described as “cash crunch” in the economy, a reference to declining disposable income, and the spate of violence in many Northern states, which has continuously reduced their market share.

    Early reports on third quarter earnings at the Nigerian stock market showed a generally tepid performance, with most companies underperforming their comparable figures for the previous year.

    A management source in one of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) companies, which products are usually mostly affected by disposable income, said the business environment has not been business friendly.

    According to the source, the company’s earnings, like other FMCGs, were adversely affected by lower consumer demand and growing stock, which forced the company to reduce its profit margin to stimulate demand.

    As inventory built up, companies were accepting lower and sometimes unprofitable margin to clear the goods and ensure continuous operations of the plants, most of which must remain in continuous operations to avoid damage.

    In one instance, a food and beverage company had to reduce its margin to the barely minimum in order to stem its flagging sales and reduce overall impact on total earnings, which already had declined by double digit.

    A review of operational results of several companies indicated a general decline in the momentum of sales and profitability.

    Cadbury Nigeria Plc, one of the top 30 companies at the stock market, last week reported that its profit margin halved to recent low in the third quarter ended September 30, 2014. Cadbury Nigeria’s pre-tax profit margin dropped to 10.3 per cent by September 2014 as against 20.8 per cent recorded in comparable period of 2013.

    Key extracts of the nine-month report showed that Cadbury Nigeria’s turnover dropped by 12 per cent to N23.31 billion compared with N26.55 billion recorded in corresponding period of 2013 while pre and post tax profits dropped by 57 per cent each. Profit before tax slumped to N2.40 billion in third quarter 2014 as against N5.53 billion in third quarter 2013 while net profit after tax dwindled from N3.88 billion to N1.65 billion.

    Also, nine-month earnings of Unilever Nigeria showed the same negative trend. Unilever Nigeria’s turnover dropped by four per cent while pre and post tax profits declined by 49 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

    Turnover stood at N43.63 billion in September 2014 as against N45.61 billion in comparable period of 2013. Profit before tax dropped from N5.04 billion to N2.55 billion while profit after tax declined to N1.82 billion as against N3.50 billion in comparable period of 2013. Earnings per share halved from 93 kobo to 48 kobo.

    United Bank for Africa (UBA), one of the three major banks that have so far reported their nine-month earnings, also reported decline in profitability, a general trend in the banking subsector. While UBA’s top-line earnings rose by 12 per cent from N188.02 billion in third quarter 2013 to N210.72 billion in third quarter 2014, profit before tax slipped from N43.43 billion to N42.54 billion. Profit after tax also dropped from N37.37 billion to N33.63 billion.

    Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc, the most capitalised bank and third most capitalised company at the stock market, reported nine per cent increase in the top-line with gross earnings of N199.24 billion in third quarter 2014 as against N181.99 billion in similar period of 2013. Profit before tax meanwhile slipped from N82.37 billion in 2013 to N80.7 billion while profit after tax declined by four per cent from N69.24 billion to N66.74 billion.

    Meanwhile, Access Bank, which is in the process of floating a supplementary share issue, stated that its gross earnings increased by 17.3 per cent from N155.03 billion to N181.80 billion. Profit before tax increased by 20 per cent from N35.09 billion to N42.16 billion while profit after tax rose by 28 per cent from N27.60 billion to N35.35 billion.

    Corporate sources said they have had to close down most of their Northern operations to safeguard the lives of the staff, noting that this adversely affected their turnover and margins.

    The emerging third quarter reports appeared to be trailing the general trend in the second quarter, which have prompted earnings warnings. First half reports of Cadbury Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria, DN Meyer, Chellarams and Scoa Nigeria Plc among others showed declines in corporate earnings and profitability.

    Corporate sources had said spate of violence and lingering and escalating sense of insecurity have been undermining their forecasts given that the Northern market represented a major segment for nationwide companies.

    Particularly hard-hit were companies dealing in perishable and breakable products, which have had to contend with longer transportation schedule and sometimes, seizure and obstruction of delivery trucks.

    Corporate sources also said the insecurity in the Northern market has adversely affected the pool of human capital in that segment as existing and prospective employees now turn down placements in the North.

    Companies have been responding to the Northern market challenge by scaling down Northern operations and optimizing opportunities in other markets.