The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PLANNING

  • Fed Govt: GenCos planning to disrupt power supply

    The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola yesterday alleged that some electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) were planning to disrupt power supply to score political gains.

    He said a report to that effect is already with him.

    “Let me say it very clearly to some of these people that I get reports on some of the clandestine meetings they hold with the view to disrupt power supply for political capital.”

    He also said the power firms have dragged the Federal Government to court over its regulation, stressing that the suit coming at the time that there is increase in power supply is an indication of the intention of the plaintiff to blackmail the government and hold the citizenry hostage.

    He wondered “whether the period when this sector is now making progress does not suggest an intention to blackmail government and to hold the citizens hostage?”

    Fashola however promised to defend Federal Government’s position in the law court, where he has lived all his life.

    He spoke at the 25th Monthly Power Sector meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

    The power firms had sued the Federal Government for discriminatory treatment against them and the gas suppliers. They claimed that the government’s was scheming to give Azura Power West Africa Limited and Accugas Limited to disadvantage of the entire power sector.

    The representatives of the GenCos in the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, are Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, Transcorp Power Limited, Egbin Power Plc, and Northsouth Power Limited.

    Fashola however noted that only the power firms tabled their complaints to the ministry and dragged the government to the court only a week after that was not sufficient for the government to look into their grievances and react.

    He urged them to be fair in good conscience to the court of law and court of public opinion about the rival firms that they complained of. The minister submitted that the other new company has a partial risk guarantee in its contract which the plaintiffs do not pocess.

    Fashola tasked the plaintiff to be ready to tell the citizens how they felt first when other groups went to court to stop the implementation of tariffs approved by NERC.

    He said: “I was their supporter then asking Nigerians to bear with the tariff. You must explain to the court of public opinion whether they went to court before this government approved for them the N701billion payment assurance guarantee which enables them to receive payment on their monthly power bills.

    “When they are in that court, they must also tell the court that they are indebted to gas companies and to their banks because they were receiving less than 50 per cent of their bills. And in doing so, they must tell the court that they now receive 80 per cent of their bills from less than 50 per cent because the Buhari’s government intervened with the assurance guarantee.

    “They must also tell the court when they get there or while they are there that unlike before when they were paid in naira, from money that was received from international customers, we sell power to Niger Republic, Chad, Niger and Togo, under an international arrangement. They must tell the court that they are now receiving payments in dollars instead of in naira, which used to be the case.

    “They must also tell the court when they get there and also tell the court of public opinion that that there is a new GenCos  getting paid 100 per cent while they are getting 80 per cent. And they must explain to the court that the reason is that that new GenCo has a partial risk guarantee in its contract and they do not. They was the contract they signed.”

    But he said the genesis of the hatred in the sector was the introduction of the mini-grid regulation that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)presented to the ministry last year making legal ways for competitive participation in power generation instead of the monopoly -like system that held the sector down for years.

    Yesterday however, Fashola recalled that the privatisation of the sector was not meant to replace government monopoly with that of private businessmen.

    He added that there was already progress emanating from the implementation of the regulation p, adding that “So if those people bother to look around them and they look at roof tops across Nigeria, you will see increased number of solar panel.

    “And the Nigerian Mini Grid Regulation we have issued  encouraged this to happen more and more and it will not stop. So for those who want to produce solar one mega watt and below we now have a regulation that allows,” he said.

    Fashola presented the Meter Asset Provider 2018 Regulation to the State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, making Akwa Ibom the first state to receive a copy of the regulation of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    He recalled that the government pursued an out of court judgement in a case that lasted from 2013 to 2017 to get N39billion from a liability of N119billion.

    He said negotiations were still ongoing for fundings for rural electricification, mini-grid and DisCos distribution expansion financing that government hopes to complete before the end of the year.

    According to him, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has continued its wheeling capacity, upgrade of its substations in partnership with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company.

    He reported to the stakeholders at the meeting that the Calabar substation has been completed and ready to be energized: Uyo substation is already completed and ready  to be energized in a matter of days. He said that substations in Karu, Nassarawa, Abeokuta among others have been completed and now in service.

    Fashola said it was no longer news that the sector has reached a 7,000mw generation capacity and now has 5000mw distribution capacity.

    He said in the last month the ministry met with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, DiscOs and GenCos and TCN on how to implement the eligible customer policy and increase connectivity to the 2,000mw now available.

    He said that the meeting was productive and “report reaching me is that is what is outstanding is agreement on the tariff that will be paid on the eligible customer.”

    Speaking the NERC commissioner, Dafe Agenife, who presented the Meter Asset Provider 2018 Regulation to the minister said that issues of availability of metering and estimated billings were recurring where the commission went to.

    He said that the commission had consultations with different stakeholders, agency and consumers on the regulation .

    He submitted that the findings was that NERC could not leave the task to the DisCos alone as other investors must come on stream, hence the Meter Asset Provider Regulation.

    The commissioner Before you today is the NERC Meter Asset Provider 2018,” adding that four years after privatization customers are still complaining which necessitated the regulation to have independent people approved by NERC and contracted by the DisCos  to bridge the metering gap.

    In bridging the gap, he said, customers will now have the option of self-financing, obtains meters from the asset providers to pay the metering service charge for a period of 10 years.

    The meter asset providers will also ensure that the meters are maintained 48hours should anything goes wrong with the meters, he added.

    According to him, it is estimated to produce an investment of over N200billion in  the next three years in the industry.

    The regulation, he said would create jobs owing to its 30% local content initiative.

  • ‘Lagos owes its prosperity to robust planning, procurement’

    ‘Lagos owes its prosperity to robust planning, procurement’

    Robust planning, procurement and budgeting techniques employed by  the Lagos State government made it a model and one of the strong economies in Africa.

    Its Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget Permanent Secretary, Mr. Kadiri Aboyomi Adebisi, who stated this in Lagos, said the state was  harmonising its planning and budgeting with stakeholders in view of her long-term strategic plan for 2025.

    He spoke at a sensitisation and advocacy workshop on planning reforms and procurement for the chairmen and legislative leaders in Lagos.

    He said the idea was to introduce officials of local governments to budget and planning, which are key to the state’s prosperity

    Adebisi added that the state government was harmonising the template to get every level of governance to have the same vision and plan.

    Earlier, Local Governments Auditor-General Mr. Olatunji Jimoh advised the local government chairmen on the need to translate their promises into concrete action. He urged them on the need for systematic allocation of resources on performance targets.

    Jimoh, who was represented by the Director, Planning, Research & Development Directorate, Rev. Mcewen Lamai, reiterated that no meaningful development could be achieved without proper planning and budgeting.

    Stressing the importance of budgeting, he said: “The approved budget is the expenditure authority derived from law, appropriation bill for an entity to apply specified funds from its revenue for identified purposes. The budget established authority for expenditure on specified items and the legal limit within which an entity must operate.”

  • Pertinence boss advises government on planning

    Pertinence boss advises government on planning

    •Firm set to redefine Island property market

    The need for government to ensure effective and efficient planning in the Lekki –Ajah- Epe axis of Lagos state, has been re-emphasised. This is because if proper planning is not put in place and government enforce strict development guidelines, the corridor may soon become chaotic, ultimately ending up as a slum.

    This is the view of an Executive Director of Pertinence Limited, Mr. Sunday Olorunsheyi, in a chat with The Nation Property at the weekend. According to him, the corridor, which is regarded as the fastest growing corridor in West Africa, presents a cash-cow opportunity for both the state and federal government if proper planning is put in place. It also provides an abode for luxury living style, which he reckons is capable of changing the real estate landscape for good.

    “Most of the places we see abroad is not as if they don’t have challenges, but they are better planned. Our government has a lot to do in planning and infrastructure for this axis. It is not that there are no agencies responsible for this development, but some of them are just not doing what they are supposed to do,” he explained.

    Olorunsheyi, who spoke at the land promo launch of his firm in Lekki, revealed that in the spirit of defining real estate development in the Lagos Island market, Pertinence Limited, with vast interest in housing market, has established luxury estates in the corridor, with a view to empowering the public to invest in same. One of such  estates, he revealed, is the Lakowe estate, located just beside the golf course.

    “It is a place people have been eyeing to have a property. It’s a place for comfort and luxury and very affordable. In Ibeju-Lekki, we have two estate locations- Ayeteju and Osoroko. Ibeju-Lekki is the new Lagos as everything on the island and mainland are moving to the area. The biggest refinery in the country and continent is being built in this axis. So it is wise that as businessmen, one positions himself around this axis for great benefits,” he explained.

    Pertinence, he further revealed, has secured about 25 acres in Lakowe, and in Osoroko, has over 200 acres. Osoroko, he disclosed, is the main project of the firm on the Island for 2018, tagging it as the VIP Garden City. For now, a plot sells for N3.5 million, but will increase once the infrastructure is in place to N10 million or more.

    “What we are selling is the future and it is better to buy the future when it is cheap and today is the time to buy the future. In Ibeju-Lekki, we are selling the future. The awareness is coming up in real estate. We have a track record of integrity,” Olorunsheyi said.

    Another Executive Director in the firm, Mr. Wisdom Ezekiel, corroborated Olorunsheyi’s position. The Lagos Island axis, he explained, produces the largest chunk of resources used in running Lagos, so it is natural that it enjoys higher patronage of government and developers. “If you are not buying land in this axis now then you are not serious about your investment. You need to position yourself for the future. You cannot have an airport, seaport, Free trade zone, refinery, all in an axis and say you don’t want to invest there, you are only wasting your time,” he said.

    He revealed that his firm chose to give out a car for the first time in its Island land promo because of the calibre of subscribers on the Island and the value of the land on offer.

  • Family planning

    Family planning

    There was this expatriate whose driver announced one morning, on their usual drive to work, that his wife just had a baby.

    “That’s great, Congratulations”, his boss said.  He reached into his pocket to give the man a cash gift in lieu or a baby gift he knew he would be unable to shop for.

    “This is your first child, right?” the expat asked.

    ‘No, my sixth’. The driver smiled back.

    His boss’s smile vanished.

    Quickly, he shoved his money back into his pocket, wondering to himself if I, your boss, have two kids, and you six, who should bless who?

    Surely you, like I, have noticed how the wretched poor most always have very large families, while the rich, even the so-called middle-class (nearby extinct today) have small, manageably sized families.

    And all across Africa the store seems to be the same.  Or how is that one keeps seeing foreign African beggars all over the cities begging for alms; their three or more children in tow.  Every time I see a woman struggling for public transport, she is never alone.  What I seem to see all the time is a woman with: One-at the back, One-in front, and One-in the middle.

    The U.S based Population Reference Bureau, in its Population Data Sheet ranks Nigeria among the 10 most populous nations in the world.  Indeed, the top 10 fertility rates in the world, over six children per woman are in sub Saharan Africa.  You do know Nigeria is the most populous country in the continent.

    U.N. figures show that 20 percent of the world’s poorest are in Africa.  And the gloomy statistics Africa posts concerning social indices are only logical derivatives of the failure to employ Family Planning.

    High Infant Mortality and Low Life Expectancy, Poor Sanitation, High Unemployment and High Crime Rate (notably Armed Robbery and Kidnapping); High Illiteracy Rate and Low per Capita Income in addition to the emergence of Urban Slums, are just a few of the outcomes.

    Incidentally, Nigeria also has an unenviable place in the seven countries with the lowest life expectancy.  The UNDP, in its Human Development Report of 2016 says that life expectancy in Nigeria is 53.1 years.  This is according to Edward Kallon, the UNDP Resident Representative in Abuja.

    Now, the United Nations raised the international poverty line to $1.90 per day in 2015.  That translates to N602 at today’s exchange rate of N316 to the dollar. This makes me constantly wonder-for the man with more than six children at home living on less than N600 a day (i.e less than N100 per head a day) – Does He Not Know, Think Feel, See That He Is Poor And Needs To Stop Increasing The Number Of Mouths To Feed??!!

    Many thanks to Mr.  Bassey Bob and Michael Uket who help vet my work.

     

    REPONSES

    Re:  Owelle and the Kaduna Declaration

    Sir, the FG should be warned that they are responsible for the ethnic hatred in the country.

    We had warned severally that the FG should insist that vendors and newspapers distributors should be warned to stop selling illegal publications on Biafra which use derogatory names to refer to northerners and fellow Nigerians.

    Feyi Akeeb Kareem

    Thanks Feyi.  Note I am not a SIR!

    Is Kanu altruistic in his pursuit?  Are the Igbo not “oxymoronic” in the desire?

    Rochas’s philanthropy is cosmetic – a means to an end.

    As for leadership – Igbo leaders are as nebulous as their desires are amorphous.

    “Igbo enweeze”

    Lenad Ayokulo

    I totally agree with you on Rochas.

    Anabaram

    Re:  Because Dora lived, Nigerians don’t die taking drugs

    She is being remembered and honoured by those who appreciated her outstanding achievements, performance and dedication while in office as NAFDAC boss.  And I must say that some of us who now have the confidence to purchase drugs and without fear of buying fake drugs still appreciate her.

    Olotin Abidemi

    But are you sure NAFDAC is still what it was under her watchful eyes?  Me thinks its not been the same.  I wish Nigeria well, we have institutions but lacking in leaders with character to drive them to achieving the national objectives may her soul find eternal rest in peace.

    Thanks for the piece.

    Busari Alade

    __________________________________

    Responses to 07055547031 (Whats App)

  • Census: Don seeks proper planning against pitfalls

    Census: Don seeks proper planning against pitfalls

    A professor of Geography and Environmental Management Funso Olorunfemi, has advised the Federal Government that proper planning is required before the conduct of another census if the country is to avoid the pitfalls of the past as far as population census is concerned.

    Olorunfemi, who spoke at an advocacy lecture at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, said that with the shoddy preparedness of the National Population Commission (NPC), the country cannot conduct a reliable census next year as being proposed by the Federal Government.

    Speaking on the topic: Population in the spirit of change, Olorunfemi said the required proper planning would include carving the country into enumeration areas and putting such in digital format.

    He said: “Digital imageries should be acquired for Enumeration Area (EA) demarcation. All EAs must be geo-referenced and edge matched to allow for storage in a Geographic Information System database.

    He continued: “The advantage of this cannot be over-emphasised, one of which is the ability to store, retrieve and link to other attribute data within a national frame that can be used for future censuses. I learned that National Population Commission (NPC) may even require biometric data! To this, I have my reservations.”

    According to him, Federal Government must “first of all carry out an independent ‘audit’ of the degree of preparedness of NPC before a census date is announced. Anything short of a near 100 per cent digital satellite based enumeration area maps within a GIS database environment should not be acceptable for the next census.”

    The don, who said the present 40-member NPC commission with representatives from states was unwieldy for a reliable census, advocated constitutional amendment “that will make it a seven-or at most a nine-member commission fashioned in like manner to INEC made up of a Chairman and one representative each of the six geo-political zones. If expanded, the Director-General of NPC and an appointed Secretary will make the commission nine, Olorunfemi further recommended.

    “To achieve this requires a constitutional amendment that specifies state representation, this being suggested here that, what we should have is state Resident Commissioners and not State representation in the Commission.

    ‘’I wish to call on the Federal Government  that given all of the above, a census may not be feasible until 2020 or 2021 and this is possible if a census proclamation is made in 2017”, he stated.

  • ‘Consumer connection system vital for media planning’

    The belief that advertising investment is a waste may wane soon, following the launch of Consumer Connection System (CCS), a Dentsu Aegis Network consumer, lifestyle and product survey last week.

    Coming at a time assumptions have replaced research in making marketing decision, the new tool avails  industry players, such as advertisers and agencies handling their brands, the opportunity to calculate the impact of advertising campaigns and how consumers make decisions.

    CCS marks a step-change in the way consumer research is conducted within the consumer landscape.  It allows brands to find out crucial information about their consumers.

    The smart tool addresses the media reach dimension of consumer behaviour and covers the reaction to this reach through an investigation into their notice and engagement experiences with various types of ads, ad formats and categories. It measures the use, influence and effect of over 50 communication channels.

    At its launch, the Director, Insights and Innovation at Dentsu Aegis Network sub-Saharan Africa, Byron John, said: “CCS Planner in Nigeria is now the most sophisticated media communications planning tool in Nigeria, but it has inherently future. The CCS Planner has the ability to calibrate, not only the CCS Benchmark data but any other third party media data.”

    Its Group Managing Director Mr. Emeka Okeke, said: “CCS and associated tools derivable from it is an absolute game changer in communication planning in Nigeria.

    “Advertisers, the media and communication experts desire and deserve the level of details that CCS provides to follow and track the sophisticated consumer who with modern technology receive millions of messages everyday and therefore have become very discerning in their choices of products and services.

    “They no longer rely solely on raw messages from main stream media to make up their minds about brands. They live in a connected world through multiple sophisticated devices and we, therefore, need systems like CCS to track changes in their lives and behavior. It is unequivocally another first by Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network in Nigeria and counting.”

    Dentsu Aegis Network in sub-Saharan Africa Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Rowlands, noted that CCS is the most comprehensive source study in the media planning and buying market.

    “Apart from having an extremely granular level of touch-point data, it studies the interaction consumers have with media in detail. With increasing ad-avoidance, media engagement, incidence of cross-screen consumption, etc. are far more important metrics than reach and time spent. CCS will give MFDAN the insight into the market that no other tool is able to offer,” Rowlands added.

  • Peterside suggests careful planning for good maritime security

    Peterside suggests careful planning for good maritime security

    The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that good security in the maritime industry requires careful planning and strict implementation.

    Peterside stated this at the closing ceremony of a five-day training programme tagged “Train the Trainers’’, facilitated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and NIMASA on ISPS Code Compliance in Lagos.

    He said that the agency was committed to improving the fortunes of Nigeria by creating an enabling environment for a business-friendly and secured environment for stakeholders in the industry.

    The director-general said that the training was predicated on the premise that a fact -finding team was in Nigeria earlier in the year to conduct a Needs Assessment where a number of gaps were identified.

    According to Peterside, this necessitated the training, with a view to addressing some of the gaps identified.

    “I guess that in the course of this exercise, we have learnt that good security requires planning and stringent implementation.

    “I know that in the course of this training, the seed of co-operation and collaboration between NIMASA as Designated Authority (DA) for ISPS Code Implementation in Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Federal Ministry of Transportation has been planted.

    “My expectation and desire of the leadership of these Agencies is that it will grow and blossom in a tripartite series of planned training programmes.

    “This is expected to culminate with the lead auditors training, which will place you the drivers of the system at the cutting edge of professionalism in ISPS code implementation,’’ the director-general said.

    He thanked the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, for his support and enduring commitment to the imperatives of NIMASA’s DA status and indeed all matters pertaining to the maritime industry in Nigeria.

    Peterside urged participants to bring to bear the knowledge acquired during the five-day training programme, adding that this would enhance security at the nation’s ports.

  • Town planners blame lack of planning for retarded growth

    Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) Chairman, Mr. Anifowoshe Abiola, has said the inability of governments and stakeholders to match economic planning with physical planning is responsible for lack of opportunities for wealth creation in the country.

    Abiola, who spoke at a briefing on the 50th anniversary of the NITP, also rued the absence of  proper and professional planning, saying such omissions led to the arbitrary development of cities and towns.

    He blamed stakeholders and governments for the misnomer.

    He said if Nigeria paid more attention to physical planning, it would have an improved economy with more opportunities for wealth creation, disclosing that Lagos  has a comprehensive Master Plan to guide physical development in the next 25 years.

    Abiola, also the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State,  said  the key objectives of NITP centred on advancement of public awareness of the importance of living and working environments,  with the inclusion of advancement of town planning education, training, research and practice.

    He said: “As professionals, we have for many years been emphasising the benefits/values of orderliness, well planned communities, not only for the health of the citizenry, but also for their economic well-being.

    “This, we believe, will be better achieved if and when economic planning at state and federal government levels is treated as mutually exclusive.”

    NTIP past president, Dr. Bunmi Ajayi, said there had been plans to guide cities’ development, but that lack of finance to  implementation  them has been a challenge.

    “If the government fails to commission plans, there is nothing any town planners can do,” he said.

    Another former president of the institute, Mr. Remi  Makinde, chronicled the achievements of town planners  since  the inauguration  of NITP. According to him, they initiated  plans for the development of FESTAC Town, Satelite Town, Gowon Estate, Ipaja Low cost housing, formation of Federal Environmental Protection Agency and development of  Abuja as a new federal capital among others

    In Lagos State, Abiola said the institute offers advocacy and interfacing with public sector towards mapping out policies, laws and regulations.

    “As we celebrate 50 years of planning profession in Nigeria, we have resolved to continue to play the lead role in stimulating efforts to promote habitable settlements,” he said.

  • Fed Govt to adopt simple planning process

    The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo-Udoma, has said the Federal Government will adopt a simple planning process to achieve inclusive growth and development in the country.

    He spoke while fielding questions from some participants at the Annual Public Lecture of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) in Abuja.

    Senator Udoma said the country would learn from Ethiopia’s experience which recorded 10 per cent growth rate for over 10 years in the agric sector.

    He said he had visited the country to learn the secret of their success and was ready to replicate it in Nigeria.

    “I went to find out from Ethiopia how to achieve this and how they did their planning and the processes. I found out that they consulted farmers; they went down to the grassroots and made their planning very simple,’’ he said.

    The minister said Nigeria’s plans are too complex and that the nation has top economists, who put the plans in a language that many do not understand.

    “We need to do simply plan; we need to make use of a language that everybody can understand and we need to consult with economists.

    “We encourage them (economists) to simplify it to be able to achieve inclusive development. We want a simply plan, a plan that will consult extensively, a plan that everybody will understand, a plan that will be internalised by everybody,’’ he said.

    According to him, making the plan simple is the only way the country can achieve inclusive growth and development.

    The topic lecture tilted: ‘Strengthen Budget – Plan link for inclusive development in Nigeria.’ was delivered by Prof. Mike Obadan of the University of Benin Foundation for Education and Development.

  • Planning key to good governance, says Tinubu

    Planning key to good governance, says Tinubu

    At a colourful ceremony attended by dignitaries in Lagos, Silverbird Communication on Sunday night honoured All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu with the Extra-ordinary Man of the Year Award for setting standard for good governance.

    The packed hall hailed as Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, received the award, his face wreathed in smiles.

    Introducing Tinubu to the huge audience at Eko Hotel, the chairman of the occasion, Mr Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), said Tinubu used his tenure to transform Lagos into a modern city.

    “Tinubu began a revolution in Lagos; he made Lagos more livable; he transformed Lagos through planning; he set standards for governance in Nigeria. Beyond Lagos, he has taken his vision to the national level. The same planning we see in Lagos has been taken to the national level.”

    Justifying the choice of Tinubu for the star award, Ajumogobia, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said with the challenges in Nigeria, we should go beyond partisan politics.

    Replying, Tinubu said “a nation cannot achieve progress without planning and I am committed to that plan towards making Nigeria great. According to him, the plans for the country’s development must be made regardless of partisan politics”.

    “We must also be committed to that plan to drive success and development and that is what we must do together as a nation. But we, as Nigerians, must persevere, endure and have a pain now in order to have a better tomorrow. Let us turn our challenge of today to prosperity of the future. We can achieve it”, the APC leader said.

    Silverbird Chairman, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce noted that the youth lack information about what happened in the country in the past. Tinubu said the common sense solution is to sponsor a bill in the National Assembly that history must be reinstated in our school curriculum.

    He said: “My friend Ben, you have been elected senator; don’t complain; sponsor a bill for the reintroduction of history as a subject in our schools.  My darling wife, who is the pillar of the success we are celebrating today, will support you and I am sure Nigerians will support you.”

    Besides, he said we can digitalise Nigerian information through which youths and Nigerians in general can have access to all information about the country. Digitalisation will stop piracy. “If they had saved money for 36 jeeps for the senators and invest it in digitalisation of information, it would have solved the problem”, Tinubu said.

    Tinubu said moving from analogue to digitalisation to protect the history and records of the country will be of great benefit to unborn generations. As information technology is improving every day, we can digitalise Nigeria where the country’s archives or history is preserved, he added.

    Murray-Bruce suggested that 10 per cent of the annual budget should be allocated to preserving the country’s history and culture. He said we have to start teaching history in Nigeria because we cannot develop or grow as a country without the concept of history.

    On the award for Tinubu, Murray-Bruce said: “We decided to give the award to a man who has the interest of the nation uppermost in his heart. He described Tinubu a great and patriotic Nigeria.

    Other awardees include the doyen of Accounting profession in Nigeria, Chief Akintola Williams; oil and gas magnate Chief O. B. Lulu Briggs; first civilian governors of  Lagos and Kaduna states, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Alhaji Balarabe Musa, frontline businessman Oba Otudeko; juju maestro King Sunny Ade and renowned musician Sir Victor Uwaifo.

    In the class of post humous awardees were the first Governor-General of the old Eastern Region, Dr Akanu Ibiam; the first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; first civilian governor of old Rivers State Chief Melford Okilo; former Premier of the old Western Region Chief Ladoke Akintola and former Chief of Army Staff Major Gen. Tunde Idiagbon.

    Dignitaries at the ceremony include Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Information and Culture Minister Lai Muhammed, former Ogun State Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba; former Lagos State Deputy Governor Chief Femi Pedro and Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, who represented Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

    There were also former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi;  former Ekiti State Governor Niyi Adebayo; Senator Adeola Olamilekan, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa; Chief Yomi Akintola; Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi; former Lagos State Speaker Chief Adeyemi IKuforiji; Deputy Speaker Wasiu Esinlokun Sani; former Commissioner for Information and Strategy Dele Alake; one-time Finance Commissioner Wale Edun and Alhaji Kashim Imam.

    Others are Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment Akintola Benson; Hon Lola Akande (Women Affairs) Hon Seye Oladejo (Special Duties); Mr Joe Igbokwe, Lagos APC spokesman, Mr Tony Okoroje; Mr Ralph Uwanike, Mr Bisi Olatilo, Chief of Staff to Lagos State Governor Mr Olakunle Ojo, Hon Bimbo Daramola and Mr Jasper Olawumi.