The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Stakeholders

  • Rape victims: Stakeholders seek support for centre

    Rape victims: Stakeholders seek support for centre

    Senator Florence Ita-Giwa has pledged her support for Mirabel Centre, Lagos a non-government organisation (NGO) providing free medical and psychosocial services for sexual assault and rape victims in Lagos.

    Ita-Giwa, who revealed this following the expiration of the centre’s three-year sponsorship deal with the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) in March this year, called on the government and individuals to help the centre because of the important roles it plays in the lives of rape victims.

    Senator Ita-Giwa, a guest at an event tagged “Magenta and Black, Art and Fashion for Charity,” which aimed at raising funds through public support and auction of art works donated by friends and partners of the Mirabel Centre in Lagos, nearly betrayed her emotion during a presentation by the founder of the centre, Mrs. Itoro Eze-Anaba on some of the experiences of rape victims, particularly the story of 14-year-old girl who was raped severally by her father but was saved and treated free at Mirabel Centre.

    She said such a man should have his organ cut off, because “that child has been killed as far as I am concerned.” She expressed her support for the centre, even as she urged the government and Nigerians to support the initiative in order to keep it alive.

    “The Mirabel Centre is a wonderful idea. The management should continue with the laudable initiative; they have my support. I do hope the government will come in and give their support,” Senator Ita-Giwa said.

    According to Mrs. Eze-Anaba, the Mirabel Centre, which is located at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), has provided free medical and psychosocial services for over 1,300 clients in the last three years.

    ”The funding for Mirabel Centre by DFID came to an end in March this year. We appreciate DFID’s support for the past three years. The Magenta and Black Art, Fashion event was born out of necessity and the passion of some friends of the centre  who felt compelled to do all they could to ensure the continued survival of the centre. We also felt that it was time that we Nigerians took personal responsibility for the protection of our sons and daughters, sisters and mothers from the scourge of sexual abuse,” Mrs. Eze-Anaba said.

    Mrs. Ayotola Jagun, a supporter of the Mirabel Centre said she was surprised that despite the huge responsibilities and benefits of the centre to the society, it only got the attention of foreign organisation without any government’s assistance.

    Other friends of Mirabel such as Victor Ehikhamenor, Gbolahan Ayoola, Jumoke Sanwo, Olumide Oresegun, Malaika Najem, Deola Ade Ojo and Lisa Folawiyo, among others, donated their works which were auctioned to support the centre.

    Mother of a victim, Mrs. Anyanwu narrated how a 40-year-old man came into her house to rape her daughter.  She thanked Mirabel Centre for the free treatment provided to save the girl’s life. She urged the government and Nigerians to support the organisation, saying “Mirabel must not die.”

  • Minister seeks synergy among stakeholders in Niger Delta

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs , Usani Uguru Usani, has called on all stakeholders to work together in promoting development in the region and its environs.

    Usani made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He urged stakeholders to be more concerned about what would accrue to the region rather than the financial benefits accruing to them.

    Usani added that stakeholders should also focus on performance and structural reforms in the region.

    He said that to ensure a progressively stable management by streamlining the administrative structure, a development policy must be evolved and adopted by all stakeholders.

    “Such a policy will act as a complementary guide to the Niger Delta Regional Master Plan and help configure a sound planning, operational and quality management track for the commission,” he said

    He said that the development policy should itemise and prioritise the goals of the region within a specific time frame.

    “For instance, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) policy can define conditions for intervention in an infrastructural development or expansion project.

    “It can set five –year targets in agriculture and aquaculture using community based cooperatives as a vehicle.

    “It can also foster partnerships with international agencies and local partners for potential development initiatives in health, education and the environment,” the minister said.

    He, however, called for a Sustainable Development Partnership as a mechanism for greater relevance in the region which would also include a representative of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    The minister said the progressive drop in revenue should be the concern of the Federal Government.

    He added that it was important for NDDC to have an interface with National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to develop the region.

    “That’s the only way the region can compute, derive and pursue what rightly should accrue to its coffers from the producing companies.

    “Economically, the NDDC plays a very important role in the economy of the Niger Delta, but the companies only remit what they decide to after their autonomous computation of what the three per cent means to them, “ he added.

    The minister said it would sustain over 50,000 permanent and temporary jobs across the region.

    “But it also offers a window for the implementation of crucial reforms which must be founded on a realistic development policy,” he said .

    He said that the small management team was an opportunity to design a transformational framework for the NDDC.

    “It is an opportunity to engage the very competent skill set within the region,“ he said.

    The minister said that key stakeholders had commenced the design of a development policy for the organisation that would drive subsequent intervention efforts.

     

  • Path to growth, by stakeholders

    Path to growth, by stakeholders

    Over the past two-and-a-half decades,airlines’revenues have been declining. Stakeholders blame it on rising operating cost, policy inconsistency and reduced autonomy for regulators. Experts at the just-concluded Airport Business Summit and Expo in Abuja said urgent steps should be taken to salvage the sector, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    ALL  is not well with the aviation sector. Some factors have led to the declining revenue flow to the sector in the last two and half decades, thereby threatening the growth of civil aviation.

    Stakeholders, including the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Mukhtar Usman, who spoke in Abuja last week  at the Airport Business Summit and Expo, have called for urgent steps to address the funding challenge of airlines.

    They urged players to re-examine  the deregulation, liberalisation, privatisation and competition among carriers and  their effects on the industry.

    Usman said the global industry is faced with increasing costs of providing standard air transport services at a time passenger and cargo traffic are dwindling with declining purchasing power of passengers and shippers.

    Besides, aviation agencies, he said, must look beyond the high cost of providing standard air transport services and continue to rise with innovations in airport and air navigation facilities to achieve customer satisfaction.

    This arrangement, he said, had put airlines under pressure as they struggled to meet up with rising costs of operations.

    Citing Nigeria, Usman said carriers were grappling with huge cost of aviation fuel, which accounts for over 50 per cent of their operating costs.

    He said the  high cost of funds and the steady devaluation of the local currency has impacted on the expenditure of domestic carriers, which carry out aircraft maintenance, pay for some crew members and aircraft insurance in foreign currency.

    He said in the last 25 years, many  small airlines around the world have  gone under due to costs and capital recovery challenges.

    Some major airlines, he added, have either recorded losses or shut down.

    But, he said, there are few areas where significant achievements have been recorded in the operations of low cost carriers, which pioneered a shift in air travel.

    He said:  “However, one of the few areas in which significant performances have been recorded is the operation of low-cost airlines, which have benefited from a shift to cheaper travel.

    “This is because they use smaller and more fuel-efficient aircraft and extend their networks to small and remote aerodromes. This means taking their operations to the grassroots and aiding the distribution of goods and services to, as well as the development of the hinterlands.”

    Usman said the  challenge  Nigeria and many other countries are grappling with is how to  create  an enabling environment for airlines and other economic activities to flourish. ‘’If we are able to achieve this, we would ensure a sustainable air transport industry,’’ he said.

    The aviation industry,Usman said, could accelerate its growth if government and players address fundamental challenges.

    Usman said: “The continuing attempt, mainly by the political leadership, to ‘domesticate’ the global minimal standards and recommended practices that sustain aviation worldwide in a way to align with Nigeria’s local politics and local economic minima. This has led to reduced autonomy for the regulator and key organisations and their inability to a large extent, to determine and ‘control’ their manpower programmes, for instance: number and quality of staff, placement, training, thereby negating professionalism.

    “Lack of internal leadership succession plan. The managements are not groomed from within but based on political appointments, and this affects consistency and continuity of policy implementation, career progression in the industry.

    “Lack of political will to firmly and fairly apply the available policy and regulatory instruments in a consistent manner; and this tends to erode steady growth, integrity and professionalism in the industry.

    ”Inconsistency in policies and policy enforcement has further eroded investors’ confidence in the industry and this inconsistency stems from the influence of different political interests that hold sway at different times; so industry development partnership with third parties are hindered.

    “The combination of unwholesome political and moral (corruption) influence have been the reasons operators would not remit the statutory charges they receive from service users to the regulatory and service organisations, thereby undermining industry development and defrauding the service users.’’

    Usman, while proffering solution to the challenges, he said: “The national political leadership should ensure that square pegs are put in square holes, giving the regulatory body the necessary autonomy by resisting unnecessary interference in the latter’s statutory operations.”

    He said  the government’s interference should be limited to ensuring an enabling political and economic environment to engender economic sustainability and viability of the industry.

    Also, the Managing Director of Federal Airports of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma, said putting  infrastructure in place would attract investors to the industry.

    FAAN, he said, has put in place, some carrots to attract investors.

    He said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria as the primary investor in Nigeria’s 23 airports is gradually opening doors for genuine private investors to partner and work with the Government to explore the various opportunities in the sector.”

    He explained that beyond improving efficiency and passenger facilitation, the new terminal facilities, when completed, would bring up opportunities for more investments to make the airports more user friendly and offer passengers a new travel experience in line with  international standards and practices.

    Also, the Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Captain Samuel Caulcrik, said massive investment in  infrastructure is the panacea to  sustainable development in air transportation.

    He  said the industry must pursue smart, coordinated and cooperative manpower development strategy for it to develop.

    He observed that availability of qualified personnel is the propeller for the growth of aviation in other countries.

    He said: “It is the quality and proficiency of the aviation personnel that can credibly birth a safe air transport industry, build air travelers’ confidence, make valuable contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

    The NCAT chief said despite the challenges facing the industry, progress had been achieved.

    Organiser of the expo, Mr. Fortune Idu, said for the industry to continue to improve in the delivery of quality passengers experience in safe and secured manner, policy makers, aviation professionals, air transport investors and users of air transport would need to meet periodically to share information.

    Such experts, he said, should  deliberate on the future of the industry and help to direct national policies, planning, programmes and projects towards improving airport facilities, air transportation infrastructure and  operations.

    He said: “A sound airport development, concept, plan and programme are vital for a viable, sustainable and safe total air transport system which also has direct positive impact for fast tracking economy development.’’

    Idu said the expo  presented the  industry from the airport perspective as a  link to the development of cities and regional economies.

    He said  summit was a platform for industries with  dealings with the airport, including airlines, retail, security, safety, technologists, taxi firms, hotels, tourist attraction firms to network for the growth of air transport.

    He said: “The summit expo help airports and the cities market their profiles and make them attractive for airlines and investors by showcasing a one stop information portal for; passenger projections, facilities, infrastructure, potentials and essential amenities of the region that attracts travel and investment.”

     

     

     

     

  • How to rescue Nigeria’s economy, by stakeholders

    How to rescue Nigeria’s economy, by stakeholders

    Overdependence on crude oil for revenue has stunted Nigeria’s development. A holistic and sustainable economic diversification strategy has become imperative in view of dwindling fortunes triggered by crashing oil prices at the international market. This was the position canvassed by participants at The Nation’s National Economic Forum in Lagos. They also came up with robust, far-reaching recommendations, which can put the economy back on track. SIMEON EBULU, CHIKODI OKEREOCHA, EMEKA UGWUANYI, TOAFIK SALAKO, OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE, LUCAS AJANAKU, DEJI ADEMIGBUJI and COLLINS NWEZE report.

    Nigeria looks good to weather the economic storm triggered by the sustained sliding oil prices. For the first time, a refreshing mindset and political leadership with positive thinking and pragmatic actions has taken charge. Those at the helms of affairs have finally woken up to the reality that the party is over. To them, the days of crude oil as a money-spinner for the economy are over.

    For the first time last week, the long-standing argument and advocacy of critical assessors of the economy that Nigeria’s overwhelming dependence on crude oil for its revenue to the neglect of other sectors is fraught with dangers hit the right chord in the ears of the political leadership. The political leadership appears to have seen the need for a holistic and sustainable economic diversification strategy.  The consensus was to take the bull by the horns. It was at the National Economic Forum, organised in Lagos by The Nation. It was the newspaper’s first, organised in collaboration with CEEDEE Resources. It has “National Economy: The Way Forward” as its theme.”

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo personified this changing mindset when at the opening of the two-day talk shop at Oranmiyan, Hall, Lagos Airport Hotel, when he said: “It is pathetic that a nation with over 170 million people benchmarked its budget on the price of oil. We must look beyond oil because it disturbs us from looking at other sectors. In order to move the country forward, we must reduce the Federal Government’s and states’ dependence on sharing revenue made from oil sales.”

    The forum, according to the Chairman, Board of Directors of Vintage Press Ltd, publishers of The Nation, Mr. Wale Edun, was an initiative and platform to assist in structural repositioning of the economy.  The event, which drew top government officials, politicians, media chiefs, members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and Nigerians from all works of life, lived up its billing of providing a platform for experts and stakeholders to jaw-jaw and chart a way forward for a bruised economy. No thanks to the tumbling oil prices at the international market.

    For once, the two-day intellectual engagement was adjudged by participants as the first time the economic policy direction of President Muhammadu Buhari administration would be dissected with clear, measurable action plans on how to turn the economy around.

    Osinbajo set the tone for a thought-provoking session in his remark when he pointing out that the foundation for a strong economy demands appropriate fiscal policies that will help the country that is arising from a very low rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) and a low taxpayer’s base.

    “We are focusing on increasing the country’s taxpayers’ base. We are committed to expanding the tax net,” he told his audience.

    The vice president, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), raised the hope of Nigerians when he said the government was aware of the overwhelming challenges confronting them and that the President Buhari-led administration remained committed to addressing them.  The ongoing reforms in the various sectors, he said, would soon reverse the economic fortune and return the country to the path of progress.

    It was not an empty promise. Osinbajo stressed. For instance, he informed that 30 per cent of the this year’s budget has been set aside for capital expenditure, while non-oil sources, comprising company income tax, VAT and others, are expected to contribute N1.5 trillion. All these put together, would make the earnings from oil insignificant.  “This is unprecedented in the history of the country,” he said.

    His message of hope did not stop there. He also said that in line with Federal Government’s ongoing reforms, it will not reverse the privatisation in the power sector because past experience has proven the government as not being good managers of businesses. This gladdened the hearts of not a few Nigerians considering the fact that it was a break from the past when policy reversals was the norm.

    The clarification was necessary in view of calls by some electricity consumers, including organised labour for a review of the privatisation exercise and the suspension of the tariff introduced in February. According to them, privatisation has not translated to improved electricity supply across the country. But, the vice president said the government will sustain the privatisation of the sector while pushing for the provision of gas to power the existing power generating plants.

    Aside being wary of the possible backlash of reversing the privatisation, Osinbajo listed the moribund Nigerians Telecommunication (NITEL) and the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) as examples of while government should not be directly involved in running businesses.

    Pointing out that Nigeria has in excess of 12, 000 Megawatts of installed generating capacity, he described as unacceptable the inability to distribute above 5, 000 Megawatts because of weak transmission infrastructure.

    “Even if we transmit the 5, 000 Megawatts currently generated, over half of it will be lost because of inadequate infrastructure,” Osinbajo said, noting that more investment is required to provide the transmission infrastructure to transport the excess to the end users.

     

    More push for diversification

     To Osinbajo, diversification is inevitable. “We now have to move beyond the neglect of other key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals and high value services…..These sectors have the potential to create jobs, boost domestic demand and just as important, generate significant foreign exchange earnings, which is why the Federal Government has put diversification of the economy on its agenda this year.”

    Governors and other participants at agreed with Osinbajo’s position.  Oyo State Governor  Abiola Ajimobi highlighted the importance of diversification along the lines of states’ natural resources. “There is no advantage whatsoever in monoculture and mono-economy,” he said, underlining the importance of diversification.

    Represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo,  the governor emphasised the need to diversify from crude oil and refocus on the array of resources, especially agriculture. He pointed out that the Cocoa House in Ibadan, the first high-rise building in Nigeria built 50 years ago, and the Airport Hotel,  built 40 years ago, were built with proceeds from  cocoa by the defunct Western region.

    He expressed his administration’s willingness to explore opportunities in inter-state relationship, noting that the state will be willing to partner with Lagos in the area of agriculture.

    Oyo State, The Nation learnt, has a landmass of 32,000 hectares for farming. This means that Lagos State, with its enormous capital and appetite for agricultural investments, can partner with the Pacesetter State to explore the agricultural potential of the state and create wealth and jobs across the states. “We will like to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lagos State in the area of agriculture, Adeyemo said.

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun said Nigeria should move beyond agricultural produce to processing the produce. He described the crashing oil prices as a blessing in disguise, as it has offered an opportunity for the nation to reassess its consumption pattern and taste in favour of local production and consumption.

    Amosun, who was represented by his Commissioner for Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, said Nigeria should develop the agric value chain to take maximum advantage of its agricultural resources. He said the time has come for the country  to look inward by supporting local production by advocating for and consuming locally made products as a matter of patriotic duty.

     

    Call for power devolution takes centre stage

    Because Nigeria is going through a difficult time, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha insists that diversification has not only become desirable, but also inevitable. He argued that the central wields a lot of power and control on the economy, which impedes speedy economic development.

    He said the federal should devolve more powers and responsibilities to other tiers of government, noting that nations going through similar serious economic challenges seek wisest course of action and not sentiments.

    Okorocha said: “Nigeria’s problem is not the fall in oil prices. The fact is that if you do a thing the same way, you achieve the same result. We must do things differently if we want to move the economy forward and meet the expectations of the populace.”

    He insisted the federal has overburdened itself with a lot of powers and responsibilities, including those that are most appropriately undertaken by state and local governments, he said the local government, which is the closest to the grassroots, has the least powers and funding.

    Besides, he pointed out that state government, which is closer to the people depend on handouts from the Federation Account. Okorocha described as abnormal an arrangement that has reduced governors to mere executive cashiers who wait for monthly allocations to carry out their responsibilities.

    “How long shall we (state governments) depend on the Federal Government for survival?” governor Okorocha asked, calling on the Federal Government to devolve power.

    “Nigeria has practised top to bottom (federal to local government) process of governance for so long and has continued to achieve unfavourable result. It is time to practise bottom to top (local government to federal) system of governance where the bulk of funds goes to the local government and the least to the federal,” he added.

    He noted that apart from Lagos, other states run on allocations from Abuja, most of which go to payment of salaries.  The governor wondered why the Federal Ministry of Agriculture gets fat budgetary allocation despite not having land to farm.

     

    Education as game changer

    Okorocha also pushed for the overhaul of the nation’s educational system, which, according to him, does not encourage economic development.

    “We still practice neo-colonialism,” he said, asking, “Why should it be mandatory to have credit pass in English and Mathematics before gaining admission into a higher institution, especially the university?”

    Insisting on the need to tailor education to specialties, the governor said: “There is need for special schools to develop expertise. In Imo State, we have where we train people on painting, plastering, and building among others, so that wherever they go in any part of the world, they will have the competence to compete with others.”

    Bornu State Governor Kashim Shetima also agrees that education holds the key to turning around the fortunes of the economy. While calling for more investment in education, he said the sector is vital because the few that are rich cannot be protected by the many that are poor.

    Shetima, who spoke on the second day of the forum, said with the destruction done to the state by Boko Haram insurgency, which is estimated at $6 billion, his government is committed to rebuilding fallen schools and other social amenities.

    Shetima said more investment in education will result in increased school enrolment, which in turn would prevent youths from being tools in the hands of insurgents.

     

    Inter-state relations, regional competitiveness

    To Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Nigeria must begin to explore and expand the opportunities that abound in inter-state relations and strengthen regional competitiveness by maximising economics of scale, regional optimisation of assets and endowments.

    Ambode said: “States and regions must, once again, begin to leverage on their respective areas of comparative advantage by establishing partnerships towards establishing inter-state or inter-regional commodity value chain. We must re-start inter-state/regional cooperation.”

    The governor lamented that past Federal Governments failed to take advantage of the oil boom to grow other sectors of the economy, adding that the fall in oil prices, coupled with many years of corruption, made the economy vulnerable.

    He said: “It is very unfortunate that we wasted the golden opportunity to deploy the trillions of dollars earned from our oil exports to develop the critical sectors of the economy, including power, agriculture, industries, solid minerals, transportation infrastructure, among others.

    “No doubt, if we had done the right thing as some other oil producing countries did, keeping in mind that crude oil is a finite resource, we would not be experiencing the devastating effect of oil price crash on the scale we are experiencing it now. We are now being forced to do, with pains, what we should have done with ease years ago.

    “The task of charting a new direction for the economy is not going to be a tea party. Various policy options must be identified and assessed on the basis of our current situation and needs.  Moving our economy forward requires thinking outside the box and doing things differently. We need creativity, innovation and the courage to take difficult and tough decisions.”

    He urged the leadership at national and state levels to muster the political will to take tough decisions and make immediate sacrifices, which will, on the long run, strengthen the economy and make it sustainable.

     

    Engaging global investment community

    Beyond strengthening inter-state relations and regional competitiion, the Italian Consular-General in Nigeria, Mr. Andrea Pompermaier urged Nigerians to make more concerted effort at engaging the international investment community to showcase Nigeria’s latent potential and resources.

    Pompermaier noted that the country has so many resources that could attract global investments but the country’s international profile has been largely dominated by its crude oil and sleaze.

    According to him, the time has come for Nigeria to market its abounding opportunities to the global investment community for a broader view of the country, its resources and people.

    The envoy said his personal experience has shown that some of the international opinions about Nigeria were misplaced, as there is much more to the country than oil.

    He assured that his consulate would work to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Italy by bringing Nigerian and Italian businessmen together.

     

    Entrepreneurship as magic wand 

    With about 37 million Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises, (MSMEs) captured in the data base of the  Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bank of Industry’s (BoI’s), Acting Managing Director , Mr. Waheed Olagunju, said the MSME sector is the tonic to rejig the economy.

    Olagunju, represented by the General Manager, BoI, Mr. Joseph Babatunde, said if the MSMEs are encouraged, more jobs will be created. According to him, if each of the 37 million MSMEs employs one person, its multiplier effect would be tremendous and the economy the better for it.

    The BoI chief, who spoke on the second day of the forum, however, said the bank has been collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop a credit bureau and collateral registry to ease MSMEs’ access to funds.

    He also informed that the bank has a plan to establish industrial parks in strategic locations across the country.

     

    Manufacturing, solid minerals, taxation to the rescue

    Other areas identified as holding keys to economic recovery are manufactring and solid minerals. The Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Remi Ogunmefun, described the manufacturing sector, especially agro-allied manufacturing as the economy’s live wire.

    According to him, this is because of the sector’s capacity to add value to local crops, like cashew and tomato, by processing them into finished products for the local market, as well as the export market to earn foreign exchange.

    On his part, the Former Nigerian High Commissioner to Australia, Ambassador Ayo Olukanni, said mining and solid minerals should be growth areas in the diversification agenda. He urged the government to take a cue from Australia, which rakes in millions of dollars yearly from its mining industry.

    Also suggesting a way out, the Founding President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Mr. Omooba Olumuyiwa Sosanya, there is no better time to maximize taxation through decentralisation of VAT administration than now.

    To him, Nigeria has not really realised its tax potentials. “There is therefore, need to widen the tax net, and not necessarily increase in taxation,” he said.

    Quality, far-reaching recommendations no doubt! The question is: Will the authorities demonstrate the political will to implement them? That is the questing agitating the minds of stakeholders. However, going by Osinbajo’s assurances, a new dawn may be in the offing for the economy.

  • Stakeholders to Fed Govt: diversify economy now

    Stakeholders to Fed Govt: diversify economy now

    Stakeholders in the economy yesterday made a strong case for the diversification of the economy by the federal government away from the petroleum monoculture.

    They  hailed  President Muhammadu Buhari’s war against corruption,stressing that  no economic development can take place with wide and galloping corruption, and asked  Nigerians to back government’s effort to curb the vice.

    In a 13-point communiqué issued at the end of the two-day First National Economic Forum organised by The Nation in Lagos themed ‘National Economy: The way forward,” deliberation, the stakeholders said Nigeria must now  brace herself for the post-oil era, and that means putting in place tough policy measures to diversify the economy away from the petroleum monoculture, adding that even while exiting oil as Nigeria’s main foreign exchange (forex) earner, the country must add value.

     It must stop just extracting raw crude but do local refining before exportation.  That way, Nigeria can earn even more forex from her petroleum resources, they said.

    Citing  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s detailed presentation at the forum opening, the stakeholders were pleased  that the Federal Government had what appeared a serious and sustainable policy on local refineries.

    “We can only press the government to intensify efforts to implement the policy, so that our country can benefit from the whole oil value chain: upstream, midstream and downstream, adding that they look forward to the new Oil and Gas Policy, which the Vice President announced was expected mid-year,” they said.

     “Post-oil era, Nigeria must take full advantage of agriculture. Again, it is re-assuring the Buhari Presidency, according to the Vice President, has adopted timelines in self-sufficiency in key staples like rice, wheat, maize, among others.  Our economic rebirth must birth with food sufficiency and security.  A serious focus on agriculture should also provide thousands of jobs for our jobless youths.

    “Agriculture should help re-launch Nigeria’s industrialization, through agricultural processing. So, there should be deliberate government policies to encourage agro-allied industries to create jobs for our teeming youths.”

    The communiqué noted that  since infrastructure  – physical and social – would play a key role in Nigeria’s economy rebirth,roads, rails and power must receive renewed and prompt attention.

    In this regard they said the Vice President’s presentation was reassuring, noting that the Buhari administration has solid infrastructure plans in  this budget year: completing already started national road networks, like Lagos-Ibadan, Sagamu-Benin, as well  as starting work on the Lagos-Kano, and new coastal Lagos-Calabar standard gauge rail projects.  Also noteworthy, in social infrastructure, is the Administration’s bursary to support science and technology education in tertiary institutions.

    Given the crucial place of electricity in industrialization and even mechanized and modernized agriculture, the Federal Government should put in place policies that ensure seamless investment to light up the country and power the economy,they said.

    To maximize infrastructure vis-a-viz industralisation, the communiqué pushed for industrial hubs, well serviced with roads, power, water, among others.  That would cut production costs and make Nigerian goods cheaper and more competitive, particularly the products of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). For mass job creation, Nigeria has to rely on MSMEs.  Nigeria has no less than 37 million of MSMEs and these small-scale businesses have the capacity to employ many Nigerians, it added.

    Speaking at the forum,the Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Remi Ogunmefun, advised the Federal Government against   signing any trade protocol that might de-industrialise the country and brew mass poverty.  He particularly cited the proposed EU-ECOWAS protocol.  He said agro-allied manufacturing should also focus, as market-entry strategy, on adding value to local crops, like cashew and tomato, by processing them into finished products, for the local market, as well as the export market to earn foreign exchange.

    Former Nigerian High Commissioner to Australia, Ambassador Ayo Olukanni said apart from agriculture and re-industrialization, mining and solid minerals should be made a deliberate growth area in diversifying the Nigerian economy.  He cited the Australia example, a country that grosses millions of dollars yearly from its mining industry.  As in agriculture, Nigeria should reclaim its old glory in solid minerals: coal, tin, iron ore, gold, among others, he added.

    On taxation, founding President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) Omooba Olumuyiwa Sosanya said Nigeria has not really realized her tax potential, simply because oil money has been there for free spending.  But now that oil is on its way out, it is time to maximize taxation.

      He suggested a widening of the tax net, and not necessarily increase in taxation.  So, the government should decentralize tax collection infrastructure  and focus more on non-oil taxes.  Of especial focus should be VATting the huge informal sector, from which Nigeria can generate billions of Naira as yearly revenue.

    Governors  who spoke at the forum  called for inter-state and regional economic cooperation.  A good case is the Lagos-Kebbi rice deal. Kebbi will grow and Lagos will mill, which is a win-win situation  for both states.  The Imo Governor, Rochas Okocha, pushed for devolution of powers, especially in areas of agriculture, security and education.  That way, the Federal Government will leave local business to states and their local governments, and concentrate on national and international issues.   He also called for massive investment in artisan schools.

    For all these policies and innovations to succeed, however, Nigeria must re-jig its  operating political structure.  There is the imperative to re-federalize Nigeria along strong economic lines.  With that, the hub of productivity would be the states, in contrast to the position now, where states go to Abuja for monthly doles.  That has basically underdeveloped and impoverished everyone.  The Forum called on the National Assembly to ready itself to pass the requisite re-federalizing legislations.

  • Fed Govt, stakeholders parley on power sector debts

    •MDAs debts hit N60b

    The Federal Government has begun talks
    with players in the power sector value chain (generation, transmission, distribution and regulatory bodies) on how to find ways of paying the huge arrears of unpaid electricity bills owed by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) put at N60 billion, The Nation has learnt.

    The Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, stated this when he spoke with The Nation on the 2016 budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    Oduntan said he could not measure the impact of the budget on the power sector until it is broken down and Nigerians know how much goes to the power sector.

    He however said that whatever allocation that is due to  the power sector would be for the transmission segment of the value chain because other segments are private sector owned and controlled.

    He said: “The budget is not broken down so I wouldn’t be able to assess how it would impact the electricity power sector. But remember that among the value chain, government needs only to fund the transmission. Actually what we need from the government is conducive policies and environment, encouragement of direct foreign investment into the power sector.

    “The government should also encourage investors in the sector, ensure steady and adequate supply of gas to power generation stations because if the power stations generate more power, the distribution companies will have more power to distribute. What Nigerians need is let there be light.”

    He said whatever is allocated to the power sector may not matter much, saying what matters is, “let the allocation be judiciously utilised. What matters now is let every stakeholder do what is supposed to be done.”

    On the MDAs’ debt, Oduntan said, it was N58 billion at the end of last year. It has gone up to N60 billion now, but he did not disclose the details of the ongoing discussion with the government on the issue.

    “Negotiations are ongoing because the debt is for the entire value chain and each segment of the chain needs funds for effective performance. They (government) are on it. They are working on it that is all I will tell you,” he stated.

  • Stakeholders seek awareness on endometriosis

    Stakeholders seek awareness on endometriosis

    Sufferers and key stakeholders have called for more awareness on endometriosis – a medical condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus, called endometrium, grows in other places such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries or along the pelvis.

    They said women with the disease should not be allowed to go through it alone.

    This was their summation during Endomeriosis March in Lagos yesterday organised by Endometriosis Africa and supported by Asbe Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation (ASMYF).

    A sufferer, Miss Mary Okocha said the disease, which comes with severe pain during menstruation before women enter their menopause stage, was still unknown to many doctors let alone ordinary Nigerians.

    She said it took her doctor about three years before he could finally diagnose her correctly.

    “My doctor could not understand why I keep having endless pain every month during menstruation.

    “He was treating me for entirely different ailment. Other doctors too also misdiagnosed my ailment until recently when they found out that I actually have endometriosis,” she said.

    The 28 year-old Delta State indigene said women should not be allow to go through harrowing like she is going through due to endometriosis.

    “My problem started four years ago, I was about 24 years then. I started having blood clot, heavy flow and unending menstrual pain during menstruation.

    “Sometimes, it could go on for as long as seven days. I usually experience pain in my abdomen three days before the start of my menstruation and it will persist for another four days. This affected my work because it usually renders me useless for days.

    “I could change my sanitary pads up to eight times daily due to the heavy flow of blood I experience. This was really disturbing,” she shared.

    Okocha urged people to take the message to all nooks and crannies of the country so that sufferers can fine succour.

    Founder, Endometriosis Africa, Obruche Ongoro, said all Nigerians should take the issue to the front burner.

    She said sufferers should not be left to their fate because they can still be helped if the condition is detected early.

    She urged the government and the private sector to support the fight against endometriosis.

  • Our expectations of Peterside, by stakeholders

    Our expectations of Peterside, by stakeholders

    The appointment of Dakuku Peterside as Director-General (DG) of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has sparked interest in the industry. Some stakeholders feel he has what it takes to do the job, others doubt his competence.

    Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) President Olayiwola Shittu and operators in the industry, who spoke with The Nation, said those against his appointment lacked the knowledge of his pedigree and qualifications.

    They urged the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to prevail on Peterside to address some of the agency’s challenges.

    Some NIMASA workers, sources at the Federal Ministry of Transport said, have acquired reasonable maritime education to enable the agency discharge its core mandate of safety at sea.

    Peterside, a senior official who craved anonymity said, must ensure that the territorial waters cease to be the hiding place for unseaworthy vessels.

    Unsrcrupulous foreign vessel owners and operators, the official said, engage in illegal and unsafe activities on the waters and must be checked.

    “It is not just enough for the government to appoint the DG of NIMASA without telling him what  he needs to do to redeem the image of the organisation.

    “The new DG must be determined to work and we have no doubt about his ability to deliver on the core mandate of NIMASA,” the official said.

    Shittu told The Nation that Peterside needs to ensure “safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans by making use of the available human capacity that will effectively regulate vessels on the waters for sustained economic growth’’.

    “The report from World Maritime University (IMO) shows that since the inception of the IMO, there had been 946 African graduates in various fields of maritime. Of this number, 172 are Nigerians, making up a good percentage of the total number.

    ‘’For the International Maritime Law Institute, 224 Africans have graduated from the institution; of this number, 74 are Nigerians. Therefore, one can confidently say that the start-of capacities are available in the country. What remains for the new DG is to harness them.

    “My advice to him as somebody who wants to succeed is to establish a data base of graduates from the two institutions as a resource base that could be pooled to perform major tasks for the agency and the sector if, when and where necessary,” Shittu said.

    Investigation by The Nation, however, revealed that some of the trained NIMASA staff have been deployed to areas and departments that have nothing to do with their training despite the huge tax-payers money spent on them.

    “Serious attention”, Shittu said, should be given to this serious lacuna in the system by the new DG.

    “Peterside as the flag bearer of APC in Rivers State must demonstrate enough determination by ensuring that NIMASA as a critical player in the economic well-being of Nigerians promotes indigenous shipping business.

    “It is sad that some of the past DGs of the agency are suffering from sea-blindness in the sense that they do not appreciate the wealth creation opportunities abundant in the maritime sector. They literally walk on wealth without harnessing the opportunity,” Shittu said.

    Last Friday, workers resumed as early as 8 am on learning that Peterside may assume work that day.

    The workers trooped in large number despite the heavy traffic on Apapa road.

    The car park was almost full by 8.30am, an unusual development at the agency.

    Workers, who spoke with the paper, said they resumed early because of the information they got that Peterside does not tolerate tardiness.

  • Sport stakeholders Conspiracy of Silence

    I have watched with keen interest the unfolding drama within the sport industry and with specific reference to the existence or extinction of the National Sports Commission. I did mention some weeks back that there is a grand design to scrap this commission as part of the on-going restructuring and mergers of Ministries and some government agencies

    However, I will like to say that as a passionate and committed professional that has sworn to uphold the sanctity and enhance the development of sport sector in Nigeria this move is a great concern to me. The fact is that those clamouring for the total eradication of the sport commission do not really in my view understand the role of the commission as it relates to sport development in a country like Nigeria.

    I have said it times without numbers that sport if and when properly harnessed can generate more jobs than the telecom industry and create more revenue like the oil industry. Sport economy when activated grows and endures beyond the activators. It is one sector that we have not been able to tap into in the past years and rather than enhance what is on ground attempts are on to kill it totally.

    I remain the voice of one crying out in the wilderness like John the Baptist make way for the survival and activation of sport economy in Nigeria this can come to pass when we have the right legislation backing the right institution and also the right people appointed to drive the right process towards unlocking the economy of sport in Nigeria

    While we may say that this happenings seems to be going unnoticed I will be quick to mention that I perceive that there is a conspiracy of silence from all critical sport stakeholders in the fight for the survival of this industry in Nigeria. I have not heard nor read the position of the Guild of Sport Editors about the eradication of the sports commission, I have also not seen the NAPHER-SD making their position known on the same subject matter and I have not seen Sport Writers Association making a serious case on this matter – (I may be wrong).

    It has not been made a national discuss on sport programmes either on radio or television yet we see people going on with their business as though all is well. Sport veterans are not lending their voice neither have I heard any professional sport athletes association making a statement on this action of outright eradication of our industry.

    I don’t want to believe that all the stakeholders in sports including the Presidents of all Sport Federations in Nigeria are unaware of the effect that sport will suffer in terms of its structure and activities in the nearest future.

    Let me clearly say this that in the advancement of policies relating to sports, certain standard criterion are to be considered part of which should be the viability of the subject matter and its sustainability. If I agree to certain extent that the action is viable based on certain current indices the next question will be how sustainable can this be for sport in the years to come.

    May we all see the importance in sport as an economic power house that is tired to the apron of non- activation. We need to seriously look at this and consider it a fundamental issue that needs to be visited and government attention drawn to it as well as a comprehensive Threat Analysis done to show the effect or otherwise should this take effect.

    Sport is a massive industry, sport business cuts across boarders it is a leveller of some sort it enhances economic prosperity of a nation, it serves as a catalyst to new economic frontiers for a nation, in some cases it is among the major contributors to a countries annual GDP. Given all these and the fact that sport is unique may I submit by saying that all sport stakeholders should stop their collective CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE and work towards the activation of the sport industry in Nigeria.

     

  • Stakeholders to rejig lottery business

    The National Lottery Regulatory Commission, the Union of Lottery Agents and Employees and the Bookmakers Association, plan to streamline lottery businesses, gaming and promos in the country.

    At a meeting of stakeholders in Lagos, the  bodies endorsed some measures to enhance the integrity  of the business.

    They agreed that cooperation  among stakeholders was crucial to the success of lottery, pledging to work together.

    To this end, all lottery agents and sub-agents are  to be certified by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

    The exercise, which began on February 8, this year will end on March 31.

    The meeting emphasised the need for agents and sub-agents to comply with the directive, adding that only those who register with the  Commission would be permitted to operate in the industry from next month.

    Once completed, it is believed that the certification will rid the lottery industry of all unregistered and uncertified agents and sub-agents as well as end the activities of illegal operators.

    Stakeholders maintained that the lottery industry has been a major avenue for employment generation and a revenue earner in countries that had paid due attention to the issue of regulation and monitoring of the various activities associated with the industry.

    Therefore, the body said given the government’s dwindling revenue from crude oil sales, lottery business presents a good succour for the Federal Government to improve its revenue earnings just as discerning nations have done.

    The Lottery Commission Director-General, Mr. Adolphus Joe Ekpe led the team from the Commission while the President of the National Union of Lottery Agents and Employees, Mr. Justice Sai attended the meeting with members of the executive committee of the union.

    Miss Seun Soremekun, the Legal Adviser of the Bookmakers Association headed the association’s delegation to the meeting.

    Ekpe explained that the mapping is the first of its kind in Nigeria and that it is being done in accordance with the statutory powers of the Commission in the National Lottery Act of 2005.

    Ekpe observed that Nigeria’s lottery industry as it stands presently, is rife with so many illegal operators who more often than not, smear the industry with bad reputation and erode the much-needed public confidence in the industry.