The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Stakeholders

  • Stakeholders divided over drug distribution guidelines

    Stakeholders are divided over when the new Mega Drug Distribution System (MDDS) guidelines implementation should begin.

    The implementation date was shifted to this year, following disagreement among key players last year.

    While some clamoured for the implementation, others said the guidelines should not be executed as  they might cripple the sector.

    The issue again came up at the bi-monthly meeting of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) in Lagos.

    The theme of the event was: New drug distribution policy implementation.

    The stakeholders said the system should be evolutionary and not revolutionary.

    The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Emma Ekunno, said there was the need to clean up the sector, adding that it should evolve with time.

    He, however, said this should be done cautiously, adding that those involved are stakeholders.

    Ekunno, who is the Managing Director, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, said if the new guidelines took effect this year as proposed by the government, it would boost the sector.

    He said though the guidelines are  good, they would only reduce counterfeiting, adding: “They can never extinguish it.”

    Ekunno said the implementation had to be right to clean up the value chain, which is the unwanted market.

    The chairman said the new drug distribution system was well-intended, adding that the stakeholders should make it work.

    Managing Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr Fidelis Ayebae, said the government and key players should address the problem of chaotic drug distribution before implementing the new guidelines.

    His words: “This is needful so that we don’t start speaking from both sides of the mouth and charlatans will take advantage of the situation.”

    He cautioned on disenfranchisement of charlatans, adding that it would only lead to the creation of new ones.

    Ayebae said 65 per cent of key players upon which the market is built are charlatans, adding that mega drug distribution companies should not revolutionise the sector by expunging the counterfeiters.

    Besides, the Federal Government needs to bring drug markets under regulation.

    “We need the charlatans to reach the interiors in the country because we cannot do it alone,” he said.

    He said the government owe the manufacturers a lot of money, adding that charlatans could pull their resources into the sector when they are brought into the fold by regulation. “Then, there will be growth in the sector and everybody can be better for it,” he said.

    Ayebae said charlatans should be encouraged to do their business legally because MDDS do not sell drugs, they only distribute.

    President, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), Steve Onya said his association has queried those who formulated the guidelines.

    “They are professionals, but they are not technically competent,” he said.

    He said fakers should be encouraged to do things rightly to regulate, adding: “There would not be a place for mega distributors to sell, if charlatans are expunged from the system.”

    He warned that the industry might lose about 150,000 jobs if the charlatans were forced out.

    Onya said the guidelines should not be implemented for now, adding: “If key players do something outside the regulated wholesale system, the market will die. A mega distributor cannot sell in a vacuum.”

    President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr Olumide Akintayo said the society did not draft the document, adding that it only appraised it.

    Akintayo, represented by Dr Lolu Ojo, described the drug distribution market as a tolerated illegality.

    He said everybody, including charlatans should be controlled.

    He said PSN had sensitised pharmacists that there would be a paradigm shift before the guidelines were recommended.

    MDDS, he said, is a good intention, which should be supported to sanitise the sector.

    “It will order the channel of distribution. The integrity of pharmacists will be at stake until this is achieved,” he said.

    Minister of State for Health, Fidelis Nwankwo, said  stakeholders were carried along  during the formulation of the guidelines.

    Nwankwo, represented by a Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Health, Titus Tile, urged pharmacists to ensure appropriate implementation of the guidelines because it is in their interest.

    He urged them to take advantage of the potential, which abound in the sector, adding that investors may take over their sector.

    He told them not to entertain any fear as the document is renewable every two years.

     

  • Stakeholders meet for inter school competition

    Stakeholders meet for inter school competition

    Stakeholders from Oshodi Isolo Education district met during the week in Lagos to fine tune arrangements for the first-ever inter and intra school competition, which recently flagged off in the area.

    The initiative, which is the brainchild of Mr. Ikwuagwu Emeka George, the CEO of Holmes Viu Properties Ltd, is in collaboration with the local and state education district 6, representatives from public and private schools and other stakeholders.

    The talent and skills hunt, according to Ikwuagwu, would reduce youth restiveness, as well as give the young ones a sense of belonging early in life.

    He said: “This is our own way of giving back to the society as our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The inter school competition has three categories, which include education, sports and culture. Under education we have debates and essays. Under sports we have football, high jump and table tennis, hundred meters dash and four by four hundred meters.”

    “Then we also further categories for the male and female. It involves both the public and private schools all within Isolo and Oshodi local government areas.”

     

  • NIBF to host education stakeholders

    NIBF to host education stakeholders

    The Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), the umbrella body of professionals in the book industry, has introduced an education summit for principal officers and owners of schools that will feature at this year’s edition of the Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF).

    Its President, Alhaji Rilwanu Abdulsalami, made this known at a briefing in Excellence Hotel Ikeja, Lagos.

    The summit has as theme: ‘The truly educated child; A must concern to all education practitioners’.

    Abdusalami said the fair was introduced to draw attention of the incoming government towards ensuring better quality of education in schools.

    Abdulsalami encouraged parents to supervise the training and education of their children, in order to ensure that morals, values, character, thinking and productivity of the children, which all make up true education, are found in them.

    President, Nigerian Publishers Association, Chief Okereke Ngwobia, condemned the poor maintenance and neglect of public libraries by governments, describing it as a hindrance to reading culture in Nigerians.

    He said the Nigerian Librarian Association is working with stakeholders of education to improve the quality and content of public libraries, so that rare books could be made available for the public.

    Executive Secretary, NBFT, Mr Abiodun Omotubi, said the forthcoming event, 14th in the series, would hold between Monday, May 11 and Saturday, May 18, this year at the Multipurpose Hall of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

    It would also include a two-day  children’s programme, workshops, seminars, trainings, authors’ groove, book exhibition and other side attractions, Omotunbi added.

    According to him, the event would be chaired by the chairman of HEBN Publishers Plc, Mr Ayo Ojeniyi, while a professor of Oral Literature and Folklore at Delta State University, G. G. Darah, would deliver the keynote paper with the title: ‘African youth empowerment through book for sustainable national development.’

    The Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) Prof Ismail Junaidu, would be the special guest of honour.

    Mr Omotubi said nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Adichie and other notable authors of literature in Nigeria, as well as over 10 countries would be in attendance.

  • Why PDP lost Benue, by stakeholders

    After ruling Benue State for 16 years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in a good position to win the April 11 governorship elections. But, Governor Gabriel Suswam handed the state over to All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election. What really went wrong?

    In the view of observers, the PDP shot itself in the foot when during the primaries it handed over  its governorship ticket to an inexperienced politician.

    This was coupled with myriad of problems that confronted the Benue chapter of the party, prior to the general elections. The problems include from the non-payment of salaries, which had accumulated for about six months as at the time of the elections. Pensioners were also being owed arrears of their entitlements, and teachers were also aggrieved over the non-implementation of the national minimum wage policy. In fact, the teachers were on strike at the time.

    Local government workers are not left out; they have been at loggerheads with the government over complaints about heavy deduction from their monthly salaries.

    The explanation by the Suswam-led administration that it was as a result of the reduction in allocations from the Federation Account, due to the slump in  oil prices, fell on the deaf ears. The aggrieved workers left no one in doubt that they were going to extract their pound of fresh from the ruling party during the election.

    Apart from the issue of salary which contributed to the defeat, another factor that worked against the party was political patronage.

    Most elders in the party were aggrieved that the governor had abandoned them, by leaning on a new generation of politicians like John Tondo,Bob Tyough, Bernard Nenge, Chris Aba and Terseer Adzuu.

    But, one of the factors that led to the fall of the PDP was the emergence Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor, a young and inexperienced candidate.

    About 18 aspirants jostled  for the ticket. They include: Chief Samuel Ortom (now Governor-elect on the platform of the APC), Chief Mike Aondoakaa, Eugene Aliegba, Alex Adum Hinga Biem and Tivlumun Nyitse. Sure of them were members Governor Suswam’s cabinet, either as commissioners or permanent secretaries.

    Most of them sought and got the blessing of the governor before they resigned to join the governorship race. That implied an assurance from the governor that he would support each of them.

    However, ahead of the primaries approached, another dimension was introduced into the campaign. “It was rumoured that the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, anointed Hon. Tarzor to succeed Suswam and this generated tension among the aspirants and PDP members generally,” a source said.

    They vowed to resist the attempt by an outsider to impose a candidate on the people of Benue State.

    When Tarzoor finally emerged as the PDP governorship candidate, there was a huge crack within the ranks of the party, as no less than 12 aggrieved  governorship aspirants worked against him at the general election.

    “The ruling PDP in Benue  went into both the presidential and National Assembly elections and the governorship and state House of Assembly elections as a divided house; their supporters worked against the party’s interest and it was obvious that defeat loomed for the party,” the source added.

    After Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election, Chief Barnabas Gemade defeated Suswam and the Senate Minority Leader  George Akume won his re-election. It was too late to do something to stop the looming defeat at the governorship poll.

  • Stakeholders seek laws to regulate used car importation

    Stakeholders seek laws to regulate used car importation

    Stakeholders have called for laws to regulate the importation of used European cars, which have reached the end of their lives.

    A former Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr Olasupo Shasore (SAN) said such laws should set a limit to the age of vehicles brought into the country.

    He spoke in an interview with reporters at a colloquium in Lagos to mark the 2015 Earth Day, organised by the Kuramo Conferences and the Resource Innovation and Solutions Network Nigeria (RISSN), initiators of the Sustainability School Lagos. The theme was: Solutions for a sustainable future.

    A German chemist and toxologist, Dr. Beate Kummer said Nigeria had become a dumping ground for “end-of-life” vehicles meant for recycling in Europe.

    She said about 300,000 of such cars were pushed into Nigeria in 2012, adding: “Nigeria is a huge market for end-of-life vehicles, which are sold for dumping prices. These vehicles are often smuggled from Europe or North America through over 1,400 illegal routes.”

    Shashore said Nigeria can stop being a dumping ground for such rejected items through the enactment of relevant laws and proper regulation.

    “We have learned that there is an end-of-life designation for European cars. We don’t have legislation that creates a cut-off period for the end-of-life of a vehicle, the point at which a vehicle must be recycled.

    “We don’t have legislation that can designate use of batteries, telephones and our inverters at home. They become hazardous and harmful when they are not disposed of properly. It affects the soil and the water, and drinking it can lead to cancer.

    “If we have the knowledge as legal practitioners, we can lobby for a framework to be created. That is a lacuna in our laws right now. All we do is find ways in which we discourage it hopefully by increasing the importation duty.

    “Some of these vehicles have reached the end of their lives in the countries of their importation. There is no framework.

    “We hope that will be one of the points that should make the agenda of this colloquium,” Shasore said.

    RISSN Director Dr Olufemi Olarewaju called for the strengthening of the legal framework to reduce the import of rejected vehicles and other expired and harmful appliances into Nigeria.

    “Advocacy is what we need to be a part of. We’ll be doing a lot of engagements,” he told reporters. First of all we don’t even know what the legal framework is. In terms of abandoned vehicles for instance, why should a car that is condemned somewhere in the world be able to come into Nigeria freely?

    “In our situation most of the time the laws are in the books. We just have challenges in enforcing them. The legal framework is significant because it is based on it that the private sector can operate; they need to obey the laws of the land. It’s a critical component of what we need to achieve going forward.”

    Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) Mr Ola Oresanya believes having a strong database of what is imported would help in regulation.

    He, however, argued that what is considered old or useless in one country may not been seen as such another, saying: “What is ‘end-of-life’ in Europe may not be ‘end-of-life’ here. You define what is ‘end-of-life’. It’s a relative word really; it’s not absolute.”

    Among the guests were Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), former Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) president, Mrs Ayo Obe; environmentalist Newton Jibunoh; Country Director, Africare Nigeria Dr Orode Doherty; Manager, First Bank Sustainability Centre, Lagos Business School Dr. Ijeoma Nwagwu; ms. Baerbel Freyer of the German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, among others.

     

     

  • Capital market stakeholders meet

    All major stakeholders in  the capital market are expected to meet next week to review developments and outline the outlook for the market.

    The meeting, under the aegis of the Capital Market Committee (CMC), is the first this year in the series of quarterly meetings by operators, regulators and other stakeholders.

    The meeting is expected to review market performance, reports of some sub-committees, recent initiatives and take inputs from members on the strategic initiatives needed to further enhance the market, especially in the light of the election of a new government.

    Expected at the event are chief executive officers of registered capital market firms, including broker dealer, capital market solicitors, custodians, fund managers, issuing houses, rating agencies, registrars, reporting accountants, trustees and consultants.

    Also, chief executive officers of self regulatory organisations (SROs), including Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX), Afex, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), FMDQ, NASD and Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) are expected to be part of the meeting.

    Also expected are one member each from observer groups, including Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Debt Management Office (DMO),  Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, Investment and Securities Tribunal, Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, National Insurance Commission, National Pension Commission and the Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee (FSRCC).

    The chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on capital market are also expected at the meeting.

     

  • Stakeholders canvass support for retail bond market

    Stakeholders in the capital market have called for collaborative efforts aimed at further deepening and developing the bond market, especially the retail segment.

    Capital market chiefs, including private operators and regulators, brainstormed on the strategies to harness the huge benefits from retail bonds at a workshop organised by Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited in collaboration with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

    The event also attracted key players in the capital market including stockbrokers, dealers, investors, economic analysts and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc.

    Stakeholders agreed that the development of the bond market, like other segments of the capital market, requires contributions of the operators, governments and other interested parties.

    Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Mr. Oladele Sotubo, said the positioning and transformation of  the  bond market into a vibrant investment window requires the collaboration of all stakeholders.

    He reiterated his firm’s commitment to facilitating stability and growth of the capital market through confidence-building initiatives and leveraging investment opportunities in the market.

    According to him, a major objective in organising the workshop was to enlighten investors and stakeholders on the workings of the bond market and the numerous benefits in investing in retail bonds in particular.

    He added that investors and stakeholders’ education would help in boosting retail investors’ participation in both the primary and secondary markets, and ultimately, help to deepen the bond market.

    Sotubo said as Nigeria’s largest stockbroking firm in both volume and value of total transactions, and stockbroker to the Federal Government, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Ltd will continuously put in the public domain initiatives and strategies that could help all stakeholders, especially investors, to be better informed about developments in the capital market, which will help them in making the right decisions.

    He assured that Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Ltd would organize more of training workshops for investors and stakeholders with a view to increasing domestic participation in the capital market.

    Head, Product Management, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Dipo Omotoso, who represented NSE’s chief executive, outlined some of the measures that have been taken to strengthen the capital market, which includes its derivatives.

    He described the investment opportunities in the capital market and Nigeria’s economy as huge, and urged investors to become more active in the retail bonds segment.

     

  • NGO urges govts, stakeholders on access to potable water

    WaterAid, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in Abuja has called on governments and their developments partners to intensify their efforts to increase access to potable water.

    Its Advocacy and Partnership Manager , Mr Saheed Mustafa, said access to potable water would go a long way in reducing incidences of water-borne diseases.

    “Such diseases as diarrhea and other water-related ailments are preventable if people have access to clean sources of water,” he said.

    He said there was the need for governments to articulate and implement policies guiding the provision of water.

    He said the NGO was working on the provision of water schemes in small towns in six states.

    “We work in Nigeria in six states; we work in Bauchi, Plateau, Ekiti, Enugu, Jigawa and Benue states,” he said.

    Mustafa said the organisation was primarily established to assist in water and sanitation for rural dwellers worldwide.

    “He said: WaterAid is a charity organisation that is focused on promoting access to water and sanitation around the world.

    “We work with local partners, such as local governments, state governments and the Federal Government.

    “We also work with Civil Society Organisations; we work with media organisations and other key stakeholders, including communities that are supposed to be the main drivers of this intervention.

    “He said the NGO works with them to ensure that access to water and sanitation became universally assessable and at the right quality.

    “But more importantly, we try as much as possible to ensure that the technology is fit for purpose for the communities,” he said.

  • Stakeholders caution on food safety

    Nigerians have been urged to pay attention to how food and drinks are being handled so as to avoid food borne and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases.

    The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, made this known yesterday at activity marking this year’s World Health Day (WHD). It was in collaboration with Sanofi Paseur.

    With the theme Food Safety, and slogan, ‘From farm to plate’, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is alerting governments, manufacturers, retailers and the public to the importance of food safety, and the part each can play in ensuring that the food on peoples’ plate is safe to eat.

    According to Dr Kofo Odeyemi of Association of Public Health Physicians, Lagos State Chapter, Food borne and water borne diarrhoeal disease kill an estimated two million people annually, including many children and particularly in developing countries.

    She said, “Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition threatening the nutritional status of the most vulnerable. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition, threatening the nutritional status of the most vulnerable. Food can become contaminated at any point of production and distribution, and the primary responsibility lies with food producers.”

    Dr Odeyemi said, “However, a large proportion of food borne disease incidents are caused by foods improperly prepared or mishandled at home, in food service establishments or markets.”

  • Stakeholders demand quality teachers at science contest

    Stakeholders demand quality teachers at science contest

    Secondary school pupils from all over Nigeria have exhibited their dexterity in invention at the 11th National Festival of School Science in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

    The event, known as Science Fair, is being driven by Genius Illumina and backed by a software company, Intel Corporation. It was attended by pupils from 27 states.

    The participants displayed their scientific innovation, some of which included a water bicycle, motorised rechargeable lamp, working tools, household materials, among others.

    The fair equally offered a platform for stakeholders in the education sector as they frowned at the poor quality of teachers saying the development has had adverse effect on education standard of Nigeria.

    At the competition, Doregos Private Academy, Lagos came first and second in two exhibitions to emerge winner, while the third position went to Government College, Katsina.

    Rewards for the first, second and third place winners were laptops, 50 different science/technology books, medals, plaques and all-expense paid trip to attend Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (INTEL-ISEF) in the United States. Others also received laptops.

    The Corporate Affairs Manager, Intel Corporation, Mr Babatunde Akinola, said the global decline in education can be tackled through public-private partnership initiative and not government efforts alone.

    He said pupils’ interest in education is waning, saying any nation that dreams technological breakthrough must prioritise Science and Technology right from secondary school.

    “This Catch-Them-Young Programme remains the best way to redirect the country to the path of STEM. If a nation wants to be competitive in the global economy, then it has to focus essentially on Science and Technology.

    “With this programme, we tend to give relevance to these kids and creating a veritable platform for them to realise their potential.

    “The quality of Science teachers is poor in Nigeria. We have very enthusiastic teachers, but the skills are not there.”

    The Coordinator of Genius Illumina, Dr Jerry Irhue, called on corporate organisations to partner with governments for adequate funding of education.

    “What we are doing is to initiate a situation whereby we can create avenue for the future leaders to be noticed now and give a morale booster for them to be able to be whatever they want even where there is paucity of fund.

    “But I want to plead with government to relax bureaucracy in dealing with intervention from private organisations or individuals while trying to lend a helping hand in building a virile society we can all be proud of.

    “We are delighted that education is on the concurrent list, so I plead with our government to provide conducive environment for teachers to deliver.”

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr Kolapo Olusola, said Ekiti as the Fountain of Knowledge, would open its door to relevant agencies seeking partnership to revive education in the state.

    Olusola said the ministry had just concluded a seminar for all science teachers, targeted at promoting the teaching of science subjects.