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Tag: long way

Still a long way to go

•Reduction of JAMB, NECO fees commendable, but not enough

The Federal Government’s decision to reduce fees charged by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME) is a welcome relief for parents of students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country. After a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, the Minister of Education announced that the decision was taken to reduce the burden on parents, as well as demonstrate that the government had no intention of turning JAMB into a revenue generating agency.

Last year, the Board had remitted N7.8 billion to government coffers after all expenses. In an earlier editorial, this newspaper had called on the federal government to reduce the fees in view of the development. The clarion call was joined by many others, including those who called for a probe of previous members of the board with a view to determining how the huge fees paid by candidates was expended such that little or nothing accrued to the government.

The reduction of JAMB fees from N5,000 to N3,500 is significant and commendable, but is no proof that the admission process could not be made more transparent, efficient and less cumbersome. We call on the Federal Government to go beyond a probe of past regimes at JAMB to ensuring that the best candidates gain admission into the tertiary institutions.

There are also too many hidden charges that encumber parents and make tertiary education unavailable to many. Aside paying the new 3,500 Naira, candidates have to pay designated computer centres a minimum of 700 Naira, pay for an optional mock examination, buy scratch cards and undergo fee- attracting post-UTME screening at their schools of choice. A sum of these sundry fees makes the reduction less significant than it seems.

As candidates for the 2019 examination prepare to register, this is the time to undertake a wholesome review of the process.

We equally commend the Buhari administration for effecting downward review of fees paid for examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO). For the Senior School Certificate Examination conducted mid-year, the approved fee has been reduced from 11,350 to 9,850, and for the Basic Certificate Examination, the reduction is from 5,500 to 4,000.

Unlike JAMB that announced its financial performance after the Professor IshaqOloyede board took charge last year, we do not know what informed the NECO reductions. How did the Council perform last year? Was money remitted into government coffers, thus suggesting that the candidates were being exploited? Government should be open about such things and we expect the National Assembly to ask these questions in the course of performing its oversight function.

The rot in the education sector of the country should receive full attention. Infrastructure is hardly provided and those in place have been allowed to decay. Funding secondary and tertiary education in the country is not tackled by sometoken reduction in registration fees. Many brilliant students are unable to survive the financial demands of the schools, especially the universities, and, despite holding a legion of coffee-quaffing conferences, hardly any solution is provided. If the current administration really means well, it should confront these challenges. Otherwise, whatever other measures it may be coming up with would be cosmetic.

Finally, concentration of control of these institutions, including the state and privately owned, in the hands of the federal government should be reviewed. This not only runs contrary to the tenets of federalism, but can only generate inefficiency and corruption.

December 14, 2018
Still a long way to go

•World Bank’s report on Nigeria says it all; there should be no controversy over it

AS it so often does, the World Bank has issued a salutary reminder that Nigeria’s exit from recession in the second quarter of 2017 does not mean that the fundamental shortcomings which hamper its economic growth have been fully addressed.

In a recent report titled Connecting to Compete and incorporated into its Nigeria Biannual Economic Update: Fragile Recovery report, the bank stressed that unemployment and underemployment increased in 2017, while poverty rose marginally, and declines were witnessed in most sectors, excluding oil and agriculture.

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 0.8 per cent as a result of an expansion in oil output and continued growth in agriculture. However, there are persistent challenges of an infrastructure deficit which cripple the country’s capacity to operate effective economies of scale and properly leverage the obvious benefits of its huge population.

The inability to develop market specialisation along lines of productive advantage, as well as the absence of the necessary connecting infrastructure and policy support, has meant that Nigeria is essentially made up of a series of relatively small, competing markets rife with wasteful repetition instead of a large, cohesive market drawing upon the complementary energies of industrial and agro-allied hubs exploiting their strengths to the fullest.

At a time when political restructuring has become such a contentious issue, it is ironic that a compelling case for economic restructuring has been made by the World Bank. It is doubly ironic that the bank is arguing for policies and processes whose actual effectiveness was clearly demonstrated in the much-lauded regions of the First Republic, when economic growth was based on the development of local resources rather than a passive dependence on subventions from the centre.

Although the recent past has seen welcome innovations like the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), and the rice-purchase agreement between Lagos and Kebbi states, there is little doubt that the World Bank’s assertions are correct.

The routine wastage of agricultural commodities during harvest periods is directly attributable to the country’s long-standing inability to develop a viable agro-allied industrial complex in which the transition from the farm gate to the kitchen is smooth and profitable for every link in the chain, as well as the final customer. States prefer to waste scarce foreign exchange on the importation of goods that could be manufactured in Aba’s famed industries at a fraction of the cost. Governors insist on building unviable airports rather than urgently-needed roads.

The Federal Government should not waste time arguing with the World Bank over its contentions. Indeed, its own Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) lays emphasis on virtually similar issues. It must seek to build upon its acknowledged successes in agriculture, paying particular attention to the development of connective infrastructure that would enable states to build upon their individual strengths.

In this respect, action on the Lagos-Ibadan railway line is especially important. Its completion would stimulate the construction of other lines, such as the Lagos-Calabar line and the new Lagos-Kano line, facilitating their eventual integration with other lines into a viable national rail network.

Then there is the vexed issue of electricity supply. Nigeria was ranked second-worst in the world in power supply in 2017 according to the Spectator Index, beating only war-torn Yemen. The rough average of 4,000 megawatts is utterly inadequate for a nation of 200 million people and incapable of facilitating the realisation of its ambitious goals. Perhaps it is time to pay greater attention to renewable energy, which has the advantage of relative cheapness, greater flexibility and environmental sustainability.

When economic opportunities expand, more citizens will find gainful employment, further stimulating growth, engaging the youth and reducing social tension. It is time for Nigeria to live up to its widely-acknowledged potential.

May 7, 2018
‘We have come a long way’ – Hassan Sunmonu

As the first President of the NLC, how does it feel to be alive to witness this historical 40 years of labour unionism in Nigeria?

I was the first President and together with the General Secretary, we ran the congress for six years. We finished then first term of three years because it was three years then we worked under the military and under civilian government and another military. It was not like this time when it is only civilian. At that time, you are considered a threat at every effort and you could be locked up for severally months or years. Today, it is not like that and it is different from the situation under which we worked. We had a restructured trade union system where we had almost 1000 in house unions structured into 42 industrial unions that made up the Nigeria Labour Congress. We had no factions because four former labour centres merged, they called special conferences to formally dissolve themselves, surrendered their certificates before the present NLC was formed on the 28th of February, 1978. Don’t forget the fact that the name government wanted the NLC to be called Central Labour Organisation. It was the only thing that the constitution that was drafted for the NLC at the inaugural conference at Ibadan could amend because it was a one day conference. So, the only thing we were able to change in the constitution was the name because we wanted to maintain the name and be called Nigeria Labour congress. From there, we started from a building that was hired for us by the federal government on Ikorodu road. We knew that one of the assets we inherited from one of the merging centres was a building along Olajuwon road which had not been completed that time. We got hold of the building which was being taken over by the government. We told the government that it was our building and we got them to reconstruct the building and made it our secretariat. We were given N1 million subvention. What we did at our first NEC meeting was how to share the money and it was decided that each of the 42 industrial, unions should get N10,000. From there, we started organising the state councils. We had 19 states at that time and so, we went round the country to launch the state councils of the NLC which was very appropriate at that time because the industrials unions had not been able to establish state councils. It was the NLC stage councils that helped the industrial unions to take off and was servicing their members. That was part of what we did in our first term of office and we also tried to bring acceptability to the trade union movement. We started to employ staff on full time especially graduates. All the Assistant secretary were graduates. We also ensured that NLC nominate candidates for the senior executive course in NIPSS and since then, NLC and its affiliates started having members attend the course.

It was during our time that we fought for May Day to be made public holiday in honour of the sacrifice being made by the workers in nation building. There was no minimum wage by law in Nigeria until 1981 when we called a national strike before we got the minimum wage. At the continental level, we were very active, while making contribution to national discourse. It got to appoint where we had to organize a workshop and came up with the slogan, Nigeria not for sale in October 1983. We are not like politicians who want to sit-tight or some President who want third term.

There was a proposal to amend the NLC constitution to allow us go for another term because they felt we were doing very well and we said no. Ali Ciroma succeeded us and we were opposed to structural adjustment programme and he continued in the fight.

That is why Babangida tried to destabilise the NLC because of our opposition to SAP. We floored the government in the public debate they organised and the Nigerian people rejected it. Kalu Idika Kalu who was Finance Minister was campaigning on behalf of government while the NLC was campaigning on behalf of the Nigerian people. It is good that after 40 years, we are still alive even though we have lost a number of people in the struggle.

Some Nigerians believe that the NLC now is not as vibrant as it was during your time. What is your take on that?

The situation in 1978 is not the same situation today. I told you that the subvention we were given was like one million dollars. Look at the purchase power parity between then and now. What Nigerians don’t realise is that the leadership if NLC did not come from mars.

February 25, 2018
A long way to go

•Mid-term report: Buhari administration yet to effect fundamental changes

Today is Democracy Day, two years into the Buhari administration and since mid-term assessment of the performance of a government has become a convention, it is a safe point to look into the performance of the government. When the administration came into power by the votes of the vast majority of voters in 2015, it held out so much promise. President Muhammadu Buhari who was the symbol of the struggle that uprooted the then incumbent had pledged during the electioneering campaign to change the face of the country within a short period. s

The then opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that was hurriedly coupled as an agglomeration of forces, politicians and disparate political associations resolved to remove an administration that had become discredited and promised to ensure that Nigerians get the dividends of democracy faster than ever before. Nigerians bought the message, believing that, as a man of integrity, President Buhari would live up to his promise.

Besides, his years in the wilderness as he adroitly struggled to mount the saddle, were believed to have prepared him for the task ahead. Nigerians knew the machinery of governance had become rusty and rickety, but they trusted their fortunes to the Spartan former general who had been a state governor, Minister of Petroleum, military Head of State and chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

He rode into office mainly on a three-pronged agenda – security, economic recovery and cleansing the Aegean Stable through a fierce war against corruption. Half way through his tenure that expires on May 29, 2019, how has the administration fared?

Regarding the Boko Haram insurgency as number one priority, hardly had the Buhari administration assumed power than it swung into action. The process and personnel used by his predecessor were reviewed and changes effected. Whereas the United States of America, a traditional ally, had refused to partner with the country in combating the miscreants who had taking over as many as 20 local government areas under the Jonathan administration, President Buhari succeeded in smoothening relations with the global superpower. It was no surprise that hardware whose sale to Nigeria had been forbidden were quickly supplied and the insurgents were flushed out of their strongholds. In the last two years, successes have been recorded. While we do not agree that the war is won, the backbone of the fundamentalists appear to have been broken and many of those who fled their homes have returned.

Other forms of security challenges have, however, emerged. Whereas kidnapping was mainly experienced in the South South and the South East, it has become a national malaise. The kidnappers have become more emboldened, operating in cities and towns, including the commercial nerve-centre, Lagos. Schools have been routinely violated, children kidnapped and traditional rulers in the South West abducted. Serving military officers and former ministers have fallen prey in Kaduna. In almost all cases, relations had to pay ransom for the release of their loved ones. This is worrying. Armed robbery, too, has been on an upward spiral in the South West, especially.

Perhaps the most shocking is the ease with which Fulani herdsmen operate, attacking innocent citizens, raping women and despoiling farms in all parts of the country – North, South, East and West. The inability of the government to take action against them appears a tacit support for their criminal actions. This is even more so when it is realised that the President was a patron of the Fulani herdsmen prior to his assumption of office. Where some have been apprehended, it has been done reluctantly.

For months, it was mum from the presidency, especially following the massacre of the Agatu in Benue State. In Southern Kaduna where the Fulani went on the rampage, it took an outcry by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), the media and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the Kaduna State government to take any meaningful step to curb the bloodletting. It was much later that the Federal Government felt compelled by the outcry to order military presence for security of lives and property.

The economy remains sluggish. Under the watch of the government, the economy slid into a recession and very little has been done to ensure recovery. While it could be said that some actions were taken to give agriculture priority in a bid to diversify the economy, other sectors have remained largely as comatose as they were. Beyond rhetoric and intangibles, not much has been forthcoming from the solid mineral sector. The structure of the economy remains as it has always been. Impunity in terms of the governance structure and operation of revenue-yielding institutions like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others, remains the same. Their budgets are never declared, and their accounts, as exposed by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), are not audited.

Many compatriots are groaning. Projects meant to reflate the economy, generate employment and feed the poor are executed in the breach. The feeding scheme for school children is yet to take off in most states of the federation; the N-Power scheme to absorb many unemployed graduates is wobbling. Those already engaged are hardly paid by month end, while institutions to support the ministry of agriculture in raising modern farmers are not yet in place. We, however, commend the agriculture ministry for the steps it has taken in boosting rice production, but more should be done if the country is to be self sufficient and save foreign exchange being frittered away on importation of rice.

While we equally commend the government for steps taken to launch schemes to invite foreign direct capital by making the environment more conducive, especially by the executive orders just signed by the Acting President, we need a bolder policy framework to guide all operators in the economy.

Despite the tiff between the executive and the legislature on confirmation of the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the war against corruption is one area much success has been recorded. The searchlight has been beamed on judges, legislators and past members of the executive council. It seems, though, that diligent prosecution has not been a strong point of the EFCC, while agencies like the Department of State Services have been thrown into the fray, leading to inter-agency rivalry and confusion. This has to be curbed if the pests who bled the economy are to be brought to book and made to vomit what they illegally swallowed.

In all, the government has taken some steps expected to reorder things, but they came too late and remain too little. Bold structural reforms are expected, to pull the country out of recession, lift the downtrodden and punish the corrupt. Nigeria must rise again, but, for this administration to be remembered as one that effected the fundamental changes expected, it has to exhibit more determination and increase the pace of work.

In another 20 months, the electorate would be called upon to give a verdict on the government and decide if it is deserving of another term. The government must redouble its effforts to get reelection when that time comes.

May 29, 2017
Electronic voting: Long way to go, says INEC

• May commence process with Anambra election in November

Nigeria is still way off the introduction of electronic voting regardless of the decision of the Senate to legalise it for use from 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suggested yesterday.
The commission, contacted on the March 30, 2017 decision of the Senate on the amendments to the 2015 Electoral Act, legalising the use of Card Reader Innovation and e-voting said a lot of work remains to be done before the decision can be implemented.
The agency said it was following keenly the current amendment to the electoral law.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, called it a yet to be finished product.
He explained that the House of Representatives will have to pass the bill, followed by harmonisation of the bill by both Chambers of the National Assembly before it is presented to the president for his signature.
He said that once the processes are completed, the INEC management team will meet and then take a decision.
But for now, he said, “we need to let it be a finished product.”
Some stakeholders who interacted with the electoral umpire while the bill was still being processed in the Senate sounded optimistic yesterday that INEC is ready to use the electronic system as soon as the legal processes are concluded and that it has commenced plans to start with Anambra State Governorship Election.
One of the national leaders of the political parties, Chief Chekwas Okorie, the National Chairman of United Progressives Party (UPP), who participated in the recent INEC’s briefings with party leaders told The Nation yesterday that “INEC assured political leaders, about a week before Senate’s passage of the bill, that once the processes are concluded and it becomes law, it will implement it in the November Governorship Election in Anambra State.”
Okorie, who described the Senate decision on the issue as a welcome development, said: “UPP as a party has been passionate over this innovation for a long time.
“We presented our memorandum on it to former President Goodluck Jonathan and later to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We had also sent our memorandum on it to all the members of the Senate and House of Representatives of both the 7th and the 8th National Assembly.
“So, we are happy the Senate has passed the bill and we believe the House and the President will follow suit to enable Mr. President to sign it into law.”
He dismissed fears that Nigerians and INEC may not be ready to use the device effectively.
“We all know it will help to stop rigging at the polling booths where thugs are employed by rich but unpopular candidates to hijack votes and insert fake results.
“With electronic transmission of election results simultaneously, there will be no more works for such thugs. We are used to the use of card readers though many of them malfunctioned.
“But now, the card readers have been improved upon and upgraded. They will make use of batteries that can last for eight hours and elections in Nigeria do not last up to eight hours.”
Asked to comment on the development, All Progressives Congress’ (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said his party is yet to take a formal position on the matter and that he would not want to give a personal opinion.
But the court-backed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, in his response described it as a welcome development.
He, however, expressed reservations about issues of accuracy of the device.
In a telephone chat yesterday, Sheriff, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, said the electoral body must ensure that error is minimised in the use of the device.
He said: “It’s a welcome development provided INEC can guarantee 95 percent accuracy. Electronic voting is not a bad idea in a democracy but measures must be put in place to avoid unintended backlash.
“After the 2015 general elections, the INEC had a meeting with political parties where it was revealed that some card readers deployed for the voting exercise failed to capture seven million votes.
“But the unfortunate thing was that the seven million votes were recorded in the final counting. We feel that the margin of error was just too high.
“So we can only hope that this type of error will not happen in future elections so as not to erode the confidence of the political parties and voters in the system and the operators.”

April 2, 2017
Long way to a dream

Eight years after it was founded, the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) in Okitipupa is still struggling to make its mark. There are no academic facilities, good hostels and other requirements for conducive learning. The institution has hiked its fee – an action, which drew the ire of students. TAIWO ADEBULU reports.

•How varsity is coping with lack of facilities

It was meant to boost the learning of science and technology in the Sunshine State of Ondo. But, eight years after its opening, the Ondo State University of Science and Technolgy (OSUTECH) has failed to live up to its core mandate.

For its serenity and Spartan nature, Igodan-Lisa, a rural settlement in Okitipupa in Ondo South Senatorial District, was chosen as the best location for the institution.

Apart from the structures that welcome visitors to the campus, the institution appears to be at its foundation years.

The stretch of the road that extends to the academic area from the main entrance is still under construction and has no gate, except the structure, which bears the name of the institution. The pathway from the entrance is covered in thick bushes; the untarred road leads to the heart of the campus, where uncompleted buildings stand. The buildings are classrooms and offices being constructed by the government but they seem to have been abandoned.

For lacking necessary structures to aid its programmes’ accreditation, the university could not take off as its licence was revoked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2010.

The institution started academic programmes in January 2011 and matriculated its first set of students on March 3, 2011. The university, which initially occupied the facilities of the Government Technical College in Idepe, moved to its permanent site in 2012.

Two years ago, the NUC approved the 10 programmes being run by the institution. But, the school’s facilities remain in a bad shape.

To draw the attention of the public to the state of the infrastructure, OSUSTECH students, penultimate Monday, took to the highway to protest what they called “total neglect” of the institution by the state government. They disrupted traffic when they held a sit-out on the Igbokoda highway, singing anti-government songs.

Although the protest was sparked by fee hike, but the students used it to express their displeasure over the state of the school’s facilities.

The protesters condemned the management’s action to convert the Students’ Union Building to the Centre for Entrepreneurship Training (CELT) for lack of space to accommodate the Centre. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the management took over the building because, in its view, the institution is not ripe for students’ unionism.

Before the demonstration, the students had a peace meeting with the representatives of the management at the school auditorium. The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Tolu Odugbemi, was absent at the meeting, but the school was represented by the Director of Academic Planning Prof Akintunde Akinwande, Dean of Faculty of Science, Prof. David Teniola, Registrar, Mr Wonuola Ekundayo and Head of Department of Mathematical Science, Dr Gabriel Ekundayo.

The meeting, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, ended abruptly when a student, Henry Okunomo, was allegedly threatened with expulsion by Prof Akinwande. To forestall breakdown of order, the management ordered that the school be closed.

This was said to have enraged the students as they moved towards the school entrance to barricade all exits. Afterwards, they marched on the mini campus, to galvanise their colleagues for action. The protest was guarded by riot policemen.

A student, Oyewole Oyetakin, 100-Level Geophysics, said: “How do you expect us not to protest? Where else should we go when we don’t have hostels and our tuition fee increased with nothing to show for it? This rain cannot stop us. We want improvement in OSUSTECH.”

Our correspondent gathered that the tuition fee was increased from N100,000 to N125,000 for Ondo indigenes, while fee for non-indigenes was jerked from N150,000 to N175,000.

To douse tension in Okitipupa, Governor Olusegun Mimiko invited the students to Akure, the state capital, for dialogue. Mimiko agreed to reduce the fees in two weeks and eliminate all the services for which students pay, CAMPUSLIFE gathered.

The governor, it was gathered, also promised to construct a new main gate and sports complex for the school.

A lecturer, who pleaded anonymity, said the protesters had genuine reasons to show their grievances. He said: “It is good the students met with the governor, because there is a strong indication that the governor may abandon the school to fund the proposed Ondo State University of Medical Sciences in Ondo. Where would he get money to fund OSUSTECH and the new one in his home town? What happened in Ogun State may also happen in Ondo. We will end up thinking of merging the three universities to sustain their funding.”

Gbenga Akinsuyi, a Computer Science student, said the campus lacks basic facilities. He said there was no reason for fee hike when the university was faced with poor facilities.

He said: “The governor promised that no students of higher institution in the state would pay more than N25,000 as tuition fee. But, we pay N125,000 and N175,000. Our internet fee is N20,000 and we don’t have access to it. The establishment of OSUSTECH has brought nothing in the last eight years. The campus is bushy and we kill snakes every day. The road from the university entrance is filled with granites and nothing has changed. There is no even a health centre.”

Yemi Fafoluyi, president of Save Ikale Youth Vanguard, an Akure-based pressure group, said the group supported the students’ protest.

Pastor Babatope Ayesanmi, an elder in the host community, decried what he called the slow pace of development in the institution. He said: “The institution is becoming a white elephant project. A faculty has been there for five years without facilities. The university is becoming a caricature of higher institution. The campus has been carefully abandoned.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo State Governor, Mr Eni Akinsola, said there was nothing wrong in students expressing their grievances to the governor. He said the campus had been re-opened after the students met with Mimiko, adding that the governor is attending to the needs of the school.

“OSUSTECH is still a young university and we must appreciate that all its courses have been approved. Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife was founded a long time ago and it is still undergoing infrastructural development. The Ondo State government will resolve everything and the students’ grievances.”

Although activities have returned to the campus, students said they would not relent to call for improvement in facilities until the governor fulfil his promise.

May 21, 2015
‘Women and Maggi’ve come a long way’

The new Maggi Chicken cube is the rave of the moment. Major markets in Lagos, such as Ojuwoye, Mile 12, Agege, and Ikotun, among others, now stock the new Maggi Chicken Cube.

The brand, according to its makers, has been formulated as the best ever chicken seasoning, bringing renewed excitement to retailers and consumers. It can be used with other Maggi products, depending on which dish one is preparing. Sold for N300, the brand has a range of products within different flavour profiles to satisfy the taste of consumers. They are Maggi star, Maggi crayfish, Maggi mixpy ginger and garlic/classic/tomato.

Some women spoke on how trustworthy the brand has been over the years .

Mrs. Anita Chike, who has been using the brand for the past 30 years, said it is tested and trusted. “The amount of those nutrients that have negative effect on the health when consumed in excess has been completely reduced, while food components and nutrients required to maintain good health have been increased in quantity,” she said.

She added: “We all know that fortified foods with vitamins and minerals play a key role in the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies. The brand contains iodized salt and iron.”

For Mrs. Sumbo Ijaola, Maggi chicken has now been improved with quality ingredients to give the tastiest outcome to meals. She said Maggi now provides unmatched chicken taste, great aroma and appealing colour for all cooking. As she put it, “You have not tasted the best chicken until you try the new magi chicken cubes.”

Another consumer, Mrs. Charity Nwanchukwu, said the brand is adapted to the Nigerian taste and cuisine, playing a critical role in the delivery of some vital micro nutrients to consumers. She said: “The salt content is more or less at par with competition and poses no health hazards, it is in moderate quantity.”

Mrs. Aina Oluwole added that the brand provides tasty and healthy meal solutions. “As cuisine, cooking habits, and tastes continue to evolve, Maggi will be that helping hand to the woman who is the meal provider in the kitchen continually helping to create good food moments. The brand encourages the use of fresh ingredients, a good cooking habit and passing on nutrition knowledge,” she noted.

Brand Manager, Emeka Nwodo, said: “With a vibrant, intense and rich chicken flavour, Maggi chicken not only gives consumers a wider choice of its taste, but also ensures that we satisfy the taste and need of every woman in the kitchen , which is to create meals worthy of celebration by her family and friends.’’

Daily, 80 million maggi cubes are sold. Three years ago, a 12 billion CHF factory in Shagamu, Ogun State, was set up, bringing the number of factories in Nigeria to two, having earlier set up one in Agbara since 1981. The company has an approach to business where they work on long term partnerships with stakeholders in the community.

The brand engages over 10,000 soya farmers, equipping them with technical know-how and improved seedlings to help them improve their yields and in turn, sell to Nestle, which the company uses to produce Maggi and a few other products.

April 11, 2014
Still a long way to go

How did the agriculture sector fare in the first six months of the year? Some argue that it did well; others say things could have been better. The government pursued its cassava bread policy relentlessly; introduced the phone-for-rural farmers scheme in order to make fertliser available to them at a subsidised price. Good initiatives but the impact has yet to be felt, reports, DANIEL ESSIET.

Performance of the various value chain of the agriculture sector differed during the first six months of the year.

This was partly due to improved rains and market trends compared with a year ago. Agriculture performance, however, was not immune to developments in the global economy. During the period under review, the Federal Government continued with its Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) to drive the growth of the sector, boost food security and sustain projections made in the sector.

To industry watchers, agriculture and agribusinesses are underperforming. Export is falling while import of food products is rising. Post-harvest losses were high especially for perishable products due to poor storage infrastructure. For instance, Lagos State Government disclosed that 40 per cent of farm produce, especially vegetable harvested within the state are lost to post-harvest activities.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this at the inauguration of Eko Farmers Mart, Ajah and Surulere, said: “This has contributed to the huge gap between the farm gate price and market price of agricultural produce without guarantee for quality products in the state.”

He said that a lot of people are involved in bringing the produce from the local producers in the hinterland to markets in the urban centres with each adding their profit margin to the products. He added that transportation difficulty also contributed negatively to the landing price of agricultural products.

Risks

Notwithstanding the robust growth in areas such as cashew production, significant downside risks still remained in the sector within the period under review. Meteorologists had predicted that the first half of the year, would be more vulnerable to climate change.

Other risks include rise in sea-level and devastation to coastal areas. Some farm settlements are clinging to river banks and cluster in low-lying areas with poor drainage, few public services, and absence of protection from storm surges, sea-level rise, and flooding. The meteorologists said that Nigerians face a future where climate change threatens food supplies, while extreme weather puts their homes and lives at risk.

The challenges are enormous, from the poor state of roads to the lack of agricultural markets, rural credit, warehouses, irrigation and cold storage. The agricultural processing industries that once existed in cotton, fruit pulping and groundnut oil no longer operate. This is because of neglect by successive administrations, both civilians and military administration in the country.

Food prices

Because of the large share of household spending on food, the poor were particularly vulnerable to food price increases. Prices of staples such as soya bean, maize and cassava went up. Maize prices rose significantly in February and are well above their levels a year ago. Flooding and other weather factors kept soya bean and maize prices high in the early part of the year.

Programme Coordinator, Farmers Development Union (FADU), Mr. Victor Olowe said he expected the weather variations to become more frequent as the climate changes, making it important for the government and the private sector to invest in weather tolerant crops, systems and standards for increased food.

Despite the efforts of the government through GES, farmers still had limited access to agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and higher-yielding seeds and extension services.

The Director, African Region, Cassava Adding Value to Africa (CAVA), Dr Kola Adebayo, said improvement of infrastructure for food transportation is necessary to reduce logistics costs.

He said Nigerian farmers and agribusi-nesses could ensure reliable food market if they have access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods.

According to him, poor transport and storage infrastructure are among the factors holding back growth in the sector.

Chief Operating Officer, Centre for Cocoa Development Initiative, Inc., Robo Adhuze urged the government to invest in the agricultural sector to confront the challenges of climatic unpredictability.

Training

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, during the period under review, promised that 80,000 farmers would be trained as part of its 2013 Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme. It is, however, not clear the number of farmers that benefited from the initiative

The programme, which is part of the government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, aims to reduce agricultural input costs, such as fertilizers and hybrid seeds, and enable growers to increase their yields.

World Bank’s assistance

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors during the period, approved two International Development Association (IDA) credits totaling $300 million to boost government’s efforts to expand the agriculture sector while also providing food security and improved nutrition to the rural poor.

The first is the IDA credit of $100 million meant to fund the Agriculture Sector Development Policy Operation, the first of two projects that would support the government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda. The operation include efforts to strengthen policies and capacity to raise yields, promote market access among farmers, and improve overall management of the country’s rapidly expanding agriculture industry.

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Marie- Francoise Marie-Nelly, said: “Nigeria has an enormous opportunity to promote a vibrant, competitive and technology-propelled agricultural sector, which today employs 70 per cent of the population.

“This new project focuses on providing opportunity to Nigeria’s growing ranks of agribusiness entrepreneurs in a way that will generate higher incomes for farmers while also enhancing expansion in the industrial sector, ensuring food security and enhancing foreign exchange earnings.”

The second IDA credit of $200 million will be used to fund the Third National Fadama Development Project (Fadama III). These funds will support smallholder farmers, organised in clusters in six states, activities designed to increase their production of food staples including cassava, rice, sorghum, and processing them for delivery. The funds will also link the farmers to better-organised markets and to small and large-scale food processors.

“The Fadama Development Project is an innovative approach to leverage private sector investments and to establish business linkages between large investors and smallholder farmers,” said Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director of Sustainable Development for the Africa Region. “It will assist the Nigerian Government in its efforts to expand employment, raise household incomes and enhance skills and capacity,” he added.

AfDB’s $150m

The African Development Bank (AfDB) said it has earmarked $150 million to support rice value chain under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government.

Chief Operations Officer of the Bank, Dr. Patrick Agboma, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day stakeholder’s workshop on AfDB Pre-Appraisal Mission on the Bank’s Rice Value Chain Development Programme (RVCDP) in Abuja.

He explained that AfDB in 2012 pledged $500 million to support Rice, Cassava, Aquaculture and Sorghum of the ATA.

$250m fertiliser plant

Consul- General of the United States to Nigeria, Mr. Jeffry Hawkins disclosed plans by the United States government to establish a $250 million fertiliser plant in Edo State. The Consul-General said the fertiliser plant is being planned by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation of the United States Government.

Benue, India partnership

Benue State government said it would partner India in agriculture, poverty alleviation and other areas of economic interest. This was made known during a dinner hosted by the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, for Governor Gabriel Suswam at the Indian High Commission in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the High Commissioner said India’s choice of Benue State for the partnership was informed by the abundant human and natural resources the state is blessed with. He said: “Benue State has the potential of becoming the ‘bread basket’ of Nigeria.

“Being a tropical country with fertile land and plenty of unregulated irrigation that can be managed, I think Benue shares a lot of these conditions with India which can be turned into fruitful use for the benefit of both.”

Ogun’s N.5b agric equipment

Ogun State government signed a N500 million contract with three agriculture firms for procurement of modern land clearing equipment. The contract signed at the office of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ayo Olubori in Abeokuta was between the Ministry of Agriculture, Dizengoff West Africa Nigeria Limited, Olude Gamu Limited and Mantrac Nigeria Limited.

The Commissioner said the Dizengoff’s contract was worth about N189.8 million for the procurement of 30 MF 275 tractors, 50 Baldan AF-3 Baldan ploughs, 15 Baldan SPA-20 harrows, two Baldan 4-Row planters with fertiliser applicators. The firm, he said, would also supply two Jacto Boom Sprayers 400l and two Bladan RPU-1500 slashers.

$250m nitrogen fertiliser loan

Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said it would give $250 million loan to a nitrogen fertiliser plant to boost agriculture, infrastructure, energy and financial services in the country. The venture, which is backed by the United States OPIC, is part of the President Barack Obama administration’s efforts to enhance Africa’s private sector. The Edo State’s Greenpark nitrogen fertiliser project is a re-engineered ammonia/urea plant from Kenai, Alaska, that has been out of operation since 2007.

US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, said: “It is going to use gas captured from a gas field nearby, thereby helping with greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s going to provide a reliable and secure source of low-cost fertiliser and nearly a 1,000 construction jobs and projects around the area, 500 of them direct and the rest around the country.”

Natural gas is the primary feedstock for nitrogen fertiliser and can account for up to 95 per cent of total production costs. With 36 million British Thermal Unit (MMBTU) of natural gas needed for each metric tonne of ammonia, commercially sustainable long-term access to low-cost natural gas feedstock is one of the biggest obstacles to expanding nitrogen fertiliser production.

Greater access to low priced natural gas and lower labour costs means most nitrogen-based fertiliser production is currently centred in the Middle East and Asia. China’s Nitrogen Fertiliser Industry Association, for example, reports year-on-year growth of nearly 14 per cent.

“Despite the country’s immense agricultural potential, there is a consistent lack of physical, social, and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food,” stated the OPIC assessment of the Greenpark project. “Poor agricultural output and widespread poverty have resulted in extensive and persistent food insecurity, with as many as 70 per cent of Nigerians estimated as food insecure.” The Greenpark Petrochemical Company plant is Nigeria’s second synthetic nitrogen project.

Dry season farmers to get N1b loan

Dry season farmers in Sokoto State are to get various loans totaling N1 billion to boost food production, Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta said.

Disclosing this during the 2nd Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA) in Sokoto, he said that the money would be sourced from the account of Federal Government Agricultural Credit Scheme.

“The disbursement of the low interest credit facilities, which were guaranteed by the State Government will soon commence,” he added.

July 5, 2013