The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian

  • Alarming rise of cultism among Nigerian youths

    The pathetic rise of cultism in our country and its attendant destructive activities are a clear picture of the fact that things have indeed fallen apart. And the need to checkmate it is now more important than ever before it gets out of hand.

    Overtime, the activities of cult groups degenerated to all sorts of hellish acts that include robbery, political assassination, drugs, arms dealings, and kidnapping.

    To make the matter worse, the involvement of artisans, butchers, okada riders as well as underage pupils and secondary school children who lack moral upbringing at that tender age has put the society at a risk. I remember quite well that during my childhood days, late 80s and early 90s, many of the cults related stories that filter to our media nowadays were hardly heard. Then, this menace which government at all levels has consistently grappled with was limited to mostly students of tertiary institutions. Until recently, cult group membership was not a “two for penny” contrary to the cultists’ on-going dance of shame at the market square in broad daylight without any form of decency.

    Cultism in Nigeria dates back to pre-colonial era when a group of people with the main aim of seeking protection from their ancestors conducted rituals. Secret cults have always existed in many parts of the country. The Ogboni secret cult is notable among the Yoruba, Ekpe secret cult among the Efik, Ekine cult in the Delta region and Owegbe cult among the Edo. Almost everywhere in the world, different types of secret rituals groupings are manipulated in the articulation of organisation functions for a variety of social and political purposes. These societies differ in what is kept secret and what is made public. In some, membership is secret, but the rituals are not, while in some others, membership is made public but rituals are secret.

    According to Opaluwah A.B (2009), in his book, Cultism and Nigerian Campuses, “one positive thing about these societies is that they do not harm unless provoked and they could serve as an instrument for cleansing the society of any cultural debris.” The author argued that some even serve as socialization groups that initiate men and women into adulthood as in Poro and  Mende societies in Sierra Leone and the  Oviaosese in Ogoniland.

    Nigerian educational institutions were not associated with secret cults until 1952 when Prof. Wole Soyinka and six others, including Olumuyiwa Awe, Ralph Opara, Tunji Tubi, Daign Imokhuede, Pius Olegbe and Olu Agunloye, formed the Seadogs confraternity, popularly called Pyrates. The ideas behind the formation of the confraternity were both patriotic and altruistic as it was not imagined as a secret cult. Its objectives were basically to fight non-violently but intellectually and effectively against the imposition of foreign conventions as well as revive the age of chivalry and finding a lasting solution to the problems of tribalism and elitism.

    It is no news that Nigeria as a nation has too many nuts to crack. But things would have been much easier if cultism, which is the root of many social vices, had not eaten this deep into the fabrics of our young ones. The insurgents who are threatening our existence, under the guise of Boko Haram, are mostly youths. Not forgetting the Niger Delta militants who are clamouring for resource control in the name of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), also predominantly young while the Igbo group, Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is struggling for secession.

    Without mincing words, if this unwholesome growth in cult activities is not put in check, I can aptly say that Nigeria has a bleak future. How do you expect a brighter tomorrow when today’s leaders are busy with destructive activities and tendencies? A Yoruba adage says, “to ensure that your eyes does not see evil, the whole body must be engaged.”

    Parents should endeavour to be committed to parenting. Many parents have abandoned the role of children upbringing to babysitters, nannies and teachers. Teaching of morals, manners and the fear of God should be given emphasis in the home. Unfortunately, children spend more time in school than they do at home when parents, who should be their primary models are far away at work or elsewhere. It is advisable that both parents should work hard to have a happy and stable marriage because children are always at the suffering end of any broken marriage.

    Educational institutions should as well not fail to always remember that they award certificate based on character and learning. There is, therefore, no need of tolerating acts that will put the school in bad light. It is also expedient that teachers who are supposed to be custodians of morals should not fail to do so as they inculcate virtues in the young ones.

    Our religious organisations should see this time as dangerous according to the Bible. Hence, the need to intensify preaching and teaching on topics that build the total man. Religious leaders should be focused. What God hates should be clearly stated to all and sundry without “economising” the truth for whatever reason.  And it is good “we catch them young” because dried fish can hardly bend.

    The place of the media in nation building is second to none. Gone are the days when television and radio programmes which were centered on building character in children were on air. Nigerian media should passionately set agenda for discourse on children and the reason they are tomorrow’s leaders.

    With the change mantra of President Muhammodu Buhari-led administration, government at all levels should be not take it calm in its attempt to curb the menace of cultism. There should be laws that will ban all forms of cult activities and use of weapons among young ones in both schools and larger society. And whoever is caught flouting should be made to face the wrath of the law.

     

    • Onasanya wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State.

     

     

  • Nigerian installed President of U.S. College

    Nigerian installed President of U.S. College

    Change was in the air as 1,000 students, faculty, staff, family and friends from Nigeria cheered the installation of Dr. Benjamin Ola Akande as the 21st President of Westminster College, which was founded 165 years ago.

    Akande is the college’s first black president and the first Nigerian-born president of a liberal arts college in America. He succeeded Dr. George Forsythe, who recently retired after serving for 10 years.

    In his inaugural remarks, Akande, who formerly served as the dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology at Webster University in St. Louis, said change will be coming to Westminster College.

    “Westminster College will achieve greater significance by empowering learning communities, creating landmark academic programmes, and embracing global opportunities, thereby truly demonstrating the courage of our convictions,” he said.

    Akande encouraged students, faculty, staff, and the Board of Trustees to be open to new ideas that are “bold and forward-looking”.

    During the programme, a new academic partnership between the college and the Oyo State government was announced by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

    He said the pact is expected to opens doors for students and faculty from Westminster and colleges and universities in Oyo State.

    Ajimobi named Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso as one of the tertiary institutions in Oyo State to benefit from the pact.

    “This agreement will give Nigeria’s finest and most talented college students the opportunity to study at Westminster, and in turn, Westminster students and faculty will have the opportunity to study and teach at Samuel Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and potentially, other local universities.  This partnership will help our students become globally competitive, and enable them to improve their communities in Nigeria. Such partnerships are vital for academic institutions and for governments in this increasingly globalised era,” he said.

    Ajimobi also praised Akande, saying his inauguration as Westminster College’s new president “is a proud moment for those of us from Oyo State, from Awe, Dr. Akande’s ancestral hometown, and, it is a proud moment for all Nigerians.

    “Throughout Nigeria, Dr. Benjamin Olayinka Akande is becoming a household name, a symbol of excellence, an emblem of the endurance of the American Dream, and its willingness to embrace and reward anyone who is willing to work hard and excel,” he said.

    Akande’s parents, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. S.T. Ola Akande, also witnessed the installation.

     

  • Tinubu, Omatseye get Nigerian Oscar awards

    Students from different campuses will converge on Sunday to honour the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, with life-time achievement award. The former Lagos State governor would be honoured at the Nigerian Oscar Award for his contribution to the development of democracy in the country.

    The award will hold at Bespoke Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos.

    The organiser’s spokesperson, Adekolawole Longe, said the choice of Tinubu was informed by his political achievements in the last 16 years. He said students across campuses voted for the politician to be named as Nigerian Oscar Person of the Year.

    Adekolawole said: “Students across the country have decided to turn the spotlight on the statesmanship of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who has invested his resources and personal comfort to promote good democratic values and practice. More than any politician in this dispensation, Tinubu has promoted the principle federalism with strong conviction and unequal fervour. He is also a key player in the political movement that changes the country for better.”

    Also to be honoured at the event are individuals, who have distinguished themselves in the chosen career. They include Mr Femi Falana (SAN), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Chairman of The Nation’s Editorial Board, Sam Omatseye, Innocent Idibia (2face), Mr Taiwo Afolabi and Dr Dapo Majekodunmi, among others.

     

  • Nigerian firm manufactures largest dredging machine

    Nigerian firm manufactures largest dredging machine

    Acquisition of effective and durable dredging machine could only be achieved by importation. This was the belief until Nwakama Dredge Nigeria Limited; a local fabrication company based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently undertook a one-day public inspection of 18-feet Cutter Suction Dredger it designed and constructed.

    Following the wide publicity given to the inspection exercise, members of the Port Harcourt branch of Institution of Mechanical Engineers, led by their President, Chief A.C. Uchime paid a technical/facility visit to the construction yard of Nwakama Dredge Nigeria Limited at Oyibo Local Government Area to see things for themselves.

    The visitors, who took time to inspect the dredger machine under construction among other departments in the firm to ascertain whether or not it has what it takes to meet the required condition, including safety standard to handle such huge and complicated heavy duty equipment, expressed satisfaction with the work, describing it as amazing.

    The machine being constructed has the capacity to hold 33,000 litres of diesel, crew living room with amenities, crew kitchen, water closet, spud pillars, radio communication system and vessel tracking system. The ladder length of the dredger is 22 metres.

    The inspectors were sufficiently impressed, even as they marveled that the company had gone this far without any form of government or bank assistance

    Uchime said: “I am highly impressed with what I have seen. This dredger involves a lot of mechanical engineering works.

    “There is clear case of adoption of first principles which guarantee the laying of sound foundation.”

    Also speaking the Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the Institute, Mr. Michael Jarikre urged the company to promptly identify with the Nigeria Local Content Development and Monitoring Board for the needed support.

    He expressed joy that a Nigerian company could embark on designing and construction of dredgers of this magnitude that hitherto were imported.

    He remarked that the technical/facility tour was expository, having learnt a lot.

    After the inspection, the Managing Director of the firm, Elderd Nwakama Onwuzuruigbo fielded questions from the visitors and reporters.

     

    Excerpts:

     

    Funding is crucial to Nwakama Dredge activities. How do you raise finance for your projects? Do Nigerian banks offer you facilities with fair interest?

     

    The banks have not been useful in the area of granting us funds. We have made every effort over the years. Surprisingly, the same bank that receives payments from our customers is not interested in funding the same enterprise that makes the money it is banking.

    We have resolved to approach the Bank of Industry (BoI). We hope it works out well. Dredgers are highly capital-intensive. We save the nation huge foreign exchange by providing efficient and durable dredgers that would have hitherto been imported, thereby protecting the value of the Naira. At the moment, we only entertain cash-backed orders.

    What is unique about your dredgers that would people make people prefer yours to others produced locally and internationally?

     

    Our dredgers are unique because we have employed engineering customisation to give our dredgers the needed edge over other dredgers.

     

    Why buy from us?

     

    You will have the opportunity of deciding what length of ladder that would best suit your environment. Most rivers close to urban centres have been well-deepened due to dredging activities. You need a long ladder dredging machine to operate in such terrains. This is where our equipment has competitive advantage over others. While imported dredgers are struggling to get sand, owners of our dredgers are smiling to the bank.

    You will have the opportunity of having the equipment powered by an engine, pump and other accessories from reputable OEMs that guarantee long life span.

    You will have the strategic advantage of enjoying the best after-sales-service from the same company that designed, constructed and assembled the dredge machine. This backup guarantees optimal production and particularly allows for transfer of technical know-how to your dredge crew.

    You will have the advantage of acquiring a reliable business asset at a cost-competitive rate that saves you fortune. Your return on investment (ROI) increases tremendously.

    You will enjoy a six-month free technical services package.

    You will have the assurance of money-back guaranty should the equipment fail to meet your expectations.

    Again, our dredgers are unique because we deliberately avoid highly electro-technical components and make use of simple electrical and hydraulic systems that don’t pose many challenges to dredge technical crews. We keep it simple and efficient. You don’t need software to troubleshoot our dredgers at the moment. When our environment gets to that, we will promptly deploy such technology.

    In appreciation of the uniqueness of our dredgers, we applied and got a trademark name for our dredgers, which is DGO DREDGERS. Currently, we are undergoing SON e-product certification of our dredgers.

     

    What are the core challenges of building dredgers in Nigeria and how are you tackling them?

     

    The core challenges we face as dredge builders are finance, finance and finance. In our own case, we have the technical ability to design and construct highly efficient dredgers that can compete favourably with world dredge brands. The only challenge we have been having is access to funds to make our dredgers available to buyers when they are needed.

    Timely project delivery is one of our revered values. However, we are currently behind schedule in the delivery of the novel 18″ /16″ CS Dredger principally due to persistent rainfall. Our welding area is out door and this has exposed us to the vagaries of weather.

    This is one of the challenges to address with adequate funding. Notwithstanding, the Dredger is about to be sandblasted in preparation for anti-corrosion treatment and then painting. We are using President Paints which have proved to be very good. The paints are proudly made in Nigeria.

     

    What can government do to help boost your trade?

     

    We need access to funds to improve our production capacity. We will soon seek audience with the Managing Director Bank of Industry, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa. The present management of BOI as led by the MD is really playing a very crucial and catalytic role of transforming Nigeria’s industrial sector.

    Again, our economy will keep getting better if all the relevant agencies would give heed to President Buhari’s exhortation to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Abdulkadir Musa, and other senior officials that “we will no longer allow our markets to be flooded with things we can produce ourselves. We must believe in our system. Whenever you need my intervention at any time, please come to me”.

    Thankfully, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), led by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Denzil Kentebe has been tremendously supporting every initiative geared towards developing Nigeria’s local content.”

     

     

     

  • Nigerian Realtor wins U.S award

    Nigerian Realtor wins U.S award

    The Managing Broker from Centurion Realty and  Estates.Mr. Ola Sanni,  has emerged Realtor of the Year” at the 5th Annual Awards Gala hosted by the United States (U.S) Congressman, Danny Davis.

    The ceremony was put together by the seventh Congressional District’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force (MEATF) at The Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, Chicago, U.S.

    According to Dr. Tapas Dasgupta of The Meadows Club, the “Relator of the Year Award” is bestowed on an individual who has not only excelled in his field, but has also made a difference in people’s lives.

    “The Annual Gala showcases our community heroes and reinforces that the various ethnic communities play a significant and integral role in the progress of our society,” Dasgupta said.

    MEATF was established in 2010 as a platform to acknowledge and appreciate leaders who are giving back in their respective communities.

    Sanni, who entered the American real estate industry in 1994 after his university education at Truman College and University of Illinois at Chicago, in July 1995, won the “Top Listing Award” and ranked among the top sales agents out of 750 sales associates. In April 1997, he broke into the million rank and earned US$1 million month certificate as part of Mattz Group.

    Sanni, who hopes to return to his home state, Lagos, to play a part in the socio economic development of the place, however said “America is blessed with tons of talents and I believe I can better utilise all my trainings and expertise to help my people. The problem with Nigeria is not corruption but leadership. If you eradicate corruption without good leaders, you are just scratching the surface. My generation has what it takes to move Nigeria to the next level,” he said.

  • Nigerian logistics infrastructure: Challenges & prospects

    Nigerian logistics infrastructure: Challenges & prospects

    Abstract

     

    For organisations and companies to be competitive in a globalised  market, they need to move their products and services around the globe so as to meet customer demands and needs. In the light of this, competitiveness cannot be delinked from efficient infrastructure chief of which a competitive logistics transport system is crucial.  Thus, the importance of efficient infrastructure and logistics transport system to economic development cannot be over flogged if countries and organisations want to attain economic prosperity in a now globalised world.

     

    Introduction

    Infrastructure is defined as part of a structure; material or economic base of a society or an organisation.  Therefore, infrastructure can be seen as the basic structure that fosters the good performance of cities’, states’ or countries’ essential services.  In this sense, for a country to have a good logistics infrastructure system in the different modes of transportation, constant investments from both public and private sectors are needed.

    Organisations, especially in a competitive and globalised world, require infrastructure compatible with their needs and demands, in order to transmit their products and services to different producers and demand centres in different parts of the globe.

     

    Infrastructure as a

    competitive factor

    Infrastructure as defined above can be understood as the basic structure directly responsible for the efficient functioning of the transport, education, healthcare, sanitary, security, communication, energy systems and others that support a country’s economic development. Thus, the fundamental factors to competitiveness are established by economic performance, government, business and infrastructure efficiency.

    We will look at the different segments of infrastructural requirement for a virile logistics system.

     

    Transport infrastructure system

    The existing transport infrastructure in Nigeria for obvious reasons is affecting the economic performance and organisations competitiveness.  The transport infrastructure in Nigeria consists of the following modes: road, rail, maritime, pipelines and air.  From available statistics, the bulk of cargo transported round Nigeria makes use of the road system. The pipeline system basically is used to transport oil, gasoline, diesel, natural gas and others, the air system are probably the less used in comparison with rest.

    We will discuss them under the following headings:

    Maritime/shipping;

    Rail transportation;

    Inland waterways

    Road transportation.

     

    Maritime/shipping:

    One of the major challenges facing Nigeria at present is that it has no meaningful participation in the shipping industry on which Nigeria depends, both for exports and Imports.   Practically all Nigerian Exports are shipped “Free on Board” (FOB), while its Imports are shipped ‘Cost Insurance Freight’ (CIF).  The oil rigs in Nigeria waters and the vessel which service them are owned and controlled by foreigners.  Even the vessels involved in coastal trade and Inland Waterways covered by the Cabotage Act are mostly controlled by foreign Ship owners.

    Statistics show that Nigeria pays over $2 billion in freight each year to foreign ship owners either to export oil or to import finished goods.  Presently Nigeria derives no benefit from the freights incurred.  From available records the value of vessels engaged in the three areas of Nigeria’s shipping business namely: offshore rigs and support vessels, coastal cabotage trade and import and export trade, amount to well over $20 billion.  The consensus is that if Nigeria can gain a foothold in its Shipping Industry, the potential would be enormous:

    Job creation;

    Foreign exchange earning;

    Wealth creation;

    Indigenous shipping capacity.

     

    Rail transport:

    The problems of Nigerian railways are many including insufficient locomotives, rolling stock, poor working capital, obsolete signalling and communication equipment, narrow gauge system, poor financial and managerial support base and lack of political will.  Government needs to re-launch the 25year strategic rail vision for Nigeria, change from narrow to standard gauge, strengthen the curves and gradients of the existing narrow gauge and professionalize the management structure.  In spite of the conscious efforts at ensuring prompt and timely maintenance of assets, the main constraint of effective infrastructural assets management in the Nigerian Railway Corporation remains inadequate funding by successive governments resulting in:

    • Poor infrastructural assets management
    • Delays in accident clearance resulting from non-availability of needed materials and tools.
    • Poor mechanization of track maintenance
    • Inadequate number of inspection vehicles
    • Delay in the rehabilitation of washout sites in the North Eastern section of the NRC (between Bauchi – Gombe)
    • Lack of adequate maintenance spare parts for locomotives and rolling stocks

     

    Inland waterways

    transportation

    The Nigeria Inland Waterways Network is reputed to be one of the longest in the world spanning over 3000 kilometres.  It consists of 50 Rivers, including Rivers Niger, Benue, Cross River, Kaduna, Imo, Ogun, Sokoto and Lakes in Oguta and Chad.  However, this great transport resource is still underutilized.

    Development and utilisation of Inland Waterways in Nigeria will improve logistics to a large extent, which explains recent efforts by the government to dredge the River Niger by the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority.

    The authority says successful conclusion of the dredging project indicate great economic benefits to Nigeria and populations along the waterways.

     

    Road Transportation:

    Since 1960, Nigeria’s road transportation infrastructure has enjoyed the largest outlay of foreign investment compared with other modes and remains the preferred option for door to door linkage.  Until recently our policy initiative on road infrastructure development, funding, maintenance and even operations have been the sole responsibility of the various tiers of government.  The on-going initiative in encouraging private sector participation in the transport chain and logistics optimisation is encouraged.

    Generally, a holistic strategy involving the overall improvement of not only the road mode, but also the rail, water, and air modes are developed.  In this connection a blue print should be evolved instead of the current sub-sectoral and uncoordinated approach.

    It is also recommended that the private sector should be involved in the planning and development of transportation as part of the Public Private Partnership initiative of the present Government.

    Other Infrastructure Issues:

     

    Logistics education

    The key to corporate growth and profitability in years to come is to provide top customer service at lowest overall logistics costs.  This requires logistics professionals, with analytical and technology skills, supply chain knowledge, practical down-to earth logistics experience and line management leadership. There is a demand for top quality logistics professionals at all levels, including analysts, line supervisors, sales professionals, managers, directors and vice presidents. Salaries range from entry-level positions in the high twenties / low thirties to senior executives, earning well into the six-figures.

    A broad base of business skills, knowledge of the logistics process, and relevant work experience will give you ample opportunity to begin your career with a manufacturer, retailer, logistics service provider or other organization. One could begin at an operator level e.g. stock controller, fork-lift truck driver or warehouse operative. One might even begin as a management trainee, analyst or first level supervisor, and as one demonstrates management capabilities, one can assume positions in logistics or in other arms of the organization.

    One key to success in this field is flexibility. In logistics you will work closely with people throughout your company – manufacturing, marketing, finance etc. Depending on the size of your company, your initial responsibilities may include one or more of the logistics functions. Some positions will require you to specialise in a specific area of logistics. There are numerous opportunities and career paths in this field it is up to you to seek them out and develop appropriate skills to be successful

    Infrastructures are very important to any country in terms of attracting investment and business and to organizations when it is time to decide where to locate an investment, build a factory, establish a regional office, etc.

    How easy a country is to travel to and the modernity and efficiency of its air and seaports is always something a company and its executives need to consider.

    Logistics in the developed countries is very efficient because they have highly developed infrastructure.

    For instance, the United States, Japan, Canada and EU nations all have highly developed national highway systems, port facilities, state of the art air freight handling, and sophisticated information systems, advanced communication facilities, elaborate rail and multimodal transportation.

    Intelligent distribution and logistics aims to change the nature of the trade-offs in supply chain management by:

    • Improving the visibility of planning and control information across the supply chain, and hence improving the quality and speed of decision making;
    • Improving the robustness of logistics processes, making them less variable and more accurate;
    • Creating novel transportation solutions for distributing goods.

    Efficient supply chains for private industry are often very dependent on many public infrastructure assets.

    The overall logistics infrastructure of a nation can be evaluated on the basis of ten categories of major metropolitan indices including:

    Transportation and distribution industry,

    Transport and distribution work force,

    Road infrastructure,

    Road congestion,

    Road conditions,

    Interstate highway access,

    Vehicle taxes and fees,

    Railroad access,

    Water port access

    Air cargo access.

     

    Transportation and distribution industry – This category attempts to get a feel for the depth and strength of the metro-wide transportation and distribution industry and includes the number of companies in the metro area engaged in the transportation and warehousing  industry sector, along with the annual revenue generated by the transportation and distribution industry sector.

    Transportation and distribution work force –  This category attempts to get a feel for the depth and cost of the metro-wide transportation and distribution work force and includes the total annual payroll of companies in the transportation and distribution industry sector, the total number of employees, the average salary and the transportation and distribution revenue per employee.

    Interstate highway access – This category focuses on the interstate highway infrastructure and includes the number of interstate highways that pass through the metro area, as well as the number of interstate auxiliary routes such as bypasses, etc.

    Road conditions – This category includes the average roughness of the metro area’s roads, as well as the percentage of bridges that are obsolete or structurally deficient.

    Road congestion – Whether a metro area has adequate roads depends upon the amount of traffic using those roads. This category includes such things as roadway miles per capita, total miles of freeways, average daily freeway traffic and average daily traffic per freeway lane.

    Road infrastructure – This category attempts to look into the future in terms of keeping up with an adequate road infrastructure. It includes public roads mileage, capital outlay for roads and bridges, highway maintenance per mile and spending for highway law enforcement.

    Vehicle taxes and fees – This category includes highway user taxes and fees, as well as motor fuel excise taxes.

    Railroad access – This category includes the number of railroad carriers that service a metro.

    Water port access – This category includes total tonnage for all ports located within the confines of the metro area.

    Air cargo access – This category includes the number of air courier companies, as well as the total air cargo tonnage for the metro.

    Due to the rapid advancement of technology such as pervasive or ubiquitous wireless and internet networks, connective product marking technologies like RFID and emerging standards for the use of these defining specific locations using Global Location Number(s), the basic supply chain is rapidly evolving into what is known as a Supply Chain Network.

    All organisations have or can purchase the components to build a supply chain network, it is the collection of physical locations, transportation vehicles and supporting systems through which the products and services are managed and ultimately delivered.

    Investing in a country’s physical infrastructure can contribute to economic growth, improve human welfare and has considerable potential for directly reducing poverty.

    Yet current investment in the poorer developing countries, whether internally or externally sourced, is insufficient to fund infrastructure needs, leaving logistics at unacceptable levels.

    Although the public sector will remain the major provider of infrastructure services in most developing countries for the foreseeable future, an increasing number of those countries are now considering ways of attracting increased private sector investment and Nigeria is not left out here.

    This article will be followed with another crucial one on THE URGENT NEED FOR A NATIONAL LOGISTICS POLICY.

     

    • Dr Madu can be reached on ceo@multimix-academy.com

     

  • ‘Nigerian lawyers can match the best abroad’

    African Bar Association (AFBA) president, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo has faulted the idea that foreign lawyers are better than their African counterparts.

    According to him, it is wrong to give important briefs to foreign firms when local ones can do better, saying  very good Nigerian lawyers can match the best abroad.

    Uwaifo, who noted the excellent performance of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the International Bar Association (IBA) conference which held in Vienna, Austria, said: “I want to thank our hardworking President Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) for the beautiful admonitions he gave at the breakfast meeting of the African regional forum in Vienna.

    “He touched on the need not only to upgrade our skills,  but to join forces in order to benefit from the huge investments we make into IBA conferences without corresponding benefits.

    “It is obvious that most of the sessions at each succeeding conferences are not relevant to our practice in Nigeria and Africa.

    “I, however, do not believe that our skills are poor in Nigeria. I do not also agree that we can only fit into global legal practice by sharpening skills whatever that means.

    “Nigeria has always played at the world stage. In the World Court, in the International Criminal Justice system and practice. “

    All  jurisdictions, Uwaifo said,  have their peculiarities, culture and style. “However, successful legal practice is tied to good governance, the rule of law, economic wizardry and technology breakthrough and unfortunately, these are mostly lacking in Africa. “Lawyers join politicians to break the law and shop for judges to help validate these shameful conducts. They take advice from clients instead of offering them advice advice professionally,” he said.

    He continued: “Lawyers collect huge sums of money from political clients not in any way commensurate with the regime of legal charges, knowing that these funds were drawn from public funds meant for the commonwealth to tare roads, fix hospitals, schools, electricity and fund technological advances.

    “The Economy remain stagnant, unemployment becomes rife. There are serious security problems, the entire society is dysfunctional. The prosperity of the profession is blocked.

    “Everybody is  accusing each other and the profession is now  Thomas Hobbes’ contraception of nasty, short and brutish. You cannot meet global skills when you take bribes and promote corruption.”

    According to Uwaifo, AFBA will work towards improving lawyers’ fortune.

    His words: “We intend to  bring about some of these changes by encouraging individual lawyers and national associations to imbibe attitudinal changes by organising frequent interactions and acting as watchdog.

    “The present NBA executive has done excellently. They have shown that things can be done right. They are  bringing about orderliness transparency and professional etiquette.”

    The next Exco, he said, has to fight corruption, influence peddling, compromising judicial officers, accepting monies stolen from public coffers to pay professional bills for personal political cases.

    “Be bold to take on judges who ridicule our profession and our country by making ridiculous orders and granting bogus injunctions that will make even the market women reel with laughter.

    “Injunctions stopping security agencies from investigating corruption and other crimes against the Nigerian people should not be granted,” adding: “The bar and the bench must know that the average Nigerian, whose public funds is misappropriated daily is also entitled to injunctions against these mindless crooks and deserves the protection offered by the rule of law.”

     

     

  • Low data security bane of Nigerian businesses

    Low data security bane of Nigerian businesses

    Low data security has been identified as one of the challenges besetting most businesses operating in the country.

    Echoing similar sentiments, Marek Zmyslowski, Managing Director of Jovago Nigeria said: “One of the biggest challenges e-commerce companies face is e-fraud. Although there is a consistent rise in internet penetration, we have found that many of businesses around the world are yet to invest in applications that adequately secure the data of clients. If we as a continent, are going to have the ‘first-mover’ advantage, then we will need to pay closer attention to ICT security.”

    It may be recalled that the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged the federal government to embark on a sensitisation campaign with the public on the Cyber Crime Law.

    The Cybercrime Act which was signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan states that “any crime or injury on critical national information infrastructure, unlawful access to computer systems, cyber-terrorism, among others will be punishable by law.”

    While security agencies work to contend with cyber-offenders, stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry state that successfully protecting consumers online will aid in the development of the local economy.

    Based on a report released by the Nigeria Communications Commission, although the country has the largest online population in Africa with over 70 million people connected to the internet, less than 27 percent of travellers use online payments while 73 percent choose to pay at the hotel due to fraud.

    In 2014 alone, financial institutions across the country lost over N159 billion to e-crime.

    As oil prices struggle to make a comeback following strategic moves by OPEC to protect market share against further drop in prices, the tourism and hospitality sector is yet to take advantage of the abundant opportunities for expansion.

  • Nigerian students shine in South Africa

    Nigerian students shine in South Africa

    Students of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) in Delta State have put the country on the global technology map when they displayed their innovation at the Shell Eco Marathon held at Zwartkorp Race Track in South Africa.

    The event was hosted by the School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Johannesburg to enhance students’ innovative skills. Participants, who are Electrical and Electronics and Mechanical Engineering students, were challenged to design, build and drive energy-efficient automobiles.

    The FUPRE team held members of the audience spellbound with their expertise, designing a lead-free energy-efficient car named Delta Cruz. They won Shell Unleaded Gasoline Prototype prize with a staggering result of 55.9 km/l of fuel per litre. They also won the Technical Innovation award.

    The FUPRE Team beat 11 others to win the contest. Four Nigerian universities, including FUPRE, participated in the competition. Other schools are University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).

    The Delta Cruz has a speedometer of 29km/hour and a dimension of 110 by 90 by 275 centimetre. Its components were locally-sourced materials. Its tyres were modified to move on smooth and rough surfaces.

    Ms Augustina Ovuema, an Academic Technologist with the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, praised the team for their achievement, urging them to build on the performance.

    The team leader, Efemena Ewhrudjakpo, a 400-Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering student, described the feat as deserving, saying the aim was to encourage made-in Nigeria vehicle.

    The Eco-Marathon is sponsored by Shell Petroleum Development Company yearly to develop the innovative skills of students and to promote use of eco-friendly technology.

     

  • Provost tasks Nigerian scholars on intellectual development

    Provost tasks Nigerian scholars on intellectual development

    The Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, (ACE) Ondo, Prof. Olukoya Ogen, has urged scholars to seek global outreach and intellectual development in order to enhance their career. Ogen gave the advice at a workshop themed: “Writing Research proposals for Fellowship and Grants” held at the Management Information System (MIS) building of the institution.

    The workshop was sponsored by the United Kingdom/Economic and Social Research Council (UK/E.S.R.C).

    Stressing the importance of international collaboration in knowledge transfer, the Provost said participation in seminars and conferences outside their institutions would help Nigerian academics to acquire knowledge and gain exposure to compete favourably on the world stage.

    Ogen also said Nigerian institutions need to keep abreast of global trends as institutions in the 21st Century are defined not only by physical attributes, but international presence, competitiveness and global recognition.

    In his welcome address, the Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr Gbade Ikuejube, described the workshop as a landmark achievement and first of its kind in the history of the institution.

    Expressing optimism on the immense benefits that would accrue to participants from the workshop, Ikuejube described the team of resource persons as seasoned and experienced.

    Also speaking, Dr. Insa Nolte, a researcher and history lecturer in the Department of History, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, said the programme was aimed at developing the skills and proficiency of scholars in Nigerian institutions to enable them compete and network internationally.

    Calling for effective collaboration between Nigerian scholars and their overseas counterparts, he said knowledge transfer could better be achieved with international collaboration and mutual engagements.

    The two-day programme featured presentation of papers on various topics which include: “An overview of available national and international grants and fellowship programmes”, “Applying for and winning the George Forster/AVH Fellowships”; “Applying for and winning the Cadbury and AHP-ACLS  fellowships and “Applying for and winning the Leventis fellowship.”