The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • Terrorism: don’t compare Nigeria with Somalia

    Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Alvaro Aguilar, yesterday said the menace of terrorism in the country was minimal and should not be compared to the situation in Somalia.

    Aguilar, who spoke at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Apapa, Lagos, during a joint press briefing of the Nigerian Navy and crew members of a visiting Spanish War Ship, MV RAYO, expressed his countries readiness to partner with Nigeria in eradicating piracy, terrorism and other sea crimes from the Gulf of Guinea.

    Aguilar said: Although, the spate of terrorism in the country was of great concern to the international community, the situation was far below what is obtainable in Somalia, where the Spanish warship had been engaged in an anti-piracy mission coded Oparation Atalanta’.

    He said: “There is no doubt that the issue of terrorism is a source of concern to us, but in no way can we compare the situation in Somalia with that of Nigeria in that regard. Even piracy in that part of the continent cannot be compared to what we have here. It is not potentially as dangerous as in Somalia.

    “Spain is worried about the situation of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. Spanish navy asked for permission from Nigeria for the vessel to berth here and perform a couple of joint exercises. The navy came here as a result of the importance of Nigeria in the continent. MV RAYO is among the world’s best three ship design with highly equipped technology.”

    Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Navy, Captain Abraham Adaji said both Navies will train in fire fighting and other aspects of naval operations. He noted that the issue of piracy was not peculiar to Nigeria alone, disclosing that advanced colloborations have been reached at a recent meeting in Yauonde, Cameroon, for countries to harness their resources and military information to combat the menace.

    He said four Nigerian Navy officers will follow the vessel to Dakar, Senegal, at departure in order to put in practice, the trainings they would have received.

    Commanding Officer, MV RAYO, Lieutenant Commander Rafael Rodriguez, aid the vessel is a 26,000 tons dispkacementbIPV with 95m length, 14m breadth and 5m draught, with a 74 member crew and was commissioned in 2011.

    Talking about Operation ATALANTA, Rodriguez said the operation is mounted by the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), to combat piracy off the coast as well as facilitate shipment of aid to Somalia.

    Earlier, the Spsnidh team paid courtesy calls to the Flag Officers Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command and NAVTRAC.

  • Nigeria and same-sex marriage

    SIR: It was soothing news on Tuesday June 4, that Nigerian House of Representatives had finally criminalized the same-sex marriage in Nigeria, with punishment of 14 years behind the bar without option of fine for the offender.

    It takes patriotism, courage and integrity on the part of the legislators to stand up and be counted in this crucial and dawning challenges; to be noted among those that stood to protect our core values and tell the depraved western world that we still have our own culture, norms societal ethnics and values as a leading light on the African continent, and that we can decide what we think is best for us as a people.

    It is a giant stride on the part of our democracy, it will send strong signals to the international community that we are maturing and coming up by taking our destinies into our hands.

    It is the time for the President to tell the world that he also is a man that fears God and place premium on our core value and esteemed culture.

    Why were America and Britain so particular that the bill should not be passed and signed into law? If they have failed morally, is it binding on us to fail also? Let them go with their aids as Senate President, David Mark had brilliantly responded to their threat in the past.

    It is high time we started taking legitimate and bold decisions to tell them that without their meddling in our internal affairs we can sort things out maturely by ourselves. It is obvious that the same white people are major players in our economic woes. Let us stop taking loans from them and frontally reject their domineering spirit and superiority complex over us as a people.

    Let us provide a conductive environment for our children to develop their potentials and reach their inimitable heights on our soil, instead of wasting away in white-man’s land. Let’s encourage the farmers to go back to the farm and produce more food to feed the nation, instead of importing food from them. If the manufacturing sector is genuinely focused, it will create mass employment for the army of jobless youths and stabilize our national security.

    Let make living and working in Nigeria more pleasant and attractive and less stressful, protecting the rights of everybody. Our leaders can domesticate what good things they can learn about western democracy and throw away their illicit culture, as in the case of legislation against same marriage, Like the word of Barrack Obama on Jan 12, at his second inaugural speech that ‘’we do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few”. We can make Justice accessible and available to the people. The government should walk the talk by fulfilling their electoral promises and make politics a level playing field for everybody to participate without intimidation from anybody in authority.

    • Pastor Mark Debo Taiwo [JP],

    Ogbomoso

     

  • Protect your children, SAN urges parents

    PARENTS have been urged to protect their children against abuse. Mrs. Titilola Akinlawon (SAN) gave the advice  at the annual lecture organised by the African Women Lawyers Association(AWLA), Nigeria to mark the ‘Day of the African Child’.

    Akinlawon, who chaired the event spoke on the topic, “ Child protection; culture and responsibilities.”

    She urged parents to inculcate high level of discipline and integrity in their children.

    Female children, he said, shout when they are being abused by the opposite sex,in order not to lose their dignity and self-respect.

    She said the right of every child is protected and guaranteed in the Lagos State Child’s Rights Law enacted in 2010 and in the child law put in place by the Federal Government.

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that though the present generation of children have the privilege of Internet and other electronic media network around them, she counselled  them not to abuse such priviledges by visiting websites that would not advance their academic pursuit.

    “You are our future if we fail to pay attention to your welfare, then what does the future holds for you”, she asked.

    Speaking on ‘Child Protection’, Mrs. Tam George, said a recent report by United States stated that over 10.5 per cent of children of school age in Nigeria are out of School.

    “You have a right to sound education, you have a right to leisure and recreation, you have right to move together in group, you have right to ask and to express yourself, you have right not to be physically abused.”

    George however charged the children to pursue their goals and also seek more information that can assist them in their academics.

    Similarly, Mrs. Lara Williams who spoke on “Culture and Religion”noted that culture has taken away over 90 per cent of the daily activities in Africa.

    She said that there was need for  male children  to have respect and dignify their female counterpart.

    According to her, there should be an end to the attitude of discrimination between the male and female child in the family.

    She frowned at the public discrimination against disable children in the society.

    “Disable children are always not being properly taking care of. They are always being hidden from the public even by their parents” she lamented.

    Williams urged the children to desist from rebellious act and instead package themselves and behave well in their respective homes.

    She also tasked children to listen to instructions from their parents, adding: “Parents have responsibilities to you and you children also have responsibilities to them”.

     

     

  • Agency takes measures against flooding

    As part of effort to prevent flooding, the Department of Urban Affairs of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council said structures at flood- prone areas and under high tension wire will soon be demolished.

    The FCTA said many of the buildings close to the flood plains have already been  marked for demolition and clearing of drains has begun to allow free flow of water

    The Acting Directorof the department, Alhaji Liman Ibrahim disclosed this in Abuja at the flag-off of FCT flood awareness campaign.

    The one -week sensitisation campaign that would be carried out in all the six area councils may not be unconnected with the recent predictions by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    Ibrahim stated that the sensitisation campaign was a wake-up call by all stakeholders to prepare for flood and adopt measures aimed at preventing, averting and containing flooding incidents.

    According to him, “it is a wake-up call on our relevant stakeholders to take proactive measures towards preventing and tackling the incidence of flooding in the FCT, these measures include but not limited to clearance  of drains to allow for free flow of storm water, demolition of illegal structures built on flood as well as early warning system”.

    The sensitisation teams include officials from National Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.

    Part of the flood- prone areas visited includes Dutse Alhaji, Dutse Magaranta, and Kubwa all in Buhari Area Council.

     

  • FCT slates media walk for sickle cell

    FCT slates media walk for sickle cell

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed its readiness to sensitise residents on sickle cell anaemia this month.

    The Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya, said this at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja.

    He decried the stigma as well as sicklers’ lukewarm interest in sensitisation programmes.

    “I intend to call people with sickle cell disease, people that are genotipically challenged because it’s not their own doing , we have been doing a lot on that, we have been having loads of sensitisation programme with some NGOs and the department of public health.

    “We will enlighten them, empower them to know that this is you, you are better than the rest of us, you should explore your preventive strategy, don’t stress yourself, don’t do this emotionally. But because of the stigma associated with it, many people will not even want to come unless they have crisis, that is why it’s not that vibrant.

    “You know you empower people, when you empower them, they decide better. Prevention is better than cure.

    “We can have a media walk on sickle cell in July; it’s something that we can do. I tell people if we don’t do it, nobody will do it. Seventy per cent of our population is young. It’s for us to take charge of our country. It is for us to decide where we want to go”

    On bone marrow transplant as a cure for sickle cell anemia, he said, “You can have a bone marrow and die tomorrow and have sickle cell and live forever.”

    On the Karu District Hospital in FCT, the Secretary said it is expected to take off fully before the end of the year .

    The secretary said all the various equipments needed are already on ground.

    He said the contractors handling the construction of the hospital caused the delay,adding that the inability of the contractor to complete the job has brought untold hardship to residents of the area.

    The completion of the hospital, he further stressed, will reduce the problem of congestion in hospitals especially those in the city centre as well as the Asokoro and Nyanya General Hospitals.

    Expressing disappointment at the slow pace of work on the contract which was awarded in 2005, with a completion period of 84 weeks, he urged the company to work towards meeting up the deadline or have it revoked and given to a more serious contactor.

    According to him, four months is enough to complete the job insisting that the people of the area have suffered and that the FCT administration would not condone unserious approach towards important projects.

     

  • ‘Why govt can’t empower every Nigerian youth’

    The Federal Government has said inappropriate placement of youth-related programmes in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and poor implementation of government policy are responsible for the challenges facing youth empowerment programmes.

    The Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir who made the position of the Federal Government known at the ongoing Ministerial platform in Abuja, said  the  non-implementation of the National Youth Policy is part of challenges hindering the ministry from making progress in youth related matter.

    ”The National Youth Policy provides that there will an inter-ministerial council to be called the National Youth Development Council under the chairmanship of the President.

    “It will comprise all the chief executives of the core relevant ministries, to serve as forum and clearing house on all youth policy matters of national interest, this has not been implemented,” he said.

    Abdukadir also decried lack of cooperation of some state and local government authorities in the establishment of skill acquisition centers as stated in the national youth policy across the country.

    ”Problems associated with land allocation within areas where centres are to be built, as well as lack of appropriation for the ruining of the youth development centres and personnel,” he said.

    The minister who further mentioned insufficient and late release of funds as part of challenges militating against the ministry, however, recommended “the need to refurbish and upgrade the existing the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (C&LTC) to meet up with its challenges and execute its mandates”.

    Abdulkadir maintained that in spite of challenges, the ministry would ensure “the completion of on-going national youth development centres in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

    ”Ensuring more young unemployed graduates are given required entrepreneurial, vocational and skills training in specialised vocation, so as to grow youth economy and thereby create wealth.

    ”Articulating integrating leadership and skill development modules in the training of youths as part of the ministry’s input in human capacity development for future leadership roles”.

    On the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the minister noted that “the implementation of the approved expansion of the administrative structure of the scheme has worked, as it has helped to drive the policies of the scheme, thereby enabling it to cope with the dynamics of youth mobilisation and management for national development and self-reliance”.

    He disclosed that “658 corps members were trained and empowered under the Millennium Development Goals to establish agro-enterprises and not less than 131, 659 corps members were given skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development training in the year 2012”.

    Consequently, the minister called for the “release of more funds to the NYSC scheme for the implementation of its core programmes and for the conduct of skill acquisition training/empowerment of corps members, as well as the establishment of Youth Development Fund in line with global best practices”.

  • Lawyers urge caution on foreign colleagues

    Lawyers urge caution on foreign colleagues

    AKEYs feature of this year’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Business Law (SBL) conference was the international dimension which it took.

    It was as a result of the call by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for countries to open their gates to lawyer from other jurisdictions to practise law in a globalised world.

    The conference examined other numerous topics, and had the theme: “The role of lawyers in an emerging economy.”

    Lawyers, who spoke to the The Nation after the conference, scored high. They also spoke on how they benefitted.

    NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN)

    NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) said: “Well, if you had aggregated everything that was said here today, one thing has come out clearly and that is the fact that we have to be careful.

    “As I said, I recognise the fact that in opening the doors, we could actually be opening the doors for jobs for lawyers, We have to be every careful on what we are doing.

    “We have to be sure that the regulatory steps are in place, it is very key and very critical to what we are discussing and I still make my point that there is a reciprocity, if we open our doors for everybody to come and practice law here, do we have such opportunities in their jurisdictions, if that is not addressed, I am afraid that it won’t be an easy sell to Nigerian lawyers.”

    For the chairman of the SBL, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, the conference was a huge success.

    He said: “The conference has gone extremely well, we have met the usual standards of our conferences and we have also surpassed those standards.

    Oyebode

    Oyebode said: “The conference was very well attended, our keynote speakers sent the massage that we wanted them to send, Governor Kayoed Fayemi of Ekiti State, Mr. Harold Prisner of BLP and our key sessions in the afternoon; firstly, lawyers as catalysts in an emerging economy and the second one about international law firms looking at entering the Nigerian market. The plenary sessions went on extremely well and we surpassed the registration numbers that we had last year, so, I am very happy and enthused.”

     

    Dr. Gbolahan Elias (SAN)

    Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Gbolahan Elias (SAN), said: “ I am highly impressed by the number of people that attended the conference and the quality of presentations, I am indeed impressed.
    “We are happy that so many people have taken off time from their busy schedules to be here with us today, it is indeed  a worthwhile experience, we tried so hard to put up sessions that would have something for everybody.”

    Chaiman, Intellectual Property (IP) committee of the SBL, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha

    Chaiman, Intellectual Property (IP) committee of the SBL, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha, said: “I am delighted with the conference, we had a full house, the attendance was fantastic. This year, the Intellectual Property committee has chosen the theme “Intellectual Property issues in an emerging economy.

    “As we all know, intellectual property helps to drive the economy in terms of innovations, new ideas that ultimately can be commercialised and lead to some sort of income generating venture for the nation and help to improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), so I had a wonderful panel of experts who did justice to the session ad we eventually had a lot to learn to help the IP world.”

    Mr Tunde Ayeni

    Mr Tunde Ayeni said: “ This is brilliant, it cannot be better than this and I commend the organisers for this fantastic idea, this is what I refer to as a continuous legal education system.

    “ It has really exposed our members, we should really start doing things the way advanced countries do them, especially, if we want Nigeria to be a destination for investment, we must grow our legal system and this is the way to start it.

    “ I am happy with what is going on, and I associate myself with it I associate myself with the people that are involved, I congratulate the NBA President and the team that he has successfully put together to organise this.”

     

    Mr Matthew Egbadon

    Mr Matthew Egbadon said: “We all know the issues that are involved really and there is no doubt that lawyers have a major role to play in an emerging economy.

    “In turning things around in this country, as we aspire to be one of the 20 most prosperous economy in the year 2020, which is just few years away from now, we want to know exactly how ready we are , the number of things that need to be in place for us to attain that and as has been canvassed here since morning, the issue of knowing what the law is at any point in time is critical, certainty of the law, respect for the property of people and of course, respect for contracts, particularly when it involves international practice, these things are critical and a lawyer has a major role to play in ensuring that all these things are done so that if these things are put in place, we will be ready for the 2020 vision.”

    Mr Fubara Anga

    Mr Fubara Anga, who has qualification to practise law in three different jurisdictions, said: “My position is that those doors have to be opened whether we like it or not and my belief is that we should control the speed, the manner and the extent to which the door is opened and if we don’t open the doors, others will open the doors for us.

    “ Even from the panel today, you can see that Nigerians are practising law all over the world, now whether they are Nigerian firms practising law all over the world is a different matter.

    “What we are saying is that the nature of legal practice has become so global and so virtual that even without coming here, foreign lawyers are already practising here or taking a chunk of the legal briefs and not calling it Nigerian law. What I am saying is that the way legal services are delivered have changed and the Bar and Nigerians lawyers have to adapt to the times.”

     

    Former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark

    Former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark said SBL chairman and Council members put up a very good show.

    “ They have done very well and I wish that other Sections will borrow a leaf from them. From the cocktail to the opening session was well attended and the topics which they have chosen for discussion here are very apt.

    “Every lawyer that did not attend this conference has really missed a lot because as I have always said, these Sections and the professionalisation of legal practice is the best thing that has happened to us, this is the kind of conferences that our members should be attending because this is where they can get their optimum best, this is where they can acquire the best continuing legal education.

    “From participation in conferences like this, they will be bold claim that yes, I can now understand Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms (ADR). I can understand aviation law, I can now understand international transactions, I can now understand trans border transactions and so on. It is only when you come to conferences like this that you will be able to know what you are supposed to do because you cannot sit in your law office and think that law practice is all about going to court, coming back and that is the end of things, no.

    “For instance, this morning, they were discussing about the World Trade Organisation (WTO) liberalisation of legal services, how the government will collaborate with the NBA so that we will get the best from this idea of liberalisation of legal services, all their programmes were really very good, it was indeed a very good conference.”

     

    Former President, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) Mrs Stella Ugboma

    Former President, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) Mrs Stella Ugboma said it was “a very good conference of international standard”.

    “I have really learnt a lot. As you know, in the past, the SBL has always been very good, so they have not changed.”

     

    Mrs. Mfon Usoro

    Mrs. Mfon Usoro spoke on allowing foreign lawyers practise in Nigeria.

    She said: “At the moment, Nigeria has not scheduled legal services in its schedule of specific commitments under the (WTO) and our Legal Practitioners Act (LPA) requires that somebody should be enrolled as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria after passing the Nigerian Law School examinations or by a special warrant before the person can practice law in Nigeria. These are the only people qualified to practice law in Nigeria.

    “But you should note that this law was drafted in 1982 and does not accommodate present day realities because they were not contemplated at that time. At the moment, the reality is that foreign lawyers are providing legal services in Nigeria through cross border, through consumption on board and even through some other ways, but these were not provided in our LPA.

    “I think that what we should do now is to develop the regulations that would be transparent and would put restrictions, limitations on areas that we do not want to grant access and national treatment to foreign legal practitioners, that is the way to go.”

     

    Damian D. Dodo (SAN)

    Damian D. Dodo (SAN) said: “ The biggest impression that I came out with is how well organised the conference has been. That is the matter I was discussing with my brother silk, Mr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), just some minutes ago, it shows that some preparations and planning has gone into the whole exercise and we have seen the fruits and the way it has turned out, so, we must commend the SBL for a conference well organised and in which we have very commendable numbers.”

    On his area of particular interest, Dodo said: “It has been in the area of competition law, but unfortunately, I was unable to attend that session today because of other commitments, but since I already have the conference materials with me, I intend to avail myself of the thoughts and perspectives of others who have looked at the issue and hope that it will help us to put in place, the proper regimes that will ensure that there is no dominance in any particular sector by any operator, so that competition becomes a key aspect of our economic and social life.”

     

    Fabian Ajogwu (SAN)

    Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) said: “ First of all, let me commend the organisers of the conference; it was well organised, but, most importantly is seeing globalisation and the impact it has on the way we work as lawyers.

    “We had a lot of things to learn; we have seen that you cannot practise law to the point of excellence in isolation. You have to learn what global best practices are, to improve the standards, emphasis on ethics and excellence in the profession.

    “And, finally, to look in the fields of disputes resolution, how to deal with disputes in terms of arbitration, mediation and conciliation and other modes of Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms (ADR), there is something for ever body in this conference.”

     

     Aniedi Akpabio

    Aniedi Akpabio said: “ I have actually participated in this conference and I am mostly impressed with the quality of presentations from all the speakers. I took part in some sessions on the first day of the conference, one of them talked about the expansion of the frontiers of legal practice in Nigeria and what should be the role of the international law firms and from the presentations, we realised that there is need for collaboration, even if we don’t have competitions between the local and international law firms, there is actually the need for this collaboration for efficiency and high service delivery for our clients.

    “The theme of this conference itself is a very good one, the role of lawyers in an emerging economy and from what we gathered, is evident that there are certain skill that we need to be part of what is happening in the globalised world.

    “We have discovered that to do this, you need an entrenchment of the rule of law, we need law reforms and must ensure the independence of the judiciary.

    We were made to understand in this conference that a situation where you have cases lasting in courts for upwards of 10 years would certainly not encourage foreign investors to come into the country when they are not sure that if their commercial disputes are in court, they will not get justice until after such a long period of time. So, there is a need to develop and guarantee the independence off the judiciary for Nigerian lawyers to play their role in our emerging economy.”

     

     Tare Yeri

    Tare Yeri said having been a member of the SBL for six years, she feels it is a welcome development to the NBA.

    “It is a session that is driving the association to meet its needs in terms of being the largest gathering of commercial lawyers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    “The different committees have done marvellously well in their respective sessions in terms of taking on relevant topics and highly qualified resource persons to deliver them. All the topics we dealt with and the seasoned resource persons that we brought here really brought out that knowledge and information that really helps young lawyers to grow and become better lawyers that play their roles well in an emerging economy.

    “We have this session on the Presidential Amnesty programme to talk about the value of the programme, the benefits that it has brought to the country regarding peace. Many people have different views about this laudable initiative of the Federal Government but we have seen that it is a welcome development, though it may not be the lasting solution to the Niger Delta problems, it brings the desired peace because a lot of these militants are being taken out of that environment that breeds fear and violence and are taken out to be trained.

    So, I always say that an idle educated mind is better than an idle uneducated man, once you give them that opportunity to be trained and become better persons, in turn, that brings about peace in the society and more income for economic growth and development”

    Former Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Umeh Kalu

    Former Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Umeh Kalu said: “Talking about the business session, which this conference is all about, it is the pivot of law practice if one must say. It touches on our economy and how we can go about issues involving the finances of state and commerce generally.

    “It was very well-organised. I am highly impressed with what I saw. I just left the ADR session and I am well impressed with the papers presented, the issues raised and the questions asked in the session.

    ”It is really a very good conference and is really what every lawyer should be involved as an annual event. It will really help not only in law practice, but in the quality of our service delivery to our clients and this will assist in the development of the legal profession in the country.”

     

    Mena Ajakpovi

    Mena Ajakpovi said: “Well, this is an improvement on last year’s conference and the issues that we have canvassed here will be harnessed to drive policies and to give directions to the face of business law practice in Nigeria.”

     

     Mr. Agada Elachi

    Mr. Agada Elachi said: “ The SBL conference has always been the flagship of all NBA activities and this year’s conference is no different. The organisers have done a wonderful job, the leadership of the section has done a fantastic work, bringing together the best brains to come and talk how to move business forward.

    “I had the privilege of going round a number of sessions, the plenary was fantastic, the key note address by the Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State was great, very deep and very intellectual.

    “The session that really stands out for me is that on competition law, it underscores the importance of the passage of a competition law quickly, it also underscores the importance of lawyers paying more attention to bills that go before the National Assembly. Right now there is a bill there that seeks to amend the Customs law which will bring about pure injustice and discouragement of trade and business in Nigeria.”

     Mr. Dele Oye

    Mr. Dele Oye described the conference as an eye-opener for everyone. “It is, indeed, a very rich conference because it touched on very serious national issues, where we have had a convergence of both the regulators and the practitioners meeting together.

    “In the session, which I chaired, the session on competition law, we had the permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Commerce as one of the speakers and someone from the Bureau of Public Enterprises and we all discussed the issue of competition law and the urgent and imperative need for competition law in Nigeria.

    “We also discussed the recent Customs bill which is currently before the National Assembly and why that bill should not be passed in its current form because it contains a lot of anti competitive provisions which needs to be re examined and amended so that we can have global competitiveness.

    “The bill also has some penal provisions which infringes on the fundamental human rights and also on the rights of other several other laws which gives the duties of several other agencies like that of the Police and other agencies to the customs, so we must find a way out of this and make some of those agencies self regulatory. The NBA has to find a way to stop the bill and ensure that all the critical stakeholders should have an input before the bill is passed.”

     

  • ASUU begins indefinite strike over allowance

    ASUU begins indefinite strike over allowance

    …describes action as inevitable

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday renewed its hostility with the Federal Government as it declared an indefinite strike action. The resolution followed the body’s National Executive Committee meeting held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State on Sunday and dragged till the early hours of Monday.

    According to reports, 51 of the 53 branches of ASUU unanimously agreed to embark on the strike.

    The strike with the government, The Nation learned, followed the federal government‘s failure to honour the Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) which formed a component of the 2009 Agreement government signed with the union.

    Declaring the strike, ASUU chairman University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr. Karo Ogbinaka, who addressed reporters at the university premises described the strike as a “painful yet inevitable decision.” He added that ASUU is tired of government’s dilly dallying, and cannot allowed itself to be insulted any further.

    Throwing more light on the AEA, Ogbinaka said it includes allowances paid as part of excess work load responsibility allowance, and allowance for supervision of Post Graduate Programmes for lecturers, head of department (HoDs), Deans and exam officers, among others.

    He added that the highest AEA is not more than N12, 500 per month, wondering why it has remained difficult for government to live up to its promises.

  • Jonathan to media: Tell ‘good stories’ about Africa

    Jonathan to media: Tell ‘good stories’ about Africa

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday night said that Nigeria must lead Africa in creating a media industry that would tell the good stories of the continent.

    Jonathan spoke at the launch of a television station –EbonyLife TV — at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    He was represented by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.

    “Nations must grow a media industry to tell their stories and showcase their talents; Nigeria, being the giant of Africa, must take a leadership position in this quest.

    “Our greatest stories lie in our creative industry, and we are prepared to support this to the last letter,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying at the forum.

    He gave the assurance that some other private television stations would be established as soon as the process of digitalising broadcast media was concluded.

    “The future of Nigeria rests on the private sector, and we will continue with the reforms in the private sector and the media.

    “We are creating a new fund for the media and creative industries, such that will further assist the industries,” he said.

    Jonathan said that his administration’s goal was to make the Nigeria economy to lead in Africa.

    The president urged interested investors to explore Nigeria’s creative industry.

    He congratulated the Founder of the television station, Mo Abudu, describing the establishment of the station as historic.

     

  • Nigeria as Africa’s new investors’ haven

    Nigeria as Africa’s new investors’ haven

    The recent UN World Report indicated that Nigeria recorded great improvement in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2012.

    The report put FDI flow into the country in 2012 at 8.9 billion U.S. dollars, compared with the 6.1 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2010.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Olugbenga Ashiru, who spoke at the ongoing Ministerial Platform in Abuja, attributed the increase to the strengthening of economic diplomacy by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    “The inflow of these investments had effect on the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in supporting the economic programme of the government,’’ he said.

    Ashiru stressed that China, U.S., Britain, Germany, South Africa and some other countries had formed strategic partnerships with Nigeria in investments in power, wholesale trade and manufacturing.

    “For instance, the General Electric Company of U.S. is investing over 1 billion U.S. dollars in the construction of a factory in Calabar, to manufacture gas turbines for the power sector, not just for Nigeria, but also for Africa.

    “The factory will employ over 2,500 skilled workers and an equal number of unskilled workers, with wealth creation in the added value chain.

    “Also, Procter and Gamble has begun the construction of a factory in Agbara, Ogun, to manufacture health materials, with the potential of creating well over 1,000 skilled jobs and huge potential for wealth creation,’’ he added.

    The minister also announced that China had granted a soft loan of 500 million U.S. dollars for the construction of a light rail system in and around Abuja, adding that the Asian country was also sponsoring the construction of a 50-bed hospital in Abuja.

    Ashiru said Mexico had also granted Nigeria 54 million U.S.-dollar-FDI to develop plantations for the cultivation of pineapple and other crops for export to European Union (EU) markets.

    On international visibility, the minister said that in the last two years, Nigeria was elected into many positions which she had hitherto been denied by the African Union (AU).

    “We have worked hard to reverse this trend and within this period, we have successfully secured 16 international positions for Nigeria and Nigerians.

    “Furthermore, Nigeria is also at present in the highest level of decision making organ of the AU, in charge of democracy, election and good governance of the continent,” he added.

    Ashiru said Nigeria’s interventions in the crises in Guinea Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Libya, among others, had fostered Nigeria’s relations with such countries and repositioned the country in the international community.

    He, nonetheless, expressed optimism that based on the recently signed deal between Malian authorities and the Touareg group; democracy would be restored to Mali soon.

    “It is true a peace deal that was signed and we are optimistic. Nigeria is in the driver’s seat in this process of negotiation and the move towards elections in Mali. We want all countries in West Africa to be democratised and we will move towards that.

    “We will work with all stakeholders to ensure that whatever peace agreement that is signed is respected and we will also make sure that all other parties, including the EU, U.S. and the UN will move speedily towards elections in Mali.’’

    However, Ashiru expressed regret that over 9,000 Nigerians were currently serving prison terms abroad, out of which 752 were in British prisons.

    “Most of the remaining prisoners are concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region and a good number of them are on death row. We are concluding Prisoners’ Transfer Agreement (PTA) with countries such as UK, Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Switzerland, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Hong Kong; so that we can bring home these Nigerians to complete their prison terms,’’ he said.

    Nevertheless, the minister appealed to Nigerians abroad to engage in legitimate business and refrain from committing crimes like drug trafficking which attracted capital punishment in some countries.

    The Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, who also spoke at the Ministerial Platform, said that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) moved up by eight steps in world ranking within the last two years.

    “Nigeria moved from the 44th position in 2010 to the 36th position in 2012, recording the highest FDI inflow of 7.01 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, overtaking South Africa for the first time,’’ he said.

    Usman said inflation was now within the single digit bracket of 8.6 per cent, as against 12.4 per cent recorded in 2011.

    “The deliberation meeting of the International Investors Council that was just concluded and the report from the index say that all indicators are moving positively towards our target of Vision 20:2020. This performance is expected to be sustained in the medium term, given the massive reform measures being implemented. Whichever sector you look at, reforms are taking place and these are beginning to yield results,’’ he noted.

    He said the National Planning Commission (NPC) had initiated major reform initiatives at the federal and state levels, such as the institutionalisation of the strategic planning process at the federal level.

    Besides, Usman said that institutionalisation of Performance Management System (PMS) was aimed at measuring the performance of ministries and individual officers as against negotiated performance targets.

    “Progress made under PMS is the establishment of Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) departments in NPC and M and E units in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Signing of the 2012 performance contract agreement between the ministers and the president also led to regular ministerial performance reporting at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    “Reform data generating process was spearheaded by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which also encouraged the establishment of States’ Statistical Bureaux,’’ Usman added.

    The feats notwithstanding, the minister said that there were still some extant challenges, adding that these included the issue of security and translating the robust growth rates to jobs.

    Analysts contend that if the challenges, especially the security challenge, are overcome, FDI inflows into Nigeria and the national economy will receive a significant boost.

     

    • Folarin is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)